Cable TV goes digital from today in Belgaum
4:27 PM Posted by ukmad
You will have to buy or rent out a Set top box and then you can choose from the various plans as per your needs. This seems to be very similar to DTH service.
Belgaum Session: 2006 and now in 2008 what city will get
4:48 PM Posted by ukmad
The first ever session of the Karnataka Legislative assembly was held in Belgaum 25-09-2006 to 29-09-2006.
Once the announcement of the session was made many places in the city were seen through so as to get the most ideal place for the session. Right from the VTU, Gandhi Bhavan too many other places and at last the JNMC campus was selected. At that moment initially nobody had thought about that venue as the chairman Mr.Kore was in the congress and during that time Congress was in the opposition.
Mr.Prabhakar Kore came forward and gave his JNMC campus to be turned in to the part time assembly. Which all liked as it was somewhat out of the city with main road connectivity and many hotels in the surrounding.
Holding a session is not easy, accommodation from staff to MLA and Governor has to be done. JNMC campus has one of the best renovated international hostels like the Akkamahadevi international hostel where many of the MLAs and staff resided during the last session. Hotels like Shankam, Ramdev, Adarsh Palace were booked.
This time also the same thing will happen, not to mention VITS will be added to the list.
Roads leading from the airport to the JNMC campus will be repaired to see that there are no potholes. The area surrounding the campus will be cleaned for cleanliness and also for security concerns. A few other roads will also get a face lift in this time.
All the students there in the JNMC had a holiday for about 10 days last time in 2006, the same would be case this time also, the number of days might be increase this time.
What else can we expect from the session to Belgaum is uninterrupted power supply during those 10 days, which will be a welcome move for us.
The national media and also the state media will be here to cover the show. So you could see some specials on various channels in respect to Belgaum.
With all this some restrictions will also come in. All roads from Kolhapur Cross towards JNMC will be blocked. Access to KLE hospital will not be easy. People coming in from Kolhapur side might have to divert their entry near the Lake. Busses leaving from Ramdev hotel could be shifted elsewhere in that period. Regular business of local dealers from Hotel Ramdev onwards towards the campus will be drastically affected as their main consumer bases are students who will not be there.
Some new policies or draft resolutions may be passed in the Session for the growth of Belgaum district. Not sure what will happen but something is expected to happen.
Out of the 3 assembly constituencies in Belgaum, 2 are held by the ruling BJP and one by the Congress.
If you would like to know all that happened in the 2006 session this link will give you all the details.
http://belgaum.nic.in/new_assembly.htm
So now look forward to the session and hope Belgaum city will get its due.
Big Cinema Kapeel Belgaum: Book your ticket online
7:50 PM Posted by ukmad
With Big Cinemas, Belgau
m cine goers can now book their tickets online by visitinghttps://www.bigcinemas.com/dialup.asp
There on the Right hand side first select the number of seats, then the Cinema, here in SOUTH- Big Cinemas Kapeel, Belgaum.
Then Select the Movie from the drop down menu.
Once you know which movie then, Select the Show date. At present for Kapeel, only one day is being shown, i.e. current day bookings only.
Then Select the Show time.
Select the Class, at present all Gold, Silver and platinum are all priced same Rs.60.
Then you will be taken to a login page, you have to register to get signed in.
Sing in and you get this page.
Where you have 8 minutes to comple
te the transaction.
Where you have ticket details and payment details.
You can your seat layout if you wish so, by clicking the Take me to seat layout.
The worst part you can pay only by credit card or Easy Ticket and you have to shell out Rs.10 per seat extra as convenience charges. Online banking is not yet activated. About Easy ticket you can get more info here.
Submit pay and you get the ticket and the booking ticket id, take the print out and Enjoy Madeee!!! !
Movies as on 19-12-2008
10:10 AM Posted by ukmad
Big Cinemas Rab ne Bana de Jodi 11.45am,3pm,4.45pm,6.15pm,8pm,9.30pm
Dil Kabbadi 12.30am,5.30pm
Ritz Srikrishna Reshma ki Jawani 12.30pm,3.30pm,6.30pm,9.30pm
Nirmal Vanshi (K) 12pm,
Ninyagri (K) 3.15pm,6.15pm,9.15pm
Arun Cover girl 12.30pm,2pm,4pm,7pm
Roopali Ganga Kaveri (K) 12.15pm,3.15pm,6.15pm,9.15pm
Balkrishna Eagle Eye (E) 6.30pm,9.30pm
Yd…Bad nawabs 12.30pm,3.30pm
Swaroop Desh Drohi 12.15pm,3.15pm,6.15pm,9.15pm
Chitra Maharathi 12,3,6,9
Hira Mune class Manju (K) 12.15pm,3.15pm,6.15pm,9.15pm
Prakash Mast Maja Madi (K) 12.15pm,3.15pm,6.15pm,9.15pm
Nartaki Rab ne Bana de Jodi 12,3,6,9
Huns Katrhna (T) 12,3,6,9
Globe Bhiga Badan 12,1.45,3.45,6.45
Santosh Parmesh Panwala (K) 12.15pm,3.15pm,6.15pm,9.15pm
Karnataka Legislature Joint Session in Belgaum Jan 16Karnataka Legislature Joint Session in Belgaum Jan 16
10:31 PM Posted by ukmad
Karnataka Cabinet today decided to hold the joint session of the Legislature at Belgaum from January 16.
The session would open with the Governor's address and islikely to continue for ten days.
Now the question is WHERE in Belgaum?
Civic bodies fail to use funds: but don’t fail to go on tours: Belgaum
5:22 PM Posted by ukmad
No one other than the Bangalore Bruhat Mahanagara Palike has shown their interest in utilizing these funds.
It’s almost end of December, none of these corporations have spent a single paisa yet. This attitude of the local bodies is being attributed to a combination of official apathy and the elected representatives’ lack of interest in preparing an action plan, as the guidelines made it compulsory to start permanent work instead of repairs.
The government had directed the civic bodies to utilize the funds for creation of infrastructure like roads, tanks, sewerage and drinking water facilities.
Even if now these local bodies plan to spend it, not more than Rs.50 cores can be spent.
Some of these civic bodies have not even prepared an action plan to spend the Rs 17 crore released in the first installment, the officer said. Sources said that Bellary and Hubli-Dharwad City Corporations have prepared an action plan for about Rs 60-65 crore.
After continuous pressure from the top, civic bodies of Mysore, Mangalore and Davanagere have promised to prepare an action plan for Rs 36 crore, Rs 25 crore and Rs 50 crore respectively. Gulbarga and Belgaum, however, have not even proposed to prepare such an action plan.
Our City corporation Mayor and other authorities only want to tour, give a momento to the CM and ask for more funds for development. They don’t want to make use of the funds already allotted to them. Rs.100 crores for a year is huge amount and if a plan was made and the money had been utilized, maybe there would have been some good roads.
As the Belgaum Corporation has no plans made the money Rs.100 crore will go back to the State govt. as un utilized. This is a very nice example of the working of the local civic bodies. Why nothing concrete was planned has to be seen.
Source: ExpressBuzz
Christmas is coming
5:32 PM Posted by ukmad
Christmas is coming and also seen are these Santa caps all along the Khanapur Road. These sellers are from Rajasthan and they have come in a huge number.
I have seen their children begging at the Gogte Circle and their parents selling these caps.
Heritage Park at Vaccine Institute delayed
11:22 AM Posted by ukmad
How good the proposed heritage park at the Vaccine Institute here will look if the Government goes ahead with its plan to provide facilities it has on its agenda at the institute?
The Belgaum Urban Development Authority (BUDA) has planned walkers pathway, joggers pathway, swimming pool (international standard), children’s amusement park and zoo, musical fountain and waterfalls/hanging bridge, boating, landscapes, art gallery, mono rail, recreation club, snack centre (with canteen and ice cream parlor), badminton hall/shuttles/billiards, volleyball, basketball, lawn tennis courts and medicinal plants.
In contrast to this typical bureaucratic approach to preserving heritage, local environmental organizations and activists have come out with suggestions to develop the park in a way befitting its name “heritage park” instead of developing the institute into a modern public garden. There are 22 public gardens in the city, many of which are symbolic of the indifferent attitude of those concerned towards such beautiful lung spaces.
The Social Justice Forum, headed by Chief Executive Officer of Polyhydron Pvt. Ltd., S.B. Hundre, who converted his company into a “business ashram” by blending business and ethics, has suggested that an expert committee be appointed to propose steps and monitor all development activities on the institute without harming its ecology.
Meanwhile, there have been conflicting views on appointing an outside agency for consultation and to take up development works. However, the BUDA, which had convened a meeting to elicit views from environmentalists, architects and consultants on the issue on November 3, has promised more such meetings. Sources in the BUDA told The Hindu here on Tuesday that the matter is under consideration. However, the delay in completing the process of developing the proposed heritage park is making organizations and voluntary activists impatient.
Source The Hindu
Rs.20 lakh seized: bye-elections special
8:43 PM Posted by ukmad
In a dramatic incident APMC police intercepted a vehicle in Sadashivnagar area, seized Rs 20 lakh and arrested three persons in this regard.
The money seized by the police on Monday morning belonged to JD(S) and was meant for its both candidates contesting from Hukkeri and Arabhavi Assembly constituencies in the byelection, according to JD(S) State General Secretary Milind Dharmasen.
Source: Deccan Herald
Winter session of Karnataka Legislature in 2nd week of January at Belgaum
8:39 PM Posted by ukmad
The dates and the length of the session would be declared later.
Even the venue will have to be looked for, but it could be the same KLE hall that had hosted the first ever legislature session in September 2006.
Belgaum is a Trekking destination in Outlook Travellers December issue
10:42 PM Posted by ukmad
The Outlook Traveller magazine in its recent December 2008 issue has mentioned Belgaum as a Trekking destination.
In its feature of Seasonal Choices; a winter wonderland of holiday options, Belgaum is a Trekking Destination.
It states “he tropical forests of the Western Ghats, one of the world’s 18 designated biodiversity hotspots, are one of our richest wildlife areas. And this is the season to visit. The Hermitage (Rs 1,400; 9242623020, http://www.thehermitageguesthouse.com/ is an eco-lodge and working farm set in the middle of the dense forests, which have over 1,000 plant species, many species of reptiles and animals like the Malabar giant squirrel and the bison. A lot of the wildlife wanders through the guesthouse but you can also go looking—on day treks in the adjoining areas. “
The link to the Hermitage site is wrong on the outlook traveler site, I have corrected it.
Belgaumblog.com had posted details about this Hermitage Guest house, “Nersa, A Wonderful place“ way back on 12 February 2008. See it here.
Source: Outlook Traveller
Real estate prices not down as in metros
10:24 PM Posted by ukmad
With recession hitting India, the banks have just today announced some benefits for loans for homes below Rs.20 lakhs. The real estate industry was in a crisis and the best way to get it up is by lowering the lending rate and the requirements for a loan.
The math’s here is simple, if loans are readily available, people will buy new homes hence the real estate developers could sell their property and build a few more which will require steel, cement and other materials.
The prices of properties all over the country have come down but that is not the case with Belgaum, Infact this could be with many tier 2 cities. The price of land on average, which was about Rs.1700 per Sq/ft, has now stagnated at Rs. 1500 per Sq/ft, which is not a great fall.
The builders in past year have many problems of raw materials like high price of steel and cement. The builders think that with the loan process made easy there could be a good business at least in the short run.
Source: expressbuzz
Yearning for “Old Belgaum”: By Shobhan Bantwal
10:35 AM Posted by ukmad
By Shobhan Bantwal
The author was showcased as Stars of Belgaum earlier on this blog.
As an ex-Belgaum resident, it is both heartening and heartrending to see how my hometown has changed from a sleepy, rural town to a teeming city over the past three decades. When I pay those rare visits from my United States home to Belgaum, I no longer recognize the old Ramdev Galli, Khade Bazar, Tilakwadi, and Bogarves neighborhoods. I do not see some of the beloved old landmarks that were an integral part of my childhood of the 1950s and 60s. Even the old homestead, where I grew up in the Cantonment area, looks rather decrepit. But my deceased parents’ souls still seem to linger there.
The ever-growing businesses and multiplicity of educational institutions and healthcare facilities are no doubt assets to the local economy and the shift towards globalization. Apparently businesses in every sector are booming, providing a healthy income for many. There are posh, eye-popping mansions lining the suburbs that were non-existent back then. All this glory to a former Belgaumite is indeed uplifting. Needless to say I want my hometown to prosper and flourish.
However, the special flavor that was Belgaum seems to be lost forever in the economic and political shuffle. The town used to be an unexpectedly quaint mix of pleasant weather, bucolic vistas, cultural pursuits like music, dance and drama, upscale social venues like Belgaum Club, the golf course, the military party circuits, and unparalleled varieties of dew-fresh produce. Today it looks like any other medium-sized metropolis filled with innumerable commercial ventures, smoke-belching automobiles, schools and colleges, hotels and restaurants, and movie theaters. Even the citizens appear more aloof.
When I was a schoolgirl at St. Josephs School, there was a small circulating library called Oliver’s Library, which lent out books for a monthly membership fee. It disappeared a long time ago. Outside the Military Mahadev Temple, the dhoti-clad man who sold Arlipaakh, a spicy and crunchy combination of churmure, shev, and a secret-recipe lump of spices, was an institution by himself. Is someone carrying on that tradition today? I sincerely hope so.
One of the special delights from my childhood was visiting the neighboring sugarcane farms to drink fresh sugarcane juice and buy a fresh mound of gool – incredibly sweet and bursting with flavor when used in cooking and laddus. I am not sure if that particular simple pleasure is available to Belgaumites anymore.
While I yearn for the pastoral Belgaum of my girlhood, I applaud the Belgaum it has become today. My heart swells with pride when I observe how far it has come and made a place for itself on India’s map. I eagerly envision my next visit to Belgaum and sampling some new pleasures it has to offer even as I reminisce about the old times with my family. No matter what, Belgaum is still my home.
As another New Year approaches, I hope and pray that 2009 will be an even richer and more productive year for all my fellow Belgaumites, both previous and the present. I send them all cyber-blessings and good wishes from my humble home in New Jersey. Long Live Belgaum!
Bio: Shobhan Bantwal was born and raised in Belgaum -- a pukka Belgaumite. Marriage in 1973 to a man who lived in the United States took her to New Jersey, where she continues to reside with her family. Shobhan is a published novelist with two novels to date, THE DOWRY BRIDE and THE FORBIDDEN DAUGHTER. Two more novels are slated for publication in 2009. Her primary job is working for the New Jersey State government.
Website: http://www.shobhanbantwal.com/
Belgaum railway station to get a face off
10:22 AM Posted by ukmad
The Belgaum Railway Station will get a beautiful face off in year’s time. Some of the work has already begun and the main work of the main building will commence shortly.
The new plan has a sub way for commuters, new foot over bridge, food court, multi storied parking and resting places.
The plan of the station has been done by a Belgaumite, Mr.Mohan Bidikar.
Rs.3 crores 67 lakhs have be allotted for the construction of the new building.
Source Tarun Bharat
Belgaum MLI centre best suited in India for training
11:08 AM Posted by ukmad
Surrounded by varied terrains jungles, mountains, plains and semi-hills highly conducive for training in different kinds of warfare, the regimental centre of the Maratha Light Infantry (MLI) in Belgaum remains a favored location for joint military exercises involving India and other countries.
The Belgaum training centre, which is the headquarters of the MLI, is one of the oldest regiments of the Indian Army. Last year, it was the men from the US armed forces who were at MLI, Belgaum, for a similar joint drill. And in January next, another US army contingent is slated to engage in a joint exercise at the MLI centre.
What makes the Belgaum training centre suitable for such exercise is primarily its location. There are good weather and terrain conditions like the surrounding forests, etc for military training. This makes it convenient to carry out various exercises. Another factor was the infrastructure for carrying out joint drills, including tactical games, firing, etc. The presence of infantry school's junior leader’s academy in Belgaum, which trains, among other things, in confidence building and survival skills critical to jungle warfare, was another key factor.
Belgaum is located close to the Western Ghats. A key plus point is the vast jungles that offer a perfect setting for training in guerrilla warfare. Few regimental centers in India have such an advantageous location. The regimental centre itself has a long and glorious history of courage and valor, shown time and again during conflicts like World War II. Terrain apart, there are other factors like Belgaum's proximity to the coastal belt (the Konkan and Goa), an operational airport and the presence of the Junior Leaders Wing (JLW) of the Infantry School which provide a distinct training advantage.
Belgaum has earned a strong reputation of military training ever since the days of the British Raj. World War II saw a major training exercise here.
I can just say “Proud to be a Belgaumite” My Salute to all the Soldiers.
Source: TOI
