Market Research Analysts Required

Happy New Year 2011

Farewell Shyam!

Shyam Chainani passed away. He had cancer. The prayer meeting for him will be at Jaihind college on December 28th 2010 from 5:30 to 6:30pm.

To me he was a bold, upright, some times difficult, well informed and highly motivated man. I always enjoyed meeting him and discussing the Alumni Association or public interest issues. I will miss having him with us as he was a very different kind of person.

His friend Gautam Patel, an advocate who has appeared in numerous public interest litigations for Shyam, has payed a tribute. Both Shyam and Gautam are ex-Cathedralites.So am I.

TRANSITION

Farewell to the unflinching earth warrior

Gautam Patel

    Thirty years ago, long before they became fashionable, Shyam Chainani saw the importance of environmental concerns and the catastrophic effects of favouring unchecked development. There could, he reasoned, be no lasting development without environmental balances; and to be effective, environmental policy had to change.
    Other environmentalists were possibly more glamorous. They did field work. They caught the public eye. Chainani came at it from an angle. Protests and marches are, he argued, short-lived; it is impossible to constantly fuel the kind of energy such a movement needs.
    A more effective mechanism is to influence and alter the law by reason, persuasion and negotiation. When that failed, he went to court.
    Reason and the law were natural allies to his cause. He was the son of Justice H K
Chainani, the Bombay high court’s second Chief Justice after Independence.
    An engineer by training, with degrees from Cambridge and MIT, Chainani gave up a career and spent the rest of his life working for the environment.
    It was, from the beginning, lonely, unforgiving, thankless work. But he had a wide and constantly growing set of supporters, people who recognized something rare: unflinching fidelity to his cause, complete and total integrity and a rational, intelligent mind.
    For many years, he worked out of a small room at one of the Tata group’s buildings—they supported him quietly till he reached the mandatory retirement age. Later, they continued to support his trust, the Bombay Environmental Action Group.
    Many environmental activists (he hated the word applied to himself) pursue one particular objective. Chainani had a far broader vision, and the range of his engagements is astonishing: urban planning and development, hill stations, heritage conservation (on which much of his later work focused), coastal protection, eco-sensitive areas, forests, wildlife, air and noise pollution, power projects and industry, impact assessments and a precursor to the RTI—there are few who can claim to have done so much, so often and for so long for the environment. Running through it all was an unshakeable belief in law and justice.
    In the corridors of bureaucratic power, he had virtually unlimited access. He never kowtowed, but made it a point to treat civil servants with respect and dignity.
    In court, he was the best kind of litigant—carrying the courage of his convictions, never once questioning the integrity of the judicial system, accepting his wins and losses with equal grace. In thirty years of work, every attempt to question his personal integrity failed. Through it all, he kept detailed and copious notes and records, and those are his legacy. With his selflessness and dedication, perseverance and rationality, Chainani changed the face of environmental law in India. 

 Obituary.

Happy Diwali!

Prima in Indus! Cathedral School Stamp to be released by the President today.

Keshava

What next.....?

Lets start looking for good architects and create a structural wonder. Good time to build a multi-religious, multi-era, multi-cultural monument as a house of peace and prayer for all. Let the past RIP.

Help us try and solve our car parking problems.

Increase in purchasing power has resulted in an exponential growth in demand for, and the use of LCVs & Two-wheelers. This growth has caused an equal demand for parking spaces. Close to eight lakh cars are sold in India every year, growing at an average of 10% p.a. Each year five million two-wheelers are being added at an astounding 15%. Though the growth reflects the growing wealth of Indians, both material and monetary, cities are rapidly losing comfortable space in which to move about. What’s more, the problem has now shifted into tier II and tier III towns where infrastructure development is still weak.

Advanced Strategies (www.astrategies.com/astrategies.pdf) and the Abhyas program (www.abhyas.org) have engaged summer interns Gagan Kumar Singh and Santosh Manshiramani of the Sadhana Centre for Management Leadership & Development, Pune (www.scmld.org - beyond conventional management programs) to work on a research paper.

Responding to these questions will be your contribution to our ongoing efforts to create a collaborative dialogue, and combine efforts to find solutions that meet the increasing need of parking, as well as to formulate policies and regulations for the creation and use of parking space. These questions are targeted at residents of Mumbai and Pune, as these cities are being covered for the study at present. Thank you for your kind co-operation.


Click on link http://tinyurl.com/2vy77co

Whats the message being sent to terrorists and mass murderers?

Its sad that the rights of a terrorist and mass murderer become so important. In justifying to the world that India is not a banana republic and respects all, are we failing to send a message to those perpetrating terror and violence in India that they should `go to hell' and if they try and even so much as encroach our territory or think of getting at us, they will be `sent to hell' ? Shouldn't we be more decisive, quick and bold?

Ajaml Kasab found guilty; Fahim, Sabahuddin acquitted

Click here for - Hindustan Times

MAHARSHTRA BUDGET 2010-11 SUMMARY

1. Estimated revenue receipts of Rs 97,043 crore, which includes Rs 63,838 crore from the state’s own sources. The estimated revenue expenditure at Rs 1, 04,698 crore.
2. Budget for 2010-11 has a revenue deficit of Rs 7,654 cr and a debt of close to Rs 2 lakh cr. State’ Subsidy Burden is Rs1,550 cr .
3. E-facility of filing electronic returns will also be provided under the Profession Tax Act and Luxury Tax Act.
4. Penalty provision for non-issuance of bills made more stringent.
5. For grant speedy refunds it would be mandatory to record the TIN of the purchaser on the Tax Invoice.
6. Small dealers filing six monthly returns will now have to pay the tax within 30 days in lieu of 21 days.
7. The debt waiver and debt restructuring schemes announced by the Centre has been extended for another six months.
8. To reduce the economic burden on farmers to a certain extent, Cotton seed oil cake has been made tax free.
9. Items like rice, wheat, cereals, besan, chilli powder, turmeric, jaggery, coconut, papad will remain in 0% VAT category for another year or till the GST is introduced.
10. Increased the ceiling on zero interest crop loans from Rs 25,000 to Rs 50,000.
11. Hotels and lodges have to pay luxury tax on room rent in excess of Rs 750 per day. This is up from the earlier limit of Rs 200 per day.
12. Aviation Turbine Fuel being sold at small airports except Mumbai and Pune to attract 4% concessional VAT up to March 31, 2011, or till the introduction of GST.
13. A simple composition scheme for the builders and developers. Under this scheme, 1% VAT would be payable on the contract price of flats mentioned in the agreement of sale. However, such builders and developers will not be eligible for set off under the VAT Act. This scheme shall come into force for the agreements registered after 1st April 2010.
14. Audit under section 61 of VAT Act
1. The turnover limit for audit under section 61 of VAT Act will be increased from Rs. 40 lakhs to Rs. 60 lakhs.
2. It will also be mandatory for all the dealers covered by package scheme of incentives, to file the audit report.
15. Raisins, currants and tea to continue the concessional VAT rate of 5% up to 31st March 2011.
16. Blood Transfusion apparatus rate of tax reduced from 12.5% to 5%.
17. Solar lanterns included under Non-conventional energy sources working on solar energy which are exempted from VAT.
18. Solar or battery powered vehicles rate of VAT reduced from 12.5% to 5%
19. Camphor, Dhoop, lobhan and ‘pan Kath’ is exempted from levy of VAT.
20. Rate of tax on hairpins reduced from 4% to 1%.
21. Sabudana Chivada, Chana-chur and Khandvi have been included in the list entry of Farsan attracting a lower rate of VAT.
22. To encourage entrepreneurs who bring innovations to the agriculture sector, vermi compost beds made from HDPE fabrics are being exempted from tax.
23. Tax on sales of hand made laundry soaps manufactured by KVIC units will be exempt from tax.
24. One time tax proposed on Auto Rickshaws and black-yellow meter taxis.
25. Sea food processing centres will be started at Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg districts by fisheries co-operative societies.
26. Construction of fish landing centres and providing basic infrastructure facilities at 30 places in five coastal districts of the state has been approved.
27. Fish landing centres will have facilities like jetty, auction hall and fish drying platforms. The construction will be completed in the next three years with an estimated expenditure of Rs 70 crore.

A tribute to Mumbai & Mumbaikars (deemed to mean and include non-Mahrashtrians as well!)

B_O_M_B_A_Y

Bombay has no bombs and is a harbour not a bay.
Churchgate has neither a church nor a gate. It is a railway station.
There is no darkness in Andheri.
Lalbaag is neither red nor a garden.
No king ever stayed at Kings Circle..
Nor did Queen Victoria stay at Victoria Terminus..
Nor is there any princess at Princess Street ..
Lower Parel is at the same level as Parel
There are no marines or sailors at Marine Lines.
The Mahalaxmi temple is at Haji Ali not at Mahalaxmi.
There are no pigs traded at Dukar bazaar.
Teen bati is a junction of 3 roads, not three lamps.
Trams used to terminate at Kings circle not Dadar Tram Terminus (D.T.T.)
Breach Candy is not a sweetmeat market, but there is a Hospital.
Safed Pool has the dirtiest and blackest water.
You cannot buy coal at Kolsa street.
There are no Iron smiths at Lohar chawl.
There are no pot makers at Kumbhar wada.
Lokhandwala complex is not an Iron and steel market.
Null bazaar does not sell taps.
You will not find ladyfingers at Bheendi Bazaar.
Kalachowki does not have a black Police station.
Hanging Gardens are not suspended.
Mirchi Gully does not sell chillies.
Figs do not grow in Anjir Wadi.
Sitafals do not grow in Sitafal Wadi.
Jackfruits do not grow at Fanaswadi.

But it is true that you may get fleeced at Chor Bazaar!


AMCHI MUMBAI

A City where everything is possible, especially the impossible

Where telephone bills make a person ill,
Where a person cannot sleep without a pill.

Where carbon-dioxide is more than oxygen,
Where the road is considered to be a dustbin,

Where college canteens are full and classes empty

Where a cycle reaches faster than a car,
Where everyone thinks himself to be a star,

Where sky scrapers overlook the slum,
Where houses collapse as the monsoon comes.

Where people first act and then think,
Where there is more water in the pen than ink.

Where the roads see-saw in monsoon,
Where the beggars become rich soon.

Where the roads are leveled when the minister arrives.

Where college admission means hard cash,
Where cement is frequently mixed with ash.

This is Mumbai my dear, But don't fear, just cheer, come to Mumbai every year!


THINGS TO PROVE YOU'RE A BOMBAYITE

1. You say 'town ' and expect everyone to know that this means south of Churchgate.
2. You speak in a dialect of Hindi called 'Bambaiya Hindi', which only Bombayites can understand.
3. Your door has more than three locks.
4. Rs 500 worth of groceries fit in one paper bag.
5. Train timings ( 9.27 , 10.49 etc) are really important events of life.
6. You spend more time each month traveling than you spend at home.
7. You call an 8' x 10' clustered room a Hall.
8. You're paying Rs 10,000 for a 1 room flat, the size of a walk-in closet and you think it's a 'steal.'
9. You have the following sets of friend: school friends, college friends, neighborhood friends, office friends and yes, train friends, a species unique only in Bombay. (REALLY TRUE)
10. Cabbies and bus conductors think you are from Mars if you call the roads by their Indian name, they are more familiar with Warden Road, Peddar Road, Altamount Road.
11. Stock market quotes are the only other thing besides cricket which you follow passionately.
12. The first thing that you read in the Times of India is the 'Bombay Times' supplement.
13. You take fashion seriously. You're suspicious of strangers who are actually nice to you.
14. Hookers, beggars and the homeless are invisible.
15. You compare Bombay to New York's Manhattan instead of any other cities of India.
16. The most frequently used part of your car is the horn.
17. You insist on calling CST as VT, and Sahar and Santacruz airports instead of Chatrapati Shivaji International Airport.
18. You consider eye contact an act of overt aggression.
19. Your idea of personal space is no one actually standing on your toes.
20. Being truly alone makes you nervous.
21. You love wading through knee deep mucky water in the monsoons, and
actually call it ''romantic'.
22. Only in Bombay, you would get Chinese Dosa and Jain Chicken

Salaam Bombay...

Mumbai Boat Show 2010

Mumbai Marathon 2010