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Indian Express
5 hours ago
- General
- Indian Express
Indrayani river bridge collapse: Officials say no clarity yet on who is responsible, minister says work of new bridge was pending
Soon after its collapse, confusion reigned supreme about who was responsible for the upkeep of the bridge on the Indrayani river at Kundamala near Talegaon Dabhade, which was over three decades old. Minister of Water Resources Girish Mahajan Sunday admitted that while tenders to build a new bridge were passed, the work was delayed due to the rain. 'The bridge was built in 1992, and recently a tender of Rs 7-8 crore was cleared to build a new bridge but the execution was delayed due to rain,' he said. Chandrakant Wagmare, additional chief executive officer of Pune Zilla Parishad, admitted they were not clear about who was responsible for the upkeep of the bridge. 'It is still not clear as to who had the responsibility, as this area fell under the Cantonment area. But action will be taken,' he said. Mahajan said that while it was a pedestrian bridge, two-wheelers used to ply on it. Local residents who spoke to The Indian Express also blamed the lack of upkeep as well as two wheelers plying on it for the collapse of the bridge. Located near the whirlpools and gorges of the river, Kundamala has become a tourist spot, especially during the rainy season. Due to the small waterfalls and the whirlpools, many tourists thronged the area, especially over the weekend. The bridge in question linked both sides of the river. For tourists, the bridge provided the perfect background for pictures and many thronged to take selfies. That the condition of the bridge was precarious was known to local residents. Aishwarya Gonte, a local resident, said that two-wheelers regularly used the bridge despite warnings. 'Locals had complained before but no one took up maintenance or repair works,' she said. Raghuvir Shelar, local corporator, said both sides had notices pasted prohibiting the entry of two-wheelers. 'But people used to regularly ply through it because no police personnel used to check the activity. The situation was so grave that protective grills were installed on the collapsed bridge around 10 days ago,' he said. Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who is the minister in charge of public works, has ordered a survey of all old bridges in the state.
Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Ajit Pawar launches Pune model schools, bats for AI in education
Deputy chief minister and Pune guardian minister Ajit Pawar on Saturday inaugurated Pune model schools and model primary health centres at a program organised by the Pune Zilla Parishad at Ganesh Kala Krida Manch. Addressing the gathering, Pawar said that in the face of evolving global challenges, it is crucial to blend traditional education with modern technology. 'Considering the rapidly changing world, we must combine traditional skills with modern approaches by integrating artificial intelligence into the education sector. Teachers must recognise their responsibility in shaping the new generation and work sincerely to deliver quality education,' he said. Pawar stated that ₹1 lakh crore is being invested in education, from anganwadis to postgraduate institutions. He also highlighted Maharashtra's recent MoU with the German state of Baden-Württemberg to promote skill development. To preserve the Marathi language, the government has made it compulsory from Class 1 in English-medium schools. Pawar added that a new School Education Bhavan is under construction and will be inaugurated soon. The government is also mobilising corporate social responsibility (CSR) funds in partnership with NGOs and private companies to support educational development. School education minister Dada Bhuse reiterated the government's support for both students and teachers. He said efforts are underway to adapt the CBSE curriculum for Marathi-medium schools. 'We are developing a military-style curriculum from Class 1. In addition, we plan to increase scholarships and give students practical exposure through educational trips to forts, banks, and public infrastructure projects,' Bhuse said. Deputy chairperson of the Legislative Council, Dr Neelam Gorhe, stressed the need to improve teaching quality. 'We must integrate Sustainable Development Goals, modern thinking, and technology into academics. Teachers should be equipped to prepare students for a new India,' she said. As part of the initiative, Pawar also inaugurated a skills lab to promote vocational training and support teacher and instructor development, particularly in rural and remote areas.
Indian Express
a day ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Sarpanch, gram panchayats should take responsibility for improving schools in villages: Ajit Pawar
Deputy Chief Minister and Guardian Minister of Pune district Ajit Pawar urged gram panchayats and sarpanches to take responsibility for improving schools in their villages. Speaking at the inauguration of Pune Model School and a model primary health centre in Pune on Saturday, Pawar said, 'In the district, every gram panchayat and sarpanch should take responsibility for schools in their villages. They should overview the works required to be undertaken in schools and take up the issue in tha gram sabha.' '…At the end of the day, this is not the responsibility of just the Prime Minister, Chief Minister, or the education department. It is the responsibility of all of us. We should pay attention to this as a social commitment. The involvement of both the public and the government is necessary to bring about a change in the education system,' said Pawar. Explaining why public involvement was necessary in education, the NCP chief said, 'I ask many people who are doing good work who tell me that during the time of R R Patil, the state government, with the support of people, implemented the Sant Gadgebaba Gram Swachhta Abhiyan. The Union government took note of this and launched the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. There should be a movement raised by people. The same should happen in our education system as well.' The Deputy CM also urged teachers to take responsibility and bring about a change in the schools where they are teaching. 'Since we have some expectations from you teachers, you should take responsibility and bring about a positive change in the schools,' said Pawar even as he presented the Excellent Teacher Award. The ceremony was organized by the Pune Zilla Parishad at Ganesh Kala Krida Manch. An 'excellent new building' for the school education department in Pune would be inaugurated soon, announced Pawar. At the event, Pune Zilla Parishad Chief Executive Officer Gajanan Patil announced that out of 3,546 schools in 13 talukas of Pune district, the Zilla Parishad is trying to build 303 model schools and 108 model primary health centres. The Pune Nipun app and dashboard created by Pune Zilla Parishad were also launched at the event. Deputy Chairperson of the Legislative Council Dr. Neelam Gorhe, Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Assembly Anna Bansode, state school education and sports minister Dada Bhuse, MLAs Sunil Shelke, Bapusaheb Pathare, Dnyaneshwar Katke, Shankar Mande, Baba Kale, Divisional Commissioner Dr. Chandrakant Pulkundwar, District Collector Jitendra Dudi, and Additional Chief Executive Officer Chandrakant Waghmare were also present at the event. Soham is a Correspondent with the Indian Express in Pune. A journalism graduate, he was a fact-checker before joining the Express. Soham currently covers education and is also interested in civic issues, health, human rights, and politics. ... Read More
Hindustan Times
26-05-2025
- General
- Hindustan Times
Now Pune Zilla Parishad to construct permanent buildings for 410 Anganwadi centres in district
PUNE: To strengthen early childhood education infrastructure, the Pune Zilla Parishad has come up with a 'master plan' to construct permanent buildings for 410 Anganwadi centres in the district that currently operate from makeshift spaces like community temples, old halls and temporary shelters due to the absence of proper infrastructure. The Pune Zilla Parishad, under the guidance of district collector Jitendra Dudi and chief executive officer Gajanan Patil, has devised a solution in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) to integrate Anganwadi centres within the premises of existing primary schools. A detailed survey is currently being carried out to identify suitable spaces within school campuses where Anganwadis can be constructed. The integration aims to facilitate seamless transition from pre-primary to primary education for children. Patil said, 'Considering the lack of proper buildings for Anganwadis in many villages, the government will now extend support for construction. Once we ensure well-equipped buildings, it will directly contribute to improving the quality of education. The Zilla Parishad is actively taking steps in this direction.' Chandrakant Waghmare, additional CEO of the Pune Zilla Parishad, emphasised the benefits of constructing Anganwadi centres within school premises. 'Anganwadis are now being aligned with primary schools. This will ensure continuity in education from early childhood to formal schooling. We are committed to establishing high-quality Anganwadi centres under strong leadership and planning,' he said. As part of the plan, J B Girase, deputy CEO of the Pune Zilla Parishad, has directed block education officers and child development project officers to conduct joint visits to villages during which they have to identify available land within school premises and discuss the plan with village Sarpanchs, Gram Sevaks, and school principals. Officers must also submit a written report along with photographs of the locations by the end of May 2025. Inputs from School Management Committees must also be considered in the decision-making process. Anganwadis, considered the foundation of the educational system in rural India, cater to children aged three to five years, providing pre-primary education along with key services such as health, nutrition and maternal care. Despite the importance of these centres, many of them in Pune district have been functioning under severe infrastructural limitations. According to officials, while the government provides funds for constructing Anganwadi buildings, there is no provision to purchase land, creating hurdles in areas where space is not readily available. As a result, even approved Anganwadi centres have been unable to move into proper premises due to apathy or inaction by local Gram Panchayats that are expected to provide land through community participation. With the latest initiative, authorities hope to resolve long-standing infrastructural issues that have hindered proper functioning of Anganwadi centres to provide young children a safe, stable and conducive environment for learning and development.
