Dinesh Kamath's news item 'AAP and residents to organize Chipko movement (To prevent exploitation of Belapur Hill)' that was published in Newsband

AAP and residents to organize Chipko movement

To prevent exploitation of Belapur Hill

By Dinesh Kamath

NAVI MUMBAI: Residents of Belapur's Sector 8 B, along with activists of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), are planning to organize a Chipko movement in order to protect the forested Belapur hill.

This is in reply to the way the encroachers excavate parts of this green zone and set the trees on fire to create more space.

AAP members and residents had informed the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) about yet another forest fire on the hill. AAP has now decided to organize a Chipko movement, the way it was done in Uttarakhand, and in the process save the trees and hill.

The Belapur residents keep complaining to CIDCO about reckless destruction of the flora and fauna on this hill, in spite of it being a restricted area, but CIDCO is just unable to control the culprits.

The land mafia of Navi Mumbai is suspected of trying to take over this hill to build illegal structures in order to gain from the fact that real estate rates are on the rise in the city. It is also suspected that this land mafia has the backing of some local politicians. AAP is now intending to make use of the Right To Information Act and trying to derive all the information relating to this destruction that is being caused to the hill. AAP has also planned to lodge an official complaint relating to this matter with the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC). 

Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'Put a stop to manual scavenging' that was published in Newsband

Put a stop to manual scavenging

Manual scavenging refers to the removal of animal or human waste/excreta (night soil) using brooms, tin plates and baskets from dry latrine and carrying it to disposal grounds some distance away. The toilets often used a container that needed to be emptied daily.

Manual scavenging still survives in parts of India without proper sewage systems. In 1970s the state of Karnataka passed a law to ban manual scavenging. The Employment of Manual Scavengers and Construction of Dry Latrines (Prohibition) Act, 1993 punishes the employment of scavengers or the construction of dry (non-flush) latrines with imprisonment for up to one year and/or a fine of Rs 2,000.

 However, some municipalities still run public dry-toilets. The biggest violator of this law in India is the Indian Railways which has toilets dropping all the excreta from trains on the tracks and they employ scavengers to clean it manually. India has plans to pass a Bill prohibiting manual scavenging.

There need to be a law that prohibits the employment of manual scavengers and the construction of dry latrines. Manual scavengers were employed to solve public health and sanitation problem. That’s fine! But doesn’t this practice deprive the scavengers of justice, equality and a life of dignity?

This is a debasingly inhuman and iniquitous practice. The government must take measures to restore basic dignity to persons employed as manual scavengers. These scavengers have to face health hazards while manually cleaning sewers and septic tanks. The Indian Railways should also bear the bulk of the blame for contributing to the unsanitary state of stations and tracks. It should not be beyond its capacity to equip trains with systems to manage faecal waste. Allowing manual scavenging is violation of basic human rights.

The action to eliminate manual scavenging and rehabilitate the workers employed in inhuman conditions must be taken up on a war-footing. In some parts of India, the cleaning of choked storm water drains/canals is still being done manually. The government can allocate a portion of its budget to successfully deploy green toilets on all trains. A small surcharge can also be levied on each ticket towards this purpose so that the passengers are also made aware of the need for this initiative.

It is sad to witness some people in India still engaged in manual scavenging - the inhuman slavery - even after 64 years of independence which saw rampant developments and success in the field of science, industries and various other arenas that enabled the country to establish itself firmly, globally. This practice derogates the very existence of human life and dignity. It is high time the government put a stop to such practice.

Dinesh Kamath's news item 'Aircrafts will create problem for birds, say wildlife specialists' that was published in Newsband

Aircrafts will create problem for birds, say wildlife specialists

By Dinesh Kamath

NAVI MUMBAI: An environment ministry’s wildlife specialist committee refused to approve the airport on the ground of its proximity to Karnala, the only bird sanctuary in Western Ghats.

City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) had said that the bird sanctuary was around 10 kms away and hence there should be no harm for the airport to get approval. They also claimed that the slow speed of the aircrafts while landing and take-off will not have any impact on the birds.

But the local ecologists and Maharashtra chief wildlife warden were not of the same opinion. They said that the proposed airport area has bird habitats around and this could cause danger to the passengers. They questioned as to how the airport plan was approved without any bird study.

The corporation had got environment clearance from the ministry two years ago in spite of the fact that any project within 10 kms of a protected area needs mandatory wildlife approval.

CIDCO is now asked to seek the wildlife approval although the Maharashtra wildlife board headed by chief minister Prithviraj Chavan had approved the project this January with some conditions. CIDCO was also asked to seek Centre’s approval considering the fact that the airport would have adverse impact on the birds. After all, the ecologists said, international airport was no ordinary project but it is a project of national importance. The members of the National Board for Wildlife were opposing the idea of having an airport so close to a home to many migratory bird species and ecologically sound area.

It is now decided that a site inspection would be conducted to find out whether the birds would pose danger to airplanes or vice versa.

Navi Mumbai airport, it seems, is having constant problems with environment ministry. Earlier, the ministry had refused to give environment clearance to the project considering its impact on mangroves and creeks.

The then environment minister Jairam Ramesh, then civil aviation minister Praful Patel and Maharashtra CM Chavan had many rounds of discussion on this matter.

It is a fact that Navi Mumbai airport is bound to ease pressure on Mumbai international airport but the environment related problem is making one wonder whether the airport, which was scheduled to be built by 2017, would come up on time.

Dinesh Kamath's news item 'Are jail authorities or hospital management to be blamed?' that was published in Newsband

Are jail authorities or hospital management to be blamed?

By Dinesh Kamath

NAVI MUMBAI: The escaping of accused from the custody of jail guards at the municipal hospital is becoming a frequent occurrence.

Taloja jail prisoner, Hanumant S Patil alias Prem (24), had hoodwinked jail guards and escaped from the second floor toilet window of the municipal hospital in Vashi. Earlier criminal Ganesh Shinde had managed to escape from the same hospital. The police managed to arrest Shinde but not Prem.

 Prem was brought to hospital by jail officials after he complained of severe stomach ache. The second-floor toilet's window had no grills, and this helped Prem escape by simply removing the glass panels and climbing down the drain pipes. Incidentally, Shinde too was taken to hospital after complaining of a stomach ache.

Now who is to be blamed for these two major lapses – the jail authorities or hospital management?

If you see from one angle, one can’t blame the hospital’s staff since it is not their responsibility to take care of arrested criminals and accused persons who are brought to the hospital. It is the duty of jail authorities to keep an eye on them. The jail guards should have checked the interior of the toilet before allowing the accused to enter it.

At the ward from where Prem escaped, the toilet window was large enough and the 'service ledge' just outside it was wide enough and also the drain pipes on the wall outside the window was easy to climb down it and hence Prem could escape with ease.

Shinde escaped in a different way. He took the permission of the guards while going to the toilet and after that he just walked out of the unguarded male ward and escaped while jail officials were under the impression that he was in the toilet.

These two incidents are serious lapse on part of the jail authorities. The hospital authorities also can’t escape the blame. They also have certain responsibilities. It is necessary for the hospital authorities also to be alert whenever the prisoners are brought to their ward for medical treatment. They should extend full cooperation to jail authorities during such moments.

 A senior police official was of the opinion that something drastic should be done to prevent such incident from recurring.  

Dinesh Kamath's column on film 'Olympus Has Fallen' under title 'New movie-release in Navi Mumbai' that was published in Newsband

New movie-release in Navi Mumbai 

By Dinesh Kamath

Olympus Has Fallen

Olympus Has Fallen is an American action-thriller film directed by Antoine Fuqua and starring an ensemble cast, including Gerard Butler, Aaron Eckhart, Morgan Freeman, and Angela Bassett.

Former Special Forces operative Mike Banning is now a Secret Service agent assigned to Presidential Detail. After a tragic accident, he is demoted and assigned to desk duty. When the White House (Secret Service Code: "Olympus") is captured by a terrorist mastermind and the President is held hostage, Banning finds himself trapped within the building. As the national security team scrambles to respond, they are forced to rely on Banning's inside knowledge to help retake the White House, save the President, and avert an even bigger disaster.

The film has Gerard Butler as Mike Banning, a former Special Forces operative and now Secret Service agent, Aaron Eckhart as President Benjamin Asher, Morgan Freeman as Speaker Allan Trumbull, Angela Bassett as Lynne Jacobs, the head of the Secret Service, Dylan McDermott as Dave Forbes, an ex-Secret Service agent now working for the South Korean Foreign Minister's private security detail,  Melissa Leo as Secretary of Defense Ruth McMillan, Rick Yune as Kang Yeonsak, a North Korean terrorist who disguises himself as a South Korean ministerial aide, Ashley Judd as Margaret Asher, the First Lady of the United States, Robert Forster as General Clegg, Tory Kittles as Jones, a member of the President's security detail, Cole Hauser as Agent Roma, a Secret Service agent, Phil Austin as Vice President Charlie Rodriguez, Finley Jacobsen as Connor Asher, the son of Benjamin and Margaret Asher and Radha Mitchell as Leah Banning, a nurse and Mike's wife.

Dinesh Kamath's column on film 'Rangrezz' under title 'New movie-release in Navi Mumbai' that was published in Newsband

New movie-release in Navi Mumbai 
By Dinesh Kamath

Rangrezz

Rangrezz is a Hindi film directed by Priyadarshan starring Jackky Bhagnani, Priya Anand, Rajpal Yadav and Amitosh Nagpal in the lead roles. Rangrezz is a Hindi remake of Tamil hit film Naadodigal, which has already been remade in Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada. After a gap of over fifteen years filmmaker Priyadarshan and Santosh Sivan have come together for this film. The film is produced by Vashu Bhagnani.

The film has Jackky Bhagnani as Rishi Deshpande, Priya Anand as Megha Joshi, Amitosh Nagpal as Winu, Vijay Verma as Pakkya, Akshara Gowda as Jasmine, Raghav Chanana as Joy, Rishikesh Deshpande as Chacha Chaudhari, Pankaj Tripathi as Brijbihari Pande, Lushin Dubey as Rati Chaturvedi, Sunil Sinha as Devdutta Deshpande, Sona Nair as Devyani Deshpande, Sakhi Gokhale as Venu, Milind Wagh as Major and Milind Phatak as Carpenter.

Rangrezz is about Rishi Deshpandey, a young, courageous boy whose life is incomplete without his friends and loved ones.

The film is the story of this brave lad who puts the dignity of his loved ones before anything else in his life, someone who believes in adding value to other people’s life, someone who understands the essence of true friendship and the value of his relationships.

Rishi’s world is imperfect without his childhood love: Megha; and his friends: Pakkya and Vinod. He considers his friends as extended family and would go up to any length to help or protect them from anything.

Because of Rishi’s helpful and supportive nature, he and his friends end up in life threatening situation when they collectively help a friend get married to the love of his life, in spite of the parents opposing it. In a hair raising climax, involving terrific action sequences and thrill, Rishi's friends encounter his new Avatar: just like Shiva – the one who will benevolently die for the one he loves, but the one who can also kill for the lack of it!

The film has three songs composed by Sajid-Wajid. South Indian composer, Sundar C Babu (who composed for the original Tamil film) makes his debut in Hindi with two songs. All lyrics are written by Sameer Anjaan.

The film has songs like Dil Ko Aaya Sukoon sung by Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and Hirali Brahmbhatt, Govinda Aala Re by Wajid Ali, Shambho Shiv Shambho (Song adapted from Naadodigal) by Sukhwinder Singh, Shiv Shambho (Composed by Sundar C Babu) by Shankar Mahadevan and Yaaron Aisa Hai (Composed by Sundar C Babu) by Salim Merchant.

Dinesh Kamath's column on film 'Sona Spa' under title 'New movie-release in Navi Mumbai' that was published in Newsband

New movie-release in Navi Mumbai 
By Dinesh Kamath

Sona Spa

Sona Spa is a 2013 Hindi Drama film directed by Makarand Deshpande and produced by Madan Paliwal. The film features Naseeruddin Shah, Aahana Kumrah, Shruti Vyas and Pooja Pradhan as main characters. The film has music by Shailendra Barve, cinematography by Rajeev Jain and editing by Biren Jyoti Mohanty.

Sona Spa, based on a Hindi Play, written and directed by Makrand Deshpande, brings the serious issue of lack of sleep due to various reasons that altogether causes unhealthy and tiring life.

The film is a compelling, intriguing, mysterious and a funny tale of sleep told through two protagonists (sleep workers), Rucha a billionaire from Mumbai and Ritu, a middle class girl from Pune.

Rucha wants to sleep for her Billionaire father who doesn't get sleep and Ritu for her sister who is not able to sleep remembering the tragedy in which they lost their mother and brother.

Rucha and Ritu start sleeping on behalf of their clients and in the process live their Dreams.

Rucha's client is Choksi, a rich man looking for sleep and Ritu's client is a cop disguised as a head of a company, checking if there is any illegal work going on in Sona Spa.

Complexities emerge however when these Sleep Workers not only sleep on behalf of their sleep deprived clients, but even inhabit the Kingdom of their Dreams.

The Sleep Workers' Dreams becomes manifestations of their client's subconscious mind. As secrets successively spill out into the open, they etch the many machinations of the human mind.

Sona Spa gives you your sleep but in return take away your Dreams.

This film opens many things in front of you - Is too much honesty a dangerous thing? Can one be told all the secrets of their own life? How much knowledge about one's life is too much?

The film has Naseeruddin Shah as Baba Dayanand, Aahana Kumrah as Ritu, Shruti Vyas as Rucha, Pooja Pradhan as Indira, Nivedita Bhattacharya as Minakshi, Vinit Sharma as Ritu's father and Romi Jaispal as Choksi.