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.

Kesar Keri Talala Junagadh Amreli District News Gujarat India

Is the only agriculture product from Gujarat to get registered with Geographical Indication Registry?

Alike Darjeeling tea or Solapar chaddar, Kesar mango from Talala Gir will soon have its own identity.

The luscious fruit is all set for registration with the Geographical Indication Registry (GIR) of India, which conveys assurance of quality and distinctiveness — essentially attributed to the place of its origin in a defined geographical locality.

Kesar mango will be the first agricultural produce from Gujarat and the second mango variety in India (Dussheri from Uttar Pradesh being the first), to get this registration. Post-registration, villagers in a total of eight talukas across Junagadh Districts and Amreli districts in the periphery of the Gir Wildlife Sanctuary will be able to reap the benefits of added value attached to their produce. Talala, Keshod, Vanthali, Una, Kodinar and Mangrol talukas are the main centers for Kesar in Junagadh district, while for Amreli; the centers are Dhari and Khambha.

Kesar Mango cultivation in Gir started about a century ago. In the past 100 years, the region has emerged as the hub of this fruit. Namely, the Gujarat government will bear all the registration charges for which the preparations are in the final stages by the Junagadh Agriculture University (JAU), with the help of the Agriculture Market Produce Yards of the various centers.

Junagadh Agricultural University (JAU) has been preparing a presentation with scientific documents, mainly on the origin and characteristics of the fruit, such as its nutrient value, flavor, size, shape and color. APMCs across the two districts will do the registrations for the farmers.

Only registered farmers can avail the benefits. Once GIR, located at Chennai, gives the go-ahead to the presentation, JAU will work on the logo for Kesar Keri. Only cultivators from the eight talukas of Gir will be able to use the logo, which will add value to their product. “The GI will give an edge to the cultivators. It can get the fruit recognition and quality assurance, which will result in better returns to the farmers through export in other states as well as the international market. Presentation papers are in the final stages,” said a senior JAU official. Kesar is among the most expensive varieties of mangoes. Valjibhai Patel, a cultivator from Talala in Junagadh district, said: “Many a times, a regular variety has been sold in the market in the name of Kesar.

But the registration will assure that there are no duplications. This will boost our chances of export.” So far, Gujarat has obtained registration for furniture from Sankheda, agates from Cambay, Kutch embroidery and Tangaliya shawls.

Kodinar Junagadh District News Samachar Gujarat India

Tight security in place for Kodinar bypoll, marine patrolling intensified.

Tight security arrangements have been made in the Kodinar Assembly segment for the bypoll to take place along with six other constituencies on Thursday.

The Junagadh district administration has identified 21 polling booths as hyper sensitive and 68 as sensitive. The Assembly segment accommodates 129 villages and 200 polling booths.

According to Superintendent of Police Maninder Singh Puwar, apart from Junagadh police personnel, forces from adjoining Porbandar, Amreli and Bhavnagar districts have been pressed into service to maintain law and order.

As many as 10 deputy superintendents of police, 17 inspectors, 49 sub-inspectors, 900 constables, 1,100 home guards and Gram Rakshak Dal jawans have been posted on election duty.

Besides this, three companies of the State Reserve Police and two of the border wing will also maintain vigil.

“With Kodinar being on the coastal belt, marine patrolling has been intensified for which two boats have been pressed into round-the-clock service. Besides, cellphone services providers in the district have been instructed not to circulate group SMS from midnight to 5pm on the polling day (Thursday),” said a senior police officer.

Ambuja Cements Limited Kodinar Junagadh District News Samachar Gujarat India

Villagers allege Ambuja Cements mined 145 hectares illegally

Ambuja Cements Limited, which has applied for surrender of limestone mines located in an area of nearly 131 hectares in Rampara village in Junagadh District, is facing the charges of illegal mining on additional 145 hectares by the local gram panchayat.

Karsan Bamaniya, the sarpanch of Rampara village, told the Indian Express that the company had illegally mined the village land worth around Rs 700 crore, over and above what the state government had allocated it for mining.

“An area of 131.6552 hectares was transferred to Ambuja Cements on October 28, 1991 on a mining lease by the state government. But the company went on to illegally mine 145 hectares additionally. Of this illegally mined land, 101 hectares of land was the village’s gauchar land,” said Bamaniya.

Shailendra Singh Rathod, the president of the district panchayat of Junagadh, had also submitted a written objection to this act in one of the ‘district fariyaad samitis’ held on 9 January this year. A copy of this complaint letter is available with this newspaper.

In reply to the panchayat’s complaint, the district administration had said that it had conducted an enquiry and had found many boundary pillars missing on the mining site. V K Mule, a geologist with the Junagadh district administration, had subsequently directed the company to put in place all the missing pillars so that a proper assessment could be done.

However, when contacted, Rathod denied submitting such a letter to the administration. He said, “I don’t remember doing that.” On the other hand, Mule said: “It’s a minor issue. All the boundary pillars at the mining site are in place now.” That apart, Mule also denied the existence of a fact-finding letter submitted to him by the assistant geologist of Junagadh district dated July 7, 2007, a copy of which is available with this newspaper. In this letter, the administration had also contended that Ambuja Cements had “intentionally” discharged the water that had collected in its limestone mines to the neighboring fields, destroying all crops there. The enquiry initiated, on complaints made on May 22, 2007 by some of the affected farmers, reported the total estimate loss of Rs 23, 67,600 to 33 farmers caused by the discharge.

That apart, Ashwini Kumar, District Collector of Junagadh, refused to comment on the issue. “As far as my knowledge goes, Rampara villagers have indeed submitted an application alleging illegal mining by Ambuja Cements Limited. But the status of the enquiry in this issue and the administration’s version will be what V K Mule says,'' he said.

The company, on its part, has denied the charges leveled against it by the gram panchayat. Sriram S Kotiya, General Manager (Commercial), Ambuja Cements Limited, said: “The allegations of illegal mining are false. We have mined only the 131 hectares in Rampara that was leased to us. The notice by the Rampara gram panchayat was received and replied back suitably.”