MUMBAI MALWANI SLUM

RAJA CHAUDHARY BIRTHDAY

Rudra and Yakshika Birthday

BMC Water Problem (UWA)

ARCHNA BAZAR

MCGM gets e-savvy

MCGM has planned to open documentation centres to computerise important papers used by the government, finds Swati Soni

The Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) has a stock of files stuck in red tape. This situation has made it impossible to scout through essential documents required for various projects.

“It’s high time we streamline these documents to stop further delay in any government projects. For this, we plan to start documentation centres at Kandivali (E) and Vasant Vihar Complex (Kandivali, W),” reveals Suprabha Marathe, project manager, MCGM.

The plan includes computerisation of documents in four different categories from A to D based on the different departments of the city. “All these documents are important, as they have the details of birth and death, information on property tax and transfer of properties, to name a few. They will be stocked and maintained ward wise for immediate usage,” says Marathe.

In the longer run, the MCGM plans to provide vital information on their portal for all citizens. “Often, citizens have to struggle for basic information. But, once the information is up on the portal, it becomes easier for both, the civic body and citizens, to access it. This will save lot of time for everyone,” hopes Marathe.

Currently, the department is sorting documents from the different sections. “We have started collecting documents from various sections such as housing development, city planning and roads etc with the help of the Science and Technology institute of Pimpri,” reveals Marathe.

In the future, the corporation also plans to allot one room to each section of the civic body for computerised documentation. Hopefully, this step will help cut off a lot of red tape and delay that has been the bane of those seeking civic help.

Swati Soni

swatim.soni@timesgroup.com

ATS Reforms 15 trained terrorists

Cover Story
The youths were part of two groups – one from Kandivli that had been indoctrinated and was waiting to go to Pakistan for training and the other from south Mumbai that had returned from Pakistan. Now, they are not only back in the mainstream, but are also helping police identify other misguided youths

M S Khan (name changed), a 22-year-old Muslim boy from south Mumbai, had gone to Pakistan last year for a three-month Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) training camp. He was supposed to be part of a sleeper module in Mumbai that could strike any time on orders from across the border. But close to seven months after his return, instead of waiting for the orders, Khan has forsaken the path of terror to make a living selling fruits.

Khan’s transformation is the result of a process started by the Maharashtra ATS to reform youths indoctrinated by terror organisations. He is one of 15 potential terrorists brought back into the mainstream in the recent past. He is now an important cog in the ATS's intelligence gathering network and also helps reform other radicalised Muslims.

The ATS did not discuss individual cases or reveal details as it might compromise their operations and prompt terror outfits to introduce counter-measures, but recently it neutralised two groups, one from Kandivli and the other from south Mumbai, of potential terrorists. “The Kandivli group had merely been indoctrinated and was waiting to go to Pakistan while the south Mumbai group had returned from Pakistan after training,” an ATS officer said.

WHY ARRESTS DON’T HELP

Until recently, potential terrorists would simply be incarcerated for uncertain periods. But, having realised that punishment alone cannot win the war against terrorism, the ATS has started weaning them away from the path of terror by restoring their faith in the system. ATS sources say, authorities have realised that by arresting them, the State merely reinforces their misplaced sense of injustice against Muslims.

“In any case, we never get much evidence of their training abroad. Also, no one can be prosecuted merely for harbouring jihadi thoughts,” said an ATS officer.

ATS chief K P Raghuvanshi said, “Hence, after identifying such people, we counsel them. We have in place an elaborate process where we try to make them understand the futility of their supposed religious war and wean them away from their jihadi mentality. We have already reformed about 15 such people. A reformed jihadi will not only stop others from becoming terrorists, but is also a good source of intelligence. It is part of our non-combat strategy to counter terrorism.”

GET THEM TO SPEAK FREELY

Once the ATS receives information about radicalised youths, they are brought to its headquarters and told to speak freely. “People don’t open up immediately, but we make them comfortable and try to understand their anger. We empathise with them and encourage them to talk openly,” said Raghuvanshi.

Once a person opens up, “we logically counter their misplaced idea of injustice and express solidarity with their genuine grievances,” said an ATS officer.

“The first problem is their belief that Muslims never get equal opportunities in India. We counter this by citing examples of successful Muslims in various sectors. We tell them how Indian democracy has given space to all religions and we have had Muslim Presidents, so many Muslim police and military officers,” said Raghuvanshi.

Secondly, many Muslims feel that they are treated unjustly by the police. “We explain that this is merely a perception. Every common man, irrespective of religion or caste, faces the same problems. Everyone is equally reluctant to visit a police station and is scared of dealing with policemen. If a policeman is helpful, he helps everyone; if he is apathetic, he is so to everyone,” said an ATS officer.

FACING DIFFICULT QUESTIONS

Some belligerent youths question the police about atrocities committed on Muslims during riots in various parts of the country. “Many carry photographs of the Babri masjid demolition while some have video footage of Muslims being beaten up, raped and murdered in the 2002 Gujarat riots. We tell them that such acts cannot be defended. We convince them that we are as pained about these incidents as they are and that an average Indian, irrespective of his religion, never approves of such acts,” said Raghuvanshi.

The police also exposes them to the reality of those who train them, the politics and economics of terror, and the fact that they are merely pawns in a bigger game. They are made to understand how their families, who are completely innocent, have to suffer because of them and how, despite their jihad, their religion does not benefit in any way.

THE FINAL STEP

The last step involves educating them about the real tenets of Islam and correct interpretation of the Holy Koran. “Many indoctrinated youths know the Koran or Islamic teachings only the way they have been taught by their trainers across the border. We get Muslim clerics here to explain to them the real meaning of Islam, which abhors killing of innocent people. When such words come from a leader of their own community, they listen carefully,” said an officer.

THE BENEFITS

The strategy is proving to be of great help to the ATS in countering terrorism. Even as police helps rehabilitate them, they reciprocate by providing vital intelligence about terror activities. “Many of these people are either employed or self-employed. Those who are unemployed, we help them set up a business or get a job. We build such relationships with these people that they give us information about who in their colony or community is being contacted for indoctrination or if any sleeper module is being formed. Besides, having got their priorities right, they influence people around them and help wean away other potential terrorists,” said the officer.

By Deeptiman Tiwary
www.mumbaimirror.com

How MHADA was scammed (Covery Story)

Mirror reporters help MHADA officials latch onto a huge housing scam where unwitting villagers were used as pawns to secure flats reserved for SC and ST tribes at throwaway prices

Villagers from Nimbade, near Panvel, couldn’t believe their good fortune when they recently received huge sums of money through cheques in the post. Still, most of them promptly deposited their windfall into bank accounts and even spent some of it on buying things they had always coveted.

Interestingly, these cheques came from MHADA, and were refunds for houses that were not allotted under their recent housing scheme.

But let’s rewind a bit…

Early in February, 17 villagers – all of whom bear the Waghmare surname, and belong to tribal families – were approached by a man called Sunil Gawade.

This person – also known as Baban – told the simpletons that they could all be winners in a government lottery if they accompanied him and filled a “lottery form”.

The men who agreed, were taken to an under-construction building in Bandra, made to sign on three empty forms, and were promptly paid Rs 1,000 each for their efforts.

Cut to Thursday, Mumbai Mirror learnt of a certain Daulat Waghmare who was wondering how he could encash his third cheque of Rs 1 lakh.

Waghmare, who works as a security guard on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, had earlier received two other MHADA cheques for Rs 1 lakh each. These he had promptly deposited.


“When I received my first cheque, I thanked the gods for helping me win the lottery. I even bought a motorcycle,” he said.

His bank, however, did not accept the third refund as his name was misspelled as Daut.

On questioning him, it was soon realised that Daulat was a mere pawn in a huge scam.

“I have not heard of MHADA and their houses. I only know that I have won a government lottery,” he said, eyes brimming with tears as soon as he realised something was amiss.

Daulat, then went on to disclose the names of others from his village who had accompanied Gawade to Bandra.

Further investigations by Mumbai Mirror revealed that Gawade was acting as a front for a certain Narendra and Lekha Sharma.

The Sharmas, it was learnt, made draft payments in the name of the villagers with the intention of procuring various houses under the MHADA scheme that was reserved for scheduled tribes.

What the scammers did not count on, however, was that the refund would reach the villagers.

MHADA officials have now approached the police to help track Gawade and the Sharmas who are absconding.

“The brains behind the scheme are currently untraceable, but we are confident that the law will soon catch up with them,” said Jawahar Singh, who is chief vigilance officer with MHADA. “We are now also checking for other scammers, who may have managed to work their way around our system. In fact, we have already begun scrutinising all the Waghmares who have been allotted flats, or are in the waiting list,” he added.


The MHADA scheme
Earlier this year, close to 4.35 lakh applications were received for just 3,863 MHADA tenements. These low-cost houses were spread across the city, from Pratiksha Nagar in Sion to Shailendra Nagar in Dahisar.

Of these, MHADA had reserved 1,830 flats for SC/ST applicants, freedom fighters, government employees, legislators and parliamentarians.

By Akela and Raju Shinde
www.mumbaimirror.com

Best Duplicate Award (Jr SRK)

Aap Ki awaz Press Media Awards 2009

Model Kristna Saikia & Casting Director Alok Sinha


Model Khushi, Writer Director Reemasen Gupta, Producer Surekhasen Gupta


Casting Director Alok Sinha & Writer Director Reemasen Gupta

Arun Kumar Kamal (Chief Editor & Chairman INDIA BUREAU) & Model Kristna Saikia

Arun Kumar Kamal (Chief Editor & Chairman INDIA BUREAU)

Arun kamal & Anu Bathla

Anjan Goswami (Chief Editor Aap Ki Awaz) & Nagma

Anchor ashutosh Pandey, Actress Anu Bathla, Casting Director Alok Sinha

Anchor Ashutosh pandey madhubhai Sanghvi & Producer S.P. Chaudhary, Guest, Bharti Mer

Anchor Ashutosh pandey madhubhai Sanghvi & Producer S.P. Chaudhary, Bharti Mer

Anchor Ashutosh pandey madhubhai Sanghvi & Producer S.P. Chaudhary

Actress Jiya Chopra & Madhubhai Sanghvi

Actress Jiya Chopra

Actress Bhagyashri, Bappi Lahiri, Bappa Lahiri, Anjan Goswami

Actress Anu Bathla with mom dad

Actress Anu Bathla & Casting Director Alok Sinha

Actor Kamaal Khan & Anjan Goswami

Abhijeet Rane, Arun Baxi, Ali Khan, Afsar Khan

AAP KI AWAZ, WELL KNOWN NEWS PAPER IS CELEBRATING FOR

THE 3RD TIME,AAPKI AAWAZ PRESENTS FOR THE 3RD TIME “PRESS MEDIA AWARD” ON 6TH JUNE
NEETU CHANDRA (BEST ACTRESS), ALOK SINHA (BEST CASTING DIRECTOR), ANU BATHLA (SUPPORTING ACTRESS), JIYA CHOPRA (OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE), S.P. CHAUDHARY (UPCOMING PRODUCER), ARUN KUMAR KAMAL (BEST WEB TV CHANNEL "INDIA BUREAU"), ARUN TULI (BEST SHORT FILM "OLD IS GOLD"), RAJU RAHIKWAR (DUPLICATE S R K) KRISTNA SAIKIA (PORTRAIT MODEL), POOJA PRADHAN (BEST FAISHION MODEL) ETC.

Sohrab Khan Birthday

Act against hotels renting rooms to child molesters

Day after his 13-year-old daughter was forcibly taken to a Madh hotel room, Deepak Tijori calls for action against rent-a room-and-look-the-other-way establishments

Actor-turned-filmmaker Deepak Tijori’s 13-year-old daughter - allegedly abducted from Lokhandwala and released four hours later on Sunday – was taken to a hotel in Madh Island and allegedly sexually harassed by the 19-year-old kidnapper, according to Oshiwara police.

Livid at the way shady hotels function, Tijori took his daughter back to Madh Island with a police team to identify the hotel on Sunday night itself. The traumatised father now wants immediate action against all such joints in Madh Island, where rooms are let out without even registering guests’ names, and perverts are allowed to ruin innocent girls’ lives.

Based on Tijori’s daughter’s description, the police have prepared a sketch of the suspect. Oshiwara police officers, who did not wish to be named, said the cellphone number of the boy has been traced. The call log details suggest that he had called up the girl before the alleged kidnap. “The suspect has switched off his cellphone, but we are hopeful of closing in on him soon,” said an officer.

‘Don’t ruin lives for Rs 800’

“Such things always happen to others. Unless it happens to you, you don’t know how it feels,” a shocked Tijori told Mumbai Mirror. “It’s amazing that a stranger could just pick up my child in broad daylight, while Lokhandwala buzzes with activity. Luckily, she was returned to us physically unharmed, never mind the mental trauma. But what about those vulnerable girls out there who never return or return traumatised for life? I just want to say one thing… Shut these shady hotels where such things are allowed. The thought of such hotels functioning in Mumbai is nauseating. Do your business, but please don’t trade the lives of 13-year-olds for a mere Rs 800 room rent.”

Tijori’s wife Shivani had taken their daughter and her friend out for lunch, and left them at a shopping centre at 4.45 pm because they wanted to window-shop. “The kidnapper threatened the friend and told her to keep quiet.

Even she is traumatised and guilt-ridden about not raising an alarm immediately,” Tijori said.

The friend later informed the Tijori family about the incident, after which they approached the Oshiwara police and lodged a kidnapping complaint.

“The kidnapper took away my daughter’s phone, slapped her and forced her to get into an autorickshaw. He then took her to the Madh Island hotel, and later walked out of the back entrance that can only be known to regular visitors. The same night, I took my daughter back to the hotel with the cops. The hotel people are now threatening us. But I don’t care. We need to protect our children from such hotels.”

‘Raid all shady joints’

Tijori thinks the authorities are not taking the situation as seriously as they should. “Why haven’t the hotel staff been grilled, when my daughter has identified the hotel and the hotelier has admitted that she was brought to the place? Instead, the cop was protecting the hotel manager. I’m proud of my child for being so brave.

“The hotel where that rascal took my poor little child must be full of these goings-on. The hotel people could see that she was just a child. How could they let in a man dragging a crying child into their premises? They still gave that pervert a room. He let my daughter go because she was crying and pleading. But does anyone know what my wife and I went through in those four hours until our daughter came home? Do they know what my child went through? The monster actually had the guts to drop her home and threaten her with dire consequences. He was basically a jerk who thought he’d do things with my daughter. But because she was howling, he dropped her home…

“All these shady hotels in Madh Island must be raided. My blood boils to think how much perversion must be going on there. My wife and I were unable to sleep even after our child came home. What if he had harmed her physically? What about other innocent girls who are taken to these hotels? Rooms are let out without question and without even registering the names of guests. The man at the counter took extra money from my daughter’s kidnapper and gave him a room without registering his name. I’m grateful to God for sparing my daughter,” Tijori said.

Cops close in on suspect

On Monday afternoon, the Oshiwara police visited Tijori’s house and recorded his daughter’s statement, in which she alleged sexual harassment. She underwent a medical examination on the directions of the police.

“The boy had taken her to a hotel in Madh Island. However, after he saw the news of the kidnapping on TV, he got scared and dropped the girl home. We have recorded the statement of the girl, her friend and the hotel manager. We are circulating the suspect’s sketch to all police stations and hope to catch him soon,” said an officer at the Oshiwara police station.

According to the police, the suspect is a friend of the girl’s classmate.

But Tijori’s sister-in-law Kunika Lall, who on Sunday visited the Oshiwara police station, denied that the family or the girl knew the kidnapper. - from Mumbai Mirror Bureau

this is the present condition of our country

Salary & Govt. Concessions for a Member of Parliament (MP)

Monthly Salary : Rs. 12,000/-

Expense for Constitution per month : Rs. 10,000/-

Office expenditure per month : Rs. 14,000/-

Traveling concession (Rs. 8 per km) : Rs. 48,000/-

(eg. For a visit from South India to Delhi & return : 6000 km)

Daily DA TA during parliament meets : Rs. 500/day

Charge for 1 class (A/C) in train : Free (For any number of times)
(All over India )

Charge for Business Class in flights : Free for 40 trips / year (With wife or P.A.)

Rent for MP hostel at Delhi : Free.

Electricity costs at home : Free up to 50,000 units.

Local phone call charge : Free up to 1, 70,000 calls....

TOTAL expense for a MP [having no qualification] per year : Rs.32, 00,000/-


[i.e. 2.66 lakh/month]
TOTAL expense for 5 years : Rs. 1, 60, 00,000/-

For 534 MPs, the expense for 5 years :
Rs. 8,54,40,00,000/-

(Nearly 855 crores)
AND THE PRIME MINISTER IS ASKING THE HIGHLY QUALIFIED, OUT PERFORMING CEOs TO CUT DOWN THEIR SALARIES.....
This is how all our tax money is been swallowed and price hike on our regular commodities.........
And this is the present condition of our country

Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan honoured Resul Pookutty

Resul Pookutty honoured by his peers in Mumbai

Mumbai, May 6: After string of felicitations across the globe after winning Oscar for sounding recording in Slumdog Millionaire, Resul Pookutty was felicitated by his own colleagues in the film industry on Tuesday night.

The Western India Motion Pictures & TV Sound Engineer’s Association honoured Resul Pookutty for creating history at the Academy Awards this year. At a glittering function held at the Country Club at Andheri, Resul was honoured by Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan. Lauding his hard work and dedication towards his work for years, Bachchan recalled, “Resul created magic for his film Black. He had so much patience and the results showed it. Everyone in the industry knows how disciplined he is when it comes to work.”

An emotional Resul told the gathering, “I am very touched and honoured by this gesture. I have dedicated my Oscar to India and my city Mumbai because of its undying spirit. Mumbai is my karmabhoomi and it feels really special to be honoured in this city.”

Though hailing from Kerala, Resul has always been a true Mumbaikar. He studied from the Film Institute in Pune and never had to look back since. “Mumbai has given me so much. It’s truly a city of dreams.” Resul’s two kids are also born and brought up in the city and his family have made Mumbai their first home.

Apart from Bachchan, the function was well attended by other Bollywood and TV celebrities like singer Udit Narayan, actors Ronit Roy, Gul Panag and Dheeraj Kumar to name a few and the evening was hosted by the veteran actor Raza Murad.

Mumbai Voting 2009

Mumbai defies Jaago Re and all other voter awareness campaigns to record the lowest turnout in four General Elections. Evidently, the four-day weekend too good to resist

Rahul Bose went to people’s homes, the Jaago Re mascot caught people at malls and cinema halls to shame them into voting while newspapers dedicated reams to egg the electorate.

But couldn’t-care-less Mumbai preferred to enjoy the extended weekend, recording the lowest turnout in the last four General Elections at 44.16 per cent.

South Mumbai, the constituency where everyone expected spirited voting following the terror attacks of 26/11 and where people made the maximum noise about governance - recorded just 43.33 per cent; a turnout that is even less than 2004.

The last time the city saw a turnout of over 50 per cent was 11 years ago when the Atal Behari Vajpayee government lost the confidence motion by a single vote. It was believed that the decent turnout was due to sympathy for BJP’s poet Prime Minister.

The 26/11 tragedy, however, was an even bigger issue and, therefore, was expected to bring out angry voters.

In fact, various NGOs such as Praja Foundation, Jaago Re and Agni were appealing to this very outraged demographic to vote in big way.

But, what went wrong?

Some say it was because over eight lakh people from Mumbai and Thane were away, enjoying annual vacations at native places, or attending marriages of relatives, April-May being the season to wed.

Mumbai Congress president Kripashankar Singh said that a large number of migrant voters from Uttar Pradesh had left for summer vacations, which impacted the turnout figures.

"Youth did not come out, and the heat was a major factor. The opposition was gung-ho over 26/11, but my reading has been that it was not an election issue," he added.

Subhash Desai, spokesperson for the Sena echoed Kripashanker's views when he blamed the summer vacations.

The NGOs, however, have a different take on the issue.

Nitai Mehta of Praja Foundation said it could possibly be because of an uninspiring leadership.

"I just don't know why voters did not respond in the right manner. Perhaps, today, we do not have leaders who inspire people to vote. During the 1977 elections, the voter turnout in South Mumbai was 62 per cent. Or is it that people prefer to vote only after a major crisis? Maybe it's also general apathy," he said.

Nationalist Congress Party's Mumbai president Sachin Ahir, however, blamed poll officials who insisted on a photo identity card, even after citizens produced their ration card.

"The officers insisted on head of the family being present in the case of ration cards, so naturally many voters did not go back," he said.

By -Mumbai Mirror