World backs Oct 2 as Intl.Non-Violence Day

TIMES NEWS NETWORK
New Delhi: Brand Gandhi is getting bigger with 114 UN member countries joining hands on Monday to support India’s resolution to declare Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday on October 2 as ‘International Day of Non-Violence’. The move to get the international community to pay tribute to the Mahatma’s ideology followed the satyagraha conference organised by the Congress early this year and a dedicated campaign that was launched under the aegis of the government.
Source: The Times of India, 05.06.2007

Pune citizens celebrate World Environment Day

National Society for Clean Cities, Pune ( NSCC, Pune) conducted a Clean Pune campaign for better waste management by Punekars from 15th May to 8th June. Sakal, Times of India and CII as well as other institutions and corporate bodies joined hands with NSCC to spread the message. The Mayor, Ms Rajlaxmi Bhosale and Ajit Pawar,guardian minister of Pune were also keenly involved in making this project a success.

To celebrate World Environment Day, a public meeting was held on 8th June, 2007 at 5.00pm at the Bal Gandharva Rang Mandir, JM Road. Over 1000 concerned citizens participated and took the following pledge:

I pledge…

I will separate my wet and dry garbage

I will compost my wet waste and recycle my dry waste

I will keep my area clean

Delia Maria, Tanaji and Leela Waghmare representing the airport road mohalla committee participated, put up banners in Marathi and English and distributed leaflets and literature to the public.

Adieu, Sanjay bhai

It is with great sorrow that we inform you about the sad demise of Sanjay Sangvai, a great visionary, committed activist and a wonderful human being. Sanjay dedicated his life to the various struggles of the marginalized people especially Narmada Bachao Aandolan. He passed away at 7.00 am (29th May 2007 ) this morning at the Nature Life Hospital at Kochi run by Dr. Jacob Vadakkanchery.

For a while Sanjay has been under treatment for his heart and respiratory problem. In spite of being very ill, he continued to contribute to various people’s struggles with passion. He rarely expressed the toll his ill health was taking on him and continued with his engagements in the usual manner. However, he was very sick of late and the family had decided to take him to Kochi to be at Dr. Jacob's place for treatment.

Sanjay was a journalist and activist throughout his life. He had been writing, in English, Hindi and Marathi, about the issues of the displaced people and the struggles of NBA and other such people's movements. For the past couple of years, he has been closely involved with issues of SEZs, land acquisition and displacement. Before joining as a full-time activist of NBA in 1989, he worked as a lecturer in departmen of journalism of Pune University. Besides NBA he was involved in various initiatives like “Pakistan, India People’s Forum for Peace and Democracy”.

Sanjay was closely associated with National Centre for Advocacy Studies, Pune. Being a part of the Media Unit, he was always there to motivate and inspire us to take up action on various fronts. Sanjay through his life and writings has been a source of inspiration to youth to get involved in the struggles for a just society. He may no longer be amongst us today - but his spirit will inspire all of us forever.

Zindabad. In Solidarity
NCAS team

Pune Congress Party celebrates Gandhi’s Satyagraha Centenary

Pune, 20 May 2007: On the even of anti-terrorism day, senior national and state congress leaders made a strong pitch in Pune for the revival of ‘satyagraha’ as a potent weapon to counter social evils like terrorism and communalism.

The occasion was the centenary celebrations of Mahatma Gandhi’s first satyagraha ( a non violent resistance which the Mahatma successfully demonstrated during his staying South Africa in 1906)held at the congress Bhavan on Sunday.

The Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) organized the function that was attended among others, the AICC treasurer Motilal Vora, general secretaries Digv ijay Singh and and Mukul Wasnik, Congress Working committee member Mohsina Quidwai, Union minister of Maharashtra ministers Patangrao Kadam Narayan Rane and Harshavardhan Patil

Close to 100 freedom fighters, including veteran leader Prabhakar Kunte, were fecilitated at the function chaired by MPCC chief Prabha Rao. Union minister of state for home Manikrao Gavit said that the ministry has issued orders clearing a hike in the pension for freedom fighters, which would be enforced with retrospective effect from October 2006.

On the occasion successive speakers emphasized the relevance of Gandhi’s thoughts in these times of terrorism and communal issues and expressed concern over incidents like May 18 blast at Mecca mosque in Hyderabad and the previous blasts in Mumbai and Malegaon. The leaders expressed the view that the Mahatma’s thoughts were all the more relevant in the modern day.

The Congress then planned centenary functions at 12 states in the country. Pune which formed the 10th venue was chosen for its glorious historical past that includes the Mahatma’s association with the city, either by way of his incarceration at the Yerawada prison by the then British rulers or the satyagraha at Aga Khan palace.

Courtesy The Times of India Pune, Monday May 21 2007