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R HEART U O Y S E H C T H AT T O U Y L I A D G IN AN INSPIR Vol. 1 No. 47 Pages 16 PUNE, SUNDAY JUNE 10, 2012 Rs.4 WEATHER Sunrise .....................05:57 Sunset ......................19:11 Moonrise .................23:28 Moonset ..................11:35 Temperature Min ...........................23 0c Max ...........................35 0c Rain ....Thunderstorm with rain
‘CLEANING’ UP THEIR ACT
ON-CAMPUS RAJNEETI
THE YUMMY SAMOSA!
City hoteliers sensitised on safe garbage disposal >> P5
A dummy’s guide on how to survive in college >> P7
A crisp-n-crunchy teatime treat >> P15
Rejoice in rustic rural charm WEEKEND GETAWAY
The little-known Rajuri village of Junnar Taluka has stormed onto the Indian agritourism scene with Parashar Krushi Paryatan Kendra, a centre that promises to replicate the unassuming charm of village life for the uninitiated, estranged urban man
SANIKA DIWANJI
W
hat is this life if full of care, We have no time to stand and stare? No time to stand beneath the boughs, And stare as long as sheep and cows…. While penning down this verse in the early 1900s, poet W H Davies maybe foresaw how stressful and hectic city life would end up becoming a century or two down the line. The lines now make us wonder whatever happened to the good ol’ days, when one could afford to pause and admire the little joy that Mother Nature has to offer.
A think-alike Manoj Hadawale, a young
lad from Rajuri, a small village in Junnar Taluka, Pune district, thought on the same ‘lines’ as Davies probably did when he wrote the verse. A postgraduate student of agriculture, Manoj realised that the urban masses—overwhelmed by the concrete and development that surrounds them—have become distanced from the charms of nature. He felt something needed to be done to bridge the gap between the urban and rural masses in India. Hadawale wondered whether the urban folk ever wonder where the food they eat comes from; or if they know the methods employed by the rural farmers. Are they aware about the kind of lifestyle a farmer leads? The questions, he feels, are extremely relevant in today’s
age—an age where urban kids can rattle off details about the latest version of Play Station or the newest album by Lady Gaga, but are left flummoxed when it comes to the simple ways of village life.
A new agritourism avenue Eight months back, Manoj started the ‘Parashar Krushi Paryatan Kendra’ to bridge the gaping divide. The organisation has been christened after Parashar, the sage from the Junnar area, who wrote the first book on farming in India. >> Continued on Page 5
A paperless solution to ‘official’ concerns The Pune District Collectorate Office recently launched a website through which citizens can apply for a host of official documents DHEERAJ BENGRUT
T
he State’s HSC results have recently been declared, and the SSC results will soon be out. What follows the season of results is a ritual the city students are all too familiar with—standing in long queues at the Pune District Collectorate Office (PDCO) to procure their documents. The tedious admission procedure will now be simplified, courtesy the PDCO’s new website, which was launched on June 1. University-bound students
can now apply for different kinds of certificates online, right from the comfort of their homes.
Old procedure Previously, if one wished to procure an educational document, one had to submit an application in the citizen service centre of the PDCO. However, it was observed that most had to make multiple trips to the office, owing to various reasons such as incorrect details, rejection of application, etc. >>Continued on Page 5 Nitin Lawate
Citizens can now avoid long queues for documentation
How the site functions
EXTRAA For more information, contact Manoj Hadawale: 9970515438
z After applying online, a token number and a date to produce the original documents to the PDCO will be given to the applicant z The request will be simultaneously lodged automatically at the citizen service centre z The website’s functionality is not limited just to letting you apply for the certificates—it lets you print the document/affidavit too, all within just a day (provided the paperwork is in order)
What’s in store
Manoj Hadawale
z The Parashar Krushi Paryatan Kendra, located in Rajuri, has eight huts and a hall which can accommodate 50 people at a time z Tourists are welcome throughout the year
z The simplest of activities like sowing seeds, harvesting crops, milking cows, travelling in a bullock cart, and even eating the simple farm-fresh food can offer one a wonderful insight into the farmers’ unassuming life z Several farm festivals such as the grape festival, sugarcane festival, local festival of bullock cart racing, mango festival and others can be enjoyed as per the season.
NOW
1037, RAVIWAR PETH, LAXMI RD
HOW TO GET THERE: Rajuri is at a distance of 98km from Pune. To reach Rajuri, you can head towards Khed on the Pune-Nashik Road. Take a right turn at the Ale Phata intersection after crossing Narayangaon and there you are!
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