Gujarat govt rejigs Porbandar forest division as Asiatic lions return to Barda
Digital Desk | Gandhinagar, Sep 29 (IANS) The Gujarat government has reorganised the Porbandar Forest Division, including its range and beat structure, to strengthen field-level administration as Asiatic lions establish themselves in Barda forest, the Forest and Environment Department said on Tuesday. The reorganisation, approved under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, will bring changes in the administrative control of forest ranges, beats, officers, staff and resources, with the stated objective of improving forest management and facilitating the implementation of departmental schemes and resolution of forest and environment-related issues in Porbandar district. The move comes after Asiatic lions naturally returned to Barda after 143 years. The revised administrative structure will cover the Barda region as well as other forest areas under the Porbandar Forest Division and provide for clearer responsibilities at the range and beat levels. Under the new arrangement, the Porbandar Range will cover 6,840.84 hectares and 80 villages. It will be divided into beats including Porbandar City, Gosabara, Moker, Visavada, Kantela, Madhavpur and Satiya, with specific areas and villages assigned to each beat. The Ranavav Range will cover 13,051.25 hectares and 27 villages, with areas including Godana, Bileshwar, Savdivadar and Ranavav distributed among different beats. The restructuring also transfers 305.94 hectares from the RFW Bhatia Range of the Jamnagar Forest Division to the Bhanvad Range of the Porbandar Forest Division. The transferred area covers four villages Kandarda Jogna, Sajdiyala, Juna and Jambusar in Bhanvad taluka of Devbhumi Dwarka district. Its administrative functions will now come under the Porbandar Forest Division. The Kutiyana Range, Porbandar Social Forestry Range and Ranavav Social Forestry Range will also be brought under the Porbandar Forest Division. The division will consequently have seven ranges. To support the expanded structure, provision has been made for two Assistant Conservators of Forests. Assistant Conservator of Forests-1 will oversee the Porbandar, Porbandar Social Forestry and Ranavav Social Forestry ranges, while Assistant Conservator of Forests-2 will oversee the Ranavav, Bhanvad and Kutiyana ranges and the Mobile Squad (T.A.) Range. One vacant Assistant Conservator of Forests post from the two sanctioned posts at Kevadia will be transferred to the Porbandar Forest Division, in addition to the existing post. The Porbandar Forest Division will continue to function under the Junagadh Wildlife Circle, with the Deputy Conservator of Forests overseeing the division and the two Assistant Conservators supervising their respective ranges. The Range Forest Officer will also be responsible for the Porbandar Forest Division's Mobile Squad, bringing its operations within the reorganised administrative framework. The restructuring will involve the transfer or redistribution of staff and resources, including vehicles, weapons, walkie-talkies, wireless equipment, records, computers, furniture and other departmental assets. The government resolution said the changes are intended to provide clearer field-level responsibilities and strengthen administrative support for forest conservation, wildlife management and lion rehabilitation in Barda. The resolution came into effect immediately upon publication.
Mother Dairy sets up its first butter chiplet line in Gujarat, plans pan-India supply
The new line has been established at Mother Dairys existing milk processing facility in Junagadh and will supply butter chiplets to markets across the country
Railway minister to virtually launch various projects in Gujarat, dedicate to nation 4 GCTs
He will dedicate four Gati Shakti Cargo Terminals (GCT), at Bhimasar (Kutch), Devaliya (Junagadh), Chandisar (Banaskantha) and Shivlakha (Kutch), to the nation and also lay the foundation stone for the GCT at Linch in Mehsana
Gujarat Chief Minister Approves
Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel allocates 20 crore for the first phase of the Visavadar bypass road to ease traffic in Junagadh district. Gujarat Chief Minister Approves 20 Crore for Visavadar Bypass Road Project
Video: Sand-Laden Truck Swerves, Topples, Buries Car In Junagadh. 2 Men Narrowly Escape
A dumper truck swerved and fell next to a car, which was nearly buried under the sand the truck was carrying, on the Vanthali-Junagadh highway in Junagadh. A CCTV camera clip from earlier this week that has gone viral shows a motorcyclist taking a sudden right, forcing the truck driver to make a sudden move. That makes the truck swerve. It falls and skids on its side, colliding with a hatchback parked on the roadside. Two men can be seen standing next to the car, apparently having just left or about to enter, who manage to scamper away. The truck driver then gets out from the front as the windshield is shattered.
Gujarat govt commits over Rs 231 crore for projects marking Guru Ravidas' 650th birth anniversary
Digital Desk | Gandhinagar, Sep 10 (IANS) The Gujarat government on Thursday announced its commitment to allocate more than Rs 231 crore for a range of projects aimed at promoting social harmony and commemorating the 650th birth anniversary of Sant Shiromani Guru Ravidas Maharaj. Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel made the announcement in the Gujarat Legislative Assembly under Rule 44 on the second day of the ninth session of the 15th Gujarat Assembly. Under the 'Samrasta Sankalp Abhiyan', the proposed allocation includes funds for education, hostels, libraries, cultural programmes, development of an ashram and modernisation of premises associated with saints belonging to Scheduled Castes. The government has proposed Rs 40 crore for the construction of a Dr Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar Bhavan at the state level, with facilities for education, a hostel, library and competitive examination classes. Another Rs 50 crore has been proposed under the Sant Shiromani Guru Ravidasji Maharaj Vidyashray Yojana for hostel and PG assistance for college students. Sant Shiromani Guru Ravidasji Maharaj Chair Centre will also be established at Bhakta Kavi Narsinh Mehta University in Junagadh. The government has also proposed grants for activities across 70 universities in Gujarat, including quiz contests, prizes, quickies, hoardings and banners, along with the preparation of books and audiobooks on the life and works of Guru Ravidas. For cultural programmes in all talukas, Rs 5.36 crore has been proposed, while Rs 93.80 crore has been earmarked for constructing one Samras Bhavan and library in each taluka. The government has proposed another Rs 10 crore for the overall development of the ashram at Sarsai village in Visavadar taluka of Junagadh district. Further Rs 30 crore has been proposed for the modernisation and renovation of premises housing huts and ashrams of various saints belonging to Scheduled Castes. CM Patel said the initiative is intended to give further impetus to the ideals of social harmony associated with Guru Ravidas. Guru Ravidasji Maharaj is not only a saint but also a pioneer of equality, social justice, love, compassion and humanity. His dream was not merely for the welfare of one community, but for the welfare of the entire nation, CM Patel said in his statement. He said his ideals could be realised when every poor person receives justice, every youth gets an opportunity, every woman receives respect, and every citizen gets equal participation in development. Referring to the teachings of Guru Ravidas, the Chief Minister said: Several of his sacred hymns were included in the Sri Guru Granth Sahib and continue to inspire people to follow the path of truth, love, service and good conduct. He also referred to the saying, Man changa to kathoti mein Ganga, saying it conveyed the message that a person's identity was determined by their deeds, thoughts, character and devotion, and that humanity was the greatest religion. CM Patel said the state government's proposed allocation of more than Rs 231 crore would be made through the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment. The projects would also contribute to the goal of building a developed India by 2047 by drawing on Guru Ravidas' ideals and taking the lead from a developed Gujarat in building a harmonious and developed India, he noted. The 650th birth anniversary of Guru Ravidas is being observed across the country this year under the Samrasta Sankalp Abhiyan. Gujarat had also organised programmes as part of the anniversary celebrations earlier this year.
Gujarat: 42 held in gambling raid, property worth Rs 16 lakh seized
Junagadh, Sep 6 (IANS) Forty-two people were arrested after the Gujarat Police's State Monitoring Cell (SMC) raided an alleged card gambling operation at Suthar Samaj Wadi near Chorwad Girls School in Chorwad of Junagadh district, seizing cash and other property collectively valued at Rs 16.02 lakh, police said on Sunday. The raid was conducted by a team led by Police Sub-Inspector K.D. Ravia following directions from Director General of Police (DGP) G.S. Malik to take legal action against illegal liquor and gambling activities in the state. According to the State Monitoring Cell, the operation resulted in the seizure of Rs 3,72,200 in cash, one four-wheeler, 11 two-wheelers, 42 mobile phones and gambling-related materials. The total value of the seized property was assessed at Rs 16,02,900. A case was registered at Chorwad Police Station on September 5 under Sections 4 and 5 of the Gambling Act. Police said 44 people were named in the case, including 42 arrested accused and two wanted accused. Among those arrested were Manish Parmar and Haresh Chudasama, both identified by police as alleged organisers of the gambling activity. The arrested persons included residents of Chorwad and other parts of Junagadh district, as well as individuals from Gir Somnath, Morbi, Kutch and Rajkot. The two wanted accused have been identified as Viren Sevra, a resident of Ramvav Chowk in Chorwad and Lala of Chorwad. Police identified Lala as the person who allegedly rented out Sutharwadi for gambling. Further investigation into the case is being conducted by the police. The latest raid is part of a continuing enforcement drive by the SMC against illegal gambling and liquor networks. In August, the SMC arrested 16 people and seized cash, vehicles and mobile phones collectively valued at about Rs 39 lakh in a gambling raid in Mehsana. In another gambling operation in Gandhinagar in December last year, the SMC seized cash, 10 mobile phones and five vehicles worth a total of Rs 26.16 lakh and detained 11 people, while six others were declared wanted. The SMC has also carried out major prohibition-related seizures, including an operation in Navsari in which 14,016 bottles of Indian-made foreign liquor valued at Rs 37.62 lakh were seized in January, along with a vehicle and other items, taking the total value of the seizure to Rs 62.69 lakh.
CBI Files Case Against College Trustee and Faculty Member for Alleged Bribery
New Delhi, August 25: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed a case against Pratik Mori, a trustee of Nobel Ayurvedic College in Junagadh, Gujarat, and faculty member Dr. Abhay Nalavade. They are accused of attempting to bribe a member of the hearing committee of the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (NCISM) ... Read more CBI Files Case Against College Trustee and Faculty Member for Alleged Bribery
Two Arrested in Major Online Share Trading Fraud in Gujarat
Surat, August 12: The Cyber Crime Cell of Gujarat has arrested two individuals from Junagadh in connection with a significant online share trading fraud. The case involves a scam where a victim was defrauded of 42.98 lakh. During the investigation, authorities discovered links to three other cyber fraud cases across various states, with total losses ... Read more Two Arrested in Major Online Share Trading Fraud in Gujarat
Asiatic lion rescued after getting trapped in spiked gate in Gujarats Junagadh
In the early hours of the day, a lion, aged around one to two years, got trapped in an iron gate while attempting to jump over it in the Grofed area of the city, Deputy Conservator of Forests Akshay Joshi said
Tragic Road Accident in Gujarat Claims Four Lives from One Family
Ahmedabad, July 11: A tragic road accident in Gujarats Junagadh district on Saturday resulted in the deaths of four family members, while four others sustained injuries. The incident occurred near Majewadi village on the four-lane road when the familys Ertiga car collided with a truck parked by the roadside. Two of the injured individuals are ... Read more Tragic Road Accident in Gujarat Claims Four Lives from One Family
Video: Couple Suffers Horrific Bike Crash After Hitting Massive Pothole In Gujarat
A viral video from Gujarat's Junagadh shows a couple suffering a serious motorcycle accident after hitting a massive pothole on a rain-soaked road, triggering outrage over road safety and alleged inaction by a passing police vehicle.
Girnar Wrapped in Monsoon Clouds, Strong Winds Force Temporary Ropeway Shutdown
Girnar Ropeway services in Junagadh have been temporarily suspended due to strong winds as monsoon clouds blanket Girnar Hill. Authorities will resume operations once weather conditions become safe.
Rs 10 crore hydroponic ganja seized at Ahmedabad airport from man returning from Bangkok
Customs officials at Ahmedabad airport apprehended a 20-year-old man arriving from Bangkok, seizing over 10 kilograms of hydroponic marijuana from his checked baggage. The illicit substance, valued at an estimated Rs 10 crore, was detected by a sniffer dog. The passenger, identified as Ibrahim Sefulla from Junagadh, was arrested, and an investigation is currently ongoing under the NDPS Act.
Gujarat Weather Report: The India Meteorological Department forecasts light to moderate rain and thundershowers across Gujarat for the next seven days. Initially, North, Central, and South Gujarat will see activity, shifting primarily to South Gujarat later in the week. Most other districts are expected to remain dry.
