1. Dams Dry but Won’t Face Drinking Water Problem Till July: Gujarat Government
The Gujarat government on Monday, 30 April, said a majority of the dams in the state had either dried up or contained only a small amount of water due to scanty rainfall last year, but added that the volume of water in the Sardar Sarovar Dam was higher this year and would be sufficient to supply drinking water till the end of July to almost all parts of the state where other sources of water are unavailable.
Addressing a press conference here, Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel said that Chief Minister Vijay Rupani had called a review meeting of senior officers concerned on Tuesday to take stock of the availability of drinking water.
“Every day, 375 crore litre Narmada water is being provided for the purpose of drinking, in 8,911 villages, 165 cities and six municipal corporations,” Patel said.
(Source: The Indian Express)
2. Ishrat Jahan Case: Order on Discharge Pleas of DG Vanzara, NK Amin Likely on 2 May
A special CBI court is likely to pass an order on 2 May on the applications of retired police officers DG Vanzara and NK Amin seeking dropping of proceeding against them in the Ishrat Jahan alleged fake encounter case after the state government declined the sanction to prosecute them.
Special CBI judge JK Pandya said that he may pass the order on 2 May. The court had concluded hearing in the case on 16 April, and had kept Monday as the date to pass its order.
The two retired police officers have sought that proceedings against them in the case be dropped as the state government has decided not to grant sanction to CBI to prosecute them as required under section 197 of CrPC.
(Source: DNA Ahmedabad)
3. Pepsico Case: Gujarat HC Gives Extension to Two Farmers up to 12 June to Respond
Two of eleven farmers who have been sued by PepsiCo India for producing and selling a trademark variety of potato, were on Monday granted extension up to 12 June by the Gujarat High Court to respond to a notice issued on 18 April. The earlier set date was 8 May.
The high court had issued notice to the trial court to take inventory of the stock of potato that allegedly infringed the trademark, on behalf of the defendants, returnable by 8 May.
Anand Yagnik, representing Fulchand and Suresh Kachchhawa, told the court on Monday that the notice issued by the trial court had been received without the charges pertaining to the lawsuit.
(Source: The Indian Express)
4. Sabarmati River to Run Dry, Vasana Barrage Gates to Be Repaired
This summer as the mercury is expected to reach 45 degree Celsius, Sabarmati River will be dry too. As per the estimation of the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation the repair work at Vasana barrage will be carried out for a month and a half, and the river will be filled again by June end this year.
The irrigation authority has decided to repair gates of Vasana Barrage from 15 May. There are total of 30 gates of which four gates are scheduled to be repaired this year. "The four gates located at lower level needs to be repaired. With the monsoon season approaching the irrigation department wants to complete the work by next month," said a senior official of Sabarmati Riverfront Development Corporation Limited.
(Source: DNA Ahmedabad)
5. File Case on Toor Dal Scam, Says Congress MLA as Quality Checks on
Teams of Gujarat State Civil Supplies Corporation Limited (GSCSCL) and National Agricultural Cooperative Market-ing Federation (NAFED) of India Limited continued their quality check on 24,000 bags of toor dal (pigeon peas) in a godown in Visavadar for the second day on Monday, following allegations of malpractices in its procurement.
The checking of bags of toor dal lying in the yard of Visavadar Agricultural Produce Market Committee began on Sunday after Congress MLA of Visavadar Harshad Ribadiya staged a dharna outside the office of the district collector of Junagadh.
He claimed that stock procured by the government was adulterated and demanded that a police case be filed.
(Source: The Indian Express)
6. Vadodara: Stock Worth Rs 3 Crore Missing, 9 Civil Supplies Staff Booked
Kalol police have booked nine employees of the Gujarat State Civil Supplies godown in Kalol of Panchmahal district for their alleged involvement in siphoning of stock worth Rs 3 crore from the government storehouse.
On Saturday, 27 April, the deputy manager of Gujarat State Civil Supplies Corporation’s Godhra office, Suresh Vasava lodged a complaint at Kalol police station identifying nine accused and other unidentified staff members of the godown, based on an internal audit report that found less stock than what was on paper.
Police has formed two teams to investigate the alleged scam. “We have received a copy of the initial audit report based on which irregularities were observed,” Investigating officer of the case Mahesh Damor said. “The FIR is based on the independent probe carried out by the deputy manager of Gujarat State Civil Supplies Corporation.”
(Source: The Indian Express)
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