Vidarbha: Denied water access, Dalit man digs well in 40 days

May 08, 2016 17:36 IST

Anguished over being denied access to water by upper caste people, a Dalit labourer from a village in Washim district of Maharashtra's drought-hit Vidarbha toiled for hours to dig his own well.

The wife of Bapurao Tajne, a resident of Kolambeshwar village in Malegaon taluka, was not allowed to fetch water from a well by villagers.

In a bid to take his revenge on a social milieu which still discriminates large sections of people, Tajne took it upon himself to dig a well in his village, and is quenching the thirst of the entire Dalit population of the area now.

He finished the digging in a mere 40 days and was pleasantly surprised to find water.

Beaming with confidence, a seemingly content Tajne told PTI over phone that he felt fortunate to have discovered abundantly available ground water after his hard work.

"I was ridiculed by my family among others, but I was determined," Tajne said.

The news of the incident soon reached the authorities, following which Washim district administration officiated tehsildar Kranti Dombe to visit the village. Hailing Tajne's act, the district administration felicitated him for being "a face of determination and strong will power", the tehsildar said.

When asked if any government aid would be provided to Tajne, Dombe said there was no such proposal as of now. However, she said the government has taken note of the Dalit man's extraordinary achievement.

On whether action has been initiated against the villagers who did not let the labourer's wife draw water, in view of the incident attracting punitive provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, Dombe said the well in question was not identified yet nor were the villagers who stopped the woman.

Delhi: Ola cab driver arrested for allegedly molesting Belgian woman

Last updated on: May 08, 2016 18:31 IST

A 23-year-old Belgian national on a pan-India tour was allegedly molested by an Ola cab driver in south east Delhi's C R Park area last night, in yet another incident that raised questions about the safety of women using app-based taxi hailing services.

The accused driver, Balraj Singh alias Raj, a native of Rajasthan's Alwar district, was arrested in the wee hours on Sunday hours after the incident, police said.

Curiously, when the woman booked the cab, she received a confirmation from Ola that the driver named Vikram Singh would pick her up but it later emerged that he had rented out the vehicle he owned to the accused in violation of the norms.

The woman, who said she worked as a translator, told the police that she had booked the cab from Gurgaon and during the journey the cab driver allegedly kissed and took pictures of her.

In a statement, Ola said that the "driver" has been sacked. But the company did not immediately respond to questions as to how the registered owner had rented out the car to another person.

"We first tracked down Vikram but he did not turn out to be the driver. He owned the car. The accused was arrested after Ola assisted police in tracking the GPS locations of the car," a senior police official said.

Taking a serious view of the incident, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has sought a report from Lt Governor Najeeb Jung on the issue.

"I have asked Lt Governor Delhi for a report on the molestation of a Belgian girl by a Cab driver. We are committed to the safety and security of all foreign nationals in India," Swaraj said in a series of tweets.

The incident also drew criticism from the opposition parties with former Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit claiming that there has been a spike in crimes against women in the national capital under Aam Aadmi Party government led by Arvind Kejriwal.

A case of molestation has been registered under sections Indian Penal Code 354 and 354A, 354C against the accused, police said. The taxi is registered with Keshav Taxi Services in Gurgaon's Sushant Lok area.

The woman, who has been staying in India since February, was travelling to a friend's place in CR Park whom she had met during her trip to Khajuraho in Madhya Pradesh. The victim's statement has been recorded and she will return to Belgium on Sunday night, the police said.

"The driver deliberately took the wrong route after Hauz Khas and when the woman told him that she will ask her friend (about the right route), he took her phone and deleted all the records related to Ola. He also called her over to the front seat claiming that his GPS was not working and then allegedly kissed her," a senior police official said.

After stepping out of the cab near C R Park area, she informed the police about the incident at around 10 pm, police said.

"Ola confirms that the vehicle as well as the associated operator and driver have been permanently blacklisted from the platform. We will share all required information with the authorities to help resolve this for the customer. We have zero tolerance to such behaviour from drivers on the platform," the company said in a statement.

Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Assembly Vijender Gupta also demanded a through investigation into the case. The AAP government has "gone back" on its promise to ramp up women's safety, he alleged.

"Be it molestation or rape, Delhi has seen an increase in such crimes and they have risen all the more under the Kejriwal dispensation. I want him and his ministers to focus on women's security. Where else will women feel safe if not the national capital?" Dikshit asked. Dikshit said Kejriwal had repeatedly raised similar issues during her tenure to criticise her. We are waiting for him to take some steps in this regard," she said.

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Suzuki Gixxer is the bike to beat!

The Suzuki Gixxer is truly a workhorse, as anyone who owns this motorcycle would agree, but there's a lot more happening inside, says Indian automobile website MotorBeam.com

We have ridden more than 7000 kms over the past six months on the Suzuki Gixxer, and, in the true sense of the word, it is a workhorse. We pushed the bike through all sorts of roads we could find in and around Mumbai, be it Malshej, Lavasa or the famous NH17.

For company, we had the TVS Apache 180 with us along with another Gixxer.

For anyone who has travelled through or even heard of the Mumbai-Goa highway, they would certainly know that it can offer the worst of roads, especially during the monsoon. Despite this, the Suzuki Gixxer just sailed over most of the roads that we took it over. And for that we have to thank its 41 mm telescopic front forks and the mono-suspension at the rear, which is truly set up beautifully.

Now began the real test. The Kashedi ghat, the first of many along NH17, was all about the bike's agility and corner craving ability. And for the entire length of the ghat, around 20 kms that is, we had the Gixxer running neck and neck with the Apache 180, which is testimony to how beautifully this 'commuter' motorcycle can master the corners. However, the hard seat did take its toll on the riders over the course of the cornering session.

Since we had two Gixxers for our test, we had the opportunity to simultaneously test how frugal they were with different riding styles. But, surprisingly, the one that was redlined almost throughout the journey managed to return 42 km/l while the other Gixxer that barely crossed 7000 RPM, returned a respectable 47 km/l. As the day came to an end, we used the headlight fairly extensively and realised that although the light does spread over the road, Suzuki could have used a more powerful lamp, which is very essential on such roads.

Next day, we started with a ride on the beach at Ganpatipule followed by the return trip home. Navigating through the Konkan, we arrived, once again, at the Kashedi ghat, and this time around, the tables had turned. It was the Gixxer indeed, that edged ahead of the Apache, the bikes gliding through like snakes in disguise. During the ride back, we did experience many hiccups while going downhill, particularly because of the rear drum brakes, which lacked bite and the low ground clearance, which meant the underbelly scraped every other speed breaker.

Coming to the engine of the bike, it easily is the best in its class and is sure to turn heads if revved hard. But the pleasing exhaust is more due to the superb 155cc motor that works like a charm in the Gixxer. Also the shift light indicator on the console is really helpful, specially during city riding, as it can be adjusted as per one's riding style and also be switched of if the rider wants it that way. Overall, it is nothing short of a pleasure to ride the Suzuki Gixxer and it is definitely the bike to beat in the 150cc segment.

www.pixelsolutionz.com (get your website today) 

Honda Navi review: Activa redesigned

MotorOctane took this fun bike for a spin around a fun place -- Imagica Adventure Park -- to tell you more about it.

We live in a world of personalisation. Right from our grooming to our gadgets and vehicles too, we prefer to add some individuality to them. Exactly with this thought in mind, Honda has come out with an unusual product, the Honda Navi. 

Styling and design

The Honda Navi is kind of a hybrid, which means a crossover between a scooter and a motorcycle. It gives you the fun of a motorcycle with the convenience of an automatic scooter. The Navi has been designed with the Honda Activa as the base. It shares almost all of its mechanicals including engine and chassis with the Activa. It has been designed completely in India.

The bike is a looker for sure. Beautifully designed, the Navi is a vehicle that will turn heads everytime. The stance and chunky looks of it are appealing enough. The hexagonal headlamp in a grey coloured housing is something unique. The body with bold lines and tapering tail, alike a sporty motorcycle and the black coloured wheels give a lot of character to the Navi.

The dimensions are similar to the Activa too. The Navi is a tad longer than the Activa by 44mm. The best part is that the seat height is exactly the same as Activa, although the Navi looks smaller. It has a slightly higher ground clearance than the Activa, which is a good thing.

The Navi seems to be inspired from Grom, a bike which Honda sells in international markets. The Navi is manufactured in Honda's Gujarat plant. It has been engineered and developed in India, specifically for the Indian Market and will also be exported to other countries.

Colours

The Honda Navi is available in five colour options, namely, Patriot Red, Shasta White, Hooper Green, Black and Sparky Orange.

Engine and performance

Apart from the chassis, the powertrain is also adopted from the Activa, which is a four-stroke, 110cc engine, churning out a maximum power out of 7.8bhp and 8.96Nm of torque. It uses the V-matic (automatic) transmission and can achieve a top-speed of 81 km/h. The Navi also gets Honda Eco Technology which aids in more fuel efficiency without decreasing power output.

Ride and handling

At first glance we felt that the Navi would be a fun to ride bike but actually riding it was even more fun. The bike is extremely nimble and a breeze to swerve in either direction. These kind of dynamics are pure joy in tight spaces which are found in abundance within heavy traffic, market areas and small lanes.

Price

The Honda Navi is priced at Rs 43,000 (on-road, Delhi). The bookings for the Navi have commenced already and the bike is available at dealerships for sale too. Honda has introduced a special app for smartphones, which can be used to book, and explore the Navi.

This app has also had more than 25,000 downloads since. Honda has also launched several customisation options for the Navi, that will help buyers to choose as per their individual tastes. Honda is clearly targeting the age group of 18-21 for the Navi. The deliveries have begun and Honda is revamping its existing showrooms for a better presentation of the Navi.

Verdict

The Navi comes across as an inexpensive option to customers who desire a motorcycle and the convenience of a non-geared scooter. It is a fun vehicle which is a departure from the routine scooter and gives it a new twist. It is expected to appeal to the youth who want a commuter two-wheeler which also has style and is fun.

Moreover the personalisation options at a minimal cost is surely appealing. Honda Navi is a unique proposition and the company is looking at attracting young buyers towards the Honda brand. The Activa has been ruling the market for long now and sells four times more than its closest competitor. This is the reason why Honda is now experimenting with the Navi, which is based on the Activa. This is one vehicle you need to have in your garage!

Messi, Bolt, Serena vie for Laureus honours

From soccer genius Lionel Messi to sprint king Usain Bolt, a shimmering array of the world's greatest sports stars are in the race for top honours at the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards -- also called the 'Oscars of Sport' -- to be presented, in Berlin, on Monday.

The generous sprinkling of stars is not just limited to the men's nominations with the women's category also featuring iconic names like tennis queen Serena Williams and track and field's ‘Pocket Rocket’ Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce among others.

In the men's category, three-time winner Bolt and five-time Ballon d'Or winner Messi, are joined by tennis No 1 Novak Djokovic, triple Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton along with first time nominees Stephen Curry, star of NBA's Golden State Warriors, and golf's world No 1 Jordan Spieth, who has also been nominated in the 'Breakthrough of the Year' category.

In the quintet, Messi is perhaps the biggest star to have never won this coveted trophy even though he has been nominated in five previous editions.

Winner of the Ballon d'Or for a fifth time, the Argentine genius played a crucial role in Barcelona's outstanding season last year, in which the Spanish giants won the Champions League, La Liga and the Copa del Rey treble.

Among his 43 goals in La Liga, he scored a record 32nd hat-trick for Barcelona.

Djokovic, who won this award in 2012 and '15, clinched three Grand Slams -- Australian, Wimbledon and US Open – last year and was finalist in the French Open.

He became only the third man to reach all four finals in the same year and also the first to win six Masters 1000 events in one year. In 2015, he reached 15 consecutive finalsand won 11 titles.

Bolt, on the other hand, reaffirmed his status as the greatest sprinter the world has ever seen by defending his 100 metres, 200 metres and 4x100 metres titles at the World Championships. The Jamaican superstar took his career tally to 17 world and Olympic gold medals in the year gone by.

Among the women, Serena will once again be a top contender for the coveted trophy after securing her 10th Laureus nomination. The American icon sparkled in the year gone by with three Grand Slams.

On the other hand, Fraser Pryce continued to rule the 100 metres event with her second straight World Championships gold medal, which took her overall tally to third. The 28-year-old is the only woman to be crowned 100m world champion three times (2009, 2013, 2015). Last year, she also steered the Jamaican women's 4x100m team to a world gold.

In World Team of the Year category, the Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One Team has been nominated for the second straight year along with Rugby world champions the All Blacks, Champions League winners FC Barcelona, NBA champions Golden State Warriors, the British Davis Cup team and the US women's football team, which won its third World Cup.

The Breakthrough of the Year category has British boxer Tyson Fury and golfer Jason Day among the nominees.

The Laureus World Comeback of the Year nominations features among others, American swimming sensation Michael Phelps. The most decorated Olympian with 22 medals, including 18 gold, had retired in 2012. The 30-year-old came back to swimming last year in the US National Championships, where he won gold medals in the 100 metres butterfly, 200 metres butterfly and 200 metres individual medley, clocking the fastest time of the year in all the three events.

Nominations for the Laureus World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability include two former winners – Brazilian swimmer Daniel Dias, who won in 2009 and 2013, and France's Marie Bochet, the 2014 winner, who had her second clean sweep of all five events at Paralympic World Skiing Championships.

Nominees for the 2016 Laureus World Sports Awards:

Laureus World Sportsman of the Year Award: Usain Bolt (Jamaica, Athletics), Stephen Curry (US, Basketball), Novak Djokovic (Serbia, Tennis), Lewis Hamilton (UK, Motor Racing), Lionel Messi (Argentina, Football), Jordan Spieth (US, Golf).

Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year Award:

Genzebe Dibaba (Ethiopia, Athletics), Anna Fenninger (Austria, Skiing), Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (Jamaica, Athletics), Katie Ledecky (US, Swimming), Carli Lloyd (US, Football), Serena Williams (US, Tennis)

Laureus World Team of the Year Award:

All Blacks (New Zealand, Rugby), FC Barcelona (Spain, Football), Golden State Warriors (US, Basketball), Great Britain Davis Cup team (Tennis), Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One team (Germany), US Women's football team

Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year Award:

Chile Men's Football team, Jason Day (Australia, Golf), Tyson Fury (UK, Boxing), Adam Peaty (UK, Swimming), Jordan Spieth (US, Golf), Max Verstappen (Netherlands, Motor Racing)

Laureus World Comeback of the Year Award:

Dan Carter (New Zealand, Rugby), Jessica Ennis-Hill (UK, Athletics), Mick Fanning (Australia, Surfing), Michael Phelps (US, Swimmer), David Rudisha (Kenya, Athletics), Lindsey Vonn (US, Skiing)

From soccer genius Lionel Messi to sprint king Usain Bolt, a shimmering array of the world's greatest sports stars are in the race for top honours at the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards -- also called the 'Oscars of Sport' -- to be presented, in Berlin, on Monday.

8 ways to beat the summer heat

With scorcher days ahead, you must be looking for ways to avoid the heat. Here are few!

During school, summer was probably the most-awaited season, since it coincided with the start of the long vacation.

Whole days spent playing with friends; school uniforms and textbooks swapped for the television and comics; ice creams and ice lollies no longer forbidden by indulgent parents; trips to visit the grandparents or a jaunt to a hill station -- what was not to love about summer?

Nostalgia probably lends a rose-tint to the glasses with which you look back at those days because summer seems so unpleasant now.

Were those days also this hot and sticky, or are we feeling the effects of ubiquitous global warming, you wonder?

The summer sun in most places in India has the power of sapping out your energy and leaving you tired and irritable.

Escaping to the cooler climes of hill stations or renting a little cottage in an Alpine village, against a backdrop of picturesque snow-clad mountains, is sadly not an option for most.

Sitting closeted inside an air-conditioned room is again not always an option, nor is it the optimal choice health-wise.

The upside is that there are several simple and natural measures that one can take to take the edge off the searing summer heat.

Hate UV rays, not the sun

Photograph: Tim Murphy/Creative Commons

Sandhya Gugnani, a nutrition expert associated with the television show The Great Chefs of India says, "Sometimes people ignore the basics. During summer, avoid direct sunlight and protect yourself by carrying an umbrella when stepping out." It is also essential to apply sunscreen.

When it is bright out, eat light

Photograph: Daniel Ford/Creative Commons

Heavy meals high in fat and spice are not your best choice when it's hot outside.

Eat small and frequent meals during all seasons, but especially during summer.

Dimple Mirchandani, a nutrition and health expert, says that avoiding meat and high-calorie dishes will make quite a difference to one's overall wellbeing.

Eat green, (and yellow and orange!)

Photograph: Lisa Clarke/Creative Commons

Plenty of vegetables and fruits should be incorporated in the diet. Cucumbers and watermelons have high water content and help prevent dehydration.

Sandhya suggests a balanced diet with antioxidants like beta-carotene, selenium and Vitamins E and C.

They are present in green leafy vegetables, yellow and orange coloured fruits and vegetables, whole grains, pulses, and nuts and seeds such as almonds, pumpkin and fenugreek.

Hydrate and hydrate

Photograph: John Revo Puno/Creative Commons

Drinking water before you feel thirsty is important. Thirst is a sign that your water intake has been poor. Sipping water through the day is a great idea to keep electrolytes balanced in the body.

A slice of lime, or orange with a few sprigs of mint in a bottle of water helps make it more palatable.

Buttermilk and tender coconut water are also healthy options. Dimple says packaged juices and colas are packed with sugar, which is high in calories and addictive, and should be avoided.

Regular workouts

Photograph: Kind Courtesy Malaika Arora Khan/Instagram

Summer is not an attractive season for exercise, given how much one sweats. But regular workouts keep the stamina up.

Dimple says "I wouldn't recommend outdoor sports when the sun is blazing outside. Either exercise early in the morning or in the evening, or else workout indoors."

Cotton and comfort

Photograph: Kind Courtesy Neha Dhupia/Instagram

Loose-fitting cotton outfits work best in the summer. Comfortable footwear and a bright scarf for protection from the sun also makes for good fashion sense.

Home sweet home

Photograph: Frank/Creative Commons

Staying indoors at home or work during the day and restricting outdoor activities to when it's cooler outside, before 10.30 am or after 5.30 pm, is recommended especially if temperatures hit near 40 degrees Celcius and above.

Frequently moving from air-conditioned to non-air-conditioned rooms can be detrimental to health, says Sandhya.

Prevention is better

Photograph: Forest Starr and Kim Starr/Creative Commons

As tempting as they are, it is better to avoid extremely cold foods and drinks.

Water-borne diseases are common in summer, so proper care should be taken by avoiding water and food from street vendors. Sandhya feels it's best to carry water from home.

Fruit and raw vegetable salads should be avoided if the hygiene of the place is suspect. Milk and dairy products spoil faster in hot weather and should be consumed with care.

According to Dimple, one common mistake that people make is not understanding seasonal produce. It is the magic of nature that each season brings with it the right diet.

Summer fruits like watermelons, sweet limes, and lychees are perfect for summer, whereas apples are excellent for winter.

By not following seasonal patterns in our diet, we run the risk of not just eating wrong but also ingesting non-seasonal fruits and vegetables that are usually not organic and have higher chances of being treated with chemicals.

If we take a bit of care, we can get back to the fun of childhood summers.

As the words of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow evoke so perfectly -- 

Filled was the air with a dreamy and magical light; and the landscape

Lay as if new-created in all the freshness of childhood.

Companies line up IPOs worth Rs 15,000 crore

Eye business expansion, fulfil working capital requirements and making loan repayments

The IPO lane is getting increasingly crowded as companies have lined up offers worth more than Rs 15,000 crore in the current fiscal to fund their business expansion, meet working capital requirements and make loan repayments.

Dilip Buildcon, New Delhi Centre for Sight, Ujjivan Financial Services, Quess Corp, Hinduja Leyland Finance and Seaways Shipping and Logistics are among the ones that plan to launch share-sale offers in the coming months.

At present, 25 companies plan to raise Rs 12,500 crore (Rs 125 billion) and have secured approval of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi), Prime Database Managing Director Pranav Haldea said.

Another six firms looking to mop up Rs 3,000 crore (Rs 30 billion) have filed draft documents with the capital market watchdog and are awaiting approval, he added.

Besides, many more filings are expected in the near future.

Proceeds of the IPO will be used to fund business expansion plans, to meet working capital requirements and to repay loan and for other general corporate purposes.

According to experts, the IPO market is expected to see some activity in the current fiscal as half a dozen companies have filed their draft papers with Sebi in the last three months (January-March) to launch public offers.

Seven firms - Equitas Holdings, Infibeam Incorporation, Bharat Wire Ropes, HealthCare Global Enterprises, Quick Heal Technologies, TeamLease Services and Precision Camshafts - have come out with IPOs this year.

During the just-ended 2015-16, fund-raising through IPOs came in at Rs 14,461 crore (Rs 144.61 billion), making it the highest in the last five financial years. In comparison, Rs 2,770 crore (Rs 27.7 billion) were mobilised in 2014-15.

The past fiscal year also witnessed a flurry of activity on the small and medium enterprise (SME) platform as there were as many as 50 SME IPOs that mobilised Rs 311 crore. In 2014-15, 38 IPOs mopped up Rs 250 crore (Rs 2.5 billion).

Marketmen said an attractively priced IPO will get a solid response from investors as its chances of listing with gains get higher. Conversely, if an IPO is "over-priced", it may not be able to list attractively.