In brief

Riot relief scam: HC orders action against accused
VADODARA: A Gujarat High Court bench,comprising A Dave,has asked Deputy Collector,Panchamahals,J N Vyas to initiate action against the accused in the Pandarwada 2002 riot relief scam. Five taluka development officials had allegedly siphoned off funds worth Rs 1.4 crore from riot rehabilitation packages meant for the victims. The judge asked the deputy collector to file a detailed action report for the next hearing on September 15.
According to the Public Interest Litigation filed by Junagadh-based Human activist Dr J B Panesuria,the scam could go well beyond Rs 6 crore.

Oppn leader writes to civic chief,alleges bias
Vadodara: The Opposition leader in the Vadodara Municipal Corporation has accused the municipal commissioner of acting under political pressure and promoting schemes floated by the Centre in the name of state government.
In a letter to Municipal Commissioner M K Das,Opposition leader Chirag Zaveri accused him of trying to help the BJP in the run up to the civic polls. Zaveri cited the instance of Garib Kalyan Mela,alleging the invitation for it made no mention of the UPA government,which has actually floated all the schemes.
“It has been mentioned that financial aid worth Rs 57.90 crore will be given to the poor in three Garib Kalyan Melas. But it did not mention the fact that 90 per cent of the funding for schemes comes from the Centre. Be it Golden Jubilee Urban Employment scheme,Slum Card scheme,National Family Welfare scheme,Janani Suraksha Yojana,Balika Samruddhi Yojana or Indira Gandhi Vay Vandana Yojana,the state government is publicising these under its name. If it is done officially,it shows the commissioner is trying to help the BJP in the forthcoming civic polls,” Zaveri alleged.
“The condition of the roads,drainage and drinking water facility is the worst and with the help of the administrative wing,the BJP is trying to cover up its ugly face with rosy banners of Garib Kalyan Mela,” he added.

Forest dept to plant one million saplings today
AHMEDABAD: The state forest department,in association with Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority (AUDA) and Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC),has planned to plant one million saplings this monsoon from Saturday onwards. Of these,two lakh trees will be distributed in regular course,while 1.5 lakh will be distributed on July 31. A similar plantation drive will be carried out in Surat and other cities.
The forest officials said they have applied to the Limca book and Guinness World Book of Record for their mass effort. Ahmedabad Chief Conservator of Forest Jagdish Prasad said: “The mega event could be the world’s largest event in terms of planting trees in a day.”