News in brief from across Gujarat (updated)

Gandhinagar

– Late in the evening on Wednesday, police control room received distress call from Monika Rajiv Modi, wife of Cadila Pharmaceuticals owner Rajiv Modi. Police Control Room(PCR) van reached Rajiv Modi’s plush 15 acre bungalow near Vaishnodevi circle on SG road and took Monika to Sola police station as per her wish. Later Rajiv Modi was also called to Sola police station. Son of the couple, advocate Sudhir Nanavati and others also rushed to Sola police station where counseling of Rajiv and Monika was done in separate rooms. Luxury cars were seen parked inside the Sola police station campus. No complaint was filed and compromise was most likely to arrive. Monika Modi belongs to Mumbai based Garware family.

– The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation has taken a decision to divide new west zone into two zones. While first zone of new west zone will include the areas of Sarkhej, Maktampura, Jodhpur, Vejalpur, the second new west zone will include Thaltej, Gota, Chandlodia, Ghatlodia and Bodakdev wards. The first zone will have over four lakh population while the second zone will have over 5 lakh population.

– Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has taken in-principle decision for redevelopment of old houses in the State. As per this, those houses that have completed 25 years of development permission can go for redevelopment if minimum 75% flat/apartment owners give consent. At the same time, redevelopment will also be permitted in case of house are in declared dangerous by related authority.

– Union cabinet has approved additional 2% hike in dearness allowance for central government employees with effect from 1st July 2018.

– Among those who visited Congress aide quota agitation leader Hardik Patel on 5th day of his fast at his residence in Greenwoods resort off SG Highway in Ahmedabad were dismissed IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt and former education minister, Congress leader Karsandas Solanki and Ahmed Patel loyalist Congress leader Rohan Gupta. Common people continued to stay away from Hardik’s fast. Last evening, core supporters of Hardik had in social media video message asked supporters to hold fast at taluka and village levels but response to this call has been poor. Meanwhile, a government doctor who conducted routine health checkup of Hardik today expressed concern about acitone level in Hardik’s urine sample and advised him for more fruit and liquid intake. The doctor at the same time also warned Hardik that continuing further with fast may damage his health further. The doctor added that blood pressure and sugar levels were normal. In another development a plea was filed in the Gujarat High Court against police bandobast outside Hardik’s house claiming that police was stopping necessary food and water supply and people visiting Hardik outside. It should be mentioned that police note down name and vehicle number of visitors to Hardik’s residence ever since fast agitation has started there. The fast agitation today also attracted a headline for arrival of ‘108’ ambulance van to treat Hardik’s 9 supporters who had suffered bug bites while staying with him at fast venue.

– A two-day session of Gujarat Assembly will begin on 18 September. As it is mandatory to hold assembly session in six months period after the last day of previous session, the fresh session has been called but for just two days.

– After collapse of two blocks in Odhav based EWS housing scheme, the Amdavad Municipal Corporation(AMC) has issued notice and asked those residing in block number 57 to 60 and 41 to vacate the house. The notice was put up in the block in presence of police and stare reserve police(SRP) staff.

– After Tappar dam in Kutch, the Government of Gujarat has filled Surendranagar-Wadhvan’s Dholidhaja dam with Narmada water, thanks to good availability of water in Narmada dam due to fresh inflow from catchment areas in neighboring state. The government has also released water in Narmada canal at Dhrangadhra, Morbi and Maliya among other needy areas for irrigation purpose in order to save standing crops.

– Members of RSS students’ wing Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad(ABVP) staged protest outside the catholic Christian missionary run Mount Carmel school in capital Gandhinagar for forcibly cut rakhis of boys in standard fifth by school staff. ABVP members alleged that the school run by Christian mission is insulting Hindu faith and attacking on Hindu practices.

– General board meeting of Rajkot district panchayat will be held on August 31st, ahead of which some members are taken by district panchayat president to secret place in order to protect their vote. The fight here is between ruling Congress and rebels once again. Jasdan leader and cabinet minister Kunvarji Bavaliya is also a player in this game of politics. Bavaliya left Congress to join BJP recently after resigning as MLA. He was made a cabinet minister. Jasdan is going to witness by-poll in next few months.

– A group of 40 to 50 cattle rearers in Dolatkhana area of Khadiya locality in wall city Ahmedabad attacked the team of Amdavad Municipal Corporation(AMC). Two police constables and one AMC employee are injured in this incident. The attackers attacked AMC team and police men with sticks and stones. The team of AMC was out to capture stray cattle.

– A Hindu who converted to Islamic faith to marry his Muslim lover has now filed complain before the city police commissioner and sought his help. Ashwin Satyanarayan Babri who was into jeans pent making business in Dariyapur area of wall city Ahmedabad was in love with Shahin Mansuri. He accepted Muslim faith to wed Shahin and changed his name to Alif Mobinuddin Mansuri in year 2007 following which his family. Later the couple had a daughter. Alif alleges that he was being harassed by his in-laws and wife. Alif has sought custody of his daughter Pari.

– Parvada gram panchayat has filed Public Interest Litigation(PIL) in the Gujarat High Court against former cabinet minister Babu Bokhiriya for illegal takeover of Rs 300 crore worth land including 200 hectare forest land.

– 8 year old girl child was dead as she fell into a bucket full of water at home. The incident happened in Nagsen Nagar based slum unit in Pandesara area of Surat in which a girl child Divyanshi fell from bed and slipped into a bucket full of water kept just next to the bed.

– BJP MLA from Akota area of Vadodara, Sima Mohile has protested against the name of upcoming Salman Khan produced movie Loveratri. Mohile issued an appeal that people should not go to watch this movie as it tweaks and insults a name of Hindu religious festival Navratri. She said she would write to the government and also to sensor board seeking change in movie’s name or stall its release.

– Congress party is going to field its leaders at various places in Gujarat to hold press conferences over Rafale issue. Pavan Khera will hold pc in Bhuj on 1st September, Jaypall Reddy in Ahmedabad on 4th and in Surat on 5th September, former Maharshtra CM Prithviraj Chauhan on 4th at Rajkot. Rajiv Satav tomorrow in Vadodara.

DeshGujarat