Morbi (Gujarat), April 29 – A local court in Morbi on Tuesday dismissed the discharge plea filed by Jaysukh Patel, Managing Director of the Oreva Group, and nine other accused seeking relief from charges of culpable homicide in connection with the 2022 Morbi suspension bridge collapse that claimed 135 lives.

The tragedy occurred on October 30, 2022, when a colonial-era suspension bridge over the Machchhu River collapsed, leading to one of Gujarat’s most devastating civic disasters in recent history.

Principal Sessions Judge D. P. Mahida rejected the pleas, which sought discharge under Sections 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide) of the Indian Penal Code. The accused had not contested charges filed under Sections 336 (act endangering life or personal safety of others), 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life), and 114 (abettor present when offence is committed).

Government prosecutor Vijay Jani stated that the maximum punishment under Section 304 is life imprisonment, while Section 308 carries a maximum sentence of 10 years.

“Now that the court has rejected their discharge plea, charges will be formally framed against the accused, and the trial will commence,” said Jani.

Jaysukh Patel, whose company Oreva was responsible for the operation and maintenance of the bridge, was granted bail by the Supreme Court in March 2024. The company had signed a 15-year agreement with the Morbi municipality for the upkeep of the bridge, which had recently reopened after repairs before the incident occurred.

Two petitions are currently pending before the Supreme Court—one filed by a victims' association and another individual—seeking to include the Morbi municipality and the then district collector as accused in the case.

Out of the ten accused, eight have been granted bail by the Gujarat High Court. These include two managers and two clerks of the Oreva Group, three security guards, and one painter involved in bridge maintenance. One accused remains in judicial custody.

Morbi – A youth and two minors drowned in the Machhu river near Nava Sadulka village in Morbi district. The incident occurred when they slipped into deep water while bathing. Police and local residents have begun search operations.

This marks the third drowning incident in Gujarat in just four days. On May 12, four people drowned in the Dandi sea. Two days later, on May 14, seven individuals were swept away by the strong currents of the Narmada river in Rajpipla, Narmada district, with only one body recovered so far. The remaining six are still missing.

The series of drownings has highlighted the dangers of water-related activities during the summer holidays. Authorities are urging the public to exercise caution.

On Wednesday, a group of six minors and a youth went to bathe in the Machhu river. Unfortunately, a young man and two minors drowned after slipping into deep water. Nearby residents alerted the police and fire brigade, who are currently searching for the missing individuals.

Incident on May 12: A large number of people from Navsari and other districts visited Dandi beach on May 12 to celebrate the weekend. While enjoying the sea, seven people from three families were caught in strong waves. Despite rescue efforts by police, Home Guard personnel, and other swimmers, four people drowned. The deceased, all from the same family, were Sushilaben (mother), her sons Yuvraj (20) and Deshraj (15), and her niece Durga (17). Their bodies were recovered after an extensive search.

Incident on May 14: Ten residents of Amreli, now settled in Surat, visited Poicha in Narmada district. While eight of them were bathing in the Narmada river, seven were swept away by strong currents. This group included three children. Bhavesh Hadiya's body was found the following morning, while six others remain missing: Bharat Baldania, Arnav Baldania (12), Metraksh Baldania (15), Vraj Baldania (11), Aryan Jijala (7), and Bhargav Hadiya (15). Search efforts are ongoing.

These tragic incidents serve as a stark reminder of the importance of water safety and vigilance during recreational activities.

The Gujarat Police have heightened vigilance following the circulation of a video depicting three to four bikers riding with the Palestinian flag. The youths were observed traveling on their bikes, prominently displaying the flag. Authorities initiated an investigation upon the video's dissemination, as the bike's number plate is reportedly from Morbi district.

The viral video captures the bikers traversing a rural road, with the bike's number plate clearly indicating its origin in Morbi district, Gujarat. Police speculate that the video was filmed along the route to Kutch. As of now, the individuals involved have not been identified. Several videos depict the bikers with the Palestine flag, all showing the Morbi district number plate.

New Delhi, Jan 19 (IANS) The Supreme Court on Friday refused to interfere with an order passed by the Gujarat High Court granting bail to a key accused in the 2022 Morbi bridge collapse incident in which 135 people died.

A bench of Justices M.M. Sundresh and S.V.N. Bhatti dismissed the plea filed by a tragedy victims association challenging the grant of bail to Dineshkumar Dave, a manager of the Oreva company which was responsible for the bridge's operation and maintenance.

In an order in November 2023, the High Court had allowed the successive bail application by the accused saying that Dave was following the instructions of the Managing Director of the company and was not involved in the decision making process.

However, the bench of Justice Nirzar S. Desai had ordered Dave to "not enter into Rajkot and Morbi districts till the trial is over without prior permission of the Sessions Judge except for attending the court proceedings".

In a report filed before the High Court, the Special Investigation Team indicted Dave and other key personnel of the company of bearing direct accountability for the incident.

New Delhi, Nov 28 (IANS) The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is expected to continue with stricter measures to make a dent in the unsecured consumer credit, analysts said.

The recent surge in consumer/retail loans is largely supported by the unprecedented demand of these loans by consumers to meet their consumption growth.

Notwithstanding the rise in banks’ interest rates on fresh rupee loans by 1.9pp to 9.4 per cent during the past 18 months (up to Sep’23), personal loans have continued to increase 25 per cent YoY during the period, Motilal Oswal Financial Services said in a report.

A combination of high loan growth and rising rates confirm extremely strong loan demand. The lenders have been more than happy to meet this demand of loans by the retail sector, because the corporate sector was just not interested in bank loans or they shifted to other modes of borrowings (bond market or external borrowings), the report said.

Not surprisingly then, the share of the non-financial corporate (NFC) sector was down to 28 per cent of the banks’ loan book in 1QFY24, from 44 per cent a decade ago in FY13. As a corollary, the share of the household sector has increased to 56 per cent from 45 per cent during the corresponding period.

Our estimates of household debt service ratio (DSR) in India suggest that it has increased to 12 per cent in recent years, up from 10 per cent in FY13, much higher than other major economies with 2-3x household debt, Motilal Oswal Financial Services said in the report.

It means that a typical Indian household uses 12% of his annual income to meet its debt obligations, compared to a median of 8 per cent by 18 other nations, for which data is available.

The fact that this share has increased indicates that a larger and larger share of income is being used to meet debt obligations every year.

"Combine the rising share of debt servicing with a strong consumption growth, and lower savings should not come as a surprise to anyone,” the report said.

Overall, the RBI announcements do nothing to hurt the demand for unsecured retail loans, which, we believe, is one of the major factors for the surge in such exposures.

“Unlike the popular narrative, we have not been very optimistic about the impending revival in corporate investments during the past few years, and we do not have any reason to change our expectations for at least the next 2-3 quarters,” the report said.

Further, while it is true that the unsecured loans are the riskier segment, it must be noted that the financial position of India’s household sector has worsened markedly during the past decade.

Household total savings are estimated to have November 28 fallen to 18 per cent of GDP in FY23, from 22.5 per cent a decade ago in FY13 while the net financial savings (NFS) of household sector were at 47-year low of 5.1 per cent of GDP last year, the report said.

GANDHINAGAR, 7 October – With the 10th edition of the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit on the horizon, the entire state of Gujarat is bustling with preparations. As a prelude to the summit, scheduled from 10th to 12th January, the month-long 'Vibrant Gujarat-Vibrant District' program, which commenced on 2nd October, is spotlighting the unique products from all 33 districts under the 'One District One Product' (ODOP) initiative.

One such district garnering attention is Morbi, slated to host the 'Vibrant Gujarat-Vibrant Morbi' event on October 9. Minister of State for MSME, Jagdish Vishwakarma, will be present. Morbi, often referred to as India's ceramic capital, dominates the market with a staggering 90% share of the nation's ceramic products, derived from its 1000-plus manufacturing units.

Not just ceramics, Morbi's prominence stretches to various industries:

• Ceramics: Recognized as the second-largest global cluster, Morbi's ceramic sector has an annual turnover of approximately Rs 60,000 crore and employs around 4 lakh individuals. A highlight of its achievement is the Rs 20,000 crore worth of exports during 2022-23.

• Polypack Industry: Morbi is on the cusp of becoming a frontrunner in the polypack sector. Boasting 150 units producing 5 lakh metric tonnes of PP woven fabric each year, the industry's turnover stands at an estimated Rs 5500 crore, providing jobs to nearly 20,000 locals.

• Wall Clock Production: Contributing to 75% of India's wall clock output, Morbi houses 80-90 units. This industry churns out approximately 1.5 lakh wall clock pieces and gift articles daily, with a yearly turnover of Rs 600-700 crore.

• Additional Industries: Morbi's industrial landscape is further enriched by its 60 paper mill units and over 30 salt production units. The district also takes pride in its traditional clay work artisans.

With such diverse industries, Morbi stands as a testament to Gujarat's industrial prowess and will undoubtedly be a focal point at the forthcoming Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit.

Morbi, 1 October - In an act of reverence and remembrance, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel graced the solemn Ramkatha event held by esteemed storyteller Morari Bapu at Kabirdham, Nani Vavdi, Morbi. This unique storytelling, known as Manas Shraddha Katha, was dedicated to praying for the souls lost in the tragic Morbi bridge accident.

Expressing his gratitude for the opportunity to be part of the 924th Ramkatha, the Chief Minister extended his heartfelt tributes and prayers for the salvation of the accident's victims. "Listening to the enlightening tales narrated by Morari Bapu instills values of truth, love, and compassion. Such tales inspire us to lead a life filled with purpose and in the name of Ram," Patel remarked.

In a gesture of humility and respect, Chief Minister Patel bowed before the gathering and emphasized his commitment to realizing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision for India to ascend as a global frontrunner.

This spiritual gathering saw the presence of notable personalities, including Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Bhanuben Babaria, MPs Mohanbhai Kundaria and Kesaridevsinghji Jhala, and many more. Morbi's community leaders, devotees, and families impacted by the bridge accident convened, united in their shared sentiment of remembrance and hope.

In Gujarat, Morbi accident accused Jaisukh Patel has been admitted to a local hospital for immediate treatment following a sudden onset of chest pain. As per media reports Patel, the owner of Oreva Company, is currently lodged in jail and has been continuously applying for bail. He has been receiving a mattress and tiffin from his home while incarcerated.

Patel was taken to Morbi Hospital for treatment on Saturday due to his chest pain. The attending doctor advised him to consult with a neurosurgeon for further examination. A hearing on Patel's bail application took place in Morbi court recently, and a new date has been set for April 15.