Category Archives: Green Initiatives / Environment

Captivating Kushalanagar

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Green Initiatives / Environment, Records, All, Travel, Tourism & Homestays (wef. Oct 03rd, 2021)

Surrounded by the thick foliage of bamboo groves, sandalwood and teak trees, Nisargadhama is an island formed by the river Cauvery near Kushalnagar, writes Suryakumar.

Madikeri, our holiday destination, turned out to be rather disappointing. Its fort and adjoining museum were closed, as they are every Monday. They remained shut the following day, which happened to be a government holiday. For the same reason, the residence of late General Thimayya (maintained as a memorial to his military achievements) proved elusive. As for the famed sunset at Raja’s Seat, since the sun was barely visible it could hardly disappear in a blaze of glory.

Archway at Nisargadhama. PHOTOS BY AUTHOR

Despite these setbacks, our trip to Kodagu was not a failure. There was much to enjoy at Kushalanagar, about 30 km from Madikeri. The highlight was Nisargadhama, a scenic nature resort on an island in the River Cauvery. Negotiating the hanging rope bridge that spans the water was an interesting experience. When we kept walking, it seemed steady, but if we stopped suddenly we were aware of a swaying sensation.

Once across, we found ourselves in a vast green expanse of bamboo groves and teak and sandalwood trees. There were stone seats, matching the artistically crafted archways, but tempting though it was to sit and soak in the ambience, we kept going.

We paused now and then to admire the realistic sculptures of men and women in Kodava costumes, performing traditional dances. These images are safely within enclosures, to protect them from over-enthusiastic selfie-seekers. Moving on, we came to an amazing aviary. Colourful parakeets perched on our palms, helping themselves to the birdseed provided by the person in charge.

The children among us were a bit nervous, but so gently did our feathered friends feed that we felt not the slightest discomfort. What did make us uneasy at Nisargadhama was the large number of people who were thronging the shops at the entrance, with total disregard for social distancing.

Crowds were also a problem at Harangi Dam. By contrast, Chiklihole Dam, (a small reservoir, about 15 km from Kushalanagar) was refreshing. We drove unhindered to the top (not easily accessible at other similar sites) and found it free of unmasked tourists. Not that we could entirely escape Covid! It dashed our hopes of visiting the Golden Temple at nearby Bylakuppe. The Namdroling Monastery, home to a community of monks and nuns, was barred to outsiders because of the pandemic.

St Sebastian’s Church

Fortunately, we managed to see another significant place of worship. Constructed a few years ago, St Sebastian’s Church stands on a hill from which one gets a panoramic view of Kushalanagar. There was scarcely anyone around, but a boy playing on the premises kindly opened a side door for us. Beautiful statues adorn the interior and exterior of this splendid edifice.

Figurines of a different sort caught our attention at a wayside stall. Each time we passed BM Road, we were fascinated by colourful life-size replicas of animals that seemed to be staring straight at us. Made of cement, and evidently intended for and evidently intended for parks and gardens, they were among the several spectacular sights of Kushalanagar.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> Sunday Herald> Sunday Herald Melange / by Suryakumar Dennison / January 30th, 2022

Smiles at hidden spots of Somwarpet in Coorg

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Green Initiatives / Environment, Nature, Travel, Tourism & Homestays (wef. Oct 03rd, 2021)

There is always a thrill to go to places that are off the beaten track and this time we decided to go on a short drive around the Somwarpet taluka of Coorg.

The lush greenery, the winding roads, the up and down terrain, the coffee and pepper plantations on either side made me feel really blessed to have so many rich natural wild sights to admire in South India. Even the quaint village of Shanivarsanthe felt as if time had stood still there since ages.

And thankfully these places are quite free of the noisy tourist crowds that I usually see elsewhere. Our dear local friend Prasanna insisted that we visit the the biggest lake in Coorg called Honammana Kere.

Our first impression was just a silent awe for the stunning natural beauty of this place. The reflection of the blue skies, the white clouds and the rich green foliage on the crystal clear waters was mesmerising. This lake was nestled in between the hills called Morí beta and Govi beta. On a more adventurous note, if we had more time, we could have undertaken short treks to the temples on top of the hills to admire the stunning views from the hilltops too!

There is a Honnamma devi temple besides the lake that has an interesting history. A local ancient king had prayed during the times of water shortage and refused to sacrifice his daughter-in-law, when asked to do so. However his pregnant daughter in law Honnamma walked into the waters and drowned, sacrificing her life for the well being of the people and ensuring abundance of water for all.

She is revered by the locals as a Goddess in a unique shrine dedicated to her on the banks of the lake. I noticed an ancient stone with carved inscriptions in front of the temple probably recording this interesting piece of history.

A lot of devotees come here for the powerful blessings of the Devi for marriage or child prospects. I was told that on Gauri festival day, at least 101 ladies immerse sets of many Pooja items like fruits, vegetables, turmeric kumkum, bangles etc. in the waters.

Yes, the spiritual energy of the place was something that could not be expressed in words. The calm serene feeling of the mesmerising natural ambience made the lake feel like a hidden gem. I could probably spend hours sitting on the temple steps, dipping my feet in the water and doing absolutely nothing.

We had a sumptuous lunch with our gracious host Jairaj Shetty at a place called Whisper Valley. The 360 degree natural view made it feel as if we were in heaven! The open air jeep ride through the coffee plantation to a hidden stream was an adventure by itself! And we just had to frolic in the gushing waters feeling rejuvenated like kids again!

It was a day well spent with good friends and lots of smiles in the unknown nooks and corners of Somwarpet.

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Shobha Rao Smilemaker has a vision of living in a world where people use their ability to find and make smiles in any situation. She is a lawyer by qualification, a soft skills trainer by passion, a motivational speaker, a freelance journalist, a bestselling author, an avid traveler and founder of ‘Smilemakers Trainings’. She can be contacted at www.shobhasmilemaker.com. 

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source: http://www.daijiworld.com / DaijiWorld / Home> Karnataka / by Shobha Rao Smilemaker / January 18th, 2022

Meeting held on rejuvenation of Lakshmanteertha river

Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Green Initiatives / Environment, Leaders, Records, All

The Karnataka State Western Ghats Chairman Ravi Kushalappa visited Hunsur on Thursday and apprised himself of the pollution in Lakshmanteertha river that flows through the town.

The tributary of the Cauvery is highly polluted, carrying untreated sewage from various towns along its course, and efforts to clean the river has not yielded the desired results so far.

Mr. Ravi Kushalappa met the local MLA H.P.Manjunath, Deputy Commissioner Bagadi Goutham, ZP CEO Yogesh, Deputy Conservator of Forests Mahesh Kumar and other officials and held extensive interaction on reviving the quality of the river.

Citizens of Hunsur including NGOs and environmentalists who met Mr. Kushalappa also gave their feedback and the latter promised to incorporate the suggestions while drafting an action plan to clean up the river.

The activists suggested that release of untreated effluents including sewage into the river should be stopped and measures should be initiated to treat the effluents and sewage and diverted for secondary use in agriculture.

There are small rivulets that join the river to augment the volume of water but some of them have been encroached and the flow has been blocked, said the activists. Hence efforts should be made to clear the encroachment to facilitate inflow of water.

S. Sreekanth, founder of Development through Education (DEED), an NGO working for tribal rehabilitation and empowerment, said it was imperative to take up massive afforestation along both the banks of the river and declare them as an eco-sensitive zone to improve the local environment.

There was also a suggestion to divert Konganahole rivulet to Lakshmanteertha to augment the river flow. Activists also called for a crackdown on sand mining along the course of the river and said that the action plan to rejuvenate the river should be implemented in a time-bound manner.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Karnataka / by Special Correspondent / January 06th, 2022

Precious Stones Plundered From Pattighat In Kodagu

Green Initiatives / Environment, Leaders, Records, All

Forest Dept. complicit, says MLA; seeks high-level investigation

Madikeri: 

Rampant illegal mining of precious stones has been reported from Pattighat Reserve Forests (Nishane Motte) near Bhagamandala of the Western Ghats under the very nose of the Forest Department and those who are duty-bound to protect it have now been accused of openly allowing plunderers to loot the forest wealth.

These smugglers are unearthing gemstones from the forests with the help of locals and selling them at a premium to luxury hotels, jewellery shops, spas and massage parlours. These virgin forests are an integral part of Kodagu and the Western Ghats and except for wild animals and Forest Department staff, no one — not even cattle — is allowed inside.

In such a forest, covered with fully grown trees, deep pits are dug and mud is lifted out and loads and loads of mud are sieved for precious stones, especially red ones, resembling rubies. Ironically, the Forest Department camp and the tents where they stay guarding the jungles are located metres away from the places that have been dug up and still, this has not come to the notice of the Department.

The Pattighat Reserve Forests begin at the very end of Thannimaani village that can be reached from the entrance gate of Bhagamandala via Karike Road. One has to trek around a six-kilometre area that is full of ravines and steep gorges to reach there. The Reserve Forest is spread across 2,200-hectare land and joins the Subramanya-  Kadamakal Forests.

While Subramanya Range Forest comes under Dakshina Kannada, Koojimalai, Suttathmalai Pushpagiri Wildlife Sanctuary and Pattighat (Nishane Motte) comes under the jurisdiction of Kodagu district. Public entry has been banned here and unfortunately, this ban is a blessing in disguise for smugglers to carry out the illegal stone mining.

The 30-ft pit dug up to extract precious stones.

Well-concealed operation

When the first report of this rampant precious stone mining was reported by some local villagers of Bhagamandala a week back, teams from the Forest Department were sent to inspect the area. But strangely, the inspecting teams did not find any pits dug up deep inside the forest. They only found mounds of mud from where the pits were dug and the same was reported by the teams to their higher officers.

Even as the Department justified that there are no pits, local villagers said that a little bit of effort would have unearthed the entire racket as the pits were cleverly covered with hay stack, small wooden blocks and mud.

The pits were finally spotted on Jan. 6 by the Forest Squad personnel who were accompanied by Assistant Conservator of Forests Mohiseen and Chairman of Karnataka State Western Ghats Task Force, Shantheyanda Ravi Kushalappa.

The Forest Department base camp at Pattighat.

Mining network spread out

According to people in the know of things, this mining activity has been going on in many reserve forests around Kodagu especially in the Bhagamandala region for the last 20 years. Before the Pattighat was declared as a Reserve Forest, the illegal mining was concentrated on one or two locations from where the stones were extracted. However, after the Reserve Forest restrictions came into place, mining spread out to many locations.

For instance, one deep pit that was used to excavate soil was closed in 2020 with cement. Recently, another 4-ft wide and 30-ft deep pit has been dug nearby and from there, another ‘L’ shaped pit has been dug up connecting this deep pit, shocking the Forest Squad.

The tent set up by forest watchers 10 metres from the pit.

Organised gangs camp in woods

So organised the gangs are that many earth-digging implements, pulleys and ropes to pull out mud, sieves, cooking vessels, fireplaces and iron rods and pipes have been recovered indicating that the smugglers camp inside the area, set up fireplaces and even prepare food. How can this be possible without the Forest Department knowing, ask local villagers. The stones earlier used to fetch a price of Rs. 500 to Rs. 700 per kg, now costs over Rs. 30,000 to Rs. 50,000 per kg, making it a lucrative deal for smugglers. The illegal trade was first reported in the 1990s at Subramanya Forest Range and Pushpagiri Ranges. Gradually, the trade spread to Madikeri and Bhagamandala ranges.

Once the stones are extracted, they are polished and marketed to massage parlours, five-star hotels and spas. Once polished, the texture and appearance of the stones change and they look similar to precious gemstones.

Jewellery shops too purchase these precious stones and they are sold with actual precious stones. The stones, in different colours, are used in ‘hot stone massage’, ‘aromatherapy’ and the quality is decided on the stones texture after polishing.

Excavation materials camouflaged to prevent detection.

Regular affair since 2007

Illegal mining at Pattighat Reserve has been rampant since 2007 and the name of an influential person from Madikeri circling around the racket. All the investigation that has been conducted so far is just an eye-wash and only lower-rung Forest Department staff has been the targets. All the senior officers who have been in-charge of Pattighat Reserve Forests since 2007 must be investigated for the truth to come out. It is clear that the Forest Department is complicit. I will press for a detailed investigation and impress upon the Government to conduct a high-level probe. — K.G. Bopaiah, MLA Virajpet

1 guard, 2 watchers missing

Our inspection clearly establishes the involvement of Forest Department staff and without their knowledge, no one can enter the core area of the Reserve Forests. This is a classic case of the fence eating the crop. Villagers here say that some unscrupulous Forest Department officers take bribes up to Rs. 5 lakh to Rs. 10 lakh to allow mining once inside the forests. One forest guard and two watchers are missing from duty and they must be arrested. 

— Shantheyanda Ravi Kushalappa, Chairman of Karnataka State Western Ghats Task Force

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News> Top Stories / January 08th, 2022

HC junks PIL against construction of jungle resort in Kodagu, slaps Rs 50K fine on petitioners

Business & Economy, Green Initiatives / Environment, Nature, Records, All

The petition was filed by PS Mohan and others from Kodagu district on the ground that permission was not obtained from the central government under the provisions of the Forest Conservation Act.

Bengaluru :

The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday slapped a cost of Rs 50,000 on a group of petitioners for wasting the precious time of the court by filing a public interest litigation challenging the construction of the Jungle Lodges and Resorts (JL&R) by the Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation (KSTDC) at Dubare forest in Kodagu district.

“We are of the view that the writ petition is filed without any material to support the contention raised in the petition and it appears that it has been filed with ulterior motives in order to pressurise the respondents — the state authorities. The conduct of the petitioners as such is deprecated for the purpose of wasting the precious time of the court by imposing cost of Rs 50,000 which has to be paid to the Karnataka State Legal Services Authority,” said a division bench of Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi and Justice Suraj Govindaraj.

The petition was filed by PS Mohan and others from Kodagu district on the ground that permission was not obtained from the central government under the provisions of the Forest Conservation Act for construction of JL&R.

In counter, the government advocate contended that no permission of the central government is required for construction of the jungle lodge by the KSTDC in the reserve forest area coming under the state government.

The counsel of JL&R raised preliminary objections regarding the maintainability of the petition. It was alleged this petition was filed on some personal interest and that JL&R has installed river rafting activities in Dubare area which adversely affected the petitioners. But no public interest is involved in the petition and it has been filed with ulterior motives, the counsel of JL&R argued.

After hearing the parties, the court noted that the JL&R which was constructed in Dubare is a body created by the KSTDC which itself is totally controlled by the state government and no private interest is involved in the activities of the JL&R.

source: http://www.newindianexpess.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Karnataka / by Yathiraju, Express News Service / January 04th, 2022

Rs. 50 Lakh Released For New Elephant Camp At Harangi

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Green Initiatives / Environment, Nature, Records, All, Travel, Tourism & Homestays (wef. Oct 03rd, 2021)

Madikeri:

The State Government has released Rs. 50 lakh to set up a new elephant camp at Harangi in Kodagu District. Already, Kodagu has two elephant camps, one at Dubare and another at Mathigodu near Anechowkur Gate that borders Mysuru.

The aim of the new camp is to decongest the existing eight camps across Karnataka where the pachyderm population has increased over the years. The State Government in February this year had ordered the setting up of a new elephant camp at Harangi.

Replying to a question raised by Madikeri MLA M.P. Appachu Ranjan in the on-going Legislature session at Belagavi regarding the Harangi Elephant Camp and a Tree Park, also at Harangi, Forest Minister Umesh Katti said that from 2017 till 2021-22 Rs.1.38 crore has been released by the Government and works are on to create the Tree Park.

This apart, Rs. 50 lakh has been released for Harangi elephant camp under funds from Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA). Apart from setting up a new elephant camp, there are plans to initiate other related development programmes including developing the camp as a tourist centre and at the same time provide shelter to the elephants, he added.

File photos of Dubare Elephant Camp near Kushalnagar in Kodagu district.

The Forest Department will establish the elephant camp in a 40-acre land at Athur Reserve Forest beside Harangi Reservoir in Kushalnagar Taluk. The place, located near the Harangi Dam backwaters, is ideal to set up the elephant camp.

The Government has also plans to closely develop Cauvery Nisargadhama in Kushalnagar and together with the new elephant camp in the region, the initiatives will boost eco-tourism activities, the Minister told the Assembly.

Currently, Karnataka has eight jumbo camps housing about more than 100 tamed elephants that are used to rescue wild animals and for logging purposes at Government timber depots.

The new elephant camp is expected to reduce the burden on the nearby Dubare Elephant Camp, which currently has over 32 elephants, the highest in the State.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News> Top Stories / December 20th, 2021

Authorities moot ‘Greater’ Raja Seat in Madikeri

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Coffee, Kodagu (Coorg), Green Initiatives / Environment, Historical Links / Pre-Independence, Records, All, Travel, Tourism & Homestays (wef. Oct 03rd, 2021)

The Kodagu district administration on Friday conducted a meeting to develop Raja Seat, which is a popular tourist attraction in Madikeri.

Deputy Commissioner B.C.Satish instructed the officials to prepare a blueprint to develop the existing place into a ‘Greater’ Raja Seat.

He directed the Horticulture Department to take up the repair of the musical fountain which is defunct, on a priority basis. Similar instructions were issued to restore the functioning of the toy train.

The Coorg Village which has already been inaugurted, should start functioning immediately, said the Deputy Commissioner while the offiicals suggested the installation of a high mast lamp in the vicinity.

It was also decided to organise a Coffee Mela to coincide with Christmas when the town and the district is visited by hordes of tourists, apart from conducting cultural programmes during holidays.

Incidentally, the previous round of development works carried out by the authorities had come under flak from conservationists on the grounds that the place was being concretised and its beauty being eroded.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States / by Special Correspondent / Mysuru – November 26th, 2021

Expedite crop survey, Kodagu DC directs officials

Agriculture, Green Initiatives / Environment, Leaders, Records, All
Deputy Commissioner Charulata Somal at a review meeting in Madikeri on Wednesday.

Observing that the crop survey is being hit by an inordinate delay in the district, Deputy Commissioner Charulata Somal instructed the officials concerned to speed up the process.

Reviewing the progress of the crops survey, during a meeting held at her office on Wednesday, she said that crops in 2.62 lakh survey numbers should have been completed in the district by now.

However, crops in only 1,762 survey numbers have been covered, she said and requested the cooperative banks, coffee board and other organisations related to agriculture and horticulture to cooperate with the department in carrying out the survey.

Cooperative Societies deputy registrar B K Salim said that there are 73 primary agricultural cooperative societies in the district and they will join hands in the crop survey.

Agriculture department technical officer Narayana Reddy said that the farmers can carry out the crop survey themselves, by downloading the crop survey application on their mobile phones.

Charulata Somal also asked the officials to ensure the supply of fertilisers in the district in adequate quantity.

Agriculture department deputy director Shabana M Sheikh said that 32,082 metric tonnes of fertiliser have been supplied to the district.

Coffee Board deputy director Shivakumaraswamy, District Lead Bank manager R K Balachandra, horticulture department deputy director H Shashidhar were present.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> State> Mangaluru / by DHNS, Madikeri / August 26th, 2021

Huthari festival observed with traditional fervour

Agriculture, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Green Initiatives / Environment, Leaders, Nature, Records, All, Travel, Tourism & Homestays (wef. Oct 03rd, 2021)
The paddy sheaves were cut by the CNC members during Huthari celebrations at the paddy field belonging to Nandineravanda Uthappa, in Chikkabettageri.

The Codava National Council (CNC), led by its president N U Nachappa, celebrated Huthari or Puthari — the harvest festival of Kodagu, at a paddy field of Nandineravanda Uthappa, in Chikkabettageri village, near Kushalnagar, on Friday.

Wearing traditional Kodava attire, the members participated in the celebrations by cutting paddy sheaves. Later, they offered prayers for the prevalence of peace and to eradicate Covid-19 from the world. 

The members offered prayers to the gods and initiated the process of Huthari celebrations by ‘Nere Kattuva’ ritual using the leaves of Arali, mango, jackfruit, Kumbali and cashew nut trees. 

After the rituals, the members took out a procession to the paddy field, accompanied by the ‘Dudikottpat’. After firing thrice in the air, Nachappa offered puja rituals and cut paddy sheaves.

Later, the paddy sheaves were brought back to the house and puja rituals were conducted.

CNC members presented ‘Kolata’, ‘Pareyakali’ and other cultural programmes.

Later, they also danced to the traditional beats and relished rice payasa, ‘Thambittu,’ ‘Kadubu,’ ‘pandi curry,’ ‘chicken curry’ and others. 

Speaking on the occasion, Nachappa urged the government to declare a national holiday for the Puthari festival. 

The Kodavas should be considered as a separate race to save the Kodava tribal culture for the future generation. Kodava language should be included in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, he said. 

“Kodava culture has all the qualifications to be included in the Intangible Cultural Heritage List of Unesco. By showcasing our rituals, we can assert our rights,” he added.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> State> Mangaluru / by DHNS, Kushalnagar / November 19th, 2021

Puthari Festival Venue Changed: Celebrations To Be Held At Kodava Samaja In Vijayanagar

Agriculture, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Green Initiatives / Environment, Records, All

The Management of Kodava Samaja, Mysuru, has decided to celebrate Puthari Namme (harvest festival) on Nov.20 in the premises of Kodava Samaja in Vijayanagar I Stage. Earlier it had been decided to celebrate the festival in the premises of Sree Cauvery Educational Institutions in Kuvempunagar.

Now due to incessant rains since a week and also keeping in mind the forecast of rains for 4 more days, the Samaja has decided to change the venue.  The celebrations will commence at 5 pm at the Samaja premises. All traditional Kodava dances will be performed on the occasion by both the men’s and women’s teams.

Arrangements have been made to distribute Kadh (new paddy crop) on that day.   All the members are requested to note the change of venue and cooperate in the celebrations, according to a press release from Malachira M. Ponnappa, Honorary Secretary, Kodava Samaja.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> In Briefs /November 19th, 2021