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.

Somnath Mandir Gujarat India – with wireless surveillance system

Gujarat State Police has allotted Rs 50 lakh for purchase and implement a wireless surveillance system on the Somnath Mandir Coastal Area.

The system once installed would keep vigil over five nautical mile coast from Somnath Mandir. Gujarat Police Chief S.S.Khandwawala, Coast Guard (Gujarat) Chief Satyakumar Sharma, DIG Pravin Sinha and District Chief of police from Junagadh District, Porbandar District and Amreli District took a glance of system in Junagadh City where cameras were put at five places for demonstration.

Gujarat State Police Chief Khandwawala briefed the reporters that this system would connect all 26 police stations of Junagadh State. After planting such cameras on all main roads of the district, the police would be able to trace suspects from Somnath Temple to Junagadh.

Khandwawala said the district of Junagadh has been selected as model district and Rs 50 lakh are to be allotted for that.

Khandwawala and state Coast Guard Chief Satyakumar Sharma took area survey of Junagadh district’s coastal areas from Keshod Town. They also visited Somnath.

Kesar Mango Talala Gir Junagadh District News Gujarat India

A Major mango feast is in the offing for fruit lovers in the region due to an early arrival of the Kesar Keri variety coupled with a bumper crop this season.

This year’s first auction of the fruit began at the Talala Marketing Yard on Tuesday (April 6), which is generally held in May.

According to experts, the season is likely to last till June and rates may also come down as the yield is reported to be 15 per cent more than the last two years.

On the first day of the auction, 8,400 boxes (each weighing 10 kg) arrived from various villages in the Gir region of Junagadh district.

The minimum rate for 10 kg was Rs 150 — nearly Rs 100 less than the previous year. Sadarsinh Chauhan, a member of the Talala Marketing Yard, said: “The weather was perfect this time, as a result of which the fruit has arrived early and in a large quantity. The first lot has arrived with that of hafoos.”

Last season, the marketing yard had auctioned over six lakh boxes, which is expected to increase significantly this year. “Initial trend indicates there will be 15 per cent more yield this season. On the first day itself there were 300 more boxes,” said yard chairman Chagan Kansagra.

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.

Junagadh Bhavnagar District New Samachar Saurashtra Gujarat India

Gandhians, others join hands for ‘coastal yatra’ against land acquisition.

Say unmindful industrialization, capitalist-imperialism led to economic disparity, corruption and poverty.

Opposition to land acquisition in the state is getting momentum. The Gujarat Lok Samiti, headed by noted Gandhian, Chunibhai Vaidya, has announced plans to take out a ‘yatra’ along the state’s coastline to mobilize people against such acquisition for industrial houses.

Though the date for the yatra is yet to be finalized, Vaidya, flanked by columnist and thinker Prakashbhai Shah and activist Ilaben Bhatt, said it would start from Porbandar, the birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi, and terminate at Umargam in south Gujarat. Umargam is the place where retired Army Colonel Pratap Save died in police custody after being arrested for leading a protest against acquisition for setting up of a port by a multinational company in April 2000.

Vaidya, Shah and Bhatt said they were not opposed to development, but extremely concerned about the displacement of the local people. They said the acquisition of agricultural land by the government for industries has resulted in huge unemployment among the villagers.

Unmindful industrialization and capitalist-imperialism has resulted in economic disparity, promoted corruption and poverty as also crime against women, they said.

Vaidya said, farmers at several places like Anwarpura in Patan, Vadodara-Jhala in Junagadh district, Jharpara village in Kutch district and Mahuva in Bhavnagar district are already opposing the land acquisition for industrial purposes. He said the government was even acquiring the common ‘gauchar’ land and handing them over to the industrialists, leaving no land for the cattle in the village. This was weakening the rural economy, he said.

“This is inhuman and undemocratic,” said Shah.

Meanwhile, farmers in Ichchapore village near Surat have moved the court against Chief Minister Narendra Modi, the Union Agriculture Minister and the Union Environment Minister over the allotment of a big piece of land to a private firm, Gujarat Hira Bourse, for setting up a gem and jewellery park.

The land was acquired by the government for setting up an industrial estate but the plan could not materialize. So, they allotted it to the private party.

The farmers are now demanding it back, saying the allotment was against the land acquisition provisions of the state government.

Several farmers from villages around Sanand have also declared to launch a protest movement against the acquisition of more land for the Tata Motors’ Nano car project. Recently, they called on the Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation officials in Gandhinagar and demanded a halt to the acquisition, saying a large number of farmers would be rendered jobless.

Farmers in the adjoining Manjusar industrial estate in Vadodara have also opposed the acquisition of land for expanding the industrial estate.

Sutrapada Taluka Village Coast Junagadh District News Saurashtra Gujarat India

Whale shark saved off Sutrapada Coast Junagadh District.

A whale shark weighing five tones was rescued from off the Sutrapada coast in Junagadh district and released in the sea unscathed in a joint mission by the forest officials and local nature club members on Tuesday.

Dinesh Goswami, president of the Nature's Club told TOI, "We received a message about the whale shark being caught in the net in the morning and rushed there along with forest officials."

The animal was saved by cutting as many as 15 nets of Ratnasagar boat owned by Bhaidas Jadav. "It was at least 25-feet-long shark, a male and weighed five tones. It took us three hours to de-tangle the nets and let it go. However, the animal was not injured at all," said Goswami who was accompanied by Jignesh Gohil in the mission.

Assistant conservator of forests PH Babariya said, "We received a call from Goswami and rushed a team of forest officials to the spot. They left in three boats and got out the animal safely."

Incidentally, this is the second incidence of whale shark rescue in this season. Earlier, one had been saved on November 23 from the same region. Nature club has been involved in saving 112 of these animals.

The cause of saving this endangered species, which come to the Gujarat coast, has been ongoing since the past few years. The cause of "Save the Whale Shark" had been taken up by religious guru Morari Bapu along with the forest department.

Bapu had administered a pledge to his followers to consider the whale, which comes to the Indian coast to give birth, as their daughter who has come home for child birth and guard them.

The whale shark, which migrates in winters from Africa to Gujarat coast, was placed under schedule I of wildlife (Protection) Act in 2001.Over 171 sharks have been saved off the Gujarat coast since 2005.

Rajkot Junagadh Jamnagar Saurashtra Kutch Districts Winter News Gujarat India

Foggy Thursday morning sets in winter pace.

A fog enveloped several cities in Saurashtra and Kutch in the wee hours of morning and late evening on Wednesday. The lowest temperature was recorded in Deesa in Kutch, which recorded 13.1degrees Celsius, followed by Gandhinagar 13.2, Naliya 14.6.

The minimum temperature recorded in Rajkot city was 17.7, while the maximum was 32.1 degrees Celsius. Bhavnagar recorded maximum temperature at 31.0 and minimum at 14.6 degrees Celsius. Amreli was shivering at minimum of 15.8 while it recorded maximum of 32.6 degrees Celsius.

Cold wave seemed to have skirted Porbandar, which recorded the minimum temperature at 21 and maximum at 32.5 degrees Celsius. Similarly, Junagadh also remained at the minimum temperature of 21.8 degrees Celsius.

However, woolens were out in Jamnagar where the minimum temperature remained at 16.1 while the maximum temperature was recorded at 30 degrees Celsius.

In Bhuj, the minimum temperature was at 19, while the maximum was at 32.0 degrees Celsius.

Junagadh City District Wildlife Forest Department News Gujarat India

Gujarat State Forest department bags national environment award.

The state Forest department has bagged the Indira Priyadarshini Vrikshamitra Award for 2006, 2007 and 2008 for outstanding performance in social forestry and reclamation of wastelands in Gujarat. The Award has been constituted by the Ministry of Environment and Forests.

The department’s Junagadh range has won the award in the social forestry category, while B B Limbasiya of the Rajkot office has won the same in the individual category.

Principal Chief Conservator of Forest Pradeep Khanna said on Monday that the social forestry range office at Anand has bagged the award for its outstanding work in mangrove plantation along the Gulf of Cambay, covering over 4,000 hectares of coastal land.

“Earlier, this coastal area did not have any vegetation worth the name. Under the project, we have not only planted Avicinia marina in 4,000 hectares of land but also generated over 90,000 mandays in the last three years,” Khanna said.

He added, “Due to the mangrove plantation, the villagers in Tada Talav, who were getting just 60-150 kg of sea food catch per day, are now getting 400 kg.”

Veraval Town Junagadh District News Samachar Saurashtra Gujarat India

100 baby turtles saved near Veraval Town.

A resident of Adri village near Veraval in Junagadh district showed both awareness on wildlife protection and a sense of responsibility by saving the lives of 100 baby turtles.

The endangered green sea turtles reportedly strayed into the jungle from their nests instead of into the sea. "Around 100 turtles came out of five nests and started walking towards the jungle. When an Ahir youth spotted this unusual phenomenon, he alerted us," said forester Nanji Kothiwal.

He, along with other officials, picked up the turtles in buckets and released them into the sea. "Our intervention was essential as the turtles had apparently lost their sense of direction and were heading towards the jungle where they could have easily fallen prey to foxes or jackals," Kothiwal explained.

According to forest department officials, 30 nests were found on the Gujarat coast on the outskirts of Adri where the turtles had come to lay eggs.

The green sea turtles known as Chelonia Mydas in zoological parlance come in hoards to lay eggs on Saurashtra and Kutch coasts. After laying 100 to 150 eggs on the beaches, they go back into the sea. The eggs take 20 days to hatch, after which the babies instinctively find their way into the sea. What happened at Adri seems to be an aberration.

Junagadh Jamnagar Railway News Samachar Saurashtra Gujarat India

Okha-Howrah rail service flagged off.

Okha Port Gujarat of Jamnagar district was allotted a long distance rail service. It was connected to Howrah via Okha-Howrah Link Express. The service was flagged off with fanfare on Sunday.

The train no 2905A/2906A Okha Hapa Howrah Link Express will be linked to the existing train no 2905/2906 respectively.

The train no 2905A will leave from Okha three days a week Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday at 5.05 am and reach Hapa at 8.52 am and Howrah on the third day at 3.35 pm. Train 2906A will leave Howrah every Friday, Saturday and Tuesday at 10.55 pm and reach Hapa at 3 pm and Okha at 7.50 pm on the third day.

This train will pass by Dwarka, Khambhalia, Jamnagar City and Hapa. It will have one AC coach, two sleeper coaches and one general coach.

In addition to this, after repeated demands for a train connection to Mumbai, people of Veraval town of Junagadh district have finally been provided a direct rail service between Mumbai and Veraval from November 23.

Officials of Western Railway, Mumbai, said a link express had been started from November 21. Two sleeper class coaches will be attached to 9005/9006 Saurashtra Mail and will be taken up to Rajkot where these coaches will be detached and linked to Rajkot Veraval fast passenger (train no 259/260) on November 23. Train 259 will leave Rajkot daily at 11.10 am to reach Veraval at 3.30 pm and train 260 will leave Veraval daily at 1.05 pm to reach Rajkot at 5 pm.

Junagadh City Shamaldas Gandhi Town Hall News Saurashtra India

Junagadh City Shamaldas Gandhi Town Hall

Junagadh town hall dedicated to Shamaldas Gandhi.

Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) president Siddharth Patel on Monday dedicated the renovated Town Hall in Junagadh to Shamaldas Gandhi, who had won Junagadh state by leading an army called Aarzi Hukumat (Temporary Government) on November 9, 1947.

Addressing the members of the Congress-led Junagadh Municipal Corporation (JMC) and prominent citizens, Patel spoke about the importance of the day when the Nawab of Junagadh, who had wanted his state to accede to Pakistan, was made to flee by the forces of Shamaldas.

After taking over Junagadh, Shamaldas Gandhi had formed a temporary government with himself as chief minister and Dayashankar Dave and Pushpaben Mehta as cabinet ministers.

Junagadh remained a centrally administered province till 1949 when it was merged with the then Saurashtra state, a part of the Indian Union.

Junagadh City District Independence Day November 9 1947 Events Festival News Gujarat India

Junagadh City District Independence day November 9, 1947(Junagadh Aazad Din-Divas)

Junagadh celebrates its independence day by running a marathon.

While the rest of country celebrates its Independence Day on August 15, erstwhile princely state of Junagadh City District has a special day to commemorate the occasion for its own. Like every year, this year too, denizens celebrated Junagadh Independence Day with pomp and glory on November 9.

A special Run for Junagadh' marathon was organized this year to commemorate the Independence Day. Hundreds along with Junagadh City mayor Satish Captain, prominent citizens and school students ran with gusto on Monday.

Apart from Captain, Junagadh Municipal Corporation (JMC) commissioner R M Sharma and deputy mayor Girish Kotecha also ran alongside the students of several schools. The event began with a puja ceremony at Vijay Stambh (victory mast) erected in the memory of Junagadh's independence on November 9, 1947.

Other programme included Swatchhata Abhiyaan (cleanliness drive) Rally', in which cadets from National Cadets Corps (NCC) and students of Sardar Patel Education Trust took part.

In the evening, JMC organized a grand fireworks programme at Bahauddin College. The event also marked felicitation of freedom fighters associated with Aarzi Hukumat' (temporary government). After Nawab Mohammad Mahabat Khanji III, king of Junagadh, chose to accede the state to on September 15, 1947, a group of Junagadh citizens formed Aarzi Hukumat under the leadership of Samaldas Gandhi to spearhead the freedom struggle.

Then Government of India called for a plebiscite, citing 80 per cent population being Hindu as the reason against Nawab's decision to accession. As part of the offensive launched against Nawab, the government suspended supplies of fuel and coal to Junagadh, snapped air and postal links, deployed army around the city and brought Mangrol Town and Babariawad, parts of Junagadh state, under its control.

Finally, succumbing to the military onslaught, Nawab along with his family fled to. The then Junagadh Court, in the wake of Nawab's fleeing, formally invited the Indian government to take control of the state's administration on November 9, 1947.

Junagadh Temples City District Heritage Tourism News Gujarat India

Gujarat Government to invest Rs200 crore for heritage conservation.

Gujarat which is known for its heritage sites will invest Rs200 crore for their upkeep.

In terms of number of heritage sites per square kilometer in the country, the state is in a leading position but many of the sites are in pathetic condition.

Hence the state government is planning to invest a huge sum in improving the condition of the heritage sites that are vanishing due to neglect.

At present, a total of 202 historical monuments in Gujarat are protected by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and director of state archaeology department.

According to sources, the government aims to invest around Rs200 crore for developing the fast vanishing heritage monuments of the state.

Of Rs200 crore, Rs100 crore will be earmarked for developing Buddhist sites.

The government plans to promote Buddhism studies and organize an international Buddhist convention in January 2010 in Vadodara.

It also plans to develop Devni Mori-Vadnagar sites as Buddhist pilgrimage circuit by introducing specific religious tours and activities.

"At Devni Mori site, an international Buddhism hub, meditation centre, Buddhist monastery and school of learning will be started. Other Buddhist tourist sites at Junagadh City District Area, Gondal and South Gujarat will also be developed," they said.

"In the 2001 earthquake, many important heritage sites sustained damage, but most of them have not been restored fully yet.

The government aims to restore and develop these heritage sites. Development of tourist infrastructure is also needed to attract domestic and international tourists," they said.

The government has also planned to modernize and develop the state libraries and also increase the financial assistance to state and private museums.

Bhavnath Temple Fair Mela Junagadh Tourism Gujarat India

Bhavnath fair has potential to give new life to tourism in Gujarat.

The Juna-gadh ( Old- fort ) is one of the ancient surviving city of India.

Junagadh is situated under the Girnar Parvat & Datar hills; one of the most picturesque towns of Gujarat. The town was called Manipur,Karnakubja, Raivata etc and at present, it is called Junagadh .

It is deeply believed Lord Shiva & Lord Narayana took up their residence in the vicinity of Temple of Bhavnath & Lord Narayana as Damodarji near Damodar Kund . The town is known for its famous ancient rock fort, Buddhist caves, magnificent Jain temples, ancient step wells, Ashoka inscription, colorful religious festival etc. The most famous Bhavnath temple is located at the foot of Girnar, is ancient & the origins are unknown.

The Bhavnath Mela is held here for 5 days. The fair coinciding with the grandiose and very famous festival of Shivratri, Bhavnath fair, is dedicated to Lord Shiva.

Thousands sacred saints (Naga Sadhus) do visit Bhavnath during the fair. The saints come from various school of thoughts possesing common belief that the whole world is their home and they do not require any cloth on body. was accepted as part of their way of life.

The Bhavnath Fair is one of the most colorful & vibrant event in many ways. The fair offers true color of the life style of sacred sages of different groups, they gather for a ritual involving a blend of dance and martial arts & the same time passionate and intense.

Above all various colorful communities, tribes & devotees visit with gorgeous ornaments & handicraft wearing which captures the mind, eye & soul of any human being!

The fair conveys the message of richness of our true culture. The fair takes back to our ancient root, customs, practices, ritual, belief, and it offers insight of irresistible Gujarat.

It is very rare & even to imagine. Gujarat is gifted with Bhavnath Fair of Junagadh !!!

Kumbh Mela is held once in 12 years. Thousand of foreign tourists book tents and all available accommodation for the festival in year advance, just to the get glimpses of the mystic saints & to see the life style of most sacred sages. The Bhavnath festival has potential to attract thousands of high budget foreign tourists. If Bhavnath fair is marketed correctly at the International tourism fairs and forums such as WTM, ITB-Berlin etc, it can become one of the other major International Fair for Gujarat.

On tourism front, the Government of Gujarat has made a serious effort to promote various destinations of state through events & festivals such as Navaratri, International Kite festival & Tarnetar fair etc. It could be one of the most successful fair of Gujarat & will be a huge attraction of its unique elements of rarity. This could be clubbed to visit other tourist destination of Gujarat.

The tourism professionals & related official bodies need to identify committed tour operators with the help of proper documents, who are working & promoting in these lines presently. There are 100s of travel agents just to sale air ticket, some out bound package tours and LTC tours of various states. This is the avenue that we need to seriously explore to identify the right people, proper foreign contacts with tourism boards & tourism associations and above all a proper marketing company that could handle public relations in many countries.
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The international print & electronic media needs to be galvanized. Special arrangements for foreign tourists to observe the event should be formulated.

Also infrastructure including accommodation and seating arrangements should be developed, some where near the festival starting point.

The state could attract many more thousands of high budget foreign tourists. Gujarat Is felt every where & running far ahead of most states in infrastructure, Industry development, safety , water management , best roads and education etc. Why not tourism?

The Bhavnath fair has potential to become the future of tourism in Gujarat. What Sanjeevani was to Lakshman in Ramayana, Bhavnath fair could be to Gujarat in tourism sector!!!

Bhavnath fair will be held on 9,10,11,12(Shivratri) February in year 2010.

Junagadh Kutch Main Diwali Tourist Attractions Gujarat India

Junagadh District, Kutch see tourism boom in Diwali.

Gujarat’s two districts; Junagadh and Kutch are having great tourist rush this Diwali vacation.

Most of the hotels and guest houses are booked. There are long queues at temples and taxis are over booked.

Junagadh district located in Gujarat’s Saurashtra area has three major tourist attractions to offer: Somnath Jyotirlinga temple, Sasan Gir Lion Sanctuary and Girnar Parvat Hill.

Junagadh’s Sakkarbaug zoo which is the largest and oldest zoo of Gujarat known for its Asiatic Lion and cheetahs is witnessing thousands of visitors; Ambaji temple located atop Gujarat’s tallest Girnar Mountain Hill is also full of visitors according to its priest Tansukhgiri Maharaj.

In Somnath, all residual facilities were booked and long queues were formed for Lord Somnath’s darshan at Aarti time to accommodate extra rush in the evenings. In Sasan Gir Lion Sanctuary tourists faced shortage of hotel rooms. Some tourists had to stay in Junagadh to visit Sasan Gir due to unavailability of Hotel room in Sasan Gir proper. Some tourists who wanted to visit Sasan Gir safari also faced one day waiting period.

Another hot and proven tourist destination in Gujarat this Diwali is Kutch district in this Diwali vacation. Destinations such as Matano Madh and Narayan Sarovar-Koteshwar are witnessing inflow of thousands of tourists. Bhuj based Gujarat’s oldest Kutch Museum is also witnessing great rush of visitors.

Major tourist attractions in Kutch include Bhuj, Kalo Dungar, Dholavira Harappan archaeological site, Narayan Sarovar-Koteshwar, Lakhpat fort, Banni, Chhari Dhand, Rann of Kutch, ethnic villages, Jain religious places etc.

Kutch is now worldwide known tourist destination for rural tourism. This year’s Rann festival in Kutch will be organized in December.

Sakkar Bag Zoo Junagadh City News Gujarat India

Hyena cub rescued from Gujarat house.

The Gujarat Forest Department rescued a cub of hyena from a house in Surendranagar district, where it was kept and nourished for about two months, after getting it from the wild.

The two-months-old striped hyena was brought to Sakkar Bag Zoo, B N Srivastava, principal chief conservator of wild life (Junagadh) told PTI.

The wild animal was recovered from the house of one Zavara Bhai of Kandhasara village, who said that the "pet", had been tamed.

Sakkarbaug Zoo Junagadh City News Saurashtra Gujarat India

CZA issues notices to zoos after they miss deadline to submit master plans.

The Central Zoo Authority (CZA) has issued notices to four zoos in the state after they failed to submit their master plans explaining future development projects.

Sources said all the zoos were asked to submit their plans till 2020, by March 31. But only two zoos — Indroda Park, Gandhinagar; and Kankaria Zoo, Ahmedabad — have submitted their plans.

Sakkarbaug Zoo in Junagadh City Saurashtra; Sarthana Zoo in Surat; Sayajibaug Zoo in Vadodara; and Rajkot Zoo are yet to submit their plans.

CZA Evaluation and Monitoring officer Brij Gupta said: “As most zoos in Gujarat have missed their deadlines, CZA has issued notices to them to submit their master plans as soon as possible. We have taken up this initiative to improve zoo administration and performance. The main aim is to enforce minimum standards and norms for the upkeep and health care of the animals so that the zoos can come up to a standard where they can complement and strengthen the national efforts in conservation of wild fauna.”

He added: “If the master plan is not submitted on time, no funds will be allocated in the coming years.”

He said that some zoos, such as the Butterfly Park in Surat, which is being developed by the Surat Municipal Corporation, doesn’t have CZA permission.

Surat Municipal Commissioner S Aparna said: “We have submitted the master plan. During their visit, CZA officials said there is a need to revise it and add some more details about new enclosures such as the Butterfly Park and aquarium in the master plan. The new master plan has already being cleared by the Sarthana zoo authorities and we will submit it soon.”

Sayajibaug Zoo Curator Dr C B Patel was unavailable for comments. Zoo officials, however, said the master plan will be submitted soon.

Vadodara Deputy Commissioner A O Sharma said: “We will submit the master plan in next week.”

Junagadh Zoo Director V J Rana said: “We were asked to submit a master plan, but we have restricted funds. Ours is a large zoo and submitting a master plan is a huge task, for which we need extra manpower including consultants and experts.”

He added: “The entry fee is still Rs 2, which is not enough to develop it to the level of an international zoo. A lot needs to be put in before we can submit the master plan. We might say what we want to do, but the non-availability of funds has restricted us to go ahead with our infrastructure development plans.”

Sasan Gir National Park Junagadh District News Samachar Gujarat India

Gujarat State govt to oppose proposal to shift lions from Gir at Delhi meet.

The Gujarat government will oppose the long-pending proposal of shifting a few Asiatic lions from Sasan Gir to Kuno Palpur in Madhya Pradesh, when this contentious issue comes up for discussion at a crucial meeting of the Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife in Delhi on Wednesday.

Gujarat Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) Pradeep Khanna told Newsline in the evening: “Gujarat’s stand on the issue of trans-locating Gir lions has been consistent. We will resist any move to shift the big cats from Gir to Kuno Palpur, when it is taken up for discussion at the Board meeting tomorrow.”

Khanna and Principal Secretary (Forest) S K Nanda will attend the Board meeting to be chaired by Union Environment and Forest Minister Jairam Ramesh. He said the Kuno wildlife sanctuary project mooted by Madhya Pradesh lacked scientific backing and security. Besides, there are only 300 of the total 1,000 tigers surviving in MP. “If the neighbouring state cannot protect its tigers, how can it protect lions?” he asked.

The PCCF also contended that tigers and lions cannot survive together in Kuno Palpur.

In response to a petition filed in the Supreme Court by a Delhi-based NGO for the transfer of Gir lions to MP, the apex court had referred the matter to the National Board for Wildlife and asked it to submit a report in the matter. After hearing the representatives from both Gujarat and MP at the Wednesday meeting, the Board will submit its report on the issue to the SC, sources said.

At the meeting, Gujarat will also seek the Board’s permission for implementation on the Girnar Ropeway project in Junagadh. Gujarat proposes to acquire about eight hectares of forest land, where there are about 12,000 trees, for construction of pillars for the ropeway project. “Though there are about 12,000 trees standing on the forest land, the axe will fall only on 200 to 300 trees,” said a senior Forest official.

The Board will also hear Gujarat’s plea for laying a high tension electric line, and also the ONGC and IOC oil pipelines across the Wild Ass Sanctuary in Kutch. “We hope the Board will give its nod to both the proposals,” Khanna said.

Una Taluka Junagadh District News Samachar Gujarat India

Una receives 76 mm rainfall in 24 hrs.

Heavy to very heavy rains poured in Una taluka of Junagadh district on Sunday afternoon and resumed early on Monday morning. Though the city and surrounding areas have received a good spell this season, the forest areas did not get any rainfall.

According to sources, it started raining heavily at 4 pm on Sunday and lasted for two hours, within which time Met department officials recorded 31 mm of rainfall. "There was waterlogging throughout the town, especially in Madhavbaug and Police Lines which saw knee-deep water. Basement shops in most complexes had water gushing in," a source said.

On Monday morning too it rained from 7 am to 8 am with 35 mm of rainfall being recorded. The area has had up to 1,076 mm this season.

However, rainfall was in a 5 km radius around the town and forest areas of the taluka did not see rain. Maldharis of the area have not been happy with this year's rain as despite good rains in Saurashtra, most wells and water bodies remained dry in the jungles.

Apart from sporadic rains in Rajula and Visavadar talukas, neither Junagadh district nor any other district of Rajkot received rain.