Scrap leads to long queue

The state’s busy ports, known for their smooth services, are choked with hundreds of containers waiting to be inspected by Customs auth...

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The state’s busy ports, known for their smooth services, are choked with hundreds of containers waiting to be inspected by Customs authorities. After shells, which came as metal scrap, exploded in a Ghaziabad factory, Customs authorities have been asked to check each container that lands at the three main ports — Kandla, Mundra and Pipavav. Authorities are taking no chances, insisting on inspecting the containers which land by the hundreds every day at the ports. Their task has become more important because shells, grenades and ammunition have been found in three places in the state, and authorities are worried explosive scrap may have made its way into scrap workshops elsewhere.

Lone appointment has MLAs sit up

Chief Minister Narendra Modi has been averse to the idea of appointing chairpersons to the various government-owned boards and corporations and has been delaying it since December 2002. However, the CMO last week almost secretly appointed former Ahmedabad Mayor Bhavna Dave as chairperson of the State Social Welfare Advisory Board, creating a flutter. The buzz was the much-awaited appointments to 30-odd boards and corporations were finally coming. A couple of MLAs, in the hope of landing a post, even made the right noises accusing the government and ministers of ignoring development in their respective constituencies. But the excitement was short-lived as Dave’s appointment appears to be an exception. With the state government rigorously pursuing restructuring of PSUs, Modi is learnt to have made his mind clear that boards and corporations were better off with bureaucrats running them.

Wanted for state: A full-fledged DGP

Gujarat has not had a full-fledged DGP for the past nine months. DGP in-charge A.K. Bharghav has been holding charge of the post. After DGP K. Chakravarthy retired on January 31, 2004, Bharghav has been appointed as in-charge DGP. He also holds additional charge of another important post, DGP of Anti-Corruption Bureau, besides being the MD of Police Housing Corporation. Now, with 2,000 closed riot cases being reviewed under the Supreme Court’s orders, officers feel the need for a full-fledged DGP since he heads the review committee.

Infighting adds to PCC chief’s woes

The factionalism in the state Congress had gone under the mat after the party’s impressive showing in the Lok Sabha polls. But the turmoil is back with the recent Assembly bypolls shattering the party’s — or rather its state unit chief B.K. Gadhvi’s — confidence. Contrary to Gadhvi’s projectons, the party lost two key Assembly constituencies. Following this, Gadhvi finds himself in the line of fire. He was called to Delhi by the Congress high command to explain the bypoll losses. Back in Ahmedabad, he was welcomed by an intensified lobbying from disparate factions for the post of the Opposition leader of Assembly. Sensing Gadhvi’s loosening hold on the party unit, the high command has decided to send two Central observers — Oscar Fernandes and Mukul Wasnik — to Ahmedabad later this week to resolve this issue. Meanwhile, what’s made matters worse for Gadhvi is renewed rebellion among partymen in the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation.