News in brief from across Gujarat

Gandhinaar: District Collector of Ahmedabad has opened a plot in Vadaj area after removal of huge encroachment including several residential units and a small Ram temple. The temple was demolished at last after removal of all residential and commercial units. Locals were given notices in advance and asked to safely remove murtis from the temple. The entire operation concluded peacefully without any protest. The plot will be used for parking. The plot opened is 4,000 square meter in size and valued at around Rs 40 crore.

– Residents of Gomtipur municipal quarters today morning complained about damage to their residences due to underground tunnel work of Metro rail project. Residents said they had to rush out of their quarters due to strange sounds from under the ground. Metro rail engineers have marked some quarters with ‘danger’ sign. Locals claimed they live in fear and can’t sleep during night. City Mayor, Metro rail project execution agency MEGA officials rushed to the place to take stock of the situation. Cave-in was noticed inside the quarters campus. It should be mentioned here that MEGA has recently launched fourth tunnel boring machine to execute the underground portion of metro rail project.

– Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has today announced Rs 10 crore financial assistance to flood-hit state Kerala from Chief Minister’s Welfare Fund. Several states have earlier announced assistance for Kerala. Today, another state Maharashtra made announcement of Rs 20 crore assistance to Kerala for flood-relief works. Neighbouring Madhya Pradesh too has announced assistance of Rs 10 crore.

– Four teams of Surat Fire Brigade will offer their services in flood-hit Kerala. The teams are equipped with boats and underwater suits. They have experience of carrying out rescue operations during Kosi and Tapi floods.

– A lioness that was locked in a room in kachcha house in Khambhalia village of Maliya Hatina belt of coastal Saurashtra was successfully caged by forest department after hours of hard-work. A lioness had entered the house to hunt cows.

– After 48-hour ultimatum given by city municipal commissioner and police commissioner of Rajkot, demolition and encroachment removal drive was initiated today at city’s Yagnik road in presence of RMC and police staff.

– Surat Police has recovered demonetised old notes worth Rs 3.37 crore value previously from a car on VIP road in Vesu area and arrested three persons namely Javed Sheikh, Gangasinh Rajpur and Sheikh Latif.

– City police in Ahmedabad discovered a secret underground chamber in bootlegger Rambhai Patel’s house in Naroda area. A secrete storage chamber for illegal liquor was created beneath the kitchen in Rambhai’s house. Its gate was hydraulic operated. There was a switch in kitchen which would open the gate of the secret basement chamber.78-year old Rambhai had created this chamber around a fortnight ago as per police. Police has arrested Rambhai Patel and Sachchidanand alias Ajay Sharma.

DeshGujarat