AHMEDABAD: The inspection of Adani Power Ltd (APL) and Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ) by a special committee of Ministry of Environment and Forest is likely to begin in Kutch from October 29.

A five-member team headed by Sunita Narain was formed by the ministry last month after allegations of violation of environmental and coastal regulatory zone (CRZ) norms were leveled against these two companies by a local fishermen's association - Machhimar Adhikar Sangharsh Sangathan (MASS) and another NGO named Kheti Vikas Sewa Trust (KVST).

Economist Says 10% Growth Doable, But Increasingly Difficult

Gandhinagar: Well-known economist Bibek Debroy, who shot into prominence after he quit the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation in 2005 following a controversial report where he rated Gujarat No. 1 in economic freedom index, has stated that it may not be sustainable for the state to continue with a high 10 per cent rate of growth in the coming years.

The government has cancelled its earlier permission for the Adani Group's Special Economic Zone (SEZ) over 1,840 hectares (ha) in Mundra (Gujarat), for violation of three rules.

Adani has a larger SEZ project in the same region and this is not affected by the government decision. Sources in the Union ministry of commerce and industry said Adani Ports and SEZ's project in question did not conform to the contiguity norms. And, breached a rule requiring the SEZ site to be vacant before approval was sought for the tax-free zone. Besides, the site was land-locked.

Vadodara Gas Company Ltd (VGCL), a city gas distribution (CGD) player joint promoted by Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) and GAIL Gas Limited is looking to expand its consumer base by adding 200,000 domestic consumers over the next five years.

With the existing base of about 75,000 domestic gas consumers and about 2800 commercial units, VMC believes that the GAIL Gas JV would help expand the existing CGD network in Vadodara and add about 30 new CNG stations in the city over the next five years, a VMC official informed.

Rajkot: The forest department with the help of local wildlife conservationists released Olive Ridley Turtles and Green Sea Turtles into the sea near Chanchbandar in Rajula taluka of Amreli district.

According to officials, Olive Ridley Turtles and Green Sea Turtles are known to nest along the Saurashtra coast. Considering the threats and steep decline in natural population of sea turtles, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has put them in the globally endangered species’ list and in India they are put in the Schedule 1 category of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, extending them highest degree of protection by law.

Gondal based company Hiramrut Energies Private Limited (HEPL) is setting up its second solar water heater manufacturing unit near Bavla. Under its solar water heater manufacturing arm, Sunray, HEPL is initially investing around Rs 35 crore, with a total investment of Rs 200 crore planned in next 3-4 years.

"We are setting up our next unit at Vasla village near Bavla taluka of Ahmedabad district. We have also signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Gujarat Government in the recent Vibrant Summit 2011 for an investment of around Rs 250 crore," said Bhavesh Dholaria, managing director of Hiramrut Energies Privet Limited.

Ahmedabad: The traditional middle-range housing and migrant population are going to set the rules for Ahmedabad’s real estate market in the coming years. A report on housing demand in eight big cities of India, suggest that Ahmedabad will see a fresh demand of 173,394 units for 2012-16. The report pegs the current supply of houses in Ahmedabad at 51,000 units.

Released by global real estate consultancy Cushman & Wakefield (C&W), the report ‘Evolving Paradigm - Future Of Indian Real Estate’ says that nearly 80% of the demand in the city will come from the mid-ranged category. The high-end category will make up for the remaining 20%.

AHMEDABAD: If you were to superimpose the recently declared map of Rs 15,000-crore 76-km Ahmedabad-Gandhinagar metro rail route over the Rs 1,350-crore BRTS network map, you'll notice that the buse

AHMEDABAD: With the harmful effects of mobile tower microwave radiations becoming a concern in major cities, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) over the past week has been feverishly counting the number of cell towers installed in the city-and looking for their proximity to schools, residential areas and hospitals.

The AMC , the Cellular Operators Association of India (CAOI) and an agency, Indus towers, are toying with the idea of introducing cellular street furniture-which are high masts that will be installed along main streets at close proximity, to cut down on radiation intensity.

GANDHINAGAR: Rattled by successive failures to create the required tourism infrastructure despite a sharp rise in tourist visiting Gujarat over the last few years, the state government is consideri