PM opens new circuit house near Somnath temple
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday inaugurated a new circuit house near Somnath temple. The temple is visited by lakhs of devotees from every year. The PM said, “The need for the new circuit house was felt as the existing government facility was located far off from the temple.” The facility has been built at a cost of over Rs 30 crore. The 48-room four-storey building is equipped with VIP and deluxe rooms, conference room, auditorium hall, etc. PM Modi, who is also the chairman of the Shree Somnath Temple Trust, said the new circuit house will address the shortage of accommodation facilities here.
NGT forms panel to probe Surat chemical disaster
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has constituted a committee to look into the chemical disaster at Sachin GIDC in Surat on January 6, which killed six people and asphyxiated 25 others. The move follows a petition filed by the Surat-based Brackish Water Research Centre (BWRC) alleging failure of the Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) in preventing illegal discharge of toxic chemicals into open drains. Meanwhile, a bench headed by NGT chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel formed a committee under Justice B C Patel. The bench directed the committee to look into the matter and furnish a report within two months. The NGT has ordered the chief secretary to review the compliance and status of hazardous waste management rules in the state and take steps to address the shortcomings.
Ex-CM Rupani vs BJP president C R Patil again?
In a surprise move, the ruling BJP in the state has asked the chairpersons of five boards and corporations to resign. In all, the 12 office-bearers are said to be close aides of former chief minister Vijay Rupani, and had been appointed when the latter was helming the top post. Besides, BJP insiders said the party state chief C R Patil is in the works to appoint his own confidants as replacements to all the boards and corporations soon. In fact, Patil had reviewed the working of the chairmen and then sought their resignations himself, sources said.
BJP forms committee to raise election funds
BJP state unit president C R Patil has formed a committee to manage the party’s finances. Such a committee has never been formed in the history of Gujarat BJP and this is Patil’s experiment. The main function of this committee will be to raise and manage election funds. Other than Patil, the committee will include Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, party general secretary Ratnakar, treasurer Surendra Patel and co-treasurer Dharmendra Patel. Sources said the committee will now expedite the fund-raising process for the BJP in the coming days. Earlier, the BJP used to take funds from corporates and industrialists and through crowdfunding programmes.
Dilip Singh Kshatriya
Our correspondent in Gujarat dilipsingh@newindianexpress.com