Sharad Pawar : The Bheeshma Pitamaha of Indian Politics Dressed in his trademark and iconic iron-crisp and spotless white half-shirt and white trousers, two Pilot pens his shirt pocket, white round-dial watch and usually a file in his left hand, Sharad Pawar , the founder-President of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) is ready early in the mornings. An early riser, after a light breakfast, the veteran politician moves out of his Mumbai’s Silver Oak bungalow to his office for meetings, taking umpteen numbers of calls, joins video-conference meetings and attends daily engagements – returning only in the evening after sunset or even later. He sticks to his routine like a watch, also the party symbol of the 21-year old NCP. Taking all due precautions in the wake of the Covid-19 viral pandemic, he also takes time out to criss-cross Maharashtra, preferably by road indulging in his favourite activity - wherever possible meeting people and gauging their pulse. Sometimes he takes ou
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Steady decline in sightings of birds in MMR MUMBAI: There has been a steady decline in sighting of birds in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) – and regular destruction of green cover, mangroves and wetlands are contributing to it. The MMR c omprises of two districts of Mumbai City and Mumbai Suburbs and part of three neighbouring districts of Thane, Palghar and Raigad. In terms of spread, it is 4,355 sq kms – and more than two crore people stay here besides a huge floating population. Mumbai is spread over 603 sq km. Mumbai and its suburbs are birding hotspots and this causes concern. “With well over 350 bird species recorded over the years in and around this city, lying as this does at a critical point not just on the avifaunal migration route but is also flanked by a vast landscape of habitats, Mumbai is a birding hotspot,” according to naturalist Sunjoy Monga, who had conceptualized the India BirdRaces programme. On the eve of 11 th edition of Mumbai BirdRace on Fe
January 1, 2015 From: MB/Mumbai On top of Mumbai Mrityunjay Bose This is one place from where you can see three lakes together: there would be very few places like this in India or across the globe. Jambulmal, the highest peak of Mumbai – located inside the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) in the northern suburbs of India’s commercial capital, is unique in many respects. Besides being the topmost point of Mumbai, one can see three lakes clearly from a machan – the Tulsi lake, Vihar lake and the Powai lake. On way to the top from the two plateau’s that come in between – one can see the tall buildings – the concrete jungle, a view from within the real jungle. And when one commences the ascent, one can see the majestic Kanheri caves - a complex of 100-plus caves. Plus, during the trail, one learns the art of being in wilderness and there is a chance to see a variety of animals and birds. It would not be a surprise, if one can spot a leopard or note its presence by other means.
December 29, 2014 From: MB/Mumbai Fell in love while treking, tied nupitals at tallest peak of Maharashtra MUMBAI: They trekked together, fell in love, proposed and got married – that too in a unique way. They chose to marry at Mt Kalsubai, the tallest peak of the Sahyadri range of Maharashtra. The couple – Vivek Patil and Swapnali Dhabugade – wanted different and decided to marry at 1,646-metre tall, Mt Kalsubai – that is spread between Igatpuri taluka of Nashik district and Akole taluka of Ahmednagar distict. The marriage was performed in a traditional Maharashtrian manner over Saturday and Sunday. The marriage was different from all accounts – not only the bride and bridegroom, their parents and relatives, friends and invitees trekked their way up to the pinaccle where the ceremony were performed. Part of a group known as TrekLovers, Thane resident Vivek Patil, an engineer with Larsen & Toubro, Powai and Swapnali Dhabugade, a cost accountant with Social Axi
kasab's confession
November 21, 2012 From: MB/Mumbai Kasab's confession among others nailed him MRITYUNJAY BOSE bureaus@sakaaltimes.com Mumbai: Pakistani terrorist Mohammed Ajmal Kasab's confession before court – is one of the major factors – besides other evidences – that helped the Mumbai Police and prosecutors nailing him. His confession also helped the Ministry of External Affairs and Ministry of Home Affairs – in sending dossiers after dossiers on the 26/11 attack to Pakistan. Kasab's confession that how the non-state actors of Pakistan are hand-in-gloves with the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), the spy agency. The confession also had given direct evidence of how terrorists are groomed, trained and indoctrinated – in a phased manner. Who am I? I have resided in Faridkot, Dinalpur tehsil, Ukada district, Suba Punjab state, Pakistan since my birth. I studied up to class IV in a government school. After leaving school in 2000, I went to stay with my brother in Toh
leopards trade
September 28, 2012 From: MB/Mumbai Four leopards poached every week: report Mumbai: At least four leopards have been poached and their body parts entered into illegal wildlife trade every week for at least 10 years in India, according to TRAFFIC’s latest study “Illuminating the Blind Spot: A study on illegal trade in Leopard parts in India”. The study documents a total of 420 seizures of leopard skins, bones and other body parts reported from 209 localities in 21 out of 35 territories in India during 2001–2010. Uttarakhand emerged as a major source of leopard parts in trade, while Delhi was found to be a major epicenter of the illegal trade, along with adjacent areas of Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Haryana. Statistical analysis is used to estimate the additional levels of “undetected trade” and concludes that around 2,294 leopards were trafficked in India during the period—an average of four animals per week over the 10 year period. TRAF
bird feeders
Bird feeders – a way to save sparrows Sparrows are the commonest of birds. However, of late, the numbers of sparrows are declining. But a common man can do a lot to save this species – so that in the times to come, it does not face the crisis that vultures and tigers are facing. The commonest thing that we can do is to install bird feeders or nest boxes. Now, sparrow enthusiast Mohammed Dilawar has come out with a new design of bird feeder – which is ideal for Indian conditions. “Bird feeders are the simplest thing that one can do…sparrows are indicator of nature, these are to be saved at all cost,” says Dilawar, who is a member of Bombay Natural History Society and hails from Nashik. "House sparrows (Passer domesticus) are the indicator of the environment and they are facing a serious threat. We need to generate funds for extensive research," saysDilawar Mohammed, adding that he would be visiting several places across the country to generate more data on s