Gujarat Confidential: Lacking Clarity

The Gujarat government remained non-committal when asked if real-estate developers have given any “assurance or guarantee” to the government if they will refrain from passing on the costs of higher jantri rates to customers especially for land or paid FSI that the developers buy between February and April 15 — a period when new jantri rates have been kept in abeyance. “All the registrations happening till April 15 will be done as per the old jantri rates,” said Cabinet Minister Rushikesh Patel Tuesday. The minister kept quiet to a question on whether the government’s policy to charge an impact fee to regularise illegal  constructions, could possibly have an adverse impact, if an earthquake similar to one that struck Turkey, were to hit Gujarat.

Widening Gap

A “cold war” seems to be on between Surat Municipal Commissioner Shalini Agarwal and the elected BJP wing leaders, including Mayor Hemali Boghawala. On February 13, a meeting of SMC authorities with delegates of Rotterdam municipal body of Netherlands was scheduled at the SMC office where Agarwal was absent. A presentation on several development projects undertaken by the civic body was shown to the delegates at the meeting. Sources said that the meeting date and time were intimated to the elected wing leaders and the municipal commissioner five days in advance. Later in that evening, however, Agrawal held a separate meeting with the Rotterdam delegates at SUDA (Surat Urban Development Authority) office.

Not for all

The third convocation of Atmiya University (AU) last week had some very awkward moments. In the beginning, out of 10 research scholars, only seven, all of them males, were called on the stage to receive their degrees from Tyagvallabh Swami, president of AU, and other guests. After that, male graduates who had stood first in other courses were invited to collect their gold medals even as three women scholars who had qualified for PhD waited for their names to be announced. After handing over certificates and medals to male students, Tyagvallabh Swami left the dais. It was only after the Swami exited the dome that the three women researchers were called on to the stage. Once the round of awarding degrees to women graduates was over, Swami took the stage again to felicitate the chief guest.