WORLD FOOD DAY RALLY- 16th October 2008

STAND UP TO SPEAK UP

On the occasion of World Food Day, Civil Society and Citizens Groups in Pune are organizing Public Rally to SAY NO TO GM FOOD. The Rally will begin at 9.30 am from CPS Ashram, Opp. St Francis School, Behind PMT bus eepot, (Near Agriculture College), Shivaji Nagar, PUNE.

We invite all to participate in the Rally which will walk through Shivaji Nagar ST Stand, Shimla Office Chowk, JM Road, Alka Chowk, Tilak Road and Reach at Udyaan Prasad Mangal Karyalaya, Sadashiv Peth..

There will be public Meeting at 12 noon where people from different walk of life will address the issues of GM, Justice P.B Sawant will be Chief Guest and Mr. Vikram Bokey IPS ( Rtd) will preside meeting. Adv. Asim Sarode and others will speak on the occasion. Please come at the Rally Venue at 9.30 am or at the Public meeting Venue at 12 Noon

Looking forward to meeting you all


Sincerely

Mathew Mattam
Participating Organizations:

1. Ambedkar, Sethi Vikas Sansothan Sanstha, Solapur
2. Astistva, Solapur,
3. Centre for Youth Development Activities, Pune
4. Disha Prathishtan, Pune
5. Gramin Punar Rachana Kendra, Usmanabad.
6. Lokvikash Manch Beed
7. Maharashtra Organic Farmers Federation, Pune
8. Maher, Pune
9. Nehru Yuva Mandal, Parbhani
10. Prakash Shikshan Prasarak Sanstha, Sangli
11. Rajeshri Sahu Samaj Prabodhan va Krida Mandal, Parbhani.
12. Sahayog Trust, Pune
13. Shantinketan Sevabhai Sanstha Parbhani
14. Shasvat Creative Parishad, Vidaba
15. Social Activity and Awareness Development Satara
16. Society of Human Liberty, Satara.
17. Swayam Prerit Samajik Vikas Sanstha, Ahamed Nagar
18. Vasundhara Sevartha Samajik SAnshodhan Aani Vikas Seva, Latur.
19. YUVA, Rural, Nagpur


Ps. World Food Day was proclaimed in 1979 by the Conference of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). It marks the date of the founding of FAO in 1945. The aim of the Day is to heighten public awareness of the world food problem and strengthen solidarity in the struggle against hunger, malnutrition and poverty. In 1980, the General Assembly endorsed observance of the Day in consideration of the fact that "food is a requisite for human survival and well-being and a fundamental human necessity"

Pune citizens join hands to save city’s greenery

In a bid to save the Green Development Plan (DP), members of the Green Pune Movement are trying to gather at least 1.5 lakh objections against the 46 modifications made by the state government in the Ban3e4r-Balewadi DP.
Following citizen’s outcry, the state Urban Development (UD) department had withdrawn its earlier notifications which state that 20 modicaations had been sanctioned and 26 modifications had been sanction sanctioned and 26 modifications hwere proposed in the Baner-Balewadi DP. Last week, a fresh notidfication stating that all the 46 notifications are proposed along with the modified maps were sent by the state UD. At present, a gazette notifications is awaited.

After the initial victory of making the state withdraw its notifications, the citizens have now taken a bigger batter to ensure that a maximum number of objections are raised against the modifications to prevent its implementation.
A meeting of NGOs, citizens groups, mohalla committees and individuals – who have come together under the banner of ‘Green Pune Movement’ was held on Monday to decide a further course of action.

President of National Society for Clean Cities Satishg Khot said volunteers will go around the city and talk to people explaining the issue to ghather objections. Citizens who want tio support the movement can write in to : nsccpune@gmail.com

TOI 24-9-08

Seminar on Religious Viuolence a Threat to Democracy

On Monday , 13th October at 6 pm, over 300 secular persons from all religions gathered at the Assembly Hall, Azam Campus, Pune College, Camp Pune for a SEMINAR titled Religious Violence: Threat to Democracy. Among the Main Speakers were, Ram Puniyani (Retd. Prof, IIT-Mumbai, awarded Indira Gandhi Award for National Integration in 2007), Irfan Engineer (Director, Institute for Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution, Mumbai), Dolphy Desouza (President, Bombay Catholic Sabha), and Parnab Mukherjee (United Nations Fellow for Human Rights and North-East).

An open session followed. The seminar was held in the wake of attacks on Christian tribals in Orrisa, churches in Mangalore and Kerala during the last one month by Hindu fundamentalist organizations.

FORMER UN UNDER-SECy Shashi Tharoor spouts Gandhi, green cause

The FORMER UN UNDER-SECRETARY GENERAL FLAGGED OFF CYCLE RALLY and walkathon on Saturday 19th September in the run-up to the Commonwealth Youth Games. Both events will started at 7 am from Sambhaji bridge in DeccanGymkhana and ended at Sanas grounds near Nehru Stadium.

At the party hosted by the CTG organizing committee chairman Suresh Kalmadi at Laguna-Panchshil Tech Park on Airport Road, Tharoor was in his elements while responding to the introduction made by socialite Monica Trivedi.

“Us President Johnson once said that this is the sort of introduction that would have made by father proud and my mother would’ve believed it.” He lauded Kalmadi’s efforts for taking up the green cause. “Former UN secretary general Kofi Annan would often say that the earth is not ours, it is a treasure to keep for our children. The treasures have been tarnished by two hundred years of industrialization and we have to undo the damage.”

Reminding Pune of Gandhi’s legacy he said that the green cause had a champion in the Mahatma. “In the last 60 years we have forgotten that the man never threw even an envelope and wrote behind it, so as not to waste even a little space.” He said.
Appreciating Pune’s green stance with the token planting and watering of a plant, he said “Pune will be an inspiration to a greener Delhi in the Commonwealth Games in 2010. After all, the you are the flag bearers of the future.”

A Kathak recital by Manisha Sathe’s troupe made a case for not cutting trees. Among those present were Yohan and Michelle Poonawalla, Sagar Sribala Chordia, Sumeer Kalmadi, Kumar Gera, Vishwanath Karad with son Rahul Karad, Aseem Sarode, Satish Khot, police commissioner Satyapal singh, municipal commissioner Pravinsinh Pardeshi, Tehsen Poonawall, IT honcho Deepak Shikarpurkar, Madhur Bajaj and Sabina Sanghvi.

Delia Maria from FOGM attended the CYG dinner

Kalyani Sardesai & Preeti Devnani, Pune DNA 20-9-008