1. Rs 400 Cr Fisheries Scam: Guj HC Junks Plea Filed by 2 BJP Leaders
The Gujarat High Court on Friday, 21 December, rejected petitions by two state BJP leaders, including a minister, challenging proceedings initiated against them by a special Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) court in the alleged Rs 400-crore fisheries scam.
Justice JB Pardiwala rejected the petitions of Gujarat Minister of State (Mos) for Fisheries Parshottam Solanki and former MoS for Fisheries Dileep Sanghani. It does ‘not see any good ground to interfere with the impugned order’, the high court said. Ishaq Maradia had filed a complaint against the two leaders in 2008, alleging that they flouted rules by allotting fishing contracts without floating tenders.
Solanki and Sanghani moved the HC after the ACB court in Gandhinagar issued summons to them after taking into account a ACB inquiry report. Refusing relief to them, the high court said they can move a discharge application at a later stage.
(Source: PTI)
2. Cops Plan Innovative Punishment for Young Traffic Violators
The B Division Traffic Police Station in Navarangpura has adopted a unique way to punish traffic violators and ensure that they do not end up being repeat offenders. In order to avoid an FIR and offences lodged against young motorists, the traffic cops will hold traffic sessions for 3 days at the police station.
After the lessons end, they will spend another hour at one of the city junction, manning the traffic. The drive started on Friday, 21 December, at Mithakhali Six Roads where 17 traffic violators agreed to take lessons for an hour and man traffic for an hour, for three days.
Their names will be put up on the traffic police portal. The traffic police are also planning to write to the principal of schools and colleges whose students violate traffic.
(Source: The Times of India)
3. Town Planning Schemes, Affordable Housing Needed: Vijay Rupani
Chief Minister Vijay Rupani on Friday, 21 December, termed ‘affordable housing’ as an essential requirement, stressing on the need to build quality, safe and affordable homes. According to CM Rupani, the state govt has approved 100 town planning (TP) schemes and 400 TP schemes are pending clearance.
The CM was speaking at the inauguration of a three-day property show organised by the Gujarat Institute of Housing and Estate Developers, the Ahmedabad chapter of Confederation of Real Estate Developer’s Association (CREDAI).
Rupani said that several decisions on online approval of building plans, issuance of Non Agricultural (NA) Certificate online, and simplification of other regulations is in the interest of the real estate industry in Gujarat.
(Source: The Times of India)
4. Rs 64 Lakh Demonetised Notes Seized
Special Operations Group (SOG) Gandhinagar, seized Rs 64 lakh in demonetised currency (Rs 500 and Rs 1,000) notes from a car near Pethapur village in Gandhinagar. According to the cops, they received a tip-off that two persons were carrying demonetised notes in a car.
A team reached the spot, but by then the duo had escaped leaving the car behind.
Last week, Surat Police had seized Rs 3.85 crore in demonetised notes from Rander locality of the city and also arrested a man. Similarly, earlier in June Chandkheda Police in Ahmedabad, seized Rs 99.99 lakh demonetised notes from four persons.
(Source: The Times of India)
5. Lioness Dies in Road Accident
A lioness succumbed to injuries sustained after being hit by a vehicle in Rajula range of the Gir forest in Amreli district of Gujarat, a forest department official said on Friday, 21 December.
The lioness, aged 1-2 years, died at a rescue centre at Babarkot in Amreli district, around 340km from here, where she was taken after being found in an injured state on a road near Balani Vav village.
“The lioness was rescued from the road accident site and sent to a rescue centre at Babarkot. The veterinary officer could not save the animal. It died late last night,” the official said. This comes two days after a lioness and its two cubs were crushed to death by a goods rain near the Gir forest in the same district.
On Thursday, 20 December, the carcass of a lion cub was found in a farm in Khambha taluka of Amreli district. Forest officials had said the cub died due to lever infection.
(Source: The Times of India)
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)