Deputy Commissioner Annies Kanmani Joy holds a meeting with the stakeholders of the tourism department in Madikeri on Tuesday.
Permission has been given to reopen 800 homestays in Kodagu district, said Deputy Commissioner Annies Kanmani Joy.
Chairing a meeting with the stakeholders of the tourism department in Madikeri on Tuesday, she said that homestays should follow all safety guidelines issued by the government with regard to the control of Covid-19 without fail and the complete details of visitors should be registered.
“However, there is no permission to conduct meetings, functions and parties,” she added.
She also said that currently, there are no containment areas in the district. However, it cannot be predicted that there will not be any in future. If any person arriving at a homestay is tested positive for Covid-19, then the entire premises will be declared as the containment area.
Therefore, the role of visitors and the owners of hotels and homestays is crucial, she said.
Any issues in this regard can be addressed to the DC office control room number 1077 or WhatsApp number 85500 01077.
District Superintendent of Police Dr Suman D Pennekar, Additional Deputy Commissioner Dr Sneha, Assistant Commissioner T Javaregowda, Health and Family Welfare officer Dr K Mohan, Homestay Association President B G Anantashayana, Resort Association President B R Nagendra Prasad and Tours and Travels Association President Cheyyanda Satya were present in the meeting.
Veteran Havildar Paravanda S. Nanda Nanaiah (55), a native of Kopatti in Kodagu and a resident of Raghavendranagar, Mysuru, passed away today morning at 4.30 am due to cardiac arrest.
After his combatant service in the Indian Army, he was re-employed as Police Constable and posted at Nazarbad Police Station in city.
He leaves behind his wife Yeshodha, a teacher in Government Primary School, Yeraganahalli, sons Archan and Darrin, mother and a large number of relatives and friends.
Cremation took place this afternoon at the foot of Chamundi Hill.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Obituary / June 04th, 2020
A rare Rurk’s ristella skink was found by some wildlife enthusiasts on their way to Madapur in Kodagu district recently. Ristella rurkii, commonly known as Rurk’s ristella, is a species of skink endemic to the Western Ghats of Southern India. It is a small, insectivorous, diurnal skink found in Shola grasslands and rainforests of hills ranges in parts of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
The specific name, rurkii, is in honour of “Dr. Rurk” who collected the type specimen in the Anaimalai Hills, High Ranges, Travancore, and the Palani Hills, of Tamil Nadu and Kerala. It is endemic to rainforests South of Palghat Gap.
It is a small, slender lizard and grows up to 15 inches in total length (including tail). The skin is bronze-coloured, with dark sides. The eyelids are immovable, in contrast to many other skinks. It is a shy species, which lives under stones and leaves in dry places, such as South slopes, fields and meadows. It is active during twilight and hunts for insects and small snails. It is a typical ground dweller and dislikes climbing.
A.A. Poovaiah of Wildlife First, who spotted the skink by the side of the road, told ‘Star of Mysore’ that he confirmed with retired Forest Officer and Wildlife First Trustee K.M. Chinnappa that it was a rare sighting. “Chinnappa has been inside forests of Kodagu (Western Ghats) all through his life and he has not seen the species so far,” Poovaiah said. The photo of this Caecilian was clicked by Putherira Pappu Thimmaiah.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / June 08th, 2020
Beneficiaries during the handing over of the houses.
Revenue Minister R Ashoka stated that a grant of Rs 10 crore would be released by the state government towards a permanent building for relief centre in Kodagu.
Symbolically handing over the houses to flood victims in Jambur in Somwarpet on Thursday, the minister said that when the building was vacant, it would be used for government meetings.
He further said that an official order had been issued by the government facilitating the land owners to convert their land. However, there is no scope for building houses in sensitive areas and on river banks.
“Four NDRF teams have arrived in Karnataka and will be stationed in Kodagu, Dakshina Kannada, Belagavi and Dharwad districts till the end of monsoon,” Ashoka said.
He said that Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa would complete the reamining three years of his tenure and there was no doubt about it. The government is stable, he added. His response came in the wake of the recent statements made by Congress leader Siddaramaiah.
“The CM has been handling the Covid-19 situation well”, Ashoka added. He added that the Centre had granted Rs 1,039 crore for disaster management in Karnataka this year and Rs 395 has already been released.
District In-charge Minister V Somanna said that 463 houses had been handed over to the beneficiaries on Thursday. Earlier, 35 houses were provided to the flood victims in Karnangeri. As many as 250 houses are being built by Infosys Foundation. Rest of the houses will be handed over soon, he added.
Somanna also read out the message by Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa. In his message, Yediyurappa stated that the government had carried out all possible measures to provide relief to the flood victims of Kodagu. The CM stated that he could not attend the programme due to other commitments.
MP Prathap Simha, MLA K G Bopaiah, MLA Appachu Ranjan, MLC Sunil Subramani, MLC Veena Acchaiah, Kodagu Zilla Panchayat President B A Harish, Department of Housing Secretary Manoj Kumar Meena, Rajiv Gandhi Housing Corporation Managing Director Dr V Ramprasad Manohar, Kodagu Deputy Commissioner Annies Kanmani Joy, Superintendent of Police Suman D Pennekar and Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer K Lakshmipriya were present.
JD(S) members protest
Around 60 members of JD(S) staged a protest in Jambur against the government for not inviting former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy to the programme.
Conducting a protest meet in the leadership of JD(S) district president K M B Ganesh, the protesters said that it was Kumaraswamy who had initiated the rehabilitation project by releasing grants during the Congress-JD(S) coalition government.
But the present BJP-led state government has forgotten all courtesy, they said and shouted slogans against the government. The police took the protesters into custody.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> State> Mangaluru / by DHNS, Madikeri / June 05th, 2020
A National Disaster Response Team of 25 people reached Kodagu district on Tuesday and will be in Madikeri during monsoon. The NDRF team reaches Kodagu on Tuesday and will stay in the district till the end of this monsoon season | EXPRESS
Madikeri:
A National Disaster Response Team of 25 people reached Kodagu district on Tuesday and will be in Madikeri during monsoon. The team is likely to stay in the district till August-end. The team members are from the 10th Battalion of the NDRF and arrived from Andhra Pradesh.
The team is headed by Commanding Officer R K Upadhyaya. The team has been sent to the district following a request from Kodagu Deputy Commissioner Annies K Joy.
The NDRF team is likely to conduct mock rescue operations. Following the 2018 floods in Kodagu, the district administration is taking all precautionary steps.
The NDRF and the Karnataka Civil Defence Quick Response Team have actively involved themselves in rescue operations during monsoon across Kodagu district since 2018.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Karnataka / by Express News Service / June 03rd, 2020
City’s theatre repertory assets including sets, costumes, properties, light, sound system and plays being digitised for posterity
Mysore/Mysuru:
Digitisation is profoundly changing the experience of theatre, not only in terms of new technology-based access, production and dissemination, but also in terms of participation and creation.
Be it through smartphone apps, streaming media or 3D effects, digital technology has crept into the modern theatre. Artistes and art directors have been experimenting with technology for years to enrich their work, revitalise theatrical performance and make theatre more relevant to digital audiences.
Following the footsteps of world theatres with regard to going digital, Mysuru’s theatre repertoire Rangayana, led by its Director Addanda C. Cariappa has begun digitisation of all plays staged and theatre festivals hosted by it since its inception over 30 years ago and also the theatre songs for which renowned playwright and Rangayana’s first Director B.V. Karanth has composed music.
Along with digitisation of dramas and assets, all physical properties of Rangayana will also be available in digital format.
Unprotected assets
Speaking to ‘Star of Mysore’ this morning, Cariappa said that Rangayana has assets including sets, costumes, properties, light and sound system. “Over the years, the storage space of these assets had turned a dumpyard with no documentation whatsoever. Digitisation of all the physical assets will enable us to protect them and at the same time transfer them to the next generation,” he said.
Digitisation will enable reuse of assets and it will provide valuable information on the growth of Rangayana in phases. “Also, at present, there is Rangayana Repertoire, Senior, Junior Repertoires and a School. Much has been written on them and we have loads of photos of plays. We are documenting all of them in electronic form,” he said.
A list of plays that have not been digitised so far has been prepared and the digitisation process has begun from today. This is being done to ensure that theatre lovers do not forget old plays with the passage of time. As this is a fresh initiative, artistes will be trained on enacting the old plays, he said.
Theatre Repertoire Rangayana has huge light and sound assets. They are being listed and documented for posterity.
Use of digital technology
Primarily, digitisation is the use of digital technology to project dramas and also to distribute them — from analogue content to online. With digitisation, there is the flexibility of programming which makes it cost-effective and digital content will remain in the same condition year on year, he explained.
“The new initiative aims to encourage an effective exchange of ideas on how theatre (Rangayana) can be brought closer to online communities. Stages can be transformed with technology in order to garner more engagement by both offline and online audiences,” Cariappa added.
After the recording is over, plays will be uploaded on social websites, he said and added that this apart, the songs for which B.V. Karanth has composed music, will be sung by senior theatre artiste Ramachandra Adapa which will also be recorded and digitised.
Electric systems being accounted for so that the assets can be used at a later date.
Theatre Library on cards
Stating that it has been proposed to set up a first-of-its-kind ‘Theatre Library,’ Cariappa said that the Library will feature a well-equipped recording room, a hall and a studio. Asserting that the library is one of the ambitious projects of Rangayana, he said that the modalities will be discussed with artistes and staff, following which a proposal will be sent to the Government.
Over the years, all plays performed at Rangayana were photographed and stored in albums. Now these photos are being digitised.
Over the years, all plays performed at Rangayana were photographed and stored in albums. Now these photos are being digitised.
Planting of saplings
Highlighting the other activities of Rangayana, Cariappa said that they include expansion of greenery and upkeep of all drama equipment, costumes and other paraphernalia.
Noting that it has been planned to plant 100 saplings in Rangayana premises in association with the Forest Department, he said that several rare species of plants are being brought from Kodagu too and planted in the campus.
The costumes, special effects, artworks, pottery, face designs and other paraphernalia being accounted for and digitised
Cleaning, organising theatre properties
“All theatre properties at Rangayana are being cleaned and organised. All decorative equipment are kept at Lankesh Gallery and lighting props are moved to a separate room. Each and every property belonging to Rangayana will be preserved carefully,” said the Rangayana Director.
Reacting on the same, senior artiste Geetha Montadka said, “For many years, properties including CDs and files were not arranged properly. Some properties were also drenched during rains. Hence, taking care of the properties required for Rangayana theatre activities is our responsibility. Earlier, we had to depend on others to keep the Rangayana building clean and to maintain the props by drying and arranging them. Also, to organise files we used to depend on others. But, now for the past two months as there are no activities at Rangayana due to lockdown and all of us artistes unitedly have taken up the cleaning and organising works. This has indeed brought happiness to all of us and also increased our responsibilities.”
[Photos by M.N. Lakshminarayana Yadav]
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / pics by M.N. Lakshminarayana Yadav / June 01st, 2020
Is the Centre’s proposal to pay ex-gratia for Emergency Commissioned Officers (ECOs) and Short Service Commissioned Officers (SSCOs) who participated in the 1965 and 1971 wars, also applicable to non-commissioned officers ?
The proposal has raised confusion among a section of the ex-servicemen, and VeKare Ex-servicemen Trust (VeKET), an organisation fighting for the cause of retired soldiers, has written a letter to the army authorities and the Defence Ministry seeking clarity on the issue.
Mandetira N. Subramani, an advocate and President of VEKET, told The Hindu that a large number of ECOs and SSCOs were inducted during the 1965 and 1971 wars to overcome the scarcity of officers then. These war veterans do not get regular pension as they retired before completing the pensionable service of 15 years, he said.
“The Government of India has now proposed to sanction ex-gratia to them to the tune of ₹30,000 per month which is not only welcome but is belated. What is disconcerting is that there is no mention of the jawans, seamen and airmen who are categorised under Other Ranks (ORs) but who too played critical role in the operations and we wonder if they have been excluded’’, said Mr. Subramani.
He pointed out that the army circular on compiling the data of the war veterans who are in receipt of the Samar Seva Star, 1965 or the Poorvi/Paschimi Stars, 1971 only refers to ECOs and SSCOs and there was no mention of the ORs.
“Some sepoys, naiks and havaldars may have served for a longer duration than the ECOs and SSCOs and hence the former group of personnel should not be denied their due and this goes against the principle of natural justice,” he added.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Karnataka / by Special Correspondent / Mysuru – May 30th, 2020
Bangalore boy and Indipop pioneer Biddu Appaiah, at 75, continues to groove to the beat of his own drum.
Biddu
A guitar as a present on his 13th birthday set the wheels in motion for the youngster to chase his dream of “making it as a musician in the West”.
Now, all of 75, Bangalore boy Biddu Appaiah, one of the pioneers of disco and Indipop, with millions of records sold worldwide, continues to be counted among the top Indian music producers on the international scene. In fact, he was ranked 34 on British magazine NME’s ‘The 50 Greatest Ever Producers list’.
Today, Biddu can afford to take life easy, dividing his time between homes in London, Spain and India, but his journey to the top was no cakewalk. The pop icon formed a band, The Trojans, at 16 and played at the 3 Aces and small private parties in Bangalore. From then on, there was no looking back. After the group split, Biddu trained his sights on London, the home of rock-n-roll, Beatles and The Rolling Stones. His arduous journey in 1967 on a Haj ship to Mecca and then hitchhiking through the Middle East deserts is now legendary. In London, with just his clothes, his trusty guitar and a dream to make good music, the struggle continued, juggling odd jobs to earn his bread and butter until 1974, when his most recognisable production ‘Kung Fu Fighting’ with Carl Douglas, became a chartbuster.
Towards the late 70s, he collaborated with Tina Charles and soul legend Jimmy James, producing hits such as ‘Dance Little Lady’, ‘I Love to Love’, ‘Now is the time’ and others. All this and the Biddu Orchestra that produced instrumental sensations won him awards, including the Ivor Novello award, the British equivalent of the Grammys.
‘Made in India’
Biddu is also credited with writing the music for two notable movies — The Stud and The Bitch. In 1979, Indian actor-director Feroz Khan got Biddu to compose a track for his movie ‘Qurbani’ and ‘Aap Jaisa Koi’ sung by Pakistani teenager Nazia Hassan happened, again a mega hit of the era. Next, Biddu produced a disco album ‘Disco Deewane’ for HMV featuring Nazia with her brother Zoheb that became the largest selling pop album in Asian history, topping the charts in 14 countries.
In 1987, he scored a top hit in Japan for ‘The Look that Kills’ produced for Japanese singer Akina Nakamori. In the 80s, Biddu pioneered a new genre of Hindi music called Indipop, producing ‘Made in India’ with the velvety-voiced singer Alisha Chinai as well as with Shweta Shetty, Shaan, Sagarika and Sonu Nigam.
As the disco boom began fading in the late 80s and 90s, Biddu donned his writer’s hat, churning out three books. The first, ‘Made in India’, his autobiography published in 2010, an eminently readable book with his characteristic humour and honesty, was a bestseller. Next came ‘Curse of the Godman’ and ‘The Abundance of Nothing’, both set in India.
Interestingly, fans can still look forward to more music from the septuagenarian who is currently composing some new songs.
Excerpts from an interview:
You’ve been there done that. Any dreams yet to be fulfilled?
Career-wise, I am happy. I am going through my catalogue of 583 songs and picking half-a-dozen with a view to sending them to new, young singers of today. I am also working on a few new songs. I won’t produce them, but will get someone younger to do so.
Anything special for your 75th? What does this milestone mean to you?
As I said, I am working on a few new compositions. As for the milestone, at 75 years of age, it is more like a millstone!
What’s life for Biddu these days?
Life today is all about breathing, which is one way of staying alive and spending time with the family.
You left India in your early 20s. Why were you so keen to leave India for the West?
I wanted to make it in the West. India in the 60s was a poor country; we were dancing with Russia instead of rocking with the West. I needed to get out of India as my interest was Western pop music; I was never into Bollywood. I left India and walked all the way to Beirut, singing there for six months until I saved enough moolah to get to England. However, I do come to India to see my sister and relatives. I spend a couple of months in Goa in the winter. But, to be brutally honest, I would never come back to live in India. The politics and corruption would kill me, if not the pollution and the chaotic traffic!
How do you see the music scene in India today?
Frankly, I do not know anything about the Indian music scene. I do know that making music in English has a narrow bandwidth (it always had) and from what people tell me regarding Indian film music, melody has given way to beats and rap. There’s not much noise about Indian music in the West. A R Rahman had a moment and Anoushka (Shankar) is fairly well-known, but only among world music aficionados.
Youtube, TikTok, Spotify, basically Internet has changed the game…
This is the way forward. It is the avenue from where young people get their music. We, of the older generation, may not like it or find downloading Apps too complicated, but this is modern life. You can’t stop the waves from hitting the shore.
Your message to young, budding artists who want to pursue a career in music?
Be prepared for a tough slog. The chances of you not making in the music business is considerably more than you making it. There’s so much talent around, but only a few lucky ones make it. It is a tough game.
Your stint as music director for a few Hollywood films was short. Why?
I prefer making records. Firstly, it’s on the go. It doesn’t take a year or years as the case may be. Also, in films, you are being told what to do by the script, the producer/director etc. When you make pop music, you are directed by your own desires; you are the master of your destiny.
Music has been a big part of your life. What has it taught you?
Music has been great for me. I was inspired by the Beatles and Elvis and I had this fire in the belly to make a name for myself in the West. It is this desire that drove me. Doing something you love is irreplaceable. It has shown me how lucky I am to have followed my dream and succeeded in it. Success is not just about talent, but luck and opportunity, although I believe sometimes you make your own luck.
What kind of music do you listen to?
I was never a voracious listener of music. In fact, it is well-known amongst my friends that I don’t have a music collection. I listen to the radio when driving; that keeps me up on the current trends in music. I am a big fan of Ed Sheeran — great voice and great songs.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> Sunday Herald> Sunday Herald Art & Culture / by Stanley Carvalho / May 31st, 2020
At a time when the victims of 2018’s devastating floods and landslips in Kodagu are still to be fully rehabilitated as most of the houses meant to be constructed for them are yet to see the light of day even two years after the tragedy, Rotary International District 3181 has handed over 50 houses for flood victims.
Unprecedented rains, landslips and floods devastated lives and properties in Kodagu in 2018. Many villages were wiped out as mud came crashing down carrying everything in its path — trees, mud, electric poles and houses. It has been a tough two-year journey for those who lost their homes, hard-earned money and properties.
Between Aug. 5 and Aug. 19, 2018, unprecedented rains triggered by cloudbursts, floods and landslides brought untold misery to the people of Kodagu and over 30 percent of land in Madikeri and Somwarpet taluks was destroyed in previously unheard of havoc that was unleashed by nature, rendering hundreds of people homeless.
Saramma, a beneficiary of Rotary house rebuilding activity, is seen with Past Rotary District Governors Nagarjun, Krishna Shetty, Immediate Past District Governor P. Rohinath, Past Rotary International President Kalyan Banerjee (third from right), Rebuild Kodagu Trust Project Chairman and Past District Governor Dr. K. Ravi Appaji (second from right), District Governor-Elect Ranganath Bhat and other dignitaries.
Though the State Government, in 2018, launched an ambitious project to build 835 houses in phases, there has been a long delay. Only 423 houses that were promised in the first phase of rehabilitation project has been completed at Jamboor and Katakeri by Nirmithi Kendra.
The tragedy, however, is that the houses have not been handed over to the deserving. Only 35 houses that have been constructed in Karnangeri have been handed over to beneficiaries. The construction of the remaining 412 houses is yet to begin.
In the light of this delay, the work done by Rotary International District 3181 has caught everyone’s attention. 50 houses that were built in two phases have been handed over and the latest group of 25 houses were handed over to beneficiaries on May 10 (last Sunday) at Gargandhur-Madapura areas. The first phase of 25 homes were handed over on June 18 last year at Iggodlu-Madapura in the presence of Past Rotary International President Kalyan Bannerjee.
Worst affected and most deserving
Rotary has spent Rs. 2.56 crore for 50 homes. Speaking to ‘Star of Mysore,’ Rebuild Kodagu Trust Project Chairman and Past District Governor Dr. K. Ravi Appaji said that the 50 families were selected on the basis of selective criteria of worst affected and most deserving.
Immediate Past District Governor P. Rohinath is the Rebuild Kodagu Trust Chairman and Past District Governor Krishna Shetty is the Treasurer with District Governor Joseph Mathew and District Governor-Elect Ranganath Bhat as members.
The beneficiaries were identified by the community leaders and stakeholders of the Rotary project. “They were local people and among those who were not chosen to be supported by the Government. The land and title belonged to the beneficiaries and homes were built on their own land instead of building houses at an unfamiliar surroundings. Some of the houses had just plastic sheets wrapped in bamboo poles with a make-shift covering on top,” he said.
The victims were living under constant fear of wind and rain. “Each home cost Rs.5.05 lakh and contributions from donors, Rotarians, friends and others all over country and abroad were collected,” he added.
Social distancing
Due to Corona lockdown and restrictions, no stage ceremony invites or other formal arrangements were done. Homes were handed over in a simple way maintaining social distance. “This was done for the benefit and convenience of the beneficiary families so that they could occupy the houses before the monsoon rains started this year. Any finishing work like final coat of paint and sponsor nameplates will be done in the due course,” Dr. Appaji said.
This project was initiated and encouraged by Past Rotary International President Kalyan Banerjee along with Past Rotary International Director C. Basker in association with Habitat for Humanity India and senior leadership.
“It was supported by all the District Governors, Chairman of Birla Group Rajashree Birla, sponsorships through Past Rotary International President Rajaa Saboo, Rotary International President Nominee Shekar Mehta, Rotary International Director Dr. Bharat Pandya, Rotary International Director Kamal Sanghvi, Rotary India Literacy Mission RILM, Rotary News Trust, Rotary International Director Nominee (RIDN) Dr. Ravi Vadlamani, RIDN Venkatesh, Past District Governor Dr. Devdas Rai, Rotary District 3181 grants, all District Governors, all Past Governors, Rotary leaders, Presidents various Rotary Clubs and individual Rotarians, institutional donors and philanthropists,” he said.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / May 14th, 2020
Henceforth, lands will be converted based on report by Geological Survey of India (GSI)
Bengaluru:
The Karnataka Government has relaxed regulations banning the conversion of land in Kodagu district and now allows small land-owners to build their homes by converting agricultural land, a move that will allow commercial establishments and layouts to flourish in the district that was devastated by landslides two years ago.
Revenue Minister R. Ashoka said the Government decided to permit land conversion as both locals and elected representatives wanted the moratorium to be lifted. That is why the Government has decided to permit land conversion again, with some restrictions. In May 2019, the ban was relaxed to allow conversion for small individual houses.
According to Ashoka, land conversion from agricultural to residential land will be regulated and will not be allowed along buffer zones. Ten metres on each side of a river, stream or storm water drain are classified as buffer zones. Moreover, conversion is prohibited in properties with steep slopes as houses built on such terrain could collapse during landslides. Land conversion is also prohibited in regions where houses had collapsed in 2018 floods, he said.
The land can be converted for commercial purposes. Ahead of any conversion, land-owners will have to seek no-objection certificates from Deputy Commissioners and local Gram Panchayats. Only after a Committee headed by the DC, which includes a Geologist, submits a report the conversion can take place, Ashoka said.
The land will be thoroughly surveyed by the Tahsildar. The survey report (by the Tahsildar) will be reviewed by the DC under Section 95 of Karnataka Land Revenue Act of 1964 before granting conversion.
Land conversion, Ashoka said, will be based on the report by the Geological Survey of India (GSI). Those that are categorised as red-alert areas will not be converted. The conversion will be regulated so that the district does not face any landslides.
The State had imposed a blanket ban on land conversion in Kodagu following floods and landslides in August 2018. The regulations were tightened based on recommendations made by GSI. Following this, Kodagu district authorities rejected over 693 applications in the last five months to convert land for commercial use.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / by February 14th, 2020
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