The 18th day of the solar month ‘Ati’ was celebrated as ‘Kakkada Padinett’ in Kodagu on Tuesday.
Special dishes ‘Patrode’ of taro leaves and porridge of ‘Ati Soppu’ were prepared on the occasion.
It is believed that the leaves are rich in medicinal properties on the 18th day of the month of ‘Ati’.
Consumption of various dishes, with the juice of ‘Ati’ leaves, is believed to boost immunity. Side dishes prepared out of meat are also served on the occasion.
The greetings of the special day were exchanged, along with the special dishes.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> States> Mangaluru / by DHNS, Shanivarasanthe / August 04th, 2021
A stromatolite. Such fossilized microbial mats are the oldest sign of life on Earth. D.BRESSAN
Virtually all oxygen on Earth was and is produced by photosynthesis, which was invented by tiny organisms, the cyanobacteria, when our planet was still a rather uninhabitable place. Cyanobacteria evolved more than 2.4 billion years ago, as stromatolites – fossilized microbial mats – show, but it took almost 2 billion years until Earth transformed to the oxygen-rich planet we know today.
“We do not fully understand why it took so long and what factors controlled Earth’s oxygenation,“ said geomicrobiologist Judith Klatt in a statement published by the Max-Planck-Gesellschaft in Berlin. “But when studying mats of cyanobacteria in the Middle Island Sinkhole in Lake Huron in Michigan, which live under conditions resembling early Earth, I had an idea.”
Klatt worked together with a team of researchers around Greg Dick from the University of Michigan to study the microbes and cyanobacteria community colonizing groundwater inflows on the bottom of Lake Huron, where the oxygen levels are very low.
A scuba diver observes the purple, white and green microbial mats covering rocks in Lake Huron’s … [+] PHIL HARTMEYER/NOAA/THUNDER BAY NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY
“Life on the lake bottom is mainly microbial, and serves as a working analog for the conditions that prevailed on our planet for billions of years”, says Bopi Biddanda, a collaborating microbial ecologist from the Grand Valley State University. “The microbes there are mainly purple oxygen-producing cyanobacteria that compete with white sulfur-oxidizing bacteria. The former generate energy with sunlight, the latter with the help of sulfur.”
source: http://www.forbes.com / Forbes.com / Home> Science / by David Bressan, Contributor / August 02nd, 2021
Rose Thampy of Edom Architects talks about balancing the contemporary with the vernacular to create a rustic forest home on a stunning coffee estate in Coorg, Karnataka
Kutta Estate House is an homage to its environment
Kochi-based architecture firm Edom Architects had the rare privilege of designing a weekend home in one of the most stunning landscapes of the country: a 2,000-acre Coorg coffee estate. A rustic, two-storey, 1,750-square-foot structure, Kutta Estate House is an homage to its environment, and is carefully crafted not just to be a warm, comfortable home in its own right, but an immersion into the luscious greenery of its surroundings.
The plantation, which is rich with a variety of wildlife in addition to the coffee plants, is almost like a forest of its own right. Lead architects Rose Thampy and Joseph T. Kallivayalil wanted to preserve the sensory experience of the environment, and kept the design earthy and rustic, as opposed to contemporary or overly ornamented. “We also decided to build a viewing deck,” Thampy says, “since one side of the site offers a stunning view of the Western Ghats.”
Cement-textured finishing on the exterior walls allows the building to blend into its environment. Large windows allow the home to remain open to the surrounding greenery, and also promote cross-ventilation throughout the interiors, while wooden louvres and jalis allow for the control of the airflow. “It was a very minimalistic concept, but I didn’t want to create a contemporary minimalistic feel,” says Thampy, adding, “The screen and wood added a little bit of vernacular style to the design.”
The style is vernacular in its approachThe home is surrounded by greenery
The interiors see a flourish of natural stones—from sandstone to slate and natural granite. The use of lime-yellow sandstone for the flooring enhances the sense of space and interconnectivity throughout the house. “We thought of sticking to one or two colours for the interiors, since the space is very small,” says Thampy, “but I wanted each space to have a slightly different feeling.”
Lounge and Dining Area
The entrance foyer breaks off into a combined lounge and dining area, which also includes a kitchenette. “We needed to create a subtle segregation between the living space and the dining and kitchenette,” says Thampy, “so we created a small deviation in the flooring pattern.” The staircase that leads to the top floor was crafted in metal, so as to reduce its sense of bulk, with a matte-black finishing that allowed it to blend into the grey-toned palette of the structure. An outdoor seating area leads from the dining space into the garden, offering a seamless transition between the interior and the environment outside. The home also has an outdoor kitchen, which is accessible from the dining room but also allows for food to be easily served outdoors. Much of the furniture and ornamental lighting is sourced from Mysore, Kochi and Bengaluru, while two large ceramic pots from Chettinad bring in a touch of the old world. Finally, two pig statuettes from Coorg make for a playful homage to the wildlife on the estate.
Viewing Deck
A significant portion of the first floor is dedicated to the viewing deck, which is underlined with slate flooring, so as not to distract from the true hero of the space: the view. A unique piece of furniture is the centre table, crafted from the stem of a coffee plant sourced from the estate itself.
The home is kept raw and rustic in appeal
Bedrooms
Two bedrooms—one each on the ground and first floors—see a continuation of the sandstone flooring, but are also warmed by rich wood tones of the furniture and window frames. Subtle textural details, like a patterned rug or vibrantly upholstered sofa, infuse the rooms with colour, but allow the space to feel open, warm and welcoming. In the first-floor bedroom, an abstract painting in blue sets the theme for the property: it is a pop of colour that accentuates the rustic nature of the space, while also serving as a visual complement to the climate.
Lighting
All architectural lighting has been sourced from Kochi, and has been designed to create a warm ambience throughout the home. Track lighting in the TV lounge highlights the cement texture of the walls, while decorative pendant lights from Bengaluru double as pieces of art. Clay pendant lights over the staircase reflect the rustic tones of the jali, and also allow the staircase area to seemingly merge with the outdoors. On the first floor, matt-black ceiling-mounted lights blend into the palette and allow the eye to focus instead on the views of the estate, and the Western Ghats beyond.
source: http://www.architecturaldigest.in / Architectural Digest / Home> Architecture & Decor / by Avantika Shankar / Photography by Turtle Arts / July 31st, 2021
With the Harangi Dam in Kodagu district full to the brim, thanks to copious rainfall in the past few days, Kodagu District Minister V. Somanna yesterday offered bagina at the Dam, in keeping with the tradition.
During the offering of the Bagina, Somanna performed puja to four crest gates of the Dam and also pressed the crest gate button to release 8,000 cusecs of water from the Dam.
Later speaking to press persons, Somanna said that Harangi Dam was the first major Dam in the State to have filled up this monsoon. Noting that the Dam feeds water to 1.65 lakh hectares of Kodagu, K.R. Nagar taluk in Mysuru and five taluks of Hassan district, he said that water will be released for standing Kharif crops and through all canals of the Dam.
Maintaining that the B.S. Yediyurappa Government is doing what all it can for expanding the irrigation network in the State, Somanna contended that there was no drought in the State for two years. However, rain has played havoc in some parts of the State, he said and added that scattered rains across the State has helped farming.
Clarifying that the Government has released money for de-silting of Harangi Dam, he said that tenders have been invited for the purpose. Noting that there were no successful bidders two times, he said that the Government was ready to hand over the works if a competent contractor comes forward for the third time.
Asserting that Kodagu DC has informed him that the district has so far suffered an estimated loss of Rs. 95 lakh due to heavy rains, Somanna said that measures will be taken for providing relief to the family of a person who was recently washed away in floods.
Mysuru-Kodagu MP Pratap Simha, in his address, said that though he was an elected MP for seven years, he could not offer bagina to Harangi Dam for one reason or the other. But he was happy now that he got a chance. Arguing that the State has been receiving good rainfall after B.S. Yediyurappa came to power, he said that nature too seems to be impressed by the works of the Chief Minister.
Referring to the damages caused to Madikeri-Mangaluru National Highway, Simha said that it has come to his notice and he will do all he can to repair the damaged sections of the road. Also, it has been planned to construct earth retaining wall at landslides prone 22 points of the Highway, for which he would render all help, he added.
Harangi Dam officials said that the Dam has a water storage capacity of 8.5 TMC and the maximum water level of the dam is 2859 ft. At present, the water level is retained at 2858 ft. as a precautionary measure and whatever additional water that the Dam gets (inflow) will be discharged through canals.
Earlier, the Minister and a host of other dignitaries offered puja to the idol of Goddess Cauvery at the lower level of the Dam.
MLAs Appachu Ranjan, A.T. Ramasway and H.P. Manjunath, DC Charulatha Somal, MLC Sunil Subramani, BJP District President Robin Devaiah and a host of other officials and people representatives were present.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore /Home> News / July 17th, 2021
No more unrestricted entry; move to curb illegal activities
Mysore/Mysuru:
Amidst thick of a controversy over the safety and security of the KRS Dam in Mandya in the wake of rampant illegal mining, the State Government has upgraded the security of Harangi Dam in Kodagu district that is the only upstream reservoir that supplies water to KRS.
Till now, the Harangi Reservoir security was manned by lathi-wielding Kodagu District Reserve Police and Civil Police.
Now the security apparatus has been handed over to gun-toting professionals from the elite Karnataka State Industrial Security Force (KSISF). Over 23 men are guarding the Dam 24×7 and unrestricted entry has been banned. All visitors will be frisked henceforth and only those who have valid permission from the KSISF will be allowed inside.
The KSISF also manages the security of the KRS Dam. The Harangi Dam is in the upper Cauvery sub-basin reservoir near Hudgur village in Somwarpet taluk. Water from the reservoir irrigates 1.65 lakh hectares of farmland in Kodagu, Hassan and Mysuru districts. The maximum height of the reservoir is 2,859 feet and it has the capacity to store 8.5 tmcft of water.
The KSISF personnel are guarding the Dam main gate, four sluice gates and power house. Vigil will be kept till the end of the right canal. As per the new security protocol, vehicle parking has been arranged at the entrance of the Dam and visitors have to obtain permission from the Irrigation Department to enter the reservoir premises. Also, permission from the KSISF is required for private vehicles.
Earlier, private vehicles could enter into the Dam premises easily and entry was unrestricted if the visitors had the backing of politicians and elected representatives. The place was also a haven for illegal activities where liquor parties were held at the Dam guest house and also at a few places in the vicinity and backwaters.
Now all those who enter inside the Dam are screened and the registration number of the vehicles and information of tourists are documented.
Speaking to Star of Mysore, Inspector K.S. Chandrashekar said that as Harangi is a sensitive zone, the KSISF has been entrusted with the security.
He said that the Dam security and the safety of visitors were paramount and security will also be provided to the sound-and-light show in the evenings.
The KSISF was set up in 2012 and it started its service by providing security cover to Vidhana Soudha, Vikasa Soudha and KRS Dam when Siddharamaiah was the CM. The KSISF personnel are trained in access control, gadgets management, communications, people management, fitness and have an eagle eye for disaster management.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / July 18th, 2021
The online platform may be the only way to reach students during lockdown, but the digital medium comes with its own challenges. Students living in remote areas in Kodagu are facing trouble due to slow internet and connectivity issues. Lessons cannot be downloaded and they cannot attend online classes as videos and audios do not play.
Kodagu is one of the high-altitude districts in Karnataka and most of the areas have green cover and undulating terrain. However, this very feature poses a great challenge to the students in attending online classes due to poor internet connectivity.
Students are commonly seen sitting on the roadside on top of bridges and on the rocks where they attend online classes. Some of them climb trees risking their lives and limbs. While the internet may not be available inside some houses, faint signals are somewhat available at a distance. So parents have the task of taking the children to the area where connectivity is available and bringing them back home after classes.
Rain trouble too
Now it is raining across the district and students can’t even sit in the open outside. They sit inside jeeps and other vehicles to protect themselves from rain. There is hardly any mobile network in remote villages in Virajpet Taluk like Kedamullur, Birunani, Badagarakeri, Hysodlur, Nittoor, Karmad, Kunda and also Hathur.
To attend the online classes, these students have no option but to find a spot where they get proper connectivity. And there are very few places where they get an internet connection on the phone. Added to the connectivity issues, many areas are in the dark due to frequent tree falls. Villages like Kedamullur, Badaga, Thermemotte, Baarikaadu, Kottooli, Thomara and Koorthikaadu do not get power restored for weeks together in case wires snap.
“Due to the lack of a mobile network in my village, I have to walk into the forests where I can get faint signals. Our village is one of the places where basic communication facilities are missing and villagers have to walk towards the forests at the time where they get signal on their phones. Sometimes it rains when we are outside and we are not able to study,” said M.C. Nireeksha, a 10th Standard student at Heggala Ramanagara School.
Students are the ones who are suffering the most as they have to travel 3-4 km at times during the lockdown to attend online classes, she added. At remote villages where there is undulating terrain, mobile network is not balanced across the village and they get signal only in the upper reaches. A majority of students in the Kedamullur region have been studying in the schools and colleges in Virajpeṭ and 70 percent are the children of labourers.
“My house is in the lower part of Kedamullur village while good signal can be reached only in the upper reaches of the village, so my children are forced to trek till a particular point to study. This is a wooded area and there is a threat of wild animals. Along with my daughter I too walk 4 km to get connectivity and we only return in the evening,” said Vishwanath, a parent.
Authorities nonchalant
While this is the predicament faced by the students, those in positions of power sit tight saying that they have written many letters to higher-ups and there is no response. “BSNL provides connectivity to many areas in Kodagu and the offices of engineers, technicians and other staff are empty as there are hardly any employees. I have even written many letters to higher-ups for a mobile tower but there is no response,” said Kedamullur Gram Panchayat President N. Sheela.
“There is a 2G BSNL tower in Virajpet-Kedamullur and it is a genuine problem. Letters have been written a month back to upgrade the tower to 4G network. The problem will be solved if a new tower is installed,” said BSNL Virajpet Sub-Division Engineer Narayana. The officer was, however, silent on when the new tower will be installed or the existing tower would be upgraded to 4G.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / July 14th, 2021
Project RE-HAB (Reducing Elephant – Human Attacks using Bees) aimed at thwarting elephant attacks in human habitations using honey bees, seems to have yielded success with jumbos taking alternative routes to avoid coming into contact with bees.
With a view to reduce human-elephant conflicts in the country, Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) has launched a unique project of creating “bee-fences” to address this burning issue in several States including Karnataka.
The pilot project has been launched at few locations in Kodagu. These spots on the periphery of Nagarahole National Park are known to be human-elephant conflict zones. Total cost of project is Rs. 15 lakh.
Reality check has revealed that the wild pachyderms were maintaining a safe distance from bee boxes. Locals say this has reduced the elephant menace by 70 percent. Bee boxes have been placed at Kutta including Choorikaad and Tithimathi ranges. Jumbos were not seen in these places in the last 25 days. Villagers opined that elephants may have found alternative route.
In fact, the jumbos had damaged bee boxes near Kodange Haadi near Nagarhole recently. Since then, they have not come back. There are instances of young elephants straying into these fences. The cameras have captured the hesitancy of jumbos crossing the fence fixed with bee boxes and also taking de-tour within 27 seconds.
KVIC has set up 15-20 interspersed bee boxes at selected locations. The bee boxes are set up in the passage ways of elephant-human conflict zones to block the entrance of elephants to human habitations. The boxes are connected with a string so that when elephants attempt to pass through, a tug or pull causes the bees to swarm the elephant herds and dissuade them from progressing further. Bee boxes have been placed on the ground as well as hung from the trees to block the passage way of elephants. High resolution, night vision cameras have been installed at strategic points to record the impact of bees on elephants and their behaviour in these zones. The collective buzz of the bees is annoying to elephants that force them to return. Elephants, which are the most intelligent animal and carry their memories for long, avoid returning to the place where they have encountered honey bees.
Nearly 500 people die every year due to elephant attacks in India. This is nearly 10 times more than the fatalities caused by big cats across the country. From 2015 to 2020, nearly 2,500 people have lost their lives in elephant attacks. Out of this, nearly 170 human fatalities have been reported in Karnataka alone. On the contrary, nearly one-fifth of this number, that is nearly 500 elephants have also died in retaliation by humans in the last 5 years.
In the past, Governments have spent crores of rupees on digging up trenches and erecting fences to dissuade elephants. Also, hundreds of crores of rupees have been spent on compensation for loss of human lives. These trenches and barbed wire fences have often caused the deaths of elephant calves and thus rendering these ideas largely impractical.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / July 05th, 2021
Vijay Angadi showing a Dragon Fruit plant on his terrace in Hassan.
People in urban localities, who lack sufficient space, can take up cultivation on the roof
The cultivation of dragon fruit is picking up among farmers. In Hassan, the fruits are grown on the roof as well.
Vijay Angadi, an agriculture expert and programme executive at AIR in Madikeri, has grown the fruit on his terrace garden at the 2nd phase of Visvesaraya Extension in Hassan.
Mr. Angadi, known for popularising organic terrace gardens, planted a dragon fruit sapling two years ago. “The plant grew well. We got a few fruits in the first year. In the second year, the number of fruits has gone up and I added a few more plants,” he said.
The fruit has antioxidants, vitamin C, is rich in fibre and low in calories. Given its taste, medicinal value and demand in the fruit market, many farmers are taking up cultivation in a big way. Those in urban localities, who lack sufficient space, can take up cultivation on the roof.
“The plant belongs to the Cactaceae family and is a drought-resistant variety. It can survive in high temperature as well,” said Vijay Angadi, a post-graduate in Agriculture Studies.
He suggested that people interested in earning money by selling dragon fruit can take up cultivation on the terrace. “On the roof of a house built on a 30×40 sqft area, one can grow 30 plants. Within two years, one gets the yield and can earn up to ₹30,000 a year, depending on the price in the market. Besides this, the grower can also sell plants. It adds to the family income,” he said.
As a programme executive with All India Radio, Mr. Angadi has produced hundreds of programmes for radio on farming. He has inspired many people in Hassan to take up terrace farming.
“I have around 100 pots on my terrace. I grow vegetables, green leaves and fruits in my garden without using chemicals,” he said.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Karnataka / by Special Correspondent / Hassan – July 05th, 2021
Kozhikode Mayor Beena Philip has said that the corporation was willing to cooperate with the Indian Institute of Spices Research (IISR) for the proposed spice street project.
Inaugurating the foundation day programme online at the IISR here on Thursday, she said the emerging farming scenario enhanced the social and scientific relevance of institutions like ICAR- IISR in the wake of the pandemic.
She also emphasized that the spice economy was important for the farming sector. However, the ability to maintain and enhance spices production needs to be anchored on improved cultivation practices and research advances, she said.
Presiding over the session, Dr. A.K. Singh, Deputy Director-General, ICAR, New Delhi, said the spices sector had witnessed significant changes in the recent past, and that the country was poised to make gains in production and trade in spices in the coming years.
Dr. Athulya G. Ashokan, Associate Professor, Pushpagiri Institute of Medical Sciences, delivered the foundation day lecture on ‘Management of post-COVID syndrome’. The IISR also launched the e-commerce platform for sale of good quality spices from verified sources and products from incubatee entrepreneurs associated with the institute.
In a new initiative aimed at supporting women entrepreneurs, the institution has entered into an agreement with the Kozhikode District Kudumbashree Mission to provide support for development and marketing of value-added products, production of quality planting materials, and delivery training services.
The IISR also executed two technology commercialisation agreements for the turmeric variety IISR Aleppey Supreme and black pepper micronutrient mixture.
Marking the occasion, the institute conferred spices excellence awards on Kanthraj K.M. from Kodagu district in Karnataka and Rajesh E.M. from Kozhikode. R.L. Innovative Agri Pvt. Ltd., an agri-startup company, was also honoured with the award.
The staff recreation club of the institute donated 10 mobile phones and tablets to support online education of students from under-privileged sections as part of its outreach activities. The institute released five extension folders and three technical bulletins on various aspects of spice cultivation to mark the foundation day.
Dr. J. Rema, Director, ICAR-IISR, and Dr. Vikramadithya Pandey, Assistant Director General, ICAR, spoke.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Kozhikode / by Special Correspondent / Kozhikode – July 02nd, 2021
White stem borers destroying a coffee plant. Credit: DH Photo
Arabica and Robusta coffee varieties grown in Kodagu are known for their quality.
Robusta variety is grown mostly in Madikeri and Virajpet taluks, while Somwarpet is known for arabica coffee.
The weather of Somwarpet is the best suited for the arabica variety, say the growers.
However, there are a lot of challenges before arabica coffee growers, the major one being the infestation of white stem borer (Xylotrechus quadripes).
The adult borers feed on the stem of the coffee plant and lay eggs inside the stem. Their season of reproduction is the months of March and April. During this period, the stem borers lay eggs on all plants in the coffee plantation.
In Somwarpet taluk, coffee is grown on 28,540 hectares of land. Arabica coffee is grown on 22,940 hectares and robusta is grown on 5,600 hectares.
Many growers have been switching to robusta as arabica is infested by the white stem borer.
Fed up by the borer menace, the plantation owners themselves have been asking the workers to uproot the arabica coffee plants that were nurtured for many years.
A lack of proper control measures is also one of the main reason for the growers to destroy the plants.
The arabica variety of coffee requires more care as compared to robusta. Meanwhile, the labour cost and the production costs are increasing, among other expenses towards manure and fertilisers.
Adding to the problem, the market rate is also disappointing the farmers.
Control measures
Experts have come up with a technique to trap female borer, by using the artificial pheromones of male borer insects, say authorities of the coffee board.
B R Jayendra, a coffee planter from Bettadalli, said that the control measure of white borer is consuming a lot of time, in the existing methods available.
By the time the borers are controlled, almost all plants are destroyed. Effective control measures are needed to save arabica coffee.
Taluk Coffee Growers’ Association president Mohan Bopanna said that the coffee planters are going through difficult times.
Like the Kerala model, the Karnataka government too should announce support price for coffee growers. The loans of coffee growers who are facing difficulties should be waived, he added.
Another coffee planter S M D’Silva from Abburukatte said it is almost impossible to destroy the affected plants at a time.
The small grower will be hit hard if they destroy all coffee saplings in the plantation, he said.
source: http:///www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> State> Mangaluru / by DHNS, Somwarpet / June 28th, 2021
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