Veraval Junagadh District News Gujarat India

Cement firm accused of illegal mining in Junagadh.

A leading cement company has been accused of illegal limestone quarrying over 320 hectares in Junagadh District over three years.

The Junagadh collector recently issued notices to the cement company as also farmers who had leased the land for the purpose without permission.

According to the notice, the Gujarat-based company quarried limestone on 120 hectares of farm land and 200 ha of cattle grazing land belonging to the gram panchayat.

Sarpanch Somabhai Chavda of Rampra village of Veraval Taluka in Junagadh lodged the complaint in a local court against the mining. He said the company encroached grazing land in the village to start its illegal operations.

Following the complaint, the state government’s geology and mining department sent a team to survey the claim and assess the extent of mining.

Team member R H Patel said the survey revealed that limestone mining had been illegally done on 120 ha of agricultural land under survey no. 87/P/9 and 87/P/7. Sources said, according to rules, the government is entitled to a royalty of Rs 2 crore for every hectare of land put under limestone mining.

Thus, the cement company which allegedly carried out mining on 320 hectares in Junagadh district would be liable to pay the government as much as Rs 640 crore in royalty.

Farmer and local BJP leader Razak Isabhai said he complained to Home Minister Amit Shah about the illegal mining on five occasions in the past.

Following this, he claimed he got threat calls from officials of the cement company.

Isabhai said he then wrote to the collector and sought police protection. He said he took up the matter as the illegal quarrying was causing the government a loss of about Rs 700 crore.

The survey report said the cement company also mined minerals from several plots of farm land and covered up the craters with rubble weighing at least 1,500 tonnes. Sources said the government plans to itself pursue the issue with the company after illegations of inaction by the district collectorate.

Veraval Junagadh District(Saurastra) Monsoon Varsad News

Residents wading through knee-deep water, commuters pushing their vehicles through water logged streets are common sight in Gujarat's Veraval District, where floods have led to massive water logging.

The residents struggle to reach offices on time. Much of the city went under water.

"Water has filled my house up to four feet. The administration is blind to our problems. There is food scarcity. We cannot even go to market," said Ashagar Husein, a resident.

The State administration is doing its utmost to provide relief to the flood-hit locals.

Machines have also been installed in various areas to flush out flood water.

Incessant rainfall for over a week had inundated many low-lying areas in this port city, submerging houses and other buildings.

Floods have ravaged many districts in Gujarat and over 3,000 families have been shifted to safer places in Junagadh, Porbandar and Jamnagar districts.

Agricultural lands with sown crops have been badly damaged. The overall losses caused by the heavy downpour are estimated to be millions of rupees.

Junagadh District - Mangrol Saurastra Monsoon Rain News

Heavy rains lash Gujarat, Over 850 families in Junagadh shifted.

Over 850 families in Veraval and Mangrol talukas of Junagadh Districts were shifted to safer and higher places following incessant rains for the past couple of days, district officials said today.

Relief camps have been set up for the displaced families where food packets and other necessary items were being distributed, they said, adding that water in many parts of Mangrol and Veraval have started receding since today morning.

"Four hundred families in Veraval taluka were shifted to higher grounds last night following heavy rains. In Mangrol over 480 families have been shifted till today," district officials said.

The Army has been on the stand by since yesterday in Junagadh district.

Till 0800 hours today, Junagadh district received 216 mm rainfall, Mangrol recorded 614 mm rainfall, while Veraval received 514mm, Malia 423mm and Sutrapada 322mm.