In Brief

VMC’s claims go down the drain
Vadodara: The heavy rains in Vadodara on Friday washed away Vadodara Municipal Corporation’s claims about its storm water channels,with almost all the roads in the city remaining waterlogged for the better part of the day.
Roads in walled city areas like Champaner Darwaja,Mandvi,Tarsali,Makarpura,Chhani and Nizampura and in western parts like Alkapuri,Gotri and Gorwa were submerged even as the storm water channels gave up.
VMC officials,however,maintained the waters receded within a few hours.
“Five inch rain is sufficient to create waterlogging in any city. The intake was much higher than the output of the storm water channels and hence the waterlogging. But situation was normal within a few hours as the water receded fast. It would another few years for an ideal setup once we complete all the relevant projects,including the storm water channels and re-sectioning of Vishwamitri River,” said Vadodara Mayor Balkrishna Shukla.

Powerloom factory owners accused of violating labour laws
SURAT: Members of Dakshin Gujarat Kamdar Association (DGKA) today submitted a memorandum to Surat District Collector A J Shah,alleging that owners of power loom factories on the Ved Road were violating the labour laws.
They accused the owners of not giving the minimum wages,proper salary slips and other facilities to the labourers.
They requested Shah to send a team to the industrial area and verify the facts mentioned in the memorandum and if possible try to implement the factory rules on the owners.
DGKA general secretary Urmila Rana said: “We have come across injustice done to the labourers,who are not even given rise in the salary. We have demanded that strict actions should be taken against those found guilty.”

7 foreign nationals found unconscious near Veraval coast
Rajkot: Seven foreign nationals were found in an unconscious state in a boat near Veraval coast by the local fishermen,Indian Coast Guard officials said. They added that the seven have been admitted to the Veraval general hospital as their physical condition appeared to be weak. The foreigners claimed they were fishermen from Somalia. They said they had gone into the sea near their country for fishing on May 24 when pirates robbed them and damaged their boat. But they managed to get hold of another boat,which started drifting in the sea and somehow came here. Coast Guard officials said communicating with them is very difficult as they cannot speak English. Veraval Deputy Superintendent of Police V D Gohil said the seven “appear to be fisherman”,but there will be a joint investigation by various agencies,including IB,in the incident.

Ketan Desai’s wife moves CBI court for anticipatory bail
AHMEDABAD: Dr Alka Desai,wife of Ketan Desai,has moved a transit anticipatory bail application before a special CBI court in Ahmedabad in connection with a disproportionate assets case in which her husband is also an accused. Her lawyer,R J Goswami,said they have moved the petition with a prayer to direct the CBI not to arrest her for one month till she moves a regular anticipatory bail petition in the CBI court in Delhi. One of the grounds Alka has stated to support her application is that she is a gynaecologist and runs a hospital. The petition will be heard on July 8.