Jamnagar City News Gujarat India - Richard Hyde,UK Deputy High Commissioner

UK Deputy High Commissioner in search of his roots in India.

For Richard Hyde, the head of the newly-opened British Deputy High Commission here, his mission in India also includes a search of his roots.

Hyde's grandfather was born in Jamnagar in Gujarat and his father lived in Goa before moving to the UK, making him a person of Indian origin, though he was born in Britain.

And now he plans to visit Goa and Gujarat to see if he can find his extended family members in the two states.

"My father did not spend much time in Goa as a child. He left India when he was 15.

He was blind as well and left India for education. The rest of his immediate family - brothers, sisters and parents - also left after some years," Hyde said.

He said he is keen on searching for his cousins. "But the problem is they moved around as well.

My father's sister was born in Mumbai and brother was born in Karachi. He (my father) was born in Dhaka.

So it was a transient family." Hyde headed the British Trade Office here and in Hyderabad in the past two years, but did not get time to visit Goa and Gujarat because of hectic work.

"My family keeps telling me I must go. I plan to go with the family to Goa soon. I have committed to my family. I hope to find my roots. I need to go to Jamnagar also," he said.

Reliance Refinery Industries Jamnagar District News Gujarat India

RIL's Jamnagar refinery likely to get CISF cover from September

After having a second thought, the Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) has conveyed to the home ministry that it was keen to take CISF security cover for its Jamnagar refinery for its foolproof protection which is likely to be given next month.

"The Reliance has conveyed to us that they are now keen to take CISF security cover. The CISF personnel are likely to be deployed in Jamnagar sometime in September," a top Home Ministry official said. The RIL, which was among the first private companies to seek protection from the Central Industrial Security Force after the government's announcement that the paramilitary forces would be available for guarding private installations, had informed the Home Ministry last month that the company was reconsidering the request.

However, the official said, the company has recently made up its mind and subsequently informed the Ministry that it was ready to take the CISF security cover. The world's biggest Greenfield refinery got the in-principle clearance from the home ministry in this regard about three months back.

Central security agencies carried out exhaustive survey of the installation and decided to provide 100 personnel for it. Besides guarding, these personnel will provide training to security personnel of Reliance. The need for security cover to vital private installations was felt following intelligence reports that Pakistan-based terrorists might try to target these establishments by launching surprise attacks similar to the one in Mumbai last year.

The Centre has expanded the role of CISF from guarding government establishments to providing security to private installations in the wake of the 26/11 attack. Jamnagar refinery of Reliance is close to the Indo-Pak border in Gujarat which makes it vulnerable to terrorist attacks from the neighboring country.

Two schools are among the 77 organizations which have been asking security cover from the CISF. The government has already provided CISF security cover to the Bangalore premise of the Infosys. The demand for providing security net to private companies was felt after the Mumbai terror attack prompting the government to enact a law enabling the private sector to avail itself of CISF cover to guard against terror attacks.

Jamnagar City Rainfall Monsoon News Gujarat India

No heavy rains in state for a few days.

Monsoon has taken a break for a couple of days from the state. The state has so far received 65cm of rains against the national average of 96.09cm.

Kamljit Ray, director, India Meteorological Department, Ahmedabad, said, "For next two to three days, the state won't receive heavy rain. The existing system which was giving rains to the state has weakened. However, due to high moisture content in the atmosphere, thunderstorms and light showers will continue in isolated parts."

IMD officials are pinning hope on the next system which may develop in Bay of Bengal by September 2.

Rains also took a break from the city with only the new west zone and west zone receiving 0.15cm and 0.1cm rains respectively. There was no rain in any other part of the city, said a report from Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation control room. The city has so far received 45.75cm of rainfall.

In the state, in the last 24 hours ending at 8am on Sunday, Jodiya received 19.2cm of rain followed by Kalyanpur with 17cm. Both these talukas are in Jamnagar district. Apart from these, eight talukas received over 10cm of rainfall, while another 26 received more than 5cm of rain but less than 10cm. Till Monday morning, 43 talukas in the state had a dry day.

On Monday, from 8am to 4pm only 36 talukas received rainfall but it was less than 4cm. Of the total 26 districts, 11 haven't still received 50 per cent of their total annual rainfall.

Dams have 47.59 per cent water. Of the 193 dams in the state 46 are either overflowing or full, while another 20 have over 90 per cent of water of their storage capacity. There were still 31 dams in the state which had less than 20 per cent of water.