West Bengals district declared first Open Defecation Free district of India

UNICEF India representative David Mcloughlin congratulated the people of the district for achieving the goal.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday declared Nadia as the first Open Defecation Free (ODF) district in the country.

“I feel proud to declare Nadia to be the first ODF district in the country. I congratulate Nadia district for achieving this feat and convey my thanks to World Bank and the UNICEF,” Ms. Banerjee said while speaking at the programme here.

“We had started this on November 19, 2013 and within two years... yes we can... we have reached our goal. We are totally successful,” she said. “I feel proud that the first three districts to be ODF are from West Bengal. We have Nadia, Hooghly and Burdwan and the fourth one is Rajasthan’s Bikaner. So it’s 3:1 ratio... We have bowled out everybody,” the Chief Minister said.

Thanking UNICEF and the World Bank for helping the district achieve this feat, Ms. Banerjee declared April 30 as the “Nirmal Bangla Diwas” to be observed in the years to come.

“Today we take the oath to keep West Bengal clean and build a Nirmal Bangla. I ask everybody to take responsibility for that,” she said. The Chief Minister presented the Nadia district administration, a memento and a painting prepared by her, which was received by the DM.

UNICEF India representative David Mcloughlin congratulated the people of the district for achieving the goal and said, “It’s a commendable job done by you people. It shows that ODF is absolutely achievable. Your achievement will inspire others to make their places ODF.”

Laws by the people, for the people - Kerala Model

In formulating the most effective and inclusive procedures for pre-legislative consultation, the Central government should study and draw inspiration from Kerala’s example

We should all celebrate the recent decision taken by a Cabinet Secretary-led committee which seeks to institutionalise public participation in the law-making process. The decision requires every Central government department to publicise the details of a proposed legislation on the Internet and other media before being introduced in Parliament. Under the decision, draft bills must be accompanied with an explanatory note outlining the essential provisions of the bill and its impact on the environment and lives of affected people. The public must then be given at least 30 days to comment. Following publication, these comments are to be submitted to the relevant parliamentary standing committee examining the bill. Although this is a good start, good practice from Kerala has the potential to significantly strengthen the process.

Reflecting public will

It is uncontroversial that pre-legislative scrutiny enhances democratic governance. It has been done in a number of other countries well accustomed to transparent legislative processes. Common sense dictates that people who are potentially affected by a proposed legislation — whether adversely or favourably — should be able to have a say in the law-making process at an early stage. Appropriate subject matter experts should also have an opportunity to inform and refine draft bills. Especially in a country as diverse as India, transparent and inclusive law-making is more likely to reflect the will of the people.

That said, while India has seen some good examples including the Right to Information Act, often the only forum for inputs for legislation is behind the closed doors of a parliamentary committee. Too often, laws are made in haste to please a particular interest group or as knee-jerk reactions to public outcry, without the balance of competing views. Too often, the impact on the lives of the vulnerable is thrown out of the window.

The Kerala police law model

While the decision to introduce pre-legislative consultation is the first step in the right direction, the procedures to be followed to make this happen require careful thought. The mode of consultation must be made well-known, and the instruments for consultation will have to go beyond the Internet and electronic media. Needless to say, in a country where Internet penetration and literacy rates are low, publicising information through written and electronic means will effectively shut out a large per cent of the population. Effective consultation will require far more — in the way of resources and goodwill.

A robust model of pre-legislative consultation might resemble that carried out by Kerala in relation to police legislation. In 2011, the State government went all out to ensure true public participation in drafting its police law. The draft Bill was first placed on the Kerala police’s website with an email address inviting feedback from the public at large. Some of the suggestions that were received were incorporated into the draft.

At this stage, different groups began lobbying MLAs on the contents of the Bill and its possible impact on people. As a result, when the draft Bill was introduced in the House, many MLAs knew about it and acknowledged that, being a law of such wide public importance, it needed to be referred to a select committee.

Sensibly, from October to November 2011, the 19-member Select Committee, headed by the then Home Minister and comprising MLAs from almost every party, decided to tour the State and hold district-wide town hall meetings. Notices were placed in leading newspapers publicising the committee, its visit and its mandate. In the end, town hall meetings were held in all 14 districts of the State. At least 400-500 people attended every meeting.

The upshot of this process was that the select committee suggested 790 amendments to the original Bill introduced in the House. The Bill was then debated for almost four hours and 240 amendments — many based on the public’s feedback — were accepted and passed. Public consultation ensured that the legislation, while by no means perfect, included many people-friendly provisions related to police service delivery, and responses which are unique only to Kerala’s Police Act.

In formulating the most effective and inclusive procedures for pre-legislative consultation, the Central government should study and draw inspiration from Kerala’s example. Although this decision was limited to the Centre, the principles of pre-legislative scrutiny equally apply to States, which should follow the Centre’s lead.

When the Congress’ National Advisory Council recommended in 2013 that mandatory pre-legislative consultation be introduced for all proposed laws, it said that this would take India from a “representative democracy to a participatory, deliberative democracy.” Now that we have a framework in place, it is time to consider the best ways and means to make public consultation in law-making a tangible reality. Given the current climate of public discontent, now is the time to breathe new life into political engagement with the people.

(Anirudha Nagar is programme officer, Police Reforms, Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative.)

taken from www.thehindu.com 

Jan Lokpal Bill - salient features

A look at the salient features of Jan Lokpal Bill:

1. An institution called LOKPAL at the centre and LOKAYUKTA in each state will be set up

2. Like Supreme Court and Election Commission, they will be completely independent of the governments. No minister or bureaucrat will be able to influence their investigations.

3. Cases against corrupt people will not linger on for years anymore: Investigations in any case will have to be completed in one year. Trial should be completed in next one year so that the corrupt politician, officer or judge is sent to jail within two years.

4. The loss that a corrupt person caused to the government will be recovered at the time of conviction.

5. How will it help a common citizen: If any work of any citizen is not done in prescribed time in any government office, Lokpal will impose financial penalty on guilty officers, which will be given as compensation to the complainant.

6. So, you could approach Lokpal if your ration card or passport or voter card is not being made or if police is not registering your case or any other work is not being done in prescribed time. Lokpal will have to get it done in a month's time. You could also report any case of corruption to Lokpal like ration being siphoned off, poor quality roads been constructed or panchayat funds being siphoned off. Lokpal will have to complete its investigations in a year, trial will be over in next one year and the guilty will go to jail within two years.

7. But won't the government appoint corrupt and weak people as Lokpal members? That won't be possible because its members will be selected by judges, citizens and constitutional authorities and not by politicians, through a completely transparent and participatory process.

8. What if some officer in Lokpal becomes corrupt? The entire functioning of Lokpal/ Lokayukta will be completely transparent. Any complaint against any officer of Lokpal shall be investigated and the officer dismissed within two months.

9. What will happen to existing anti-corruption agencies? CVC, departmental vigilance and anti-corruption branch of CBI will be merged into Lokpal. Lokpal will have complete powers and machinery to independently investigate and prosecute any officer, judge or politician.

10. It will be the duty of the Lokpal to provide protection to those who are being victimized for raising their voice against corruption.


Read more at: http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/what-is-the-jan-lokpal-bill-why-its-important-96600&cp

Jan Lokpal Bill - Update on Joint Committee Meeting on 30th May, 2011

http://news.indiaagainstcorruption.org/?p=2869

copy paste this link address into your browser window to read about update on the committee meeting on 30th May

Scavanging might be coming to end in Badun in western UP

Although legally the practice of cleaning dry latrines and transporting human excreta has been banned in India since 1993, the practice continues in some parts of the country. In Badaun in western Uttar Pradesh, a survey done by the district administration this July showed 60,000 dry latrines were still being used in the district. These were manually cleaned by scavengers – most of whom are women – and regarded as ‘untouchables’.

Over the last three months the district administration has made massive efforts to convert all dry toilets to pour-and-flush – a simple technology that involves connecting the seat to a soak pit using pipelines.

In Uttar Pradesh, 67% households have no toilet facilities with the figure going up to 84% in rural areas. In Badaun, since July this year, funds to the tune of Rs 5 crores have been released under the Total Sanitation Campaign – the Government’s flagship programme – to convert 35,000 dry latrines. Of these, 16,000 are ready and the rest under construction. The target is to convert the remaining 25,000 before the end of the year. District Magistrate Amit Gupta’s leadership and commitment has been enormous.

Over the last few months 1600 scavengers have been rehabilitated through benefits under various government schemes such as BPL card, NREGA, pension schemes etc.

Badaun is one of the ‘hotspot’ districts for polio eradication: Of the 66 blocks in Uttar Pradesh identified as high-risk for polio, 16 lie here. Says Amit Mehrotra, water and sanitation specialist, UNICEF: “Since polio spreads through the faeco-oral route, it is important to prevent drinking water contamination with faecal matter and end open defecation. Safe disposal of faeces – which means that no one should be able to touch, see or smell it – is critical. Since all of this happens in a dry latrines, converting these are an urgent priority.”

The winds of change are strong and hopefully, finally, the inhuman practice of manual scavenging is close to an end.

For complete story read: http://www.indiatogether.org/2010/oct/hlt-badaun.htm

Simla to be declared smoking free

Popular hill resort Shimla, once the summer capital of British India known for imported cigarettes and cigars, has been declared "smoking-free city".


Making the announcement at the state level Gandhi Jayanti function at the Ridge in Shimla on Saturday, Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal said that Shimla would be the fourth city after Kottayam in Kerala, Chandigarh and Sikkim to be declared smoking-free".

"All district headquarters would be made smoking-free by the end of May next year and a sustain campaign would be launched against drugs, liquor and smoking", he added.

He said smoking in public places and sale of tobacco product had been banned within 100 yards radius of all educational institutions and selling tobacco or tobacco products to minors and direct or indirect advertisement of tobacco had been made an offence.

The Chief Minister also announced setting up of de-addiction centres at all district hospitals where five beds would be reserved for patients for de-addiction.

This facility is now available only in government medical colleges at Shimla and Tanda.

Reiterating governments commitment to save the society, especially the youth, from all types of addictions, Dhumal said that in addition to strict legal provisions to curb drug addiction, overwhelming support of the society was imperative.

"An international agency in South East Asia had conducted a survey of Shimla town in May this year and found that 97 percent area of the town was smoking-free, warning hoardings were erected at 80 percent of public areas and no signs of cigarettes were detected in 94 percent of the area of the town," the Chief Minister said, adding over 4,000 persons had been challaned for smoking in prohibited areas and Rs. 8 lakh collected as fine from offenders.

- from ddinews.gov.in

Sub-Himalayan system of medicine recognised as official by Indian governmnet

Parliament has adopted a bill to recognise within the definition of Indian medicine the Sowa-Rigpa system practised in sub-Himalayan region of the country.


"It would be the endeavour of the government to bring to mainstream Sowa-Rigpa system of medicine in regions where it is prevalent," Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said replying to a debate on the Indian Medicine Central Council (Amendment) Bill, 2010 in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.

The Bill was then passed by a voice vote by the Lok Sabha. Rajya Sabha had passed the Bill on 25th August.

Sowa-Rigpa system of medicine is practised in sub-Himalayan region and other parts of the country besides Tibet, Mongolia, Japan and some other countries, he said.

Azad said the bill will ensure protection and preservation of this ancient system of medicine and will help its propagation and development.

Besides, it would lead to setting up of a regulatory mechanism in the field of education and practice of Sowa-Rigpa.

He said the government had also decided to set up a Pharmacopoeia Commission for Indian Systems of Medicine, which now would also include Sowa-Rigpa.

The passage of the bill will enable setting minimum standards for education and maintain a register of all practitioners of Sowa-Rigpa.

Indian Election Commission being Pro-active

Poll candidates will now be monitored with a separate "shadow" expenditure register and will have to open an exclusive election bank account under the new guidelines framed by the Election Commission to check flow of illegal money at the hustings.


The Commission has set up for the first time an Election Expenditure Monitoring (EEM) cell headed by a senior Indian Revenue Service (Income Tax) officer and support staff.

The new guidelines for expenditure in elections will come into force with the Bihar Assembly polls scheduled in late October and the cell in the Commission headquarters will operate 24x7 with its control rooms working in each district of the state where elections are being held.

The EC will also field surveillance teams and flying squads in each police station area of the constituencies which will have the power to search and seize illegal and suspicious cash.

"If unexplained cash is found in possession of any person, it will be immediately seized. The flying squads will also watch distribution of cash, liquor or any other bribes to the voters," sources said.

The sleuths in the teams, drawn from tax and revenue departments, will keep vigil over expenditures made by a candidate beginning from the filing of nomination till the declaration of the result.

The candidates will also have to open an exclusive bank account and the monitoring teams will maintain a "shadow" expenditure register in the same format as maintained by the candidate, they said.

The new guidelines also envisage arrangements for a 'video surveillance and viewing team' for each candidate, comprising an officer and a clerk, to watch, tabulate and prepare report of expenditure after gleaning through the video footage every day.

The video surveillance team will consist of a cameraperson who will record the number of vehicles, tents, furniture, dais, rostrums, barricades, posters, hoardings put up by the candidate.

In order to check illegal spending through paid news, a team headed by Deputy District Education Officer (DEO) and district Public Relations Officer (PRO) and their staff will monitor both print and electronic media and the local cable channels and will submit daily reports to the accounting team which will have officials from the Income Tax department, Central Excise and Customs and Audit and Accounts.

The Commission, in a maiden initiative, will also activate a call centre and complaint monitoring system at the district level where callers can register any information about illegal expenses by a candidate or a political party and all such calls will be recorded.

Every candidate will be exclusively covered by an Expenditure Micro Observer and he or she will liaise with the DEO regarding monetary expenditure and other movements of the candidate.

an improvement by government and it is highlighted in newspaper

In many Indian cities public buses have seats reserved for women. Many a times it is seen that this is only for notices, but never actually followed. Women are standing while their 'reserved' seats are occupied by men, many a times young and strong. This was the case in Pimpri-Chinchwad, a satellite city of Pune.

A local vernacular daily followed this case and reported facts. It was brought to the notice of officials of the transport service as also to municipal corporators and officials. They agreed that rules are not followed and assured to improve the situation. Training and rules' guidelines were given to all bus drivers, conductors, ticket checkers etc. The newspaper reviwed the situation and noted that there was improvement but not enough. Matter was again taken up with the bus service and they carried out internal improvements with more vigour. Another check after a few weeks and to the surprise of everybody that the seats were actually used only for and by women. It was also observed at PMC starting point that passangers enter in queue and if these reserved seats are vacant even after rest of the bus is full, then women still standing in queue waiting for the next bus are asked to come in ahead and occupy these vacant seats. Kudos to everybody involved in this exercise - the newspaper and its staff, officials of the transport service and of municipal coporations.

I feel that the newspaper deserves special accolade for highlighting the actual improvement. In today media full of negativities, such an act must be appreciated.

My thanks to everybody involved.

skills developement scheme bu indian government

Textile minister Dayanidhi Maran on Thursday announced the launch of an integrated skill development scheme to help the textile industry meet the acute shortage of trained manpower by training over 2.5 lakh people over the next two years, besides generating more employment.


The scheme, to be implemented mostly through government agencies and the rest through private-public partnership model, involves an investment of Rs 229 crore over the next two years and is part of the Rs 2,200-crore scheme announced in the 2010-11 budget.

"The scheme will help the textile industry meet the shortage of skilled workers," Maran announcing the first phase of the scheme in New Delhi.

Of the overall target of training 2.56 lakh people, about 2.20 lakh people in all segments will be trained under the ambit of the textiles ministry, while 0.36 lakh people will be trained through public-private-partnership model with the help of industry associations and NGOs, said Maran.

Skill development, based on industry demand, will cover basic training, skill upgrade, advanced training in emerging technologies, training of trainers, retraining and managerial skill, the minister said.

The scheme would commence from 2nd October and cover all segments like textiles and apparel, handicrafts, handlooms, jute, sericulture and technical textiles.

"It is a huge exercise. If the scheme is successful we will scale it up further in the next three years of the 12th Plan," Maran said.

This is a part of the sectoral target of training of 100 lakh persons fixed by the government envisaged under the National Skill Development Policy by 2022, the minister added.

The training will be provided through government institutions like the powerloom and weavers' service centre and textile research associations, apparel training and design centres.

The USD 52-billion textile sector has a domestic market size of USD 30 billion and exports worth USD 22 billion. It is the second largest employment generator after agriculture, employing over 35 lakh

'Mountain Echoes' - a literary festival in Bhutan

The hills of Bhutan will soon be alive with literature as renowned authors and poets gather in the tiny kingdom to participate in a literary festival focussing on the magic and mystique of writings off and from the Himalayan regions.


Indian writers like Gulzar, Chetan Bhagat, Bulbul Sharma and Omair Ahmad will be joined by international names like British author Patrick French as well as local writers and poets from Bhutan for the three-day festival "Mountain Echoes" in Thimphu from 17th May.
The fabled kingdom of dragons known recently for its policy of promoting Gross National Happiness (GNH) over the economic Gross Domestic Product (GDP), provides the perfect setting for writers from different tracts of trans- Himalayan belt to sharing their ideas and literary traditions, say organisers.

"This is the first time that Bhutan is hosting a literary festival. It is a collaborative venture between the governments of India and Bhutan and will focus on the wealth of mountain writing from these countries as well as other international writers," Mita Kapur, who heads Siyahi, one of the organisers told a news agency.

The shortlist of speakers at the festival "Mountain Echoes" includes among others author and Indian ambassador to Bhutan Pavan K Varma, poet Temsula Ao, Namita Gokhale, Omair Ahmed, Bulbul Sharma, Urvashi Butalia and Leila Seth.

Conceptualised by current Indian ambassador to Bhutan, Pavan K Varma "Mountain Echoes," is held under the India Bhutan Foundation.

The foundation was established in August 2003, with the objective to enhance exchange and interaction among the peoples of both countries, through activities in the areas of educational, cultural, scientific and technical fields.

Sessions at the festival include Bhutan through the Ages, Grandmother's Tales, History and Biographies, Language and Identity, Poetry and Archery, Shared Dreams and Shared Metaphors, Writing about Mountains, Architecture and Heritage, Music, Love, Poetry, These Hills called Home, Beyond the Frame, Of Women, By Women, Travellers and Magicians, Winds of Change, and Languages of Belonging which shares the stories, tales and folk narratives

Finally there is some concern in India for road accidents

Finally, there seems to be a feeling coming into existence that something should be done and can be done to reduce road accidents. And this time surprisingly the initiative is coming from a government.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister K Rosaiah on Sunday favoured constitution of a Road Safety Coordination Panel comprising senior officials from the departments concerned to regularly meet and chalk out steps to minimize road accidents. Rosaiah will soon hold a high level review meeting with ministers and top officials in this regard and this will be followed by interaction with district officials, highway patrolling police and other departments concerned.

This cannot go on like this. We have to get into action and see that road accidents are minimised, Rosaiah said in an official release in Hyderabad today.

(taken from http://www.ddinews.gov.in/National/National+-+State/Road+Safety.htm )

Funds for Ganga River Cleaning

Govt of India has allocated nearly Rs1400 crores (INR 14 billion) by clearing projects in states. The money will be spent by the states on projects that include development of sewer networks, sewage treatment plants and sewage pumping stations, electric crematoria, community toilets, development of river-fronts, resuscitation of canals, and public campaigns.

In December 2009, the National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA) created the empowered steering committee with the environment and forests secretary as chair to sanction projects. The committee includes members representing other Union ministries, Central Pollution Control Board, Central Water Commission and the states concerned.

The first meeting of NGRBA In OCtober, 2009 was chaired by the Prime Minister himself. With this seriousness we hope that the allocation of funds gets converted into results on ground

Girl drop-out rates drops in Bihar, India

Fortunately, not the entire ASER report is gloom and doom. One of the brighter moments in it is the fact that in Bihar, the state considered a basket case on most counts, the dropout rate for girls in the 11-14 age group has reduced from 17.6 per cent in 2006 to 6 per cent in 2009. So Bihar must be doing something right. In fact, one of the striking sights in Bihar today is of girls on bicycles, given by the government if they clear Standard VIII, going to the nearest high school.

The desire to ensure that children get a good education runs deep in most Indian families. Parents will sacrifice and save to invest in their children's future. Even poor families, including the homeless with no secure shelter, find a way of sending their children to school. The increase in the enrolment rate in India - 96 per cent of children between the ages of 6-14 are enrolled in school, government and private - is proof of that.

What urgently needs to be tackled is the quality of education, basic facilities like toilets and running water, and transport, particularly for girls. Even this will not suffice unless there is a notable change in the status accorded teachers who ultimately decide whether and what children learn. Instead of the inordinate amount of attention that continues to be paid to institutes of higher learning, or private institutions that promise to prepare rich children for studies abroad, something much more simple and basic can and needs to be done to educate India and Indians

Rainwater Harvesting @railway station - a step is t aken

http://www.indiatogether.org/2010/jan/env-ankola.htm

Ankola railway station is the first along the Konkan Railway route to implement rainwater harvesting. Pic: Farmland Rain Harvesting.

The station has two open wells in its premises. They dry up by December end. As such five months a year, each drop of water this railway station uses comes from outside. Years later, one after another, two bore wells were dug. Both of them went upto 300 feet depth. But neither borewell was even partially successful.

It seems highly likely that if proper rain harvesting is done, this railway station can become self-sufficient in water in just two years. But then, there is a big ‘if’ too. If the staff and public take good care of these systems

Programme to incorporate Ayurved in rural women's healthcare

With an aim to ensure that ayurveda is accessible to the rural community, especially women, efforts are being made to make the discipline a part of primary health centres and create awareness about it.


A programme has been conceptualised to create awareness, clear myths and generate suggestions for policy formulations for incorporating ayurveda in National Rural Healthcare systems for women.

Telugu Cultural Museum

A Telugu cultural museum, depicting Telugu culture, history and arts from the period of Satavahanas to the freedom struggle, is coming up atop Kailasagiri in Visakhapatnam.


The Telugu Culture and Heritage Museum, a joint endeavour of Visakhapatnam Urban Development Authority( VUDA) and the World Telugu Federation (WTF),will be set up

The World Telugu Federation will showcase the evolution of Telugu language and culture. 32 to 38 episodes would be designed and placed in the museum in the form of artistic displays.

The evolutionary stages of Telugu language and culture starting from the period of Sathavahana to the present century would be brought live which will educate even the illiterate and non-Telugu people.

Sunlight Is The Best Disifectant

http://epw.in/epw/uploads/articles/14391.pdf

This is an article in Economic and Political Weekly on declaration of assets by SC and HC judges. A Delhi HC Signle Judge order allowing for such declaration was challenged by SC secretariat. A full bench of Delhi HC, headed by Justice A P Shah, upheld the earlier order.

Indian supreme court directs govt to grant land to farmers displaced by dams

Good gracious God, in India things do move, albeit very verrry slowly. Soon it may be time that due compensation for project affected people becomes a norm. Soon Indians can proudly say that we dont build our development on sacrificial lambs, viz. project affecties!

The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked Madhya Pradesh govt to identify the farmers whose 75 per cent or more land were acquired for carrying out of excavation and construction of canal work for Indira Sagar and Omkareshwar projects.


A Bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan favoured the proposal for granting land-for-land by identifying the project-affected families of farmers.

The Bench accepted the plea of Madhya Pradesh government that it would need two weeks to identify such farmers and posted the matter for further hearing on 13th February.

The apex court had on 18th December last refused to stay the Madhya Pradesh High Court order restraining the state government from further acquisition of land and carrying out of excavation and construction of canal work for Indira Sagar and Omkareshwar projects.

The High Court had passed the order on the petiiton filed by Narmada Bachao Andolan activist Medha Patkar.

Quick Response from Pune Police in the middle of night

This is an personal experience of a newspaper reader. Reader is a young girl of 19years age. She has started studying very very early morning, rather very very late into night, at about 2am. She sensed couple of people sneakily walking out of her door. When she looked through the eye-hole in the door, she did see two men locking her main door and climbing up the stairs, with some iron weapons in their hands. She woke up her father. They first rang up some phones in their building trying wake up people. Then they called police on 100. The speed of police response that she had described truly deserves hearty accolades, particularly in Indian reality. She called up 100 at 2:53 am. Exactly at 3 am she got a call from local police station saying not to worry as their police vehicle is at doorsteps. At 3:04 am police had reached their house and unlocked their door from outside. There were 9-100 policemen with AK-47 rifles and walky-talky etc.

Till then all her life she never had any interaction with police force. But she was really moved by the speed with which police had responded to her SOS at 3am. She has saluted the Pune police force for it.

I wish to join in her saluting