HC seeks details on use of loud speakers Sunday, October 14, 2001
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
AHMEDABAD: The Gujarat High Court has asked advocate general S N Shelat to inquire under which provisions the Ahmedabad police commissioner issued a circular on October 1, allowing use of loud speakers till 1 am during Navratri celebrations.
This follows a special civil application filed by Rahul Jani challenging the circular. A full-bench, comprising Chief Justice DM Dharmadhikari, Justice RK Abhichandani and Justice DK Trivedi however, did not prefer to issue notices to the secretary state home department and to the police commissioner who were respondents. It will be taken up the matter again on October 19.
The petitioner submitted that the circular, issued by the commissioner of police, Ahmedabad, was in contravention to the Noise Pollution Control Rules framed by the Government of India.
He stated that according to these rules, no authority had the power to allow any person or firm to use loudspeakers between 10 pm and 6 am.
An earlier judgment of the Supreme Court in Church of God versus KKR Majestic Colony Welfare Association, was also quoted in which the SC had observed that no religion prescribed that the prayers should be performed by disturbing the peace of others, and nor does it preach that it should be performed by voice amplifiers or beating of drums.
The petitioner said that beating of drums and voice amplifiers during Navratri create noise pollution.
News Source : The Times of India [India's best Newspaper]
New fashion-rage grips young generation Sunday, October 14, 2001
BY NARANDAS THACKER, TIMES NEWS SERVICE
RAJKOT: Osama Bin Laden, the most dreaded terrorist of the world, in Rajkot! Yes, he is going to strike on Wednesday, October 17.
Osama will make a dramatic entry into the "Nine Nights" festival, known as Navratri, which is celebrated in Saurashtra, with great deal of gusto and enthusiasm.
And, it will not be just one Osama... but a number of them... perhaps, the duplicates.
The new fashion, of adorning the Osama dress, with turban, beard and moustache, is currently a rage among the mass and would be seen throughout the nine nights from October 17 onwards.
Right from children of five years to youths of 35, Osama bin Laden craze has swept and overtaken the cultural scene.
The dress, along with turban, beard and moustache, resembling the terrorist, is being given on hire by the dress suppliers, who are now legion.
The going rate for hiring the Osama dress is Rs 400 for children and Rs 800 for the young, for the festival period.
The Osama fashion, of late, is one of the new fashions which have overtaken the young boys and girls in Rajkot.
There are other fashions too, copied from the Bollywood blockbusters like Dil De Chuke Sanam, Lagaan, Gaddar and what not.
The ethnic touch is quite visible, both in the female and male dresses. The young girls prefer chania-choli, jeans and backless choli combination, oxidised ornaments, ear-rings. The boys prefer the Kathiawadi colourful dresses, children go for Nehru jacket and caps.
The dress designers and suppliers have been doing brisk business for the last couple of months due to the Navratri festival.
The bookings for the dresses opened two months back and many of them aver that their hands are full at the moment. They are just speeding to catch up with the pending orders. And, they are still being flooded with new orders.
Similarly, the 'dandiya' varieties are also changing, with colourful, wooden sticks to aluminium pieces... costing from Rs 10 to Rs 200.
The aluminium product is preferred at the modern or Disco-Raas while the wooden 'dandiya' is preferred at the old style 'prachin' garba.
After two successive drought years, this year, the Navratri festival in Saurashtra promises to be more colourful, as the enthusiasm of the young players is ascending sharply.
The number of dress designers and dress suppliers have gone up this year, though it is supposed to be a seasonal business.
But, the people in this line, intend to make fast buck, by cashing on the rapidly changing fashions and new craze gripping the younger generation.
Rajkot is known as the nerve-centre of the modern Navratri festival. The trend is now seen in other towns and centres in Saurashtra.
With the result, the Navratri festival is losing its ancient touch. The 'prachin' or the ancient 'garbi' and 'garba' are rarely seen.
The organisers of the Disco-Dandiya Raas in different areas also claim a lion's share from the participants ranging from Rs 700 onwards.
Every year, the rates for the cards, required to play in the circle go up. This year, too, the rates have been raised up... some charging as much as Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,500 for nine nights. But, the enthusiastic youngsters just don't mind it!
According to a random survey, every young participant spends as much as Rs 3,000 on an average. Some even spend more... for the nine-night show.
This includes the cost of participation fee, cost of the fashionable dress, dandiyas and the cost of snacks, cold drinks, ice-creams, etc. Most of the participants move in groups and enjoy the extravaganza till the wee hours.
There are regulations to conclude the disco-dandiya at the appointed hour. But, such regulations are hardly observed, with the result that some of the groups carry on till dawn!
Along with the young girls and children, their parents also accompany them for the show while the boys prefer to be on their own. Even girls would prefer not to have their parents with them!
Apart from the cost borne by the participants, there are others who earn handsomely.
These include the music artists, giving accompaniment music, the people connected with light and sound system, the mandap contractors and also the ice-cream parlours, fast-food jaunts and the like.
The onlookers, who are regular visitors at these Disco-Dandiya-Raas, also spend lot of money by way of transport, snacks, ice-cream, etc. and make merry till late night.
An interesting thing about these Disco-Dandiya is... the programme usually starts after 11 pm and goes on till early morning. But, the crowd is unmoved!
There are more than a dozen such groups, which every year attract thousands of people from various areas of Rajkot and even from the neighbouring villages and towns.
According to rough estimates, the people of Rajkot spend about Rs 20 crore for the nine-night festival.
In other words, it may work out to more than Rs 2 crore per day. Rajkot has the habit of doing everything in style! The estimates of expenses for the entire Saurashtra region is in the bracket of Rs 150 crore.
However, there is the other sombre side too. In the wake of the killer earthquake in the border district of Kutch, the people have decided not to celebrate the festival in a grand manner. They would prefer to be content with symbolic, devotional prayers to the Goddess.
News Source : The Times of India [India's best Newspaper]
Kites, shikras still scan Vadodara skies Sunday, October 14, 2001
BY SAJID SHAIKH, TIMES NEWS NETWORK
VADODARA: They had gone out to count the vultures, instead found pariyah kites and shikras, both hunting birds known for their prowess of making piecemeal of their preys.
The vulture census might have turned out to be a major disappointment for the forest department but it did bring home some good news too.
Vadodara skies may no more be home to vultures, but they definitely are the favoured hunting grounds of majestic kites and shikras.
"We thought the census was a good opportunity to count raptors (carnivorous birds which hunt and kill other animals) in city. We found a couple of shikras and about 304 pariyah kites," deputy conservator of forests wild life division S K Mehta told TNN. He said most raptors were found in Sayajibaug and Laxmivilas Palace campus.
"Maximum pariyah kites were spotted at Sayajigunj and Vishwamitri river area. We counted about 45 of them here and some 45 more in Karelibaug area. About 26 pariyah kites were seen in Parshuramm no Bhatto area, and 32 were sighted at the railway station and Alkapuri area," Mehta said.
The census team, he added, saw four shikras in the palace campus and in agriculture land in Tandalja.
"Raptorial birds belonging to the kite family have a good presence in city. The Laxmivilas Palace campus hosts quite a few variety of raptors and occasionally one can also spot owls," said wildlife warden and member of the census team Rohit Vyas.
He said raptorial birds were an important part of the city's ecosystem, and played a crucial role in keeping it clean.
"Not having vultures in the city is a cause of concern. We should ensure that other carnivorous birds don't meet the same fate. People can contribute by getting educated about the significant roles that these birds play in our lives. Not to mention these birds are splendid creation of nature and add to the beauty of planet earth," Vyas said.
The forest department, meanwhile, has decided to document the census. Conservator of forests Vadodara circle R N Tripathi said the census study has been scientifically recorded and will be put in the form of a document.
"We wanted to do some constructive work during the wildlife week, and hence decided to conduct a census of these birds. We thought the data would be of use to researchers and also make an important study for the department," Tripathi said.
News Source : The Times of India [India's best Newspaper]
AMC doctors want panacea for interference Sunday, October 14, 2001
BY RADHA SHARMA, TIMES NEWS NETWORK
AHMEDABAD: What happens if a doctor in the emergency ward tells a group of over 15 people, who defying the security guard storm inside the emergency room late at night inquiring about a patient's health, that he will not see the patient until they all wait outside?
If the visitors turn out to be political heavy-weights like standing committee chairman Badruddin Sheikh and his friends, the doctor can get show-caused and transferred to another hospital, as it recently happened to a resident doctor of V S Hospital.
The incident should not be seen in isolation. Men in khadi have scared the daylight out of doctors in the AMC-run hospitals in the city, who confess to living under this constant threat of disciplinary action at the instigation of municipal corporators and other political bosses of the corporation.
"It's like an invisible sword hanging on your head. With so many patients streaming in and out of the hospital, you don't really remember who is a politician or his relative. And the moment you fail to pamper the ego of these netas, there goes your head," says one resident doctor.
Matters have come to such a pass that the Junior Doctors' Association (JDA) last week shot off a letter to the hospital superintendent and municipal commissioner expressing their inability to discharge their routine duties due to ever-increasing political interference.
"Political interference within the hospital premises is uncalled for. There is always a scare in the minds of the junior doctors of biased disciplinary action which happens at the instigation of some political interference. This should come to an end," says members of JDA in the letter.
The doctors also pleaded that the only relationship in the hospital should be that of a patient and doctor, and there should be no room for political interference.
Have things really got that bad? Doctors and nurses insist that things could not get worse. "It is as if the hospital has become a personal fiefdom of corporators and corporation big-wigs. Every now and then, there are requests for looking after this relative or that acquaintance. We should do our jobs or keep the political patients in good spirits," says another resident doctor.
Senior doctors too confess that one of the biggest nuisance of politicians is in getting their patients passed as free cases, or getting 'indents' done which entitle poor patients for free medicines.
"It is no exaggeration, almost 75 per cent of the cases will be those recommended by politicians. Poor patients no longer benefit in this hospital. The largesse is being passed on to the political vote-bank," says a senior doctor.
TNN too managed to get hold of a case recommended by standing committee chairman Badruddin Sheikh, where the patient, reportedly a relative of Sheikh, was admitted in the special room but was also given free medicines (which should ideally be given only to poor patients) from the general ward number 14!
When asked to comment on this apparent politicisation of hospital affairs, Sheikh gave a very different version of the incident with the resident doctor.
"I very politely asked the doctor how the patient was doing, but he refused to give treatment. I can understand, but what if he does this to common people. I thought that the incident should be brought to notice," said Sheikh.
About his recommended patient who got free medicines, he said, "Our relatives can get free treatment."
When asked who the relative was, he refrained saying, "I am in a meeting now. I will call you up and tell you later." That phone call never came.
News Source : The Times of India [India's best Newspaper]
Differences on garba venue fee issue Sunday, October 14, 2001
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
VADODARA: The issue of asking garba organisers to cough up rent at commercial rates for using Vadodara Municipal Corporation plots as venues has snowballed into a major controversy.
The administrative and elected wings of the corporation seem to be on a collision course over the issue.
Elected representatives had raised a major hue and cry in Thursday's general board meeting seeking explanations as to why the VMC did not charge rent from the organisers who made money by holding the festival.
Sources said that about half-a-dozen plots owned by the corporation were rented out in the past at a token rate of Re 1 per day to the organisers.
Councillors, cutting across party lines, made representations regarding the issue. Eventually, the furore subsided after Mayor Bharati Vyas agreed to look into the matter.
The issue took an interesting turn when some administrative members allegedly expressed their inability to act, as the general board had not made a resolution on the matter.
"While the issue was discussed, the members did not make a resolution for the administrative wing to act upon," a source said.
The elected representatives are, however, firm on their decision. Said Congress councillor Chirag Jhaveri, "There is no reason for anybody to get alarmed as the demand affects only those people who organise the event to earn profits. Besides, bullying by these organisers over the years has increased. They also use corporation machinery for the purpose of organising garbas."
Notably, offering the grounds almost free of cost has been a tradition of the VMC. Commenting on this Jhaveri said, "That may be true, but does not imply that wrong practices must continue."
The demand has also found support from Deputy Mayor Shailesh Mehta and members of the Samata Party, which he represents. Said Mehta, " I have proof which shows that stalls and parking contracts at these venues will be sold at exorbitant rates. The organisers will earn. So, they should pay as well."
Mehta added that the resolution in this regard by the standing committee already put stringent restrictions and paved way for the organisers to pay the VMC. "The only point is that this largely goes unnoticed. It must now be implemented strictly," he said.
The deputy mayor also said that the argument for inaction was wrong, as there was no resolution regarding the issue. "I believe that the general board is supreme, and things said have some weight. If a promise is made there, it must be kept," he said.
Commenting on the issue, Deputy Municipal Commissioner (administration) Jayantkumar Sevak noted that it could not be denied that garbas were conducted as a major public event.
"To this extent, the demand for asking them to pay up is justified. On the other hand, there is the argument that the events are being held for the public at large, which enjoys there. Considering this involvement, people demand the waiver of commercial rates," Sevak said.
Sevak added that VMC would in any case charge the organisers a high rent for stalls put up there. "The issue is whether the use of space where people dance is commercial," said Sevak.
Meanwhile, Bharati Vyas has called a meeting of senior VMC functionaries and Opposition leaders on Monday. A final decision on the issue is likely to be arrived at in the meeting.
News Source : The Times of India [India's best Newspaper]
