Excerpt from TOI, reported by Linah Baliga, TNN on Nov 29, 2011: Read Full Article

Residents of Chembur on Sunday nominated civic activist Dr Neelam Rane as their citizen candidate for the BMC elections slated for February, 2012.

Dr Neelam Rane as their citizen candidate for the BMC elections slated for February, 2012

Popular in her locality–ward 149-for taking up various civic issues, including the closure of the Deonar dumping ground, 51-year-oldR anehas pipped pathologist Dr Indumati Gopinath as the citizen’s choice for the corporators ‘ contest. Currently, the Shiv Sena’s Raja Chaughule is the corporator of ward 149 in Chembur, which comprises Tilak Nagar, Pestom Sagar and Chedda Nagar.

According to residents, Rane has since long been fighting for the citizens ‘ rights. Being a managing committee member of Pestom Sagar Citizens’ Forum, she, along with her doctor husband Sandip Rane, spearheaded the Smoke-Affected Residents’ Relief Forum in Chembur, which was formed to fight against environmental pollution caused by illegal dumping of garbage at the Deonar ground. “We found that the illegal garbage dumping was taking a toll on the environment of Ghatkopar, Chembur, Deonar and even parts of Vashi. We filed a PIL 14 years ago and did not stop our battle against the onslaught on environment till 2010,when thehighcourtordered a scientific closure of the dumping ground. The HC formed a committee and entrusted it with the task of overseeing the shutdown. My husband, Dr Sandeep Rane, is a member of the panel,” said Rane.

Excerpt from Mid-Day, reported by Maleeva Rebello on 2011-07-13: Read Full Article

Two collisions, six hours apart, caused traffic snarls on Eastern Express Highway in the downpour yesterday; commuters resorted to walking to escape jam.

Two trailers that collided at Chembur's Chheda Nagar Bridge were towed away at a safe spot and a rickshaw rammed into a vehicle at a traffic signal at Garodia Nagar Road

Commuters on the Eastern Express Highway had to face a major traffic jam on a busy Tuesday morning, as two trailers collided at around 7:30 am.

This was followed by another mishap at 1 pm, an hour and a half after the wreckage of the trailers was cleared, when a rickshaw rammed into a stationary car at a traffic signal.

The morning incident took place at Chembur’s Chheda Nagar Bridge, causing the traffic to come to a halt till about 9:30 am, when the traffic police got in cranes to move the first of the two trailers. The second pile-up brought about a snarl-up for around 15 minutes.
Onlookers said that commuters resorted to walking to avoid getting late to work. Madan, a local vendor, said, “A large number of office goers, who were getting late, left their autos and taxis, and started walking.” Traffic police said that by 11:30 am, both the trailers were towed away to a safe spot ahead of the bridge.

Traffic constable Nivrutti Ghughe said, “There were no casualties but a lot of inconvenience was caused to the public. We had to divert the traffic to ease the situation.” The heavy downpour did not help the situation much.

Excerpt from Hindustan Times reported by Bhavika Jain, on September 09, 2010 : Read Full Article

The air that you breathe is dirtier than last year. The civic Environment Status Report (ESR) 2009-10 says that the Air Pollution Index — calculated from the levels of sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and suspended particulate matter (SPM) matter in the air — ranges from 17 per cent to 221 per cent across the city. Last year, the range was 11 per cent to 187 per cent. This means that the chance of you contracting a respiratory ailment has risen.

The pollution levels were the highest in the eastern suburbs, with the Bhandup-Chembur belt being the most polluted. On Wednesday, Hindustan Times had reported how the levels of carcinogenic substances — cancer-causing pollutants — have risen drastically since last year.

Tests in Chheda Nagar and Tilak Nagar, close to the Deonar dumping ground, found that 8.8 per cent of the of 147 residents surveyed had lung function defects.

Mr, Mani Raman from Chedda Nage sent us these pictures with this note :

” The internal road in Cheddanagar (Chembur) is completely filled with huge potholes. Attaching photos for your reference.
Pls take it up with necessary officials. The condition of this road is same since more than a year now. The residents are having lot of inconvenience because of this. Even Auto rickshaw drivers deny on taking this road because of potholes. “

Thanks Mr. Mani.

We were told that the work has actually began on fixing these roads and will be done before the beginning of Ganesh Chaturthi…

Excerpt from CG+, reported by Sujatha Subraman on 9th Auguts 2009: Read Full Article

The police-public meet organised at Cheddanagar temple on August 6, was an open forum to enable an interactive session between the law abiding citizens and those responsible for maintaining law and order. This unique meet, probably the first of its kind in our suburb, was organised jointly the Subramania Samaj along with Vedanth Welfare Foundation.

DCP Dilip Sawant discusses various issues like increasing chain snatching incidents with the citizens

Members of Cheddanagar Residents Welfare Association (CRWA) also joined hands with them to discuss the safety and security in the areas in and around Cheddanagar.

The meeting on Thursday was attended by Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Dilip Sawant, Shivajirao N, senior inspector from Tilaknagar police station, A S Peerzade, senior inspector of crime branch.

S Ravindranath from Vedanth Welfare Foundation, speaking to CG Plus, stated, “Our area has witnessed several cases of theft and chain snatching, so we met Rakesh Maria (commissioner of police, crime) in this regard. After this it was decided to hold an open forum where the local police and public can interact.”

Some suggestions discussed during the meet

• More such meetings must be held at regular intervals
• Survey of the area should be conducted, particularly of senior citizens living alone
• Residents should check the backgrounds of watchmen and house help before employing them in homes

“We must think of sustainable development, make use of renewable energy and leave something good for the future generations,” stated S R Kale, a renowned technocrat with over 25 years of experience. Kale was the guest of honour during the felicitation ceremony held at Cheddanagar Education Society’s Modern English school by Intel company on Saturday, June 11.

Modern School students discussed their experiences on the occasion

As the subject on conservation of resources was vast, Kale promised to come back to deliver a special lecture for the benefit of the students. Interestingly, the students of this school seem to be scientifically inclined because for the last four consecutive years, they have participated and won laurels both at the national and international levels during the annual science fairs conducted by Intel namely the IRIS (Initiative for Research and Innovation in Science) and ISEF (International Science and Engineering Fair).

“ISEF is an international science fair which attracts participants from various countries. This year our school was the only one to qualify from the city. Our winners this year were Ritika Sangameshwaran and Divya Kohtari. They presented their project from May 8-16 at Reno in Nevada,” informed Sitalaxmi Parameshwaran, the school principal while speaking to CG Plus after the felicitation ceremony.

Excerpt from CG+, reported by Sujatha Subraman Friday, July 17, 2009: Read Full Article

Excerpt from CG+, reported by Sujatha Subraman on 6th June 2009: Read Full Article :A clean sweep 

Young students from Cheddanagar took part in a cleanliness drive

Around 20 school and college students residing in and around Cheddanagar took part in a cleanliness drive on Saturday, May 30.

Explaining the purpose of this unique drive S Ravindranath, from Vedant Welfare Foundation stated, “We organised this drive to instill values like the importance of cleanliness among the younger generation. Usually cleanliness is limited to one’s home but we extended this concept to the locality level. Clean surroundings encourage healthy living.”

ollege students like Chandrashekar, Vivek Pandey and Viro Chand from Swami Vivekanda college took part in this drive. Chandrashekar informed, “Our college has a programme known as Additional Credit Programme in which we are required to work with any NGO for 30 hours. Later we are awarded certificates.

I have lived in Chedda Nagar for almost 10 years between 1980 to 1990. Though quite young, i can still remember most of the good and bad times that I had then. From my distinctly Weak memory, I can still remember Chedda Nagr being in news for its frequent chain snatching incidents then.

The modus operandi would simply be… spot an aunty or paati, walking by herself … just ride past her on a motorbike… void her off her mangalsutra or anything golden for that matter … not much seems to have changed. Oh yeah! And I quite distinctly remember an incident once when the frustrated thieves turned around threw their priced earning back at the victim, when they found they had only risked snatching a piece of imitation jewelery…

Read full story in Chembur Ghatkopar Plus by Vibha Singh posted on Saturday, April 25, 2009 Chain snatching cases on rise

“No clues.” That’s the answer the police officials investigating chain snatching and jewellery thefts cases in Chembur and Tilak Nagar police station give to the victims.

Surendra Menon is angry with the police for not helping him when he went to register a complaint

There have been nearly 24 cases in the past four months in the area where residents have been robbed of their gold jewellery. A rise in chain-snatching and gold jewellery theft in the area, particularly in Chedda Nagar and areas around Diamond Garden over the last three months, is putting the police’s skill to test.

Solving such cases is proving to be a big challenge for them as first-time offenders are said to be involved in many of the incidents. Says a senior police officer from Chembur, “The modus operandi is different in the different cases. However, in all the cases it is the gold jewellery and senior citizens who are being targeted.”…

I used to live in Chedda Nagar for  quite a few years during my school days.  I distincly remember , then there used to be regular chain snatching incidents, where the modus operandi would be very simple “Surprise, Blind and Snatch” … Surprise your target victim  (probably to  get their eyes wide open), throw a good portion of red hot chilli powder on their face   and then simply snatch their belongings … usually its the  thick fat mangal  sutra most South Indian women wear ….

Not much or just nothing seems to have changed in Chedda Nagar since 20 years. It happened just yeaterday too … a thief shocks senior citizen with chilli powder, snatches chain as it said in TOI ….

When 64-year-old Rajamma Janardhan went for her daily darshan to the local temple, little did she suspect the fate that awaited her. On Thursday evening, a miscreant threw a fistful of chilli powder at the senior citizen, punched her in the face and snatched her chain. The shocked Janardhan raised an alarm but could do little to stop the thief… Read more in TOI