Madikeri :
Hoovaiah, an ex-serviceman, who is serving as a mobile tower operator with the BSNL, entered the Guinness Book of World Records for growing the tallest sugarcane in the world.
As of now, the sugarcane in Convent Junction in Madikeri is 42-foot tall.
During an interview to Express Hoovaiah detailed the uphill task and claimed that he had to be convinced to enter the Guiness Book.
Hoovaiah, brought a stem of black variety of sugarcane from Karike four years ago and wanted to eat it once it had grown. He nurtured it with cow dung and ash apart from watering it regularly.
But when it was found that in three years the sugarcane had grown 40-foot tall with the support of a mobile tower, his friends and others advised him to get Guinness Book recognition.
When Hoovaiah approached the Guiness Book officials for recognition they asked him to pay nearly Rs 4 lakh for visiting and verifying the sugarcane.
When Hoovaiah expressed his financial constrain they asked him to submit a 22-page application as it is certified by six gazetted officers, Hoovaiah said.
The team that verified the documents had advocate B B Ananda, Dr Renuka and Dr Tirmala Rao of Ex-servicemen Contribution Service Scheme hospital, Dr Rajashkear and Dr Ramakrishna from Agriculture Department and Dr Sreenivasaiah of Krishi Vignana Kendra Gonikoppa. They inspected the sugarcane and sent a report to Guinness Book of World Records in California of USA on June 21 last year.
After verifying with the records worldwide, they sent a letter of record holder on June 10 this year and asked him to pay Rs 2,593 if he needed an original certificate. After he made the payment, they issued the certificate, Hoovaiah said.
He pointed out that though he was told that the sugarcane will not survive due to the radiation from mobile tower nothing happens so far. He also acknowledge the support of his family, BSNL officials and others in protecting and caring for the sugarcane.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Karnataka / by B C Dinesh / June 15th, 2015
