Big B: Gujarat Tourism campaign more successful than Incredible India

Posted by Kanchana Devi on January 23, 2012
Rajkot, Jan 23 (TruthDive): Amitabh Bachchan is the brand ambassador of Gujarat Tourism department. Amitabh has said that growth of tourism in Gujarat is bigger and larger than “Government of India’s `Incredible India’ campaign”.
In his blog, he has written, “Off again to Gujarat tomorrow and into the second phase of the tourism campaign, which I must admit has turned out to be a magnificent success. The growth rate in tourism in Gujarat has been bigger and larger than the Government of India campaign Incredible India and that has made all those of us that were involved in the working of it, very proud.”
The 69-year-old actor arrived in Mundra yesterday for shooting ‘Khushbu Gujarat Ki’, a part of the campaign for the state tourism. The shoot is taking place in Rann of Kutch.
Big B on Twitter said, “Tomorrow Gujarat for second phase of promotion of tourism …. working well …. campaign results better than GOI Incredible India !!”
He further tweeted, “Work honestly and diligently without a care for criticism…it shuts many mouths without opening your own ..!!” In another tweet he said, “State of Gujarat has the largest number of heritage sites in the country … did anyone know that .. ?? Amazing”.
Bachchan started the shoot from yesterday and would stay in Kutch for three days, sources from Kutch district authority said.
Chairman of Gujarat Tourism Corporation, Kamlesh Patel said that after arriving at Kandla airport, Bachchan,the brand ambassador for Gujarat Tourism, will drive to Dhordo. Big B would also visit Dudhai and Dhamadka village.
As part of the ‘Khushbu Gujarat ki campaign’, an ad shoot featuring Bachchan will focus on Kutchhi handicrafts and white Rann of Kutch this time. Bachchan is also to visit Junagadh before flying back to Mumbai on January 25.  He is also scheduled to visit Rajkot and Gir forest in Junagadh, sources added.
Source: http://truthdive.com/2012/01/23/big-b-gujarat-tourism-campaign-more-successful-than-incredible-india.html

Asiatic lion found dead.

Express news service : Rajkot, Sun Jan 22 2012, 06:33 hrs
Carcass of a full-grown Asiatic lion was found on Saturday from Dedan area in Dhari-Tulsishyam range of Gir Wildlife Sanctuary, the only home for Asiatic lions in world.
Ruling out poaching, forest officials said a fight with another lion could have led to the tragedy even as wildlife activists demanded a proper probe.
“We found the carcass near Dedan area. The body was in a mutilated condition,’’ said Bhikha Jethava, president of Gir Nature Club. “There were injury marks near tail and on a leg,” he said, demanding a proper probe.
The carcass was later taken by forest officials to Jasadhar for post mortem.
Range Deputy Forest Officer Munishwar Raja said, “There were injuries, but internal. We suspect it was a fight with some other lion. It was a seven-year-old lion and it died about 48 hours ago.”
Raja said the post mortem report ruled out any foul play and that even all claws were intact. He ruled out any complaint or inquiry, calling it a natural death.
The Gir Nature Club, however, has written to state forest department demanding a probe. “Carcass was lying there for two days. We could see some injury marks. There should be a proper inquiry,” Jethava said.
According to last census done in 2010, there are 411 lions in GWS which is spread across Junagadh and Amreli districts of the Saurashtra peninsula. In 2004, for the first time, and so far the last, poaching of 12 lions were reported in the area.
Source: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/Asiatic-lion-found-dead/902591/

Chinese thread kills 20 rare birds in Gujarat.

TNN | Jan 16, 2012, 03.51AM IST
RAJKOT: On Sunday, Bhavnagar residents witnessed a funeral procession where the deceased were painted stork.
Shocked at the deaths of as many as 20 of these storks, which are on the near-threatened list of Birdlife International, nature lovers wanted to show citizens what their "Chinese manja" (nylon twine) does to the avians.
The 20 painted storks were among 34 birds which had been killed by nylon kite strings during the Uttarayan festivities on January 14 and 15.
The forest department in Bhavnagar said that 121 of them were injured.
Painted storks are not new to residents of Bhavnagar as there is a colony of these birds in the city, in Pil garden. The large wading bird of the stork family found in tropical Asia has been roosting there for a century. 
Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/rajkot/Chinese-thread-kills-20-rare-birds-in-Gujarat/articleshow/11505412.cms

Lion attacks youth near Khambha.

TNN | Jan 11, 2012, 08.46AM IST
RAJKOT: A 19-year-old was attacked by an Asiatic lion near Ribdipat Nesh in Khambha taluka of Amreli district on Tuesday at around 11 am.
Injured was identified as Rambhai Bhuva, a resident of Ribdipat Nesh, 17 km away from Khambha.
According to officials, Rambhai, a shepherd, was grazing his buffaloes in the nearby the area, close to lions habitat. Sources said that the lion first attacked one of the buffaloes and when Rambhai tried to fend him off, it turned to him and attacked. However, the wild cat fled into the nearby forest quickly.
He was soon taken to government hospital in Khambha. "The injured person is undergoing treatment at the hospital and his condition is better now," range forest officer, Khambha range, C P Ranpariya said.
Locals say that human-wildlife conflicts have increased in and around Khambha area. According to Yusuf Juneja, a local wildlife activist from Khambha said that since last eight months, at least three persons have been attacked by leopards in close vicinity of Khambha.
"Wild animals are a common sight around Khambha as it is located close to the Gir forest. Presence of wild animals in the human habitat is also one of the reasons why the incidents of animal-human conflicts are on rise. However, incidences of lion attacks on human are rare compared to leopards in this year. There must be some conflict and disturbance to the lion behind the attack," Juneja said.
Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/rajkot/Lion-attacks-youth-near-Khambha/articleshow/11444367.cms

Ailing Asiatic lion ‘paraded’ in Amreli town.

Express news service Posted: Tue Jan 10 2012, 04:15 hrs Rajkot:

Rajula locals watch the spectacle on Monday mornig

An ailing Asiatic lion, which was carried by forest officials in a cage in an open vehicle through Rajula town in Amreli district on Sunday, drew howls of cheers from the locals but has enraged wildlife activists who say the officials responsible for making it an spectacle should be punished.
Forest officials, however, said they were just carrying the ailing wild cat to medical care centre for advance treatment.
“The lion, which was captured from Chatra village around 4 am on Sunday, was kept in an open cage and paraded through streets of Rajula by forest officials for hours,” said Vinu Mangan, president of Gir Nature Club at Rajula.
“The show continued for a couple of hours as crowds followed the ‘procession’ through the city,” Mangan added.
Rajula Range Forest Officer R Mor said, “The animal was just being carried from Rajula to Jasadhar, where care centre is located. In between, we had to pass through the city. As no closed vehicle was available, we had to carry the cage on a utility vehicle.”
Source: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/ailing-asiatic-lion-paraded-in-amreli-town/897977/

Vice-president coming to Gujarat for three days.

Source: DNA   |   Last Updated 04:52(31/12/11)

Gandhinagar: The vice-president of India, Hamid Ansari, will be the guest of Gujarat for three days from January 7. Besides attending some public functions, he will visit the lion sanctuary at Sasan Gir, said sources in the state government.
“The vice-president will arrive in Ahmedabad on January 7. He will inaugurate the new campus of Gujarat National Law University and also attend a public function organised by a research institute at Bhaikaka Hall,” an official said.
The vice-president will spend the night of on January 7 at Raj Bhavan. “In the morning of January 8, he will leave for Sasan Gir where he will visit the forests possibly for a sighting of the lions. He will stay at Sasan on January 8. On January 9, he will again be taken on a visit to the forest and, in the afternoon, he will leave for New Delhi from Rajkot,” the official said.
Source: http://daily.bhaskar.com/article/GUJ-AHD-vice-president-coming-to-gujarat-for-three-days-2696948.html

Gujarat HC notices to government, PCCF over PIL.

Published: Saturday, Dec 31, 2011, 12:32 IST
By DNA Correspondent | Place: Ahmedabad | Agency: DNA 
A bench of Gujarat high court consisting of acting chief justice Bhaskar Bhattacharya and justice JB Pardiwala, on Thursday, issued notices to the state government, principal chief conservator of forest (PCCF) and Mehsana collector in connection with a PIL filed against the proposal to cut trees in the district.
The PIL was filed by Paryavaran Mitra and Rushibhumey Pravrtaya, NGOs working for conservation of the environment, over the decision taken by Mehsana DCF to cut down about 18,663 trees in Mehsana district for road widening work in various parts of the district.
It was submitted in the petition that the local authorities of the forest department had issued a notice in a local newspaper inviting tenders for cutting the trees in Unja, Kheralu, Visnagar, Vijapur, Kadi and Mehsana Range near roadside and within Gram Van. The notice said the trees were to be cut under Social Forestry Scheme.
The petitioners said there was no necessity of cutting down the trees, and therefore, the said notice was required to be quashed and set aside. It was submitted that the notice itself was contrary to the policy and objective of the Social Forestry Scheme and the provisions of Constitution of India. It was submitted that as per the notification issued by the DCF, a total of about 18,663 trees were proposed to be cut.
It was also pointed out that on these trees there were nests ofvultures and other birds, and therefore to save these birds, effective steps should be taken.
Source: http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_gujarat-hc-notices-to-government-pccf-over-pil_1631848

Gir forest officials observe "human behaviour" among lions.

ANI Jan 1, 2012, 11.25PM IST
GIR: Forest officials in Gir have observed rare behavioural pattern in a pride of Asiatic lions, exhibiting characteristics similar to humans.
Two adult male lions seem to rule 32 felines, keeping a close eye on the sub-adults.
The two adult lions guarded the group, which ideally comprises of one to three adult females, their cubs and sub-adults. They move around the forest and assume the role of protectors to father the other lions.
In an interesting observation, these lions express their feelings just like humans, with a large display of emotions and inter-personal bonding forming the highlight of their day- to-day behavioural pattern.
According to a forest official, as the male lion starts growing up, his family chases him to venture out and form his own pride.
"There is a rule in the case of lions and according to this rule, once the male cub grows, then he has to leave his group and then only does breeding happen. We have also observed that a male cub sits separately, 14 lions sit in a group and two male adult lions who are the rulers sit separately," said Sandeep Kumar, Deputy Conservator, Gir Forest, Gujarat.
Due to joint efforts of the state government as well as forest authorities, there has been a substantial increase in the population of lions in Gir.
The pride of 32 lions in the forest is the largest pride to be ruled by two male adults.
The Gir forest is one of the renowned wildlife sanctuaries in the country as it is home to Asiatic lions, which can only be found here.
Source: http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-01-01/flora-fauna/30578876_1_asiatic-lions-gir-forest-adult-lions