Heat wave grips Saurashtra, Kutch

 Mar 30, 2012

RAJKOT: A blistering heat wave swept entire Saurashtra and Kutch region as people reeled under scorching sun across all major cities. Temperatures hovered around 40 degrees Celsius and people avoided venturing out.

According to India Meteorological Department officials, heat wave conditions are prevailing in parts of Saurashtra and Kutch region and it is likely to continue for one more day.

Amreli, Amreli, Rajkot, Surendranagar and Mahuva saw mercury touching 41 degrees Celsius, the highest in the region.

City roads wore a completely deserted look, especially in the afternoons as most people preferred to cool their heels at home. Hot winds blowing throughout the day only added to their woes.

"Day temperature rose in parts of Saurashtra and changed little over rest of the region. They were above to appreciably above normal over Gujarat region and in parts of Saurashtra and normal over rest of the region,'' a weather official said.

Nights provided some respite from the burning day as temperatures came down to around 25 degrees Celsius. The lowest minimum temperature was 19 degrees Celsius recorded at Naliya in Kutch region. The coastal parts of Saurashtra, too, observed the heat wave like conditions. Coastal towns also witnessed sun fury as temperatures in Porbandar, Veraval and Bhavnagar touched 40 degrees Celsius.

IMD officials said that maximum temperature would be around 40 degrees Celsius and minimum temperature would be around 23 degrees Celsius in the region.

North Gujarat, too, simmered under heat wave as hot desert winds blowing from Rann of Kutch kept temperatures close to 41 degrees Celsius. Temperature in Bhuj, Modasa, Idar and Deesa hovered between 41 degrees Celsius and 42 degrees Celsius.

Saurashtra-Kutch rattled by 22 tremors in 3 days

Feb 28, 2012,

RAJKOT: There seems to be no respite for people in Saurashtra and Kutch from the low-intensity earthquakes rattling the region since long. In the last three days since February 25, 22 tremors have left people scared in several parts of these regions.

According to Institute of Seismological Research (ISR) officials, on February 26, as many as 16 earthquake tremors were reported in the state. Out of the 16 tremors, 12 were reported in Saurashtra region alone.

Moreover, a tremor measuring 3.3 on Richter scale was experienced in Talala in Junagadh district on February 26. On February 27, four low-intensity earthquake tremors were reported in Saurashtra and Kutch region.

According to ISR officials since February, 176 earthquake tremors have occurred in the state, most of them were low-intensity earthquake tremors.

Ten days ago, an earthquake tremor measured 1.3 on Richter scale was reported 30 km north-east from Sardar Sarovar dam on river Narmada in Bharuch. However, no casualty has been reported so far from any corners of the state, but frequency of the earthquake tremors have left

Castorseed production Record output likely

Chennai, Feb. 21: 

Castorseed production this year's season to October is likely to be 36 per cent higher, thanks to a 34 per cent rise in crop acreage. But a 3 per cent drop in the yield has capped further gains in production, according to a study conducted by Nielsen for the Solvent Extractors Association of India.

According to the study, with area under castor increasing to 11.5 lakh hectares (lh) from 8.6 lh, production is seen rising to a record 16.19 lakh tonnes (lt) from 12.5 lt a year ago.

Gujarat, which accounts for over half of the area under castor and nearly three-fourths of the crop produced in the country, will see its production increase 36 per cent to 12.26 lt (9 lt). However, yield is seen dropping by 6 per cent this season.

Area under the crop this season has increased to 6.97 lh from 4.83 lh a year ago.

The solvent extractors' body said area under the crop rose by over 50 per cent in Kutch, Surendranagar, Vadodra and Patan districts.

Lower yield in Gandhinagar and Sabarkantha districts has capped production gains.

According to the Solvent Extractors Association, the projections have been made after three rounds of pickings.

Two more pickings will take place in April and May before a final figure on the crop can be arrived at, a statement issued by it said.

Limited gains

Another major factor for this year's improved production is the performance of Rajasthan where output is likely to top 2 lakh tonnes. In fact, the study has estimated a production of 2.07 lt from 1.69 lh against 1.8 lt produced from 1.27 lh last year.

Things could have been far better in the north-western State but for a 14 per cent drop in yield to 1,222 kg a hectare.

The association said area under castor has increased in all growing districts — Barmer, Jalore, Jodhpur, Pali, Sirohi. The yield is lower this season due to inadequate rainfall during growth state of the crop coupled with dew and water shortage, it said.

Though the area under castor has increased by 16 per cent to 2.3 lh in Andhra Pradesh this season, a poor yield of 677 kg a hectare is capping the production gain to 11 per cent at 1.56 lt. An indifferent monsoon is one of the reasons for the poor yield in the southern State, where other crops such as cotton and pulses have also suffered.

“This year, all castor-growing districts received rain that was 25 per cent lower than the average rainfall. Last year, it was 36 per cent higher than average,” the Solvent Extractors Association said.

Castor is grown in Anantapur, Kurnool, Mahbubnagar, Prakasam and Rangareddy districts mainly.

Contribution from the rest of the country is seen almost unchanged in terms of area, production and yield.

Shipments

India's castorseed production makes up 65 per cent of the global output, while it makes up 51 per cent of the castor oil production. At least 75 per cent of the castor oil produced in the country is exported, mainly to the US, Europe and Japan.

Castor oil is an important raw material for industries manufacturing soap, surface coatings, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, perfumes, greases and lubricants.

During the April-January period of the current fiscal, 3.24 lt castor oil have been exported worth Rs 3,204.48 crore. During the entire fiscal last year, exports were 3.43 lt valued at Rs 2,362.46 crore.

Cold wave grips Saurashtra, Kutch

BHUJ/RAJKOT: Cold wave is sweeping across Saurashtra and Kutch with temperature dipping as low as 3.8 degrees Celsius at Naliya in Kutch on Monday. However, the cold wave hit Bhuj with somewhat lesser intensity with minimum temperature being recorded at 9.4 degrees Celsius.

In Saurashtra, where temperature has been oscillating between 9 degrees Celsius and 10 degrees Celsius, the temperature was recorded at 8.7 degrees Celsius on Monday morning. In Junagadh, the minimum temperature was recorded at 9.8 degrees Celsius with wind blowing at 4.6 km per hour speed and humidity being recorded 79%.

Porbandar recorded the maximum temperature at 29 degrees Celsius and minimum at 9.4 degrees Celsius.

Meanwhile, the minimum temperature in Mount Abu on Monday dropped to O degrees Celsius. There were thin layers of ice on leaves of the trees and on the surface of Nakki lake as well.

Mumbai-Bhuj private train in the pipeline

 

AHMEDABAD — After a prominent businessman recently submitted to the railway ministry his plans for a private train between Mumbai and Shirdi, a popular religious shrine 300km away, a study is being conducted on the feasibility of a proposal to start a private train between India’s commercial capital and Bhuj in Kutch district of Gujarat.

The demand for a Mumbai-Bhuj private train was raised by a group of Mumbai-based wealthy Kutchi businessman when they went to New Delhi and met Railway Minister Dinesh Trivedi, also a Gujarati and technocrat Sam Piroda, adviser to the railways.
A local railway official told Khaleej Times that there had been scattered efforts and proposals in the past from various businessmen and individuals, but it was the first time that the ministry is exploring various options with Pitroda having already asked railway experts to prepare a detailed project on the 860km route.

Modi’s itinerary at Rann utsav and at Dhordo tent city

Bhuj, 10 December, 2011

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi will reach Dhordo today at 1.30 pm through a helicopter. He will visit Khawda and go to Kalo dungar(black hills) to seek blessings of Shri Dattatreya.

From here, Modi will visit Dhordo tent city and will open Kutch rann utsav at 3.45 pm. In the evening, he will reach white surface of rann sitting on a camel cart. After attending cultural event inside the greater rann of Kutch, he will stay in Dhordo tent city for a night and will return back to Gandhinagar on Sunday morning. Modi will visit an art gallery and other exhibitions inside the tent city during his visit.

A special V-Sat facility has been created in the tent city for Modi and other dignitaries to avail them a live video of Khadir flamingo city. According to sources, Modi is keen to develop bird-watching tourism in Gujarat and especially in Kutch. Yesterday evening in his speech Modi said that bird-watchers are highly rewarding tourists.”Bird watchers are high-end class tourists who stay longer. If they don’t spot the bird they are willing to watch, they extend their stay and return back only after successful click,” Modi said. As Khadir flamingo city is far away from Dhordo tent city, Mr. Modi has arranged live view through satellite in tent city itself according to sources.

38-day-long Rannotsav to begin from December 9

The Great Rann of Kutch will start buzzing with tourists from December 9 when this year’s 38-day- long Rannotsav begins near Dhordo village. The festival in the white Rann will be set into motion with display of artistic performances at colourful ‘Kutch Carnival’ on the banks of historic Hamirsar Lake in Bhuj on December 9.
On Wednesday, the state government announced that this year’s festival will begin on December 9, 2011 and end on January 15, 2012. This year’s attractions will be hot-air balloons and all-terrain vehicles, and some stars and film crew from Bollywood.
State tourism minister Jay Narayan Vyas said, “The response from tourists from all over the world this year is overwhelming. All the tents for the first three days have been booked while for the rest of the days, 80% of booking has already been done.”
“Last year, some 800 tourists visited Kutch while this year about 32,000 visitors have visited the place,” the minister said.
Talking about the plans to make Kutch a preferred location for film shooting, principal secretary of tourism department, Vipul Mitra, said: “We have received calls from actors like Suniel Shetty and Gulshan Grover expressing their keenness to visit Kutch during the festival. Shetty has been to Kutch earlier for his films like ‘Border’ and ‘Refugee’. Further, the crew of film-maker Vishal Bharadwaj will also be visiting the festival to explore the location for their next film.”
Apart from hot-air balloons and all-terrain vehicles, there will be other attractions like camel safari, desert car rally, horse ride and food court. Cultural programmes showcasing the culture of Kutch will also be there.
The government has announced a special package keeping in mind Christmas and New Year celebrations. As many as 440 AC and non-AC tents have been erected at Dhordo. The traditional eco-friendly houses of Kutch known as ‘Bhunga’ will also be made available to tourists. The government will organise beach festival on the seashore of Mandvi and a special kite festival will be organised in the white Rann.
At ‘Kutch Carnival’ in Bhuj, about 32 artiste-groups will perform on the banks of Hamirsar Lake.

Sadbhavna mission is giving sleepless nights to anti-Gujarat elements:Narendra Modi in Kutch

By our political desk, Bhuj, 19 November, 2011

As many as 10,000 people from Kutch today voluntarily fasted with the Chief Minister Narendra Modi when he took upon a day-long fast today at Bhachau of Kutch district as a part of Sadbhavna mission.

Rounding up his fast Chief Minister said that all-round growth of the people of Gujarat is the indicator of the strength of unity and peace, which is the only way to development.

Because of Sadbhavna mission, Chief Minister said, the anti-Gujarat elements are now facing sleepless nights, which itself suggests the power of Sadbhavna that is prevailing in Gujarat from the last one decade. People of Gujarat never pay heed to the conspiracies and lies devised by the anti-Gujarat elements. Gujarat will never bow down despite a thousand try by the rulers of Delhi Sultanate.

Mr. Modi thanked the large gathering that came from the four talukas of Kutch – Bachau, Anjar, Rapar and Gandhidham to support the Chief Minister and the objectives of the Sadbhavna mission.

The venom of communalism was not there in India before independence but it was spread by some who played vote-bank politics to grill their political bread. Gujarat, for the first time, has raised voice against it and showed a way to bring a change, Mr. Modi said.

People of other state would also have to take the path of unity and peace if they want growth as it is happening in Gujarat. With the prevalence of Sadbhana, growth will come automatically, he said.

He also said how the Centre in indifferent towards the conservation of cow-progeny even after the directives of Supreme Court. Contrary to it, he said, Gujarat has organized over 3000 cattle health fair and eliminated some 112 diseases related to the animals.

Chief Minister also urged people to identify the growth-hurdling people who are out to hinder the development works of the state government.

Indian Army brings Kashmiri students to Gujarat visit

A group of 20 students from Jammu and Kashmir is on Gujarat visit organized by Indian Army.
The students are from various schools of Kupwada district of Jammu and Kashmir and they are visiting Gujarat under ‘Indian Army Sadabhavana tour’.
They visited Ahmedabad’s Science city, Sardar Patel international airport, IIMA, Kutch’s Kandla port, Saurashtra, Jamnagar’s INS Valsura base and Balachadi sainik school.
The students said they had never stepped outside Kashmir in their life. They were very excited to watch the sea, the ships, planes and eve the train. They said the live 130 km away from Srinagar and they had never watched train.
Sadbhavana yatra will return back to Kashmir via Rajasthan’s Jodhpur.

'First war of Independence'

Kutch rebelled before 1857

AHMEDABAD: Arguably, this was the first uprising against the British Raj. Much before the famed 'First war of Independence' in 1857, there was determined effort to oust the British in a corner of the country. Kutch was the first to erupt in 1816. Even a deadly quake three years later, in 1819, could not dampen the spirits of a group of revolutionaries.
Renowned historian Bipin Chandra in his 'Modern India' notes: "Hundreds of such uprisings have been recorded by historians. Perhaps the most famous of these are the Kutch Rebellion, the Kol Uprising of 1831 and the Santhal Uprising of 1855. The Kutch Rebellion, led by its chiefs, lasted in one form or another from 1816 to 1832."
The power struggle between the king and 12 chieftains snowballed into a mutiny. Following a treaty between Maharao Bharmal II, the king of Kutch, and the British in 1816, power was vested with the throne. However, in 1819, the king was dethroned by the British due to his cavalier attitude, including his act of raising a troop of Arabs and Africans — something discouraged by the British government.

RC Majumdar writes about the uprising in this context: "The most formidable was the rebellion of Rao Bharmal II who raised Arab troops with the avowed intention of expelling the British from his country. Although he was defeated, the struggle was continued by other chieftains."
Some chiefs of the Jadeja clan were even banished for acts of insubordination. They joined hands with the Amirs of Sindh to overthrow the political establishment in Bhuj. "...for recovery of their forfeited lands and the restoration of the deposed king Bharmaji II to power, the chiefs assembled a body of Mianis and Sindhis in connivance with Amirs," notes James Mill and Horace Hayman Wilson in their book 'The History of British India' published in 1848.
They also describe how the insurgents ravaged the country and advanced to the hills near Anjar, where they occupied the fort of Balari and cut off the communication between Bhuj and the rest of province. The rebellion was crushed, but
the rebel Jadeja chiefs partnered with different communities and continued to raid various parts of Kutch. This situation lasted till 1832.

Source : http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-01-26/ahmedabad/28373539_1_chiefs-arabs-and-africans-bhuj