Category Archives: Business & Economy

Bees Scare Away Wild Jumbos In Kodagu!

Agriculture, Business & Economy, Green Initiatives / Environment, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Nature

KVIC’s RE-HAB project yields success 

Gonikoppa:

Project RE-HAB (Reducing Elephant – Human Attacks using Bees) aimed at thwarting elephant attacks in human habitations using honey bees, seems to have yielded success with jumbos taking alternative routes to avoid coming into contact with bees.

With a view to reduce human-elephant conflicts in the country, Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) has launched a unique project of creating “bee-fences” to address this burning issue in several States including Karnataka. 

The pilot project has been launched at few locations in Kodagu. These spots on the periphery of Nagarahole National Park are known to be human-elephant conflict zones. Total cost of project is Rs. 15 lakh.

Reality check has revealed that the wild pachyderms were maintaining a safe distance from bee boxes. Locals say this has reduced the elephant menace by 70 percent. Bee boxes have been placed at Kutta including Choorikaad and Tithimathi ranges. Jumbos were not seen in these places in the last 25 days. Villagers opined that elephants may have found alternative route. 

In fact, the jumbos had damaged bee boxes near Kodange Haadi near Nagarhole recently. Since then, they have not come back. There are instances of young elephants straying into these fences. The cameras have captured the hesitancy of jumbos crossing the fence fixed with bee boxes and also taking de-tour within 27 seconds. 

KVIC has set up 15-20 interspersed bee boxes at selected locations. The bee boxes are set up in the passage ways of elephant-human conflict zones to block the entrance of elephants to human habitations. The boxes are connected with a string so that when elephants attempt to pass through, a tug or pull causes the bees to swarm the elephant herds and dissuade them from progressing further. Bee boxes have been placed on the ground as well as hung from the trees to block the passage way of elephants. High resolution, night vision cameras have been installed at strategic points to record the impact of bees on elephants and their behaviour in these zones. The collective buzz of the bees is annoying to elephants that force them to return. Elephants, which are the most intelligent animal and carry their memories for long, avoid returning to the place where they have encountered honey bees.

Nearly 500 people die every year due to elephant attacks in India. This is nearly 10 times more than the fatalities caused by big cats across the country. From 2015 to 2020, nearly 2,500 people have lost their lives in elephant attacks. Out of this, nearly 170 human fatalities have been reported in Karnataka alone. On the contrary, nearly one-fifth of this number, that is nearly 500 elephants have also died in retaliation by humans in the last 5 years.

In the past, Governments have spent crores of rupees on digging up trenches and erecting fences to dissuade elephants. Also, hundreds of crores of rupees have been spent on compensation for loss of human lives. These trenches and barbed wire fences have often caused the deaths of elephant calves and thus rendering these ideas largely impractical.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / July 05th, 2021

Kodagu DCC Bank celebrates its centenary

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District Central Cooperative Bank president Kodandera P Ganapathy cuts a cake to mark the bank’s centenary on Monday.

Simple celebrations were observed to mark the centenary of Kodagu District Central Cooperative Bank on Monday.

The bank was established on June 28, 1921, owing to the efforts of the then pioneers of the cooperative movement, Dandera Kuttaiah, Puliyanda Thimamaiah, Kuppanda Bellyappa and Udiyanda Machaiah.

The bank began operations with 45 cooperative societies, 16 members, share capital of Rs 4,400 and deposits worth Rs 10,000.

Rao Bahaddur Kodandera Kuttaiah was the founder president of the bank and served in the post from 1921 to 1927.

The centenary programme was celebrated at the bank’s head office in Madikeri, in the presence of the president, vice president, directors, chief executive officer and other officials and staff.

A cake was cut in all 21 branches of the DCC bank, to mark the occasion. Sweets were distributed to the customers. 

Bank president Kodandera P Ganapathy said that the bank could complete its 100 fruitful years due to the cooperation of the staff and the customers.

A public function of the centenary celebrations is planned for August 20, 2021. The groundbreaking ceremony for the centenary building will be done on the day, by the state cooperative minister, said Ganapathy.

The district in-charge minister, elected representatives from the district, representatives of cooperative societies, department officials and the former presidents and staff of the bank will be present, he added.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> State> Mangaluru / by DHNS, Madikeri / June 28th, 2021

White stem borer menace a nightmare for coffee growers

Agriculture, Business & Economy, Coffee News, Coffee, Kodagu (Coorg), Green Initiatives / Environment, Records, All
White stem borers destroying a coffee plant. Credit: DH Photo

Arabica and Robusta coffee varieties grown in Kodagu are known for their quality.

Robusta variety is grown mostly in Madikeri and Virajpet taluks, while Somwarpet is known for arabica coffee.

The weather of Somwarpet is the best suited for the arabica variety, say the growers.

However, there are a lot of challenges before arabica coffee growers, the major one being the infestation of white stem borer (Xylotrechus quadripes).

The adult borers feed on the stem of the coffee plant and lay eggs inside the stem. Their season of reproduction is the months of March and April. During this period, the stem borers lay eggs on all plants in the coffee plantation.

In Somwarpet taluk, coffee is grown on 28,540 hectares of land. Arabica coffee is grown on 22,940 hectares and robusta is grown on 5,600 hectares.

Many growers have been switching to robusta as arabica is infested by the white stem borer.

Fed up by the borer menace, the plantation owners themselves have been asking the workers to uproot the arabica coffee plants that were nurtured for many years.

A lack of proper control measures is also one of the main reason for the growers to destroy the plants.

The arabica variety of coffee requires more care as compared to robusta. Meanwhile, the labour cost and the production costs are increasing, among other expenses towards manure and fertilisers.

Adding to the problem, the market rate is also disappointing the farmers.

Control measures

Experts have come up with a technique to trap female borer, by using the artificial pheromones of male borer insects, say authorities of the coffee board.

B R Jayendra, a coffee planter from Bettadalli, said that the control measure of white borer is consuming a lot of time, in the existing methods available.

By the time the borers are controlled, almost all plants are destroyed. Effective control measures are needed to save arabica coffee.

Taluk Coffee Growers’ Association president Mohan Bopanna said that the coffee planters are going through difficult times.

Like the Kerala model, the Karnataka government too should announce support price for coffee growers. The loans of coffee growers who are facing difficulties should be waived, he added.

Another coffee planter S M D’Silva from Abburukatte said it is almost impossible to destroy the affected plants at a time.

The small grower will be hit hard if they destroy all coffee saplings in the plantation, he said.

source: http:///www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> State> Mangaluru / by DHNS, Somwarpet / June 28th, 2021

Retaining Wall Works Begin To Protect Kodagu DC Office

Business & Economy, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Green Initiatives / Environment, Records, All

Mock drill demonstrates emergency preparedness 

Madikeri/Kushalnagar:

Under threat of collapse due to incessant rains and possible landslides, the Kodagu DC Office is being protected with a 40-ft concrete retaining wall. But the works have started only now though the project was formally sanctioned long back and works on making pre-cast concrete slabs began in February this year. 

Now the works have begun amidst heavy rains and a small portion of the wall has been built. The steep gradient on which the DC Office stands has been covered tightly with plastic sheets so that mud does not fall while undertaking the works. Rs. 5 crore is being spent on the project. 

The District  Administrative Office (DC Office) is located on a steep gradient along the Madikeri-Mangaluru Road and was built at a cost of Rs. 14.43 crore. It was inaugurated in November 2014 and last year, all the offices located in the DC Office Complex were shifted and they operated from the Office of City Municipal Council. 

Officials requesting anonymity told Star of Mysore that the works were delayed because of COVID second wave and the tendering too got delayed though the project was sanctioned long back. The Geologists from Geological Survey of India (GSI) who conducted a study of the steep gradient on top of which the DC Office is located, had recommended the District Administration to construct a retaining wall to prevent  any landslides. 

The wall will be 140 meters in length and the height varies from 30 to 40 feet. The contractors are using soil nailing and pre-casting method to build the sturdy wall. In this technology, iron rods are inserted into the walls up to two to three feet inside and two to three feet outside and then the wall will be built with pre-cast concrete material.

“Works have started now and we will continue the wall construction work till July first week and will stop the work if it rains incessantly. We have a project completion time till December or January 2022,” officials said.

Mock drill 

As the threat perception is high due to a couple of landslides that have occurred on the Madikeri-Mangaluru Road and following instances of road caving in and cracking open, a mock drill was conducted at the DC office last Friday where employees were evacuated. 

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and Fire and Emergency Services Department conducted the mock drill where drills including evacuating the injured or the trapped were demonstrated and practiced. Ladders were placed on the outer walls of the building and ropes were used to demonstrate the preparedness in case of emergencies.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / June 21st, 2021

2,868 families in flood-risk zones in Kodagu to be evacuated

Agriculture, Business & Economy, Green Initiatives / Environment, Records, All
A file photo of a landslide in Kodagu district.  

77 places have been identified as prone to landslide and flood based on experts’ advice and previous years’ data

Even as the monsoon turned active in Kodagu district, 2,868 families living in areas identified as vulnerable to flood and landslide are expected to be evacuated to relief centres by July 15.

The officers in charge of evacuation are in touch with the families who are being persuaded to leave their houses in ‘risk zones’ as a safety measure.

Seventy-seven places in towns and villages have been identified as sensitive and prone to landslide and flood based on experts’ advice and also previous years’ data. Accordingly, steps are being taken to ensure the safety of dwellers.

“The families will be shifted out from the sensitive zones by July 15. The nodal officers have been instructed to ensure their safe relocation at the earliest,” said Deputy Commissioner Charulatha Somal on Saturday.

Besides, 618 cattle from the risk zones would also be evacuated. Measures had been taken for establishing 17 animal shelters, she said.

A 20-member NDRF team is camping in Kodagu. Four teams each of the Fire and Police Departments dedicated for rescue operations are also ready. In addition, civil society groups and volunteers have come forward to offer their services.

The gram panchayats in the risk zones have set up local teams for rescue and relief works.

The highway connecting Mangaluru to Madikeri has been identified as a ‘sensitive’ road based on previous years’ data (the road was damaged by landslides). The Kodagu district administration has banned movement of heavy goods transport vehicles, barring those supplying essentials in view of rains.

Ms. Somal said the onus is on the PWD to reduce the risk with necessary and timely interventions, she added.

The current spell of rains has already damaged electrical poles in certain areas. The Chamundeshwari Electricity Supply Corporation (CESC) is already on the task of restoring supply, and replacing damaged lines and poles.

As the rescue operations may need more earthmovers, steps have been taken to hire machines in addition to those available with the PWD and RDPR.

“We need to be prepared to deploy more such machines for rescue operations,” she said.

Ms. Somal said the authorities of Harangi dam near Kushalnagar have been asked to be on alert and ensure that the 2018 episode was not repeated. The problems faced earlier may not recur since silt has been removed, the DC added. Unexpected and excessive release of water from the dam had led to floods. Areas close to the Cauvery river in Kushalnagar town were flooded.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Karnataka / by Special Correspondent / Mysuru – June 19th, 2021

Lockdown badly hits Coorg mandarin sales

Agriculture, Business & Economy, Nature
Lockdown badly hits Coorg mandarin sales

HIGHLIGHTS

The demand for Coorg oranges, also known as Coorg mandarin, has dipped in the State owing to lockdown. Mandarin was almost wiped out in the district due to diseases a couple of decades ago.

Madikeri:

The demand for Coorg oranges, also known as Coorg mandarin, has dipped in the State owing to lockdown. Mandarin was almost wiped out in the district due to diseases a couple of decades ago. However, this variety of orange is being grown in many coffee estates, fetching a sizeable income to growers. It is being grown as a mixed crop in coffee estates along with pepper twice a year in December and June.

Grown in eight thousand hectares, this tiny district produces nearly 30 thousand metric tonnes of mandarin.

Many coffee estates have bountiful mandarin crop, but no buyers due to lockdown. Normally, coffee growers lease orange crop to Kerala-based traders. But this season there are hardly any buyers. The crop is mostly exported to Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh and other parts of Karnataka.

Though Nagapur organges have good market in the State, with good taste and aroma, Coorg variety has its own customer base. Speaking to The Hans India on Friday, a mandarin grower, Ponnachettira Suresh Subbaiah , a native of Ibnivalamudi near Madikeri, said that he has been growing the orange crop for decades, but has never faced such a situation. He said he used to export oranges to Calicut market. But this season, he sees no hope of good market for his produce. Subbaiah who grows mandarin crop in his 12-acre estate, has incurred losses this time.

There are no takers locally also as tourism has come to a standstill. The district which witnesses at least 4-5 thousand tourists daily in normal time is badly hit by lockdown and Covid restrictions.

Though production is increasing year by year in district, the demand for mandarin variety of oranges is discouraging.

source: http://www.thehansindia.com / The Hans India / Home> News> State> Karnataka / by Coovercooly Indresh / Hans News Service / June 18th, 2021

Up close with birds, walk-in aviary to open in a month

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In a move to draw more tourists to the Scotland of Karnataka, the Forest Department and local administration have created a walk-in exotic bird aviary in Kodagu

The walk-in aviary created at Cauvery Nisargadhama, Kodagu district | EXPRESS

Bengaluru : 

In a move to draw more tourists to the Scotland of Karnataka, the Forest Department and local administration have created a walk-in exotic bird aviary in Kodagu. Though it was inaugurated by Housing Minister V Sommanna on Friday, it will be opened to the public only after a month.

The aviary has been created in Cauvery Nisargadhama, where a dedicated area of around 2,000 sqft for an enclosure has been created. Visitors can walk in and feed the birds. Shivaram Babu, Deputy Conservator of Forests, Kodagu told The New Sunday Express that a metal structure has been erected with mesh so that peopl e and birds are not inconvenienced.

The list of birds being procured to be housed include, budgies, African lovebirds, cockatiel, Conure varieties, African grey parrot, macaw, pheasant, turkeys, geese and ducks.

A Koi fish pond and fish spa, housing Gurra rufa (doctor fish), is also being created, he said.

The concept is very popular in foreign countries, especially the island nations. Some conservationists and activists have questioned the need for such a project in Kodagu. “The area is known for its lush green forest patches, vegetation, biodiversity and wildlife. There is no need to bring in exotic birds and have such an aviary. Instead, a bird-watching site can be created,” an activist said.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Bengaluru / by Express News Service / June 13th, 2021

Assam polls, lockdown hit coffee plantations in Karnataka hard

Agriculture, Business & Economy, Coffee, Kodagu (Coorg), Records, All
File picture of people from Assam working in a coffee estate near Arehalli in Belur taluk of Hassan district.  

Workers from the north-east have not returned, affecting seasonal work ahead of the rainy days

Hundreds of plantation workers in Karnataka, who went to Assam to vote in the Assembly elections held in March-April this year, have not returned, affecting the seasonal work ahead of the rainy days.

Restrictions on public transport as part of the lockdown over the COVID-19 pandemic has not allowed them to travel, though they wish to come back.

Thousands of people from Assam and other neighbouring States in north-east India work in coffee estates of Hassan, Chikkamagaluru and Kodagu districts. They stay in the quarters provided by the planters and visit their native places once a year. Whenever elections are held, they take a break from work and travel to exercise their franchise.

Mahesh C.S., former president of Hassan District Planters’ Association, says many planters had not been able to complete tree pruning and plant pruning, mandatory seasonal work ahead of the rains. “Normally, we finish this work before June and keep the ground prepared with medicinal spray and manure. All these works have remained undone,” he said. Planters are forced to depend on local workers, who demand higher wages and work for fewer hours than the Assam workers do, he added. The wages for tree pruning, a skilled job, is around ₹700 to ₹800 a day. For other works, a worker gets around ₹300 to ₹350 in normal circumstances.

B.S. Jairam, former president of Karnataka Growers Federation, who has an estate in Mudigere Ttluk, is worried that the present situation could affect the production of coffee later this year. “The planters are already facing too many problems due to the pandemic. The payments are stuck due to restrictions on shipment and many have not recovered from the loss suffered in the floods in previous years. Only those who could retain workers in their quarters with sufficient supply of ration have completed the seasonal work”, he said.

Over the years local workers hardly stay in estate quarters. They reside in their villages and commute to estates daily by vehicles. But now they cannot do so as there are restrictions on vehicular movement “The police do not allow ferrying workers to estates. Only those settled in the nearby areas reach to the estates by walk and work,” he said.

Besides the people from Assam, many from the north Karnataka districts also work in the estates. They also return to their native places during March-April. This year they too could not return. Prasad Raxidi, a planter at Raxidi in Sakleshpur taluk, said the local workers were getting work and also good pay these days. “Only those who have returned from bigger cities after losing their jobs in the lockdown are not getting jobs that suit them,” he said.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Karnataka / by Sathish G T / Hassan – June 10th, 2021

Tata Consumer Products Enters Premium D2C Coffee Market

Business & Economy, Coffee News, Coffee, Kodagu (Coorg), World Opinion

The company is eyeing the Rs 100 crore artisanal coffee market.

Tata Consumer Products Ltd (TCPL) has introduced a premium roasted and ground coffee under the Sonnets brand targeting urban and increasingly discerning coffee drinkers in India. With this launch, the company is eyeing the Rs 100 crore artisanal coffee market .

The TCPL’s move marks its maiden foray into the Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) market. It will let the company tap a growing number of buyers shopping online, especially during the pandemic when most are cooped indoors and unable to visit cafes and coffee shops.

Puneet Das, President, Packaged Beverages, India & South Asia, Tata Consumer Products Limited, said, “The user can choose the roasting level, grounding and flavors of the coffee which gets delivered to the doorstep of the customer via our delivery channels. We are leveraging both premiumization and home delivery trends through this launch.”

The coffee is produced in Tata Coffee-owned estates. The consumer can choose his preferred roast type from between a light, medium, and a dark roast option, and could also suit his brewing preference and opt for either a filter coffee or a French press grind.

Tata Consumer Products will be expanding the offering to gourmet stores in metro cities as it scales up in the segment.

“Our ambition is to be seen as a serious coffee player just like we have equity in the market with Tata Tea. We aim to have a sizable share in the market as we grow,” Das added.

As the coffee culture evolves, the company will also evaluate new coffee variants like green coffee in India.

source: http://www.indianretailer.com / The Indian Retailer / Home> News / by Vaishnavi Gupta, Features Writer / June 03rd, 2021

Kodagu Military Canteens See Unusual Queues For Supplies

Business & Economy

Canteens at Virajpet and Madikeri get a raw deal always, says IAF Veteran Sergeant

Kushalnagar:

Long queues were seen at military canteens in Virajpet and Madikeri this morning as ex-servicemen and their family members  lined up to buy groceries and their quota of liquor. 

Shops selling essential items in Kodagu are allowed to open only three days a week — Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Reports from Madikeri said that ex-servicemen began queuing up in front of the canteens since 3 am today as the canteen authorities had communicated to them that the quota of supplies for the month of May would be distributed this month end only for two days. Ex-servicemen rushed to the canteens today not to miss their quota for May. 

The military canteens at Virajpet and Madikeri are the extension canteens of Golden Palm Canteen of Karnataka and Kerala Army Sub Area, Bengaluru. 

Journalists heckled

The unusually long queues attracted media attention and two reporters who went to cover the event were allegedly heckled by the Police and security guards. One lady journalist’s mobile phone was snatched and thrown onto the road while she was video-graphing the incident. Before heckling the journalists, the Police demanded identity cards from them and the journalists told the Police that they had kept their identity cards at home. 

 After the chaotic incident, the journalists complained to Superintendent of Police Kshama Mishra that they were pushed around by the Police. The SP has promised action against her staff if they have erred. Even the manager of the Military canteen has assured that action will be taken against those who heckled the journalists. 

Reacting on the incident, Kodagu Press Club President B.R. Savitha Rai said that the journalists should have carried their identity cards. “Not carrying identity cards while reporting and arguing with the Police is not a right thing though the incident is unfortunate. In this time of crisis, the Police have every right to question anyone. In a democracy, even journalists have the right to cover any event, provided they carry their identity cards,” she said. 

Step-motherly treatment 

Meanwhile, Hon. Legal Advisor of T. Shettigeri Ex-Servicemen Association and Veteran Sergeant of Indian Air Force Mandetira N. Subramani has stated that the officer-in-charge of Golden Palm Canteen, Bengaluru, could have taken some interest to send the consignment of groceries and liquor to its extension counters in Madikeri and Virajpet on priority in the beginning of every month instead of sending the consignments at the fag end of every month. 

“This mad rush and the ugly scene at Madikeri would have been avoided,” he stated in a letter to the senior manager of Golden Palm Canteen. “Despite Kodagu being a cradle of general officers and gallant senior army officers and soldiers, the canteens at Madikeri and Virajpet are being given a raw deal with step-motherly treatment by sending the monthly consignments of grocery and liquor always in the middle or end of the month,” he added. 

Subramani has appealed to the senior manager to streamline things and send the consignments at the beginning of every month so that people can have enough time to purchase and the month-end rush is avoided especially during  pandemic times.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / May 28th, 2021