It's guns 'n' garba for these foreigners at EME school Wednesday, October 17, 2001
BY MANJU RAMANAN, TIMES NEWS NETWORK
VADODARA: For once, the lilting garba tunes will replace the booming of guns for these soldiers from distant countries. As the city gets into Navratri mode from Wednesday, over 20 soldiers from 10 countries studying at the Indian Army's EME School here plan to enjoy Gujarat's vibrant 'navla norta'.
These foreign students are currently being trained at the faculties of weapon technology, instrument technology and vehicle technology. They come from the neighbouring countries like Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Bhutan, Mauritius and even countries like the West Indies too.
Officiating Commandant Brigadier K Venkataraman explains: "In accordance with policy decisions between their country and India, they are allowed to take training here. Also there are chances that their countries do not have the required defence academies for training because of which they are sent here."
Colonel N K Dutta, commanding officer, faculty of vehicle technology adds, "Usually, a foreign student is given a sponsor or a 'buddy' who tells him in detail about the country and its history. Often these decisions are taken to maintain ties with neighbouring countries."
Sergeant Zurarath Hanif, a 23-year-old student from Maldives, is midway through his diploma in electrical engineering course. After his XII standard examinations, he was a stock holder for a while and then as part of the three-year government bond joined the army. His country has sent him to India and he has been here ever since. He and his friend, Abdulla Rasheed, also from the Maldives, had seen the Navratri celebrations last year. "We were all in a jeep and couldn't see much. This time, however, we plan to see more festivities," he says.
For Parashuram Ghimine from Nepal's Dhading district, Navratri is not new, but garbas are. A technical nayak and student of electrical upgrading-2, he has seen festivities similar to Navratri in his home country. "I have seen Navratri celebrations in Uttar Pradesh, but never the dance of the garbas," he says.
Warrant officer Vijayapalaa, a student pursuing his diploma in automobile engineering, is from Maateli, Sri Lanka and has been here since a year. So has his friend Karunarathna, and both have had a glimpse of the festivities. "We understand English and a little bit of Hindi, but we don't really understand the lyrics of garba songs as they are in Gujarati," he says.
Thirty-one-year-old Sangay Tshemp from Galephu, Bhutan is a Ist grade vehicle mechanic and is reminded of his country's mask dance when he sees Gujarat's folk dance garba. "Mask dance is in the Zongkha language, and both men and women take part in it," he says.
And, as enthusiasm sweeps the EME campus as much as it grips the city, Armymen manning the EME plan to relax rules a bit so that officers can watch or even take part in Navratri celebrations.
News Source : The Times of India [India's best Newspaper]
Jungles of Panchtantra to come alive in Gujarat Wednesday, October 17, 2001
By SAJID SHAIKH, TIMES NEWS NETWORK
VADODARA: The jungles of the famed 'Panchtantra' are about to come alive in Gujarat. And along with them all those 'once upon a time stories'. Stories that spoke of the pristine forests and its wild dwellers -- the lion king, red-faced monkeys, smart.
No folklore this, the state forest department indeed wants to bring back the jungles described in the 'Panchtantra'.
In what seems to be the most ambitious plan ever drawn up by a government agency, the state forest department has developed a Rs 200-crore management plan for as many as 21 forest sanctuaries and four national parks including the Gir and Black Buck national park in Gujarat. The plan was recently approved by a high-level committee of experts and will be implemented soon.
"The thrust of this plan is on wildlife, conservation of bio-diversity or the habitat for wildlife," deputy chief conservator of forest M M Sharma told TNN.
He said earlier projects on forests had not focused specifically on wildlife. "Here we are focussing on wild animals. Everything else revolves around them. We would like to manage the forests in such a way that it becomes more conducive for wildlife, their population increases and that the endangered species are protected," Sharma said.
He said the objective was to restore the former glory of forests. "We want to bring back to present day forests the image that the 'Panchtantra' conjures for us. A jungle full of birds and animals having abundant foliage making their home more comfortable to live in," Sharma observed.
He dubbed the management plan as a work of excellence that had contributions from some of the finest experts from the Wildlife Institute of India, the Central government, the National Institute of Oceanography, academicians as well as the international principles and practices of forest management. "Besides our own indigenous management systems we have also adopted from foreign literature especially the studies on wild animals like lions, sloth bears etc," Sharma said.
Preliminary drafts for the management of the Wild Ass Sanctuary, Ratanmahal Sloth Bear Sanctuary, Narayan Sarovar Chinkara Sanctuary and the Kutch Desert Sanctuary have already been prepared. Also, about 21 senior rank forest officers have taken the tasks of putting the management plan comprehensively in the form of a voluminous study report on individual sanctuaries and national parks.
"The management plan is in context of the wildlife. It is the wild animals living in forest that we are focussing on. Once upon a time when the forests were rich, these wild beasts were found in huge numbers. Gradually as the forest cover depleted, their numbers shrunk. We want to reverse this trend. Make forests thick and let wildlife flourish," conservator of forests, wildlife circle Vadodara R N Tripathi said. He said help of local NGOs and volunteers would be taken to implement the management plans.
"A part of this management plan is devoted to the development schemes of forest. It has laid down the ways to minimise man-animal confrontation, reduce the dependency on forest resources of villages falling in forest limits and reduce the negative impacts on bio-diversity," Tripathi said.
News Source : The Times of India [India's best Newspaper]
'Gutkha' ad ban deprives 'garba' of lifeline Wednesday, October 17, 2001
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
AHMEDABAD/SURAT/VADODARA: Being a prude is not a quality you appreciate during Navratri, but many district authorities have chosen just the moment to bare their moral fangs. Collectors of all major cities across the state have banned tobacco and gutkha companies from advertising at 'garbas'. Vadodara is, perhaps, the only major city not to have imposed such a ban till Tuesday evening.
The decision has squeezed out at least 50% of the sponsorship cash flow to a number of prominent 'garba' organisers. Many are starting to feel the pinch as even big sponsors like Coke and Pepsi are going slow, not sponsoring as many 'garbas' as they used to earlier.
In Surat, the municipal corporation's health officials are even banning sale of cigarettes, 'paan' and 'gutkha' within 200 metres of the 'garba' sites. Deputy commissioner (health) I C Patel admitted it would be difficult to enforce a complete ban, but claimed it was part of their campaign to create more awareness among the youth about the harmful effects of tobacco.
"Most of us agree that tobacco is injurious to health but you can not have double standards on the issue," says Himanshu Shah of SOI Entertainment, one of the largest 'garba' organisers in the state. "Cigarettes and gutkha are not prohibited by law, like liquor is in the state, then how can you stop anyone from putting up their banners? You can't allow such companies to advertise in the print media 365 days a year and suddenly clamp down on them during Navratri. A complete ban would make more sense."
The decision has angered the organisers as it eats into their already dwindling incomes. The cut in sponsorship ranges between 20 to 50%, leaving the event managers with peanuts for profits. "The funny part is Manikchand can sponsor special fluorescent night vests for traffic policemen in Ahmedabad, but not 'garbas'," an organiser remarked.
Add to this the fact that the ban has also not been effectively communicated to the organisers, leading to a lot of confusion. Shah, for instance, believes the decision is only effective in Gandhinagar, not in Ahmedabad and even threatens litigation if the larger of the two cities is brought under its purview. Ahmedabad's additional district magistrate Manorama Bhagat, however, says they have so far implemented the ban in Ahmedabad and will soon be bringing in Ahmedabad district as well.
Hemant Shah of Ace Promotions, another large 'garba' organiser in the state, believes the ban is effective even on surrogate advertising, like a cigarette company having a subsidiary making tea. Gandhinagar collector S J Haider on the other hand believes that would be stretching it a little too far. "I don't think we can go that far," he says. "We are only against direct advertising by these companies, targeting the youth during the nine days."
Interestingly, Manikchand, one of the largest gutkha companies in the state, has decided to wash its hands off Navratri this year. An official release from its Vadodara office added that although they considered supporting 'garbas' as a religious duty, they preferred to divert their funds for rehabilitation of quake victims. The focus is on rebuilding schools in villages. Sources, however, added that confusion over what the ban actually entails has been responsible for keeping the 'gutkha' companies away even when they have other products.
The organisers, however, are questioning the logic behind the ban. "National dailies carry 'gutkha' ads prominently on page one that reach almost every home," points out Jaydeep Mehta of True Innovations. "If you don't have a problem with that, how can you have a problem with a banner hanging at a garba venue?"
As Gujaratis are more used to free passes rather than paying for a 'garba', most organisers register only 50% ticket sales. With large sponsors staying out, they are now bracing for one of their leanest years ever.
News Source : The Times of India [India's best Newspaper]
'Gutkha' ad ban deprives 'garba' of lifeline Wednesday, October 17, 2001
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
AHMEDABAD/SURAT/VADODARA: Being a prude is not a quality you appreciate during Navratri, but many district authorities have chosen just the moment to bare their moral fangs. Collectors of all major cities across the state have banned tobacco and gutkha companies from advertising at 'garbas'. Vadodara is, perhaps, the only major city not to have imposed such a ban till Tuesday evening.
The decision has squeezed out at least 50% of the sponsorship cash flow to a number of prominent 'garba' organisers. Many are starting to feel the pinch as even big sponsors like Coke and Pepsi are going slow, not sponsoring as many 'garbas' as they used to earlier.
In Surat, the municipal corporation's health officials are even banning sale of cigarettes, 'paan' and 'gutkha' within 200 metres of the 'garba' sites. Deputy commissioner (health) I C Patel admitted it would be difficult to enforce a complete ban, but claimed it was part of their campaign to create more awareness among the youth about the harmful effects of tobacco.
"Most of us agree that tobacco is injurious to health but you can not have double standards on the issue," says Himanshu Shah of SOI Entertainment, one of the largest 'garba' organisers in the state. "Cigarettes and gutkha are not prohibited by law, like liquor is in the state, then how can you stop anyone from putting up their banners? You can't allow such companies to advertise in the print media 365 days a year and suddenly clamp down on them during Navratri. A complete ban would make more sense."
The decision has angered the organisers as it eats into their already dwindling incomes. The cut in sponsorship ranges between 20 to 50%, leaving the event managers with peanuts for profits. "The funny part is Manikchand can sponsor special fluorescent night vests for traffic policemen in Ahmedabad, but not 'garbas'," an organiser remarked.
Add to this the fact that the ban has also not been effectively communicated to the organisers, leading to a lot of confusion. Shah, for instance, believes the decision is only effective in Gandhinagar, not in Ahmedabad and even threatens litigation if the larger of the two cities is brought under its purview. Ahmedabad's additional district magistrate Manorama Bhagat, however, says they have so far implemented the ban in Ahmedabad and will soon be bringing in Ahmedabad district as well.
Hemant Shah of Ace Promotions, another large 'garba' organiser in the state, believes the ban is effective even on surrogate advertising, like a cigarette company having a subsidiary making tea. Gandhinagar collector S J Haider on the other hand believes that would be stretching it a little too far. "I don't think we can go that far," he says. "We are only against direct advertising by these companies, targeting the youth during the nine days."
Interestingly, Manikchand, one of the largest gutkha companies in the state, has decided to wash its hands off Navratri this year. An official release from its Vadodara office added that although they considered supporting 'garbas' as a religious duty, they preferred to divert their funds for rehabilitation of quake victims. The focus is on rebuilding schools in villages. Sources, however, added that confusion over what the ban actually entails has been responsible for keeping the 'gutkha' companies away even when they have other products.
The organisers, however, are questioning the logic behind the ban. "National dailies carry 'gutkha' ads prominently on page one that reach almost every home," points out Jaydeep Mehta of True Innovations. "If you don't have a problem with that, how can you have a problem with a banner hanging at a garba venue?"
As Gujaratis are more used to free passes rather than paying for a 'garba', most organisers register only 50% ticket sales. With large sponsors staying out, they are now bracing for one of their leanest years ever.
News Source : The Times of India [India's best Newspaper]
'Gutkha' ad ban deprives 'garba' of lifeline Wednesday, October 17, 2001
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
AHMEDABAD/SURAT/VADODARA: Being a prude is not a quality you appreciate during Navratri, but many district authorities have chosen just the moment to bare their moral fangs. Collectors of all major cities across the state have banned tobacco and gutkha companies from advertising at 'garbas'. Vadodara is, perhaps, the only major city not to have imposed such a ban till Tuesday evening.
The decision has squeezed out at least 50% of the sponsorship cash flow to a number of prominent 'garba' organisers. Many are starting to feel the pinch as even big sponsors like Coke and Pepsi are going slow, not sponsoring as many 'garbas' as they used to earlier.
In Surat, the municipal corporation's health officials are even banning sale of cigarettes, 'paan' and 'gutkha' within 200 metres of the 'garba' sites. Deputy commissioner (health) I C Patel admitted it would be difficult to enforce a complete ban, but claimed it was part of their campaign to create more awareness among the youth about the harmful effects of tobacco.
"Most of us agree that tobacco is injurious to health but you can not have double standards on the issue," says Himanshu Shah of SOI Entertainment, one of the largest 'garba' organisers in the state. "Cigarettes and gutkha are not prohibited by law, like liquor is in the state, then how can you stop anyone from putting up their banners? You can't allow such companies to advertise in the print media 365 days a year and suddenly clamp down on them during Navratri. A complete ban would make more sense."
The decision has angered the organisers as it eats into their already dwindling incomes. The cut in sponsorship ranges between 20 to 50%, leaving the event managers with peanuts for profits. "The funny part is Manikchand can sponsor special fluorescent night vests for traffic policemen in Ahmedabad, but not 'garbas'," an organiser remarked.
Add to this the fact that the ban has also not been effectively communicated to the organisers, leading to a lot of confusion. Shah, for instance, believes the decision is only effective in Gandhinagar, not in Ahmedabad and even threatens litigation if the larger of the two cities is brought under its purview. Ahmedabad's additional district magistrate Manorama Bhagat, however, says they have so far implemented the ban in Ahmedabad and will soon be bringing in Ahmedabad district as well.
Hemant Shah of Ace Promotions, another large 'garba' organiser in the state, believes the ban is effective even on surrogate advertising, like a cigarette company having a subsidiary making tea. Gandhinagar collector S J Haider on the other hand believes that would be stretching it a little too far. "I don't think we can go that far," he says. "We are only against direct advertising by these companies, targeting the youth during the nine days."
Interestingly, Manikchand, one of the largest gutkha companies in the state, has decided to wash its hands off Navratri this year. An official release from its Vadodara office added that although they considered supporting 'garbas' as a religious duty, they preferred to divert their funds for rehabilitation of quake victims. The focus is on rebuilding schools in villages. Sources, however, added that confusion over what the ban actually entails has been responsible for keeping the 'gutkha' companies away even when they have other products.
The organisers, however, are questioning the logic behind the ban. "National dailies carry 'gutkha' ads prominently on page one that reach almost every home," points out Jaydeep Mehta of True Innovations. "If you don't have a problem with that, how can you have a problem with a banner hanging at a garba venue?"
As Gujaratis are more used to free passes rather than paying for a 'garba', most organisers register only 50% ticket sales. With large sponsors staying out, they are now bracing for one of their leanest years ever.
News Source : The Times of India [India's best Newspaper]
