Junagadh, Jamnagar,Bhavnagar District(Saurastra) Development News

Gujarat seeks World Bank aid to develop infrastructure.

The Gujarat government has sought an Rs.705-crore ($146-million) aid package from the World Bank to upgrade urban infrastructure in 10 townships, a senior government official said Monday.

The official at the department of urban development said the amount, if sanctioned, would be used to upgrade infrastructure in the towns like Bhavnagar, Jamnagar, Junagadh and Veraval so that these areas could attract more industrial investments.

The state government has already told the World Bank that it would invest Rs.30 crore to upgrade infrastructure in these townships.

The government has earmarked Rs.400 crore in the budget for 2009-10 for upgrading civic amenities.

Junagadh District - Mangrol Saurastra Monsoon Rain News

Heavy rains lash Gujarat, Over 850 families in Junagadh shifted.

Over 850 families in Veraval and Mangrol talukas of Junagadh Districts were shifted to safer and higher places following incessant rains for the past couple of days, district officials said today.

Relief camps have been set up for the displaced families where food packets and other necessary items were being distributed, they said, adding that water in many parts of Mangrol and Veraval have started receding since today morning.

"Four hundred families in Veraval taluka were shifted to higher grounds last night following heavy rains. In Mangrol over 480 families have been shifted till today," district officials said.

The Army has been on the stand by since yesterday in Junagadh district.

Till 0800 hours today, Junagadh district received 216 mm rainfall, Mangrol recorded 614 mm rainfall, while Veraval received 514mm, Malia 423mm and Sutrapada 322mm.

Junagadh (Saurastra) District Gujarat India- Groundnut News

NCDEX unveils new deal for groundnut.

National Commodities & Derivatives Exchange Ltd (NCDEX), one of the leading commodity exchanges in the country, has launched on its Futures trading platform a new contract for groundnut (in shell) on Friday.

The new contract will be offered for groundnut originating from Bikaner in Rajasthan.

The new contract is scheduled to run along with the old futures contract for groundnut (in shell), based on delivery from Junagadh Gujarat.

Introduction of one more futures contract for groundnut in shell (ex-Bikaner) will help commodity traders to hedge their risk in an efficient way and also lead to a better price discovery in the physical market, said NCDEX in a press statement.

Initially, the contract expiring in the months of August 2009, November 2009 and December 2009, will be available for trading on July 10, 2009.

Currently, it offers futures trading in 57 commodities in agriculture, energy, metals, plastics and carbon credits.

Junagadh District News-Mangrol Taluka Rainfall Samachar

Highest Rainfall in Gujarat at Mangrol,Junagadh District in July,2009 Mangrol records 33“rainfall, the highest so far in Gujarat.

Torrential rains threw life out of gear in the port city of Mangrol in Junagadh District on Saturday. Mangrol received 325 mm (13 inch) rainfall in the last 24 hours.

With this, the total rainfall recorded in Mangrol touched 825 mm (33 inch), the highest in Gujarat. The heavy rains led to water logging in several low-lying areas as a result of which road traffic was also disrupted.

According to sources, six Mangrol villages namely Nagichana, Taloda, Farangta, Zariyawada, Chandwana and Menaj were flooded after the rains.

Though there were no reports of any casualty, flood waters have wiped out agriculture land and destroyed crops in these villages.

Three persons, who had taken shelter under a tree on the outskirts of Zariyawada village, were rescued by officials. Besides, some 50 people from downtown Mangrol were also evacuated to safer places.

Apart from Mangrol, someone dozen villages located in adjoining Ghed area has also been marooned.

Ghed is located on a low-lying area, and has to bear with water logging during the monsoons particularly during the high tide in Arabian Sea.

Heavy rains were also reported in other talukas of Junagadh district. Veraval received 146 mm, Manawadar 140 mm, Maliya 87 mm, Sutrapada 45mm, Kodinar 35 mm, Talala 33mm, Bhesan and Keshod 30 mm each, Junagadh 23 mm, Mendarada 17 mm, Vanthali 13 mm and Una 10 mm of rainfall.

Junagadh Fort Saurastra Samachar

Wildlife board clears sanctuary land for Power Grid, Adani Transmission line.

The state Wildlife Board will soon send a proposal to the Centre requesting it to allow some industrial houses as well as government agencies to use forestland for non-forest purposes in the four protected sanctuaries in the state.

These four include the Girnar Wildlife Sanctuary, the Wild Ass Sanctuary in the Little Rann of Kutch, Velavadar Blackbuck Sanctuary and the Narayan Sarovar Bird Sanctuary.

A decision to send the proposal was taken at the state Wildlife Board meeting here on Saturday under the chairmanship of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi.

Among the main items cleared at the Board meeting were a proposal for diversion of 89.74 hectares of land in the Wild Ass Sanctuary for the power transmission line of Adani Power Limited, and another 241.59 hectares for the state-owned Power Grid Corporation’s transmission lines in the same sanctuary.

The Board also cleared a proposal for the diversion of 7.29 hectares in the for Usha Breco Limited (UBL) for power Girnar Sanctuaryropeway construction, and another 0.450 hectares each for Vodafone Gujarat Ltd and Reliance Communication Gujarat Ltd for laying fiber-optic lines in the famous Narayan Sarovar Bird Sanctuary.

It also cleared the proposal of the State Road Development Corporation, seeking the diversion of 4.40 hectares of land in the Velavadar Blackbuck Sanctuary for laying a six-lane Sarkhej-Vataman-Bhavnagar Road, and BSNL’s proposal for 0.315 hectares diversion In Balaram Ambaji Sanctuary for laying fiber-optic lines.

Pradeep Khanna, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife), told News line after the meeting: “All these proposals seeking clearance under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 will now be sent to the National Wildlife Board which, in turn, will forward it to the Supreme Court-appointed Central Empowered Committee for consideration.

The apex court will take a final decision on the proposals.” Khanna said the Board meeting also approved other proposals, including a 265 km-long “garland road” to be laid around the Gir Sanctuary, the setting up of Leo-genetic lab for Gir lions and other wild animals at Junagadh,

Besides creating a communication network for surveillance, management and protection of animals in the Gir Sanctuary.