Brew ha ha after liquor tragedy

After spurious liquor claimed over two dozen lives in Ahmedabad on Tuesday,it was again apparent how Gujarat is a dry state in name only.

After spurious liquor claimed over two dozen lives in Ahmedabad on Tuesday,it was again apparent how Gujarat is a dry state in name only. It is also common knowledge that the illicit liquor trade operates with tacit support from the police department and its political masters. It was thus not entirely surprising when residents of Majoor Gam,a poor area of Ahmedabad where the spurious brew was sold,vented their ire at their government by tearing down hoardings projecting the Chief Minister and even beating them with brooms. The Opposition,meanwhile,caused an uproar in the Assembly and staged a walkout,leading to the suspension of 14 Congress MLAs.

No fireworks in BJP festival

Regardless of the role of a leader or party worker in the party,the BJP made it mandatory for them to get enrolled afresh as primary members. The drive sangathan parva,(organisation festival) was launched in Gujarat to a lukewarm response,even as the party has decided to enroll a minimum of 50 primary members in each of the 4,000-odd polling booths in the state. It wasnt quite the gala that the party was hoping for. There were barely 100 persons to attend the inaugural drive in Gandhinagar,while Chief Minister Narendra Modi made a symbolic launch at his official residence in the presence of around 10 partymen. It is hoped that therell be more of a festive spirit towards the end of the drive in November,when a new president of the state unit will be elected by renewed members.

Finally,state lives up to dry name

With the dry spell continuing well into this month,the government has been forced to release more water from the Sardar Sarovar Narmada dam. With water shortage complaints and reports of farmers switching crop patterns,the amount of water let out from the dam is more than what has been released over the past four years. The government has been forced to admit that the water supply situation has become somewhat difficult. So far this month,7,181 cusecs has been released,and not only that,authorities have been compelled to discontinue use of dam water for Riverbed Powerhouse,which supplies power to Maharashtra and MP.

Admission drive,but 10 days too late

Every year the state government embarks on an enrollment drive,known as Pravesh Utsav,with special focus on the girl child. It usually has all the top babus and ministers across the state involved in the bid to boost school admissions. Not this year. For one,the Pravesh Utsav started 10 days late thanks to a state-wide training programme for teachers. In the meantime,children had already taken admission. Officials also admitted that the drive was launched with less gusto this time because they were still recovering from gruelling Lok Sabha election duty.