Yogesh Avasthi

NRI girls’ hostel, examination centre, guesthouse and computers worth crores lie unused at university; Vice Chancellor sets up committee to figure out how to utilise infrastructure Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Thursday, November 01, 2012 ( http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/article/2/2012110120121101025134804b52c2c4/Problem-of-plenty-at-GU.html) Gujarat University is plagued by the problem of abundance. The university spent crores to construct buildings and buy computers. And now, it is looking at ways to utilise the infrastructure. The problem is so grave that the university has set up a committee to contact experts in the respective fields for suggestions. GU built a new hostel block ‘Aatrayee’ for female NRI students close to Gujarat University Police Station. The 14-room hostel was built at a cost of Rs 70 lakh. It was ready a year ago. Finally, it was inaugurated by Governor Kamla in March. Admissions were over by July but no rooms were allotted. The building does not have

Another shocking incident of a three-month-old girl found abandoned in a rail compartment of Puri-Ahmedabad Express, seven months after Pari was found from another train Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Monday, October 29, 2012 (http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/article/2/20121029201210290255111604ebfa869/Then-it-was-Pari-now-it%E2%80%99s-Poonam.html) Exactly seven months after ‘Pari’ was found abandoned at the Ahmedabad railway station, another infant girl was found in a similar situation from a railway compartment. The baby who is believed to be around three months old, was found wrapped in a blanket in the 12843 Puri-Ahmedabad Express on Sunday morning soon after the train reached the Kankaria yard.   According to railway sources, the train reached Kalupur station at 8.30 am. Thereafter it was sent to the Kankaria yard. Safai kamdar (cleaner) Hitesh Parmar who was cleaning the coaches heard a wailing sound from S9 coach. On taking a closer look, he found a baby girl wrapped in

Lack of coordination between Gujarat Information Commission and General Administration dept a hurdle in RTI implementation Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Thursday, October 25, 2012 ( http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/article/3/20121025201210250216052646f030225/Why-RTI-is-a-weak-tool-in-state.html) Seven years after the RTI Act came into force, Gujarat still lags behind in the implementation of one of the most effective tools that holds government accountable and curbs corruption. And the apparent reason, say activists, is the lack of co-ordination between Gujarat Information Commission and RTI cell of General Administration Department (GAD). The two agencies instead of working for effective execution are busy passing the buck . NO DATA ON RTI PLEAS “Neither of the agencies have data on number of RTI applications filed at various government departments till date. Also, there are no figures on which department has received the highest number of RTI queries so far and which one ha

High-definition camera will be installed on rail engines to provide pilots a clear vision of tracks Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Thursday, October 25, 2012 (http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/article/3/2012102520121025021639936bc89f94c/Now-camera-to-avert-tragedies-on-tracks.html) To bring down train mishaps, Railway Board has proposed to install high-definition camera on rail engines to provide drivers a clear vision of tracks much in advance. The decision was taken at a safety meeting held in June where the higher-ups chose Ahmedabad Division for trial run. The initiative is said to be the first of its kind in the country. The input of high resolution camera fitted on the engine of trains will be received on the LED monitor placed in the locomotive pilot’s cabin. The trial was carried out on loco no 12412 WDG4 that runs between Ahmedabad and Gandhidham. “The Long Hood Sighting Device provides locomotive pilots and his assistant a clear vision of railway tracks. The camera bring

Ex-VC Parimal Trivedi, who joined MG Science Institute as a lecturer, orders HoD of physics department to get him a cabin, intercom facility and internet connection Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Wednesday, October 24, 2012( http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/article/2/2012102420121024044123608a0f5b269/Trivedi-clings-on-to-VC-status-throws-tantrums-in-college.html) Lecturer Parimal Trivedi seems to be suffering from the hangover of his vice-chancellorship days. Having served as Gujarat University’s VC for seven years, Trivedi perhaps finds it difficult to fit into his new role minus the privileges he enjoyed earlier. According to sources, the former VC who joined M G Science Institute as Physics lecturer four months ago, recently threw a fit when he was unable to access internet at the college. ‘HASN’T TAKEN A SINGLE LECTURE’  “He created a scene and even humiliated the department head. He ordered HoD U V Shah to get him a cabin, an intercom facility and internet connection and w

The cast of Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah were invited to a garba event, but no one came to receive them at airport for two hours Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Monday, October 22, 2012 ( http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/article/3/2012102220121022031914123b3ebd013/TV-celebs-left-in-the-lurch.html) The star cast of Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah who had been invited for a garba event in the city were stuck at the city airport after no official from the event management firm that invited the cast, came to receive them. According to the actors, Spastic, a city-based event management company, had roped in the unit of the famous daily soap for a promotional programme on Sunday evening at Prasang party plot near S G Highway. The actors landed in the city at 7 pm. “We arrived here at 7 pm and waited for quite some time. We tried to contact the event management firm when no one came to receive us. But to no avail. After much effort, we found out the phone number of the venue. When we c

The incident took place on Delhi-Ahmedabad train on Thursday. Cash and valuables amounting to Rs 5 lakh were stolen between Jaipur and Ajmer Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Monday, October 22, 2012  ( http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/article/3/20121022201210220314486085ff1b084/Heist-on-Rajdhani-15-purses-stolen.html) Known for its passenger service and speed, Rajdhani Express is fast gaining notoriety as an unsafe train to travel in. Three months after Mirror reported a series of thefts in Swarnajayanti Rajdhani Express, burglars struck the Ahmedabad- bound train again on Thursday night and made away with 15 handbags containing cash and valuables to the tune of Rs 5 lakh. Five of the victims are women passengers from Ahmedabad. According to sources, several passengers who lost their bags have not registered the theft. The incident took place in A2, A3 and A4 compartments of the train. On Friday morning, when the train reached Ahmedabad, an announcement was made asking the victims

Mihir Acharya (left) and Palak Srimali had requested access to answer sheets of subjects in which they had scored badly as the duo was confident they had done well Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Tuesday, October 16, 2012 Gujarat University in August had announced that it would allow students to access answer sheets under the Right to Information (RTI) Act. However, it seems the examination department of the university is unaware of this decision. Recently two students, who, after reading of the GU Council’s decision, applied for access to answer sheets under RTI, were denied permission by the examination department. Mihir Acharya and Palak Srimali, students of H K Arts College, were dissatisfied by their scores in the final TY BA examination conducted by the university. “I scored 19 in paper 9 – literary criticism. I was sure I would have scored more marks and hence applied for rechecking and re-correction in July. However, on September 10, I received correspondence from the GU