*TOICTM260210/ /02/K/1**TOICTM260210/ /02/Y/1**TOICTM260210/ /02/M/1**TOICTM260210/ /02/C/1*
TIMES CITY
* THE TIMES OF INDIA, MUMBAI
|
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2010
DUMPING OF INNERWEAR IN DRAINS MAY BE FINANCIAL YEAR NEARS END BUT MUMBAI
THE REASON BEHIND ROAD CAVE-INS
|
7 UNIVERSITY IS YET TO SPEND FUNDS
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11
Crucial infra
Pedder Road As Exam Season Begins, TOI Brings You 2 Stories Of Courage In The Classroom
flyover finally
projects get
overcomes
Armless boy prepares for SSC feat
Anahita Mukherji
CRZ hurdle
Anahita Mukherji | TNN The NGO enrolled him first at the
Vakola municipal school, and later at
green signal
Mumbai: Rajesh Lakshman, a teenag- Chhatrapati Shivaji school, a private
Chittaranjan Tembhekar & er who was rescued from Mumbai’s institution in the area. “At first I was
Sanjeev Shivadekar | TNN mean streets, lost both his arms when a little nervous about joining school,
he was a child. But this won’t deter as I didn’t know how I would fit in
Mumbai: The Maharashtra him from writing his Secondary with the other children. But I ended
TIMES NEWS NETWORK Corporation Sonia Sethi said Coastal Zone Management School Certificate (SSC) examinations up making a lot of friends,’’ says Ra-
they would be issuing a letter Authority has finally given next week, which he will do by using jesh with an impish smile.
Mumbai: The cabinet infra- of acceptance to the consor- its consent for the Pedder his feet. Like most kids, he has a naughty
structure sub-committee tium which was the front run- Road flyover. It took 15 years Flipping through Rajesh’s note- streak and loves playing pranks on
headed by chief minister ner for the project. for the approval to be given books at school, it comes as a shock his friends. He has even been nick-
Ashok Chavan on Thursday The committee also took to the 4.4 km four-lane flyover. that the neat geometric diagrams and named Thakur, after the immortal
cleared the Rs 5,000-crore a decision to redevelop the The proposal was approved flawless handwriting have been pro- character in the Bollywood block-
Worli-Haji Ali Sea Link and Government Colony in Ban- by the MCZMA and will now duced by the use of his toes and not
approved the design for the dra (East) and gave its nod be forwarded to the Centre fingers. His teachers vouch for his
Rs 6,000-crore Haji Ali-Nari- for the Rs 900-crore Talegaon- for its consent. A decision to brilliance. Rajesh himself hopes to
Before he was rescued
man Point Link as well as the Chakan-Shirpur-Chakula Ex- this effect was taken at a make it as a psychologist someday, as from the streets of
Rs 900-crore 12-laned Sion- pressway. MCZMA meeting held in he wants to understand what goes on
Mumbai, Rajesh
Panvel Expressway. “The Worli-Haji Ali sea Mantralaya on Thursday. in other people’s minds.
link project has been hang- “The flyover’s ramp will TOI caught up with Rajesh in a
Lakshman, who doesn’t
ing fire for the last eight be built on CRZ-2 (Wilson Col- bright, sunlit room in Vakola, where know his real age, never
months awaiting clearance lege) and not CRZ-1 (Chow- he has lived for the past decade along
dreamt that he would
from the state cabinet.After patty). MSRDC will have to with several children who have been
the Bandra-Worli Sea Link use hi-tech methods to con- given shelter by Support, an NGO
amount to much in life. ‘I
was inaugurated last July, the trol and monitor air as well that works towards rehabilitating
thought that my life
Worli-Haji Ali section of the as noise pollution. They will street children. A NEW LIFE: Rajesh Lakshman, an orphan who was rescued from the streets, would be spent living on
sealink was expected to take display air and noise pollu- Rajesh expertly picks up his school doesn’t remember when he lost his hands. He will be taking the SSC exam along
the roads,’ he says
off immediately. However it tion levels on the bridge,’’ bag from the floor with his feet, car- with Mani, the first girl the NGO has rescued who will take the exam
got delayed,” an officer said said state environment sec- ries it from one room to the next with
“According to the current retary Valsa Nair Singh. his mouth and takes out a notebook. ter he was accidentally electrocuted Mummy by the street children she buster Sholay, who also lost both arms.
design, the link will be above The proposal, estimated He then picks up a pen with his toes while holding onto an electric pole. has rescued. Rajesh even plays cricket with his
the sea from Haji Ali to at around Rs 300 crore, to and begins writing with an alacrity “Our first encounter with Rajesh Rajesh has been with the NGO ever feet. He bowls with his legs and uses
Priyadarshini Park. From build a flyover between Haji that leaves one spellbound. was 10 years ago, as a street child who since. The staff trained him to write one leg as a bat. “I have advised him
there it will continue as an Ali (Lala Lajpat Rai College) He has little recollection of his ear- smoked cigarettes. He was about sev- with his feet, which he has now mas- to take a break from cricket before
underground tunnel till Mal- and Nana Nani Park (near lier life on the streets and does not en at the time. I reasoned with him tered. Before he was picked up by the the board exams. If he injures his
abar Hill,’’ an official said. Wilson College) will not en- know who his parents are or what his that if he could hold a cigarette with group, Rajesh never dreamed he feet, he won’t be able to write the pa-
There were a number of croach on a portion of Gir- actual age is. Rajesh barely remem- his toes, he could just as well hold a would amount to much in life. “I per,’’ said Hoshang Irani, a trustee
companies who bought the gaum Chowpatty and will be bers how he lost his arms. He has told pencil too,’’ says Sujata Ganega, di- thought that my life would be spent of Support.
bid documents for the 4.5-km- built over Marine Drive. Support that it possibly happened af- rector of Support, who is fondly called living on the roads,’’ he adds. anahita.mukherji@timesgroup.com
Cabinet Approval
long link but in the end only Earlier, the state govern-
two large groups remained ment had held a hearing for
● Rs 5,000-crore Worli-Haji
in the fray: Reliance Infra- the Pedder Road residents
Sea Link
structure-Hyundai and Hin- who had opposed the flyover
● Government Colony in
dustan Construction Com- because of pollution con- HSC student uses arm, leg & will to succeed
Bandra East
pany(HCC) along with John cerns. The BMC has resolved K K Choudhary
● Rs 900 crore Talegaon-
Laing and Samsung. to acquire around 38 proper- Vijay Singh | TNN first grips the pen between his toes full support from his family to do
Chakan-Shirpur-Chakula
When the tenders were ties to add another small lane and then manoeuvres his left hand whatever he likes. “It is incredible
Expressway
opened on February 4, 2009, to the Pedder Road flyover. Navi Mumbai: Hiren V Prajapati has over the pen to write flawlessly in neat that Hiren feels no exam stress. In
● Design for the Rs 6,000-
the RInfra led consortium The flyover will start at a birth defect that makes it nearly im- handwriting. fact, he now wants to be a lawyer and
crore Haji Ali-Nariman Point
was the preferred bidder as Lala Lajpat Rai College and possible for him to use his arms and “I don’t really feel any stress dur- do his LLB,’’ said the proud elder
Link as well as the Rs 900-
its quote for the viability gap will pass via Haji Ali square, legs for normal daily tasks. Yet, the ing exams. I have been writing like brother. The family is now looking for
crore 12-laned Sion-Panvel
funding was the lowest at Rs Cadbury Junction, Kemps brave 19-year-old youth is defying all this all my life, and also do drawing financial aid or a scholarship to help
Expressway approved
1,392 crore. Corner, Babulnath Temple, odds to appear for his ongoing HSC and painting in my free time,’’ said Hiren in his ambition.
“While NCP ministers and Tambe Chowk to finally exams and write with the help of his Hiren matter-of-factly. The school principal at the exam
Senior officials told TOI have accused the chief min- end at Nana Nani park near left foot and left hand. His elder brother, Satish Prajap- centre, Latikha A Dandekar, said she
that the Worli-Haji Ali Sea ister of delaying the deci- Wilson College. MSRDC min- Hiren has already successfully ap- ati, 21, a TYBCom student at Vashi’s also admires Hiren’s spirit and will.
Link project was awarded to sions to implement impor- ister J Kshirsagar said that peared for two HSC papers, English Tilak College, added, “My younger “Hiren has certainly shown everyone
the Reliance Infrastructure- tant projects, the clearance the design of the Marine Dri- and Hindi, at the R F Naik Junior Col- brother is a born fighter. He fought that, despite a birth defect, his mind
led consortium with condi- of these projects at one shot ve ramp will ensure that the lege and Secondary School exam cen- against all odds to even clear his SSC is very strong. All the normal stu-
tional approval. Acting man- has put Chavan in the clear speed of vehicular traffic is tre, Koparkhairane, Sector 8. A spe- WRITE ATTITUDE: Hiren Prajapati’s left papers earlier.’’ dents who feel stress or suicidal must
aging director of Maharash- and quitened his critics,” a reduced to 10-15 km/hr from cial bench has been provided for hand guides the pen, which is gripped Satish added that Hiren, who is ap- look at Hiren and face life’s hurdles
tra State Road Development Cong minister said. a speed of 40 km/hr. Hiren to write the exam papers. He by the toes of his left foot pearing for the exams privately, gets with a smile,’’ said Dandekar.
Finally, state gets
THE TIMES OF INDIA
Rs 91 cr bonanza
Prafulla Marpakwar I TNN ey, while progressive states like
Maharashtra, which had taken
Mumbai: This is probably the stringent measures to improve
first time since the finance com- the economic situation, were
mission was set up over five given a raw deal. This is the first
PBS!
hi
decades ago that Maharashtra time that Maharashtra got a bet-
has a better deal on financial ter deal. In terms of percent-
assistance from the Centre. age, our share increased from
This, after CM Ashok Chavan 5.001% to 5.207%. It was due to
insisted that his government efforts by the state government,
should get more funds in view particularly our presentation
of its better performance. before the finance commis-
Mahesh Benkar
sion,’’ a senior official told TOI
on Thursday.
On the grant-in-aid for Ma-
p IM ; I’

i i
harashtra, the official said it
p
will get Rs 300 crore for con-
struction of new buildings for
35,000 anganwadis, Rs 205 crore
for taking up 110 anti-sea ero-
sion bund works in six districts
and Rs 200 crore for construc-
tion of new roads in difficult
terrains.
For the period 2006-2010, the Further, the finance com-
Centre had sanctioned Rs 36,914 mission has recommended Rs
crore—Rs 30,633 crore as regu- 223 crore for police training fa-
lar assistance and Rs 5,531 crore cilities in the state.
as grant-in-aid—while the 13th For heritage conservation, it
finance commission headed by has recommended Rs 100 crore
veteran bureaucrat Vijay for protection and conservation
Kelkar has sanctioned a whop- of various sites, including forts
ping Rs 91,709 crore—Rs 75,406 and monuments, which are un-
crore as regular financial as- der the care of the state gov-
sistance and Rs 16,302 crore to- ernment, while for the prison
wards grant-in-aid for the pe- department, it has proposed Rs
riod of 2010 to 2015. 60 crore for upgradation of fa-
“So far, poorly managed cilities in prisons and improve-
states were getting more mon- ment in prison security.
Govt passes ‘Best of 5’ policy
for junior college admissions
Anahita Mukherji & Sanjeev Shivdekar I TNN
Mumbai: The much-awaited “Best Five’’ policy for junior col-
lege admissions has finally been passed by the state government.
According to this policy, out of the six subjects for the SSC ex-
ams, the marks in the best five subjects will be counted during
junior college admissions. “We want to reduce the stress that stu-
dents face during the exams,’’ said state education minister Bal-
asaheb Thorat. The policy will be implemented this year itself.
The new decision is in sync with the national boards. CBSE
students appear for five subjects at the Class X board exams. While
ICSE students appear for seven subjects, the ICSE board takes
into consideration the marks for the best five subjects.
The government had recently called for suggestions on the
Best Five policy. Of the 250 emails that the government received
from the public, an overwhelming majority (189) were in favour
of the policy. Of the remaining, 59 opposed the policy and 2 nei-
ther supported nor opposed it.
A press note released by the government said that the deci-
sion to introduce the policy was taken only after considering the
views of all stakeholders in the system. While the marks in the
best five subjects will be taken into account during admissions,
students will have to pass in all six subjects at the SSC.
*TOICTM260210/ /02/K/1**TOICTM260210/ /02/Y/1**TOICTM260210/ /02/M/1**TOICTM260210/ /02/C/1*
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