Kartik Lokhande's blog

* WRD submits Rs 699 crore plan for long-term repairs of 1763.90 km long canal that was constructed 37 years ago By Kartik Lokhande Over the years, there have been incidences of breaches in Pench project canal, affecting water supply to Nagpur city as well as water for irrigation in rural areas of district. Water Resources Department (WRD) has studied in detail the reasons behind breaches and has drawn up a plan involving an expenditure of Rs 699 crore to take up long-term repairs of the canal, which has breached 43 times in the past nine years. Pench project’s main dam is at Totladoh in Nagpur district, on river Pench in Wainganga sub-basin of Godavari basin. The dam at Navegaon Khairi and Khindsi reservoir also are parts of the Pench project. Water from the project irrigates total 1.04,476 hectares of agricultural land including 83,076 in Nagpur district and 21,400 hectares in Bhandara district. The capacity of Totladoh reservoir is 1,091 MM3 and that of Navegaon Khairi r...

By Kartik Lokhande Years ago, we six were very good friends. We knew each other by name. We knew teachers as only ‘sir’ or ‘madam’. We went to each other’s homes and paid respects in front of image or idol or script of whichever ‘deity’ was there. We participated as volunteers in religious or other programmes in each other’s homes. I remember all of us pooling together Rs 12/- from our ‘birthday reserves’ to buy new text books for a poor friend among us. We were friends in need. We all shared respect for elders and every faith, and every leader whose story was there in our text-books. But, at the end of our school days, everyone started noticing certain things linked to each other’s background social practices. Then, three of us went to the same college. There, ‘certain things’ dominated each other’s observations. There were politically active others also, who expanded the ideas of these ‘certain things’ for different groups. And, when the forms had to be submitted, these ‘ce...

* The plan assumes significance for Vidarbha as Godavari Basin covers all 11 districts   * The plan points out projects ‘exceeding water availability’ in Nashik Division and Marathwada region, and hints at scope for taking up more projects in water surplus region of Vidarbha   By Kartik Lokhande   River pollution, sewage generated in urban centres, projects exceeding water availability in some areas, and untapped potential for projects in water surplus areas like Vidarbha are some of the issues that have been pointed out in the draft of Godavari Basin Integrated Water Plan, which has been floated for public consultations.   The draft plan has been prepared after intense brain-storming over four-five years, assumes significance especially for Vidarbha as Godavari Basin covers all 11 districts of the region. In fact, the systematically and scientifically prepared draft plan makes certain recommendations that may gladden the hearts of those who have been ...

* Divisional Commissioner, Collectors of Gadchiroli and Gondia districts to make a presentation on industrial devpt in Naxal-affected areas in Vidarbha   Staff Reporter   Things appear to be moving pretty fast now after years of neglect, as far as industrial development in Naxal-affected districts of Gadchiroli and Gondia in Vidarbha region is concerned. After a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in Nagpur recently, now a high-level meeting is being held at Union Home Ministry on Thursday.   According to sources, the issues pertaining to Mining Lease (ML) granted, status of mineral-based industries in these two districts, status of applications received for ML, threat to industrial development due to Left Wing Extremism (LWE), roads and communications network development, etc will be discussed threadbare in the meeting. For years together, industrial development of Gadchiroli and Gondia districts had been kept on backburner as these are affec...

* For every parent, concern for daughter in the changing environment is real. Every parent tells his/her daughter to be careful in his/her own ways. Vijaya Marotkar, a teacher, is also a poet sensitive to the issues concerning these parents. And, she has found a novel way to enlighten the school and college-going girls on life at crucial junctures.   By Kartik Lokhande   My daughter is my pride.   My daughter is my responsibility.   My daughter is... intelligent, responsible, and strong.   Everyone feels the same about his/her daughter. Everyone wants his/her daughter to be this or that. Everyone wants the society to be a safe place for daughter, in the era of technological advancements.   And, very few have clear idea of how to enlighten daughter with proper perspective and preparing her to face life ahead. There are changes in every girl’s life at different junctures -- school, college, and marriage. And, how to meet these changes is ...

By Kartik Lokhande    On March 16, 2015, Patru Durge had travelled more than 1,000 kilometres from his native village Damrancha in Aheri tehsil of Maoist-affected district of Gadchiroli, to the State capital of Mumbai. He visited the offices of Chief Minister, Finance and Planning Minister, and Water Resources Minister, and submitted copies of a memorandum seeking a lift irrigation scheme in his village. And, on April 19, 2015, the anti-development Maoists killed him.   Patru Durge or Patru Durgam was Deputy Sarpanch of Damrancha Gram Panchayat. An active pro-development Dalit leader, Patru had passed Class IV but he commanded immense respect of people of Damrancha and Bhangarampetha. For, he was the man with vision for development of the area, and bringing in positive changes in the life of people of the remote and Maoist-affected area. Damrancha is located on the banks of rivers Bandiya and Indravati. However, it is cut off from the rest of the world as far as ...

By Kartik Lokhande   2015 is an important year. For, this is the 50th year since 1965 war between India and Pakistan following the latter’s misadventure. For, it is just short of 50 years since ‘Tashkent Declaration’ signed between the then Prime Minister of India and the then President of Pakistan in Tashkent. For, the year 2015 also witnesses one more instance of India willing to talk to her neighbouring State but the latter insisting on involving non-State actors, a characteristic feature of Pakistan since 1965.   In the year 1965, Pakistan hatched a plan for another misadventure in Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir with an intention to ‘finish the unfinished business of Partition’. Pakistan banked on theory devised by some of her over-enthusiastic and radical military and diplomatic elements that people of Kashmir would side by Pakistan Army. However, under the tough leadership of the then Prime Minister Mr Lal Bahadur Shastri, India gave Pakistan a bloody nose as...

Staff Reporter   Union Transport Ministry and Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) are working in collaboration to develop cost-effective battery technologies to make electric buses economically viable. As per the communique issued by the office of Nitin Gadkari, Union Transport Minister, a ‘breakthrough’ could be anticipated in 6-12 months.   The cost-effective battery technologies will help in cutting down on carbon emissions, especially in the urban areas. “It has been decided to design electric transportation system for buses in collaboration with ISRO,” stated the communique issued by the office of Nitin Gadkari. On Saturday, a meeting was held in this regard between the officials of Ministry of Transport and Highways and Ministry of Science and Technology and ISRO.   In the meeting, discussion was held on how to develop cost-effective solutions in battery-technologies so that electric buses become economically viable. Ministry of Road Transport and I...

* Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Union Ministers Nitin Gadkari and Hansraj Ahir to attend chemical and petrochemical industry meet in city today   By Kartik Lokhande  If everything works out well, Maharashtra Antibiotics and Pharmaceuticals Limited (MAPL) may be revived. Devendra Fadnavis, Chief Minister; Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways; and Hansraj Ahir, Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers, will pay a visit to MAPL on Friday.   Fadnavis, Gadkari, and Ahir will be in the city on Friday to attend a seminar on plastics and chemical industries in Vidarbha region at Centre Point, Ramdaspeth here from 9 AM to 2 PM.  Subhash Desai, Maharashtra Industries Minister; Chandrashekar Bawankule, Energy Minister ; Secretary, Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals, Government of India; and other senior officers of the State and Central Governments, and representatives of plastics and chemicals industries of Vidarbha will...

By Kartik Lokhande It was August 15 th , the Independence Day of the country. It was an occasion for celebration. Hearts filled with pride, children proudly wearing badges bearing shape of India’s map, people thronging ‘happening venues’ to raise slogans loudly and wave as big a flag as possible to prove that their pride was greater than that of others, and such scenes were visible throughout the country. At a traffic signal where vehicles were waiting for the signal to turn green, a van with a national flag mounted atop came blowing horn and youngsters in it shouting ‘Bharat Mata ki Jay’, and zoomed past, jumping the signal that was still red. This scene, too, must have been noticed by countless many across the country. This, is sad reality of the day. No doubt, every Indian should celebrate Independence Day. No doubt, people must wave flags, hoist those, raise slogans, sing patriotic songs, roam around. But, one must not have any doubt in mind that all these things should add...