Govt may withdraw Coffee Act, come out with new Bill

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

New Delhi :

The government is considering withdrawal of the Coffee Act, 1942, as it “no longer serves the purpose”, Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said in the Lok Sabha on Monday.

The Minister was replying to a supplementary during Question Hour on the role of the Coffee Board, especially with regard to small growers, and why it was headless for the past two years.

“Over the years, the role of the Coffee Board has changed and many provisions of the existing Act have become redundant, especially after abolition of the Coffee Pooling System in 1996,” she said, adding that it had been proposed to repeal the Act which was enacted more than 70 years back and enact a new Coffee Bill, 2016.

The suggestions received on the Bill were “regarding the control of the coffee industry, definition of coffee and coffee estate, cognisance of offence under the Act, etc, which are being examined,” she added.

Output decline

In reply to a question from Prathap Simha from Coorg, the Minister said domestic coffee production was likely to fall by 8 per cent in the current fiscal, due mainly to lack of timely rains.

“It has been estimated that there is a likelihood of a decline in coffee production in 2016-17 by 8 per cent compared with 2015-16 due to lack of timely rains and high temperature during the crucial flowering stage,” Sitharaman said.

On another supplementary on whether the government would mandate international coffee chains in India to buy Indian coffee, Sitharaman said the country was home to 2 per cent of the world’s coffee growing area, but produced 4 per cent of global production and had a share of 5 per cent of world coffee exports, worth over Rs. 5,000 crore a year. So, even though international coffee chains have set up shop in India, they do buy coffee locally, she said.

The main buyers of Indian coffee are Italy, Russian Federation, Germany, Belgium and Turkey, which account for over 50 per cent of coffee exports from India, she added.

Duncan tea gardens

On another supplementary by Trinamool’s Saugata Roy who wanted to know how many closed tea gardens’ belonging to the Duncan group in West Bengal had been taken over by the Centre “as promised four months ago”, Sitharaman said the government had moved to take over some tea gardens, but there was litigation by the Duncan group. The Minister said the process to identify new agencies to take over the management of these tea gardens was on, in consultation with the state government.

source: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com / Business Line / Home> Economy> AgriBusiness / The Hindu Bureau / New Delhi – July 25th, 2016

Mysore Medical College alumnus Dr.Dechu Ponnappa gets global recognition

Education, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Leaders, Nri's / Pio's, Records, All, Science & Technology, World Opinion

Dr.DechuPonnappaKF24ul2016

Mysuru :

The Leading Physicians of the World (LPW) has recognised Dr. Dechu Ponnappa Puliyanda, MD, an alumnus of Mysore Medical College (MMC), as a top Paediatric Nephrologist in California by including her name in its 2016 edition.

LPW, which began as a yearly publication, selecting and documenting the biographies of medicines brightest minds, has over time evolved into the largest international exclusive medical organisation, representing first rate doctors in over 100 different medical specialties in all major markets across the globe.

Profile: Dechu Puliyanda is an astute clinician with a special interest in Pediatric Nephrology and kidney transplantation. After finishing her Fellowship in Nephrology and Transplantation from Harvard, she joined the prestigious Cedars Sinai Medical Centre in Beverly Hills California, where she currently serves as the Director of the Pediatric Nephrology programme. She is a professor of Pediatrics at Cedars Sinai Medical Centre as well as Professor of Pediatrics at the UCLA-David Geffen School of Medicine at Los Angeles, California.

Her research has focused on viral infections in the post transplant period, and surrogate markers for renal transplant rejection. She is a world-renowned speaker and has presented at a number of national and international conferences. She is an author of many peer-reviewed publications in prestigious medical journals. In addition, she has a very strong commitment to providing comprehensive care to children and adolescents with chronic kidney disease.

Dr. Dechu Puliyanda is is a member of the American Society of Transplantation, International Pediatric Transplantation Association, American Society of Nephrology, American Society of Pediatric Nephrology, International Pediatric Nephrology Association to name a few.

A gold medallist from Mysore Medical College (MMC), Dr. Dechu Puliyanda completed her internship and residency at the Rush Presbyterian St.Luke’s Medical Centre in Chicago. She then completed her Fellowship in Nephrology and Transplantation at the Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston.

She is the daughter of late Dr. Kokkalera Ponnappa and Machie Ponnappa (nee Pandanda), who is a resident of Mittal Panorama on Lalitha Mahal Road in Mysuru. She is married to Subbaiah Puliyanda and the couple have two children, Siddarth and Sitara.

Dechu’s brother Uthaiah Kokkalera is a Robotic Laparascopic Surgeon in Los Angeles, California.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News / July 18th, 2016

Coffee Board sees new high in big coffee brew for Nagaland

Coffee News

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Kohima :

A coffee plantation in the range of 50, 000 hectares of land by 2030 is being envisaged by a collaboration of the department of Land Resources and the Coffee Board of India.

This was revealed by a secretary to the Government of Nagaland, Y Kikheto Sema, during a joint meeting of the department’s officials with the officials of the Coffee Board of India, under the Union Ministry of Commerce & Industry. The central team was led by Joint Secretary AP Anantha Kumar. The meeting was conducted at the Land Resources directorate in Kohima town Wednesday.

Joint Secretary Kumar said during the meeting that support would be given to the state government in its undertaking production for coffee. While assuring all possible support to the state government in its ‘massive coffee plantation drive,’ he however asked the Land Resource department to make proposals toward setting up an office of the board in Kohima. Likewise, he suggested that the state seek enhancement of coffee seed allocation.

Also, according to Kikheto Sema, the department and other line departments would be undertaking a massive ‘coffee plantation drive’ in every district of Nagaland as the state has been declared geographically and topographically suitable for coffee by the coffee board.

The officials has requested the board’s officials to enhance the allocation of coffee seeds for the state and also to provide technical support and training of trainers and officials, who in turn would be able to train villagers in ‘achieving the target.’

Saying that the department had been encouraging local farmers to give up ‘jhum’ cultivation to engage in coffee plantation, Sema said that the slash-and-burn cultivation method does not offer ‘much dividend.’ However, coffee plantation, he said, will help in uplifting the rural economy besides improving the living standard of the rural people.

Further, maintaining that there was no scope in large and medium scale industries in the state, Sema expressed optimism in agro-based industries. The Land Resources department is undertaking only a few commercial crops such as coffee and rubber but they are crops feasible for the state, he said.

The official also said that the church being the ‘main institution’ in Nagaland, the department was contemplating involving the church in coffee plantation by providing them technical support.

Sema opined that the Coffee Board and any investors willing to come to the state should not have the ‘excuse’ of law and order situations as the state, he claimed, was ‘very peaceful.’

source: http://www.easternmirrornagaland.com / Eastern Mirror / Home> News> Nagaland> State> Current Article / by Eastern Mirror Correspondent / July 21st, 2016

Rohan Bopanna

Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Sports

Rohan Bopanna will partner with Leander Paes in men’s doubles and with Sania Mirza in mixed doubles at Rio Olympics.

Chandigarh: Rohan Bopanna plays against Korea's Hong Chung in the Asia/ Oceania Group I 2nd Round of Davis Cup in Chandigarh on Sunday. Bopanna won the match 3-6, 6-4, 6-4. PTI Photo by Atul Yadav
Chandigarh: Rohan Bopanna plays against Korea’s Hong Chung in the Asia/ Oceania Group I 2nd Round of Davis Cup in Chandigarh on Sunday. Bopanna won the match 3-6, 6-4, 6-4. PTI Photo by Atul Yadav

Rohan Bopanna, 36

Event: Tennis (Men’s doubles and mixed doubles)

Event date: August 6

Qualifying Event: Qualified for Rio Olympics on account of 10th rank on the cutoff date of June 6

Records: Rohan Bopanna has participated in just one Olympics before this (2012) exited in the second round in men’s doubles.

Career highlights (in last two years): Won Madrid Masters 1000 event (2015), Runner-up at World Tour Finals (2015)

Bio: Rohan Bopanna is India’s mainstay in the men’s doubles department on tour with his Romanian partner Florin Mergea. Bopanna trained with Mahesh Bhupathi’s father – Bopanna’s partner at London Olympics (his only other Olympic participation) – and now travels full time with his own team and physios.

He finished in the top 10 of 2015 – a first in his career – and maintained his foothold in the top 20 for fifth time in six years.

source: http://www.indianexpress.com / Indian Express / Home> Express Sports> Sports / by Express Web Desk / July 19th, 2016

Sport – Peta

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Green Initiatives / Environment, Sports

Bopanna urges fans to shun cockfighting in Peta Ad

BopannaKF24jul2016

As part of an ad campaign for PETA, tennis star Rohan Bopanna has urged his fans to stay away from cockfighting, a blood sport in which roosters are placed in a ring and forced to fight to death.

Posing with rescued rooster Smack, he appears next to the words ‘Tennis Is a Sport — Cockfighting Is Not’.
The visual for the campaign was shot by ace photographer Sam Mohan.

In December 2014, Bopanna had caged himself holding a sign that proclaims ‘Try to Relate to Their Fate.

Say No to Cockfighting’, as part of a similar ad campaign.PTI

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> In School /PTI / New Delhi – July 20th, 2016

Indian Davis Cup Team Dancing After 4-1 Win Over Korea On Sunday

Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Records, All, Sports, World Opinion

Not used to playing singles anymore, India’s Rohan Bopanna found rhythm in nick of time to edge past Hong Chung before Yong-Kyu Lim prevented a Korean whitewash with a gritty win over Ramkumar Ramanathan in the Davis Cup Asia\Oceania Group I tie on Sunday.

Asked to take court in place of Saketh Myneni, who is still recovering from his gruelling match on Friday, Bopanna laboured to a 3-6 6-4 6-4 win

source: http://www.youtube.com / Indian Express Online / published July 17th, 2016

High temperatures may cut coffee production by 8 p.c.

Agriculture, Coffee News, Coffee, Kodagu (Coorg), Green Initiatives / Environment

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India’s coffee production is expected to drop by 8.05 per cent during 2016-17 compared to a record production of 3.48 lakh tonnes in 2015-16 owing to high temperature during summer months.

For the year 2016-17, the Coffee Board placed the post-blossom crop forecast at 3.20 lakh tonnes, comprising one lakh tonnes of Arabica and 2.20 lakh tonnes of Robusta, an overall decline of 28,000 tonnes (-8.05%) over the previous year.

The drop is mainly in Karnataka (22,175 tonnes) followed by Kerala (6,730 tonnes). The causes could be the delayed blossom and showers coupled with high temperatures especially in major coffee growing areas of Karnataka and Kerala.

In most of the coffee areas of Karnataka, estates with irrigation facilities have irrigated their Robusta plantations for one round of blossom during February-March and with one round of backing irrigation. However, due to absence of subsequent natural showers, even the irrigated estates have suffered some setback due to prevailing high temperatures, according to Coffee Board officials.

Scattered, uneven blossom

Coffee growing regions of Karnataka received the first spell of summer showers only in April and these showers were scanty and isolated. These showers did not cause any blossom in Arabica estates but resulted in scattered, uneven blossom in un-irrigated Robusta fields, which constitute about 40 per cent of the Robusta area in Karnataka.

Officials said this resulted in pinking and scorching of buds in Robusta. The growers were unable to take up supplementary irrigations to top up the scanty showers due to drying up of water resources.

The post-blossom estimate of Arabica for 2016-17 has shown a decrease of -3.38% (3,500 tonnes) over the corresponding figure of 2015-16, while the Robusta estimate has shown a decrease of -10.02 per cent (24,500 tonnes) over the last year’s figure (2015-16).

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Karnataka / Nagesh Prabhu / Bengaluru – July 19th, 2016

Remembering those who fought for freedom

About Kodagu / Coorg, Amazing Feats, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Historical Links / Pre-Independence, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Leaders, Records, All

A rare document from 1931 reveals the role played by freedom fighters from Kodagu

Legacy: A picture of freedom fighters with Mallengada Chengappa (right) at the laying of the foundation stone for the Freedom Fighters' memorial in Gonicoppa on December 16, 1998.
Legacy: A picture of freedom fighters with Mallengada Chengappa (right) at the laying of the foundation stone for the Freedom Fighters’ memorial in Gonicoppa on December 16, 1998.

A rare document from 1931 obtained by The Hindu here speaks volumes about people from Kodagu district who were in the forefront of the freedom struggle under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi.

The people of Kodagu had issued a ‘manapatra’ then, a letter of honour, commending and saluting the 98 brave men and women who revolted against the British, following the footsteps of the Father of the Nation. They had taken part in the satyagraha in 1930-31 and were incarcerated.

Pandyanda Belliappa, Kollimada Karumbaiah, Chekkera Monnaiah, Makki Krishnaiah, Mallengada Chengappa, Abdul Gafoor Khan, Ajjikuttira Chinnappa, Ponnimada Machaiah, Kalengada Chinnappa, K.M. Subraya, Puliyanda Subbaiah, V. R. Thammaiah, Bidarur Madaiah, Chokira Madappa, Poojari Muthappa, Pandikanda Madappa, H.R. Krishnaiah were some among the people honoured by the people of Kodagu in 1931. Puliyanda Subbaiah, who hailed from Maggula village, was a true Gandhian till his death. He wore Khadi and counselled patience whenever a rift arose among people. So was V.R. Thammaiah, another Gandhian, who also hailed from the village. Elders say that H.R. Krishnaiah even refused to apply for pension after Independence saying if the Government recognised his contribution, it should come to his doorstep and give him the pension papers.

Even women did not lag behind. Kotera Accavva, Balyatanda Muddavva, Mukkatira Bojamma, Machimanda Medakka, Appanderanda Kalamma also joined the freedom struggle. The manapatra given to them on March 11, 1931, stated that they had been imprisoned for preaching the message of Mahatma Gandhi and taking part in the satyagraha.

The manapatra further stated that the people of Kodagu would not be able to offer them (the freedom fighters) privileges such as ‘Jahagir’, ‘Umbali’ — both land grants for service rendered — or ‘Pinchani’ (pension), but would carry forward the noble message of freedom struggle, support and abide by it.

A sentence read significantly that “Bharata mateya makallada Kodaginavaru drohigalalla, Bhartada veera putra putriyaru embudannu prapanchakke saridiri”. This meant “the people of Kodagu, who are the children of mother India, are not traitors. You have heralded a message to the world that you are valiant sons and daughters of India.” The people who were mentioned in the manapatra at the function presided by Biddanda Subbaiah, also had taken a pledge to follow the ideals propounded by Gandhiji such as ‘swadeshi’ and liquor prohibition.

A section of people might feel that some people of Kodagu supported the British. But it cannot be forgotten that Guddemane Appaiah Gowda who had fought the British was hanged at the Fort here by the British on October 31, 1837, much before the Sepoy Mutiny took place.

Kodagina Gowramma had offered all her jewellery to Gandhiji when he had visited here soliciting peoples’ support for continuing the freedom movement in the early 1930s.

It is an unfortunate irony that the Freedom Fighters’ memorial, the work for which started at Gonicoppa 12 years ago and the Guddemane Appaiah Gowda memorial, of which works are now underway, are yet to be completed.

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The ‘manapatra’ saluted the 98 men and women who revolted against the British

The work on the Freedom Fighters’ memorial at Gonicoppa started 12 years ago

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source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Karnataka / by Staff Correspondent / Madikeri – August 15th, 2010

Doctor from Kodagu wins U.S. award

Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Nri's / Pio's, Records, All, Science & Technology, World Opinion

Madikeri:

Kokkalera Uthaiah Ponnappa, who hails from Kodagu and is now settled in the U.S., has bagged the Resident Achievement Award for 2005, a national award given to a resident surgeon in that country by the Society of Laparo-endoscopic Surgeons (SLS), according to family sources here.

An SLS communication to Dr. Uthaiah Ponnappa said that in recognition of his being an outstanding laparo-endoscopic resident, his name has been listed in the SLS News and World Report section of the Journal of the Society of Laparo-endoscopic Surgeons.

Dr. Uthaiah Ponnappa did his MBBS at Bangalore Medical College and went to Manchester in the U.K. for his FRCS. — Staff Correspondent

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Karnataka> Briefly / Saturday – July 16th, 2005

Karnataka’s half dozen squad all set for Force Gurkha RFC India 2016

Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Sports

RallyKF16jul2016

Bangalore :

As Goa gears up for the third edition of Force Gurkha RFC India, Karnataka has broken all records by sending the highest number of entries RFC India has received till date from a single state. This year, a total of six teams from Karnataka will be participating in the country’s toughest and first international off-road motorsport event. Of these, four teams are from Bangalore Off-road Drivers Association (BODA), one team is from Coorg based V5 Offroaders and another is from Mudhogs of Sakleshpur.

The six teams, represented by BODA’s Madhusudan Reddy, Lokesh Aradhya (co-driver Rohith KR), Vivek Kuriakosse (co-driver Ashok Kuriakose) and Pradeep Kumar (co-driver Prithviraj AC), Jagat Nanjappa (co-driver Chetan Chengappa) from V5 Offroaders and Narthan Byramudi (co-driver Satish Kumar) from Mudhogs, aim to overwhelm the rest of the competitors by their talent and team-spirit.

Organized by Delhi-based Cougar Motorsport Pvt. Ltd., Force Gurkha RFC India 2016 will be held in Goa from 22ndJuly to 29th July. It is the India Chapter of the iconic Rainforest Challenge of Malaysia.

The event is divided into four competitive legs – the Prologue, the Predator, the Terminator and the Twilight Zone – which are further segregated into 24 Special Stages. The team with the maximum points at the end of all the Special Stages is announced the winner of the competition and the top Indian driver of the event gets an automatic, free entry to the RFC Mother Event to be held in Malaysia at the end of the year.

This year Kannadigas seem to present the most versatile and flexible representation of the lot.

33 year old Rohith and 45 year old Vivek, both claim that they will be showcasing the most unique vehicle of all. “We are using 40 inch tyres, custom made axle and have made many modifications to give us that extra advantage,” said Vivek.

“We are using a suspension unlike any other, which will give us that power to weight ratio,” Rohith added.

Jagat Nanjappa, a 55 year old rallyist, has been a national champion nine times. He said, “RFC South India was fun but not as tedious as I expected it to be. I am looking forward for the tough and thrilling experience at the RFC India Mother Event in Goa”

“It’s my third time at RFC India, and me and my driver have an experience of both driving as well as navigating, which has given us high hope for a podium finish,” claims Rohith, who also won the ‘Jungleman Award’ in the first season of RFC India.

There are 25 teams in total participating this season, bringing in a range of competition to deal with.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> Sports> Racing / Aditi Sequeira / TNN / July 16th, 2016