Category Archives: Agriculture

Forest department says no to inter-state road

Agriculture, Business & Economy, Green Initiatives / Environment, Nature

Kodagu Zone Chief Conservator of Forest Jagmohan Sharma has submitted a report to the State government that permission should not be given to proposed Ezhimal-Bengaluru inter-state road which would pass through Talacauvery Wildlife Sanctuary.

The proposed project (Ezhimal- Vellur- Padiyottuchal- Cherupuzha-Pulingome-Talacauvery) would pass through Mundrotu- Talacauvery- Bhagamandala, which is a part of the wildlife sanctuary known for biological diversity.

The officer, in his letter to the government on September 2, has said that the region is part of the Western Ghats, with evergreen forests and grasslands. The road construction, allowing public intervention would adversely affect the wildlife, and the government should reject the proposal of the Kerala government, the letter states.

Madikeri Division Deputy Conservator of Forest Shivashankar also opined the same. The road from Mundrotu to Talacauvery comes under Padinaalku Naadu reserve forest, where there is a rough stretch with a width of 7 to 10 feet.

To convert it as an inter-state road, it should be widened. In many places, new roads will have to be constructed between the mountains. It would impact the wildlife. Also, theft of trees would increase, the DCF has mentioned.

There is an alternative road to the proposed road already between Bhagamandala- Karike- Mundrotu. However, the only problem was that commuters would have to travel 39 km more than the proposed plan. Just to cut the distance, it was not fair to construct an inter-state road, which would cause danger to the ecology, he has opined.

Speaking to Deccan Herald, Shivashankar said that the report was submitted by DCF Hanumanthappa to the government before his transfer from the district.
DH News Service

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> District / by Shrikanta Kallammanavar / Madikeri – DHNS, December 08th, 2014

Huthri festival celebrated in city

Agriculture, Arts, Culture & Entertainment
Kodava Samaja, Vijayanagar 1st Stage, Mysuru, celebrated Huthri festival in the premises of Sree Cauvery Educational Institutions in Kuvempunagar last evening. Picture right shows Kodavathis performing traditional dance on the occasion.
Kodava Samaja, Vijayanagar 1st Stage, Mysuru, celebrated Huthri festival in the premises of Sree Cauvery Educational Institutions in Kuvempunagar last evening. Picture right shows Kodavathis performing traditional dance on the occasion.

Mysuru :

The traditional festival of Huthri of Kodagu was celebrated in city yesterday. Kodavas in various extensions of city had organised functions to worship goddess Lakshmi and welcome her in the form of grains. They sang the harvest song and danced merrily.

Cauvery school: Huthri was celebrated by Kodava Samaja at Cauvery School premises in Kuvempunagar here. Dressed in traditional costumes Kodavas participated in cultural programmes like Kolata, Baluthkat Kathiyat, Ummathat and Pariyakkali.

They worshipped Igguthappa, Cauvery Mathe and Chamundeshwari. Rounds were fired from guns and crackers were burst to celebrate the occasion.

Kodava Samaja President Mechanda Karumbaiah Vice-President Moovera K.Kuttappa, Honorary Secretary Kekada M. Belliappa, Joint Secretary Thambanda Neena Devaiah, Treasurer Kuppanda Subbaiah and others participated.

Vijayanagar: Huthri was also celebrated by members of Kodagu Gowda Samaja in Vijayanagar here. President K.K. Kushalappa, Vice-President Chettamada Janardan, Secretary K. Ganapathy, Joint Secretary K.Bharat Kumar, Treasurer K.Ravi Bheemaiah and others were present.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News / December 07th, 2014

BJP gives conditional nod for Bethri project

Agriculture, Business & Economy

Madikeri City Municipal Corporation, which has a majority of Congress members, gave its nod for the Bethri project which intends to provide Cauvery water to Madikeri. The BJP members of the CMC have agreed for the implementation of the project on certain conditions.

CMC Commissioner Pushpavathi tabled the Detailed Project Report of the project prepared by Karnataka Urban Water Supply and Drainage Board (KUWSDB), for approval at the CMC general meeting on Tuesday.

Speaking on the project, she said that the project will be implemented to draw water from River Cauvery, flowing at a place called Bethri. Apart from Madikeri, eight villages will also be supplied water. The total project cost is Rs155 crore, she said.
The project cost includes 60 per cent state government grant (Rs 93.39), 30 per cent of Economic Organisation loan (Rs 46.69 crore) and 10 percent of local body share ( Rs 15.56 crore). The local body share comprises of contribution from Madikeri CMC and eight Gram Panchayats, she said.

CMC Member T S Prakash from BJP said that Kundamestri project is being implemented to provide water for Madikeri during summer. Hence, there is no requirement to draw water at Bethri, the expenditure of which is to the tune of hundreds of crore rupees.
He meanwhile added that the CMC should avail permission from Cauvery Water Board, before proceeding further.

K S Ramesh from BJP said that the CMC has provided lots of funds for Kundamestri project. If the approval is granted for Rs 155 crore project, the CMC will not be left with enough funds for the maintenance of the project. Already, several development works have been pending due to shortage of funds.

Another BJP member P D Ponnappa said that though the BJP is not against the project, it is dogmatic about the successful execution of the same. The water projects should be able to provide water round the clock. The complete cost of the project should be borne by the government, without burdening local bodies, he urged.

After a prolonged discussion, CMC President Julekabi confirmed the approval for the project by CMC.

Illegal bar
During a discussion, SDPI Member Amin Mohisin alleged that a bar has been illegally opened in the land belonging to CMC near private bus stand. In spite of Deputy Commissioner’s directions to initiate action, the CMC Commissioner has not acted upon so far, he alleged. CMC Commissioner Pushpavathi said that the records of the land are being verified and stern action will be taken against bar owners, if found illegal, she said.

A refund trail
BJP Member T C Prakash alleged that Rs 15 lakh payment towards the new CMC building was not paid to the contractor, as the building construction was not carried out properly. But the bill was paid after the CMC Commissioner took over, he said.
Commissioner Pushpavathi replied that she was not informed earlier and after learning about the situation, she has served a notice to the contractor, asking him to refund the amount to the CMC.

DH News Service

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> District / DHNS – Madikeri, November 25th, 2014

Coffee Board blends co-op subsidies into coffee kettle

Agriculture, Coffee News, Coffee, Kodagu (Coorg)

In an effort to enhance the production of robusta and arabica coffees, the Coffee Board has proposed higher allocation for replanting and expansion, Coffee Board Chairman Jawaid Akhtar said on Thursday.

Under the 12th Plan subsidy rates have been proposed at 40 per cent for up to 2 hectares, 30 per cent for 2-10 hectares and 25 per cent for holdings of above 10 hectares.

Inaugurating the United Planters Association of Southern India (UPASI) and Karnataka Planters Association (KPA) coffee conference on Thursday, Akhtar said, “Coffee Board has proposed to increase the unit cost by 75 per cent to Rs 1,75,000 per hectare.”
For the first time, the Board has included corporates and co-operatives to avail of the subsidy.

Besides, the Board has also introduced subsidy for eco-certification at 50 per cent of the certification cost at a ceiling of Rs 50,000 per beneficiary. It has also enhanced subsidy for quality upgradation to Rs 2.50 lakh for up to 20 hectares.

UPASI President Vijayan Rajes said the coffee committee of UPASI will submit a proposal to the Coffee Board to forward it to the Centre to release funds for producing two new robusta clones and one robusta seedling. This will be in collaboration with Incaper, Brazil’s premium research organisation for conillon robusta.

“We are planning to have a new proposal to get India-specific arabica plants with know-how from Brazil,” Rajes added. “This will help us have 10 million clones supplied to coffee growers in the first four years; and, from the fifth year, the share of Indian robusta will be increased by 50 per cent,” Rajes said.

B M Mahesh Kumar, a coffee planter from Hosathota Estate, Ballupet, spoke on ‘Achieving High Productivity of Black Pepper through Water, Shade and Nutrition Management’. He said, “Disease control can be effected by following judicious Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) and Integrated Pest Management (IPM).”

“Many people are taking up mono pepper cultivation at the cost of arabica coffee which is not a good sign,” Kumar said, adding that farmers should adopt innovative methods to multiply pepper vines for higher production.

Indian Vanilla Enterprise Pvt Ltd and Indian Vanilla Initiative Pvt Ltd, Pollachi, Chairman R Mahendran speaking on ‘Cocoa Cultivation, Processing and Management’, said that the opportunity of cultivating cocoa as another inter-crop for coconut, arecanut and oil palm in select regions of Karnataka holds promise.

Ease of cultivation and management make cocoa an attractive income generator, Mahendran added.

UPASI-TRF (Tea Research Foundation) Valparai, Quality Assurance Assistant Director N Palani stressed the importance of maintaining organic matter in the soil for preserving the physical, chemical and biological properties of soil.

Palani added that since the top soil is rich in humus, it has to be safeguarded from erosion for which soild and water conservation measures, depending on the slope of the terrain, must be taken.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> Business / DHNS – Bengaluru, November 14th, 2014

‘Coffee plantation in Kodagu can not be considered as deemed forest’

About Kodagu / Coorg, Agriculture, Green Initiatives / Environment, Nature, Records, All

Kodagu Circle Chief Conservator of Forest Jagmohan Varma has clarified that coffee plantation in Kodagu can not be considered as deemed forest. This is based on the government’s order that plantation in private property should not be considered as deemed forest.

Speaking to Deccan Herald, the officer said that the process of identifying deemed forest is under progress in the district, in the backdrop of the Supreme Court and State government’s order.

It is a common notion that a land with features of forest is deemed forest. But, as per the government order dated May 15, 2014, private plantation with any number of forest will not be considered as deemed forest. Therefore, there is no reason for coffee, cardamom, pepper and rubber planters to worry about, he assured.

Private forest

Explaining the word ‘private forest’ as defined in the government order, the Chief Conservator of Forest said that private forest is the land comprising of more than 50 trees per hectare land and each tree with a width of more than 30 cm. “The forest department along with revenue department is collecting details about private forests in the district. A district-level meeting chaired by Deputy Commissioner Anurag Tewari too has been convened. Village level inspection will be carried out soon,” he said.

Further, Jagmohan Varma said that the State government’s order describes a wide range of forests that exist in Kodagu, including Forest-Paisari which is considered as forest land.

According to Coorg Land and Revenue Regulation 1899, Section 143, Sub Section (1) (F), Forest-Paisari land has been notified as forest in 1901. Therefore, the recent order too considers Forest-Paisari as forest land.

The land that is mentioned as forest in government documents, will be considered as deemed forest. The government has given the instruction to all district administration to submit a detailed report on deemed forest in every district, within May 15.

What is deemed forest?

Deemed forest is the private and paisari land with forest like features. The Supreme Court while hearing Godavarman Thirumalapad case in 1995, had directed all the States to collect information about deemed forest. Following the order, the State government polled information about forest land and deemed forest.

However, the survey was not concrete, as the deemed forest list also comprised of paisari and empty (khulla) land and details like survey number and map too was not appropriate.

Therefore, re-survey has been taken up to prepare a comprehensive report on deemed forest in the State.
DH News Service

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> District / by Shrikanth Kallammanavar / Madikeri – DHNS, November 06th, 2014

Union Forests Ministry approves Kushalnagar–Madikeri rail line survey

About Kodagu / Coorg, Agriculture, Business & Economy, Green Initiatives / Environment, Nature

UnionForestsKF15nov2014
With this, Mysore–Madikeri project has taken a step forward

The Mysore–Madikeri railway line project has taken a step forward with the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) issuing clearance for the survey work between Kushalnagar and Madikeri.

Meeting
This was disclosed by Railway officials at the Divisional Railway Users’ Consultative Committee meeting here on Wednesday.

The environmental clearance was received last week and the authorities plan to complete the survey and submit the report to the Railway Board by March 31, 2015.

The preliminary engineering-cum-traffic survey for the railway line was launched in December 2011, but was taken up only between Mysuru and Kushalnagar and the partial survey report was submitted to the Railway Board. Though the project was shelved by the Railway Board on grounds of being commercially unviable, the State government has evinced interest in the project and has agreed to take it up on a cost-sharing basis, apart from providing land to the Railways.

The first phase of the project entails providing railway link between Mysuru and Kushalnagar at a cost of Rs. 660 crore. It will also connect Hunsur and Periyapatna.

Interestingly, the project was included in the Railway Budget 2010–11 under the ‘socially desirable rail connectivity’.

The first proposal for providing a rail link between Mysuru and Madikeri was mooted in 1881-82, according to the Mysore Gazetteer.

Another project
On the Shivamogga–Harihar railway line project, it was pointed out that the detailed survey for the new broad-gauge line had been completed. The 76-km project is expected to cost Rs. 832 crore and will be taken up on a cost-sharing basis between the Railways and the State government. Though the Railway authorities had sought 1,000 acres of land, it is yet to be acquired.

The work can commence, provided the State government hands over adequate land to take up the work on at least a 40-km stretch, according to the officials.

Divisional Railway Manager Rajkumar Lal, Senior Divisional Commercial Manager Anil Kumar, senior officials of different departments from the Railways, and stakeholders from various districts coming under the Mysore Railway Division were present.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Karnataka / by R. Krishna Kumar / Mysuru – November 06th, 2014

Jamma Bane issue will be resolved soon : CM

Agriculture, Records, All

CM Siddharamaiah, who was in Madikeri yesterday, was felicitated with a traditional Kodava headgear and Odi Kathi by Kodava Sahitya Academy President B.S. Thamaiah.
CM Siddharamaiah, who was in Madikeri yesterday, was felicitated with a traditional Kodava headgear and Odi Kathi by Kodava Sahitya Academy President B.S. Thamaiah.

Madikeri :

The government, which has made several amendments in laws regarding the Jamma Bane issue in Kodagu, will soon resolve the issue after holding talks with stake holders and officials of the Revenue Department, declared Chief Minister Siddharamaiah here yesterday.

He was speaking after inaugurating the newly built Rs. 14.44 crore District Administration Complex and laying of foundation stone for several developmental works at an estimated cost of Rs. 26.14 crore at the Gandhi Maidan here.

Continuing, Siddharamaiah said that the new rule regarding settlement of the Jamma Bane issue, as proposed by former Speaker K.G. Bopaiah while he was in office, had already been ratified by the President of India and added that his Government was committed to resolve the issue, irrespective of the opinion of the Revenue Department.

Giving a piece of advice to officials, the CM said that failing to fulfil the aspirations of the people was as criminal an act as accepting bribes. He also instructed the officials to address the grievances of the people by utilising various facilities for smooth functioning of the offices.

Speaking on the controversial High Tension power-line passing through parts of Kodagu, the CM said that the three-member panel formed to look into the matter had submitted its report and added that the issue would be resolved after holding talks with farmers of the district.

Promises fulfilled: “Within 17 months of assuming office, my government has implemented as many as 59 of the 165 programmes announced in our manifesto for election to Assembly,” Siddharamaiah claimed and added that his government had waived off Rs. 2,500 loans taken by the farmers including an interest amount of Rs. 1,000 crore.

Website launched: Siddharamaiah also launched a website of Karnataka Arabhashe Sahitya Academy on the occasion.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News / Tuesday, November 04th, 2014

Karnataka nixes Kerala plan for road via Kodagu forests

About Kodagu / Coorg, Agriculture, Green Initiatives / Environment, Nature

Madikeri :

The Karnataka forest department has turned down a Kerala government proposal to build a road through Kodagu forests for a smoother access to Bangalore.

The decision was taken based on a report submitted by the Kodagu wildlife division’s deputy conservator of forests.

It’s learnt that the Kerala chief minister had sent in a letter to his Karnataka counterpart, suggesting carving out a road through Mundrotu forests near Talacauvery in the district. In the letter, Oommen Chandy said the distance from Kerala’s Ezhimala in Kannur district to Bangalore through Talacauvery is 376 km, and wanted a 16km stretch from the state boundary to Talacauvery for a comfortable journey.

Some 43km stretch of the road is in Kerala and the rest in Karnataka.

The Kodagu wildlife division sent in a report to its headquarters, saying construction of a road through the forests was not desirable as Mundrot forests were home to many wildlife species. Of the planned 16km road, at least 8km stretch was to scythe through the reserve forest, presenting hunters and smugglers a chance to poach trees like rosewood, nandi and jackfruit, among many others.

The Karnataka forest department nixed the proposal and communicated it to the Kerala chief minister, it’s learnt.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Bangalore> Namma Metro / TNN / October 31st, 2014

Karnataka nixes Kerala plan for road via Kodagu forests

Agriculture, Green Initiatives / Environment, Nature

Madikeri :

The Karnataka forest department has turned down a Kerala government proposal to build a road through Kodagu forests for a smoother access to Bangalore.

The decision was taken based on a report submitted by the Kodagu wildlife division’s deputy conservator of forests.

It’s learnt that the Kerala chief minister had sent in a letter to his Karnataka counterpart, suggesting carving out a road through Mundrotu forests near Talacauvery in the district. In the letter, Oommen Chandy said the distance from Kerala’s Ezhimala in Kannur district to Bangalore through Talacauvery is 376 km, and wanted a 16km stretch from the state boundary to Talacauvery for a comfortable journey.

Some 43km stretch of the road is in Kerala and the rest in Karnataka.

The Kodagu wildlife division sent in a report to its headquarters, saying construction of a road through the forests was not desirable as Mundrot forests were home to many wildlife species. Of the planned 16km road, at least 8km stretch was to scythe through the reserve forest, presenting hunters and smugglers a chance to poach trees like rosewood, nandi and jackfruit, among many others.

The Karnataka forest department nixed the proposal and communicated it to the Kerala chief minister, it’s learnt

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Bangalore> Namma Metro / TNN / October 31st, 2014

Gram Panchayat least bothered about basic facilities near Abbey falls

Agriculture, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Green Initiatives / Environment, Nature

Abbey waterfalls in Kodagu district is one of the itinerary included in the list of tourists who visit the district.

Breathtaking waterfalls, its roaring sound and beautiful cascades spring back to life with the monsoon. A large number of tourists visit the waterfalls during weekends. Inspite of the fetching income from tourism, the gram panchayat has failed to provide basic facilities for the tourists near the waterfalls.

Abbey waterfalls is situated amidst coffee plantation. It cascades down 30 to 40 feet from a hillock. The land where Abbey falls is situated belongs to a private individual.

The land belongs to Neravanda Indira. To ensure that tourists are not disappointed, she has allowed them to walk in between her estate. However, the gram panchayats have not taken any measures to ensure that no harm is done to the estate.
Those who visit the waterfalls pluck coffee plants, throw plastic carry bags, cigarettes, beedi, gutka packets and liquor bottles, she said.

Indira said “the gram panchayat had promised to lay grills to the foot road that passes through estate. However, the promises have remained only on paper. The tourists damage the plants.”

“In protest against apathy of the gram panchayat, I had even locked the main gate. To ensure that no inconvenience is met to the tourists, I started opening the small gate to allow the tourists to enjoy the beauty of nature,” she said.

“The gram panchayat fetches income by collecting parking fee. However, they are least bothered to provide toilets, drinking water and cleanliness in the region,” said tourist Subrahmanya from Shimoga.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> District / by Srikanth Kallammanavar / DHNS, Madikeri – October 19th, 2014