Precaution for kite-flying festivities: Civic body suspends all BRTS services in Surat, only 30% city bus services to function today

With the decision of the SMC, citizens may face significant difficulties with auto rickshaw and taxi services are likely to take advantage of such a situation.

“With Uttarayan falling on Wednesday, citizens celebrate the festival the next day as well. People fly kites, catch them, and then fly them again during the festival, even on roads, which may result in accidents involving city and BRTS buses. The SMC, along with Sitelink (a private agency holding contracts of running City buses and BRTS buses), has made the decision to avoid such accidents,” an SMC official said.

Special ward, bird camp

Surat New Civil Hospital authorities have set up a special ward to treat people during the Uttarayan festival. The Sahastrafana Parshwanath Charitable Trust of Gopipura in Surat, in collaboration with the Surat Nursing Staff Association, has set up a camp at the Civil Hospital in Surat to treat injured birds. A helpline service with toll-free numbers has been set up on the hospital campus.

Gujarat Nursing Association secretary Ikbal Kadiwala, who is based in Surat, said, “We have a group of volunteers with veterinary doctors from NGOs. Once we receive calls in our helpline from the public about injured or trapped birds, our volunteer team will go to the spot to treat them or rescue them from trees or power lines. If the birds are severely injured, they will be brought to the camp and treated.”

Synthetic threads seized, factory owner arrested

Ahmedabad Special Operation Group officials along with Silvassa police of Dadra and Nagar Haveli (Union Territory) seized banned synthetic threads worth over Rs 1.50 crore from a factory at Dadra Demni road in DNH, a few days ago.

Police said the factory is run by one Virenkumar Patel, resident of Vapi in Valsad district, and his accomplice Javed Mirza of Vapi. Acting on a tip-off, the Ahmedabad SOG cops arrested Virenkumar Patel from Jivraj Park in Ahmedabad on Tuesday, sources said.

Talking to the Indian Express, Ahmedabad SOG police inspector S N Ramani said, “We seized banned synthetic threads sold by retailers from different areas in Ahmedabad, a few days ago. We booked 5 persons in five cases for selling banned threads and violating the government notification. During interrogation, the sellers disclosed that they bought it from a dealer. On questioning, the dealer led us to the factory in DNH. We reached the factory a few days ago and with the help of the Silvassa police, conducted raids and seized a large consignment of synthetic threads manufactured there. These threads are made from plastic waste bottles.”
“Virenkumar Patel said that he had been running such a factory for the last two years. The synthetic threads are sold to retailers and wholesalers in different districts in Gujarat,” Ramani said.