Former Union Minister Dr. Subramanian Swamy has written to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, urging him to form a commission to provide special status to the tribals in Kodagu, as requested by the Kodava National Council members.
Dr. Subramanian Swamy, who has already approached the High Court with the request to fulfill the demand of the tribal natives of Kodagu for a separate district, has a court hearing of the application on June 14. The veteran politician said that he wanted to meet Siddaramaiah on the occasion.
Referring to the demand of the natives in his letter to the Chief Minister, the former Union Minister stressed on the urgent need to form a government panel that would work at giving special status to the Kodavas in Karnataka.
source: http://www.english.varthabharati.in / Vartha Bharati / Home> Karnataka / by Vartha Bharati / June 10th, 2023
Mantar Gowda, MLA, directs the officials to coordinate with different departments to mitigate any extremities in weather.
A flash of lightning illuminating the skies in Mysuru. | Photo Credit: M.A. SRIRAM
With the monsoon set to keep its tryst with Kodagu in the next few days, the authorities reviewed their preparations to meet any eventuality.
A meeting was convened in Madikeri on Friday, June 9, and Mantar Gowda, MLA, directed the officials to coordinate with different departments to mitigate any extremities in weather.
He said the revenue, forest, PWD, CESC and other departments should coordinate and ensure that they attend to any problems caused in case of a landslide, uprooting of trees or telephone and electricity poles. The teams constituted for the purpose should reach the affected spots immediately and carry out repairs or any other mitigatory exercise to tide over the crisis.
The MLA said relief centres should be stocked with basic necessities and be equipped to deal with flood victims who could be shifted from their villages.
The officials were also instructed to counsel those affected by floods and infuse psychological strength in them and professional counsellors should be roped in with the assistance of Department of Health.
The nodal officers in charge of different relief centres should ensure coordination among different wings and branches of the district administration, said Mr. Gowda.
The authorities were directed to impress upon the people living in the vulnerable areas to be ready to relocate at short notice. The Chamundeshwari Electricity Supply Corporation (CESC) personnel were directed to ensure that electricity poles that are uprooted are immediately replaced and power supply restored at the earliest. Similarly, the forest department staff were asked to be on alert to clear the roads of any uprooted trees to pave way for traffic movement.
The district health officer was directed to monitor for any outbreak of water-borne diseases during monsoon and ramp up the preparations to handle any epidemic. The Education Department officials were instructed to ensure that no classes are conducted in schools identified to be in dilapidated conditions.
The ZP CEO Shekar said that meetings have been conducted at the Gram Panchayat levels and 19 schools have been identified for conversion as relief centres if need be. The principals of the respective schools will also function as nodal officers, he added.
There is a helpline at every Gram Panchayat and volunteers will also be deployed in case of any emergency, said the official.
Shantilal Jatia, heading the NDRF at Kodagu, said that a team of 24 personnel are stationed in the district and they would be ready for deployment at any time in case of emergency.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> India> Karnataka / by The Hindu Bureau / June 09th, 2023
The forest staff used techniques like the dung density method where they used photographs and GPS to scientifically record elephant dung.
Image used for representational purposes
Madikeri :
A total of 1103 wild elephant population has been recorded inside the forests of Kodagu. The statistics were released by the forest department following the completion of the elephant census.
However, the population of the wild elephants herded inside the estates of Kodagu has not been taken into consideration and a fresh census is required to verify the same.
The elephant census is conducted once in five years across the southern states and the same began across Kodagu in the month of May. Over 800 foresters from the department were involved in counting the population of the elephants across the forests of Kodagu.
The census was conducted in three phases and was spread across three days.
During the first phase, the forest staff took to the block count method and recorded the number of elephants sighted by the staff across designated forest regions.
The dung density method was used in the second phase of the counting where the foresters scientifically recorded the data of the elephant dung through photographs and GPS locations.
In the third phase, the foresters halted by the lakes, rivers and other water bodies inside the forest and counted the number of male, female and calf elephants in the herd.
The forest department confirmed that 200 teams with three to four forest staff were formed to conduct the census. The staff was geared with arms and ammunition in case of any untoward incident.
The census unfurled across the four divisions of the department including Madikeri, Madikeri Wildlife, Virajpet and Nagarahole Tiger Reserve divisions. While a total of 787 elephants were sighted in Nagarahole, the Madikeri division recorded 179 elephants.
The Anekadu area near Kushalnagar alone had 116 wild elephants, which falls under the Madikeri division. Virajpet and Madikeri Wildlife had a population of 73 and 64 wild elephants respectively.
Conservator of Forests of Kodagu Circle BN Murthy said, “The census was conducted only inside the forest area. However, there is a need to conduct the census within the estates and this will increase the numbers. It is not possible to get the actual count and the census was conducted across 1.15 lakh hectares of forest land in Kodagu.”
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Karnataka / by Express News Service / June 06th, 2023
Virajpet Congress MLA and senior advocate A.S. Ponnanna has been appointed as the Legal Advisor to Chief Minister Siddharamaiah.
Ponnanna, who is also the KPCC Legal Wing President, was an aspirant for a Ministerial berth in the Siddharamaiah Cabinet, after having won from Virajpet Assembly segment defeating BJP stalwart K.G. Bopaiah. But he missed the bus and now he has been appointed as the CM’s Legal Advisor of the rank of a Cabinet Minister. He is the son of firebrand political leader from Kodagu late A.K. Subbaiah.
Ponnanna had also served as Additional Solicitor General when Siddharamaiah was the CM earlier (2013-18).
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / June 02nd, 2023
Actor Ambareesh’s son Abishek and Aviva Bidappa tied the knot in a grand Hindu wedding ceremony. An even more grand reception is planned on June 7.
Rajinikanth at the wedding of Aviva Bidappa and Abishek Ambareesh
Veteran Kannada actor Ambareesh’s son Abishek Ambareesh got married to entrepreneur and model Aviva Bidappa on Monday, June 5, in a grand ceremony that was attended by many notable personalities of the film industry as well as several politicians. Actors Rajinikanth, Mohan Babu, and Yash among others attended the wedding ceremony and blessed the couple.
Rajinikanth has starred alongside Abishek’s mother Sumalatha in a few films and the two get along well. Murattu Kaalai, Anbukku Naan Adimai, and Kazhugu are three Tamil films in which Rajinikanth and Sumalatha collaborated. The ceremony also included KGF celebrity Yash who can be seen hugging Abishek in a video.
According to reports, the family will host a grand reception on June 7 in Bengaluru on a large scale. The pair appeared ethereal in the wedding photographs wearing traditional South Indian clothing. Aviva wore a red saree with gold jewelry, while Abhishek wore a beige kurta and a dhoti combo with sunglasses. The stars who attended the wedding also captured everyone’s attention with their simplicity. Rajinikanth was attired in a white kurta and dhoti, while Yash was dressed in a light pink sherwani.
Abhishek made his acting debut in the 2019 Kannada film Amar. He has also worked in the upcoming film Bad Manners, directed by Duniya Suri. Aviva is the daughter of Prasad Bidappa, a well-known celebrity fashion designer. Aviva herself is a popular model, TV personality, fashion designer and a successful businesswoman.
For the uninitiated, Ambareesh was an Indian film actor and politician from Karnataka. Ambareesh made his acting debut in Nagarahavu, Puttanna Kanagal’s National Award-winning film.. After that, his acting career continued with a brief phase of portraying antagonistic and supporting characters in Kannada films.
source: http://www.indulgexpress.com / The New Indian Express – Indulge Express / Home> Entertainment> Celebs / by Team Indulge / June 06th, 2023
Gulshan Devaiah feels that as the world gets upgraded with AI and ML, it is his responsibility to support the artistes monetarily for their work.
Gulshan Devaiah
Mumbai:
Actor Gulshan Devaiah, who is receiving a lot of positive response for his work in the recently released streaming series ‘Dahaad’, feels that as the world gets upgraded with Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) with the former taking over creative jobs, it is his responsibility to support the artistes financially in lieu of their work.
Recently, Bengaluru-based caricature artiste Prasad Bhat, who is the founder of Graphicurry, reached out to Gulshan to pay a tribute to him as an actor, by caricaturing some of his iconic characters.
The actor could not accept it for free. Touched by the gesture, Gulshan commissioned the work from the artiste.
Talking about the same, Gulshan said” “If I really like something then I’m willing to pay for it. I’m very grateful & privileged to receive offers from artists to make me something for free but it’s their livelihood too and in this age of Machine Learning and AI, the least I can do is support artists by offering to pay them their rates”.
Prasad had picked Gulshan’s looks from his movies and series, like ‘Commando 3’, ‘Dahaad’, ‘Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela’, ‘Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota’, ‘Ghost Stories‘, ‘Durangaa’, ‘Badhaai Do’, ‘Hunterrr’, ‘Death in the Gunj’ and ‘That Girl in Yellow Boots’.
The actor further mentioned: “Prasad offered to make me something. I liked his idea and decided I wanted to commission him to kinda summarise my career until now with his art. I’m very happy with Prasad’s caricatures and each one of them has wonderful memories attached to them.”
Meanwhile, on the work front, Gulshan who was last seen in the movie ‘8 A.M. Metro’, opposite Saiyami Kher, will soon begin filming his upcoming action thriller movie ‘Ulajh’ with Janhvi Kapoor and Malayalam star Roshan Mathew.
source: http://telanganatoday.com / Telangana Today / Home> Entertainment / by IANS / June 01st, 2023
The impact of modernisation, globalisation, liberalisation and privatisation has significantly eroded indigenous customs and traditions, leading to their gradual decline. Nevertheless, the establishment of the Kodava Heritage Centre at Madikeri in Kodagu dedicated to preserving these customs and traditions for future generations is commendable, said Dr. M. Nanjaiah Honganur, Head, Department of Studies in Folklore, University of Mysore.
Speaking to Star of Mysore, Dr. Nanjaiah Honganur said that in recent times, the cultural heritage of our land is rapidly fading away due to the influence of modernity. It is the collective responsibility of all individuals to safeguard these practices and pass them on to the next generation.
“Kodagu boasts of a unique culture and environment. Establishing a Heritage Centre in collaboration with the Kodava Samaja to safeguard the customs and traditions of the region is a worthy endeavour. It aims to narrate the history of the land through both physical and virtual means,” he said. “Presently, our customs and traditions are being relegated to the pages of history due to various factors and the pressures of modern life. Kodagu takes great pride in its distinctive traditions, making it essential to preserve them. Efforts should focus on conserving customs related to Kodava marriages, festival celebrations, funeral rituals, agricultural practices, farming in hilly regions and heritage handicrafts. These aspects must form the core of conservation initiatives, which need to be undertaken promptly,” he suggested.
Museums, often referred to as ‘material culture house’ exhibits items once used by our ancestors, such as farming equipment, household articles, attire and other objects. These museums play a crucial role in introducing younger generations to our traditions and customs. They serve as a timeless resource for transferring culture to the next generation, raising awareness about historical artefacts. Museums dedicated to culture hold particular significance in society, he added.
Opposition from some quarters to the establishment of the Kodava Heritage Centre is unjustified, he noted. “Educating the younger generation about age-old practices becomes our responsibility. Online museums dedicated to specific topics have gained popularity and a similar demand has emerged in Kodagu. While these digital platforms benefit educated individuals and netizens while creating global awareness, regular museums attract a wider audience,” he added. The opportunity to closely examine and interact with exhibits in person provides a unique experience. The freshness and tactile engagement during a visit to a traditional museum are unparalleled, he noted.
“Regardless of cultural form — be it folk, coastal or any other — all folk practices should be preserved and programmes should be designed accordingly,” Dr. Nanjaiah Honganur added.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / by M T Yogesh Kumar / May 29th, 2023
The decision to cancel the exclusive selection process for Kodagu athletes for state-level teams has irked sports persons in the Kodagu district. As many as 18 students, including three girls, selected at the district-level selection process have been removed.
Kodagu district has players at the state and national level and they have also participated in the Olympics events. An exclusive selection of Kodagu students has been going on for the past 23 years in Ponnampet.
Arun Machaiah, a former MLC, accused senior officials behind the decision to cancel the selection.
A state-level sports school is being run at Kudige and the athletes to play at the state level are selected from there.
While the national-level sports persons are selected from Sai Sports Residential School, Madikeri.
Machaiah said when the selection processes for national and state-level events come together the opportunities for the athletes of Kodagu are likely to decrease.
Zilla panchayat had taken resolution for an exclusive selection of Kodagu students for state teams in Ponnampet School. It was approved by the Karnataka government in 2001.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> News> City News> Mysuru News / by G Rajendra / May 28th, 2023
According to the researchers, with the discovery of the new species, the number of bent-winged bats in India has increased from 4 to 5.
OU scientist discovers new species of Bat (Photo: Twitter)
Hyderabad:
Eminent zoology scientist from Osmania University Dr Bhargavi Srinivasulu, along with her son, Aditya Srinivasulu, has discovered a new species of bat from Karnataka’s Coorg.
The mother-son duo have named their discovery, ‘Miniopetrus srinii Srini’s Bent-winged Bat’, discovered in a cave in Makuta of Kodagu district (Coorg).
The research papers were submitted on Saturday and the expert committee cleared the papers and conferred the rare honour.
“We collected the specimens of bats from a large subterranean cave in the dense jungles of Western Ghats in Makuta, we doubted that this could be a cryptic species of bat, which we had tentatively identified as the Small Bent-winged Bat,” said Dr Bhargavi.
Found in southern Europe, Africa, Madagascar, Asia, Australia, New Caledonia and Vanuatu, Bent-winged Bats are small-sized bats that live in large colonies of a few hundred individuals in caves.
According to the researchers, with the discovery of the new species, the number of bent-winged bats in India has increased from 4 to 5.
The specimens of bats were collected from a large subterranean cave in the dense jungles of the Western Ghats in Makuta. The Small Bent-winged Bat is reported from the Nicobar Islands, peninsular India, Nepal and Northeast India.
Talking about the multiple works they undertook in discovering the new bats, Dr Bhargavi said, “Our research on Andaman bats has revealed that the fauna on the islands are genetically different from those on mainland India. We conducted morphological, cranial, echolocation and genetic studies to determine the relationship between the Makuta specimens and others.”
A peer-reviewed scientific mega journal for animal taxonomists named Zootaxa has published the description of the new species that were named in honour of Prof C Srinivasulu, a bat biologist working at the varsity.
source: http://www.siasat.com / The Siasat Daily / Home> News> Hyderabad / by News Desk / May 29th, 2023
Dr. Kottangada Pemmaiah, an Indian Revenue Services (IRS – Income Tax) Officer from Kodagu, has been appointed as Deputy Director of Enforcement in the Directorate of Enforcement.
The appointment order was issued by the Office of the President of India on May 25. Dr. Pemmaiah from the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) cadre is among 17 officers who have been appointed as Deputy Director of Enforcement.
The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) is a multi-disciplinary organisation mandated with the investigation of offences of money laundering and violations of foreign exchange laws.
It functions under the Department of Revenue of the Ministry of Finance. As a premier financial investigation agency of the Government of India, the Enforcement Directorate functions in strict compliance with the Constitution and laws of India.
The Directorate of Enforcement has Delhi as its headquarters and is headed by the Director of Enforcement. There are five Regional Offices in Mumbai, Chennai, Chandigarh, Kolkata and Delhi headed by Special Directors of Enforcement. There are 10 Zonal offices each of which is headed by a Deputy Director.
Dr. Pemmaiah has excelled in the roles of Deputy Director (Investigation), Surat, Gujarat and Deputy Director of the Foreign Asset Investigation Unit (FAIU) in Surat.
Speaking to Star of Mysore, Dr. Pemmaiah said that basically Indian Police Service or Indian Revenue Services or Customs, and a 5-year experience is the criteria for the appointment of Deputy Director of Enforcement.
“They had verified my previous work done and they had a series of interviews after which the selection has been made. So, with the blessings of ‘Guru Karona’ I was one of the 17 officers. I am happy that I have been given this responsibility and this is a sensitive assignment considering the nature of the job and its national importance,” he said.
Dr. Pemmaiah is the son of Kottangada late Devaiah. His mother Viju Devaiah is a social worker and President of Cauvery Pommakkada Koota at Gonikoppa. Before getting into Civil Services, Dr. Pemmaiah was serving as Resident Medical Officer at Gonikoppa Community Health Centre.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / May 27th, 2023
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