Earlier, on Saturday night, at a function in Gandhi Smruti Bhawan, Patel gave awards to journalists working in the city. A number of other dignitaries, including Union Minister Kashiram Rana, Mayor Bhikhabhai Boghra and noted preacher Prafful Shukla, also spoke during the function organised by the Surat Shahar Patrakar Sangh.

While Amrut Vadia, editor of Sandesh was given the Lalbhai Contractor award, Manoj Mistry (Gujaratmitra), Himanshu Bhatt (Dhabkar) and Raju Salunke (Sandesh) received the Dahiben Contractor awards. Among others who received awards were Kalpesh Shah, Himanshu Patel, Jayesh Brahmbhatt, Vipul Patel and Keshav Rathod -- all reporters -- while Dilip Ramsha was given the best photographer award.

Dr Y S Purohit, head of the department, has been working on these areas for a long time, the release added.

The university release, while listing down future plans, said the university will soon make separate buildings for six different departments, at present operating from the Humanities department. Separate sections for the Rural Development, Botany, Biology, Aquatic Biology, Bio-Physics, Bio-Chemistry and other departments will be taken up soon. The university also plans to construct an outdoor-indoor sports complex in near future.

The Chief Minister was also present as the chief guest during the opening of a new water treatment plant at Katargam Water Works on Sunday morning. The plant will have a daily purification capacity of 1,200 lakh litres and more than four lakh persons will get drinking water after it starts operation. Many civic body officials including civic commissioner G P Mohapatra and Mayor Bhikhabhai Boghra were present at the function. The civic commissioner announced that the whole of Surat will receive drinking water through pipelines before the end of 20th century.

He added that other projects which will soon be completed include setting up of pipeline networks in Limbayat, Althan, Bhestan and Dindoli areas;

building of underwater tanks in Rander, Dumbhal and Pandesara areas; setting up a 1,200-lakh litre water treatment plant and 2,400-lakh litre intake well at Sarthana and setting up pipe networks in the walled city along with the Varachha-Kapodara areas.