Girnar Mountain Ropeway - rehabilitate jobless Doliwalahs

The Girnar Mountain Ropeway Project will rehabilitate several people who were earning a living by ferrying devotees to the pilgrim centers on palanquin.

These 70 people will be out of job after the ropeway comes from Bhavnath Taleti to Ambaji temple.

As per Latest S K Nanda Interviews, who is Principal Secretary of Forest and environment, said that, When the project was designed in September 1995, it was found that the life span of these Doliwalahs was not more than 50 years, owing to the laborious task of carrying pilgrims up the 2.3 km stretch which had some 5,000 stairs.

“This job was adversely affecting these 70 people who ferried people on a palanquin.”

"Some would be given shops at the Bhavnath Taleti or at the Ambaji temple for snacks, flowers and other offerings for the temple. Some of them will also be employed as cabin operators by the company which will set up the project."

Forest officials said when the project was finalized, there were 95 such Doliwalahs.

However, their number has dwindled and as per the last reports, there were not more than 70 Doliwalahs who were still in the business.

They added that some might even continue in the business only for the weak and disabled pilgrims who want to visit the Jain temples.

The ropeway will be a straight alignment from Bhavnath Taleti and will end at Ambaji Temple.

However, for those wanting to visit the Jain temples, they will have to go down nearly 2,000 steps from the ropeway station.

Officials said, as per an estimate of 100 devotees only 30 visit Jain temple while the rest only visit Ambaji temple.

Girnar Mountain Temples Climbing Competition News Saurashtra Gujarat India

State level Girnar climbing race on 3rd January 2010.

The annual state level Girnar climbing race will be held on 3rd January.

The competition this year has attracted 1496 applications for participation from 18 districts of the state. Of this 1022 applications are from Junagadh districts.

Due to increased distance of race, this year, the competition has received 299 lesser applications compare to last year.

The Mount Girnar is tallest peak of Gujarat. Every year state level and national level competitions are held here. The participants run on steps that are well constructed on the hill to reach atop.

Girnar Hill Mountain Wildlife Forest Junagadh News Gujarat India

MP says Kuno Palpu sanctuary can house 60 Asiatic lions.

Waiting anxiously to bring the 'king of the jungle – Asiatic Lions' to Kuno Palpur sanctuary, Madhya Pradesh Government has claimed that the park spread over 900 sq kms can house as many as 60 Asiatic lions.

With Gujarat Government refusing to part with its "pride" from Girnar forests which is the only habitat of lions in the country, the Center has proposed "soft release" of the zoo-bred lions in Kuno Palpur sanctuary as an alternate home to the animal.

The Centre has already identified pure-gene Asiatic lions in the Delhi and Hyderabad zoos for relocating them in Kuno Palpur with an aim to strengthen the population of the endangered species in the country.

"Almost 60 lions can be accommodated in the sanctuary having 900 sq km of buffer area.

Girnar Mountain Temples Annual Lili Parikrama Junagadh City Gujarat India

Girnar Lili Parikrma will start at 29th October and this time will also ban for Plastic and Gutkha.

Around one million Hindus will participate in Girnar’s anual Lili Parikrama(Green pradakshina or circumambulation). The 36-km parikrama will start from 29th of October and end on 2nd November. According to Gujarati Hindu calendar Parikrama starts from Kartik 11 to 15 every year.

Girnar the tallest mountain of Gujarat is 6 km. from Junagadh city. On an average, about 7 lakh devotees attend the parikrama but as Gir forest has a lush green look after good monsoon this year, it may attract one million devotees. In year 2003 Parikrama had attracted 1.2 million devotees.

The History of Girnar Lili Parikrma in Junagadh is like that,"according to popular belief, after winning the war at Kurukshetra, Pandavas had done the parikarma to seek God’s blessings."

As the stretch of the Parikrama passes through the forest, it is an adventurous trip for the youngsters. After the rainfall, the ponds and rivers are full of water adding to the scenic beauty of the forest and hills, so this year many more youngsters will participate in the Parikrama. Youngsters see it as solving a dual purpose. They complete a ritual as they enjoy the beauty of Gir forest.

Early this week, the district collector of Junagadh chaired a meeting to discuss the arrangements. The meeting resulted in formation of Action Group for smoother implantation of various related works.

The state transport corporation has planned to arrange 150 extra buses, 20 more than last year to accommodate extra traffic of Lili Parikrama. Railway authority is planning to add extra coaches around Parikrama schedule.

The Parikrama will commence from Girnar Taleti, night halt at Jinabava Madhi, and MarvellaBordevi and return to the starting point on the fifth day.

The forest department has put a ban on plastic bags and gutkha. Anyone found violating the ban will be fined, said forest department officials.

Girnar Parvat Temples Mountain Ropeway Project Junagadh News Gujarat India

Garvo Gadh Girnar

Memorandum supports early start of Girnar Ropeway Project.

Junagadh BJP legislator Mahendra Mashru has prepared a memorandum bearing one lakh signatures as support for the early commencement of the ambitious ropeway project on Girnar Mountain.

“A book carrying signatures of one lakh people has been prepared after the successful signature drive carried out in city center during last week. We will submit the memorandum to the Prime Minister and ask for the implementation of the ropeway project,” said Mashru.

He said the memorandum will be sent to New Delhi through the proper channel.

On the completion of the drive, the book carrying one lakh signatures was put up for public notice and a function was organized at the Red Cross hall in the city centre on Saturday. Some youths present at the function had even sprinkled drops of blood on the book wrapper, according to sources.

According to the memorandum, the ropeway project will help reduce pollution on Girnar Mountain. It will also not prove harmful to the environment.

Lakhs of people visit Girnar Mountain every year.

Girnar Mountain Parvat (Temples) Junagadh City Gujarat India News Samachar

City NGOs to join vulture awareness day celebrations

September 5 will be celebrated as International Vulture Awareness Day (IVAD-09) worldwide. Several NGOs, including some based here plan to celebrate the event by creating awareness about vulture conservation in the region.

According to Junagadh-based NGO, Mudra Ecological, Cultural and Heritage Ovation Society, several peaks and ranges in Girnar Mountains near Junagadh are considered among the few nesting sites of vultures.

The ambitious ropeway project is also being considered a possible threat towards the conservation of these birds. According to sources, some nature clubs and environmentalists have raised the issue with the Centre, even as public agitation for the early commencement of the ropeway project gathers momentum.

J Nimish, a member of Mudra society, said: “We are not opposing the ropeway project, but believe at the same time that vulture conservation should not be sidelined. Both the ropeway project and vulture conservation are equally serious issues. We will approach education institutions and provide them with information about the importance of vultures and their conservation.”

Ankit Shukala and Mitesh Dave, other members of the NGO, who favor development of tourism here, echo the same view.

Some nature clubs and environmentalists have expressed doubts that the ropeway project will threaten the vulture habitat and nesting site on Girnar Mountains.

According to environmentalists, at present, Girnar Mountain houses around 30 vultures.

The bird is considered shy and has a habit of taking shelter in isolated areas far away from human population.

During the last one decade, vulture population has drastically reduced in the Indian Sub- Continent.

Incidentally, Gujarat Minister of State for Environment and Forest Kiritsinh Rana, had also said in his reply to a question on February 20, 2009 during Question Hour in the Gujarat Assembly, that vulture population in the state has reduced from 2,647 to 1431 in two years from 2005-07.

Junagadh City News- Bhavnath Temple(Mandir),Girnar Taleti

Junagadh trust plays by the rule, hands over govt land without fuss.

In a unique incident, a huge piece of government land under private occupation was returned to the rightful owner in Junagadh without any hue and cry.

The credit for this goes to Junagadh Collector Ashwini Kumar and Rupayatan Trust’s chairman Hemant Nanawati. When demanded by the district administration, the trust willingly returned the seven-acre plot to the state government.

The said land is located in Bhavnath Mandir area at the foot of the Girnar Mountain and surrounded by the Gir sanctuary.

The state government has adopted a plan to develop Bhavnath Mandir Area, which hosts two major melas every year, as a pilgrimage and tourist site.

To accommodate lakhs of visitors, it was deemed necessary to spare more land for the mela.

The administration felt the probability of any untoward incident during the gathering and decided to adopt preventive measures.

Ashwini Kumar said: “Earlier, the district administration had freed nearly seven hectares of government land from encroachment. It was decided to provide alternate space to some 200 residents of the area. Therefore, it became imperative to ask the land back from Rupayatan Trust. The trust responded in a positive manner and willingly handed over the plot. We have already implemented our plan and divided the land into nearly 200 plots, which will be allotted to the 200 families. The rehabilitation will be completed by the end of this month.”

Hemant Nanawati said: “Instead of indulging in a legal battle, the trustees took a positive stand and decided to handover the land.

Our policy is clear — we support development and constructive work. So, the trustees unanimously passed a resolution in response to the collector’s letter. Our trust is committed to the development of Bhavnath area, so we extended support to the district administration and the entire procedure was completed within two months without any hurdles.”

Earlier, in 1991, the government had allotted 40 hectares of land to the Rupayatan Trust for educational purpose.

Junagadh News- Girnar Mountain Parvat Ropeway Project

Girnar Mountain(Temples) Ropeway gets clearance from Gujarat Govt.

Gujarat government has given final nod for setting up a ropeway parallel to the staircase on Girnar Parvat.

Chief minister Narendra Modi, in a meeting with the state wildlife board, had approved the project which was originally mooted in 1989.

"The state wildlife board and CM have approved the project and now we will recommend it for final clearance from the Central Board of Wildlife (CBW)," principal secretary environment and forest S K Nanda said.

He said that work for the proposed rope way will begin once the CBW gives its clearance as the forest department of the Central government had already cleared the proposal around 8-9 years back.

He added that Usha Braco has been given the contract to build and operate Ropeway to be built parallel to the staircase.

According to Nanda, the company will be required to make investment of around Rs 90-crore for setting up around 1.5 km ropeway line on the mountain.

The state government sources said that ropeway will boost tourism sector in Junagadh, as Girnar is the highest mountain in the state and the city is a hub of tourism activities.

Girnar Mountain Wildlife Junagadh Gujarat India

One Injured leopard was caged near Girnar Mountain Forest Area.

In a daring wildlife operation, foresters caged an injured leopard near Damodar Kund area in Girnar forest after tranquillising it on Friday.

According to forest officials, they rushed to Damodar Kund after receiving a message about a leopard sighting in the area. Officials located the animal lying in a nearby cave and decided to catch it while it was asleep.

"However, before we could make any advance, the leopard woke up to the noise made by villagers and began running. However, it fell after limping for a few steps and we realized the big cat was seriously ill," said assistant forest officer PS Babariya.

"We changed our plans as we didn't want to cause any injury to the leopard. We first called a veterinary doctor from Sakkarbag zoo in Junagadh before tranquillising the animal," said Babariya.

"The leopard was perched on a cliff, which the officials surrounded. Once the leopard was shot at with a tranquilliser gun, it sprang at one of the officials. However, before it could harm him, it became unconscious and fainted," he said.

The foresters carried the leopard on their back and shifted it to Sakkarbag zoo veterinary hospital, where during examination it was found that the big cat had developed a suppurating wound in his abdomen and was also suffering from jaundice.