Category Archives: Business & Economy

Salem, Madikeri get Fly bus from KIA

Business & Economy, Records, All

Transport Minister Revanna inaugurated three more services, two to Salem and one to Madikeri from the Airport.

Transport Minister Revanna launches the new KSRTC Fly bus services
Transport Minister Revanna launches the new KSRTC Fly bus services

Bengaluru:

After the success of KSRTC fly bus service from BIAL to Mysuru, Transport Minister Revanna inaugurated three more services, two to Salem and one to Madikeri from the Airport. The first of its kind in country, the service provides interstate connectivity to the Airport. The luxury Volvo buses have in-built toilets, saving passengers the inconvenience during long-distance travel.

“Now, we have six fly buses to Mysuru and two to Kundapura. Apart from the three inaugurated today (Monday), we plan to extend services to Tirupati and Kozhikode. Fly buses have live flight details, 12 gears to support the back wheel as opposed to other Volvos that have 6+1 gears, backdoor emergency exit and minimal consumption of diesel,” said Mr Revanna.

Assistant vice-president of BIAL, Mr Venkatram, said, “Our survey showed that passengers prefer coming to Bengaluru Airport instead of Chennai Airport to go to nearby places like Mangaluru, Udupi, Manipal, Madikeri, Mysuru, Kundapura and Salem. With the 2nd Terminal coming up, we will ensure the buses stop near it.” The tickets are priced at Rs 800 to Salem and Rs 1,000 to Madikeri, plus 5 % GST. Mr Revanna said that commuters prefer taking the bus from the airport, rather than travel all the way to the Satellite terminal.

KSRTC General Manager (Traffic) K.S. Vishwanath said that earnings from Fly Bus Mysuru are good. “We spend Rs 40 per km and earn Rs 70 in return. There is definitely a profit. Pantry services within the bus were not much of a hit with passengers, and we withdrew it this time,” he said.

Mr Revanna said, “We are collaborating with other state transport corporations in Telangana, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu. We are yet to get Kerala Transport Department to coordinate with us. This will help us extend more services.”

source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com / Deccan Chronicle / Home> Nation> Current Affairs / Deccan Chronicle / January 09th, 2018

Rohan Bopanna serves home-grown brew at Tata Open

Business & Economy, Coffee, Kodagu (Coorg), Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Sports
Rohan Bopanna with Ashish D’Abreo (right) and Tej Thammaiah (Express Photo)
Rohan Bopanna with Ashish D’Abreo (right) and Tej Thammaiah (Express Photo)

At the ATP-250 Tata Open Maharashtra underway at Balewadi, Rohan Bopanna makes it a point to be there at the coffee counter where his own coffee brew is being sold.

Rohan Bopanna, coffee connoisseur. Such an introduction may not ring too many bells, but the tennis star not only grows coffee at his farm in Coorg, he also gifts tennis legends the home-grown brew. At the ATP-250 Tata Open Maharashtra underway at Balewadi, Bopanna makes it a point to be there at the coffee counter where his own coffee brew is being sold. “I am truly well-versed in the nuances of cultivation, processing and blending coffee beans,” writes the champion of the 2017 French Open Mixed Doubles on a flyer at the coffee counter.

Earlier, he had announced the launch of the brew — the Rohan Bopanna Master Blend — on Twitter, posting, “I bring to you a very special part of me from my very own coffee estate in Coorg.” Bopanna has joined hands with the Flying Squirrel – a brand involved in micro-lot cultivation and processing coffee using artisan methods — to set up the counter at the Tata Open.

Ashish D’Abreo, who launched Flying Squirrel with his college friend Tej Thammaiah, says the response to Rohan Bopanna Master Blend has been quite positive. D’Abreo and Thammaiah have been blending, roasting and brewing coffee beans for over five years. “We roast the coffee for 15 minutes before sealing each pack,” says D’Abreo. He then shares some important information for those who enjoy filter coffee: it has to be consumed within a month of roasting.

“Tej owns a coffee estate at Pollibetta in Coorg. So, we experimented with the beans at Tej’s estate… we developed and processed them to arrive at different variants of the coffee,” says D’Abreo. Today, they supply coffee powder online and have also set up a cafe at Bengaluru. It was during a meeting with Rohan Bopanna, which took place over a month ago, that they realised their common goals and decided to experiment with the coffee beans grown at Bopanna’s farm at Madapur in Coorg.

The first variant, Rohan Bopanna’s Master Blend, was launched on January 1. “It is an all Arabica variant, comprising a few differently processed beans, all of them from Bopanna’s farm,” says D’Abreo. He shared that when world no. 6 Croatian Marin Cilic visited the counter with Bopanna, he tasted the coffee while posing for fans. For Nilufer Solai, who came from Mumbai to watch her favourite tennis players in action, the coffee counter was a hit. “…I could buy the beans and have some refreshing coffee,” she says.

source: http://www.indianexpress.com / The Indian Express / Home> Sports> Tennis / by Anuradha Mascarenhas / Pune / January 05th, 2018

CM’s upcoming visit creates sensation in Kodagu DCC

Business & Economy, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Leaders

Backstage activities are in full swing for the district Congress members, as the day of the visit of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and other ministers, is nearing.

The chief minister’s visit to the district ahead of Assembly elections is considered significant.

The chief minister and other ministers will take part in the ‘Sadhana Sambhrama’ programme to be held at General Thimmaiah Stadium in Madikeri on January 9. The upcoming visit of the chief minister has sprouted many expectations in the minds of the Congress workers. Even as the programme in which the chief minister will attend is a government programme, the discussions on the elections preparations are likely to take place in party cadres.

Siddaramaiah will arrive in Madikeri at 11.30 even though the programme is scheduled at 3.30- pm.

Tough contest for tickets

The names of candidates for Madikeri and Virajpet seats are still not finalised and many ticket aspirants are waiting in the wings. The related issues are most likely to come up in the internal meeting of the party, during the chief minister’s visit.

As MLC Veena Acchaiah has expressed her unwillingness to contest in the elections, the competition for the ticket from Virajpet constituency has turned tougher. B T Pradeep, who contested from the constituency during the last elections, had lost by 3,414 votes. Rumour has it that a search for an able candidate is on, after Pradeep’s demise.

Forest Development Corporation vice president Padmini Ponnappa, minister M R Seetharam’s personal secretary Harihs Bopanna, Karnataka Kodava Sahitya Academy former chairperson B S Thammaiah, Zilla Panchayat member Saritha Poonaccha and District Congress Committee president Shivu Madappa are the main aspirants from Virajpet.

Many more are eyeing the Madikeri constituency. The names of the Somwarpet Block Congress president K M Lokesh, entrepreneur Napanda Muttappa and advocate Chandramouli are surfacing in this context. KPCC general secretary and Zilla Panchayat member K P Chandrakala too, is willing to contest. Kumuda Dharmappa has already approached the High Command for the ticket, according to party sources.

Siddaramaiah is likely to talk to the Congress workers, before finalising the names of candidates.

Agitations for separate taluks

Agitations for the formation of Cauvery and Ponnampet taluks, which are going on from the last 125 days, are likely to have an impact on the chief minister’s visit.

The protesters have been demanding the announcement of the two hoblis as new taluks. Three bandhs have already been conducted in Kushalnagar. The agitators have been looking forward to their demands being fulfilled with the chief minister’s visit.

The newly announced 50 taluks will function officially in the next 15 days.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> District / by DH News Service / Aditya K A / January 04th, 2018

Karnataka second in nation for providing court infrastructure: T B Jayachandra

Business & Economy, Records, All
Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister T B Jayachandra inaugurates the Court Complex and quartters of Judicairy officials at Ponnampet in Virajpet on Saturday.
Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister T B Jayachandra inaugurates the Court Complex and quartters of Judicairy officials at Ponnampet in Virajpet on Saturday.

Karnataka is in the second position in the country for providing infrastructure facilities to courts, said Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister T B Jayachandra.

Inaugurating the court complex and quarters for officials of the judiciary in Ponnampet, Virajpet taluk on Saturday, he said that the meeting of the Prime Minister and Supreme Court Judges in Delhi has appreciated Karnataka’s efforts in this regard.

There are 1,300 courts operating in the state and the government has decided to open 254 more courts.

Also, 2.90 lakh cases are pending in the High Court and 13 lakh cases are pending in lower courts.

Lawyers have a responsible role in disposing of cases. The lawyers should also work like officials of judiciary, the minister said.

Jayachandra further said that lawyers should respect the feelings of people who come to court seeking justice. He hoped that the new court which covers four hoblis will play a vital role in clearing the cases soon.

During a period of four years and eight months, the Congress-led state government has implemented 161 laws including the Prevention of Superstitions bill. The laws should be well implemented for the public good.

There are more land-related cases in DC, AC and tahsildar courts, than in civil courts. Thrust should be laid on clearing these cases soon, he said.

Jayachandra felt the need to revise old laws to address the current issues. He added that a special rule has bee formed to provide 50% reservation for the students from the state in the National School of Law.

High Court Justice A S Bopanna said that lawyers should take initiative to solve the cases amicably through reconciliation in Lok Adalat.

MLA K G Bopaiah said that the state government should address the grievances of the people of Kodagu. The traffic issue has become a nightmare in Kodagu.

Currently, there is a shortage of judges in the High Court. There are only 24 judges in the place of 62 judges. There is less number of judges in local courts too, he said.

Kodagu District Administrative Judge R B Boodihal, MLA M P Appacchu Ranjan, High Court Registrar General Ashok G Nijagannanavar also spoke. Principal District and Sessions Judge Master R K G M M Mahaswamiji, MLC Veena Acchaiah, Forest Development Corporation Chairperson Padmini Ponnappa and Bar Association President S D Kaveriappa were present on the occasion.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> District / Madikeri – DH News Service / December 24th, 2017

River Cauvery safe in Karnataka, say experts

About Kodagu / Coorg, Agriculture, Business & Economy, Green Initiatives / Environment, Nature, Records, All
The backwater of the KRS dam. According to a KSPCB official, Cauvery river water in Karnataka falls under 'C' grade, which means it is safe for drinking after treatment. DH FILE PHOTO
The backwater of the KRS dam. According to a KSPCB official, Cauvery river water in Karnataka falls under ‘C’ grade, which means it is safe for drinking after treatment. DH FILE PHOTO

Environment experts claim that the report on River Cauvery published by Anna University, Tamil Nadu, may be partially true, but, the river water is safe for consumption in Karnataka.

S Srikantaswamy, professor in Environmental Science, University of Mysore (UoM), said, the pollution level at River Cauvery will be high during summer as water flow is less. The professor, who had conducted a study on River Cauvery two years back, said, “We cannot ignore the report, but, the pollution level in the river varies at different points in time.”

“It is true that the river, which has its origin at Talacauvery, in Kodagu district, receives wastewater from the starting point itself. The river flows amidst coffee plantations and the coffee pulped water is directly let into the river without any treatment. Similarly, the industries located along the river discharge wastewater (including toxic effluents) without treatment,” he said.

An official of the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) said that he is unaware about the parameters of the study conducted by Anna University.

“The water in Karnataka comes under ‘C’ grade, which means it is safe for drinking after treatment. The report might be true as the river might be more polluted in TN,” he said.

In TN, a large number of small and medium textile dyeing industries, paper and sugar mills are located besides the river, and this could be the reason for high pollution levels. The pollution level during summer will be high as self-purification is low due to less volume of water flow, he said.

In Mysuru district, except sewage water in a few places, no industry releases wastewater into the river directly. The authorities monitor the quality of water every month at various places, commencing from Kodagu district up to the border of Karnataka, and the river water quality is good, he claimed.

Claiming that the River Cauvery in Karnataka is not polluted as much as River Ganga, he said, as per the physical appearance itself, the river is not much polluted.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> District / by Ranjith Kandya / Mysuru – DH News Service / December 25th, 2017

State’s first goat unit to come up in Kodagu

Agriculture, Business & Economy, Nature

Madikeri:

The construction of the state’s first goat milk producing and processing unit is in full swing at Byadagotta near Kushalnagar.

Animal husbandry minister A Manju had in February laid foundation stone for the unit which will come up on 112 acres of land. It is estimated to cost Rs 5 crore of which the state government has released Rs 2 crore.

Veterinary Department deputy director Padmanabha said it has planned to buy Jamalapuri, Seroy, and beetle breeds of goats from Maharashtra which provide upto 3 litres of milk per day.

He said an expert team has been formed to purchase 200 goats for rearing. At later stages, goat milk producers unions will be established at village levels. He said the milk will be sent to Bengaluru for marketing and in later stages, the unit will pack the milk in sachets and sell in local markets too. Goat milk has a good demand in the state where it is sold at Rs 70 per litre.

The department has also planned to grow grass for goats here and manure produced by goats will be sold to farmers.

The government will appoint an assistant director, a doctor, technician, an agriculture officer, 50 labourers for the milk producing unit. The unit will also generate direct employment for 50 locals and provide indirect employment to hundreds of farmers, he said.

Farmer Ganesh said dairy farming is a good idea for farmers to boost their incomes. He said the area has greenery which provides fodder for goats.

Byadagotta village is situated just 8 kilometre from Kushalnagar and has potential for development. The state government also planned to construct a mini airport at Aluvara. Mangaluru university has already established a PG centre in Aluvara.

source: http://www.msn.com / MSN.com / Home> Headlines> News – The New Indian Express / December 26th, 2017

Coffee holidays: Unwind in nature’s lap with a hot cuppa

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Green Initiatives / Environment

Karnataka, which accounts for over 70% of India’s total coffee production, is betting big on tourism around its coffee.

The last chunk of rainforest coffee on this planet is in India and grows along the Western Ghats covering Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. (Photo: DC)
The last chunk of rainforest coffee on this planet is in India and grows along the Western Ghats covering Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. (Photo: DC)

Bengaluru :

Karnataka, which accounts for over 70% of India’s total coffee production, is betting big on tourism around its coffee.

The last chunk of rainforest coffee on this planet is in India and grows along the Western Ghats covering Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Karnataka’s coffee gardens are a haven for wildlife, dozens of rare bird species, some 50 different types of tress apart from natural flora and fauna.
State Tourism Minister Priyank Kharge said a wide variety of farm and home stay options are available across coffee areas of Chikkamagaluru, Kodagu, Hassan, Sakleshpur and Baba Budan Giri (a mountain where first ever coffee in the country was grown in 1670), and Mullayanagiri (the highest coffee growing peek in Chikkamagaluru).

Kharge said, “We’ve recently eased a lot of restrictions around farm tourism and home stays, by decreasing the home stay registration fee to Rs 500 from Rs 10,000. We have also introduced additional incentives to encourage entrepreneurship in coffee tourism. We received home-stay registration requests from over 700 coffee farmers and estates in the last two months.”

Some of the activities promoted under coffee tourism include nature trails, trekking, pulping, bean plucking, drying, curing, roasting and grinding the coffee.

In addition, coffee lands offer amazing landscapes with unique culture and cuisines, he said.

Anil Kumar Bhandari president of Indian Coffee Trust said, “Corporates and real estate firms are eager to swallow huge chunks of coffee lands to build resorts, but coffee farmers with the help of the tourism department are trying to keep such elements out.”

Only individuals and families who are living in Karnataka for a minimum period of 15 years will be eligible for home stay licences.

source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com / Deccan Chronicle / Home> Nation> In Other News / by Mini Tejaswi / December 23rd, 2017

Bengaluru start-up to launch Araku Aroma brand coffee in US

Business & Economy, Coffee News, World Opinion

The company is also planning for a domestic foray in January at the India International Coffee Festival.

ArakuKF23dec2017

Krish Food and Fun India, a Bengaluru-based start-up, plans to globally launch Araku Aroma Brand of coffees in the United States. “The company is launching Araku Aroma Coffees in Edison, New Jersey in the US. We are helping marketing coffees grown in the tribal belt of Andhra Pradesh. The Araku is tribal valley near Vishakhapatnam,” said Krishna Chaitanya, Managing Director, Krish Food and Fun India.

The company is also planning for a domestic foray in January at the India International Coffee Festival. According to Chaitanya, “As per the agreement, we are to buy coffees harvested by tribal farmers in around 250 acres. The company plans to market around 500 tonnes of coffee annually.”

“For this we have invested Rs 2.5 crore to set up roasting facility and for marketing tribal grown coffees,” he added.

Chaitanya was in Bengaluru recently to make final arrangements to release Araku Aroma brand of coffees. “As part of the agreement with tribal community, we want to spend 10 per cent of our profits from selling Araku Aroma to procure anti-venom drugs and for providing general medical facilities to the tribal community,” revealed Chaitanya.

source: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com / Business Line / Home> Companies / by Anil Urs / Bengaluru – December 23rd, 2017

Karnataka : ‘ Tax tourists to preserve Kodagu’s green ’

Business & Economy, Green Initiatives / Environment, Nature

CoorgGreenKF22dec2017

District wants to follow on Nilgiris’ footsteps, urges Payment for Ecological Services fund for the benefit of farmers and region’s ecology

Worried about the increasing tourism activity in Kodagu district, greens have urged the government to follow the Niligiris district administration and impose a green tax on tourist vehicles entering the district.

Recently, the Nilgiris district administration announced that tourist vehicles entering the district via the Burliar, Kakkanallah and Nambiar Kunnu checkposts will be charged a green tax of Rs. 20, which will be used for the maintenance of the district’s ecology. It is expected that the fee will be used by the administration to carry out restoration works and maintain the fragile Nilgiris landscape.

Sundar Muthanna, Bengaluru Co-ordinator for Coorg Wildlife Society, welcomed the move by the Nilgiris district administration and said this should be implemented at all entry points to Kodagu district too.

“Collecting a cess or tax from tourist vehicles is important at the entry points because tourism has a very negative foot print on the ecology. Some of the damage can be undone by the tourism industry itself. They cannot go on exploiting the land endlessly and they have to give back,” he said.

He said the money generated should be used for tree planting and rejuvenating the existing water sources. “The money thus collected must go to the Payment for Ecological Services (PES) fund. The idea for PES comes from the belief that a rich and diverse ecology is equal to economic capital for the state and the nation.

Through PES we can help the people of Malnad preserve the ecology they live in. A well-preserved ecology will encourage rainfall locally in the Malnad and in the neighbouring regions,” he said. The fund could be used to provide subsidies for Malnad’s planters and farmers, he said.

Paddy cultivation could be encouraged with this fund, as rice fields contribute richly to the streams and rivers, and help to make them perennial, or flow through the year. Cottage industries such as pepper processing, canning, coffee processing can be set up in each taluk of the districts of Malnad.

The entry point to Kodagu district is from Hassan, Mysuru, Dakshina Kannada and Kerala.

Dinesh Holla, convener Sahyadri Sanchaya, said uncontrollable damage has already taken place in the Western Ghats region of Kodagu and Chikkamagaluru. “Rainfall has reduced. The government talks about only development, but when environmentalists approach the minister requesting him to procure helicopters so that in case of forest fire, quick action can be initiated, we are told that we are not living in a foreign country. It is time that the youth come forward, raise their voice and protect whatever little is left behind in the fragile Western Ghats,” he said.

source: http://www.bangaloremirror.indiatimes.com / Bangalore Mirror / Home> News> State / by Deepthi Sanjiv, Bangalore Mirror Bureau / December 21st, 2017

Coffee Board to open coffee cafes

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

A project in PPP model for opening India Coffee House outlets in the district has been proposed by the Coffee Board, board member Manukumar said.

Addressing reporters here on Thursday, Manukumar said that these coffee houses will be similar to that of the cafes in metropolitan cities. It has been planned to launch the outlets in Kemmannugundi Cross, Seethalaiahnagiri, Devirammana Betta, Horanadu, Shringeri and Taluk office premises. A survey in this regard is in progress. The price of the coffee served in these outlets will be lesser as compared to other cafes, he said.

“While the land will be given by the government, the Coffee Board will construct the cafes and the management will be handed over to private organisations,” he said.

Subsidies for planters
The coffee board has provided Rs 9.10 crore for coffee planters between April 2017 till date towards mechanisation, warehouses, water facilities and transplantation. A subsidy amount of Rs 2.2 crore has been released by banks to 900 coffee planters towards interest, he said.

Research is on to control the menace of white stem borer. Kits have been distributed to farmers to control snails in coffee plantations, he said.

The Coffee Board has recommended maintaining a ratio of 51:49 for coffee – chikori mixing and a letter in this regard has been sent to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).

The board has also requested the Central government to provide subsidy to encourage coffee planters.

A memorandum has been submitted to the state government to bring white stem borer and wild snail in the ambit of Karnataka Pest e Control Act, he said.

Board office bearers Pradeep Pai and M L Kallesh were present.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> District> Chikkamagaluru / DH News Service – December 14th, 2017