Management of Waste in city

 

Waste management is the process of treating solid wastes and offers variety of solutions for recycling items that don’t belong to trash. It is about how garbage can be used as a valuable resource. Waste management is something that each and every household and business owner in the world needs. Waste management disposes of the products and substances that you have use in a safe and efficient manner.

Waste management or Waste disposal is all the activities and actions required to manage waste from its inception to its final disposal.[1] This includes amongst other things, collection, transport, treatment and disposal of waste together with monitoring and regulation. It also encompasses the legal and regulatory framework that relates to waste management encompassing guidance on recycling etc.

The term normally relates to all kinds of waste, whether generated during the extraction of raw materials, the processing of raw materials into intermediate and final products, the consumption of final products, or other human activities,[1] including municipal (residential, institutional, commercial), agricultural, and social (health care, household hazardous waste, sewage sludge).[2] Waste management is intended to reduce adverse effects of waste on health, the environment or aesthetics.

Garbage disposal in Cities Skylines appears to be a much bigger issue than it is in real life. Perhaps it’s done to create global awareness of how important a proper garbage disposal system is to a society, but whatever the reasons behind it are is irrelevant.

In order to tackle this troublesome issue, you’ll need to have a good know how of the service buildings that take care of garbage disposal in the game, what their purposes are, and how you can get the healthiest and best output out of them.

For more help on Cities Skylines, read our Transportation System, Best Power Plants and Pollution Control Guide.

 

Cities Skylines Garbage Disposal

We have got the tips for you to do that in this guide. First up, let’s take a look at the most basic garbage building: the Landfills.

Landfills

Landfills are basically large areas of land where you will be able to toss garbage out. However, they come in the form of a City Service ‘building’, and are the most basic garbage disposal buildings in the game.

 

Each Landfill will have its own number of garbage trucks that will go around to regions which are connected to the landfill via roads, collect garbage, come back, and dump it into the landfill.

However, you have to be very careful with landfills, since they have a limited capacity.

Once they are filled up, landfills can be emptied out. This consumes a surprisingly large amount of time, so you might want to consider emptying them when they are 80% full instead of 100%.

Landfills generally have a very low upkeep cost. However, they produce a lot of ground pollution, reduce the value of the land where they are placed, and can cause sickness to citizens living near them.

Incinerators

Incinerators are advanced garbage disposal buildings that have a dual purpose. Firstly, the act as your regular garbage disposal service building, dispatching garbage trucks to areas they are connected to.

However, instead of accumulating the garbage, Incinerators will burn it to produce electricity. Pretty handy, right? The downside to this is that Incinerators produce a lot of noise and air pollution, which means you’ll have to place them far away from the main city.

Also, Incinerators tend to have a fewer number of trucks as compared to landfills, and a much higher upkeep cost. Despite these downsides, placing a few Incinerators in your city will almost completely get rid of the garbage issues, which is an annoyingly serious problem in Cities Skylines.

You should only replace landfills with Incinerators only when your population reaches around 20,000 and have a profit of more than $15,000. This way, you’ll be able to utilize the upkeep cost of the Incinerators, and have enough garbage to produce a decent amount of electricity from these buildings.

 

Mr “Puran Doshi” secretary of Congress(I) & Ex Corporator  is working towards cleanliness of Colaba. According to him a developing country should also be a clean and green country. He believes that the areas of Colaba should be clean & pollution free to ensure good health of citizens.

Importance of Mangroves in our Environment

 

Importance of Mangroves in our enviroment

Mangroves are commonly found in the intertidal zone of tropical and subtropical sheltered coastlines. They are not affected by forest fires, but about 50% (50,000 km²) of their total areal extent, particularly in Asia, Australia, Madagascar and the Caribbean, are potentially exposed to tropical cyclones, typhoons and hurricanes. In the mangroves of India and Bangladesh, especially at the mouth of the Ganges, the threat from strong winds, surges driven by storm waves and floods, is one of the most deadly in the world. Paradoxically this mangrove area, known as “The Sunderbans,” bears the largest natural mangroves of the world in a single block (about 6,050 km², i.e., 2,000 km² in India and 4,050 km² in Bangladesh). Emphasis in this paper is on the impacts of windstorms in the mangroves of the Bay of Bengal, deducted from field observations and satellite image analysis, including forest destructions and forest alterations like defoliation. The final result of our analysis is that mangrove species are able, in this part of the world, to heal cyclonic wounds and maintain their total areal extent constant in the absence of human interference.

Mangrove Threats and Solutions

Mangrove forests are one of the world’s most threatened tropical ecosystems

More than 35% of the world’s mangroves are already gone. The figure is as high as 50% in countries such as India, the Philippines, and Vietnam, while in the Americas they are being cleared at a rate faster than tropical rainforests.

Removal of mangroves or disturbance may cause:

Increased risk of Acid Sulphate Soils

Disturbing acid sulphate soils, which are associated with low oxygen soils characteristic of mangrove forests, results in a threat to the health of humans, fauna, and flora in contact with the dangerously acidic waters.

Accelerated erosion

Accelerated rates of coastal and riverine bank erosion can result in bank collapse, loss of coastal foreshore, and can result from clearing of disturbance of mangroves. Retaining mangroves as erosion buffers makes it unnecessary to build erosion-prevention devices such as the expensive sea walls that are already common along stretches of the Redlands coast.

Loss of habitat

Destruction and/or degradation of mangroves results in a loss of vital habitat for:

birds – migratory birds and other terrestrial and marine birds use these wetlands to roost, breed and feed (mangrove flower nectar and fish, crabs etc)

fish – all parts of mangroves are protected under the Fisheries Act 1994, as they provide young fish spawn with a vital source of food (e.g.. decaying leaves) and protection from prey and the battering of the tide

seagrasses and dependent fauna – large amounts of organic matter (e.g.decaying leaves) produced by mangroves are swept out to enrich the seagrass beds – without mangroves, seagrasses are not able to sustain the dugongs, turtles and fish that feed and live in them

other fauna – crabs and molluscs, and other marine fauna, depend on the mangroves to provide shelter, food and habitat

Increased coastal flooding

Without mangroves and salt marshes to soak up the tidal and freshwater inputs, there is potential for heavy flooding during high tides. Removal of mangroves places the inhabitants of foreshore developments at risk.

Degraded water quality

Removal or degradation of mangroves results in higher erosion, which will increase the turbidity (amount of particles and sediment in the water) of coastal and riverine waters. The nutrient levels, including nutrients associated with development (e.g. chemicals from industrial and farming activities), will increase if mangroves are not there to act as filters and trap these nutrients for recycling in the mangrove ecosystem.

Higher nutrient levels may result in ‘eutrophication’ evidence by algal blooms, which cover the water surface blocking the sunlight and oxygen from reaching other marine and freshwater organisms. Higher turbidity and sediment in nearshore and riverine environments can also result in the smothering of bottom-dwelling organisms.

 

Mr Puran doshi Secretary – Mumbai Congress. Ex – Corporator has taken a stand to protect Mangroves in Colaba. Mangroves have disappeared at an alarming speed. The shortage of open land for construction and the high value of real estate means the city’s remaining mangrove forests are facing an uncertain future. At such rapid destruction Mr Puran doshi, stood & raised his voice against destruction of Mangroves

Air Pollution In Colaba

 

The air we breathe – Is it Safe?

I love Mumbai’s air..though it is very polluted as everyone says. At places, the air brings the smell of sea or wafting smell of lovely roadside food, at other places of leather, ammonia, garbage and stench of human filth. Now, all we seem to breathe in Mumbai is unbearable amounts of toxic gas mix all over Mumbai. Mumbai’s coastal climate is ideal for removal of air pollutants, however, the rate of removal is slower than the rate at which pollutants are generated, hence we end up with a cauldron of toxic gas mix

As with everything else that citizens of Mumbai put up with, from terrorism to packed trains, heavily polluted air is also another in their list of things that they have come to accept. Very complacent huh? or are the people of Mumbai sitting ducks?

Sitting ducks, photograph by Purushottam V.Rao

How bad is the pollution on Mumbai? The city authorities are well aware of what it could loose if it fails to address this pressing issue of air pollution. It is engaged in various ameliorative measures to address the issue. What remains to be seen is whether these measures are yielding any positive results.

For the uninitiated, the common air pollutants are :

Carbon Monoxide – CO

Oxides of Nitrogen – NOx

Sulphur Dioxide – SO2

Suspended particular matter – SPM

Respirable suspended particulate matter – RSPM

Hydrocarbons – HC

Deteriorating air quality is the result of rapid economic growth, industrial output, unprecedented rise in vehicles to cater to the city’s burgeoning population.

Breathing the air in Mumbai for just 1 day is equivalent to smoking 100 cigarettes, a study says

Diwali celebrations ended almost a month ago but the contamination in the air still continues to threaten the city

In order to have minimal impact on a person’s health, the air quality index has to be between 0 and 50 but as recorded by the meteorological department in Mumbai last month, the air quality index has mounted to dangerously high levels of 225 which can easily increase the susceptibility to respiratory infections in sensitive individuals especially children and the elderly.

The air quality has worsened not only in Mumbai but in Delhi as well. Known for its crisp cold nights, Delhi weather has deteriorated to nothing but grey, smog-filled health nightmare. Pollution levels have escalated considerably over the past few days after both the cities witnessed a certain level of drop in the temperature

According to the World Health Organization, Every year, Air pollution claims millions of lives across the globe, with more than 627,000 deaths reported in India alone. According to a study 1 in every 8 deaths on earth are linked to Air Pollution

Prolonged exposure to high levels of air pollutants can not only cause respiratory disorders in healthy people but also impact those with existing heart and respiratory disorders. Mumbai’s air pollution standards index (PSI) shows that pollution levels rise after the monsoon and peak in December. Laden with toxic substances and cancer-causing particles, the air in Mumbai has become more polluted than the air in Beijing. One of the main causes of this outcome is the increasing number of vehicles on Mumbai’s streets. Motor vehicles emit a host of hazardous pollutants into the air, most of which are capable of causing a significant damage to the human health. Toxic gases emitted from chemical factories and fire crackers have further aggravated the problem of air pollution, thereby creating an unbearable living condition in India

Mumbaikars have a tough life with high property prices making housing unaffordable while poor infrastructure makes travel times a nightmare. But if that wasn’t bad enough, they now have to deal with rising air pollution, with data from SAFAR (the System of Air quality, Weather Forecasting and Research) showing that Mumbai’s air is becoming as bad as that of Delhi.

“On an average, the air quality numbers for Mumbai range between 200 to a little over 300, with the concentration of particulate matter (PM) 2.5 and 10 in the moderate to high range. This is really not a good sign and we must take steps to check it before it crosses 300” say KS Hosalikar, the deputy director general of meteorology in Mumbai.

In the danger zone: Mumbai’s air quality dips

That may be a little too late. The air quality index (AQI) has already breached the 300 mark several times, with areas like Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC), the Western Suburbs, Malad and Borivali falling into the poor and very poor categories. Experts have found moderate to high levels of pollutants such as PM 2.5 and PM 10, which can be dangerous to human health.

“These are dust particles which are not visible to the naked eye and we don’t realize the effect it has on us. The literature says PM 2.5 can severely affect someone who has lung disease and asthma and is irremovable once it goes into your lungs” warns KS Hosalikar.

Why is Mumbai’s air turning terrible?

So where is all this muck coming from? Like in Delhi, vehicular traffic is the first suspect generating vast amounts of PM 2.5. But that’s just one part of the story. Mumbai’s poor infrastructure has to take a majority of the blame.

“The number of vehicles in Mumbai is one-third that of Delhi, but the number of vehicles per kilometer of road is 3 to 4 times more than Delhi. This density coupled with narrow roads & bad traffic management leads to traffic jams and slow-moving traffic, which releases more harmful pollutants into the air” says transport analyst, Ashok Datar.

The construction sector is the other major culprit, releasing PM 10 pollutants in the form of dust and debris. Most under-construction projects in the city observe little or no waste-disposal norms, and construction is carried out in the open air with no netting or material in place to trap air-borne particles.

Can Mumbai breathe easy?

Experts say if urgent measures aren’t taken to solve these problems, air-quality levels in Mumbai will dip even further. That would be fatal for the city, making people think twice before moving here.

“When making investment or real estate decisions, people usually take into account factors such as price, location and infrastructure. While these are important, I definitely see pollution, especially high pollution levels becoming the deciding factor going ahead” say Joe Verghese, MD. Colliers India

The government is considering several measures including CNG and implementation of odd-even traffic rules, but they are unlikely to be implemented soon. Will the government be able to get its act together to curb pollution? Or will Mumbaikars have to deal with one more issue that is making their city increasingly unlivable? Only time will tell

Mr “Puran Doshi” secretary of Congress(I) & Ex Corporator, if won the Brihanmunicipal Elections would take up measures to control pollution created due to traffic jams at Colaba. He is an environmentalist person and has always worked towards improving environment conditions in Colaba. He has supported various environmental cause such as saving Mangroves of Colaba area & clearing parking of cars at Taj Mahal Hotel Shore.

Can the perennial Traffic Issue in Colaba ever get solved?

Traffic on roads may consist of pedestrians, ridden or herded animals, vehicles, streetcars, buses and other conveyances, either singly or together, while using the public way for purposes of travel. Traffic laws are the laws which govern traffic and regulate vehicles, while rules of the road are both the laws and the informal rules that may have developed over time to facilitate the orderly and timely flow of traffic.

Events which disrupt the flow and may cause traffic to degenerate into a disorganized mess include road construction, collisions, and debris in the roadway. On particularly busy freeways, a minor disruption may persist in a phenomenon known as traffic waves. A complete breakdown of organization may result in traffic congestion and gridlock. Simulations of organized traffic frequently involve queuing theory, stochastic processes and equations of mathematical physics applied to traffic flow.

Mumbai – the sixth biggest megacity in the world with a metropolitan population of around 20 million people – is notorious for its chaotic traffic. Swarms of black and yellow taxis and auto-rickshaws jostle with smoke-belching buses and battered Maruti-Suzukis in a cacophony of honking horns and revving engines. No one takes the slightest notice of road markings; there is no congestion charging or bus rapid transit; no bus lanes or bike lanes.

While private cars account for just 1.6% of journeys made in the city, their number has swelled 55% over the past seven years to 2.3m. There is a tradition of newspaper vendors, milkmen and dabbawalas – so-called “livelihood cyclists” – who depend on sturdy, black locally made bikes to go about their business, but, as the UCL’s Andrew Harris argues, transport policy is firmly geared towards the car. Cycling is seen by many as a low-status way of getting around.

Traffic Jam is a major problem in Colaba area. With thousands of people visiting the Gateway of India and the Taj Mahal Palace hotel, especially during tourist season, the residents of Colaba are highly inconvenienced. There is severe traffic congestion around the quadrangle: from Regal Cinema to the Gateway of India, to the Radio Club, and the Hanuman Mandir.

Residents, along with the ALM, My Dream Colaba, took the issue to the concerned authorities in an effort to resolve it and also came up with a few solutions. The traffic woes of the island city seem to grow manifold with each passing day. A drive down Fashion Street to Colaba and all the way to Cuffe Parade brings forth the startling fact of there being only one traffic police chowki manning that entire stretch.
One of the reasons offered by the authorities is that the traffic police are understaffed. Besides manpower, setting up a traffic police chowki also requires space. Though the residents have been demanding a chowki for some time, the traffic authority has offered only stopgap solutions. Ghanshyam Hegde, secretary of My Dream Colaba, says, “During peak hours, the situation is very bad, especially from Regal Cinema to the main gate of Sassoon Docks. Although the distance is less than a kilometre, it takes at least 30-40 minutes to cross the area. It is ridiculous. We had even written to the traffic commissioner about it. Initially, action had been taken and three to four constables had been stationed there—this improved the situation. But they left after a week or so and things deteriorated again.”
Residents say that although there are laws to resolve such issues, traffic constables and other law enforcing agents, except beat marshals, are seldom seen in the area. That too, once the beat marshals leave, things go haywire once again.

Two-way roads during peak season

Colaba resident Manjeet Kriplani said, “The problem has doubled with the authorities concretising some of the roads in the area during peak tourist season. With tourists flocking to see the Taj Mahal Palace hotel and the Gateway of India, the area sees almost two lakh visitors daily during the peak season. This leads to very bad traffic snarls. The continuous honking by vehicles also adds to the noise pollution of this area.”

One of the main reasons behind the traffic problem during the peak season is that the roads are one-way. Residents feel that if the roads are made two-way for two months (during peak season), it will help solve the problem to a large extent. “Also, most of the times, the big tourist buses cause traffic congestion. I do not understand when there is a BEST bus plying between CST and Gateway, why do we need separate tourist buses. They just add to the chaos and aggravate the situation.”

Proactive authorities needed. Residents also feel that the authorities of the area need to be more proactive. If any construction work is slated to begin, the authorities should talk to the residents and the shopkeepers in the area and take their inputs on how to manage the traffic.

“The authorities should have issued a public notice before beginning to concretise the roads during the peak season. They can also try to come up with alternative solutions to address the traffic problem. This area is supposed to be a tourist spot, hence it should look beautiful and organised, instead it is exactly the opposite. What kind of image are we presenting to the tourists, who visit this place? Also, the Victorias or the ghoda gaadis should be regularised or be minimalistic because they add considerably to the traffic woes,” said Bella Shah, another Colaba resident.

 

Residents’ participation

Nandita Bedi says, “We should also give cops their due. Most of the times they do a really good job. The only reason why they find it difficult to manage the traffic is because they are understaffed. What we can do is we can introduce the concept of a traffic warden. A traffic warden is a resident of the area, who helps the traffic policemen in managing the traffic. This has already been implemented in several parts of Mumbai, then why not here? These people can be trained by the traffic police and later when these wardens are needed, they can help the traffic police.”

Another solution, which the residents have come up with, is to make a pedestrian plaza during the weekend. It will not only make the area less noisy but also make it beautiful and peaceful. “A pedestrian plaza will make the whole area look more beautiful. Provisions can be made for senior citizens to walk and the cars belonging to the residents of this area can have stickers on them, so that they can move in and out of this area without being hassled,” said Manjeet Kriplani.

Mr “Puran Doshi” secretary of Congress(I) & Ex Corporator,  believes that the real beauty of Colaba is in traffic free roads. According to him, Colaba is a tourist spot & so traffic is a major issue in Colaba. In his view a proper management of traffic is needed to solve the chaos created at Colaba. He ensures that if he becomes the Corporator of Colaba he will ensure that all these issues get solved efficiently

Gate way of India: Why must it survive & Problems Faced By Gate way of India

The Gateway of India is one of India’s most unique monumental landmarks which was built in the year 1924.

This massive monumental gate looks over the majestic Mumbai harbour which is bordered by the Arabian sea.

 

The Gateway of India, with its regal arches, stands guard facing the Arabian Sea at Apollo Bunder in bustling Colaba area of Mumbai. The most popular tourist attraction, it is the unofficial icon of the city of Mumbai and is a reminder of its rich colonial history as Bombay. The first structure to welcome visitors entering the city by sea, it is popularly called ‘Taj Mahal of Mumbai’. It stands at the end of Chhatrapati Shivaji Marg at the water’s edge. Visited by tourists and locals alike, the gateway and its promenade affords a great view of the boat-studded sea and is the connecting point for boat rides to and from the famous Elephanta Caves. The ‘Elephanta Festival of music and dance’ which was earlier held at the Elephanta caves, is now held in front of the Gateway in March every year

 

The Gateway faces the vast Arabian Sea, flanked by Mumbai’s another attraction, Marine Drive, a road running parallel to the sea. The majestic monument is a must-visit at night, in its pristine glory against the backdrop of the sea. It is visited by millions of people across the world every year and is a very significant figure in the lives of the people of Mumbai, as the Gateway defines the grandeur of the city that is a culmination of both, historic and modern cultural environment.

 

During the British Raj, the Gateway of India showcased the splendour of their establishment in India. It took approximately INR 21 lakhs to build this massive structure which was at the expense of the Indian government. It was built to celebrate King George V and Queen Mary’s visit to Mumbai. This beautiful structure, which was designed by George Wittet, took 4 years to complete the project.

 

This grand gate is a major tourist attraction in India, where tourists and photographers from across the world visit it to capture the beautiful landscape and surrounding.  The Gateway of India is open to everyone 24 x 7. This is a place where we see families, couples and individuals spending time sitting by the Gateway for some peace and cool breeze even in the busiest of days around it.

 

As one of India’s heritage monuments, conserving it is pivotal.  The Gateway provides a way to visit yet another unique tourist spot , the Elephanta Caves situated on an Island close to the Gateway of India. Motorboats help tourists in exploring the beauty of this islands and caves. The Gateway , which overlooks the vast blue blanket of the sea is a sight for the guests staying at one of India’s prestigious Taj Mahal Hotel which faces the monumental gate.

 

Over years, structures like these become weak and are exposed to a lot of wear and tear due to environmental changes, natural weathering, vandalism etc. The Gateway of India too is slowly falling victim to age, but at the same time its historical value is rising… As they say” Old is Gold!

 

The Gateway of India has a historical significance and a symbol of pride for the civilisation around it. The structure stands tall and looks strong, reminding the people of Mumbai , how strong and intense their culture and city is. In a nutshell, not only does The Gateway of India have a historical backbone but also an emotional sentiment which drives the people of the city.

This magnificent wonder must and should be taken care of to restore the spirit of Mumbai at all times.

 

Problems Faced by Gateway of India

 

Citing a total lack of parking space around the already overburdened Gateway of India, the Mumbai traffic police have returned the application submitted by the private company constructing the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation’s (MTDC) ‘Floatel’ — an ambitious project for a floating hotel off the coast of Mumbai — and asked the company to come up with solutions for the parking problems that it would create around south Mumbai.

The company, Chateau International Inc. Private Limited, had sought a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Traffic Police a month ago. The MTDC has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the company for the project. However, on Friday, the application was returned by BK Upadhyay, Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic) stating that the Floatel would increase the parking problems around Gateway of India.

According to Upadhyay, there is no space around the Gateway of India even for the vehicles of guests of the five-star hotels there on weekends.”The Floatel would be in water and guests would have to park their vehicles on the shore. There are at least 300 vehicles expected to come every weekend because of the floating hotel. There is no space to accommodate these many vehicles,” said Upadhyay.
Police personnel said on weekends, they have to ask the drivers of five-star hotels’ guests to park in the bylanes or drive in circles in the area till the guests exit the hotels, and that if the Floatel comes up, there would simply be too many vehicles to manage in south Mumbai.

“We have sent the application back without giving the NOC and asked the company to come up with solutions for this problem. If this problem is solved by the company, we will give the NOC for the Floatel,” Upadhyay added.  In December 1996, the Union Environment Ministry had given clearance to Chateau International Inc. Private Limited to construct the ‘Floatel’ off Cuffe Parade in Mumbai. The project is being promoted by Ireland-based Deltic Management Company and Chateau International. It is to be located on a 26 hectare site leased from the Bombay Port Trust and comprises a 30-storey hotel and a 29-storey business centre. The lower deck of the hotel will house helicopters, a parking lot for 2,000 cars and infrastructure for the hotel. The project is to be connected to Nariman Point and Cuffe Parade through two undersea tunnels, a ropeway and a collapsible bridge.

The Bombay Environment Action Group (BEAG), a Mumbai-based environmental NGO, had fought the project tooth and nail when it was proposed. Apart from worsening the traffic congestion in south Mumbai, the floatel is also accused of threatening the livelihood of small fishermen in Mumbai.

According to Mr “Puran Doshi” secretary of Congress(I) & Ex Corporator, private cars should not be parked near Gateway shore because when the parked cars will move it will cause the soil to shake & will lead to soil erosion which will further threaten the existence of  Gateway of India. His point is valid & if implemented can save the monument.

26/11 Mumbai Attacks

The 2008 Mumbai attacks were a series of attacks that took place in November 2008, when 10 members of Lashkar-e-Taiba, an Islamic militant organisation based in Pakistan, carried out a series of 12 coordinated shooting and bombing attacks lasting four days across Mumbai. The attacks, which drew widespread global condemnation, began on Wednesday, 26 November and lasted until Saturday, 29 November 2008, killing 164 people and wounding at least 308.

Eight of the attacks occurred in South Mumbai: at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, the Oberoi Trident, the Taj Mahal Palace & Tower, Leopold Cafe, Cama Hospital, the Nariman House Jewish community centre, the Metro Cinema, and in a lane behind the Times of India building and St. Xavier’s College. There was also an explosion at Mazagaon, in Mumbai’s port area, and in a taxi at Vile Parle. By the early morning of 28 November, all sites except for the Taj Hotel had been secured by Mumbai Police and security forces. On 29 November, India’s National Security Guards (NSG) conducted ‘Operation Black Tornado’ to flush out the remaining attackers; it culminated in the death of the last remaining attackers at the Taj Hotel and ended the attacks.

On November 26, 2008, Mumbai fell victim to one of the worst terrorist attacks in Indian history. Its perpetrators, members of the terrorist group Lashkar-Taiba, terrorized Maximum City for three days, targeting some of its most best-known locations and killing up to 166 people.

26/11 attack was different in a sense that for the first time, terrorists trained in Pakistan, used the sea route to enter India. The terrorists who participated in 26/11 Mumbai attacks were highly trained and were preparing for this strike for quite a long time. Their objective was to create terror and get some key terrorists released a la Kandhar hijacking episode.

It has been eight years since ten young men stormed into the financial capital of the country with the sole aim of wrecking it to the core — for three consecutive days, the city of Mumbai was wrapped in the grip of terror; eight years since Mumbai was brought down to its knees.

Up until November 2008, terror was associated with the fear that vexed the life of the common man or those unfortunate, inhabiting the disputed borders of the country. For the first time, the bubble of comfort that sheltered the propertied and elite in India was shattered. It was also the first time when foreigners in the country were the target of an attack, transforming a domestic tragedy into one that ended up having significant international ramifications.

But the largest significance of 26/11 lay in the impact that it had on public emotion. Never before had a terrorist attack given rise to public debate of the kind that discussed the role of every element of society in inhibiting terror. From politicians to the country’s security agencies to the media, each failed in its responsibility that eventually claimed the lives of 166 individuals.

The image of the front dome of Taj Mahal Palace hotel encapsulated with a large plume of smoke is one that is etched into the memory of every Mumbaikar. It was not just about the fear of the hundreds trapped inside or the multiple bombings and shootings or the fact that the iconic five-star hotel lay under siege for the longest period of time that made the Taj the face of the 26/11 attacks. Rather, the attack on Taj symbolised something way more powerful. It was a brazen combat against the most affluent and celebrated in the financial capital. It was a brutal strike upon an establishment that symbolised the emergence of an entrepreneurial elite in India.

For more than 60 hours the symbol of opulence in Mumbai lay at the mercy of four heavily armed terrorists.

Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus

Bullet marks on the wall at CST

The Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) was attacked by two gunmen, Ismail Khan and Ajmal Kasab. Kasab was later caught alive by the police and identified by eyewitnesses. The attacks began around 21:30 when the two men entered the passenger hall and opened fire, using AK-47 rifles. The attackers killed 58 people and injured 104 others, their assault ending at about 22:45. Security forces and emergency services arrived shortly afterwards. Announcements by a railway announcer, Vishnu Dattaram Zende, alerted passengers to leave the station and saved scores of lives. The two gunmen fled the scene and fired at pedestrians and police officers in the streets, killing eight police officers. The attackers passed a police station. Knowing that they were outgunned against the heavily armed terrorists, the police officers at the station, instead of confronting the terrorists, decided to switch off the lights and secure the gates.

Taj Mahal Hotel and Oberoi Trident Two hotels, the Taj Mahal Palace & Tower and the Oberoi Trident, were among the four locations targeted. Six explosions were reported at the Taj hotel – one in the lobby, two in the elevators, three in the restaurant – and one at the Oberoi Trident. At the Taj Mahal, firefighters rescued 200 hostages from windows using ladders during the first night.

CNN initially reported on the morning of 27 November 2008 that the hostage situation at the Taj had been resolved and quoted the police chief of Maharashtra stating that all hostages were freed; however, it was learned later that day that there were still two attackers holding hostages, including foreigners, in the Taj Mahal hotel.

Nariman House

Nariman House, a Chabad Lubavitch Jewish centre in Colaba known as the Mumbai Chabad House, was taken over by two attackers and several residents were held hostage. Police evacuated adjacent buildings and exchanged fire with the attackers, wounding one. Local residents were told to stay inside. The attackers threw a grenade into a nearby lane, causing no casualties. NSG commandos arrived from Delhi, and a naval helicopter took an aerial survey. During the first day, 9 hostages were rescued from the first floor. The following day, the house was stormed by NSG commandos fast-roping from helicopters onto the roof, covered by snipers positioned in nearby buildings. After a long battle, one NSG commando Havaldar Gajender Singh Bisht and both perpetrators were killed. Rabbi Gavriel Holtzberg and his wife Rivka Holtzberg, who was six months pregnant, were murdered with four other hostages inside the house by the attackers.

When there was fear & terror all over the city & lives of people was in danger Mr Puran Doshi secretary of Congress(I) & Ex Corporator, went inside Taj Mahal Hotel wearing live jacket & saved lives of various innocent people in the hotel. He was the only politician who went at the place where terror attacks happened to save the life of innocent people. He also received a bravery award for taking up initiative & saving life of people. His commitment & selfless motive of serving people makes him a true leader.

Parking Issues In Colaba

Mumbai is one of the most helpless island cities drowning in a sea of cars while battling with its never ending parking problems. As the universal belief goes, finding parking space in the city is a big hindrance. While some residential areas offer parking area, it is extremely difficult for an average middle class person to afford dedicated parking space.

In order to improve the quality of life, Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) wishes to improve the basic infrastructure. The city has seen a significant increase in the private vehicles over last few years. It has become increasingly difficult for citizens to find public parking places while they are on the move. In order to ease the parking woes of the citizens, MCGM proposes to adopt and implement a new parking policy. The new parking policy elaborates on-street parking (residential parking, parking near schools, and parking for tourist places) and off-street parking. Moreover, MCGM also envisages web based parking to be implemented and issue receipts using hand held devices.

t is a truth universally acknowledged that a Mumbai resident owning a car must be in search of parking space. The hunt for car parking is, of course, not limited to Mumbai, but is the common frustration with which most major cities of the world grapple. But we are concerned with Mumbai, which looks like drowning in a sea of cars.

This city has circumstances which exacerbate the problem further, being an island as well as a commercial hub, making for an exaggerated density of both humans and vehicles. Compound that with the public assumption that the government and city corporation are our mai-baap and must provide free parking space to all vehicle owners, and you have set the stage for an urban nightmare.

Look at the statistics: there are over 15 lakh cars on Mumbai’s roads, but common parking space for only — hold your breath — 8,000, thanks to the 100-odd pay-and-park areas across the city. The city’s vehicular density is 591 vehicles per square meter, compared to 163 in New Delhi and the international average vehicular density of 300. Not surprisingly, this leads to crises and conflict on a daily basis.

While some residential and office complexes have car parks, the average middle class citizen, who can today afford a car, has nowhere to park. For most, therefore, the solution is to park on the streets, sometimes double and triple parking. This obviously makes life difficult for drivers and for the traffic police who are unable to clear congested roads, making traffic jams inevitable.

On the other hand, there is little improvement in mass transport systems. As environmental activists have pointed out, only 9 per cent of the 14 million people in the city use cars and two-wheelers, but over Rs10,000 crore will be spent over the next few years on road projects.

Therefore, a two-pronged strategy must be employed to tackle the problem. First, we must accept that the government and BMC can and should charge for parking vehicles in the streets, as they do in many cities worldwide. Second, private enterprise must be encouraged to build car parking tower blocks across the city to ease the problem.

Meanwhile, the BMC itself has been most sluggish about developing the huge amount of vacant land it has acquired over the years, specifically reserved for parking. Hopefully, it won’t need court rulings to get us parking space.

One of the worst-hit areas which is affected by Haphazard parking is Colaba. Illegal parking is a major problem in Colaba. This is clearly one of the sore spots in the city due to the VIP movement that happens near Taj Mahal Hotel. The large number of tourists visiting the area makes the situation worse. If any VIP decides to visit the Taj Mahal Hotel then due to security reasons, the resident-owned cars parked on the roads around the hotel are moved to the bylanes in the neighborhood. This leads to complete chaos as these bylanes are narrow and already have several cars parked, which belong to the residents. Moving additional cars here has led to a lot of inconvenience, ultimately leading to major traffic on the roads.

Residents have time and again shared their ideas that could work as lasting solutions for the neighborhood. Some of these ideas include stationing traffic officers at the ‘No Entry’ points at J.A. Alana Marg, Henry Road as well as Walton Road and Garden Road, to curb the violation of two-wheelers and cars not observing the signage. The solutions are meant to be simple alterations in the way the traffic department functions.

ALMs and residents’ associations have repeatedly sent letters to the traffic department requesting them to take action but not much has been done. Even top officials had visited the concerned area to take note of the problems, but nothing has progressed since then.

Subhash Motwani, a Colaba-based activist, shares, “In additon to all the existing problems, there is now the problem of pollution as there are chauffer-driven cars that are parked illegally at J.A. Allana Marg; the drivers sit inside the car while it is parked and the engine is left on. This increases the amount of pollutants emitted from the vehicles, which is absolutely unnecessary and uncalled for.” A Ward, spread across almost 12 sq km, covers one of the most important business districts of the city, the seat of power Mantralaya, tony areas such as Marine Drive, Fort and Navy Nagar, and also a few slum clusters in Colaba and Cuffe Parade. While it is home to 1.88 lakh people, the ward sees nearly eight lakh visitors daily.

Transport experts claim that there has been negligible development as far as underground or multilevel parking lots are concerned. “It’s been so many years, yet the government hasn’t provided sufficient number of multilevel parking lots. When they collect so much tax on vehicles, they should also provide infrastructure for parking,” said Nitin Dossa of Western India Automobile Association.

Mr “Puran Doshi” secretary of Congress(I) & Ex Corporator  is working towards improving the parking issues in Colaba. According to him the state government should think of broadening the scope of multi-storey parking, as it is happening half-heartedly in selective areas. His suggestion if implemented can lead solve parking issues in Colaba to a great extent. His work & thoughts can really bring positive change in Colaba.

Top 10 Achievements That Led To The Development Of India During Congress Tenure

Seems funny, RIGHT? The title of this article and the current situation of Congress Party isn’t really going that well along. Well, as the old man said, ‘TIME WAITS FOR NOTHING’ and hence it changes. Well, in this article I will be talking about the good things that happened during the Congress rule and not the scams and corruption that took place during their tenure.

1. During the early years of Independent India, we were nothing.

It was the Congress party, particularly Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru who took the efforts of establishing many industries like steel plants, the Bhakra-Nangal and Damodar Valley power and mega irrigation projects, by taking funds from well to do people.

2. After the independence, it was the Congress party that stopped India from getting torn down into more than 600 parts.

The problem was dealt by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in compliance with the support of Nehru who diplomatically handled the situation and saved India.

3. India became a republic country under the guidance of B.R Ambedkar.

B.R Ambedkar laid the foundation of Republic India and on 26th January 1950, the constitution of India came into force. This was indeed a proud moment.

4. Making our eastern borders safer.

The role of Indira Gandhi for indulging in a war against Pakistan for breaking the country to Bangladesh is still considered as the finest decision ever taken. Supporting the civil war and liberation movement of Bangladesh, and then the Army action was a sublime act that helped in securing our eastern borders.

5. When India transformed from a mere wood and cotton selling nation to a big market for advanced IT firms.

Before Rajiv Gandhi, the word ‘computers’ were just found in dictionaries in India who nobody cared to look at. But it was him who dared to introduce the IT Sectors in India despite the protest from many political parties.

6. When Manmohan Singh showed that action speaks louder than words and his heroics saved India.

The year was 1991, and India was literally bankrupt. And then it was Manmohan Singh as our Finance Minister who pulled us out of the damn pit and introduced the Budget that changed the course of waves and made India stood up once again.

7. When we gave Pakistan the replies it deserved.

1947, 1965 and 1971. Three wars, three victories. The time when India was dealing with inner conflicts within the home, it was the Government that maintained the patience and dealt with the situation in the most diplomatic and yet with an aggressive approach.

8. When Lal Bahadur Shastri gave us the courage to fight in the tough times.

 

During the war of 1965 against Pakistan, India went on a terrible food shortage but it was him who have us the hope and confidence by asking us to maintain a fast for a day in a week. He himself went on a fast for twice a week and abled people followed him. His honesty motivated millions and we dealt with the situation as a family.

9. When Green Revolution stepped in and changed the destiny of India.

 

It was the efforts of MS Swaminathan that drew India towards the path of Agricultural Development and become a wheat surplus country from a country that was importing the same 10-15 years ago from countries like America and UK.

10. When Indians got the power and the RIGHT to QUESTION EVERYTHING!

 

The introduction of RTI (Right To Information) was the biggest step towards making India more democratic. It was the UPA government that introduced the Freedom of Information Bill in Parliament, in 2002. The bill today gives us the right to hold the authority accountable and question their decision with a positive approach.

Now the points that I have quoted might be controversial as the implementation of it may or may not be initiated by the Congress party at the first place. That is a different story altogether. What is more important is the fact that they were introduced during the Congress rule which has created a huge impact.

Coutesy- http://www.rajnikantvscidjokes.in/top-10-achievements-led-development-india-congress-tenure/

Congress hits back at taunts: PM Modi has lost the plot, and narrative

The Congress spun Modi’s earthquake jibe at Rahul Gandhi as an insult to the people of Uttarakhand, the epicenter of a strong quake on Monday night.

AT THE receiving end of a series of taunts and jibes by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, the Congress hit back, saying the Prime Minister’s address reflected his arrogance and proved he has “lost the plot, as also the narrative.”

The CPI(M) said that Modi has hijacked sanctity of the discussion on the motion of thanks to the President’s address into an election propaganda.

Explaining that there was expectation that Modi will announce some steps to put the economy back on track, Congress’s communication department head Randeep Surjewala said, “His reply in Parliament proved to be much ado about nothing…. (It) proved that he has lost the plot, as also the narrative. It was a reply given by a man who has lost political ground, who is captive of his own image and arrogance, who is staring (at) defeat and whose rhetoric stands exposed.”

The Congress spun Modi’s earthquake jibe at Rahul Gandhi as an insult to the people of Uttarakhand, the epicenter of a strong quake on Monday night. “The Prime Minister mocks the tragedy of Uttarakhand and insults the freedom struggle but has no answers to the opposition’s questions,” the Congress vice-president tweeted. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harsh Rawat called it a “repulsive statement”, and that Modi should be “ashamed” of making such a statement.

Surjewala said instead of answering Rahul Gandhi’s posers on Sahara/Birla papers, Modi appeared angry at him. “Staring at defeat in five states, we expected the use of such language by the PM. The Prime Minister should have given a straight answer to a straight question — whether he took money or not. That was Rahul Gandhi’s question. Sarcasm will not change the reality,” he said.

Senior Congress leader M Veerappa Moily said, “This was the last opportunity for him, because the next Budget and President’s address will be before the next Lok Sabha election. He should have used this window of opportunity to present his vision, clarity and also perspective for the country. Perhaps he has lost his life’s opportunity…”

CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury said Modi shied away from answering issues related to demonetization and instead engaged in “rhetoric and sloganeering”. He said, “We have serious objection to the fact that the sanctity of debate on the motion of thanks to the President is being hijacked into election propaganda by the Prime Minister. This is…very serious…. I think Parliamentary norms are being jettisoned for the sake of their (BJP’s) political benefits.”

Steps taken to solve the problems of Disabled People

Who are Disabled People?

Throughout centuries, the disabled have been oppressed marginalized and stigmatized in almost all societies. They constitute a section of the population, which is most backward least served and grossly neglected. Person with disability are the poorest of the poor and weakest of the weak, who have been socially, educationally and economically disadvantaged; thus having customarily denied their right to self-assertion, identity and development. Now where is this victimisation more glaring than in matters of education, employment and physical access. Disability is not all alone sometimes impairment and handicap was used interchangeably, but these terms has different meanings and describe different concepts. To promote appropriate use of these terms, in 1980 the World Health Organization established the international classification of impairment, disability and handicap, which define these concepts: Impairment – refers to the loss or abnormality of psychological, physical, or anatomical structure or function at the system or organ level that may or may not be permanent and that may or may not result in disability. Disability – refers to an individual limitation or restriction of an activity as the result of impairment. Handicap – refers to the disadvantage to the individual resulting from an impairment or disability that presents a barrier to fulfilling a role or reaching a goal.1 Disability is a relative term in so far as different cultures define their norms of being and doing differently. Conceptions of disability are therefore highly contextual and subjective.

People with disabilities need special care and attention. You need to understand the effect that these disabilities cause to the person suffering from them. Some of these disabilities might be from birth, however, you will surely come across various disability scenarios where the person affected by the disability had either met with a recent accident or has undergone some serious illness that has rendered the person with the disability.

The issues related to disability is not merely the fact that the person is suffering from certain restraints in physical or mental or social aspects but it goes beyond this point in concern about the livelihood of the person effected with such disabilities. Governments and global organizations like the WHO are trying to find the solution to help these persons with the proper means of sustaining themselves.

Special movements for the people suffering from disabilities have been started to ensure that they are able to get the proper help and support that they deserve. These movements ensure that not only help and support is provided for a short term to these people but a long term solution is also available to them to ensure they are able to live a proper life by sustaining themselves. The several programs that are there to help physically, mentally and socially impaired persons include educating them about the different options that are there that they can choose to earn a livelihood and also to live with dignity. Education is also necessary for self care in certain situations where the people with disabilities must learn to take proper care for themselves and their conditions. It is also important t see that these people suffering from these disabilities are able to lead a proper social life and communicate with others properly.

At times, the disability that the person is suffering from is such that it might become a problem for communication. These disabilities include hearing disability, vision and speech disability and sometimes mental disabilities like cerebral palsy. In such situations it is important to understand the nature of the disability as well as the consequences. Apart from these issues these organizations also help people with disabilities to a normal domestic life, effective communication and at times financial aid. Without the proper care and help, it is next to impossible to help these people and it is essential to help them not only because they are part of our community but also because they are part of the humanity.

Programmes and concessions for the disabled Government of India has taken the responsibility of providing optimal environment to ensure full participation of the persons with disabilities. In this context, it has introduced a number of welfare programs, schemes, concessions and facilities for educational, vocational and economic rehabilitation.

Education: Children’s educational allowance The reimbursement of tuition fee in respect of physically handicapped and mentally retarded children of the Central Government employee has been enhanced from Rs.50/- to Rs.100/- per month.

Scheme of integrated education for the disabled children – Under the scheme, handicapped children are sought to be integrated in the normal school system. 100% assistance is provided to the States/ UTs for education of children suffering from certain mild handicaps in common schools with the help of necessary aids, incentives and specially trained teachers. Financial assistance to persons with disabilities: – The National Handicapped Finance and Development Corporation NHFDC, a subsidiary under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. Government of India, promotes infrastructure development schemes directly leading to income generation. This corporation provides self-employment opportunities to the persons with disabilities by providing loans at very low rates of interest.

Travel concession: By Rail- Orthopedically handicapped persons / mentally retarded persons with an escort, on production of a medical certificate, are eligible to 75% concession. By Air Locomotors disabled persons with 80% disability are allowed 50% concession in Indian Airlines. Employment of handicapped: Assistance to disabled persons in getting gainful employment either through special cells in National Employment Exchanges or through Special Employment Exchanges for physically handicapped. Up to 100% financial assistance is provided in the case of special cells and 80% in the case of Special Employment Exchanges to state governments / union territory administrations.

Communication: Educated unemployed persons are eligible for allotment of STD, PCOs. The educational qualifications for the applicants are 8th or middle class passed from rural areas, at least matriculation or high school for urban areas. Conveyance allowance: Orthopedically handicapped with disability of lower extremities will be paid transport allowance at double the normal rates. Handicapped employees who have been provided with government accommodation within a distance of 1 kilometer from the place of work or within the campus, the allowance shall be admissible at normal rates.

Miscellaneous programmes: Family pension to disabled children – Handicapped children shall be eligible for the benefit of family pension even if they have been born after the retirement of the Government Servant from a marriage solemnized after retirement.

Ad-hoc allotment of central pool residential accommodation to the physically handicapped employees – Government employees suffering from tuberculosis, cancer and physically handicapped persons may get adhoc allotment of general pool residential accommodation on request after recommendation of the special recommendation committee and on the approval of the urban development ministry.

When we talk about ensuring rights & facilities to disabled people, we can’t forget the work of  Mr “Puran Doshi”. He is the secretary of Congress(I) & Ex Corporator of Colaba. He has worked a lot towards the welfare of disabled people in Mumbai. He had proposed the construction of ramps for disabled people throughout the city. to reduce the difficulties faced by disabled people while travelling to different places within the city. Meanwhile He has utilized his corporators fund for building ramps at various places in South Mumbai. He has also proposed ramps on footpaths at Best Bhawan, the promenade at Gateway of India, Nariman Point, Mantralaya & Police Headquarters. But the proposal was not approved by the civic administration on the grounds that it will lead to intrusion on foothpaths. “The civic administration claimed that it is disabled friendly but it’s not true. If there is any vehicle intrusion then traffic police should take care of it, it’s sad that there is no concern for the disabled”, said Doshi. His dedication & work towards the improvement of facilities for disabled person shows his sheer dedication in improving the structure of society

Problems Faced By Physically Disabled Person

The physically challenged persons are one of the excluded sections of the society and also they face number of problems in their daily life. The result of a present study indicated that the officials who are implementing the welfare measures know only few of the familiar welfare programmes of the physically challenged persons.

Problems Faced By Disabled People

Disabled people are the people with physical or mental incapacities. Common physical disabilities include blindness, deafness and paralysis, while common mental disabilities include autism and the effects of Down’s syndrome. Disabilities generally vary in severity .There are four types of physically challenged, they are physically handicapped, Blind, Deaf, and Dump. The term disabled suggests a state of helplessness; something which falls short of the norm or standard viz., ’physical fitness’. Disability refers to any limitation experienced by the impaired individual in comparison with the activities of the unimpaired individual of similar age and sex.

Common Problems Of The Physically Challenged The existing transportation and infrastructural facilities available to disabled are hardly adequate.  Public transport related problem comprises the problems related t design of the vehicles ( high and incompatible steps of vehicles from the platform level)  Road constraints involve encroachment of bus stops by vendors, temporary structures and parked vehicles stopping of buses fat from actual bus bays. Thus causing great inconvenience to them.  Feeling of insecurity by the disabled while traveling in private buses. The disabled person is largely dependent on a family because they get economically and emotional support from family. The disabled person also gets emotional support from friends and relatives and also gets encouragement.

Disabled people sometimes have difficulty doing things and other people may take for granted, such as travelling on public transport, climbing stairs or even using some house hold appliances. However, the greatest challenge that disabled people have had to face has been society’s misperception that they are the “breed apart”. Historically they have been pitied, ignored, vilified-even hidden away in institutions. Until the second half the 20th century, it was unfortunate today that the disabled people have some abilities, needs and interests as the rest of the populations. Nevertheless, discriminations continued to exist in certain important areas. Some employers were reluctant to take on or promote disables people; some landlords refused to give the land on rent to them; and courts sometimes deprived them of basic rights, including custody of their children. In recent decades, this situation has undergone some positive changes through adjustments in legislation and public attitudes. Also people with disabilities have lobbied for their rights as full citizens and productive individuals.

Let’s see different sectors where disabled people face problems:

Schooling: Though many schools speak of inclusive education, the schools are not really geared to look after differently abled people. The schools generally coax parents to enroll their kids in some other schools thereby passing on their responsibilities.

• Conveyance: The Indian public transport System is not disabled friendly. While a few seats are reserved inside the transport, getting into and getting down from the transport itself is a big hurdle.
• Public Places: Public places are not user friendly for disabled. Even simple tasks, taken for granted by the rest, like fetching groceries, going to markets, shopping , are all herculean tasks for disabled. Lack of disabled friendly toilets in public places are a big hindrance for venturing out.
• Sports: there are no sports facilities readily available for disabled people.

• Disabled  people who privately rent their homes are obliged to live in accommodation that is not adapted for their needs
• Education ratio is less in disabled people as compared to non disabled person.
• 40% believe that their choice of subjects or courses was restricted because of the attitude of teaching staff or because of inaccessible premises
• Employment rate for disabled adults of working age is less than the overall working age population
• Disabled people are twice as likely to live in relative poverty as non-disabled people
• An average number of disabled people miss their social events or family gatherings because of barriers related to their impairment
• An average number of disabled people felt they are unable to engage in hobbies or pastimes as often as they would like because of barriers linked to their impairment
• Half  of disabled people said that they have been unable to go on holiday as often as they would like because of barriers linked to their impairment
• Even if public transport is accessible (most still isn’t), disabled people are almost twice as likely as non-disabled people to say that they are fearful of travelling on it.

By going through this information we can understand that disabled people face a large number of problems in their daily lives which needs to be addressed & solved.

Mr “Puran Doshi” secretary of Congress(I) & Ex Corporator has worked alot towards the welfare of disabled people in Mumbai. He had proposed the construction of ramps for disabled people throughout the city. to reduce the difficulties faced by disabled people while travelling to different places within the city. He has utilized his corporators fund for building ramps at various places in South Mumbai. He has also proposed ramps on footpaths at Best Bhawan, the promenade at Gateway of India, Nariman Point, Mantralaya & Police Headquarters. His dedication & work towards the improvement of facilities for disabled person shows his sheer dedication in improving the structure of society

Minutes of REVIVE BOMBAY – Eleventh Meeting

Minutes of REVIVE BOMBAY – Eleventh Meeting
Sunday, Feb 23rd, Fire & Ice
Next meeting : SUNDAY, APRIL 6TH, 2003 AT LIQUID LOUNGE.
4:30pm.

Hello everyone,

These are the minutes of the eleventh meeting of the organization.

AGENDA
-Organisation Update
-Team Updates
-New Projects Proposals
-Miscellaneous
-**Magic Bus Hope Run this weekend**

1) Organisation Update:

We now have our own bank account at HDFC Bank! Revive Bombay has also
applied for Income Tax exemption, therefore all RBT donations will be
tax-exempt as will the donors. We hope to get that done by the next meeting.

You all might have noticed that the format of the minutes have changed
from being an HTML email to a Plain Text email. The reason for this is to keep the size of the mails small and not to take up space in the members mailboxes. If you prefer the former HTML mail, kindly reply to this mail informing the same and we will accommodate your request.

2) Team Update
Accessibility for Individual with Disabilities (A.I.D).
Pet-a-tree
Heritage Statues
NGO AGM
Bollywood Walk of Fame.
Ambulance Services
Make-a-wish.

1) Accessibility for Individuals with Disabilities (A.I.D): Team leader :
Manish Maker – manish.maker@makers.co.in

Congratulations to Puran Doshi, in regards to the amending of the
Development Control regulations for Greater Mumbai, without whom this would never have been possible. Mr. Puran Doshi mooted a proposal to the committee of the BMC, seeking to amend the Development Control Regulations for Greater Mumbai for ensuring that all public utility and public buildings to be constructed in Mumbai from now on, including entertainment centres etc., must have provision to be accessible to disabled persons. This proposal was unanimously passed, and has moved to the desk of the Commissioner for his approval. We are already on the job of following up, and tracking the
process to its successfully conclusion.

In regards with the meeting Mr. K.C. Srivastava, Municipal Commissioner, Manish Maker met with the BMC Commissioner. On the agenda, among other things, was amending the Development Control Regulations of Greater Mumbai, a proposal that, as mentioned above, has already been passed proposed by Mr. Puran Doshi. The Commissioner emphasized his support to the cause of the handicapped in Mumbai and promised to look into the matter. We will be following up with him again shortly.

Oberoi Hotels has already shown their commitment to our case through a letter to A.I.D promising handicapped accessibility to their Mumbai
property. They have met with Mr. Trevor Saldanah, the Acting General Manager for the property, after 3 new ramps were constructed at the hotel pursuant to our dialogue – 2 for Kandahar and one for the main entrance lobby of The Oberoi, thereby making most parts of the 2 hotels accessible. Lalita Ramesh and Manish Maker visited Taj Mahal Hotel after speaking about our cause with the Vice President, Projects, Mr. Jamwal, who is himself disabled. They visited and inspected the entire property, identifying potential locations for ramps, especially the new spa JIVA, that is unfortunately, in the basement of the property and therefore completely unaccessible. After speaking with the authorities in charge of JIVA, who are also very keen on our cause, we have decided to have a formal meeting with them to explore the possibility of accessibility, however lim

2) Pet-a-tree:
Team leader : Rishi Tejuja –rishitejuja@utisel.com

Rishi Tejuja informed us that Pet-a-Tree’s Coyote Ugly nite was a huge
hit! There were almost 600 people that packed into Fire & Ice on Feb 20th showing the effective partnership with Channel V and Fire & Ice. The three groups are considering hosting a nite like this again in the future. We have not got the final figures yet but will be receiving them soon. Kudos to the Pet-a-Tree group of Rishi Tejuja, Roopali Tejuja, Ashwin Mittal, Praniti Shinde, Tapasya Singh, Bobby Wadhwa and Hem Tejuja! They did this entire nite on their own! The nite would not have been possible without the support of our member Ketan Kadam of Fire, Aditya Thakur of Channel V, and Nikhila Trikha of Fire and the sponsors – The House to Home Store, cheapfaresindia.com, the Options card, and Sentiments chocolate. Thank you all and hope this is just the start of something big!

The first tree plantation project will be at Mahim with section from the
flyover till the Church. The trees will be bottle palms as bottle palms grow straight it will not obstruct the traffic passing by. We do have to watch out that they don’t get hacked or stolen.

There is another property at Dadar (near Portuguese Church), we have got landscaping in those 2 islands. The person who sponsors the islands will also maintain it. If any body had any ideas in their mind would come forward and discuss in the meeting.

3) Heritage Statues:
Team leader : Hemanth Meka Rao – hemanth@hemanth.net

We have submitted our proposal to the BMC Commissioner Mr. K.C Srivastav. He has already acted on this by requesting the the BMC’s Senior Heritage conservation expert to make a report on appropriation of the statues.

4) NGO AGM:
Team leader : Hemanth Meka Rao – hemanth@hemanth.net

What we want to do is have an Annual General Meeting for all the NGOs working in the city. Every NGO today is working in its own sphere. If all these NGOs got together, the impact that the whole body AS ONE could have is enormous. Revive Bombay would like to spearhead the 1st Annual NGO meeting, calling together NGOs from across the city to come together and share their ideas and thoughts, their goals and visions, their accomplishments and pitfall so that everyone together can learn from each other and see where one can partner with each other. We want NGO’s involved to work together.

We hope to meet Mr. B.G Deshmukh who is the President of AGNI, NGMA and the Asiatic Society to get him to join us as a partner in this AGM. He is also a Director on the board of Tata.

5) Bollywood Walk of Fame:
Team leader : Hemanth Meka Rao – hemanth@hemanth.net

The new layout of the BWOF was shown. The members worked with Hafeez Contractor to incorporate Chhagan Bhujbals’ ideas also. We have prepared the proposal to give to Mr. Bhujbal and hope to get an appointment with him before the next meeting.

6) Ambulance:
Team leader : Hemanth Meka Rao – hemanth@hemanth.net

The project on Ambulances has presently been shelved as it is going to take lot of money and we want the Ministry of Health to sponsor this. There were certain issues involved whereby it became unviable unless the government got involved with this directly.

We are seeing that other organizations are doing it like Rotary Club
(heart-line 105). We wish to expand on this for all kinds of emergencies.
Until Government backing is received, this project will now be on a slow track.

7) Make-a-wish:
Team leader : Shraddha Thacker – shraddhathacker12@yahoo.com

Make-a-Wish and Revive Bombay will work in hand in hand for making wishes come true. The team has managed to collect Rs. 4500 for the Make-a-Wish foundation. They have a list of things that can be donated/sponsored – ranging from Rs. 50 to Rs. 6000.

Anybody who wants to contribute can email Shraddha at the email above. However no old stuff. New stuff which are not required can be given.

3) NEW Project Proposals:

Café Revive Bombay!

Praniti S along with food critic Rashmi Uday Singh suggested the idea of a CAFÉ REVIVE BOMBAY! During the discussion at the meeting, the idea was tuned to having an existing location turned into a Café. The management would invest the funds to make this café and the profits shared between them and Revive Bombay. The Revive Bombay portion would go back into improving the area in and around the café. We wish this USP to get people to come and patronize the café. This project will presently be overseen by Praniti, Rishi T, Hemanth and Rashmi until we get a team leader.

4) Miscellaneous

Revive Bombay’s Coyote Ugly nite in the Economic Times and the Bombay
Times.

On 7th March, Channel V showed the Coyote Ugly nite on its Club ‘V’
program and even had a bit about Revive Bombay.

5) **The Magic Bus – Mahindra Hope Run – March 30th 2003**

Run along Marine Drive and raise money for Mumbai’s marginalized children All proceeds go to Magic bus Sports Programme http://www.magicbusindia.org

DATE: Sunday, March 30TH 2003
PLACE: Marine Drive
START TIME: 7.30 am
REGISTRATION: Pre-registration at Exert Gym or the Magic bus office
(last day Saturday 29 March, 12 noon) or
ON THE DAY: Register at the Police Gymkhana at 7 am

ENTRY FEE: RS 250 (under 16), RS 500 (16 and over)
Cheques to be made out to Childlink India Foundation. 80G status applies.
Office addresses:
Exert: Equilibrium The Spa, Samandar Point, next to Eden Hall, Worli,
Tel: (Neha) 566 27375
Magic bus: Ground Floor, 8 Vasundhara Building, (next to Cadbury House), Bhulabhai Desai Road Tel: 2494 6710

THE HOPE RUN 4K a fun run where people of all ages can run, jog, walk or stroll
THE HOPE RUN 8K for the more serious runners

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Thank You!
We ended the meeting with a BIG Thank You to Ketan Kadam, and the Fire & Ice team for making both – this meeting and the Coyote Ugly nite possible.

Next Meeting!
The Next Revive Bombay meeting will be on APRIL 6th 2003 – Liquid Lounge, Opera House – Courtesy of Chirag Doshi.

A lot of people say “I want to get involved but I’m just not able to find
the time.” We’ve given you notice now.. Make sure you make the effort to come to the next meeting.

Looking forward to seeing you all there!

RBT.