One year of fulfilling promises

Ganesh Naik and Sandeep Naik complete a year of representing their respective constituencies

FE correspondent, Navi Mumbai
On Friday, October 20, Maharashtra minister Ganesh Naik have completed a year of representing their respective constituencies as Members of Legislative Assembly (MLA). The duo say that they have spent this period in fulfilling the promises they have made to their constituencies. This, they say is just the beginning.
Both the Naiks were elected with convincing margins in the elections in the newly formed constituencies following the delimitation process. While Ganesh Naik won the Belapur constituency, Sandeep Naik stormed home form Airoli constituency.
Ganesh Naik went on to once again become a cabinet minister in the State, assuming the responsibilities of Excise and Non-Conventional energy apart from becoming the Thane Guardian minister. Sandeep Naik, mean while has taken to the bigger political platform as fish does to water.
The two lament the fact that almost six months of this period has been lost to the model code of conduct due to elections in the district This prevented them from completing a lot of work. Despite this, there is a long list of accomplishments that the two have achieved in the short span.
Said Ganesh Naik, “This one year mark is significant only in terms of the goals that we have set for ourselves. I have committed to the people of Navi Mumbai that I will ensure all their issues are resolved in this tenure of ours.”
Added the senior the senior Naik, “I have already got going and am pleased that my work has been appreciated both by my senior leaders and the people of not just the city but the State as well’
Sid Sadeep Naik, “This has been a great learning and enriching experience of me. The interaction has opened up new avenues for me. It has helped me implement my ideas for the city even better.”
Informed the junior Naik, “I have already started fulfilling various promised that I had made to the people of the city. I have also ensured that I always remain in touch with the people through my planned and coordinated visits to various areas of the city to better understand issues and of course the video confining that has been initiated to reach out to those who cannot come to meet me.”
The Naiks are of course not content. “This is just the beginning. There is so much more to do to ensure that Navi Mumbai becomes the best city in the country and matches internationally renowned cities. We will not let the residents of the city down.” Said the young MLA.
Concluded Ganesh Naik, “We have always received a lot of love and affection form the people of Navi Mumbai. They have reposed their confidence in us always. This is our true strength and this is what keeps us going. The months ahead will witness a complete transformation of the city that has embarked on the path to progress. There is no looking back now.”

Grand Onam celebrations in Airoli

DNA

City’s Malayalees celebrate together
Malayalees from Airoli and Gnasoli node congreagated at Leva Patidar hall, Airoli to celebrate Onam festival on Sunday. The event Malayalee Sangamam, an idea of Airoli MLA Sandeep Naik, was the first of its kind as Mlayalees from different communities were brought together for clebrationg the festival.

In Kerala, the festival is celebrated with great fervorur over a period of 20 days in August- Separately by different Malayalee organizations. But for the celebrations in sector 15 of Airoli, eight Malayalee associations form the node and Ghansoli came together.

Before beginning of the event, for which 2500 people gathered there was Pookala malsaram (rangokis with flowers and petals)drawn by different associations. For the feast, food was prepared by special cooks invited form the southern state. The feast was followed by cultural programmes like Thiruvathirakkali and Margam Kali presented by members of various communities

Maharashtra Minister Ganesh Naik, who was present at event, spoke highly of contribution made by city Malayalees towards development of Navi Mumbai. Naik, who is also the guardian Minister of Thane, praised secular behavior of city Malayalees. He added that with the event, a new trend of uniting people from all castes and religions under on e roof has started, which further would help in developing communal harmony. “This will set an example for people from other parts of the country,” the minister said.

Apart from the Naiks, former Navi Mumbai Municipal Transport (NMMT) committee chairman Sasi Damodaran, corporator Manohar Madhvi and others were present at the event.

MLA Sandeep Naik meets Deputy Controller of Thane rationing Office

Discusses plans for independent rationing office for Airoli constituency

Member of Legislative Assembly Sandeep Naik met Deputy Controller G G Nirgudkar of Rationaing Department 41 (F) at the Thane office on October 1 to discuss rationing issues in Navi Mumbai.

Naik said that since there is just one rationing office in Vashi, city residents are facing a lot of problems.

Sandeep Naik while discussing the issue with Nirgudkar said, “We need a rationing office at Nerul for Belapur Constituency and an independent rationing office for Airoli Constituency.”
He added, “I Will personally hold a meeting with CIDCO officials for the plot and will also take the issue up in the vidhan sabha. I will do a regular follow up with CIDCO officials and at the Government office for an independent rationing office at Airoli.”

Naik also alleged that food grains were not kept in good condition. “Nanded provides citizens with SMS’s about the quality of food grains. The same concept must be used in the Airoli and Belapur constituencies also.”

Replying to Naik’s suggestions, Nirgudkar Said, “The decision for independent rationing office was already taken on November 21, 2008 but the implementation of the decision has not yet been done since CIDCO has not allotted the plot for the same.”

He added, “We may face a man-power shortage when the Airoli office opens.”

Naik assured Nirgudkar that he will help in ensuring that there is no shortage in man-power. Among those present with Sandeep Naik during the meet were Deputy Mayor Bharat Nakhate, Corporators Ramesh Shinde, Dilip Ghodekar, Chandrakant patil and Vinod Mhatre and Rationing Officer C C Jadhav.

Green Hope’s eco initiative draws huge response

DNA Correspondent.

The drawing competitions organised by NGO Green Hope to spread awareness amongst public about issues pertaining to environment conservation has received a big response from the residents of the satellite city. For the drawing and writing competitions it has received 1,547 entries over a period of two weeks

For the drawing category competitions, three experts including calligrapher Achyut Palav have been appointed as judges. “For the writing competitions, two experts in Language subjects are appointed as judges,” an official from the organizations said requesting not to be named.

This year events based on the lines of Clean and Green Navi Mumbai’, Green Hope expects to spread awareness about environment-related issues to maximum city residents.

“To give people from the satellite city a chance to participate in the environment-related activities in maximum numbers, the NGO has organised drawing competitions besides tree plantation and cleanliness drives. This will ensure people will have an option of registering their participation in whichever category they want to even as we try to spread messages about being environment-friendly to as many people as possible,” he said.

The official informed that in its activities organised so far this year, the NGO is association with several city schools and colleges, has planted tress at word-level and industrial areas. “ In the tree plantation drive, students of several educational institutes have taken part,” he said.

The organization claims to have successfully planted three lakh trees (two lakh in 2009 and on lakh in 2008) in and around the satellite city and I the industrial zones.

The NGO also deals with issues like empowering men involved in substance abuse and reform their lives.

…even as MlA Brother Takes up common man’s causes locally!

Sandeep Naik resolves issues related to MSEDC

Taking serious note of various problems faced by residents of Airoli and Ghansoli, MLA Sandeep Naik has stepped in to get the same resolved as early as possible. Residents of the area have complained about several problems being faced due to open distribution point (DP) boxes, damaged overhead cables and disproportionate electricity bills. Following the complaints, Naik called on senior officials at Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company (MSEDC) to discuss the issues.

“The meeting was held to solve the problems as early as possible. The anti-social elements are taking advantage of load shedding in the area. There has been a steep increase in the cases of chain snatching and other petty crimes during power cuts. Moreover, open DPs and dangerously hanging power cables have increased risk of fatal accidents,” Naik said.

He added that all the complaints of residents about dangerously in stalled transformers, open sub-station and defunct street lights in MIDC area would soon be attended to. It has been decided to hold monthly meetings of people’s representatives, MSEDC officials and general public to review situation.

According to MSEDC Superintending Engineer Dinesh Saboo, “The functioning of the company is affected due to staff crunch, scarcity of funds and long pending demands to create new sub-stations and sub-division.” Naik suggested that the company should priorities the work and use the fund of Rs 205 crore allotted to the department by state government.

Naik also suggested the officials to hold division wise meetings with general public to attend complaints, to form a coordination committee comprising company officials and residents, repair the open distribution points immediately and to convert overhead cobles into underground. “The civic authorities have started the work of underground cables on war footing, But the cooperation form MSEDC is not as desired. The officials from MSEDC is not as desired. The officials from NMMC, CIDCO and MIDC would be deputed on the work to expedite it,” Naik Said.

Saboo said the company would spend Rs 25 Crore on the replacement of old power cables in the city. The work on underground power cables has already started at Airoli, Vashi gaon, Koparkhairane and Nerul which will be completed in six months. “The total cost of the project is Rs 211 crore. The civic body will bare the cost of conversion while MSEDC will bare the cost of repairs,” Saboo said.