Page 52 - Gujarat

ONGC to pay Rs 50 lakh damages for crude oil leak in Bharuch district

The Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) has ordered the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) to pay Rs 50 lakh in damages for the spillage of crude oil from its pipeline in Bharuch district, an official said on Friday. It has been alleged that 25 camels died after drinking water contaminated with the spillage on Sunday, though the central government-controlled oil major has denied it. An agricultural field near Kachhipura village was found covered in crude oil leaked from a pipeline belonging to ONGC on Sunday, said Bharuch-based GPCB regional officer Margi Patel. The board ordered inquiry after the death of camels was reported. "We have directed ONGC to pay Rs 50 lakh as environmental damage compensation (to the state authorities)," Patel said. The actual cause of the death of the camels will be clear only after the autopsy report is available, the official said. The GPCB has also directed the ONGC to clean up the site, she added. ONGC said in a statement that cleaning-up

AGEL commissions 130-MW wind plant in Guj; portfolio crosses 1 GW-mark

Adani Green Energy Limited (AGEL) on Friday said its arm Adani Wind Energy Kutchh Five Limited (AWEK5L) has commissioned a 130-MW wind power plant located at Kutch in Gujarat. With the commissioning of the plant, its total operational wind generation capacity has increased to 1,101 MW and the total operational renewable generation capacity has touched to 8,216 MW-mark, AGEL said in a statement. The plant has a power purchase agreement (PPA) with Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) at a tariff of Rs 2.83 per kWh (kilo watt hour) for 25 years. Part of Adani Group, AGEL develops, builds, owns, operates and maintains utility-scale grid-connected solar and wind farm projects.

EAM S Jaishankar arrives in Vadodara on two-day visit to Gujarat

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday arrived in Vadodara as part of his two-day Gujarat visit, during which he is scheduled to go to some villages that he has adopted under the Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana, officials said. After his arrival at the Vadodara airport, Jaishankar, a Rajya Sabha member from Gujarat, left for Rajpipla town in the tribal-dominated Narmada district near here. During the day, he will visit four villages in the district that he has adopted under the Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana, said a release by the Narmada district authorities. Jaishankar would first visit Vyadhar village of Tilakwada taluka and Amdala village of Garudeshwar taluka in Narmada to understand the issues faced by people and progress made till date on various parameters, it said. After taking a break in the afternoon, he would then visit Bhadod village in Sagbara and Malsamot village in Dediapada taluka of the district. On Saturday, Jaishankar will inspect an under-construction gymnast

Indians banned in some Australian universities amid fraud applications

Punjab, Gujarat, and Haryana have been identified as states posing the highest risk of attrition in these universities

Tremor of 3 magnitude hit Kutch district in Gujarat, no death reported

A tremor of 3.0 magnitude hit Kutch district in Gujarat on Thursday evening with its epicentre near Bhachau, the Institute of Seismological Research (ISR) said. The tremor was recorded at 6.40 pm, the Gandhinagar-based institute said. The epicentre of the tremor was around 19 km north-north east (NNE) from Bhachau in the district, it added. This occurred a little over a week after the region was jolted by an earthquake measuring 4.2 magnitude on May 17. District authorities said that no damage to property or life was reported following the tremor. Kutch district is located in a "very high risk" seismic zone, and earthquakes of lower intensity occur regularly there. The 2001 earthquake that hit Bhuj in Kutch was the third largest and second most destructive in India over the last two centuries. A large number of towns and villages in the district suffered almost complete destruction in the quake that killed around 13,800 people and left 1.67 lakh injured.

Damage to flyover: SC refuses to grant bail to directors of private firm

The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to grant anticipatory bail to the directors of a private firm, who have been named as accused in a case lodged in connection with construction of a flyover in Ahmedabad which was closed for public use due to the damage caused to it because of alleged use of sub-standard material. The apex court was hearing a plea filed by four directors of the firm, which had constructed the flyover near a bus terminal at Hatkeshwar, challenging the order passed by the Gujarat High Court this month dismissing their applications seeking anticipatory bail. "It is not a case for anticipatory bail," a vacation bench of Justices J K Maheshwari and P S Narasimha said, adding, "within four years, your bridge is going to collapse. Sorry." An FIR in the case was lodged in April 2023 for the alleged offences punishable under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including 406 (punishment for criminal breach of trust) and 420 (cheating). According to the prosecution,

Opposition's boycott of Parliament inauguration insult to country: Guj CM

Gujarat Chief Minister on Thursday condemned the decision of 20 Opposition parties to boycott the inauguration of the new Parliament building, saying it was an insult to the great nation and an attack on the country's democratic values. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to inaugurate the new Parliament building on Sunday. The Opposition parties have claimed the prime minister's decision to inaugurate it by himself, "completely sidelining President Droupadi Murmu, is not only a grave insult but a direct assault on our democracy which demands a commensurate response". They contend that President Murmu should do the honours as she is not only the Head of State, but also an integral part of Parliament as she summons, prorogues, and addresses it. Commenting on the issue, Gujarat CM Patel said the decision to boycott the inauguration ceremony is "highly condemnable". "This decision is not only an insult to our great nation, it is also an attack on our country's democratic values as we

Gujarat cabinet nod to prepare new recruitment calendar for next 10 years

The Gujarat government on Wednesday announced that it will prepare a new recruitment calendar for the next 10 years as the present one is coming to an end in December 2023. The present recruitment calendar came into force in 2014. "A proposal to prepare a new recruitment calendar for the next 10 years has been given an in-principle approval during a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Wednesday in Gandhinagar," a release issued by the state government said. Now, a new calendar, which will remain in force from 2024 to 2033, will be prepared and senior bureaucrats of the General Administration Department (GAD) and the Finance Department will hold meetings with all the departments in the coming months to prepare the calendar. When the recruitment calendar was prepared in 2014, it was projected that a little over 1.56 lakh government vacancies will be filled up in the next 10 years. However, during the last 10 years, the state government has provided nearly ...

In a first, transgender fashion show organised in Gujarat's Surat

A unique fashion show was organized in Surat, Gujarat on Saturday with the motive to bring awareness towards third-gender people (transgenders) and to create a positive environment for them in society

ED files money laundering case against Gujarat conman Kiran Patel

The Enforcement Directorate on Saturday said it has conducted searches at a dozen locations in Gujarat against alleged conman Kiran Patel who is accused of cheating people by impersonating as a PMO official while taking the Jammu and Kashmir administration on a ride. The searches, carried out on May 19, resulted in seizure of documents related to immovable properties apart from recovery of "highly incriminating" material, the agency said in a statement. "Further investigation in respect of his activities in J-K and other places is in progress," it said. A total of 12 locations in Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, Morbi and Mehsana in Gujarat in the investigation relating to Kiranbhai Jagdishbhai Patel and his associates Jay Savjibhai Sitapara, Hardik Kishorebhai Chandrana, Vitthalbhai Motibhai Patel, Amit Pandya and Piyush Kantibhai Vasita were searched. The ED alleged Patel, with criminal intention, employed high degree of forged means, impersonated himself as senior government official ...

Amit Shah on 2-day Gujarat visit; to inaugurate, lay foundation of projects

Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah will be on a two-day visit to his home state Gujarat from Saturday, during which he will inaugurate and lay foundation stones of several projects and attend programmes in Devbhumi Dwarka, Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar, officials said. On Saturday, Shah will lay the foundation stone for the permanent campus of the National Academy of Coastal Policing (NACP) at Okha in Devbhumi Dwarka district. NACP, the country's first national academy to train police forces in effectively safeguarding the shoreline, started functioning in 2018 from the campus of the Gujarat Fisheries Research Centre. The NACP was set up to provide intensive and high-level training to the marine police of nine coastal states, five Union Territories as well as the Central Police Forces, the Border Security Force (BSF) Gujarat Frontier said in a release. Shah will also e-inaugurate five coastal outposts, which are among 18 such outposts being constructed at a cost of Rs 164 cr

Gujarat cabinet nod to set up 21 new industrial estates to boost employment

The Gujarat cabinet has given its approval to a proposal of setting up 21 new industrial estates across 13 districts in the state, an official said. Notably, the Gujarat government in March informed the Legislative Assembly that it was planning to establish new industrial estates in the state so that local youth get employment near their native places. During the cabinet meeting held in Gandhinagar on Wednesday, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel gave a nod to the proposal of setting up 21 new industrial estates and also in-principle approval to prepare a pre-feasibility assessment report, a release said. The pre-feasibility study would cover various aspects, such as availability of land to establish estates, demand and supply factors and agricultural production in those areas, it said. These 21 new estates, to be managed by the Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC), will be established in Rajkot, Mehsana, Mahisagar, Bharuch, Banaskantha, Patan, Chhotaudepur, Gir Somnath, .

Gujarat cabinet nod to set up 21 new industrial estates to boost employment

The Gujarat cabinet on Wednesday gave its approval to a proposal of setting up 21 new industrial estates across 13 districts in the state, an official said. During a cabinet meeting held in Gandhinagar, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel gave a nod to this proposal and also gave his in-principle approval to prepare a pre-feasibility assessment report, a release said. The pre-feasibility study would cover various aspects, such as availability of land to establish estates, demand and supply factors and agricultural production in those areas, it said. These 21 new estates, to be managed by the Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC), will be established in Rajkot, Mehsana, Mahisagar, Bharuch, Banaskantha, Patan, Chhotaudepur, Gir Somnath, Gandhinagar, Kheda, Amreli, Anand and Junagadh districts. Notably, the state government had in March informed the legislative Assembly that it was planning to establish new industrial estates in the state so that local youths get ...

NHPC bags 200MW project worth Rs 1,007.6 cr from Urja Vikas Nigam

State-run hydro power giant NHPC on Wednesday said that it has received a letter of intent to build a 200 MW solar power project worth Rs 1007.60 from Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam. "Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam Ltd (GUVNL) had issued a Letter of Intent dated 16.05.2023 to NHPC Limited for 200 MW capacity Solar Power Project within600 MW GSECL's Solar Park at Khavda (GSECL Stage-1)," a BSE filing stated. The estimated financial implication for the said solar power project would be Rs.1,007.60 crore (approximately).

PM Modi praises Gujarat CM Patel for his integrity and simplicity'

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday praised Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel for his integrity and simplicity as he shared a news report on how the CM paid for the government's air ambulance to ferry his son to Mumbai after he suffered a brain stroke. The PM also prayed for the speedy recovery of the CM's son Anuj who is admitted to a hospital in the Maharashtra capital. Gujarat Chief Minister Shri Bhupendrabhai Patel has set an excellent example of integrity and simplicity in public life. I have faith and trust that his conduct will be an inspiration to millions of people active in public life. I pray for the speedy recovery of his son Anuj, he said in a tweet in Gujarati. Modi's appreciation of Patel came in a reply to a news report shared by the Gujarat Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Twitter. The ruling party praised Patel for providing an example of the common man by paying for the government air ambulance service that took his son to Mumbai for treatment. Patel's son

PM Modi visits GIFT City in Gujarat, reviews progress of ongoing projects

Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Gujarat International Finance Tec-City or GIFT City near Gandhinagar on Friday evening, officials said. The prime minister was on a one-day visit to Gujarat. He reviewed the status of various ongoing projects at GIFT City and also interacted with the top officials of various entities which operate from the GIFT International Financial Services Centre (GIFT IFSC). The prime minister also visited GIFT City's key infrastructure facilities including an underground utility tunnel and automated waste collection-segregation plant. Earlier in the day, Modi addressed a gathering of teachers at the 29th Biennial Educational Conference organised by the All India Primary Teachers Federation near the state capital. Later in the afternoon, he inaugurated or laid foundation stones of various projects worth around Rs 4,400 crore from the Mahatma Mandir convention centre in Gandhinagar.

PM Modi launches projects worth Rs 4,400 crore in Gujarat's Gandhinagar

India's development is a conviction and commitment for us, and nation-building is a continuous responsibility that we work to fulfil, said PM Modi in Gujarat

'Illegal' promotion of 68 Gujarat lower judicial officers stayed by SC

The Supreme Court on Friday stayed the promotion of 68 Gujarat lower judicial officers, including Surat Chief Judicial Magistrate Harish Hasmukhbhai Varma who had convicted Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in a defamation case. A bench comprising Justices M R Shah and C T Ravikumar said as per the Gujarat State Judicial Service Rules 2005, which was amended in 2011, the promotions must be made on principle of merit-cum-seniority and on passing a suitability test. "We are more than satisfied that the impugned list issued by the high court and the subsequent order issued by the state government granting promotion to district judges are illegal and contrary to the decision of this court.The same are, therefore, not sustainable," the bench said. "We stay the implementation of the promotion list. Respective promotees are sent to their original post which they were holding prior to their promotion," it said. The top court passed an interim order staying the promotions and directed that the .

Heatwave sweeps parts of Gujarat, Patan hottest at 45.4 degrees Celsius

Several parts of Gujarat are reeling under heatwave conditions, with Patan city in the northern region recording 45.4 degrees Celsius on Thursday, said officials of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) here. Some respite from the condition is expected after May 13, they said. As per a weather warning issued by the IMD, heat wave prevailed at isolated pockets in Anand, Surat, Botad, Porbandar, Surendranagar and Kutch during the day and it is likely to continue in these areas on Friday as well. In an advisory, the IMD said people should avoid direct exposure to sunlight and wear light-coloured cotton clothes to save themselves from the heat wave conditions. While Patan city was the hottest with the mercury touching 45.4 degrees Celsius, at least 12 other places in the state recorded maximum temperatures above 43 degrees on Thursday. Places where temperature rose above 43 degrees include Patan (45.4), Junagadh (44.6), Amreli (44.0), Rajkot (43.8), Vadodara (43.8), Ahmedabad (43.

Jay Bharat Maruti to invest in 2 manufacturing plants in Haryana, Gujarat

The company will invest nearly Rs 300-350 crore in a phased manner in line with its customer's growth strategy