Yogesh Avasthi

Following Modi’s refusal to ‘inaugurate’ buildings the V-C himself had declared open, plaques bearing Dr Trivedi’s name re-installed By Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Wednesday, February 11, 2009 at 02:53:35 AM (Ahmedabad Mirror : http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?Page=article&sectname=News%20-%20Latest&sectid=2&contentid=2009021120090211025335241466f2156 ) Now, that’s what we call a quick response. On Tuesday, the discarded plaques bearing Gujarat University Vice-Chancellor Dr Parimal Trivedi’s name were back on the very buildings from which they were removed on V-C’s orders, just a day after Chief Minister Narendra Modi snubbed the varsity’s February 12 function.Ahmedabad Mirror had reported how Dr Trivedi tried to get Modi to ‘inaugurate’ a few buildings on GU campus, including those which the V-C himself had inaugurated, during a gala event planned for February 12 (Don’t waste your time, Modiji, January 31). To ensure that the chief minister doesn’t get a wind of the...

Railway Board files charge sheet against Ahmedabad divisional security commissioner By Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Tuesday, February 10, 2009 (Ahmedabad Mirror : http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?Page=article&sectname=News%20-%20Latest&sectid=2&contentid=2009021020090210024430616dd374fee ) Corruption, seat-cornering, gambling, bootlegging and illegal trading of goods: The Ahmedabad railway division is bedevilled with a number of vices, thanks to some rogue Railway Protection Force (RPF) jawans and officials.A special vigilance squad has reportedly found that some RPF jawans connived with touts and traders in carrying out o f unlawful activities at railway stations, yards and warehouses that are under the Ahmedabad division’s jurisdiction. Sources say the vigilance squad, which arrived in Ahmedabad from Delhi 15 days ago, has even filed a report against ASI Rajeev Ranjan, who headed the Special Task Force. The unit that Ranjan led was formed by the RPF to snare racketee...

Chief Minister Narendra Modi was scheduled to inaugurate seven buildings on February 12 but has decided to give it a miss ostensibly due to ‘busy schedule’. AM had reported how the university wanted him to open the premises which had already been inaugurated By Dilip Patel & Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Tuesday, February 10, 2009 (Ahmedabad Mirror : http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?Page=article&sectname=News%20-%20City&sectid=3&contentid=20090210200902100231582252a912dee ) In what could be seen as a major embarrassment to Gujarat University Vice Chancellor Parimal Trivedi, his plans to get Chief Minister Narendra Modi to inaugurate seven buildings on the varsity campus, three of which he himself had inaugurated in October last year, has flopped big time. The inauguration was to be held on February 12 following a gala function to be spearheaded by the VC. The programme has been postponed indefinitely. The reason: CM is busy with other programmes.On January 31, AM ...

Passengers unhappy with the extra berths introduced in long-distance trains can now post their opinions on Indian Railways’ website By Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Tuesday, February 10, 2009 at 02:31:35 AM (Ahmedabad Mirror : http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?Page=article&sectname=News%20-%20City&sectid=3&contentid=2009021020090210023134912c0c6db63 ) Following a mixed response from a cross-section of passengers over introduction of third side berth in compartments of long distance trains, the Railway Board has now posted a proforma for opinion poll for the modified sleeper coaches online.The form, seeking opinions regarding leg space, sitting space and overall comfort, can be accessed by passengers at http://www.trainenquiry.com/poll/OpPoll.asp The new coaches have been introduced in trains that pass through Ahmedabad — Lokshakti Express, Howrah Express, Siachen-Sayajinagari Express and Thiruvananthapuram-Bikaner Express. Nearly 25 per cent of railway bogies of passen...

Convinced that a curse was coming in their way to progress, 15,000 residents of Santej left the village lock, stock and barrel on Saturday evening and held a fresh ‘gruh pravesh’ on Sunday By Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Monday, February 09, 2009 (Ahmedabad Mirror : http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?Page=article&sectname=News%20-%20City&sectid=3&contentid=200902092009020902161169dc7c03cb ) TO WARD OFF A 900-YEAR-OLD CURSE, A VILLAGE NEAR AMDAVAD TURNED ITSELF INTO... While we fiddle with our Blackberrys, iPods and palmtops, extreme acts of superstition, like the Saturday evening incident at Santej village, about 16 kms from Ahmedabad, jolt us out of our comfort zone.To rid the village of a 900-year-old curse, Santej’s 15,000 residents on Saturday evening left their homes and moved out of the village. And not just men, women and children... even animals were ordered out of the village. They returned to Santej only on Sunday morning at an auspicious hour, and that too aft...

On Monday, rival unions joined hands to clean GU campus of election graffiti. See the change By Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Friday, February 06, 2009 at 02:36:02 AM (Ahmedabad Mirror cover story : http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?Page=article&sectname=News%20-%20Latest&sectid=2&contentid=200902062009020602360229440df56b7 ) The National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) and its bitter rival, the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), have fulfilled their promise of cleaning up the Gujarat University walls that were defaced during senate election campaigning. On February 3, Ahmedabad Mirror had reported that leaders of NSUI and ABVP had pledged to keep the university campus clean (Clean politics). On February 3, more than 70 members of NSUI and ABVP had gathered at the university to wash away poll grafitti. They had also removed posters of their candidates from the walls.Just three days later, the university walls are sparkling. Fresh coats of whitewash have been appl...

Class IX student Joel George is suspended after he attempted to slap the vice-principal on being told to go home after school was over By Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Friday, February 06, 2009 (Ahmedabad Mirror : http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?Page=article&sectname=News%20-%20City&sectid=3&contentid=2009020620090206022821497cb1b567c ) A student of St Xavier’s Loyola high school attempted to slap the vice-principal following an argument, and was promptly shown the door on Wednesday. The boy ’s parents were called to the school a day later on Thursday and told he was being suspended for 10 days.Class IX student Joel George was suspended after he tried to slap Fr Raj on being rebuked for disobedience. The incident occurred after school hours around 1.45 pm when some senior students stayed back on the campus to play. Fr Raj asked the noisy bunch to leave for home since school was long over. Most of the six-seven boys playing there left, but George held his ground and arg...

Conflicting information on energy resources has been provided in class X social science and science & technology textbooks, which are published by the state education board By Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Thursday, February 05, 2009 (Ahmedabad Mirror : http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?Page=article&sectname=News%20-%20City&sectid=3&contentid=2009020520090205022842638a7dfbd57 ) Contradictory facts about the same topic, energy resources, in two different state board textbooks has baffled class X students, who are preparing for final examinations begi nning March 17.Students don’t know whether they should memorise the facts mentioned in social science textbook or science & technology textbook. The textbooks have been published by the Gujarat State Board of School Textbooks, which recently claimed that it had rectified errors in its publications. “There is a chapter on energy resources in social science and science & technology textbooks. However, conflicting in...

Jaipur-Bandra Aravali Express had eight 72-berth coaches instead of 81-berth compartments By Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Wednesday, February 04, 2009 (Ahmedabad Mirror : http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?Page=article&sectname=News%20-%20City&sectid=3&contentid=200902042009020402413515456582bc8 ) Several passengers of Jaipur-Bandra Aravali Express spent sleepless night on Monday despite having confirmed tickets, while few others cancelled their journey due to a goof-up by railway authorities. The train comprised eight 72-berth coaches even as 81 passengers had confirmed tickets to travel in each.The express train leaves Jaipur at 8.45 am everyday. Its scheduled arrival time to Ahmedabad is 10.10 pm. When the train reached Ahmedabad on Monday night, around 25 passengers with confirmed tickets were shocked to find there was no room on the train. The passengers travelling from Jaipur on the train explained to their Ahmedabad counterparts the reason behind the overcrowding...

Sworn rivals – NSUI and ABVP – join hands to clean university campus of election graffiti. Pledge to keep campus clean By Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Tuesday, February 03, 2009 (Ahmedabad Mirror : http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?Page=article&sectname=News%20-%20Latest&sectid=2&contentid=2009020320090203023415575bc79d813 ) Members of two rival students’ unions, notorious for driving educational institutes up the wall by defacing their campuses during senate elections, started a drive to wipe their ‘war paint’ off Gujarat University (GU) walls on Monday. Over 70 members of the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) and Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) gathered at the university at 3 pm, and began washing out ‘poll graffiti’ scrawled on walls. The members removed posters of candidates who contested Sunday’s student senate elections, and put white paint on some of the walls. Much to the surprise of varsity officials, the members also vowed not to deface walls ...

ABVP flies a voter from Delhi to A’bad ahead of Gujarat University’s student senate elections on Sunday By Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Sunday, February 01, 2009 at 03:22:48 AM (Ahmedabad Mirror : http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?Page=article&sectname=News%20-%20City&sectid=3&contentid=200902012009020103224829518715625 ) specially flown to election venues is a privilege not just of the Members of Parliament. A Law student from Amdavad on Saturday evening experienced the thrills and benefits normally reserved for MPs when governments face a no-confidence motion!Ahead of Gujarat University’s student senate elections on Sunday, the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) decided to fly one of its voters, Manhar Chaudhary, from Delhi to Ahmedabad on Saturday evening. After casting his vote, Chaudhary, a student of Motilal Nehru Law College, Lal Darwaja, will fly back to Delhi, where he is currently training for Indian Administrative Service (IAS) exams.When AM contacted ...

Dr Parimal Trivedi wants CM Modi to inaugurate buildings the V-C himself had previously declared open By Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Saturday, January 31, 2009 (Ahmedabad Mirror cover story : http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?Page=article&sectname=News%20-%20Latest&sectid=2&contentid=2009013120090131034015500799708a2 ) Inevitably, Gujarat University Vice-Chancellor Dr Parimal Trivedi finds himself in the news. This time around, he is all set to get the unsuspecting chief Minister, Narendr a Modi, inaugurate around seven buildings on the university campus, of which three were inaugurated by Dr Trivedi himself on October 31, 2007 ! Dr Trivedi will spearhead a gala function on February 12, where Modi is scheduled to inaugurate buildings housing Gujarat University’s Convention Centre, Information Centre, Department of Defence Studies and Professional Courses, Home Science Department, Human Genetic Centre, Educational Media and Research Centre and Geo-informatic Climate Ch...

By Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Saturday, January 31, 2009 at 03:25:43 AM (Ahmedabad Mirror cover story : http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?Page=article&sectname=News%20-%20Latest&sectid=2&contentid=2009013120090131032543265141241f4 ) The suspension of Upasana Thakore, a class VII student of Mount Carmel School, was revoked on Friday evening. Upasana was suspended from school following a fracas over she skip ping her second mid-term exam to take part in the girls’ under-14 national basketball event. The letter revoking the suspension was delivered to Upasana’s residence by a school peon at 8.30 pm on Friday. Signed by principal Priscilla Lobo, it stated: “Without prejudice to rights and contentions for suspending your daughter for the reasons mentioned in the (suspension) letter, in the interest of your daughter’s academic career, we are hereby permitting her to attend all normal school activities from Monday, 02/02/09.” It goes on: “Please note that our rules do not en...

Students contesting for seats in GU Senate are using e-mail, SMS, social networking sites, blogs and more to get in touch with a large number of voters in short time By Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Saturday, January 31, 2009 (Ahmedabad Mirror : http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?Page=article&sectname=News%20-% 20City&sectid=3&contentid=200901312009013103252018735f3a3f3 ) Walls covered with posters and leaflets scattered on the grounds are proof that it’s e lection time at Gujarat University. The election to students’ senate will be held on February 1. And the campaigning has risen to a frenzy with most of the 47 candidates distributing pamphlets and sticking large posters around campus. But there are some candidates who have taken a ‘hi-tech’ path. Their strategy not only covers the large voters’ base but is also eco-friendly. The students who have adopted this approach are Rushabh Pandya from MG Science College and Nachiketa Jha from F Y Seth C L Commerce College — cont...

District Education Officer says Mount Carmel cannot suspend class VII student Upasana Thakore only because she spoke about her problems to the media By Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Thursday, January 29, 2009 at 03:04:44 AM (Ahmedabad Mirror cover story : http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?Page=article&sectname=News%20-%20Latest&sectid=2&contentid=2009012920090129030444734fedbbd63 ) The District Education Officer, Ahmedabad city, on Wednesday said that a student airing her grievances against her school on a TV channel is not sufficient reason to suspend her. DEO P B Gadhvi was responding to the issue of Mount Carmel High School suspending its class VII student Upasana Thakore, 13, for allegedly going to the media with her grievances against the school. The Thakore family contended that they talked to the TV channel after it approached them following the school’s threat to declare Upasana fail and suspend her for skipping her mid-term exam to represent the state in the gi...

Parents of Class VII student Upasana Thakore, punished by Mount Carmel School, say media was the last resort. They had met the principal and submitted an application for retest earlier By Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Thursday, January 29, 2009 at 02:50:17 AM (Ahmedabad Mirror : http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?Page=article&sectname=News%20-%20City&sectid=3&contentid=200901292009012902501693748e26aca ) Suspended student’s mother sets the record straight... Upasana Thakore, a class VII student of Mount Carmel School, Navrangpura, who was suspended following a fracas over the school’s refusal to give her a re-test after she skipped her second mid-term exam to take part in the girls’ under-14 national basketball event, may just have been a victim of misunderstanding. The school authorities suspended her for talking to the media about her problem. In a letter, dated January 27, Mount Carmel authorities informed Upasana, 13, that she has been suspended for giving an intervie...

How did Mount Carmel principal, Prescilla Lobo, reward her class 9 student, Upasna Thakore, for participating in the National School Games? SHE THREW HER OUT By Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Wednesday, January 28, 2009 ( Ahmedabad Mirror : http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?Page=article&sectname=News%20-%20Latest&sectid=2&contentid=200901282009012803380135938d474a0 ) While most schools would encourage and take pride in their students taking part in a national sports event, one city school has taken a very different approach and asked its student to repeat the year for missing a mid-term exam for sports. Upasana Thakore, 13, a class VII student of Mount Carmel School, Navrangpura, has been dismissed from school for skipping her second mid-term exam to take part in the girls’ under-14 national basketball event. The girl’s parents are crying foul claiming they had got the requisite leave approved from the school in time, and that the school was aware of the girl’s particip...

A day after LionTel workers struck work over salary, the BPO promises payments by Feb 5 By Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Saturday, January 24, 2009 (Ahmedabad Mirror : http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?Page=article&sectname=News%20-%20Latest&sectid=2&contentid=2009012420090124213528311aad3d74d ) Friday was a red-letter day for around 160 workers of LionTel Info Solutions Private Limited, a UK-based BPO having its office on C G Road, who were not paid their Decembe r salary. After Ahmedabad Mirror highlighted their plight following a protest strike by some workers on Thursday (No pay, no work, January 22), the BPO top brass issued assurance notes on company letterhead to all staff within 24 hours, assuring them a combined salary for December-January latest by February 5. The note, a copy of which is in Ahmedabad Mirror’s possession, reads: “The management at LionTel Info Solutions Pvt Ltd would like to reiterate how proud, honoured and lucky we feel to have such a loyal, ...

Furious over non-payment of their December salary, workers at LionTel Info Solutions stopped work on Wednesday By Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Friday, January 23, 2009 (Ahmedabad Mirror : http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?Page=article&sectname=News%20-%20Latest&sectid=2&contentid=2009012320090123183637609d23e6a8e ) UNITED WE STAND: LionTel workers protesting outside their company office on C G Road on WednesdayAround 90 employees of the Ahmedabad centre of the UK-based LionTel Info Solutions Private Limited, walked out of their office on C G Road on Wednesd ay after the management failed to pay them their December salary. Irate workers told the higher-ups in the company that they will resume duty only after their salaries are deposited in their bank accounts.LionTel Info Solutions, a UK-owned offshore multimedia contact centre based in Ahmedabad, is operational since the last three years. The workers, who were miffed with the attitude of the BPO management, who kept dil...

The state textbook board, grappling with excess funds that are in I-T’s crosshairs, plans to give NID-designed desks to students of govt schools By Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Wednesday, January 21, 2009 at 02:22:49 AM (Ahmedabad Mirror : http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?Page=article&sectname=News%20-%20City&sectid=3&contentid=2009012120090121022249187a230256c ) GSTB Chairman Madhu Patel with the deskAround 4 lakh students of government-run schools will get writing desks designed by NID, thanks to the Income Tax (I-T) department, which has slapped a notice on the Gujarat State School Textbook Board (GSTB).The GSTB, which has its office in Gandhinagar, apparently has huge sums of money that have been lying unused for the past few years. A source says the GSTB has amassed the money by printing textbooks at a cost which is lower than the one mentioned in the budget approved by the state government. The I-T department had served a notice on the GSTB, asking it to pay tax ...