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Pune News Live: HSC exams on March 5,7 delayed following fire in truck carrying question papers

Pune, Maharashtra Today Latest Updates, Pune Omicron Variant Covid-19 Live News, Pune Today Updates, Pune Weather Updates, Latest Pune News, 24 February: Families of more than 16,000 Covid-19 victims in Pune district have each received Rs 50,000 ex gratia from the state government.

By: Express Web Desk | Pune |
Updated: February 24, 2022 6:06:42 pm
The accident took place on the Pune-Nashik Highway according to Ahmednagar police.

Pune News Highlights:  A truck carrying ‘important and confidential papers’ of Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) examination to Pune experienced severe damage after catching fire in the early morning of Wednesday. The accident took place on Pune-Nashik Highway according to Ahmednagar police. Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE) has rescheduled HSC exam on March 5,7.

Pune recorded 344 new Covid-19 infections and five fatalities in the last 24 hours. With this, the district’s overall caseload rose to 14,49,518, while the death toll surged to 19,667.

Families of more than 16,000 Covid-19 victims in Pune district have each received Rs 50,000 ex gratia from the state government. Over 4,500 are in the process of recieving it, officials from Pune district’s disaster management department said. “We have received 28,902 applications till date for compensation of Rs 50,000 ex gratia to the next of kin of Covid victims. A total of 20,792 have been approved and grievance redressal committees have been set up to personally hear the applicants whose claim has been rejected, ” said an official from Pune district’s disaster management department.

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Pune New Live Updates: Pune records 344 new Covid-19 cases, five deaths; Truck catches fire carrying confidential HSC paper; More than 16,000 families received Rs 50,000 ex gratia. Follow for more updates.

18:06 (IST)24 Feb 2022
Pune: Jehangir Clinical Development Centre announces collaboration with Actu-Real to further research

Actu-Real Inc, a US-based specialised Contract Research Organization (CRO) focused on data analytics, and Jehangir Clinical Development Centre (JCDC), Pune, on Thursday announced the signing of a strategic collaboration agreement to further research based on real-world evidence.

Through this collaboration, Actu-Real and the JCDC will focus on collecting and analysing real-world data generated from clinical practice to support evidence-based clinical, economic and regulatory decisions.

“This joint initiative aligns with Actu-Real’s mission to enable better results through evidence-based decisions in healthcare and our vision to implement an outcomes-based approach to healthcare access”, said Dr Chitra Lele, president and founder of Actu-Real. Read more

17:31 (IST)24 Feb 2022
Maharashtra defers HSC exams by a month after truck with question papers catches fire

After a truck carrying question papers of Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) exams caught fire, Maharashtra has postponed by a month a few language papers scheduled for March 5 and 7.


A notification issued by the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education on Thursday said that a few exams in the general, bifocal and minimum competency vocational course (MCVC) streams were rescheduled for April 5 and 7.


March 5’s Hindi exam (scheduled from 10.30am to 2pm), and exams in German, Japanese, Chinese and Persian (from 3pm to 6.30pm) will now be held on April 5 with the same timings. March 7’s exams in Marathi, Gujarati, Kannada, Sindhi, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Bengali and Punjabi (scheduled from 10.30am to 2pm), and exams in Urdu, French, Spanish and Pali (scheduled from 3pm to 6 30pm) have been rescheduled to April 7 with the same timings. Read more

For more follow our live updates on the Russia-Ukraine conflict here: https://indianexpress.com/article/world/russia-ukraine-crisis-news-live-updates-putin-biden-united-states-seperatists-7788299/

15:47 (IST)24 Feb 2022
Pune: Truck carrying ‘HSC papers’ catches fire, exam schedule likely to be hit

A truck carrying ‘important and confidential papers’ of the upcoming Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) examination to Pune suffered heavy damage after it caught fire in the early hours of Wednesday on the Pune-Nashik Highway, said Ahmednagar Police.

Officials of the Maharashtra State Board for Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE) said they were in the process of taking stock of the situation and would share details on Thursday as to how this incident would affect the examination, which is set to begin in the first week of March.

Officials from Ahmednagar District Police said that the truck carrying HSC exam-related papers had started from a place in Madhya Pradesh and was on its way to Pune via the Pune-Nashik Highway. Read more

For more follow our live updates on the Russia-Ukraine conflict here: https://indianexpress.com/article/world/russia-ukraine-crisis-news-live-updates-putin-biden-united-states-seperatists-7788299/

15:39 (IST)24 Feb 2022
Maharashtra: NCP workers stage protest against Nawab Malik's arrest; BJP activists burn his effigy

NCP workers staged a protest in Nagpur on Thursday against the arrest of their party leader and Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case.
          
Nagpur NCP chief Duneshwar Pethe and other party workers gathered at Sitabuldi square and shouted slogans against the BJP-led central government and the ED. 
        
Meanwhile, BJP workers burnt an effigy of Malik at the Jhansi Rani square and demanded his resignation. The saffron party workers also burnt an effigy of Congress president Sonia Gandhi, whose party shares power with the Shiv Sena and NCP in Maharashtra. (PTI)

14:08 (IST)24 Feb 2022
Pune Infra Watch: Work on Hinjewadi-Shivajinagar metro line begins with with casting of segment

The work of casting segments for the 23-km elevated metro rail line from Hinjewadi to Shivajinagar began last Friday, said Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) officials.

“The length of one segment is around 3.6 metres and the weight is around 50 tonnes. Around 10-12 such segments are used between two pillars,” said Suhas Diwase, Metropolitan Commissioner of PMRDA.

The actual work on the third metro line from Hinjewadi to Shivajinagar began in November last year, three years after the PMRDA signed a contract with a joint venture of Tata and Siemens to develop the much-awaited metro line, which can be useful to professionals of Hinjewadi IT Park. Read more. 

13:10 (IST)24 Feb 2022
Pune: MSEDCL employee loses Rs 75,000 in cyber fraud

A cyber fraudster allegedly cheated a man from Chinchwad of nearly Rs 75,000 by claiming to be a bank manager and assuring him of increasing his credit card limit.

The victim, who is a 41-year-old employee of Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL), lodged the first information report in this case at the Chinchwad police station on Wednesday.

A press release stated that a fraudster, claiming to be ICICI bank manager, contacted the complainant’s cell phone number on October 28 and 29 last year. Read more. 

11:49 (IST)24 Feb 2022
DRDO, IIT Delhi successfully demonstrate Quantum Key Distribution test

In yet another milestone in indigenous Quantum technology, a joint team of scientists from the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi, successfully demonstrated Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) link between Prayagraj and Vindhyachal in Uttar Pradesh, a distance of more than 100 kilometres.

QKD is primarily a mechanism to undertake secure communication which utilises a cryptographic protocol involving various components of quantum mechanics. The technology enables two communicating sides to come up with random secret keys shared by both of them and known exclusively to them, so only they can use it to encrypt and decrypt messages, thus achieving a very highly-secure communication.

In December 2020, the technology was tested for communication between two DRDO facilities in Hyderabad—the Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL) and Research Centre Imarat (RCI)—over a distance of 12 km. Read more. 

11:48 (IST)24 Feb 2022
Pune: Truck carrying ‘HSC papers’ catches fire, exam schedule likely to be hit

A truck carrying ‘important and confidential papers’ of the upcoming Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) examination to Pune suffered heavy damage after it caught fire in the early hours of Wednesday on the Pune-Nashik Highway, said Ahmednagar Police.

Officials of the Maharashtra State Board for Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE) said they were in the process of taking stock of the situation and would share details on Thursday as to how this incident would affect the examination, which is set to begin in the first week of March.

Officials from Ahmednagar District Police said that the truck carrying HSC exam-related papers had started from a place in Madhya Pradesh and was on its way to Pune via the Pune-Nashik Highway. While sources said the truck was carrying HSC exam papers, both police and state board officials refused to confirm it officially. Read more. 

09:06 (IST)24 Feb 2022
Pune records 344 new Covid-19 cases, five deaths

Pune recorded 344 new Covid-19 infections and five fatalities in the last 24 hours. With this, the district’s overall caseload rose to 14,49,518, while the death toll surged to 19,667.

19:07 (IST)23 Feb 2022
Pune: Fire in Jambhulwadi apartment, no casualties

A fire broke out on the fifth floor of a residential building on Jambhulwadi Road in Pune on Wednesday afternoon. But no casualties were reported in the incident. Fire department officials said that the fire could have started from an electric water heater. The Pune Fire Brigade said its control room received a call regarding the fire around 12.15 pm.

Fire officer Sanjay Ramteke said, “By the time we reached the spot, the fire had caused heavy damages. We controlled the fire before it could spread any further. It took us around 20 minutes to control the fire and then we conducted a cooling operation by spraying water to avoid any secondary fire.” Read more

18:02 (IST)23 Feb 2022
Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik produced before spl court after arrest by ED in money laundering case

Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik was produced before a special court here on Wednesday after the Enforcement Directorate arrested him in a money laundering case probe linked to the activities of fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim, his aides and the Mumbai underworld.
         
In the morning, Malik was taken to the ED's office in south Mumbai for questioning and he was later arrested. 
       
The 62-year-old NCP leader was taken to the state-run J J Hospital in the afternoon for a medical check-up after which he was taken to the sessions court. Malik, clad in a white kurta, was brought to the courtroom of Special Judge R N Rokade, designated to hear matters related to the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), at 4.50 pm and was made to stand in the witness box. (PTI)

17:16 (IST)23 Feb 2022
PMC conducts hygiene programs in various parts of the city

Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) lead public awareness programs on hygiene on the occassion of Sant Gadge Baba Jayanti. 


16:23 (IST)23 Feb 2022
Will fight and win, won't bow down: Nawab Malik on ED action

Maharashtra Minority Affairs Minister Nawab Malik, who was on Wednesday arrested in a money laundering probe linked to the activities of the Mumbai underworld, said he won't bow down.

"Will fight and win. Won't bow down," Malik said waving to waiting media as he stepped out of the ED office in south Mumbai after spending eight hours there. "Will expose all," he said, before being taken by ED officials in a vehicle for medical check-up.

The minister later tweeted a video clip of him making those remarks. His office also tweeted, "Main jhukega nahi! (won't bow down)."

The 62-year-old NCP leader arrived at the Enforcement Directorate office in south Mumbai's Ballard Estate area around 8 am and the agency officials recorded his statement under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. (PTI)

15:09 (IST)23 Feb 2022
Pune cops fire into the air as burglars hurl sickle, stones at them

Police said that they had opened fire into the air after burglars who had broken into an unoccupied apartment in Pune threw a sickle and stones at them in the early hours of Wednesday. Neither the policemen nor the burglars, who fled the spot, sustained injuries, they added.

The incident was reported from a residential society in Chaphalkar Colony located in the city’s Satara Road area. The police said that around 4 am, the security guard of the society found some burglars breaking into one of the apartments and informed them.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Namrata Patil said, “After receiving a call about a suspected burglary, two beat marshals patrolling the area reached the spot within four minutes. Another officer on the night rounds also reached there.” Read more

12:28 (IST)23 Feb 2022
‘Those who speak truth are being harassed’: Sharad Pawar on ED questioning Nawab Malik

After Maharashtra Minister Nawab Malik was picked up by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for questioning in connection with a money laundering case, leaders of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government slammed the Modi government for “misusing the investigating agencies to target those who speak the truth”.

Leading the attack, NCP chief Sharad Pawar said those who speak truth are being harassed. “There is nothing new in this. We were expecting the action against Nawab Malik since he was openly expressing his stand. We were expecting that they would do something against him. Those who express their views openly against the BJP government and the investigating agencies, those who speak the truth, are being harassed,” he said.

“When I was the Chief Minister, I was also targeted in this manner. This is an attempt to defame those who speak out with a clear mind. This is a misuse of power,” Pawar added. Read more. 

10:41 (IST)23 Feb 2022
Suspended MSRTC staff arrested for threatening to kill self during Government programme

An employee of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC), who was suspended from service, has been arrested for allegedly disturbing government work and threatening to die by suicide.

The police have identified the accused as Vinod Bhoju Rathod, 30, a resident of the ST Colony, Swargate.

MSRTC official Ashok Sot has lodged a First Information Report (FIR) in this connection at the Bhosari police station. Read more. 

10:41 (IST)23 Feb 2022
Suspended MSRTC staff arrested for threatening to kill self during Government programme

An employee of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC), who was suspended from service, has been arrested for allegedly disturbing government work and threatening to die by suicide.

The police have identified the accused as Vinod Bhoju Rathod, 30, a resident of the ST Colony, Swargate.

MSRTC official Ashok Sot has lodged a First Information Report (FIR) in this connection at the Bhosari police station. Read more. 

09:11 (IST)23 Feb 2022
Covid impact: PCMC takes Rs 1,000 crore hit in revenue

THE COVID-19 pandemic has hit Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) hard with a Rs 1,000 crore loss in revenue in the past two years.

Municipal Commissioner Rajesh Patil said that the PCMC budget figure has come down by Rs 600 crore, which reflects the impact of Covid-19. “The pandemic has affected everyone financially. Builders, industries, shopkeepers, traders, citizens everyone has been hit. There were Covid-19 restrictions in place for days during the last two years. As a result, our revenue collection has gone down by Rs 1,000 crore. However, the expenditure continued to remain high,” he said.

Patil was speaking to reporters on Monday on the budget provisions. The budget was presented by Additional Municipal Commissioner Vikas Dhakane last week as Patil was on leave. Read more. 

09:07 (IST)23 Feb 2022
Draft ward delimitation: Hearing on objections, suggestions this Friday

THE HEARING on objections and suggestions received for draft ward delimitation plan of the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation will take place on Friday. Commissioner of Coopertives Anil Kawde will hear the objections and suggestions during the day-long hearing at Auto Cluster from 10 am.

Balasaheb Khandekar, who heads the PCMC’s poll department, said they had received as many as 5,684 suggestions and objections from citizens to draft ward limitation by the last date of February 14. The schedule of the hearing has been given on PCMC website http://www.pcmcindia.gov.in. Read more. 

09:04 (IST)23 Feb 2022
Pune district records 387 new Covid-19 cases, 3 deaths

The district of Pune recorded 387 new Covid-19 cases and three deaths on Tuesday, according to official data. With this, the total number of Covid cases in Pune rose to 14,49,174, while the death toll has increased to 19,662.

A beneficiary gets a dose of Covid-19 vaccine in Pune. (Express Photo by Ashish Kale, File)

Western Ghats received more rain in last few decades due to changes in Pacific Ocean: Study

The magnitude of rainfall received over the Western Ghats has increased between 1.5 to 2 times with each passing decade during the later half of the 20th century, a new study led by researchers from the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) has concluded. The Western Ghats is a mountain chain running 1,600 km parallel to India’s western coast. It spans from the south of Tapi river in Gujarat and runs through Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. It covers a total geographical area of 1.4 lakh square km.

The Western Ghats is an internationally recognised region for its biodiversity and endemicity. Due to its unique orographic advantage, the windward side of these mountain ranges receive significantly higher amounts of rainfall annually than many other regions in India.

Lawyer seeks examination of cop who probed Elgaar Parishad case

Senior lawyer B A Desai on Wednesday asked the Koregaon Bhima Commission of Inquiry to call police officer Shivaji Pawar, who investigated the Elgaar Parishad case, to depose as a witness. The two-member commission headed by retired judge, Justice J N Patel, is probing the causes of violence in Koregaon Bhima area in which a person was killed and many others were injured.

Desai was conducting cross-examination of Inspector General of Police Ravindra Sengaonkar, who was the Additional Commissioner (south region) of Pune City Police at the time of Koregaon Bhima violence. Sengaonkar had filed the affidavit before the commission on behalf of Pune City Police in October 2018.

Shaniwar Wada, where the Elgaar Parishad was held on December 31, 2017, falls under the jurisdiction of Pune City Police. Pune police had alleged that “provocative speeches” made at the Elgaar Parishad and previous campaigns for the event were among the factors that led to the violence in Koregaon Bhima (Pune rural) on January 1, 2018.

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