Salaya Khambhalia Taluka Jamnagar District Gujarat India News Samachar

Salaya Jamnagar Gujarat India to get desalination plant. Just before the monsoon, the situation in Salaya village in Khambhalia taluka of Jamnagar district was so bad that water had to be provided through tankers. The village, best known for its country-made dhows, is now going to be among the first three places in Gujarat to get a seawater desalination reverse osmosis (RO) plant. Salaya, Dwarka and Dholera have been chosen by the Gujarat government under WASMO Swajaldhara' scheme.

Mumbai-based Nano City company is providing US machinery and installing it on build-operate basis to desalinate seawater.

Amalendu Purandare of the company negotiated the project with Salaya nagarpalika. Health and education committee chairman of the nagarpalika Salemohammed Sumbhaniya said they are providing only space. The company will provide clean drinking water free for the first year and then at 15 paise per litre. The plant will help the 40,000-strong population of Salaya.

"Earlier, women used to abuse us due to water shortage. I hope the situation will ease now," he said. The nagarpalika has the authority to sell extra water to other nagarpalikas or gram panchayats. At present, Salaya consumes almost half a truckload of water pouches which are not hygienic and pollute the environment too.

This is the best option for them as otherwise they have to depend heavily on rainwater and water provided from reservoirs.

They have also been waiting for Narmada water for a long time.

Salaya Jamnagar District News Samachar Gujarat India

Monsoon weddings for sailors.

The rains have brought smiles to the faces of sailors of Salaya in Jamnagar district. Monsoon being the off season for them, many have taken the opportunity to plunge into matrimony.

Around 300 marriages have taken place in the past two months in this tiny coastal town of 35,000 people!

Amin Hassan, 19, came home from sea to be married at his hometown. He is here for only two months and will leave his new bride with his family and go back to sea, only to return after 10 months.

His family is happy and busy with wedding preparations like so many others. Seher Qazi or the main priest at Jamma Masjid is on his toes registering at least 12 nikahs a day.

Aziz Sumbhaniya, owner of country made vessel Sahere Madina' with whom Amin works, said, "As most men are working on country made vessels, or businesses related to them, monsoon is the only period they get a vacation of two months."

Sumbhaniya lives in Dubai, while his family lives in Khambhalia in Jamnagar district, 13 km from Salaya. He starts his sea journey in mid-August when vessels sail to Dubai and returns home 10 months later after trips to Mogadishu, Muscat and ports of Saudi Arabia.

Omar Abbas Says, "During monsoon, the sea is rough and it's not advisable to sail. Most of us work as seamen as this is our traditional business. There is no other industry or employment opportunity at or around Salaya. Most boys become good swimmers even before they pass high school and start working with their fathers." He points to the sea and adds: "This is our high school."

Imran Anwar, who got married last year, came back in June to see his wife and family after a terrifying ordeal. His vessel had been hijacked by Somali pirates. "It was very scary. When they tortured us, I thought I would never get to see my wife again."

Most sailors and their families face this fear. Rashida Imran Says, a newly-wed, "We know about the danger but have no option but to send them to sea as this is our only source of income."

The season also brings cheer to people involved in businesses related to weddings. Such as, canopy or mandap lenders, flowers sellers and music band owners. Ishak Bandwala comes to Salaya every season all the way from Dhoraji. He and his banjo band stay for two months and earn good money.