Bhuj (Gujarat) (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday inaugurated Smriti Van memorial, which celebrates the resilience shown by people during the devastating 2001 earthquake in the Kutch region of Gujarat.
Modi said Smriti Van is a tribute to the lost lives and the remarkable fighting spirit of the people of Kutch.
The grand structure, which is the first such memorial in the country according to a Gujarat government official, is spread over 470 acres on Bhujio Hill near Bhuj town.
It celebrates the spirit of resilience in the wake of the death of nearly 13,000 people during the earthquake on January 26, 2001, which had its epicentre in Bhuj.
The memorial carries names of the people who lost their lives during the earthquake. It also has a state-of-the-art Smriti Van Earthquake Museum.
PM Modi, who is on a two-day Gujarat visit, on Sunday inaugurated the first phase of the project, spread across 170 acres on the hill.
After the inauguration, Modi, accompanied by Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, took a stroll inside the museum premises where officials and tour guides informed him about its various aspects.
Notably, it was PM Modi who came up with the idea of setting up such a memorial when he was the chief minister of Gujarat, officials earlier said.
The museum showcases Gujarat's topography, rebuilding initiatives and success stories after the 2001 earthquake, and informs about different kinds of disasters and future readiness for any type of disaster.
It also has a block to relive the experience of an earthquake with the help of a 5D simulator and another block for people to pay homage to the lost souls.
Many people from Kutch district, especially from Bhuj, were among those killed in the earthquake, which had its epicentre near Chobari village of Bhachau taluka, about 20 km from Bhuj town.
One of the key attractions of this project is a special theatre where visitors can experience an earthquake through vibration and sound effects.
The museum, having eight blocks and spread across 11,500 square meters, will showcase the Harappan civilisation of this region, scientific information regarding earthquakes, Gujarat's culture, science behind cyclones and Kutch's success story after the earthquake, a government release said.
There are also 50 audio-visual models, a hologram, interactive projection and virtual reality facilities at the museum for visitors.
Bhujio Hill was a military base for former rulers of the Kutch region. It has a 300-year-old fort, which was also repaired and restored under this project.
Nearly three lakh trees were also planted on the hill using the Miyawaki method, the release said.
Other attractions include 50 check dams, a sun point and pathways with an overall length of eight kilometres, 1.2 km of internal roads, a 1 MW solar plant and parking facility for 3,000 visitors, it said.
As a tribute to 12,932 people who lost their lives in the earthquake, their names area etched on the walls of the check dams.
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Vijayapura (Karnataka), Feb 18 (PTI): In a major crackdown on illegal firearms in this district, the police have arrested nine people and seized 24 live cartridges.
Briefing reporters on Tuesday, Vijayapura Superintendent of Police Laxman Nimbargi said the police intensified their investigation following the murder of Satish Prem Singh Rathod on January 28.
On that day, Ramesh Lamani shot and killed Satish Rathod at Arikeri Tanda in the Vijayapura Rural police station limits, he said.
Six people were arrested and remanded to judicial custody in connection with the case.
Sagar, alias Suresh Rathod, was arrested on February 13.
Nimbargi said that during interrogation, Sagar revealed that he had procured the pistol from Madhya Pradesh and supplied it to Ramesh Lamani.
Police also discovered that he had been bringing country-made pistols from Madhya Pradesh and supplying them to various individuals, he added.
"During our raids at various locations, we recovered nine country-made pistols and 24 live cartridges. In connection with this, we arrested nine people: Prakash Rathod from Vijayapura, Ashok Pandre, Sujit Rathod, Sukhdev Rathod, Prakash Rathod from Sindagi Taluk, Ganesh Shivaram Shetty, Channappa Mallappa Naganur, Santosh Rathod and Janardan Pawar," the Superintendent of Police said.
He added that the police are further interrogating the nine suspects.
"Sagar used to sell these pistols for somewhere between Rs 50,000 and Rs 1 lakh each. He has been doing this for the past five years. While working as a truck driver, he came in contact with a person from Madhya Pradesh from whom he used to procure the pistols," Nimbargi said.