Codava National Council (CNC) will organise the 25th annual ‘Kail Muhurtha’ at the Mand at Junior College Ground in Madikeri at 10.30 am on September 1.
CNC President N U Nachappa said that a puja will be offered to ‘Thok’ (gun), ‘Odi Katti’, ‘Peeche Katti’ and agricultural equipment on the occasion.
A procession will be taken out from Junior College Road to Capital Village, via Chowki – College road – SBI – Kohinoor Road – bus stand – GPO – Kodava Samaja – JT Circle route.
CNC members Kaliyanda Prakash, Katumaniyanda Umesh and Areyada Girish were present in the press meet.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> State> Mangaluru / by Adithya K A / DH News Service, Madikeri / August 27th, 2019
Bramhagiri Hill, a place of mythological importance and the birth place of river Cauvery, is one of the most sacrosanct places in Kodagu.
A visual from flood-hit Kodagu district in Karnataka. | Express Photo Services
Madikeri :
Bramhagiri Hill, a place of mythological importance and the birthplace of river Cauvery, is one of the most sacrosanct places in Kodagu. The historical place has developed cracks following incessant rain. The cracks have extended from the Talacauvery ‘kundike’ (place of holy water) to the top of the Bramhagiri Hill, sending fear among the residents of Bhagamandala and Talacauvery.
Kodagu Deputy Commissioner Annies K Joy requested scientists from the Geological Survey of India to study the landscape and submit a report.
“GSI scientists’ team has visited various spots. A detailed study and precautionary measures that need to be at these places will be submitted in a report on August 22,” he said.
Meanwhile, the residents of Bhagamandala said that the once-untouched hill has now witnessed human interference. One resident said, “During 2016, the forest department had taken earthmovers atop the hill to set up a rainwater harvesting unit. The hill was dug up for this.”
When asked, a former RFO of Bhagamandala, requesting anonymity said that this could not have been the reason for the crack.
“Recently, there had been landslides and earthmovers were used to clear it. This too might have affected the landform,” he said.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Karnataka / by Pragna G R / Express News Service / August 20th, 2019
A day after inspecting cracks developed at Ayyappa Swamy Hill in Virajpet, a two-member GSI (Geological Survey of India) team visited Brahmagiri Hill range in Talacauvery on Sunday, following reports that huge cracks had developed at several locations in the Hill range.
The GSI team comprising Sunandan Basu and Kapil Sharma inspected Brahmagiri Hill range and studied the hill’s ecology, geology and geographical characteristics.
The team also got to know that the Forest Department had dug pits and planted saplings using heavy machinery, which may have caused loosening of the soil layer on the Hill range, leading to wide cracks.
Basu and Sharma also visited Korangala, where massive landslides were reported and studied about the reasons for such huge landslips.
The cracks on Brahmagiri Hill in Talacauvery, the birthplace of River Cauvery, the lifeline of crores of people along the river basin, has been a cause of worry for local people.
The residents have appealed the Government and the District Administration to take immediate measures to save Brahmagiri Hill range, which they consider as holy and also ecologically sensitive for its lush green cover.
The GSI team, after conducting a thorough study on all factors that have caused cracks in hillocks, is likely to submit a report to the Government on the measures to be taken.
Many Hills under threat of collapse
Meanwhile, many other hillocks elsewhere in Kodagu district are facing the threat of collapse, as cracks have reportedly surfaced in some of them.
After Brahmagiri Hill range in Bhagamandala, Ayyappa Swamy and Malethirike in Virajpet and Manipare Hillock at Thora village along the Kerala border, several other Hills too are said to have developed cracks, giving rise to serious concerns among local people.
Although the district has got a break from rains for the past couple of days, the people living near the hillocks still feel that their troubles are not far from over.
Many residents of Kodagu feel that this year’s rainfall is the highest in decades and has similarities with the 1972 deluge, when rain caused havoc and untold misery. But then, there were not much causalities as the population was less and urbanisation was yet to pick up pace.
But this year, the damage has been extensive with many homes collapsing and hundreds of people taking shelter in relief camps set up by the District Administration.
The district is facing the deluge for the second successive year. Last year, the deluge had devastated the district to such an extent that it will take many years for reconstruction.
Following last year’s rain ravage, a GSI team had extensively toured the district to undertake a detailed study of landslides and landslips. The GSI then had classified dangerous zones under four categories and had warned that villages coming under these zones could face nature’s fury once again. As such, the District Administration had taken many measures on a war-footing to prevent casualties and damages to properties as much as possible.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / August 21st, 2019
In action: For the people of flood-hit region, the presence of rescue personnel has infused a strong sense of security. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Rescue prersonnel tread treacherous terrain in flood-affected Kodagu
Wading through slush, climbing slippery slopes, and battling inclement weather from dawn to night without respite is a matter of routine for the rescue teams stationed in the flood-affected Kodagu.
Rain may have abated but the search for missing persons continued at Thora village late on Wednesday as well, when the rescue teams recovered a body of a person buried in the mud.
The teams include three units of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), a column of the Indian Army, and Garuda — the State Commando team under the Centre for Counter Terrorism, apart from personnel of the Fire and Emergency Services, Civil Defence Quick Response Team, KSRP, and the local police, and hundreds of volunteers. For them it is the second consecutive year of battling a natural calamity in the district.
Thora, the toughest
A senior member of the Garuda team who was part of the mission said Thora was the worst affected this year and was comparable to Jodupala in 2018 in terms of the treacherous nature of the terrain. “There were other places too in Kodagu where people were affected by the overflowing river. But in terms of landslips and mud, Thora reminded one of Jodupala,” said the official. He said it was an impossible situation with a river of mud flowing down the hills and one was not sure if the ground beneath the feet was stable.
The team camped at a place nearly a kilometre away from the main road on sighting a few shreds of clothes and other signs of human habitation, which was otherwise obliterated. “Based on the assessment of the ground situation, we zeroed in on a specific point to dig out the mud and found the buried body,” said the Garuda force member.
The trek back was equally dangerous as they had to carry the body on a stretcher for nearly a kilometre in a terrain where their legs would sink knee deep in mud. They made it back to the base camp late in the night. This was just one of the many missions undertaken during the week when Kodagu was inundated.
For the people of the region, the presence of rescue personnel in their orange outfit — as in the case of the NDRF — has infused a strong sense of security. The Kodagu district administration had ensured the deployment of rescue teams and conducted a few rescue drills before the advent of the southwest monsoon in June. As the first signs of the unfolding crisis emerged, with water rising owing to heavy rain, the rescue teams swung into action to evacuate people to safety.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Karnataka / by R. Krishna Kumar / Mysuru – August 15th, 2019
Around 50 residents of Kodagu’s Goodugadde village were stranded in their flooded homes on Friday morning.
Around 50 residents of Kodagu’s Goodugadde village were stranded in their flooded homes on Friday morning, hoping that help would come before the river Cauvery would take away their lives.
Luckily for Goodugadde’s residents, help came in the form of eight Good Samaritans, who ferried them to safe places through small iron-made coracles.
Mustafa, a 32-year-old activist from Kodagu, suspected that people were stranded in Goodugadde and other villages along the banks of the Cauvery river. Mustafa had heard from the local grapevine that many people had not left their homes despite a flood warning.
At around 6 am on Friday, Mustafa and his friends Ranjith Kumar, Afzal, Iliyas, Shafiq and four others from Siddapura, were anxious as the Dubbare Rafting Team was busy with rescue elsewhere.
Mustafa and his friends rushed to the Siddapura Police Station and requested the police to lend them the iron-made coracle lookalikes that the police had kept in the evidence room, which they had seized when they busted an illegal sand mining ring.
“We call it thappe in Kannada. They are circular, iron made vessels sand miners use to transport sand. It’s smaller than a coracle but bigger than the round vessels used to carry sand in construction sites. We wanted those so we could row it and look for stranded people,” Mustafa explains.
When the group reached Goodugadde, they found several senior citizens, children and middle aged people stranded in their flooded homes. Many were sitting on their rooftops, while some of them clung to trees, waiting for help.
“There were about 50 people. We began rescue at 7am and it went on till 11 am. We lost count of the number of trips we made to bring all of them to safety. They were sent to relief camps in Siddapura. By 12 pm, the Dubbare Rafting Team came to help us and we continued rescue operations in Baradi and Kakkattagadu villages,” Ranjith Kumar says.
Mustafa, Ranjith and the team of local rescuers claim that they are experienced swimmers and that they had volunteered during rescue operations in the floods that hit Kodagu in 2018.
“We have lived along the banks of river Cauvery all our lives. We have a very close relationship with the river and swimming is the first thing we learnt as children. We are expert swimmers and if our skill could be put to use to help people in need, then it’s our duty to help them. What is the point of being an expert at something and not helping those who could benefit from it?” Mustafa says.
Mustafa and his motley crew continue their rescue operations even now. “We will help as much as we can. Our people have seen too much damage due to rains and floods. Currently, we are going back and forth Goodugadde and recovering their belongings,” Mustafa adds.
source: http://www.thenewsminute.com / The News Minute / Home> Karnataka Floods / by Theja Ram / August 10th, 2019
I often observe that most people tend to cover the popular and must-see sites or engage in a particular activity when vacationing. Take Coorg for example. Most travelers, including me, have visited this beautiful hill town to discover its rich, aromatic, coffee plantations, stay at a quaint retreat, and do what travel blogs advise us to do. Until I discovered a different characteristic of Coorg in its waterfalls. You heard that right. These sparkling water bodies are the real treasures, hidden from the common sight, waiting to be explored more, but only by those who want to see beyond the obviousness of Coorg. Inspired by my own experience of this unique facet of this scenic hamlet, I made a list of the seven best waterfalls you cannot miss while touring Coorg.
When to travel
While most of these waterfalls are perennial and you can visit them any time of the year, their beauty is enhanced during the monsoon months of June through October. From rocky slopes to thick plantations, or dense mountain bluffs, you will find these waterfalls in various natural settings, each making for a magical sight.
How to explore
The best way to tour Coorg, especially if you want to do a waterfall-hopping trip, is to drive down from the nearest metro city of Bangalore. The taxi fare from Bangalore to Coorg is cheap, and you can easily keep the car with you throughout your tour. Also, when traveling in monsoon, the hilly terrain could be tricky, so I prefer to have an experienced driver take me around instead of me driving.
The Cascades of Coorg
Abbey Falls
About 6 KM from Madikeri town, this is the most popular waterfall of the district and a tourist hotspot. You simply cannot miss this, even if you want to. From the parking area, you have to take a 5-minute walk downhill to reach the falls. During the rainy season, the upper streams of Cauvery River rise in volume and cascade through thick plantations of coffee and spices. For the best view, stop by the hanging bridge, right opposite the falls and enjoy the panorama of cloud-capped mountains.is
Best time to visit: August to November
Timings: 9 AM – 5 PM
Entry Fee: Rs 15 per person.
Iruppu Falls
After Abbey, this is the next best waterfalls in Coorg. About 75 KM south of Madikeri town, Iruppu Falls sits in the Brahmagiri Hills. Note that you cannot drive up to the falls area. Once you park the car at the end of the road, you have to hike for 500 meters, down a steep path. The falls result from the overflowing Lakshmana Tirtha River dropping from a high altitude. The plush surroundings of monsoon greenery and the frothy waters of the falls is definitely a sight to savor.
Chelavara Falls
About 44 KM from Madikeri town, sitting on the edges of the Brahmagiri Wildlife Sanctuary, you will find the rapid torrents of Chelavara. Tucked amidst dense deciduous forests, this waterfall hides in plain sight, away from the prying eyes of commercial tourism. But those who have managed to discover this like me, have found this to be the most picturesque waterfall of all. With its massive size and water volume, especially during the monsoon, the scenic vistas of Chelavara Falls attracts offbeat travelers and trekkers. It is also called the Emepaare or the ‘tortoise’, owing to the shape of the rock at the pool below.
Mallalli falls
To reach this spectacular waterfall of Coorg, you have to drive to Somwarpet. From there, it is another 26 KM, from where you have to trek through forested trails to reach the catchment area of the falls. Nestled within the Pushpagiri hills, this is a sight to savor.
Best time to visit: July to November
Napandapole Falls
This waterfall is truly a treasure to unravel. If you are a true explorer and an adventurous soul, you will love the torrential flow of the Napandapole Falls, dropping from 120 feet, lying at the foothills of the Kote Betta peak. Surrounded by three smaller waterfalls, and set in rocky terrain, this cascade is a great site for rappelling and invites adventurers from all over. There are plenty of unexplored corners around the falls, which also make for a great hiking destination.
Best time to visit: August to December
Burude Falls
This five-step waterfall is a marvelous and stunning site to explore. Trek through the narrow creeks flanked by forests. If you are traveling Coorg during the peak season and looking for a respite from the bustling crowd in town, the Burude Falls and its surroundings can be the perfect spot for a day trip. Drive for about 29 KM from Madikeri town, and then hike for 1 KM to reach the falls.
My travel tips:
If you are traveling directly from the airport, get an affordable and dependable Bangalore airport taxi for your Coorg tour.
When trekking around waterfalls in the monsoon, always wear well-gripping shoes.
Some waterfalls are remotely located, so be prepared for long walks, and stay hydrated.
source: http://www.headlinesoftoday.com / Headlines of Today / Home> Sponsored Content / by Team HOT / August 10th, 2019
The foreign pest, which is thought to have arrived in India through trade routes, devours tender leaves and stems, completely destroying plants.
A giant African land snail, Achatina fulica, in a coffee estate in Kodagu district, Karnataka. | Abhishek Chinnappa/Mongabay
The monsoon rains have arrived late this year in the verdant hills of Kodagu – commonly known as Coorg – in Karnataka, the coffee capital of India. For some planters, it’s a mixed blessing. A delayed monsoon is bad news in the Western Ghats mountain range, where farmers and planters have found themselves at the receiving end of extreme weather events triggered by climate change. Last year in August, unprecedented rains and floods harmed crops and coffee plantations, affecting many lives and livelihoods.
In recent years, the rains have brought another problem with them – an infestation of giant African land snails that have caused massive losses to some 40-45 plantations spread over 300 acres of land in Northern parts of Kodagu.
The foreign pest, which is thought to have arrived in India through trade routes, attacks young coffee plants and devours tender leaves and stems, completely destroying the plants. These giant snails, whose shells can grow up to 20 cm in length, are not picky eaters. They eat over 500 plant species and adapt easily to different ecosystems, researchers have found.
Giant African land snail, an invasive species, infest a coffee plant in Kodagu, Karnataka. Planters lose up to Rs 12,000 per acre in efforts to get rid of the pest. Credit: Pradeep Kumar/Mongabay
A fast breeder, this snail has emerged as a major problem for planters in the Shanivarasanthe area of Somwarpet taluk in Kodagu. “They multiply in large numbers within a short span of time,” said Pradeep B Shekar, who owns 40 acres of a coffee plantation.
The giant African land snail, locally known as shanku hoola or conch worm due to the shape of its shell, appeared in Kodagu for the first time in 2012-’13 in 50-60 acres of coffee plantations in Shanivarsanthe. The local plantation owners fought the infestation and thought they have ridden themselves of the pest.
But in 2017, the snails reappeared, wreaking havoc in an expanded area of 300 acres belonging to some 40-45 plantations. The planters say the pest attack costs them an additional expense of between Rs 10,000 and Rs 12,000 per acre, mainly due to the efforts to contain them. This shrinks their profit margins from the produce.
source: http://www.youtube.com
Invasive species
The International Union for Conservation of Nature lists the giant African land snail Achatina fulica as one of the worst invasive species in the world. An invasive alien species is “a problematic species introduced outside its natural, past or present distribution,” the International Union for Conservation of Nature says. “They may lead to changes in the structure and composition of ecosystems, detrimentally affecting ecosystem services, human economy and well being.”
African snails spread to new locations via trade routes, piggybacking on agricultural products, equipment, cargo and plant or soil matter. While there is no consensus on how they found their way into the pristine landscape of Kodagu, it is certain that these pesky visitors have come with no exit plan.
Giant African land snails in their early development stages inside a coffee estate in Handli village, Kodagu district. These fast-breeding snails have a lifespan of almost 15 years and can produce approximately 1,000 eggs in that period. Credit: Abhishek Chinnappa/Mongbay
Achatina fulica is one of the four species of giant snails belonging to the Achatinidae gastropod family native to Africa. It is classified as an obligate-outcrossing hermaphrodite, which means that just one externally fertilised snail can establish a population. These snails reproduce in large numbers.
The snails begin laying eggs at six months of age and can lay around 100 eggs in their first year, and up to 500 in the second year. Their life expectancy is around five years, and one snail can produce up to 1,000 eggs by then. The shell length of these snails ranges from 5 cm to 10 cm, though some adults may exceed 20 cm, and their average weight is about 32 gm.
Effective solution
Despite the destructive potential of the giant shells, the planters in Kodagu have been successful in tackling the infestation. They have reduced the infestation by about 90%, a remarkable achievement given that people in the neighbouring state of Kerala have been fighting this pest unsuccessfully for close to three decades.
The Coffee Board of India has emerged as the unlikely hero in this battle with the African snail. Researchers at the Central Coffee Research Institute in Balehonnur in Chikmagalur district of Karnataka and research sub-station in Chettalli in Kodagu devised a bait for the snail, in a method they dubbed “catch and kill”.
“The bait is made of rice bran, jaggery, castor oil and a chemical, thiodicarb,” explained Vishwanath Hadagalli, junior liaison officer of Coffee Board at Shanivarsanthe. “These are mixed together and balls of it are placed between four coffee plants.”
Researchers at the Central Coffee Research Institute in Chikmagalur district of Karnataka devised a successful catch-and-kill method to control the snail’s invasion. A bait made of rice bran, jaggery, castor oil and a chemical, thiodicarb, is used to lure and kill the pests. Credit: Abhishek Chinnappa/Mongabay
The researchers experimented with methomyl, a broad-spectrum insecticide, but it has been banned because the cost to the soil is too high. Thiodicarb is considered a less harmful insecticide that is effective against in killing the giant snails. “We tried every method available in the literature to get rid of these pests and this bait was found to be the most effective,” said Manjunath Reddy, assistant entomologist, coffee research sub-station at Chettalli, Kodagu.
In 2015, the Coffee Board used this bait and killed as much as 30 tonnes of snails. Encouraged by this, the Board, with active participation from Karnataka’s Horticulture Department and the Planters Association of Shanivarsanthe, upped their act through regular awareness meetings and distribution of bait kits to all the affected planters. The kit consists of a pair of gloves, 25 kg of rice bran, 100 gm of Larvin branded thiodicarb, 3 kg of jaggery and 100 ml castor oil. It costs Rs 1,000 but is distributed among the farmers at a subsidised rate of Rs 100.
Co-ordinated operation
“This has to be a collective effort,” said Pradeep Kumar, an affected farmer from Handli village in Shanivarsanthe. “If one affected farmer doesn’t participate, the infestation cannot be contained.” Hadagalli said there’s 90% success in eliminating these pests from Kodagu farms. “While we did not maintain records properly for the years 2014, 2015 and 2016, dead snails weighing 24 tonnes were collected in 2017, which came down to eight tonnes in 2018,” he said. “We expect much lower infestation this year.”
The Coffee Board also came up with the innovative idea of buying back the dead snails. It initially offered Rs 4 per kg of dead snails, which has since been increased to Rs 8 per kg. “The dead snails are disposed of in a pit that’s one-and-a-half feet deep,” said Hadagalli. “Salt is put over the dead ones to ensure even the last of the caught snails are dead and then buried.”
This burial is a precautionary measure against the spread of any disease through the snails. The giant snails are known to serve as intermediate hosts of several parasites that cause diseases in pets, free-ranging vertebrates and humans. They are hosts of rat lungworm Angiostrongylus cantonensis, which causes Eosinophilic meningitis in human beings.
Workers prepare a concoction to bait the giant African land snails inside a coffee estate. Co-ordinated efforts of farmers and officials have recently helped curb the infestation. Credit: Abhishek Chinnappa/Mongabay
Kerala experience
“In the past 5-6 years, seven children and at least one adult have been reported to have contracted meningitis through contact with giant African land snails,” said TV Sajeev, a scientist at Kerala Forest Research Institute, which who has been involved in the eradication of these snails in Kerala.
Although the fight against the snails has been largely successful in Kodagu, the experience is Kerala, where these creatures are seen as a nuisance, has been different. There have been as many as 223 outbreak points from 12 districts out of 14 in the southern state.
There is a cogent reason for this, said Sajeev. “The chemical used in the bait is not suitable for areas where there is human activity. These chemicals are found to be harmful, especially to aquatic organisms,” he said. “The case of Kerala, where the infestation is in towns and villages, is very different from that of an estate.”
Sajeev said one of the main problems that an invasive species brings with it is the invitation to use strong chemicals to eliminate them. Research has shown that exposure to chemicals like thiodicarb can be detrimental to human and animal health. The Kerala Forest Research Institute has been spraying an organic decoction of tobacco mixed with copper sulphate on snails that are lured with crushed papaya and cabbage leaves as bait.
Another big challenge in Kerala, said Sajeev, is the difficulty in organising people in these areas to work in tandem. “In Kerala, more than the destruction of agricultural crops, snails are a nuisance because they are seen in and around houses,” he said, adding that it is nearly impossible to get all the people in these houses to work together against the snails.
An escargatoire of giant African land snails on a ficus tree inside a coffee estate in Kodagu. While the infestation seems to be under control in the estates of Kodagu, Kerala is yet to find a solution. Credit: Abhishek Chinnappa/Mongabay
This article first appeared on Mongabay.
source: http://www.scroll.in / Scroll.in / Home> Pest Control / by Arathi Menon / August 05th, 2019
Students of Kodagu Vidyalaya transplanted paddy seedlings in a field at Ibnivadi in Madikeri taluk recently.
Children played to their hearts’ content in a slush-filled paddy field at Ibnivadi during the ‘Nati Sambhrama’ programme.
The Ibni Springs Cottage and Green City Forum jointly organised the programme – in which more than 40 students from the Kodagu Vidyalaya took part and got an experience of paddy transplantation for the first time.
Children soiled their body and clothes to gain practical knowledge of transplantation. Even though the children did not have any training in paddy transplantation, they learnt it through trial and error and transplanted paddy as they fancied.
They also took part in rounds of football, throw ball and tug-of-war that were organised in the field while their parents cheering them.
Kukkera Jaya Chinnappa, Green City Forum president, who spoke on the occasion, said that the forum intends to send out messages on environment conservation, agriculture, waste management and cleanliness to the people. Programmes are being conducted in this regard in both urban and rural areas, he added.
The winning teams were awarded prizes.
Kodagu District Working Journalists’ Association President Savitha Rai, Kodagu Press Club President Ajjamada Ramesh Kuttappa, Green City Forum founder-president Cheyyanda Satya Ganapathy, former president Ambekal Navin Kushalappa, general secretary Polakanda Rakesh and director P Krishnamurthy were present.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> State> Mangaluru / by Adithya K A / DH News Service, Madikeri / August 03rd, 2019
Over 400 volunteers to plant 50,000 seed balls, 10,000 saplings near Anechowkur on July 27
Mysuru:
Year-by-year weakening of regular rainfall in Kodagu and depleting green cover along the Cauvery River basin and the resultant shortage of water has made environmentally conscious groups to come together to organise a massive tree-plantation drive in Kodagu, the principal catchment of Cauvery.
An initiative taken up by Kodavaame, Team Roots of Kodagu, Kodagu Jawa Yezdi Motorcycle Club and Forest Department of Karnataka, TATA Coffee, Madikeri Akashavani, Kodava Samaja Bengaluru and over 72 organisations and voluntary groups from Kodagu, Mysuru, Bengaluru and Chennai are coming together for the tree-plantation drive on July 27 from 9 am onwards near Anechowkur Gate, Thithimathi Forest Range in Kodagu under the Nagarahole Tiger Reserve.
This plantation drive is kick-started by individual volunteers to help rejuvenate and rebuild green cover in Kodagu. Volunteers have sourced more than 50,000 seed balls to be planted during the drive and the Forest Department will provide 10,000 saplings of various wild species that are native to Kodagu and the Nagarahole forests.
Kodavaame initiated this annual tree-planting drive three years back and last year, saplings were planted at Aanekaadu forest near Kushalnagar.
Speaking to Star of Mysore yesterday, Shammi Belliappa of Team Roots of Kodagu said that the Forest Department will identify the places where saplings are to be planted and all the necessary permissions and approvals have been taken.
“Different groups and individuals are coming together in Kodagu to work towards the common goal of protecting the flora and fauna. This event can be an ideal start to a great new direction in Kodagu and further can spread to other districts,” he said and added that as it is an annual event, the next plantation initiative is likely to be taken up at Chennangi in Kodagu.
All volunteers have been directed to wear water-proof jackets, rain coats and gum boots or rain shoes. While many volunteers will be grouped to plant saplings and seed balls, the rest will look into the supply of logistics and will ensure smooth traffic flow.
Organisers are expecting over 400 volunteers and as it is a Tiger Reserve, the volunteers will strictly follow the instructions from the Forest Department, he said.
While Lions Club-Gonikoppal and Rotary Club Kushalnagar will provide food and beverages for the volunteers, Kodava Samaja, Bengaluru, will sponsor the free bus ride to and fro for volunteers who are travelling for this greening event.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star Of Mysore / Home> News / July 24th, 2019
Provides sensor-based online real-time data on storage level to officials in New Delhi
Madikeri/Mysuru:
Telemetric Water Gauge has been installed at Krishna Raja Sagar (KRS) Dam in Mandya district and also at Harangi Dam in Kodagu for sensor-based real-time data on the storage level, inflow and outflow of the reservoirs.
The installation comes weeks after an Internal Committee of Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) visited the two Dams in the first week of June this year. The team, after studying the water levels and reporting mechanisms, had decided to set up Online Monitoring System for all the reservoirs in Cauvery Basin through Telemetry-based Real-time Data Acquisition and Transmission.
The facility transmits data to CWMA Office in New Delhi and the authorities who decide on the water release as mandated by Supreme Court need not wait for the data from the Dams. They can easily access the data through the Telemetry Transmission system.
No room for errors: All these years, the authority sitting in New Delhi had to obtain data from each reservoir every day to determine the storage levels, inflow and outflow. This system was prone to errors as the people manning the Dams take physical measurements. Now with the new system, errors are eliminated and accurate real-time data can be accessed, making the decision-making process easy and accurate.
The Union Government has constituted the CWMA and and Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) as directed by the Supreme Court and an Internal Committee comprising Irrigation experts from the Cauvery Basin States of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry has been formed.
Real-time data acquisition
During their visit, the CWMA team discussed real-time data acquisition and transmission, installation of water-level sensors, flow rate sensors at all canals / outlets taking off from all the eight Reservoirs coming under Cauvery Basin and technical issues such as capacity enhancement of Dams, safety of Dams, prevention of leakages, modernisation of canals for prevention of seepage, etc.
The new advanced telemetry system has been installed based on the directions from CWRC. Sources said that such a system has been installed at Reservoirs including Hemavathy, Harangi, Kabini and KRS in Karnataka and in Banasura Dam at Kerala and Lower Bhavani, Amaravathi and Mettur dams in Tamil Nadu.
On mobiles
Speaking to Star of Mysore this morning, Vasudev, Assistant Executive Engineer of Cauvery Neeravari Nigam Limited (CNNL) that manages KRS and Harangi, said that the Telemetric Water Gauge gives live data to CWMA and CWRC authorities and they can access the data at any given point of time on their mobile phones.
The system transmits live data from the Dams and an exclusive cell has been set up at CWMA Office in New Delhi to receive the data and send them real-time through mobile phones. “With this system, now no one can bluff the CWMA by constantly claiming more water, hiding the real storage level data at the Dams. Even the CNNL authorities can access the data,” he said.
The data will measure minute details about number of canals and their location, water levels inside the canals, their turbulence, number of sluice gates, size of gates and the amount of water discharged from the crest gates. It also records spill- over water.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / July 26th, 2019
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