The members of Hathur PACS arrived at the Office of the JD of Agriculture in Madikeri with bags of fertilizers and a weighing scale. Photo | Expre
In a dramatic display, the farmers and cooperative representatives weighed the bags on the premises of the Joint Director’s office, highlighting what they termed as “fraudulent practices” by fertiliser suppliers.
Madikeri :
Allegations of large-scale discrepancies in fertiliser bag weights surfaced in Kodagu on Thursday, as members of the Hathur Primary Agricultural Cooperative Society (PACS) staged a protest demonstration infront of the office of Joint Director of Agriculture in Madikeri.
Led by Kodagu District Cooperative Central Bank president Bonda Ganapathi, the PACS members arrived with truckloads of fertiliser bags supplied by Indian Potash Limited (IPL), claiming significant shortages in weight. The members alleged that several 50-kg bags were found to be underweight by as much as 4 kg.
In a dramatic display, the farmers and cooperative representatives weighed the bags on the premises of the Joint Director’s office, highlighting what they termed as “fraudulent practices” by fertiliser suppliers. They urged the Agriculture Department to initiate an immediate and thorough investigation.
“This is not an isolated issue. We suspect such discrepancies could be happening across the district and even elsewhere in the country,” members alleged, warning that such practices directly harm farmers financially.
Expressing strong displeasure, Ganapathi claimed that nearly 51 tonnes of fertiliser supplied to the society between February 18 and March 3 showed consistent weight variation.
He termed the issue a “serious injustice” to farmers and demanded that the losses be compensated by the supplier. He also called for reimbursement of loading costs and a district-wide inspection of fertiliser stocks in all cooperative societies.
Joint Director Chandrashekar assured the delegation that the matter would be escalated to higher authorities for further action.
Ganapathi said a formal complaint would be submitted to the Deputy Commissioner and warned of intensified protests, including a possible lockdown of the Agriculture Department office, if swift action is not taken.
A follow-up meeting involving cooperative representatives and department officials is scheduled at the KDCC Bank building on April 27 to discuss the issue further.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express/ Home> Karnataka / by Prajna GR / April 23rd, 2026
In the past two years, admissions have increased significantly, and from the current academic year, the school has started recording 100% attendance.
Chennangi Government Primary School, located in a tribal settlement in South Kodagu, has introduced a unique concept called Dinnakondu Karyakram, a special programme held every day.(Photo | Express)
Madikeri :
In a heartening initiative aimed at ensuring 100% attendance among tribal students, a government school in Kodagu has taken an extraordinary approach.
Chennangi Government Primary School, located in a tribal settlement in South Kodagu, has introduced a unique concept called Dinnakondu Karyakram, a special programme held every day, which has now made school a fun and welcoming space for all its students. The result: students who once refused to attend classes are now turning up enthusiastically each day.
The school currently has 52 students, all from tribal families. While government schools across the state are allegedly witnessing a sharp fall in admissions due to various issues, this institution is seeing a positive shift. In the past two years, admissions have increased significantly, and from the current academic year, the school has started recording 100% attendance.
“Several tribal students stayed away from the institution. When their parents left for daily wage work, these students sat at home. However, we conducted a survey before the start of this academic year and have ensured that all the children from the tribal colony attend classes at the institution,” shared Susha K K, the headmistress of the institution.
Over five students who had previously discontinued schooling have now returned and are attending classes without hesitation. Last year, the school had introduced Thingaligondu Karyakrama (a special programme every month), where students were encouraged to exhibit their talents through various performances. However, despite this, some students still remained absent.
This prompted the school to implement a new daily programme. As soon as students arrive at the school each morning, they are engaged in various fun activities ranging from yoga, singing, dancing, craft, and literature, to unique games.
“This has resulted in all the students attending classes without fail. To encourage them further, we have started a YouTube channel and we regularly upload the talent shows of the students onto the channel. It is like an incentive to these students, as the entire village watches and celebrates them after watching the YouTube channel,” the headmistress shared.
Admissions have gone up from 39 students to 52 in the past two years. Some students who had even taken transfer certificates were allegedly convinced by the headmistress to return. In addition, the school management conducted awareness meetings with parents, urging them to ensure their children attend school regularly to build a better future.
Despite facing an acute shortage of teaching staff and deteriorating infrastructure, the school management is doing its best to provide quality education to the tribal students.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Karnataka / by Prajna GR / August 07th, 2025
Delhi resident in search of pure air makes Madikeri his home, beautifies neighbourhoods
Armed with his ‘litter picker’, Piyush Agarwal picks up trash in his neighbourhood in Madikeri. He aims to beautify every lamppost in the city with a flower pot and a dustbin.(Photo | Express)
Madikeri :
A stroll on a quaint street near Government Junior College in Madikeri introduces one to a beautification project where flower pots hang on retaining walls of public spaces. In between the flower pots, dustbins are also placed for public use. This beautification project was not taken up by the City Municipal Council or any other government body; it is the effort of an individual from Delhi who moved into the city two years ago in search of clean air.
Piyush Agarwal has grand plans to make Madikeri one of the quaintest cities to live in. Piyush, who started on a road trip across India in search of a place with clean and pure air to lead a retired life, says, “Madikeri fit the bill the best for my retired life.” So, what made him undertake the journey from Delhi to Madikeri? “I was in search of a place with a low Air Quality Index (AQI), which I wanted to make my home,” he says.
The businessman and entrepreneur developed bouts of cough due to high air pollution in Delhi. “I had difficulty breathing and developed cough bouts. COVID happened, and my business suffered a bit. That is when I decided that Delhi was not the place I wanted to live in, and it was time for me to get out,” he shares.
Road trip across 27 states
He set off on a road trip across India, travelling from East coast to West coast, the AQI meter as his travel buddy. He checked the air quality in every place he visited. Ooty, Chikkamagaluru, Goa, Kerala, Kanyakumari – Piyush travelled the length and breadth of India and covered 27 of 29 states; this was in 2022.
“I had a few parameters in mind. While air quality was the priority, the other parameters included the kind of people, a not-so-large city, greenery. And Madikeri fit the bill the best,” he explains.
His travel experience also revealed that the majority of the country is polluted, as air quality level across several regions is above 50. “Madikeri had an AQI level of 16, and became my ideal place to settle down for a retired life. Kodagu is among the best districts and nowhere in the country can you find such forests with abundant greenery. Even coffee cultivation is done using shade trees,” he opines.
(Photo | Express)
Piyush rented out a house and has been a resident for two years. He wants Madikeri to become one of the most beautiful cities in the country and his efforts can be seen in the beautification and cleanliness projects he has undertaken silently. During his first year, Piyush caught the attention of the City Municipality Council after he was spotted picking up litter and clearing garbage in his neighbourhood, equipped with a ‘litter picker’ stick and gunny bag.
Impressed, then CMC president Anita Poovaiah invited Piyush to her office and appreciated his efforts. “I am 65 years old and cannot bend down to pick up litter. I bought the ‘litter picker’ stick online and have a few collections of these sticks. Every Indian wants to keep their house clean, but when it comes to their surroundings, they are not bothered, this is a very Indian sentiment. The road and neighbourhood are an extension of my house and I often clean my surroundings. This introduced me to CMC councillors and now, I have started an initiative to install public dustbins across the city,” he says.
During his chats with CMC officials, Piyush got permission to instal dustbins (pinned to retaining walls of public spaces) across several wards in the city. Similarly, he put up dustbins in busy public spaces, including tourist spots and outside schools.
“I approached the youth empowerment department for permission to instal dustbins across the District Ground premises,” he says.
He got the nod, and installed over 15 dustbins in the grounds, but they were all stolen within 48 hours. “I don’t want to fix the dustbins permanently as it would be difficult for civic workers to clear them. Cleaning dustbins must be a simple process. However, of the hundreds of dustbins installed across wards, over 50 per cent were stolen. This is when I realised that people of Madikeri don’t want dustbins,” he points out. Piyush faced several hurdles in the cleanliness project, but this did not stop him from beautifying the city.
After the dustbin project, he undertook beautification work by installing flower pots across the city limits. Flower pots with self-watering technology (originally designed by him) are lined up across city limits.
(Photo | Express)
‘Proud to live in Madikeri’
Piyush has more such initiatives in mind. He aims to install a flower pot and a dustbin on all lampposts. However, getting permission, especially from the CESC department, remains a Herculean task.
“Imagine if every lamppost was lined with a flower pot and a dustbin. Madikeri will become one among the cleanest cities in the country, and I would be proud to live here. I don’t want any government support and I am ready to invest completely on my own. However, CESC denied permission for it and there is nothing I can do to change this,” he says, disappointed.
Nevertheless, Piyush continues to involve himself in environment-friendly beautification projects. He has planted over 350 varieties of trees across his neighbour’s private estate and invented eco-friendly measures to water these saplings.
“I sought permission from one of my neighbours to plant saplings in his estate. I told him I don’t want any support or returns, but only oxygen from these saplings. I collected 10,000 plastic water bottles from restaurants and hotels. During monsoons, I collected water in these bottles and these bottles continue to water the self-watering flower pots and saplings I have planted so far,” he explains. His routine includes cleaning the neighbourhood of trash, taking a stroll across the estate to take care of his saplings, cycling and golf. While he visits the estate during the morning hours, he ensures to put his food in a solar cooker and keep it under the sun. “By the time I am back, I know my food is cooked and this is my routine during summer days,” he shares.
While the initiative undertaken by Piyush is not known to the majority in the city, people who know him are inspired by his efforts. “When I was growing up, pollution was not among the biggest concerns. The environment then was pristine, and we could swim in any stream as the water was clean. I have seen nature deteriorate in my lifetime and river Jamuna in Delhi is proof of that deterioration. Now, I do my bit to keep nature clean,” he concludes.
He also hopes to garner support from people’s representatives as he is ready to fund the beautification project, provided he has all the permissions in hand.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Bengaluru / by Prajna GR / May 25th, 2025
Using this app, people can update the last location where they spotted a wild elephant, and through an AI-based system, the movement of the elephant will be traced.
The siren system is being installed across 12 conflict zones in Virajpet limits. (Photo | Express)
Madikeri :
A new initiative to prevent untoward incidents related to wildlife movement is being undertaken on a trial basis in Kodagu. Funded by a private company, the early warning system has been installed by Support for Network and Extension Help Agency (SNEHA), an NGO.
An early warning system in the form of a siren to alert residents about wildlife movement within a one-kilometre radius has been installed by SNEHA on a trial basis in wildlife conflict regions across Virajpet in Kodagu.
The NGO is currently in the process of installing 12 such sirens across the conflict zones of Badaga Banangala and surrounding areas. While the initiative is currently at a trial stage, SNEHA plans to expand it further by introducing automated alert systems.
“This initiative is being carried out by SNEHA in Odisha and Kodagu regions. We are looking at developing the system further to ensure an automated alert system,” explained Ramaswamy Krishnan, the Executive Director of SNEHA.
He said the NGO has developed a mobile application called SNEHA Kalpvaig Elephant Tracker, which is being uploaded online to become accessible to all.
Using this app, people can update the last location where they spotted a wild elephant, and through an AI-based system, the movement of the elephant will be traced.
Further, based on the location of the elephant, a siren will be triggered to alert residents within a one-kilometre radius.
“The users who have this application can learn about the movement of the elephant, and this application is linked with the siren system. We have also placed about four camera traps in conflict zones, and these cameras are being monitored by the staff at the office to activate the siren manually,” he explained.
The cameras click pictures every minute, and these photographs are reviewed by the appointed staff, who can activate the siren if an elephant is detected within the designated area.
“We want to make this an automated system, and we are devising plans where the cameras can automatically detect wildlife movement,” he confirmed. When the sirens are activated, a voice alert message is also sent through the mobile application simultaneously.
The alert system is currently being implemented in Kodagu on a trial basis, with the NGO having formed a tracking team to monitor wildlife movements.
A total of 12 sirens have been installed across conflict zones in the Virajpet limits. The initiative is being funded by Sucden Coffee Pvt Ltd and is being implemented in collaboration with the Forest Department.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Karnataka / by Prajna GR / May 30th, 2025
The parasitoid can be released across estates during the summer months, which is the breeding time of the mealybugs.
Madikeri :
Coffee plantations are prone to several diseases and the attack from mealybug pests is among the major reasons for crop loss across estates. However, the Coffee Research Sub Station (CRSS) in Chettalli of Kodagu district has come up with a unique and organic way to fight this pest. Leptomastix Dactylopii, a parasitoid, has been developed at the station that will be effective in culling the mealybugs in the most ecofriendly way. “Mealybugs are major pests affecting coffee and they cause considerable crop loss,” explained Dr Manjunath Reddy, Entomologist at CRSS.
Ovalshaped, soft-bodied insects, the mealybugs are a threat to the pepper vines and other fruit trees in the estates too. The bugs breed during summer and cause immense damage to the crops during monsoon. “The bugs are covered with white mealy wax, making it tough to eradicate them.
Leptomastix Dactylopii (left); File photo of a mealybug-infested coffee plant
They suck a large amount of sap from leaves and stems with the help of piercing mouthparts, depriving plants of essential nutrients,” he explained. There has been an increased buildup of the mealybugs in the estates and the wild in recent times and Dr Manjunath analysed that this might be due to the abiotic changes in climate and environment. While there are a few chemical sprays to fight the mealybugs, they have been proven ineffective as these bugs infest the estates during the monsoon. However, the CRSS has come up with the most organic way to fight these bugs.
The substation has reared Leptomastix Dactylopii, a parasitoid that attacks and hunts mealybugs. “Female parasitoids lay eggs on the third instar (a lifecycle stage) and young adult mealybugs. A single parasitoid emerges from one mealybug. The parasitoid larvae eat the mealybug from the inside out. After 20-30 days, a young adult parasitoid emerges through a hole on the top-end of the dead mealybug,” he detailed.
A female parasitoid lays 300- 400 eggs,which develop into adult parasitoids in 20-30 days. These adult parasitoids have a lifespan of 2-3 weeks. The Leptomastix Dactylopii can be left in coffee estates that suffer from mealybug infestation and 1,000 Leptomastix Dactylopii are required to be released per acre of estate.
The parasitoid can be released across estates during the summer months, which is the breeding time of the mealybugs. The parasitoids are available at the entomology department at the CRSS in Chettalli and they are priced at Rs 250 per 1,000 parasitoids. This method is seen as the most economical and organic way to fight the mealybugs that infest both Robusta and Arabica varieties of coffee plants.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Bengaluru / by Prajna GR / Express News Service / January 25th, 2023
Traditional clothes, jewels and accessories set the Kodavas apart.
Madikeri :
Rituals and culture narrate the history and ancestral beliefs of a community. Traditional attire binds a community and signifies their identity, while also promoting its culture. One such is the Kodava community, nestled in the picturesque district of Kodagu, and boasts of a unique culture and even more unique attire.
Anyone who has attended a Kodava wedding will be familiar with the traditional dress worn by Kodava men. A half-sleeved knee-length black wraparound coat, a silk sash girding the waist and headgear make up the attire, known as ‘Kuppya Chele’.
“In the Kodava language, ‘Kuip’ translates to heat, and ‘ya’ means absent. In simple words, the attire that protects one from heat is the ‘Kuppya’,” analysed Bacharaniyanda Appanna, a Kodava historian. To hold the ‘Kuppya’ in place, a cloth belt called the ‘chele’ is used. The ‘Kuppya Chele’ is accessorised with traditional weapons.
Kodavas are a native Dravidian race that settled amid the thick forests of the ‘Malayadri Sahyadri’ range and speak the original Dravidian language of Kodava. Ancestors wore ‘Kuppya’ made of indigenous plant fibre called ‘Bolakka Balli’.
“When clothes started coming in from Kerala through the barter system, the ‘Kuppya’ or knee-length coat was stitched in white cloth. However, when the British came to Kodagu in 1834, the priests of the Church had issues with this attire. Since the white ‘kuppya’ resembled the habit of Christian priests, the British passed an order to change the colour of the Kodava attire,” explained Apanna.
It is said that the elders voiced their resentment against the British for meddling with their culture. However, a mutual understanding was arrived at. “During this rift, serge fabric came to India from England. Black serge was imported in large quantities, and became more convenient as it rarely appeared dirty. The ‘kuppya’ was soon stitched in black serge, but to ensure the survival of ancestral culture, white ‘kuppya’ is mandated on special occasions. The bridegroom, temple head or priest, village head or ‘thakka mukyasta’ are mandated to wear white ‘kuppya’. Even a dead body is dressed in white ‘kuppya’,” explained Appanna.
The ‘chele’ also witnessed a touch of modernisation, and the 25-ft long strong multipurpose cloth has been replaced with fancy brightly-coloured silk cloth. “During war times, the ‘chele’ was used to tie enemies and for other purposes,” said Appanna.
A married youngster wears the Kodava saree adorned with ‘pathak’
The comfort sari The women of the community also wear unique attire, and a mythological story is intertwined around it. The Kodava women wear a sari that is pleated at the back and the ‘pallu’ or loose end is wrapped around the front. “According to mythology, seer Agasthya and Cauvery had a rift, and Cauvery left Talacauvery discreetly. She showed up after ten days at Bhagamandala, and then left towards Balamuri, where villagers stopped her and requested her to stay. However, she flowed with great force, which caused the saris worn by the women to turn backwards. She was then calmed and promised to show herself every year during the Cauvery Sankramana celebrations,” narrated Appanna.
This sari also has scientific symbolism. Since Kodava women participated in agricultural activities, the back-pleat saris were more comfortable, and women could even climb trees easily. These saris hold great significance for the community and are paired with headgear called the ‘vasthra’. “Both Kodava men and women wear the head cloth. Our ancestors believed that the sun’s rays should never fall behind the neck and they covered it with ‘vasthra’. However, the headgear has been modernised to suit current trends and has intricate artwork, especially those worn by women,” he explained.
Traditional jewels The traditional knife called the ‘peecha katthi’, which was used in self-defence during ancestral times, forms part of the men’s attire and symbolises the tribal and warrior culture of the community. The ‘peecha kathi’ or dagger, and ‘odi kathi’ or traditional sword, are accessories for men, while a variety of traditional jewels add a touch of cultural flavour to the women’s saris.
“‘Peecha kathi’ was fixed to the attire using the ‘chele’. Earlier, these daggers had handles of wood. Now, they are carved in silver and gold and shine brightly on the traditional attire,” Appanna said.
The women have seven types of jewels. “At Talacauvery, the seven seers or ‘sapta rishis’ meditated. One could also find seven ponds at the centre, which are now covered. As a sign of blessings from the seers, the Kodava tradition mentions seven types of adornments from head to toe. However, only a few jewels have stood the test of time,” he explained.
Among the jewels, ‘Pathak’ holds great significance for married women. “When a girl goes to her husband’s house, her parents pack ten essential items – mostly traditional brass items – to be sent with her. These items are given to help her lead an independent life in her husband’s house, and must not be brought back to the girl’s house unless the couple is separated. To protect these items, a jewel consisting of ‘Naga’ (snake) god’s incarnation is tied by the mother of the bride during the wedding ceremony, called the ‘Pathak’,” explained Appanna. This jewel holds symbolic significance and is similar to a ‘mangal sutra’, while other traditional jewels include the ‘joe maale’ and ‘kokke thaati’.
Primarily nature worshippers, the culture, traditions and rituals of Kodavas are unique and tribal in nature. While the size of the community has shrunk in the past, steps are now in place to revive the community’s rich culture.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Karnataka / by Prajna GR, Express News Service / October 30th, 2022
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