Rajkot Surendranagar Districts Cotton Industries - Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Limited

Cotton growers along the command area of the Maliya branch canal in Rajkot and Surendranagar districts are on a confrontationist course with the canal management and state administration for the last two days.

Farmers, faced with the prospect of their cotton crops drying up due to lack of irrigation water and delayed monsoon, are openly violating the state government’s orders of not lifting water from the canal as its water is meant to meet drinking water needs of towns in Rajkot, Jamnagar and Kutch districts, and for industrial purposes.

As per Latest Dhirubhai Bhimani Interviews who is Rajkot district BKS secretary said that, “Farmers are ready to pay the water charges, but denial of water to farmers cannot be tolerated.’’

N M Soniwal who is superintending engineer at Maliya branch canal for Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Limited (SSNNL) said that, “There is not enough water available for irrigation.’’

“Also with Bt cotton giving good yield and cotton prices shooting up, farmers are going for early sowing and hence, putting up pressure on the government to lift water during May - June.’’
To prevent unauthorized water lifting from the canal, the SSNNL has deployed hundreds of armed and mounted police doing round-the-clock patrolling along the canal.

The canal sentries have been seizing water lifting equipments and destroying water pipes amounting to crores of rupees every year.

The SSNNL had been using force and last year brutally beat up dozens of farmers who tried to draw water from the canal.

The farmers, backed by Mahagujarat Janata Party and Bharatiya Kisan Sangh, have openly challenged the state government and begun drawing water “illegally’’ to irrigate their cotton fields despite the state government promulgating Section 144 of CrPC banning assembly of four or more than four persons on the canal.

The Maliya police had also detained MJP president Gordhan Zadaphia, but was released within an hour after thousands of farmers surrounded the Maliya Police Station and tension began building up in the area.

“It is not acceptable as farmers have more claim over the water than the industries and the state government must revise its policy from being solely industry-driven to a balanced growth of all sections.’’

He pointed out that the Narmada River Water Disputes Redressal Tribunal had allocated more than 85 per cent of the water for irrigation purposes.

“So, it is totally unjustified to deprive farmers of the Narmada water,’’ he claimed.

Paying no heed to the state government’s advice, local farmers began sowing at least a month before the arrival of the monsoon as it results in early maturity of the cotton crop and their fields become available for the Jeera and Saunf during the winter.

Farmers say that if they don’t go for early sowing of cotton, it will be a huge financial loss to them, running into hundreds of crores of rupees.

Akhil Gujarat Rajput Yuva Sangh Rajkot Jamnagar City News Gujarat India

'Give a degree to your daughter instead of dowry'

Taking a cue from Patel community model in girls' education, Rajputs across Saurashtra and Kutch have joined hands and launched a Rajput Kanya Kelvani Rath Yatra with an aim to spread awareness within their community.

"The scenario of girl’s education in our community is very poor, particularly in rural areas. Gender inequality, social customs and economic conditions are the major reasons for their not being allowed to study further. So, we thought of reaching out to the remote villages and spreading awareness,'' says PT Jadeja, who spearheads the yatra, organized by Akhil Gujarat Rajput Yuva Sangh.

Generally, girls drop out after primary education in villages as their parents let them study till there is a facility within their village, he explained. "So many aspirant girls do not get higher education despite qualification. We hope that, our yatra will change the scenario'' says Bhikhubha Vadher, another one of the organizers.

"We give the Patel community's example for girls education. Apart from girls' education, we want the community to reject old customs and adopt social reforms. We urge them that they should give a degree to their daughter' instead of dowry,' Patel adds.

The yatra, which began on December 14, 2009 in Surendranagar district, has already covered 100 villages and has plans to cover 100 more by the coming week.

Similar yatras have been conducted in 2005 and 2007 in Rajkot and Jamnagar districts. "Each year, we cover a different district and this time we chose Surendranagar," Jadeja said.

Furthermore, this yatra is also used as a medium for fund collection to build free-of-charge educational institutes in the respective district to facilitate the girl child education. "From the money we collect from the yatras and donations, we have been building special girls' hostels and educational buildings at district levels where girls from class VIII onwards can get admission and get education up to graduation or post-graduation, whichever field she prefers,'' he added.

"We have already built two such hostels in Rajkot and Jamnagar, with 250 occupancy each," he added. In fact, the organizers got an overwhelming response, so much so that they need to expand the existing capacity of the girls' hostels.

The group has also floated the idea of adoption of girls - to sponsor education of girls of poor backgrounds. In February, this yatra will go to 325 villages in Kutch district with same message.

Swine H1N1 Flu Jamnagar Rajkot District News Sorath Gujarat India

The swine flu death graph is rising at an alarming rate in Rajkot District.

Five more people died on Friday and Saturday. Since June 22, when the first suspected case was reported in the city, the death toll has been steadily climbing. The toll as per sources is 20. A total 547 patients were treated in outpatient door department, created for swine flu patients at Rajkot's Pandit Dindayal Hospital, control room in charge of the hospital Dr U Mehta said.

On December 25, after a one-and-half-year-old baby died in the morning, a 50-year-old woman succumbed to H1N1 in the night.

On December 26, four-month-old baby Chintan Anilkumar, admitted on Wednesday from Kankot area, Rajesh D, 19, brought from Halwad in Surendranagar district on Friday died in the civil hospital. Rekha Turi, 40, of Jamsalaya in Jamnagar district died in a private hospital in Rajkot. Since Rekha's case was the first one reported in Jamsalaya, her house has been sealed and all preventive measures are being taken.

From December 17 to 24, 10 patients have died. At present, 36 of them are under treatment, of which 26 are positive cases and reports for 10 are awaited from Ahmedabad.

The death figures have jolted the Rajkot administration into action. Many are blaming the lax attitude of the administration for high number of deaths. The first death was reported on August 25, but special outpatient door treatment for swine flu patients was started a month later on September 10, a source said.

Meanwhile, more doctors have been appointed to tackle the situation since last week. "A chief doctor, two residents, two assistant professor-level doctors, one anesthetist and extra nurses have been put on duty per shift," said Dr Mehta.

In Rajkot, till date, 784 patients were given preventive treatment. According to sources, out of samples sent for confirmation, 88 per cent samples were positive. Rajkot Municipal Corporation (RMC) health officer Dr Mitesh Bhanderi said, 1,050 doctors were given special training on swine flu guidelines.

Jamnagar City Railway News Saurashtra Gujarat India

2,000 km meter gauge lines to be converted into broad gauge soon.

Gujarat, despite its industrial growth, happens to be the only state in the country, which has almost 2,000 kilometer meter gauge lines.

Western Railway (WR) now promises to convert them to broad gauge, with work to begin on 600 kilometre over the next three years. This was an assurance given by minister of state for railways KH Muniyappa on Monday while informing that a budget of Rs 362.62 crore has been earmarked for this purpose and project worth Rs 60.72 crore has been earmarked for new lines.

Muniyappa also invited the Gujarat government to a 50 per cent partnership in the process of doubling of railway tracks between key port towns and high passenger traffic lines. "We have succeeded in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Jharkhand. This is a public service and Gujarat has an excellent track record in terms of partnerships in key infrastructure projects."

According to general manager, WR, RM Verma, two stations in Gujarat -- Ahmedabad and Porbandar -- have been included for upgradation to world standards.

For this, plans are being drawn. Also, Gandhidham and Vadodara stations have been selected for establishing multi-functional complexes.

Nearly 30 stations, which includes Anand City, Dwarka , Jamnagar City, Nadiad City, Rajkot City, Surendranagar City and Okha in the state, will be developed as model stations.