1. Ahmedabad: Metro’s First Trial Run Held
The first official trial run of the Metro Train was conducted on Thursday, 7 February, between Vastral Gam and Apparel Park in Khokhra on a 1 km track. For the tria the speed was restricted to 35 kmph, which the authorities said will be raised to 90 kmph in the next 10 days.
The trial run was conducted in the presence of senior officials from the Gujarat Metro Rail Corporation (GMRC) and it will soon make longer trial runs on the 6.5 km stretch between Apparel Park and Vastral Gam.
GMRC officials said that the stage is set for commercial runs by the second week of March, when it will likely be flagged off by PM Narendra Modi, if the Lok Sabha Elections are not announced by then.
(Source: Times of India)
2. ‘Is It Crime to Contest Elections?’ Hardik Asks in Online Poll
A day after he expressed desire to contest the coming Lok Sabha election, Patidar leader Hardik Patel Thursday launched an online poll, asking people if it is a "crime" to enter electoral politics.
During the Patidar quota agitation, Hardik had stated time and again that he would not contest elections. “I expect a true answer to a question, though I am yet to decide (whether) to fight elections, but is it a crime to fight polls for farmers and youth?” he asked in a Facebook poll on 7 February.
By 5 pm, 12,700 people had responded, 69 per cent of them saying contesting polls is not a crime. On Wednesday, Hardik had said he wanted to fight Lok Sabha elections, but was yet to decide if he will enter the electoral fray by joining any party.
(Source: PTI)
Minimum Temperature in City Set to Drop Further
Brace for colder days ahead! And it is best to dress up in layer and carry an extra along too, as minimum temperatures are likely to fall in the next two-three days. According to the forecast made by the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) the temperature in the city will drop by 2-4 degrees Celsius in the next few days.
The Minimum temperature on Thursday, 7 February in Ahmedabad settled at around 12.4 degrees. “With heavy snow fall in Jammu and Kashmir and hailstorm like conditions in Delhi, the northerly wind winds prevailing over the region have brought the temperature down in state,” an IMD official said.
IMD-Gujarat officials also confirmed that there is no likelihood of rainfall in Ahmedabad over the next three days.
(Source: Times of India)
4. Identify Problems in Lion Conservation: Gujarat High Court
The Gujarat High Court on Thursday, 7 February, directed the state government, amicus curiae Hemang Shah, railways, and other concerned parties, to identify the problems and bottlenecks that affect the proper conservation of Asiatic Lions in Gir. The court was hearing a suo-motu PIL initiated by the HC over the rising number of lion deaths in the state.
The division bench of Justice SR Brahmbhatt and Justice AG Uraizee clarified that after the problems at the ground level are identified, the court would form a high-power committee consisting of all the stakeholders including collectors, electricity department, railways, amicus curiae, and local citizens, to look into the problems, seek solutions, and implement the same.
The bench has asked the contending parties to submit details of the identified problems in lion conservation and preservation prevailing in the Gir area and any probable solution for the same by 27 February.
(Source: DNA Ahmedabad)
5. Ahmedabad: Gambling Den Busted in Shahibaug Police HQ, Eight Arrested
In a raid conducted on Thursday, 7 February, by officials of the state monitoring cell inside the police headquarters of Shahibaug, a gambling den was busted. During the raid, eight people were arrested from the spot including one police constable, two LRD jawans and other people living at the headquarters.
As per senior police officials, two days ago, they got specific information that a gambling den was running inside the Shahibaug police headquarters.
Acting on the information, on Thursday, a team raided the open plot located near the community hall of the police headquarters and arrested eight people who were gambling. During the raid, cops were able to recover Rs 1.75 lakh worth of valuables comprising cash, mobiles, etc, from the accused.
(Source: DNA Ahmedabad)
6. Gujarat: Three Officials Suspended for Government Land Fraud
The state government on Thursday, 7 February, suspended three revenue officials, including two belonging to the Gujarat Administrative Service (GAS), for allegedly transferring over 800 acre government land to private individuals. The state government also directed the Anti Corruption Bureau to conduct a probe in the case.
The case relates to 800 acre land in Bamanbor and Jivapar village of Surendranagar district, which was declared government land under the agricultural land ceiling. Even though the Supreme Court had ruled in the government's favour, the Chotila mamlatdar JL Dhadvi allegedly misinterpreted the decision, and illegally transferred 324 acre land in the name of the petitioners in 2015.
The private individuals sold the land on the basis of the order.
(Source: DNA Ahmedabad)
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