Fish, meat prices slump during Navratri Friday, October 26, 2001
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
AHMEDABAD/VADODARA: Suresh Raghavan couldn't just believe when the fisherwoman at Teen Darwaza in Ahmedabad was willing to sell promphets for Rs 100. Last week, he had bought the same for Rs 160 a kg. Raghavan normally buys one kg but has now stocked his fridge with sea-food which could last him a fortnight.
This was of course Raghavan's first Navratri in Gujarat, the most vegetarian of all states, which has just turned more leafy during the ongoing Navratri. Animal-loving organisations like SPCA and PETA may be wishing it remains like this all through the year. "Over 50 per cent of Hindus fast during Navratri, and even those who do not fast, abstain from non-vegetarian food. So our earning drops by 15 to 20 per cent during these days," says Ramvinay Misra, an employee of Lutf Neelam restaurant.
To cater to the Gujarati palate, Holiday Inn restaurant _ Waterfall _ offers a Navratri-special vegetarian fare from 12 m to 4 a.m. where it serves burgers, sandwich and other snacks.
Colours of Spice has been undeterred by religious compulsions of Navratri. It has gone ahead with its Chinese festival, where it was serving veg and non-veg in equal proportion, but the proprietor Srinivas T owns up to the fact that the earnings from vegetarian food did shoot up.
In Surat, the municipal corporation's slaughter houses at Rander Road and Salabatpura have registered a downslide in the number of animals killed. According to deputy commissioner (health) I C Patel, from an average of 500 goats, around 200 were being slaughtered as there was demand from the locals or the migrants.
Promoter Jameer of Hotel Salute near Surat railway station, which has a wide clientele for its non-vegetarian dishes, says demand was down by three-quarters during Navratri.
Vadodara, the most cosmopolitan of Gujarat's towns, perhaps bucked the trend. "We had organised Hyderabadi food festival before Navratri. It became so popular that we decided to extend it. Even now it is drawing a crowd", says Sayaji Hotel general manager Munawar Garbadawala. Despite hosting a non vegetarian festival the hotel still gets its vegetarian customers, he adds.
In Rajkot, there has been a drop in fish and meat prices by 20 per cent. Said a citizen, "Navratri is festival of Goddess Amba and during these nine days I do not eat anything and observe nine days of fast. I just take water and juice. There is no question of eating even egg during these days".
News Source : The Times of India [India's best Newspaper]
Cyclists on a mission to help tackle thalassaemia Friday, October 26, 2001
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
AHMEDABAD: Their basic idea is to spread awareness about thalassaemia but they are quick to mention their second purpose: spreading peace in the world. Three young Bengali men from Naihati in West Bengal (WB) began their mission on August 15 on their bicycles with a hope to traverse 14 states and three Union territories. In their late 20s, Saurabh Ganguly, Tanmoy Sarkar and Raja Nandi after cover WB, Jharkhand, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi and Rajasthan, have now reached Ahmedabad.
"I had seen Nandi's nine-year-old cousin brother pass away because of thalassaemia and that was how we decided to spread awareness about the disorder," says Ganguly. With a sporting background where the trio had participated in cycling competitions in their state, they knew what their mode of transport would be. Moreover, Abhijeet Chakraborty who has entered the Guinness Book of World Records for having travelled to 54 countries on his bicycle, stands as their greatest aspiration, says Sarkar.
Having been involved with AIDS awareness programmes and blood donation camps in their state, they could garner co-operation from the Indian Medical Association, Naihati branch, Sports and Transport minister of West Bengal Subhash Chakravorty and an NGO involved with social welfare, Anandabazar Adarsh Sangh, to fund their trip.
They set out on their bicycles at 6 a.m. and call it a day only at midnight. Their rucksack has everything from first-aid and bicycle equipment to track-suits and a stove. And grocery, too. "We cook our own food. In fact, we halt every one and half hours to recharge ourselves," says Ganguly.
Focussing on rural areas, they go about their campaign by distributing leaflets and talking and explaining to people about thalassaemia.
Come rain or shine, they have never stopped. At every stop, they get in touch with the IMA branch for their medical check-up, with muscle stiffness being the most frequent complaint. During one such check-up Raja Nandi was asked to back out, bringing his association to an end in Ahmedabad, thus leaving Ganguly and Sarkar to carry on the task.
From Ahmedabad, it is Vadodara, Bharuch, Surat, Daman and Silvasa and then Mumbai and onwards. They hope to return on January 15, 2002 after covering the rest of India.
News Source : The Times of India [India's best Newspaper]
Sharad Joshi backs farmers Friday, October 26, 2001
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
AHMEDABAD: The Sharad Joshi-led Shetkari Sangathan has rallied support for cotton farmers in Gujarat who are being threatened that their standing crops may be destroyed as they had used an unapproved hybrid variety of genetically-engineered seeds.
Joshi, in a statement on behalf of the Kisan Co-ordination Committee (KCC), said the Khedut Samaj of Gujarat will hold a 'kisan rally' at Bharuch on October 30 on this issue. The rally will be addressed by Sharad Joshi, Sardar Bhupendder Sing Maan (Punjab), Chaudhari Prem Simha Dahiya (Haryana), P Chengal Reddy (AP) and the president of KCC Saroj Kashikar.
News Source : The Times of India [India's best Newspaper]
Chirayu Amin helps Vadodara stage a FICCI coup Friday, October 26, 2001
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
AHMEDABAD: In what is seen as a coup by the Vadodara lobby two weeks before Chirayu Amin is to relinquish office of the president of Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry, the outgoing president has nominated Amit Goradia as the chairman of the Gujarat state council of FICCI's western region unit.
Goradia and Amin both hail from Vadodara, and in the past, the former has had a running battle with the Gujarat Chambers of Commerce & Industry (GCCI) which was hitherto seen as FICCI's nominee in the state. Goradia, who had last year accused the GCCI of being a 'puppet' in the hands of the Gujarat government, however, sought to downplay his differences with the largest trade and industry organisation in the state on his taking over as chief of the FICCI's state outfit.
Talking to TNN after his meeting with the new chief minister, Goradia still described GCCI as "Ahmedabad-centric" and said FICCI's state council will try to bring together on one platform all the trade and industry organisations operating in the state. Differences between the GCCI and other regional chambers of commerce and industry had come out in the open last year over the issue of power tariff when organisations in Vadodara and Rajkot took a more strident stand and organised a prolonged strike even while GCCI adopted a more moderate approach towards the issue.
Goradia said while the Gujarat council will be presently headquartered in Vadodara, it could move to other cities depending on who heads it. The council was also planning to set up an office in Gandhinagar for better co-ordination with the government.
Powerful industry representatives in the GCCI admitted they were upset over Goradia taking over the mantle of the FICCI in Gujarat and said this had more to do with his proximity to Chirayu Amin. However, the concept of setting up regional councils was not new and the FICCI had already done this in Maharashtra and three southern states. The timing of the appointment however suggested that certain elements did not want the new president to take over FICCI in a fortnight.
Former GCCI president Mukesh Patel, who is also on FICCI's executive council, said it would be wrong to suggest that GCCI was Ahmedabad-centric and was not representative of the state. He said Ahmedabad was the commercial capital of Gujarat and it would be desirable that instead of raking up past differences the regional council of FICCI could forge better co-ordination and co-operation between the various trade and industry associations.
Another FICCI executive member from Gujarat, Girish Dani said GCCI would be represented on the regional council which "cannot do without GCCI which is the largest trade and industry organisation in the state". Dani said even on the power tariff issue, GCCI's stand was vindicated because the strike by other industry organisations had to be called off without getting any concessions from the government.
FICCI secretary general Amit Mitra, who was also in town, said FICCI was already involved in a big way in Gujarat in earthquake relief, where it was building 2,500 houses in nine villages. The FICCI-IDRC project in Vadodara aims to help 25 auxiliary petrochemical units eliminate pollutants. FICCI also has a special thrust on special economic zones (SEZs) by which Kandla, Positra and Surat will benefit.
A major event 'Resurgent Gujarat -- Business Partnership Meet 2002' early next year will be organised jointly with the state government to identify potential projects and market them to potential investors both in India and overseas.
News Source : The Times of India [India's best Newspaper]
Vadodara in brief on 25th Oct. 2001 Friday, October 26, 2001
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
MSU course in interior design
VADODARA: M S University's Centre for Continuing Adult Education and Community Services will start a long-term but part-time certificate course in 'Advance Elements of Interior Design' by November-end. Those interested may contact the centre on 795510 for forms.
Refresher course
Sardar Patel University (Vallabh Vidyanagar ) department of English has organised a UGC-sponsored refresher course in English for college and university teachers from November 21 to December 11. Teachers interested in participating in the course may contact the university department before October 30. Requests can also be given in writing to the co-ordinator at the department of English, SPU, VV or on phone number 02692-26829 or fax 02692-36475.
EME celebration
The 58th anniversary of the EME Corps Day was celebrated at the EME school here last week on October 15 at the Eugene stadium. As part of the festivities, a week-long programme and a Barakhana was also organised where senior and junior officers met for a cultural programme and dinner. EME officiating commandant Brig K Venkataraman and his wife grace the occasion. A large gathering of all ranks of the EME and retired EME personnel and their families were present on the occasion. The highlight of the evening was the filming of the growth and raising of the EME corps and their outstanding achievements.
Inter-school quiz
The Mars Gregorios Memorial School has organised a special inter-school science quiz. The Mars Gregorios Rolling trophy for the inter-school science quiz 2001 would be organised on October 27 at the MSU campus general education auditorium between 8 am to 12 noon. The science club of the school organises the quiz every year and 20 schools would participate in it. Students from standards eight to 12 can participate. A cash prize of Rs 500 each would be awarded to winners, and Rs 250 for the runners-up. The school which gets the maximum points would receive the Mars Gregorios Rolling trophy.
News Source : The Times of India [India's best Newspaper]
