PUNE: Enterprising babies with non-lactating mothers will no longer need to hit the bottle. With plans drawn up for a Breast Milk Bank (BMB), the first of its kind to be established in the city, ill, underweight, premature and motherless babies will soon have mother's milk at their bedside.

Aimed at promoting the concept of breastfeeding infants, the bank, which will become functional in about a year's time, as promised by Dr Pramod Jog, Pune city coordinator for Breastfeeding Promotion Network of India, will give a new lease of life to sick babies with little chance of survival since mother's milk promotes natural immunity towards a lot of respiratory and diarrhoeal diseases. On the lines of the Breast Milk Bank operational at Sion Hospital, Mumbai, the Pune unit will gather excess milk from lactating mothers and make it available at nominal rates to needy infants.

YWCA convention to be held in Pune

PUNE: The 25th National Convention of the Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) India, will be held in Pune from January 5 to 9, 1998 with special emphasis on `Advocacy for Justice.'

Announcing this at a press conference at Hotel Blue Diamond on Tuesday evening, Florence B Boodle, national vice-president of YWCA, western region, said the convention, held once every four years, will be attended by 200 delegates from all over the country.

In order to meet the expenses of the convention, the association is organising a `German Jazz Trio' concert at Hotel Blue Diamond on August 17. The fund raising concert has been arranged with support from Max Mueller Bhavan, Lufthansa, German Consulate and Baker's Basket.

G P Pradhan to get first Atre award

PUNE: Mayor Vandana Chavan today announced institution of the Acharya Atre award on the occasion of the Marathi litterateur's birth centenary celebrations at the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) here. Senior socialist leader G P Pradhan will be the recipient of the award this year, she said.

Chavan was speaking after releasing Smriti Sumane, a booklet published by civic standing committee chairman Aba Bagul. The award will comprise a citation and cash prize of Rs 11,000 and would be awarded annually to veterans in the fields of litterateur, journalism, film and theatre, she said.

Policeman held for abetting assault

NASHIK: A head constable, Sitaram Budhaji Khairnar, was arrested on Wednesday for permitting a gangster confined in the Malegaon sub-jail to leave the jail to carry out an assault. On May 15, Khairnar and two of his colleagues, Mohan Murlidhar Waghele and Sitaram Rama Darade, allegedly allowed Hamid Ahmed Shabbir Ahmed to leave the jail and go to Ramzanpura.

Hamid returned after assaulting one Sharif Shah. Subsequently, Hamid and his two accomplices sawed off the window bars of their cell and escaped on May 28. Investigations brought to light the connivance of Khairnar and two others. Khairnar was arrested. The others are absconding.

Gujarat assembly prorogued

GANDHINAGAR: The Gujarat assembly was prorogued after transacting the day's business on Thursday night. Governor Krishnapalsinh's message proroguing the House was read by the speaker, Gumansingh Vaghela.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.