Gujarati News: August 2006

Rambha in Bhojpuri films
Thursday, August 31, 2006 | AY

After ruling hearts in Tamil cinema and to a lesser extent in Telugu and Hindi, Rambha, has signed up for five more Bhojpuri films including the remake of a Telugu hit Sadhuku Podham Randi which starred the late Soundarya is now venturing into the countryside with Bhojpuri. Her first Bhojpuri film, titled, Banke Bihari MLA will release next month. Unlike several of her colleagues like Meena, Ramyakrishna and Devyani who have moved on to the small screen, Rambha thinks her place is always on 70mm. Rambha has signed up for five more Bhojpuri films including the remake of a Telugu hit Sadhuku Podham Randi which starred the late Soundarya.

Gujarat Gas says earnings will hit 60 mln rupees
Thursday, August 31, 2006 | AY

Gas transporter Gujarat Gas Co. Ltd. said pretax earnings for July-Sept would be hit by 60 million rupees ($1.29 million) after floods in Gujarat affected gas supplies and prices. Lower offtake of gas by some of the customers and alternative sourcing of gas supplies at higher rates is expected to impact the company. The company, which is an arm of Britain's BG Group, said the impact was limited only to the present quarter. Gujarat Gas runs a city gas distribution network in the city of Surat and its operations were hit after flood waters entered its facilities in the region.

Chikungunya affects state
Thursday, August 24, 2006 | AY

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi is holding top-level meetings with district health officials and NGOs in Surat after two people died of viral pneumonia. In Ahmedabad, hundreds have been bitten by the Aedes Aegypti mosquito, which transmits the Chikungunya virus. However, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation has taken steps to counter the virus. The corporation has also set up a special round the clock control room, and about 1,000 municipal workers are carrying out a door-to-door survey and awareness campaign.

Aamir Khan served a notice from court
Wednesday, August 9, 2006 | AY

The Gujarat Forest Department has served a notice to Aamir Khan regarding the presence of a Chinkara in his film Lagaan. The department has sent a notice to actor Aamir for allegedly violating the Wildlife Act during the making of his film Lagaan six years ago. The animal right activists had raised some questions about the Chinkara in a hunting scene. The filmmakers and producers of the film had then issued a statement that the animal had been unharmed. The chinkara is a scheduled animal in the Wildlife Act.

Gujarati vesrion of BSE -A hit in Gujarat
Tuesday, August 8, 2006 | AY

The Bombay Stock Exchange(BSE) would be soon launching its webiste in the national language- Hindi as well after a Gujarati version about a month back. BSE, on July 9 launched a website in Gujarati. Notably, it’s the first authentic Gujarati website on the markets. Considering the Gujarati community dominated traders’ circle, the BSE had launched Gujarati website but many of the traders in city are not even aware of that. The brokers in Gujarat, on the other hand, are quite happy with the initiative of BSE. Kalyan Bose-Head Corporate Affairs, BSE stated that after Gujarati, the Hindi website should be ready by October.

Rains evacuate people from their homes
Monday, August 7, 2006 | AY

Thousands of people living in low-lying areas of Surat district have been evacuated due to the rising water levels in Tapti river after heavy rains. In Vadodara, a holiday has been declared in primary and secondary schools in the city and the district following rise of water level at Ajwa lake on the outskirts of the city, which is flowing just a feet below the danger level. The district authorities have also asked the people staying in villages, located on the banks of river Narmada in Bharuch and Vadodara districts, to move to safer places following overflow of water from the Sardar Sarovar dam across the river.

Gujarat, MP ban sale of aerated drinks
Monday, August 7, 2006 | AY

Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh have banned the sale of aerated drinks following reports that they had pesticide residues. Gujarat University banned the sale of soft drinks on its campus while the Madhya Pradesh government halted the sale of cold drinks in government offices and canteens of educational institutes with immediate effect. At least six schools in Varanasi also banned the sale and consumption of cold drinks in their premises. The report triggered nationwide protests with various states contemplating a ban on the soft drinks. On Friday, the Supreme Court issued notice to Coca Cola and Pepsico along with the Centre on a PIL seeking an effective regulatory regime to check contamination of the drinks by highly toxic and addictive ingredients and the contents to be displayed on the bottle.

Prof Roddam Narasimha gets Aryabhatta Award
Saturday, August 5, 2006 | AY

Minister of State in the Prime Minster's Office (PMO) Prithviraj Chauhan on Saturday presented the Aryabhatta award 2004 to Prof Roddam Narasimha in Ahmedabad. The award was conferred on Narasimha for his outstanding lifetime contribution to the promotion of astronautics in India. Eighteen gold medals were also presented by the Astronautical Society of India (ASI), including the Best Women Scientist award, under the aegis of ISRO, Ahmedabad. Prof Narasimha is presently Chairman of Engineering Mechanics Unit of Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research.

GM to dress Spark with new engine, features
Saturday, August 5, 2006 | AY

General Motors has lined up a new engine and a host of refinements for the Spark – the new avtaar of Matiz -- to be launched early next year. Against the earlier three-cylinder, 0.8-litre model, the Spark will have a more powerful four-cylinder, 1.0 litre (1000 cc) L S-TEC engine in a completely redesigned body. Pitted against Zen, Getz and Santo, the new car will roll out from the Halol (Gujarat) plant in early 2007. The launch will be followed by the sportier Avio UV-A, which is expected to hit roads in another two-three months.

Shaerwali Jaan Mare Le
Saturday, August 5, 2006 | AY

After Marathi, Gujarati, Punjabi, Tamil, Hindi and English films, Deepsheekha will now be seen in her first Bhojpuri film 'Shaerwali Jaan Mare Le' directed by Bobby Singh. Deepsheekha plays the role of a nautankiwali who goes from a city to a village for work. Pankaj Kesari, the lead actor, falls in love with her and a love story blossoms.Deepsheekha is also currently shooting for an untitled Hindi film starring Rajat Bedi, Aryan Vaild and Meera directed by Niraj Sahay.

Meteorite shower in Gujarat
Wednesday, August 2, 2006 | AY

Fragments of meteorites (a stony or metallic mass of matter that has fallen to the earth's surface from outer space) did fall in and around Vandhiya village near Surajbari bridge linking Kutch and Saurashtra. The recovery was made from two houses of the village on Monday night. The meteorite shower evoked mixed reactions of surprise and panic from villagers at Vandhiya. The villagers said that a fireball was rushing towards their house and everyone rushed out in panic. A moment later, they heard a blast, followed by a low density sound and two mild tremors. Meanwhile, Narendra Gor, president of the Kutch Astronomers Club said in the past too several meteors have fallen not only over Kutch, but also in other parts of Gujarat.

Gujarat celebrates festivals
Tuesday, August 1, 2006 | AY

Gujarat is celebrating 2006 as “Tourism Year”. In order to woo tourists and businessmen from West Bengal to the state, the Tourism Corporation of Gujarat announced at a “road show” held here today three festivals starting from August and continuing till October. The first and the most-famous among them is the nine-day long Navratri festival which will be celebrated on a large scale and with much fanfare this year from September 23 to October 1 in Ahmedabad. A three-day long Tarnetar festival will be held in Surendranagar from August 27, this year. It is here that Arjuna married Draupadi after winning her in the swayamvar. Till date, unmarried men and women come to this fair to find a match. The third is the Sharad Utsav which celebrates “Purnima”(full moon) in the picturesque desert of Kutch. The three-day long festival will start from 5 October.