1. Cyclonic Storm ‘Maha’ May Fizzle Out, Not Hit Gujarat Coast on 7 November: IMD
Severe cyclonic storm ‘Maha’ may not hit the Gujarat coast and is likely to fizzle out into the Arabian sea as a ‘depression’ by Thursday evening, the Met department said on Wednesday, 6 November.
At present, ‘Maha’ is still a ‘severe cyclonic storm’ hovering over the east-central Arabian sea, and is located around 400 km away from coastal Porbandar in Saurashtra region of Gujarat.
“It (the cyclonic storm) is very likely to move nearly eastwards, weaken into a cyclonic storm by today (Wednesday) evening. Thereafter it is likely to move east-northeastwards, weaken further into a deep depression by the early morning of 7 November,” a India Meteorological Department (IMD) release stated.
(Source: The Hindu)
2. Traffic Rule Violators Ignore Fines Worth Rs 60 Crore on E-Challans in Four Years
The amended Motor Vehicles Act (MVA) that came into effect from 1 November has imposed heavy fines on traffic rule violators. However, violators in Ahmedabad alone have not paid penalty amounting to around Rs 60 crore in four years till August this year, according to a study by the students of the Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) Hyderabad.
The study titled, ‘Don’t cross that stop line: Characterising Traffic Violations in Metropolitan Cities’, mined through over three million e-challans or electronic traffic violation receipts issued after the Ahmedabad traffic police introduced the system across the city in 2015. The automated traffic management system was launched on a pilot basis in 2014. The system has a network of 6,000 video surveillance cameras dedicated to red light violations at 135 traffic junctions.
(Source: The Indian Express)
3. Guj Govt Purchases Rs 191-Cr New Aircraft for CM, VIP Travel
The BJP government in Gujarat has purchased a new aircraft worth Rs 191 crore for use by Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and other dignitaries like governor and deputy CM, formally wrapping up the delayed procurement process launched five years ago.
The swanky two-engine ‘Bombardier Challenger 650’ would be delivered in the next two weeks, officials said on Wednesday, 6 November.
The new aircraft can carry 12 passengers and has a flying range of around 7,000 kilometres, much higher than the present ‘Beechcraft Super King’ aircraft that has been used to ferry the CM and other dignitaries since the last 20 years. It can fly with a speed of around 870 kilometres per hour.
“The Bombardier-make Challenger 650 aircraft worth around Rs 191 crore will be delivered to us (Gujarat government) in the third week of this month. All formalities related to its procurement have been completed,” another official said.
(Source: Hindustan Times)
4. Four Months After HC Order, Disqualified Cong MLA Reinstated
Almost four months after the Gujarat High Court stayed his conviction in an illegal mining case, disqualified Congress MLA Bhagvan Barad was reinstated as a legislator on Wednesday, 6 November by the Assembly speaker.
Speaker Rajendra Trivedi had disqualified Barad in March after a magistrate's court in Sutrapada town convicted the Congress leader in a 24-year-old illegal mining case and sentenced him to two years and nine months in jail.
In July second week, the high court suspended the conviction of the MLA from Talala in Gir-Somnath district till the time his appeal in the sessions court is disposed of. "Taking into consideration the ruling by the high court, I have today revoked my March order after taking legal advise," said Trivedi.
(Source: Ahmedabad Mirror)
5. Ahmed Patel Meets Nitin Gadkari, Discusses Road & Infra Projects in Gujarat
Senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel on Wednesday, 6 November, met Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari and discussed issues related to road and infrastructure projects in Gujarat.
The Rajya Sabha member from Gujarat met Gadkari and raised the requirement of road and infrastructure in his state, the sources said. He flagged delays in certain infrastructure projects, according to the sources.
The sources also indicated that no politics was discussed during the meeting. "Met Shri Nitin Gadkari to submit various representations – for my constituency and Gujarat state – on underpass construction at Bharuch district, compensation for farmers near the expressway project & relief for MSMEs," Patel said later on Twitter.
The meeting assumes significance as it comes at a time when there is an impasse over government formation in Maharashtra after BJP's ally Shiv Sena hardened its stand on the chief minister's post.
(Source: The Times of India)
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