Category Archives: Green Initiatives / Environment

Kundapur: Workshop held to promote Agarwood plantations

Business & Economy, Green Initiatives / Environment, Nature

Kundapur :

“Agarwood plantations is a profitable crop that can be grown without depending on workers.  It can be grown as a main crop or in between other crops.  Agarwood has huge demand in the international market and fetches more value than sandalwood,” said Vanadurgi Agarwood company’s technical advisor Dr V Bhaskar.

He was speaking during a meeting of Agarwood planters and a workshop on Agarwood, held at Kundapur Hangalur’s Anantapadmanabha Hall on August 13, 2013 under the joint aegis of the Vanadurgi Agarwood India and Bharatiya Kisan Sangha, Kundapur.

The Agarwood can be easily grown in between the crops of coffee, Betelnut, coconut, cardamom etc. as a mixed crop in malnad or aremalnad regions.  Many farmers are interested in the crop and have already started growing it, he said.

The president of Bharatiya Kisan Sangha, B V Poojary inaugurated the programme.  Vanadurgi agarwood industries chairman Surendrakumar Hegde, explained the importance of agarwood crop and said that with the participation of planters, the crop of agarwood has come out as a strong force in agriculture and business spheres.

Vanadurgi agarwood company’s technical advisor Srinivas, president of Kundapur land development bank and planter S Dinakar Shetty, agar planter Ramachandra Navada and organic agriculturist Ramachandra Alse were present.

Chief secretary of Bakisam, Venkatesh Hebbar welcomed the gathering.  Vanadurgi agarwood company’s Thrimurthi gave a key note address saying that 180 – 200 people have already started agarwood plantations in Udupi and the farmers have responded well.

T P Vijay, conducted the programme. Santosh welcomed the gathering. More information was given with the help of a video projector.  The technical officers of the company  explained certain details to the questions raised by the planters.

source: http://www.daijiworld.com / Daiji World / Home> Karnataka / by Silvester D’Souza / Daijiworld Media Network – Kundapur (EP) / Wednesday, August 14th, 2013

Now traffic lights to run on solar power

Green Initiatives / Environment, Science & Technology

Hubli :

With the Hubli-Dharwad police commissionerate contemplating upgrading traffic signals in the twin cities with the latest technology, the crossroads in the twin cities will soon wear a brand new look.

If everything goes as planned, by next month the city roads will have solar-run traffic signalling system for which the government has already sanctioned Rs 50 lakh. The commissionerate has invited tenders for the work.

In Hubli-Dharwad, there are around 30 signals. Of them, 24 are equipped with solar and power while the remaining are functioning with electrical power which is expensive. Now the authorities are planning to add four more signals.

The decision was taken to reduce power usage for traffic signals Lighting will be produced by an array of energy efficient LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) that are brighter than bulbs.

B A Padmanayan, the commissioner of police, said that the solar-equipped traffic poles will help reduce consumption of electricity and maintenance expenditure.

According to sources, the spurt in number of private vehicles and also NWKRTC buses in the twin cities has increased the traffic problem. As Hubli-Dharwad is growing rapidly, streamlining of the traffic system is also becoming a big challenge for the police department.

Most traffic signals in the twin cities were installed years ago and are not visible to all road users. Considering this, moves are afoot to increase the size of the poles.

N S Patil, ACP for Traffic, said that unlike earlier when HDMC used to install traffic signals, now the department is installing traffic signals to avoid power related issues. In case the solar signals develop any hiccups, there will be an alternative arrangement using electricity connection.

source: http://www.articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Traffic Signals / by J Abbas Mulla, TNN / August 05th, 2013

Wind chimes, gurgling streams and more

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

More than a hundred wind chimes, hand picked by a Feng Shui proponent and flown in from Indonesia, on display.

Feng Shui proponent Veena Nanda admires wind chimes at Sunshine Garden Boutique in Indiranagar. - Anantha Subramanyam K/DNA
Feng Shui proponent Veena Nanda admires wind chimes at Sunshine Garden Boutique in Indiranagar. – Anantha Subramanyam K/DNA

The ancient Roman and Asian civilisations believed that the melodious tinkling of wind chimes hung in gardens and porticos was auspicious. The Romans trusted wind chimes to ward off evil spirits, while in India, China and Japan, they were hung in every corner of temples, palaces, pagodas and homes as a charm against evil and also to frighten away birds.

“Today, wind chimes are used to maximise the flow of chi, or life’s energy,” says Veena Nanda, a Feng Shui expert who is holding a festival of more than hundred wind chimes flown in from Indonesia.

According to her, wind chimes are one of Feng Shui’s “remedies that cure and energise simultaneously”.

She says: “Wind chime tones have a healing effect on our body. They calm the mind and awaken the spirit. They bring a sense of peace and well being as they subdue the negative energy and activate the positive energy most effectively.”

The best places to hang these chimes, she says, are gardens, house entrances, balconies and meditation or prayer rooms. Besides a bamboo hollow, her chimes have intricate patterns, designs and shapes at the base.

“These days, people don’t want anything that doesn’t add to their home decor. So I took care to pick these ones,” she says.

An enthusiastic gardener, Veena has also been practising the art of bonsai for 30 years. She has been conducting regular workshops on bonsai for 18 years, and has bagged several awards for this. Her fascination with Feng Shui, particularly wind chimes, came from her interest in bonsai, which, she says, is an addiction now.

“I conduct about two workshops every month, and 20- to 65-year-olds come to learn it. Earlier, I hardly had any male students. But now, as gardening is no longer perceived as just a woman’s hobby, every batch have an equal number of men and women,” she says.

This exhibition of wind chimes is being held at her garden boutique in Indiranagar. She has many kinds of garden accessories like sculptures, garden gnomes, bird baths, terracotta toadstools, planters and water features for sale.

source: http://www.dnaindia.com / DNA / Home> Bangalore> Report / by DNA Correspondent / Place: Bangalo

Hasiru Grama mooted in every forest division

Green Initiatives / Environment, Nature, Science & Technology
Workshop on medicinal plants held
Workshop on medicinal plants held

Mysore :

“The government proposes to establish ‘Hasiru Grama’ in every forest division in the State to promote cultivation of exclusive medicinal plants,” said B. Shivanagowda, Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (APCCF).

He was speaking after inaugurating a workshop on medicinal plants organised by the Village Forest Committee (VFC) at Aranya Bhavan in Ashokapuram here today.

Over 100 growers of medicinal plants, native doctors and VFC members are participating in the programme which features lectures on sustainable storage, value addition, transportation and marketing of medicinal herbs which are on the verge of extinction.

Shivanagowda said that the three VFCs were monitoring the cultivation of medicinal plants grown in 16 villages abutting the forests. He assured that the department would provide all needed support for developing the sector with value addition in every stage.

He proposed to hold a medicinal herbs buyers’ meet to explore direct sale of the herbs to manufacturing units. He said that Shathavari, Makaliberu and Gowri hoovu plants had tremendous potential in the medicine sector.

Speaking on the occasion, APCCF Dr. G.N. Srikantaiah said that the buy back system would be immensely beneficial to the growers.

Chief Conservator of Forests (Bamboo mission) A.C. Keshavamurthy opined that Health Tourism would give a fillip to the growers as herbal medicines have become very popular now.

Chief Conservator of Forests K.B. Markandaiah welcomed. FRLHT senior Programmer Jagannath Rao spoke. DCF D.S. Gaonkar was present.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News / August 08th, 2013

Now is the best time to visit Shivanasamudra

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Green Initiatives / Environment, Nature
A view of Bharachukki waterfall. / Photo: M.A. Srirram
A view of Bharachukki waterfall. / Photo: M.A. Srirram

Tourists and local people alike from Mysore and surrounding regions are thronging the famed Shivanasamudra Falls, about 70 km from here, following copious discharge from the Krishnaraja Sagar and Kabini reservoirs.

Shivanasamudra refers to the twin falls of Gaganachukki in Malavalli taluk of Mandya district and Bharachukki in Kollegal taluk of Chamarajanagar district which are separated by a few km. Shivanasamudra is located about 145 km away from Bangalore.

A view of the Gaganachukki falls. / Photo: M.A. Srirram
A view of the Gaganachukki falls. / Photo: M.A. Srirram

With the combined discharge from the KRS and the Kabini reservoirs in excess of 1,00,000 cusecs, the sight of water gushing down the gorge and plunging into the depths below with a roaring sound is a feast for the eyes. Mist engulfs the entire place when the water is in full flow, lending an ethereal beauty to the falls.

The rate of outflow from the KRS was at about 60,000 cusecs while it was at about 40,000 cusecs from the Kabini reservoir in H.D. Kote taluk. The discharge has remained more or less constant since the last 24 hours due to good inflow into the reservoir and hence Shivanasamudra has come alive in full glory.

Inflow

On Saturday, inflow into the KRS, as measured at 6 a.m., was at 50,049 cusecsand inflow into the Kabini reservoir was at 31,298 cusecs.

Both the Cauvery and the Kabini (also called the Kapila) meet at the Triveni Sangama in T. Narsipur taluk of Mysore district and beyond this point of confluence, the river is referred to as the Cauvery and hence Shivanasamudra is also called as the Cauvery Falls.

Ranked 45

Incidentally, Shivanasamudra has been ranked 45 among the world’s top 100 waterfalls by the World Waterfall Database (www.worldwaterfalldatabase.com). The website goes on to state that it would easily be among the world’s top 10 waterfalls but for the fact that the river has been harnessed. The fact that the river splits into two to form two falls could also be a factor in reduced visual appeal and grandeur compared with other great falls of the world. But none of this matters when the river is in spate as at present.

The visitors’ flow to the falls began as the monsoon picked up momentum. The number of tourists visiting the falls increased in the last couple of weeks following continuous discharge from the Kabini reservoir. With the KRS having attained its full reservoir level of 124.8 feet (but the level was maintained at 123.25 feet on Saturday for safety purpose) and excess water being released from the dam, the volume of water at the falls will be high.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Nation> Karnataka / by R. Krishna Kumar / Mysore – July 28th, 2013

Environmentalists want rocky areas to be declared ecological parks

Green Initiatives / Environment, Nature

A group of 40 environmental scientists are mulling over recommending the State Government to declare rocky areas in the State as ‘Ecological Parks’.

EnvironmentalistBF19jul2013

Delivering a talk on ‘Water is the product of forest’ as part of ninth conservation speak organised by Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens, popular as Mysore Zoo, in the city, on Tuesday, A N Yellappa Reddy, former secretary of forests and environmentalist, said, it is imperative to conserve rocky areas in the State from B R Hills in Chamarajanagar district to Hampi in Bellary district as they are also considered as ‘oldest granite rock system’.

Similarly, at Chitradurga and Holenarsipura. Moreover, they are called as ‘rocky mountain forests’.

Referring to recent Uttarakhand natural calamity, that has claimed many lives leaving behind a trail of destruction, Yellappa Reddy said, “the natural fury in the State could be owed to the destruction of natural resources.”

In our own Karnataka, nature’s fury in north Karnataka in the year 2009 has left behind a similar story. Yet, conservation of environment assumes least significance in political party manifestos, he said.

Yellappa Reddy said, “Herbs like magadi beru (used in preparing pickles) and sogade beru, grown on rocky surfaces, play a bigger role in the conservation of environment, by facilitating percolation of rain water. He called them as ‘intact natural forest’ that are ‘most reliable dynamic hydro-bio-systems’.

If quarrying is allowed in such rocky areas, ecology will be disturbed. However, nature is being manipulated according to the people’s whims and fancy.

Taking all these factors into consideration, Yellappa Reddy said he and a group of 40 scientists from the Geological Survey of India (GSI) and Ecological Survey of India (ESI) recently visited Ramanagar, dotted with rocky areas, where illegal quarrying has reached its peak.

Similarly, Yellappa Reddy termed trees as mini dams, which trap water immensely, contributing to the ecosystem. Whenever there is a decision involving trees, in the name of development, cutting trees should be the last option, he stressed.

Kempegowda’s efforts gone in no time

Making a mockery of successive governments that boast conferring awards in the name of erstwhile ruler of Bangalore Kempegowda, A N Yellappa Reddy said, “The efforts of the late ruler in building 4,000 tanks in the then Bangalore and surrounding areas has gone in vain”. Yellappa Reddy said, earlier there were nearly three to four tanks in every villages around the State capital. Some areas like Malleshwaram and Basavanagudi were receiving abundant water. In the later days, most water sources were exploited, making water a mirage in the city.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> District / DHNS / Mysore – July 02nd, 2013

Puttur: Agriculturist takes up sandalwood farming to conserve species

Business & Economy, Green Initiatives / Environment, Nature

Puttur : 

“Today the land of sandalwood is seeing its extinction; sandalwood trees are now an endangered species in India,” says Jairam Sharma, owner of a sandalwood nursery in Nelyadi.

Sharma is an agriculturist and his love for nature and concern for the environment led him to cultivate a sandalwood nursery on his 16 acre plot. Sharma started this model nursery ‘Chandana’, under the National Horticulture Mission, National Medicinal Plant Board, to grow the endangered species in 2003.

His mission was to provide more income to farmers and economically empower them, while increasing the extinct species ‘Santalum Album’ and ‘Pterocarpus Santalinus’ that are an asset to the nation and to the government.

Sharma is not only an agriculturist but is an expert on sandalwood plantation. He mourns for man’s perversion towards exploiting nature for his selfish wants.

He also said, “Karnataka is said to be the ‘Land of Sandal’ – ‘Gandhada Nadu’ – but what is the present of condition of  this land of sandalwood? Sandalwood trees are reaching extinction. Both Santalum Album and Pterocarpus Santalinus have become endangered species. Even the huge trees in the forest are trampled down by the smuggling mafia.”

Narrating the techniques of sandalwood cultivation, Sharma said, “Basically, sandalwood cultivation is well-suited for dry land. On one hectare, a farmer can cultivate 500 plants. Today, in Australia, sandalwood cultivation has become a regular crop.”

“Cultivated plants can be grown for 25 to 30 years, but it is viable at the age of 15 years and it gets good market value. The cost of a sandalwood plant depends on its age and height. Basically, the Santalum Album is a semi root parasitic plant. Sandalwood plant can also be cultivated as a mixed crop between Mango or Sapodilla plantations. Seeds of this plant can be used for fat extraction for soaps and detergents. Apart from this, it can be also used as cereal grains for food but it is not affordable to the common man,” says Sharma form his experience of cultivation.

“India is pioneer of sandalwood and East Indian sandalwood has wide demand and market throughout the world because of its quality. Till 2001, there was restriction on growing sandalwood. In 2001, the Act was amended with regard to growing sandalwood trees in Karnataka, where in 2003 the state government implemented the Act on growing and cutting sandalwood trees without any restrictions. But a farmer has to sell the sandalwood to government-owned bodies like Karnataka Soap Factory, Karnataka Handicraft Emporium, or to Karnataka Forest Department. Unfortunately, a farmer doesn’t have an open market for sandalwood,” said Sharma.

Sharma sells sandalwood plants from his nursery in states like Himachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, and Orissa, but selling is not the sole aim. He also visits such places to check the condition of plants he has sold.

Talking on the products and demand of Red Sanders, he said, “Red Sanders is also used in preparing music instruments and idols especially which are exported to Japan. So, it has wide demand in the world.”

Sharma, feeling proud about his profession, says, “This profession gives me more peace and happiness where one can show love towards nature. If the market for sandalwood falls, no matter, but we can save this earth from global warming.”

As Franklin D Roosevelt said, “A nation that destroys its soil destroys itself. Forests are the lungs of our land, purifying the air and giving fresh strength to our people.”

source: http://www.daijiworld.com / DaijiWorld.com / Home> Top Stories / by DaijiWorld Media Network – Puttur / by Deekshith  D.V. / Tuesday – July 02nd, 2013

Flight of the flamingo

Green Initiatives / Environment, Nature, Travel

FlamingoBF20jun2013

If you love bird-watching and are on the look-out for spots in the State where you can spot an exquisite kind of birds such as flamingos, look no further than the banks of the backwaters of Krishna river in North Karnataka, or near Bagalkot.

You can also spot these birds in Raichur’s Manchalapura. The many lakes and tanks here are home to flamingos which land here in January. You can spot them till the months of May-June.

The flurry of activities revolving around the flight of these birds is a treat to watch. A feast for any photographer. The birds gather in huge flocks; their attempts at self-defence, their foraging for food and their mutual co-operation are all worth observing.

The Greater Flamingo (phoenicopterus roseus), the species that can typically be spotted in India  is the most widespread species of the flamingo family. It is found in parts of Africa, southern Asia (coastal regions of Pakistan and India), and southern Europe.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> Supplements> Spectrum / by M. R. Manjunath / DHNS – June 11th, 2013

Farmer reaps fruits of smart work

Business & Economy, Green Initiatives / Environment, Nature, Science & Technology

 On a govt-sponsored trip to Israel, he learnt waterwise ways to get a good yield.

Businessman-turned-farmer Mahesh Mittalkod shows the yield of a mango tree on his field. His income and profit are soaring since he adopted new techniques. - DNA/DNA
Businessman-turned-farmer Mahesh Mittalkod shows the yield of a mango tree on his field. His income and profit are soaring since he adopted new techniques. – DNA/DNA

While many farmers are selling their land and quitting farming owing to ‘unfavourable conditions’, one man is seeing his profit increasing manifold in the arid region of Koppal.

A government-sponsored trip to Israel in 2009 taught Mahesh Mittalkod methods to improve his yield. Upon returning, he put those methods to practice. Now, he is reaping the benefits. Literally.

He told dna that after the study trip, he got his first profit last year—Rs3 lakh. This year, the profit more than doubled to Rs7 lakh. He said he is expecting his income to touch Rs15-20 lakh the next season.

The businessman-turned-farmer said Israeli farmers’ technique of growing mangoes, using minimal water, impressed him a great deal. He found it of use particularly as Koppal, from where he hails, is infamous for water-shortage. He said that upon returning from the study trip, he took a sample of soil from his field to horticulture department for test. The report gave thumbs up to the soil quality, which encouraged Mittalkod to procure seeds of alphonso from Andhra Pradesh in April 2009.

In line with what he learnt in Israel, he dug one-foot-deep pits and used green leaves, neem cake and superphosphate as fertilizer, besides switching to drip irrigation for watering plants. He said his initiative made him the butt of joke of his neighbours, but he continued doing what he was doing. He said the support of horticulture department officials—such as Mohan NB and Murthy—egged him on. And the result is here for everyone to see.

While the saplings he had bought in 2009 have started giving yield, the ones he bought in 2010 would be giving result from the next season, taking his expected income to Rs15-20 lakh, he said.

District information centre BV Tukaram acknowledged Mittalkod’s achievement. He said the farmer grew five tonnes of alphonso mangoes this season and his yield might increase threefold next year. Mittalkod said the success of the new method has spurred him on to expand the practice to the other 17 acres of his land.

Having learnt about Mittalkod’s success, farmers from the region have been visiting his field for the past two months to learn the tricks of the trade from him. He said he would like to appeal to other farmers to look for such innovative ways instead of abandoning the profession.

source: http://www.dnaindia.com  / DNA / Home> Bangalore> Report / by Sangamesh Menasinakai / Agency:DNA, Place: Koppal / Sunday – June 02nd, 2013

Bengaluru’s connection to Nobel prize in Economics deepens

Green Initiatives / Environment, Nature, Records, All, Science & Technology, World Opinion

2013 ELINOR OSTROM AWARDEE – HARINI NAGENDRA

Bangalore ecologist Harini Nagendra is a 2013 Elinor Ostrom awardee, instituted in the name of the 2009 Nobel Prize winner.

For Bangalore-based ecologist Harini Nagendra, whose name has just been announced as a winner of the 2013 Elinor Ostrom award, it is a bittersweet moment.

Harini Nagendra and Dr. Ostrom at Kaikondrahalli Lake. Pic: Priya Ramasubban.
Harini Nagendra and Dr. Ostrom at Kaikondrahalli Lake. Pic: Priya Ramasubban.

The award has been instituted in the name of Elinor Ostrom, the USA-based scholar who received the Nobel Prize for economics in 2009 for her long standing body of work on the governance of the commons. For Harini, Elinor was, apart from being one of the most brilliant, incisive and deeply humanistic scholars, a very dear friend, collaborator and mentor with whom she worked closely for 12 years. Says Harini, “The award (being) in Lin Ostrom’s name, and is a great honour.” Elinor passed away just a year ago in June 2012.

The very first 2013 Elinor Ostram Award  on Collective Governance of the Commons goes to eight individuals and organisations from around the world, including Harini. The award is given by a consortium of 15 international organizations including the UNESCO Man and Biosphere programme, Resilience Alliance and the International Association for the Study of the Commons. Harini will receive the award at IASC conference in Mt. Fuji, Japan, in early June.

The award has been given at end of a process in which experts and an awards council received many candidates and carefully evaluated them in three consecutive rounds.The other laureates are: Foundation for Ecological Security, the Open Spaces Society, Grupo de Estudios Ambientales A.C., Harini Nagendra, Ben Cousins, Charles Schweik, Eduardo Araral and Michael Cox.

Elinor Ostrom had a deeper connection to Bangalore. She had been herself studying lakes in the city and had deep insights into the way forward for citizen action on lake preservation. She passed away in Indiana, United States, mid last year after a short and intense battle with pancreatic cancer. During her trip to Bangalore in February 2012, she visited Kaikondrahalli lake on Sarjapur Road . Kaikondrahalli lake was restored through a collaborative effort by local communities and the BBMP, was one of the sites of research for Harini.

The consortium notes on its website that the Elinor Ostrom award is “to acknowledge Ostrom’s legacy for scholarship and policy-making while making it accessible to wider and more varied audiences, within and outside of the academia”. It also wants to promote academic research on the commons, collective action, and related institutions, as well as its application to the understanding of the governance of different types of commons. The website adds that the awards were also instituted to “multiply the impacts of Ostrom’s proposals on scholarship and policy-making, making her legacy a living one.

For her part, Harini has authored articles in Citizen Matters on environmental issues of Bangalore, and her July 2011 article chronicling the city’s green battles in detail is still an important read for those who want to understand how the city communities have been standing up to grave threat of losing lakes and green spaces to unregulated urbanisation.

She is currently a scholar at Bangalore-headquartered Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment or ATREE, and is also holds an Asia-level research position at Indiana University.
Harini, 41 studied at Bishop Cottons Girls School, Bangalore and National Public School Indiranagar. After her BSc from St. Joseph’s College of Arts and Science, she completed MS in Biological Sciences and PhD in Ecology from Indian Institute of Science. The mother of a 5 year old and National Geographic Conservation Trust grantee has said, “If anything I can do, in collaboration with others, can make the smallest dent in the situation-the likelihood of a better world for my daughter’s generation is worth it in and of itself.

source: http://www.bangalore.citizenmatters.in / Citizen Matters, Bangalore / Home> City> People / by News Desk / Citizen Matters – May 24th, 2013