Latest news with #VMC
Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
Second forged birth certificate caught in two days
Vadodara: For the second day straight, officials of the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) on Saturday caught a fake birth certificate being used by an Aadhaar applicant. VMC officials have been extra cautious while making Aadhaar cards given the crackdown on illegal immigrants from Bangladesh in the city and state. The civic body has a verification process in place to catch forged documents. On Saturday, a man came to the South Zone office of the civic body to get an Aadhaar card issued for his son. The man, Kishan Kanskiwala, brought his son's birth certificate. Officials knew the certificate was fake at first sight. "The birthplace was shown as Vadadala village, which is not in city limits but the certificate was in the name of the VMC," said census officer Shamik Joshi. The bottom of the certificate showed the name of the issuer as Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation. Despite these glaring mistakes, officials got the certificate formally checked by the birth, death and marriage registration department. An offence for forgery and related offences was registered at the Makarpura police station. Kanskiwala told VMC officials that his family had arranged the certificate as he was busy with his work at a brick kiln. He said his relatives arranged the certificate from a village grocer. This is the second consecutive day that a forged certificate was detected in the South Zone office. On Friday, one Mukesh Khatri, a resident of the city but originally from a village in Ajmer district in Rajasthan, submitted a forged birth certificate to VMC officials for his daughter's Aadhaar card. Khatri claimed he got the certificate from a man in the Manjalpur post office.
Indian Express
2 days ago
- Indian Express
Disturbed Areas Act: HC directs Vadodara police to redress grievance of petitioner seeking to ‘enjoy property' bought in 2020
Stating that 'it is the duty of the state to maintain law and order', the Gujarat High Court has directed the Vadodara city police to remedy the grievance of a petitioner seeking police protection to 'enjoy their property' — four years after it ruled in favour of the petitioners following a controversy under the Disturbed Areas Act. In an oral order on June 19, Justice HD Suthar stated, 'Considering the orders passed in Special Criminal Application, Review Application as well as in Letters Patent Appeal, it appears that as the petitioners are owners of the property in question and they want to enjoy their property, (they) have approached the authority, more particularly the Police Inspector, Panigate Police Station, Vadodara on July 7, 2024… till date, nothing has been done…' According to the order, 'In view of the facts of the case and looking to the grievance of the petitioner, the respondent authority concerned is hereby directed to redress the grievance of the petitioner in accordance with law as it is the duty of the State to maintain the law and order. If any adverse outcome is there, the petitioners are at liberty to file appropriate proceedings before the appropriate forum.' The owners of the property, Onali Ezazuddin Dholkawal and Iqbal Hussain Asgarali Tinwala, had moved the court in 2024 seeking directions against the Vadodara city police, particularly Panigate police station, 'to facilitate and effectuate the petitioners to enter and use their commercial property and repair and rehabilitate it'. The petitioners cited notices received from the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) with warning of the property being in a dilapidated condition and ordered it to be repaired during the period of the long-drawn litigation under the Disturbed Areas Act with multiple petitions. 'The petitioners were receiving notices dated July 1, 2019, September 24, 2021, and June 26, 2023, along with undated notices affixed on the premises by VMC as the property is in a dilapidated condition and is dangerous for the neighbours. But since the petitioners were not being allowed to enter inside the property, the petitioners could not take any steps for the same,' the petition stated. Stating that the petitioners requested police protection to enter the property by way of representation dated October 9, 2021, and also filed a written complaint against the neighbours in April 2022, the petitions stated, 'But somehow, the protection is not granted and no action was taken by the city police and eventually, the petitioners avoided entering the property in order to prevent any law and order situation or untoward incident… The petitioners sought such police protection last April 2024. But unfortunately, even thereafter the petitioners have not been able to enter and use the property… the neighbours and local corporators are creating hurdles and law and order situation.' The petition pointed out that despite being 'assured police protection', the city police has denied the same 'under one pretext or the other'. The petition stated that on July 22, 2024, accompanied by the city police, the petitioners tried to enter the property but 'the neighbours, along with politically influential persons and particularly local corporators… obstructed the entry of the petitioners in presence of police. The said incident was videographed and thus some of the photographs were also taken, which shows the corporators and other persons objecting to the entry of the petitioners.' Following alleged threats, the petitioners also submitted a written complaint to the police the next day, seeking an FIR, 'which has not been filed.' The petition stated that the Vadodara City police 'failed to discharge their statutory duties and obligations', which has 'resulted in gross violation of the Fundamental Rights of Article 14, 19 and 21 as enshrined under the Constitution of India' and also a violation of the previous orders of the Gujarat HC. The case pertains to a property located in the old city area of Vadodara, which falls under the purview of the The Gujarat Prohibition of Transfer of Immovable Property and Provision for Protection of Tenants from Eviction from Premises in Disturbed Areas Act, 1991, also known as the Disturbed Areas Act. The petitioners had sought permission under the Disturbed Areas Act in August 2016 from the Deputy Collector, Vadodara, which was rejected vide in January 2017. Therefore, the petitioners appealed before the Principal Secretary, Revenue Department (Appeals), which was also rejected in June 2018. In March 2020, the HC ruled in favour of the petitioners in a Special Civil Application and granted permission under the Disturbed Area Act. Thus, the sale deed of the petitioners' property was registered December 15, 2020. Even as the petitioners were not allowed to enter their property, the HC order in the Special Civil Application was challenged by way of review petition being filed by some private persons who were panchas (independent witnesses) to the panchnama prepared for grant of permission. Some 'disgruntled neighbours' also filed an application for being joined in the said review petition, which was rejected by the Gujarat HC in March 2022. The HC, in August 2023, dismissed the Letters Patent Appeal of private persons and imposed costs of Rs 50,000 on two panchas who had raised an objection to the sale of a property. The HC had questioned the motive of the two panchas and noted that they had made their declaration, expressing their 'no objection' to the transfer in 2016, and hence, the court had upheld the sale to be valid and not a distress sale in March 2020. Commissioner of Police, Vadodara, Narasimha Komar was unavailable for comments on Saturday.
Time of India
2 days ago
- General
- Time of India
VMC to deploy 200 contract swimmers for monsoon rescue operations
Vadodara: For the first time in its history, the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) will engage 200 swimmers on contract for monsoon rescue operations, following a proposal cleared by the standing committee on Friday. The initiative comes in the wake of last year's unprecedented floods and aims to strengthen the city's emergency response system. The swimmers will be deployed for three months starting in July and will function as rescue volunteers under the fire department. According to officials, the swimmers will be hired through a contractor rather than directly by the civic body. A Mehsana-based agency has been selected for the task, and VMC will pay Rs 95.58 lakh for providing the trained personnel. "This is the first time swimmers are being brought in through such a contractual arrangement," said Sheetal Mistry, chairman of the standing committee. "The administration had earlier considered hiring them directly, but we eventually agreed to engage them through an agency." The civic body has already undertaken significant work on the Vishwamitri river, stormwater drains, ponds, reservoirs, and recharge wells, but officials said they were not willing to take any risks during the upcoming monsoon. VMC typically employs skilled workers, including some fire department drivers, through agencies on a daily-wage basis. The same system will be used to engage the swimmers.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Climate
- Time of India
Vishwamitri cleared for monsoon flow amid bullet train work
Vadodara: With the monsoon approaching, the National High Speed Rail Corporation Ltd (NHSRCL) has begun removing temporary obstructions from the Vishwamitri river to ensure unimpeded water flow in areas affected by the Ahmedabad-Mumbai Bullet Train project. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) and a Gujarat State Human Rights Commission (GSHRC)-appointed expert committee had raised concerns about blockages in the river and stormwater channels due to ongoing infrastructure work by NHSRCL and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). In response, officials from both agencies assured that all obstructions would be cleared before the onset of heavy rains. According to NHSRCL, the bullet train alignment intersects or runs alongside the Vishwamitri river at nine locations in and around Vadodara. The pier design adopted — circular in shape and spanning approximately 1.7km with 46 piers — has been engineered to allow unrestricted river flow, with pier diameters ranging from 4 to 5 metres, posing no hydrological obstruction. To prepare for the rains, NHSRCL reported that all construction debris, temporary crossings, and approach structures near the river have been removed. The agency has also implemented daily monitoring of water levels and flow rates during the peak monsoon season in major rivers. Additionally, NHSRCL highlighted its Crocodile Management and Conservation Plan, acknowledging the Vishwamitri's ecological significance as a natural crocodile habitat. The plan includes signage, emergency contacts, protective fencing and barricades to restrict crocodile movement into sensitive zones. Earlier this month, the project officials informed both the expert committee and VMC that several obstructions had already been removed, with remaining clearances and bank stabilisation works scheduled to be completed by June 15.
Time of India
4 days ago
- General
- Time of India
Scarred by deluge, Vadodara to hire 200 swimmers
1 2 3 Vadodara: After the unprecedented flood last year, the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) does not seem to want to take any chances. Despite extensive flood mitigation work being carried out, the civic body will be enlisting 200 swimmers for rescue operations in the city in case of any extreme situations. This is the first time in the city's history that the Vadodara Fire and Emergency Response will be hiring swimmers beginning July. VMC will spend nearly Rs 95.58 lakh as wages for these 'rescue volunteers' hired through a Mehsana-based private agency. The floods last Aug submerged the entire city for several days. Under widespread criticism over poor urban planning, a flood mitigation plan was taken up based on the recommendations of a govt-appointed committee. VMC has a system of getting workers through agencies on a contract basis and paying them daily wages. Some drivers in the fire department are also employed in this manner. The swimmers will be hired using the same route. "The conditions include providing trained swimmers along with fitness certificates. In case of an emergency, they will be posted in small groups at locations where flooding is imminent along with our personnel," said VMC chief fire officer Vinay Patil. Patil said that the swimmers were being enlisted as a precaution, as extra hands that can be used if the need arises. Once the swimmers arrive, the rotation of their duties and other details will be worked out. VMC chief fire officer Vinay Patil said that the swimmers were being enlisted as a precaution, as extra hands that can be used if the need arises. Once the swimmers arrive, the rotation of their duties and other details will be worked out. Patil added that the decision to pay daily wages was made to motivate swimmers and compensate them for income forgone for these three months. A proposal to engage the agency providing swimmers has been put up before the standing committee of the civic body. The civic body has completed several flood mitigation tasks, including re-sectioning of the Vishwamitri, dredging ponds, and increasing the capacity of the Ajwa and Pratappura reservoirs. The fire and emergency services department has begun testing rubber boats, including eight newly acquired ones, and other equipment.
