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Thursday, November 08, 2007



   

Gujarat is bounded on the north-west by Pakistan, on the north by Rajasthan, on the east by MP and on the south and south-east by Maharashtra.  The State of Gujarat occupies the northern extremity of the western sea-board of India.  The state comprises three geographical regions: (1) The peninsula, traditionally known as Saurashtra.  It is essentially a hilly tract sprinkled with low mountains. (2) Kutch on the north-east is barren and rocky, and contains the famous Rann (desert) of Kutch, the big Rann in the north and the little Rann in the east. (3) The mainland extending from the Rann of Kutch and the Aravalli Hills to the river Damanganga is on the whole a level plain of alluvial soil.

The plains of Gujarat are watered by big rivers like Sabarmati, Mahi, Narmada, and Tapti and by smaller river like Banas, Saraswati and Damanganga.  

 

The rainfall in the state, except in the arid zones of Surendranagar and north Gujarat, varies between 65 and 127 cm.  As the Tropic of Cancer passes through the northern border of Gujarat, the state has an intensely hot or cold climate.  However, the Arabian sea and the Gulf of Cambay in the west and the forest-covered hills in the east soften the climate extremes.  Gujarat has the longest coastline (1920 km) among Indian States.

Gujarat ranks first in the country in the production of cotton and groundnut and second in the production of tobacco.  Other important cash crops are isabgul, cumin, sugarcane, mangoes, and bananas.  The chief food crops of the state are paddy, wheat and bajra.  Gujarat has 1.966 m hectares of land under forest.  It has a dominant electronics industry and is a major producer of inorganic chemicals such as soda-ash and caustic soda as well as chemical fertilizers.  It has the largest petro-chemical complex in the country.  In milk production, Gujarat is first in India. The State also accounts for 60% of the country’s salt output.

Ahmedabad, the twin-city of Gandhinagar, has an international airport.  Gujarat has 40 ports, of which, Kandla is a major one.  The first expressway of the nation is in Gujarat between Ahmedabad and Vadodara.

Gujarat has 4 national parks and 11 sanctuaries.  The game sanctuary at Gir (the world’s last habitat of the Asiatic Lion), the sacred temples of Dwaraka and Somnath, Palitana, the picturesque mountain city of Jain Templeson about 2000 feet high Shetrynjaya hills, Upwada, the oldest place of the Fire temple of Parses in India, the 5000-year-old archaeological finds at Lotal, the 11th century Sun Temples at Modhera, bird sanctuary at Nal Sarovar, architectural monuments of Indo-Saracenic style at Ahmedabad and the national shrine of Gandiji at Sabarmati, are a few of the varied attractions.

 

Nandigram is still burning but a consensus is eluding not only the Left Front but also the CPM on how to bring peace back. (Bullets In Turf War, Potshots In Party, Telegraph, Correspondent or Reporter, Nov 08, 2007)

The decision whether to send central forces to Nandigram rests with the Prime Minister’s Office. (Force File With Pmo, Telegraph, BHAVNA VIJ-AURORA, Nov 08, 2007)

The United Progressive Alliance government has deferred oil price hike for the present. (Increase In Oil Price Deferred For Now, Hindu, Correspondent or Reporter, Nov 08, 2007)

The Congress Working Committee on Wednesday night decided to amend the Congress constitution to about a single category of membership. (No Karnataka, N-Deal At Cwc, Asian Age, Correspondent or Reporter, Nov 08, 2007)

BJP president Rajnath Singh believes that direct intervention by the US in the form of negotiations with Indian political parties over the civilian nuclear agreement proves the UPA did not bother to do its homework and take Opposition. . . (Upa Has Ignored Opp On N-Deal , Pioneer, A N Sudarsan Rao , Nov 08, 2007)

The Diwali blockbuster gets bigger every year. Despite the other sales seasons at different periods of the year, the buying frenzy around Diwali is getting more feverish. It is not restricted to the five days around Dhanteras . . . . (Happy Diwali, Buy Buy, Indian Express, Editorial, Indian Express, Nov 08, 2007)

The Tehelka sting operation underscores the urgency of simultaneously pursuing the prosecution of the culprits and fighting Hindutva politically in a spirited way. (Unfinished Agenda, Frontline, Praful Bidwai, Nov 08, 2007)

The Janadesh Yatra has given the movement for land rights fresh momentum and also captured the popular imagination. (March For Land, Frontline, Jayati Ghosh, Nov 08, 2007)

Children of uneducated parents are more likely to remain illiterate and become a part of India’s child labour force if their parents had to work as children, new research by the country’s social scientists has shown. (New Family Heirloom: Illiteracy, Telegraph, CHARU SUDAN KASTURI, Nov 07, 2007)

Recognising India as a “key source country” for skilled workers, Canada on Tuesday announced opening of a “referral office” here to scout for talented people who could contribute to its economic growth. (Canada Seeks Skilled Indians, Hindu, Correspondent or Reporter, Nov 07, 2007)

The Tehelka sting on Gujarat 2002 is a credible effort. Yet it is difficult not to question its timing and the exploitative manner of its presentation. (The Sting In Its Social And Ethical Context, Hindu, VIDYA SUBRAHMANIAM, Nov 07, 2007)

Controversy is not new to Blue Lady. The 76,049-tonne luxury liner, formerly known as SS Norway and before that SS France, was once the largest passenger ship in the world and has a colourful history. (Shipload Of Trouble, Frontline, LYLA BAVADAM, Nov 07, 2007)

THE emperor has no clothes. He has been stripped bare. And it is not a pretty sight. In fact, it is ghastly. So horrific that everyone is looking away. (Action Replay, Frontline, DIONNE BUNSHA, Nov 07, 2007)

IN western India, from the 2nd century B.C. to the 2nd century A.D., there was a prolific creation of art in caves hewn out of rock. (Mind Over Matter, Frontline, Correspondent or Reporter, Nov 07, 2007)

The latest issue of People’s Democracy has an editorial on the Gujarat riots in the wake of Tehelka’s sting operation. (No Closure, Indian Express, Correspondent or Reporter, Nov 07, 2007)

COALITION politics in Karnataka, currently in a serious crisis of credibility, may yet get a fresh lease of life, with Governor Rameshwar Thakur expected to invite an alliance of the Janata Dal (Secular) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) back to . . . (Coalition Circus, Frontline, PARVATHI MENON, Nov 07, 2007)

Recognising India as a "key source country" for skilled workers, Canada, on Tuesday, announced the opening of a "referral office" here to scout for talented people who could contribute to its economic growth. (Canada Wants Skilled Workers From India , Times of India, Correspondent or Reporter, Nov 07, 2007)

Bharatiya Janata Party senior leader and former national president M. Venkaiah Naidu on Monday opined that the Andhra Pradesh should be separated into two and Telangana state formed at the earliest to avoid confrontation in future. (Bjp To Pressure Upa On Statehood For Telangana Region , Hindu, Correspondent or Reporter, Nov 06, 2007)

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Monday recommended a CBI probe into the accusations made in the recent sting operation by Tehelka. (Nhrc For Cbi Probe Into Tehelka Sting, Hindustan Times, A N Sudarsan Rao , Nov 06, 2007)

The BJP has offered a ticket to former Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel's son in the forthcoming Gujarat Assembly election. (Bjp Tries To Mollify Keshubhai, Offers Son Party Ticket , Pioneer, KUMAR UTTAM, Nov 06, 2007)

 

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