1. Rivers and Creeks in Full Flow as Heavy Rain Lashes South Gujarat
Heavy rain lashed all the five districts in South Gujarat with the highest rainfall in the past 24 hours being recorded in Vaghai and Saputara talukas in Dang district at 12.28 inch and 11.37 inch respectively. Surat, Tapi, Dang, Navsari and Valsad have been receiving incessant rainfall since Monday evening (29 July), raising the water level in rivers and creeks.
In Valsad district, Dharampur taluka received 13.14 inch of rain while Kaprada received 11.77 inch. The water level in Ukai dam stood at 286.22 feet on Tuesday evening, which is 13.44 feet less than the level a year ago.
The district administration is taking efforts to avoid any untoward incidents. The NDRF teams in Surat and Valsad are on alert, while coastal patrolling has been done by the security forces in Valsad and Surat. Power supply was disrupted in several villages. The highest rainfall was recorded in Dang district, neighbouring Maharashtra. As per figures received from disaster management control room, Ahwa recorded 194 mm of rain and Subir 130 mm in the past 24 hours in Dang.
(Source: Indian Express)
2. Short Circuit Triggers Fire at Thaltej Hospital
Only four days after a residential building in Gota caught fire and one woman died while other residents sustained burn injuries, another fire incident took place on Tuesday morning, (30 July).
This time inside a hospital in Thaltej area. The patients and hospital staff managed to evacuate the building before the fire could spread and no casualty was reported.
The incident took place at Samarpan hospital around 1:55 pm. As per fire officials, the fire broke out in an electric meter due to short circuit. The box was located on the first floor next to the stairs.
The hospital staff noticed the smoke in time and informed the Ahmedabad Fire and Emergency Service (AFES) department. Seven fire trucks were rushed to the spot with more than 50 firefighters to bring the situation under control.
(Source: DNA)
3. ECI U-Turn: Don’t Take Action Against Observer
In a U-turn by the Election Commission of India (ECI), with regard to a case being heard in the Gujarat High Court challenging the result of the 2017 Assembly poll from Dholka constituency in Gujarat, the election body has written to the Rajasthan chief secretary not to initiate disciplinary proceedings against an IAS officer from the state who had served as the general observer in the constituency at the time.
The ECI had earlier recommended action against general observer Vinita Bohra, after the Gujarat High Court had observed that she was responsible for certain breaches in counting of votes.
Hearings have been ongoing on an election petition filed by Congress leader Ashwin Rathod, who challenged the Assembly poll victory of State Education Minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasama from Dholka constituency. Rathod in his petition alleged that returning officer Dhval Jani illegally had invalidated 429 postal ballot votes, which led to his defeat to Chudasama by a margin of merely 327 votes. The high court in April had noted “serious breaches” on the part of Jani and held general observer Bohra too responsible for certain breaches.
(Source: Indian Express)
4. Police Probing If Recently-Seized Drugs Came From Pak Smugglers
Days after two men were arrested with one kilogram of brown sugar in Kutch, the police are investigating whether the contraband was part of a consignment that Pakistani smugglers dumped in the creek of Kutch recently.
On 21 May, six Pakistani nationals were arrested and around 200 packets of heroin worth crores of rupees were seized in an operation by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence off Jakhau port in Kutch.
Investigation revealed that the accused were carrying 336 packets of heroin and had dumped around 100 in the sea. A search operation was launched a day later but it did not conclude in any major discovery of the contraband.
However, on 28 July, a team of Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) arrested two persons — Sameja Nadir Hussain alias Raja Sattar and Umar Vagher — for allegedly carrying one kilogram of brown sugar, near Mandvi Koday of Kutch. The arrest was made after a tip-off by Devbhoomi Dwarka Police.
(Source: Indian Express)
5. Railways Official Accused of Asking Rs 3 Lakh Bribe
A complaint was lodged on Monday against a senior section engineer of Ahmedabad Railways division for allegedly demanding a bribe of Rs 3 lakh from a contractor. The complainant said that the official asked for money to make an entry in the Railway measurement book about his pending dues.
Explaining the background, officials said, Ansari Erectors had taken a subcontract from Harishakti constructions on 16 January, 2018 to build the Sanad Underbridge for Western Railways. The work was completed on February 14, 2019, but the contractor still owed Rs 25 lakh from the Railways.
When the contractor went to the Road Safety Work department to make the entry about the pending bills, he came across Sonu Moriya, a senior section engineer, who asked him for Rs 3 lakh to make the entry. The complainant further added that the accused told him to pay Rs 1.5 lakh to his "person" in Mehsana as first instalment.
(Source: DNA)
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