The tribal community highlighted the various problems faced by them in the district including the failure in implementation of the Forest Rights Act and requested solutions to their growing troubles. 

Madikeri:

Three teams from Kodagu including representatives of the Federation of Kodava Samaja, Kodava Muslim and Kodagu Tribal community met Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in Bengaluru recently.

The representatives of these communities put forth various problems faced by them in the district and requested suitable solutions.

Led by CM’s legal advisor and Virajpet MLA AS Ponanna, the Kodava Samaja Federation members, Kodava Muslim Association members and Budakattu Tribal community members from the district met the CM and took part in an elaborate discussion.

Three different meetings were held with the representatives by the CM even as they were assured of solutions to the burning issues faced by the communities.

The Federation of Kodava Samaja members highlighted the delay in the release of funds sanctioned for the development of the Samajas. The representatives shared that Rs 10 Crore was sanctioned during the previous government for the development of Kodava Samajas and the same has been withheld due to technical issues.

CM Siddaramaiah called the concerned officials and ordered for the release of the funds.

The federation members demanded for permanent sanction of funds from the state for the annual Kodava Hockey Fest. They also requested the release of sanctioned Rs 5 crore funds for the development of the hockey ground at Balugodu in Virajpet.

The federation highlighted the problems associated with the revenue department and requested for additional appointments of land surveyors to conduct surveys of vast lands that need to be brought under the revenue department.

The Kodava Muslim Association members requested the CM to order for an ethnographic study of the community and demanded that they be extended with exemption from the arms act under the Coorg By Race category.

They requested the CM to establish a Kodava Muslim Bhavana in the district even as they requested the inclusion of the Kodava language in the 8th schedule of the Indian Constitution.

The tribal community highlighted the various problems faced by them in the district including the failure in implementation of the Forest Rights Act and requested solutions to their growing troubles. 

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Karnataka / by Express News Service / November 23rd, 2023

A team of scientists from four research institutions have reported the discovery of an ancient microcontinent in India.

Based on extensive investigations in the Coorg block comprising parts of Kerala and Karnataka, the scientists have confirmed the existence of a 3.1 billion-year-old exotic microcontinent that could have broken off from Madagascar or Africa and drifted across the ocean to get wedged into the Indian landmass.

Based on the geological formations that characterise the block, the researchers assume that it could have been part of the earliest ‘Ur’ supercontinent formed through microcontinent amalgamation.

The age data of the rock samples collected by the researchers showed that the peak of continental building in the exotic Coorg block occurred around 3.1 billion years ago. The studies indicated that the crust building might have also involved partial recycling of basement rocks as old as 3.8 billion years.

The team comprising M. Santosh from India, now working at the China University of Geosciences, Beijing, Q.Y. Yang from the same university, E. Shaji from the Department of Geology, University of Kerala, T. Tsunogae from Tsukuba University, Japan, and Ram Mohan and M. Satyanarayanan from the National Geophysical Research Institute, Hyderabad, has published the discovery in Gondwana Research , an international journal on earth science with particular focus on the origin and evolution of continents.

According to the paper, the Coorg block, a continental fragment sandwiched between the Dharwar craton (a craton is a piece of a continent that has been stable for over a billion years) in the North and several younger crustal blocks to the South, is composed dominantly of a suite of arc magmatic rocks.

“Considering the age of the rocks from the periphery of the Coorg block, the microcontinent could have got wedged with peninsular India around 1.2 billion years back in time,” says Dr. Santosh, the lead author.

“This exotic microcontinent could have come from any of the cores of the earliest supercontinent Ur. The possible sources are Madagascar or Africa.”

The study revealed that the Coorg block was unaffected by major tectonothermal (geological episodes that shape rock formations) events in the rest of southern India.

The team relied on Uranium-Lead dating and Lutetium-Hafnium analyses of zircons separated from the different rock types. They also carried out petrological and mineralogical studies and geochemical analyses of the rocks.

The study is significant in understanding the supercontinent cycle, the amalgamation of continents into large land masses and their disruption.

“The Early Earth was dominated by island arcs in an oceanic realm analogous to the modern Pacific region. The formation and collision of arcs gave rise to the birth of microcontinents,” explains Dr. Shaji.

The landmass arrangement on earth today is the culmination of a long history of continental movement. The Indian subcontinent is believed to be one among the several landmasses that emerged from the break up of the Gondwana supercontinent about 180 million years ago. The Coorg block covers an area of over 3,000 sq km and includes the whole of Kasaragod district in Kerala and parts of Kodagu district in Karnataka.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> India> Kerala / by T Nandakumar / November 12th, 2023

Mysore/Mysuru:

Ajjikuttira S. Ponnanna, Virajpet (Kodagu) MLA and legal advisor to the Chief Minister, said that he was committed to the comprehensive development of Kodagu, making it his responsibility.

He was speaking at the felicitation function organised in his honour and also in honour of Dr. Kalyatanda B. Ganapathy, recipient of Hon. Doctorate from the University of Mysore and Founder-Editor of Star of Mysore and Mysuru Mithra, at Kodava Samaja auditorium in Vijayanagar I Stage last evening. The event was organised by Kodava Samaja Cultural and Sports Club, Mysuru.

Outlining his vision for the district’s progress, Ponnanna emphasised that in addition to his Virajpet Constituency, he would strive to work for the overall development of the entire district. The MLA stressed the importance of collaborative efforts, involving all sections of the people including those from the grassroots level. Ponnanna underscored the importance of people’s mandate and the positive response from the government to achieve progress of the district within the democratic framework.

Seeking the co-operation of the Kodava community and other communities residing in Kodagu, as well as those with roots in the district, the MLA pledged to do his best for the district. He highlighted the historical role played by the people of Kodagu in being self-reliant in the matters of community service and infrastructure. He gave the example of many Kodava people donating their lands for constructing public buildings like schools and hospitals and also public water tanks and roads.

He said that 90 percent of the land where government buildings stand today in Kodagu were donated by the elders and ancestors. In fact, Kodavas never depended on the government and were self-reliant in all aspects. The community must continue self-reliance and be a model to the society, he said.

“People of Kodagu have elected me keeping aside all their political affiliations and many of my admirers have supported me forgetting my party affiliation. I am indebted to them and I am participating in all the events organised by associations and community organisations as I want to develop a non-political relationship with the people of Kodagu. Love and trust is important and it is beyond politics and politics is not permanent. I am here to gain your trust,” A.S. Ponnanna said.

“When I came here to canvass during my election, I had made a couple of promises. I am committed to fulfil those promises by making honest efforts,” he said.

The day-long event included the 19th Annual General Body Meeting (AGM) of Kodava Samaja Cultural and Sports Club in the morning, presided over by Club President Kuttimada D. Muthappa. The evening programme featured cultural activities, felicitation ceremony, ramp walk, dance and singing by members and a presentation by Kodava Knights Symphony.

On the occasion, former Presidents of Kodava Samaja Poyyetira S. Ganapathy, Kattera A. Kariappa and Balliamanda M Nanaiah were felicitated for their remarkable work in infrastructural development of the Samaja. Kariappa, however, could not attend as he is indisposed.

Former Presidents of Kodava Samaja Cultural and Sports Club Machimada P. Nanaiah, Mullengada A. Kuttappa, Mechanda M. Karumbaiah and Puchimada K. Somaiah were also felicitated for their commendable work ever since the Club was  established in 2002.

Chemira Thanisha Changappa, who received 16 gold medals in M.Tech. Urban Regional Planning, during the Convocation of the University of Mysore on Oct. 18, was also felicitated by the Club.

Kodava Samaja President Ponjanda A. Ganapathy, Vice-President Machimada P. Nanaiah, President of Kodagu Sahakara Sangha A.C. Nanjamma (Chambanda), President of Shree Kaveri Kodagu Mahila Sangha Ponjanda Lovely Appaiah, Sree Cauvery Educational Institutions Chairman Meriyanda Naveen Chandra, Kodava Samaja Cultural and Sports Club Hon. Secretary Mechanda S. Bopanna, Vice-President Mederira K. Prakash, Joint Secretary Nagachettira Niran Uthappa, Treasurer Aramanamada M. Ponnanna, Club Committee Members Kottangada A. Pemmaiah, Mundottira C. Kaveen Kushalappa, Mandira T. Ramesh Poonacha, Kottangada Pradeep and Alameda Ponnanna, Corporator Maletira U. Subbaiah, Executive Director of Academy Newspapers Private Limited (publishers of Star of Mysore and Mysuru Mithra) Kalyatanda Ralie Ganapathy, former Vice-Chancellor of Central University, Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh Prof. Kambeyanda C. Belliappa, Sri Bhagavathy Kodava Souhardha Sahakara Sangha President Palandira Somanna, Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa Fans Association President Nayakanda M. Thimmaiah and others were present.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / November 13th, 2023