Junagadh City District Earthquake News – AP Center was near to Vanthli Village

As per Indian Met Department, the epicenter of the quake of moderate intensity, which shook the state at around 10:48 pm, was 20 kilometers south east of Sasan Gir near the Vanthli town in the Junagadh district.

The epicenter of the earthquake which registered 5.3 on Richter scale was at Junagadh in Gujarat...tremors were felt here.

The quake was felt for 25 seconds in Junagadh and people rushed out of their homes in panic.
The tremor was felt in several other parts of the state including Ahmedabad.

Gujarat was rocked by a 7.6 magnitude earthquake on January 26, 2001 leaving 20,000 people dead and causing widespread destruction with the worst-affected being the Kutch region.

Junagadh District police stations - CCTV cameras in Saurashtra

Rajkot District police have installed high resolution closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras, which also have night vision capability, in all the police stations under their jurisdiction to keep an eye on the officials and also the accused in the lock ups.

As per Latest Interviews who is Superintendent of police Premvir SinghRajkot rural said that, “The CCTV cameras have been installed in all the 21 police stations in the district.

"There are three CCTV cameras in a police station -- at the offices of police inspector (PI) and police station officer (PSO) and the lock-up."

"This will facilitate remote base monitoring system in each police station helping even the PSO and the PI to keep an eye on the accused."

The CCTV cameras at the police stations are connected to the DSP's office.

These will help the SP to monitor the happenings in each police station in the district.

"The basic idea is not distrust of the police officials, but to ensure they behave nicely with complainants and maintain discipline always. Past experiences suggest that this has helped a lot in improving discipline among the officials.''

"There have been many complaints about police officers' reluctance to lodge first information reports (FIRs) and also allegations of misbehavior against them. The CCTV cameras to a great extent will solve this issue and will be helpful to the police officers as well as the common people."

"We will cover all the police stations in Jamnagar and Surendranagar in a phased manner. The project is being implemented on public-private partnership (PPP) model.''

"CCTV cameras will be also installed on main entry points, major traffic junctions, vital installations, markets and crowded places in the towns of Rajkot, Jamnagar and Surendranagar districts.''

As of now, the CCTV cameras are installed at the police stations in Bhavnagar, Junagadh and Porbandar districts in Junagadh Police range.

Junagadh City in Progress - 2nd ultra mega power plant to come up

The Central Electricity Commission has zeroed in on 400 hectares of land at Lodhva village in Kodinar taluka of Junagadh district to set up its 4000-MW second Ultra Mega Power Project (UMPP) at a cost of Rs 24,000 crore.

The process of site selection for the second UMPP had been going on for the last two years. The state government had suggested various locations in Junagadh, Porbandar and Kutch after which the central government finalized the Lodhava village site.

As per Latest D Jagdeesh Pandian Interviews, who is principal secretary at the state’s Energy and Petrochemical department, said that “We suggested various locations to the CEA. After their technical evaluation, they have chosen Lodhva village site. The location is most convenient for importing coal for the UMPP. Proximity to sea will also help in getting water for coal-washing etc.”

“Generated power will also be transmitted through grids in Gujarat. The state will get 40% of the generated power while the rest will be allocated to other states. The central government is in process of inviting bids for the project. We hope to see considerable progress shortly.”

“The first phase of 1600-MW Mundra UMPP is almost ready and likely to be commissioned shortly.”

Tata Power had bagged the first UMPP project at Mundra in Gujarat.

Sasan Gir National Park - 836 crore assistance for Lions

For the Unique Ring Road to surround Sasan Gir Sanctuary and Gir National Park which will help in minimizing the man-animal clash and human activity in the region and for Lion conservation, Gujarat State Government has demanded Rs.836.17 crore central assistance from the Government of India.

The Gujarat State Government in a formal communication wrote to the Ministry of Forest & Environment (MOEF) that, As per 2010 estimation Greater Gir area had about 411 Asiatic Lions.

The only home of Asiatic Lion – Sasan Gir - needs to be intensively protected and managed with all out efforts in conservation of them.

In spite of successful conservation efforts over last four decades registering sustained increasing population trend the Asiatic Lion is still critically endangered on account of its total population being only about 411.

Therefore the long-term attention for conservation of Asiatic Lion is required.

In the recent times poaching of large cats for international market has imposed a serious threat to lions also.

“The Government of Gujarat is taking utmost possible steps. Considering the need for additional resources and contribution of Government of India, the Government of Gujarat has submitted a proposal of “THE LONG TERM CONSERVATION OF ASIATIC LIONS IN BRHUHAD GIR.”

The project cost was Rs.262.36 Crore with Government of India’s share Rs.236.17 Crores and Government of Gujarat share of Rs. 26.19 Crore.

The cost included the cost of relocation and rehabilitation of resident people and Gir Maldharis.

The proposal includes strengthening protection, habitat development, and wild life health care and mitigating man-wild animal conflict situation, use of modern technology, eco development works, public awareness, eco tourism, wrote the state Government to the MOEF.

The MOEF has provided only Rs.120.46 lakh as financial and technical assistance to the State Government for protection and conservation of Asiatic Lions in Gir forest in last four years.
Gir National Park and sanctuary area is 1412.13 Sq. Km.

Six State Highways and some minor roads pass through the Sanctuary and used by the local people.

Existing Highways passing though the sanctuary affect movement of animals and Forest cover, increase Wildlife mortality with the volume of traffic and increase possibility of poaching. To reduce this traffic a project of “Garland/Ring road” around Gir forest has been proposed.

The State Government wrote to the MOEF that, “The proposed garland/ring road is estimated to be a length of 269 Km. The estimated cost of project is about Rs.600.00 Crores.

The said project has been duly recommended by State Board of Wild life and is sent to Union Government on 2-06-2009 for consideration.

The ring road proposed 14 over passes and 16 under passes on specific migratory path locations for safe passages to wild life while crossing Highways and immunize the protected area from traffic playing through human interference.’’

Sasan Gir National Park – Closed doors on tourists this monsoon

As I read before few days ago, Sasan Gir National Park - located at Sasan in Junagadh district, is only home to pure Asiatic lions and attracts a large number of Indian as well as foreign tourists closed for tourists during the monsoon season owing to the breeding of wild cats and conservation efforts being undertaken at the sanctuary.

As per online Gir National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary Divisional Forest Officer Sandeep Kumar Interviews, he said that, “Its (Gir Forest National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary) closing is being done to provide some privacy to wild animals like lions, leopards and birds like peacocks etc during their mating season as the four months of monsoon period are considered the best for their breeding season.”

“Since we supervise the conservation efforts, we want to prevent any disturbance in the conservation activities, which could also be caused by the tourists. So we close the sanctuary,” Kumar said, adding that the park would be closed from June 16 and will reopen only in October after the monsoon season is over.

As per the 2010 census, the total number of lions in Gir sanctuary has risen to 411 from 359 in 2005. With a total area of 1,412 sq km (about 258 sq km for the national park and 1153 sq km for the sanctuary), the park is considered as safe haven for the lions and other species.

“It is also a natural habitat for leopards and antelopes like sambar, spotted deer, blue bull, black buck, and wild boar, jackal, hyena, langoors, porcupine, bear and crocodiles and over 250 species of birds.”

The officer also added that the roads in the park are kachcha and get damaged during monsoon. They need to be repaired before allowing tourists to visit (the park) after its closure period is over, he said.

“Not only that we have to monitor the movement of wild animals during rains and in case of heavy rain in the area, we have to chalk out a rescue plan and taking them to safer places.”

In addition, if big cats fall sick, we have to make arrangements for their treatment and that is why the closure of the park during monsoon season is required.

Kesar Mangoes Keri Talala Junagadh District - કેસર કેરીની સિઝન માત્ર એક મહિનો જ ચાલશે

Junagadh District Agricultural News for Kesar Mangoes 2011:-

ગયા વર્ષની સિઝનમાં ૧૫ લાખ બોકસ કેરીની આવક હતી જે ચાલુ વર્ષે ૪ થી ૫ લાખ થવાની સંભાવના.

સૌરાષ્ટ્રના મહત્ત્વના કેસર કેરીના ઊત્પાદક પ્રદેશો જેવા કે તલાલા, વંથલી, મદરડા અને ઉનામાં પ્રતિકૂળ હવામાનના કારણે આંબા પર મોર બેસવાની પ્રક્રિયા મોડી થઇ હતી.

તલાલા એગ્રીકલ્ચરલ પ્રોડ્યૂસ માર્કેટ કમિટિએ મહિનાના પ્રથમ અઠવાડિયામાં કેસર કેરીની હરાજી શરૂ કરશે. તે સાથે જ કેસર કેરીનો પુરવઠો વધવાની શકયતા છે. આ વર્ષે પ્રતિકૂળ હવામાન અને બ્લોસમ મિજ જેવી ઈયળના ઊપદ્રવના કારણે કેરીના ઊત્પાદનમાં ૭૫ ટકા જેટલો ધડાકો થવાની સંભાવના વ્યકત કરાઇ છે ત્યારે વેપારીઓ માને છે કે મોડી શરૂ થયેલી કેરીની સિઝન એક મહિનો જ ચાલશે.

સામાન્ય રીતે કેરીના ઊત્પાદનમાં સૌરાષ્ટ્રના પ્રદેશમાં નવેમ્બર-ડિસેમ્બર માસમાં આંબા પર મોર બેસવાની શરૂઆત થાય છે પરંતુ આ વર્ષે જાન્યુઆરી મહિનામાં ફલાવરગ શરૂ થયું હતું. જેના કારણે સિઝનની શરૂઆત મે મહિના સુધી ખચાઇ છે.

આંબા પર મોર આવ્યા બાદ ફળ પાકવામાં મુશ્કેલી જોવા મળી હતી અને તેના કારણે ઊત્પાદનમાં ઘટાડો થયો છે. ગયા વર્ષે તલાલા એપીએમસીએ ૬ એપ્રિલના રોજ કેસર કેરીની હરાજી શરૂ કરી હતી અને ત્રણ મહિના લાંબી સિઝનમાં ૧૫ લાખ બોકસ મેળવ્યા હતા.

આ વર્ષે કેસર કેરીના ઊત્પાદનમાં ૭૦ થી ૭૫ ટકા ઘટાડો થશે અને મોડી શરૂ થઇ રહેલી કેરીની સિઝન એક માસ જેટલી જ ચાલશે.

છેલ્લા ત્રણ વર્ષમાં કેરીના ઊત્પાદન સામે ચાલુ વર્ષે કેરીનું ઊત્પાદન સૌથી ઓછું રહેશે. ૨૦૦૯ની સિઝનમાં ૬.૨૫ લાખ જેટલા બોકસ ૧૦ કિલો વજનવાળાની આવક મેળવી હતી. જયારે ગયા વર્ષે ૧૫ લાખ બોકસ આવક હતી. જયારે ચાલુ વર્ષે ૪ થી ૫ લાખ બોકસ કેરીની આવક એપીએમસી માર્કેટમાં થવાની સંભાવના છે.

Bhavnath Temple Shivratri 5 Day Festival Fair Begins

For, a mega medical camp has been organized by a team of Praveen Sinha, inspector general of police (IGP), Junagadh Range, in association with Junagadh District Panchayat, Civil hospital, Indian Medical Association (Junagadh chapter), Trimurti Hospital and local charitable institutions at the fair for the first time. The five-day annual event at Girnar Mountain in Junagadh City town will start from February 26 and end on March 2.

The medical services will be available round the clock. There will be physicians, orthopedics, cardiologist, paediatrics, psychiatrics, dentists, eye specialists, ENT surgeon, gynaecologists, skin specialists, pathologists and others.

As per Latest Praveen Sinha Interviews, he said that, "Religious preacher Morari Bapu has kindly consented to inaugurate the camp on Saturday morning. We have established a temporary hospital at Bhavnath Mandir gate in Junagadh. There will be all kinds of disciplines available free of cost."

"We have tied up with private hospitals in order to get all kinds of medical facility for patients. Super-specialist doctors will be available at camp. We are expecting at least 5,000 patients to be treated everyday during the five-day camp. The camp is limited not only to pilgrims, but for all. Anybody can come here."

"The idea is to serve people, mostly poor who come to Bhavnath fair from different parts of the state. Every year, more than seven lakh people visit the fair. Also, we have arranged for surgical operations. If doctors find during check-ups that a patient needs surgery, they will recommend him or her to a hospital where that person will be provided free operation."

Bhavnath fair is held every year at the Bhavnath Shiv Mahadev Temple near Damodar Kund at Girnar Mountain in Junagadh District. It is dedicated to Lord Shiva and a lot of revelry goes on at the Shiva temple.

Naga Sadhus also visit the temple and their procession to the temple on the evening of Mahashivratri is a major attraction. Grand puja of Lord Shiva is conducted in the midnight of Mahashivratri.

Horse Riding Club for People of Junagadh City District by Junagadh Police Department

Do you have hobby or interest to learn Horse Riding and if you are living in Junagadh City District area then this one good news for you that,

The district police have started a horse riding club for the people of Junagadh. A one-month basic course has been conceptualized for those interested in horse riding at Junagadh Police Mounted Club. The mounted unit of Junagadh police has 30 Kathiyavadi and Marwadi horses.

As per Latest Dipanker Trivedi Interviews, who is district superintendent of police, "The first batch has 20 people. The strength of the batch will be increased gradually. Both men and women can join the club.''

"Trained horse riders of police department will teach horse riding to the club members and also stable management during the one-month course. They will also be trained in cross country riding. We have also planned an advance training course. There will be special arrangements like change rooms for women riders."

As per Latest Praveen Sinha Interviews, who is inspector general of police Junagadh Range said that, "The horse riding club will act as a good platform to bring people and police closer and in promoting equestrian sports. Our focus will be on enrolling more youths. Horse riding will help the youth in the development of their overall personality. Moreover, horse riding is tradition in the region. This kind of activity also will keep the tradition alive."

"We are also motivating police recruits to join the mounted unit of the police. Junagadh club will be the second horse riding club in Saurashtra managed by the mounted unit of the police. The R D Zala Horse Riding Club of Bhavnagar police is considered one of the best. The game of polo is fast catching up in Bhavnagar. We want the same to happen here."

Choki Sorath Police Training Academy Junagadh District News Gujarat India

13,000 constables and 868 sub-inspectors are being hired but four training academies can only support 1,640 personnel at a time.

The sudden recruitment of police personnel in the state on a large scale has left the police training departments in a fix as they have neither the capacity nor adequate trainers to manage it. The drive has also resulted in delaying the recruitment of sub-inspectors.

The four police training institutes in the state — Gujarat State Police Training Academy at Karai in Gandhinagar, Police Training Academy at Vadodara, at Police Training CollegeJunagadh City and SRP Training Centre also at Choki Sorath in Junagadh District — have a total capacity to accommodate only 1,640 police personnel while the drive is for recruiting 13,000 constables and 868 sub-inspectors.

Sudhir Sinha, ADGP (Law and Order), said: “Over 16,000 police personnel need to be trained this time, which is the case of the largest recruitment drive ever undertaken in one season. The institutes have a limited capacity and do not even have enough trainers.”

Sinha added: “Sensing the crunch, the state police has decided to postpone the recruitment of sub-inspectors, which was to take place by April-end. Now, it will be conducted six months later.

The candidates would be distributed among all the four institutes whose capacity would be possibly doubled. But it has not been decided as to how to manage the shortage of trainers.”

The first group of constables to undergo training would be SRPF recruits, who would be appointed by July. They will undergo eight months of training starting next month. This will be followed by other constables, who would be given four months of training.

Rajnish Rai, the principal of the SRP Police Training Centre at Choki Sorath, said: “We have not been told how the recruits would be accommodated. Candidates could possibly be sent out of Gujarat for training. But that depends on the permission. We were in a crunch situation last year also when more than 5,000 SRPF candidates were sent for training.”

Sources said some candidates may be sent out of Gujarat for training, but premier training institutes for NSG and BSF would not take more than four to five personnel from Gujarat at a time. In order to train all the recruits, the training period may be shortened, said sources.

The Karai Training Institute has been facing trainer crunch for a long time. Earlier also, the institute had to rope in retired servicemen for the work.

The state government had put a freeze on police recruitment in 1990, which had left 20,000 posts vacant last year.

The Gujarat Police have a sanctioned strength of 75,000 personnel.

Talala Gir Forest Junagadh District - mild tremor experienced

At 16th May – 2010, mild tremor was experienced in Gir Forest in Junagadh District.

Junagadh District Collector A M Parmar said that, "The tremor measuring 2.9 on Richter scale was experienced this afternoon but no casualties was reported.”

According to the official, the epicenter of the tremor was 50 kms north of Talala Gir Town in the district, where the Famous Gir Lion Sanctuary is located.

Mendarda Taluka Check Dam Junagadh District Water Problem News Gujarat India

In this Junagadh District, water is available in plenty. Eleven years ago, people of Jamka village constructed 55 Check Dams without seeking any help from the Gujarat Government; today, they are functioning without any snag.

Even as water crisis looms large in the region and sowing has reduced to half this summer in Saurashtra, farmers of Jamka village in Mendarda taluka of Junagadh district are busy cultivating millet, pulses, sesame and sugarcane over one lakh hectares.

The village has recorded 100 per cent cultivation this season. This is because water is available in bore wells to irrigate fields. “Water is available at just 40-50 feet depth in bore wells.

Most of the bore wells in the village are active and there is no water shortage,” said village sarpanch Purshottam Sidhpara. Besides, the water level in the two bore wells constructed by the nagarpalika to supply drinking water is quite high.

When many parts of Saurashtra are reeling under scarcity, Jamka village is somewhat unimpacted, thanks to the hard work the villagers did 11 years ago. Mansukh Suvagiya, a farmer-turned-industrialist in Saurashtra, had then come up with a design of a small dam.

He had convinced the villagers to build such dams on their own, with no help from the government. A fund of Rs 45 lakh was raised by villagers for construction of small dams. In the summer of 1999, as many as 55 dams and five ponds were constructed in the village that has a population of little over 3,000. When it rained that year, the water level came up because of the check dams and the ponds, and the village could overcome the drought situation it had been facing for five years.

The water table in the area rose from 500-600 feet to 40-50 feet. The villagers said the level has been like that ever since. The drive by the villagers became such a success that the Gujarat government, considering it a model measure to deal with drought, introduced check dam scheme across the state and decided to fund 60 per cent of the total expenses.

Suvagiya, who runs Jal Kranti Trust, said: “Even then, we were quite clear that it is our problem and we will solve it ourselves. For the same reason, the villagers agreed not to seek government help.” The 55 check dams built then are perfect in design and are functioning even after 11 years.

“The villagers were involved in each and every aspect of constructing the check dam as they wanted their money to be used for the right cause. And that is the reason why we have check dams of such good quality,” said Chunibhai Sidhpara, a villager.

Even today, the village has a committee to keep an eye on the maintenance of check dams and ponds. “A regular follow up is required to check for leaks or any other damage to the dams,” said Sidhpara.

Kodinar Junagadh District News – Shilpa Vala Volleyball Master from Saurashtra

When the nearly six-feet-tall Shilpa Vala catches a flight to Kuala Lumpur to represent India in the Asian Youth Girls Championships starting on May 20, she will become only the second girl from Gujarat to represent the country in volleyball.

But in Kodinar Town, her small hometown in Junagadh District, people may not be surprised. Volleyball runs in her genes. So much so that her four other sisters too play competitive volleyball. Shilpa's younger sister Geeta is a blocker.

She didn't make the cut for Kuala Lumpur, but is among the standbys. Elder sisters Shobhna (now working in a private firm in Junagadh) and Varsha have represented Gujarat. The youngest, Chetna, has already played two sub-junior nationals. In fact, when Gujarat beat Himachal Pradesh to win the gold at the National School Games near Gwalior in 2007, the entire team comprised of the Vala sisters. Varsha, Geeta and Shilpa teamed up with their cousins Parita, Nehal and Alpa. Shilpa's uncle and Parita's father Varjagha Vala was the coach. Despite the natural talent, life has not been easy for the Vala sisters as their father Maraman Vala, a small farmer, could barely make ends meet. Besides, their conservative Rajput community did not appreciate women playing competitive sport. "People would gossip behind our backs about the short dresses we wore while playing volleyball," Shilpa says.

"Who will marry these girls, they would ask. How can their parents let them stay away from home for days together? There was also fear of our family being boycotted. But our parents only encouraged us."

"Though I am not well-educated, I knew my daughters would do well if they studied and played hard. So I decided to support them," says Vala who arrived at the Sports Authority of India centre in Gandhinagar on Tuesday to see his daughters at a camp held there.

The achievements of the girls have brought more acceptances for the family. "People come to meet us and ask about our experiences. Volleyball is very popular in our village so some even come for training. Things are changing," says Shilpa.

Visavadar Taluka Junagadh District News – Eleven black bucks found dead

Eleven black bucks were today found dead on the outskirts of Gir Forest area in Visavadar Taluka in Junagadh District of Gujarat. Forest officials are trying to ascertain the cause of the deaths.

They suspect that this could be due to some kind of poisoning of the water nearby. "Carcasses of 11 black bucks were found in the revenue area of Visavadar taluka," Range Forest Officer, Junagadh District, Sudhir Chaturvedi.

"These were found at five different places near the border of Kanavadla and Nana Hadmatiya villages. Three of the black bucks were males and eight were females," he said.

All the carcasses have been sent for post-mortem and forest officials are trying to identify the cause behind the death of these animals, he added.

Junagadh News – Amreli is rival as host of lions in Gujarat

Gujarat's Junagadh District seems to getting tough competition from Amreli District, a neighboring district, as a host of the coveted Asiatic lions. As many as 108 lions have been sighted in Amreli which is second only to Junagadh City where 270 have been recorded.

Incidentally, the Gir National Park and Sanctuary is located in Junagadh. While Bhavnagar's grasslands are emerging as a favorite of the king of the jungle, not a single lion has been recorded in Porbandar district.

The latest census has reported the existence of 77 cubs less than one year old, and 75 cubs aged less than three. "40% of the lion population is 'youth', similar to India's human population," Modi quipped as he announced the census results on Sunday.

Sasan Gir National Park News - Asiatic Lion Census Completed

The four-day exercise to count the number of Asiatic Lions at its only abode in the Gir Forest in Junagadh District Saurashtra region of Gujarat concluded.

Officials engaged in the census, refused to be drawn into the number game till all reports were cross-checked and tabulations completed, but preliminary information indicate a steady rise in the lion population in “Greater Gir,” including areas outside the Gir National Park where lions have strayed into lately.

Forest department sources said the lion population could have increased to 390 to 400 despite incidents of poaching and natural deaths during the last five years. In the last census, held in 2005, the count was put at 359 (plus minus 10).

The final result is expected to be announced on the Gujarat Foundation Day at 1st May - 2010.

Professor PC Vaidya passes away - Shapur Junagadh District Gujarat

Noted mathematician and academician Professor PC Vaidya who is known as Maths magician passed away on 13th March - Friday. He was 93. He was the first PhD in mathematics from Gujarat. One of the global experts on Einstein's theory of relativity, he had delivered lectures all over the world on this subject. A powerful and thought-provoking speaker with a great sense of humor, his contribution to the world of mathematics has been immortalized as Vaidya Matrix', pioneered in 1942.

Born at Shapur Town in Junagadh District, Vaidya did his PhD in mathematics from Banaras Hindu University. The staunch Gandhian was GPSC chairman from 1971 to 1977 and UPSC chairman in 1977-78.

Between 1979 and 81 he was vice-chancellor of Gujarat University. Epitomizing the Gandhian philosophy simple living and high thinking on the day his VC's term got over he refused to use the official car, and preferred to ride his bicycle back home.

Prof Vaidya was also vice-chancellor of Gandhi Vidyapith, Vedchhi, in Surat. His autobiography book Chalk and Duster' was published in Gujarati.

Even after he retired, he returned to the university to teach mathematics to MSc students for many years. Today his legacy is global with his students making their marks in various countries. His 45-year-old Ganit' magazine, is still a hit among budding mathematicians.

He was detected with a kidney ailment in January. On Thursday, his condition deteriorated and he passed away at 5 am on Friday. He leaves behind four daughters. Three of his daughters conducted his funeral rites. The fourth daughter is abroad.

Somnath Temple Junagadh District News Samachar Gujarat India

Security has been tightened at the famous Somnath Temple at Veraval Taluka in Junagadh district following intelligence reports of the temple being a soft target for a terror attack, police said on Saturday.

The state home department has decided to increase the security cover at the temple by deploying another company of the Gujarat State Reserve Police following reports from the intelligence bureau that the temple is a soft target for terrorists, a senior police official said.

Thereby, the number of security personnel keeping a watch on the temple has increased to 165 from 90, following the addition of 75 more jawans, the official said.

Kesar Mangoes Keri Talala Junagadh District News Gujarat India

In 1920, Gordhanbhai Sanghani was the first farmer to cultivate the Kesar Keri Variety in Talala town in Junagadh district, which is now known as the hub of one of the juiciest varieties of Kesar mangoes. Around a century later, his grandson Dayabhai has departed from the tradition and has begun cultivating cashewnuts — soon to be followed by other farmers.

Given the fact that this dry fruit fetches better returns than mangoes — with almost nil maintenance — it is fast catching up the attention of the other farmers. Little wonder, the land of juicy mangoes will soon be yielding cashew nuts.

“I have grown cashewnuts on 15 bighas and expecting the first yield. I plan to increase the cultivation area by 100 bighas,” said Dayabhai.

Jasmat Rola from Dhavagir village in Talala Taluka, has a similar story to tell. “I have grown cashewnut on 15 bigha that had turned almost barren. I got 600 saplings from the Konkan University,” he said.

Rola said many farmers have approached him for saplings and have decided to try the alternative to the kesar crop. “We at the Talala Marketing Yard are thinking seriously to set a systematic channel for marketing cashewnuts,” said Sardarsinh Chauhan, a member of the Talala Marketing Yard.

An official at the district horticulture department said the trend is picking up, but the crop cultivation is in the initial stage. The cashew trees yield fruits 10 years after the saplings are planted.

It was the frequent failure of the Kesar crop that forced the Talala farmers to look for an alternative.

“For more than a decade now, every alternate season, the mango cultivators have been facing problem of scanty yield due to unfavorable climatic conditions like less rains, unseasonal downpour or short winter season. Besides, maintaining a mango farm is an expensive affair. All these factors have forced farmers to look for other options,” said Chauhan.

“Growing cashew nuts is very different. The crop does not need plenty of water. Moreover, excessive heat or short winters do not affect it,” said Dayabhai.

But, cashew nuts cannot be an alternative for small-time farmers. “One needs to wait for at least 8 to 10 years to get the first yield. On the other hand, it can be cultivated even on barren type of land,” said Rola. Once the yield begins, a cultivator can expect at least 20 kg of cashew nuts per tree per season. As many as 40 trees can be grown on a bigha without much irrigation or use of pesticides or fertilizers.

Cashew nuts are not a regular crop in the state except in some parts of south Gujarat.

Mahuva Taluka Bhavnagar District Nirma Cement Plant News Gujarat India

Natural resources belong to people, govt only a trustee for future and present generations, allotment can be cancelled if industry violates environmental rules, says panel

Around 1,000 Saurashtra Villagers from across Gujarat participated in a public hearing on the issue of arbitrary land allotment by the state government to the industrial houses, at the Gujarat Vidyapith on Sunday.

A panel of experts at the hearing has made certain recommendations on the issue, which will be forwarded to the Centre and the Gujarat State Government. No invitee from the state government was present during the hearing though.

Villagers from Kutch District, Bhavnagar District, Junagadh District and elsewhere presented their concerns over the state government’s move to allot public and agricultural land to industrial houses. Some of the important issues, which were raised at the hearing, include the allotment of a substantial portion of land, which has been identified as a water body, to Nirma Company Ahmedabad City for a proposed cement plant in Mahuva taluka of Bhavnagar district.

The villagers also raised their concern over other such allotment for setting up mining, cement, nuclear plants and SEZ projects, before the panel. They explained how the arbitrary allotment of fertile agricultural land has, or can cause serious environmental, food security and employment related problems for them.

Dr Syeda Hameed, a member of the National Planning Commission and a member of the panel said: “There is a lot of merit on the representations made by the villagers at the hearing which have to be heard by the authorities with the utmost urgency.”

For the absence of the invitees from the state government at the hearing, she said it is very disappointing that nobody is present to hear the people’s concern at the hearing.

Among other things, the panel has recommended that Gauchar and wasteland are common village property that cannot be allotted to any private body or a company, and that it should be restored to the gram sabha.

The panel also recommended that the allotment of land should be cancelled if the industrial house has been found violating environmental and other rules.

The panel also held that natural resources belong to the people. Under the doctrine of public trust the government is only a trustee for the future and present generations. As such these resources should be protected.

Other members of the panel were nuclear physicist Dr Surendra Gadekar, Gandhi Peace Foundation Chair person Radha Bhatt, Gujarat Vidyapith VC Dr Sudarshan Iyengar and senior Supreme Court advocate Sanjay Parikh.

Veraval Taluka Junagadh District News Samachar Gujarat India

130 school students suffer food poisoning.

Over 130 students of a primary school in Junagadh district of Gujarat suffered from food poisoning after participating in mid-day meal today, police said.

The incident took place in a government-run primary school of Navadra village, they said.

"Nearly 160 students took the mid-day meal at the school today, out of which 130 complained of feeling sick," Junagadh District Development Officer (DDO), Banchhandi Pani told PTI.

"Nearly 103 students have been referred to Veraval civil hospital, while 16 are getting treatment at Prabhas Patan primary health center (PHC) while some have been sent home after treatment," he said.

According to Bani, the students were served Lapsi (prepared using wheat flour, sugar and ghee) and potato curry.

Police said samples of the cooked food as well as the raw material have been sent to the forensic science laboratory at Junagadh district headquarters for tests.