RD Parade Harshvardhan Raut gets Silver medal

10:17 AM Posted by ukmad

 Sergeant Harshvardhan Raut of St.Pauls High School stood second as India's best cadet won the Silver medal. He had represented the Goa & Karnataka NCC as a topper at the Republic Day parade. Director general of NCC, Mr.Prakash Chowdhary conferred the honors to him and later was invited by the PM, Mr.Manmohan Singh for a tea party, felicitated him.

 

Ornithologist can beeline to Belgaum

11:32 AM Posted by ukmad

My source: http://www.belgaumnri.blogspot.com/

Source The Hindu 30 Jan 2008


 Belgaum is home to a good number of bird species. They can be seen hovering all around the city, particularly in the green patches and near water bodies such as tanks and ponds.
The five water ponds nestled in small area of bamboo forest on Belgaum-Hindalga Road near Military Ganapathi Temple, maintained by the Maratha Light Infantry Regimental Centre (MLIRC), are not just ecological habitats of sorts for a few species of birds but also significant to the environment of the city. They are now home for over two dozen bird species.
However, these ponds, known as "Argan Talab" until converted into what is now known as "Watermanship Training Area and Nature Workshop" about 17 years ago, ar
e not open to the public. According to a MLIRC officer looking after the maintenance of these fenced ponds, they are used for imparting training in swimming for the commandos.
Yet, one can take a break to watch different species of birds hovering over them. Some of them even nest and help in multiplying the species.
Among the birds that have made these ponds their home are the Indian Darter, Indian Shag, Open Bill Stork, Little Cormorant, Large Cormorant, Cattle Egret, Little Egret, Large Egret, Medium Egret, Flamingo, Glassy Ibis, White Ibis, Black Bill, Whistling Teal, Blue Winged Teal, Common Teal, Shoveller, White First Geese, White eyed Pochard, Little Grebe, Black Necked Grebe, Painted Stork, White Stork, White Neaked Stork and Adjutant Stone.
A large number of other species are found in the district, which is endowed with a rich and variegated fauna and salubrious climate, particularly in Khanapur and other western parts of the district with close proximity to the Western Ghats.
Among the resident birds are the White breasted Kingfisher Halcyon smyrnensis, which is common and found everywhere in the district. The honey pecker Cynnyris zeylonica is another resident. The Malabar racket-tailed drongo Dissemurus paradiseus is also resident bird seen in the forest areas.
While the red vented bulbul has large presence all over city of Belgaum and district, Indian tailor bird Orthotomus sutorius, also a resident, is found in the plains and generally near wells, ponds or streams.

Is there Space for so many ?

10:14 PM Posted by ukmad

This particular post is based on information I gathered from various sources. The actual Truth may not be different from what I say here.

Heard SHUBHIKSHA is opening 5 stores in Belgaum. One will start in place of the Shanbag Super Shoppe near the 1st gate on the road to Sai Mandir.

More the store at RPD Cross which is yet to commence operations has started looking for a second branch somewhere near Sadashiv nagar and those areas.

METRO, is planning to open its North Karnataka Operations in Belgaum.

May this is very good for Belgaum as the organised Retail will grow, but I have a question Will All survive? The answer only time will tell.

About the Big Bazaar 3 days Lowest Prices, it has been able to get huge crowds towards it for the first time since launch. But again only 3 days business will not work.

New Jersey:voter registration in Gujarati.

8:10 AM Posted by ukmad

Residents of the US state of New Jersey will now be able to obtain voter registration material in Gujarati. New Jersey has a sizeable Gujarati population and this is first time that voter registration materials anywhere in the country will be available in a South Asian language.
Source:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Now_US_voter_registration_forms_in_Gujarati/rssarticleshow/2709670.cms

In a country like USA there is a Gujrati voter registration and in Belgaum, Karnataka, India where the majority population is Marathi speaking all the voter list and the application are in Kannada only.
http://belgaumblog.blogspot.com/2008/01/find-your-name-in-voters-list-be-ready.html That link has those voters list.

Infact there is a Supreme court ruling in this matter that if the percentage of a single language is more than 25% all the govt.Official documents should also be published in that particular language.But it has never happened.

I am not here to make another point and start the battle in between Marathi & Kannada speaking Belgaumites, But I just thought the Govt. there in the USA thinks that is the best way to collect the correct information then why not the same SENSE of working here also. That's my only point.

Belagum to have Mrs.Mayor

8:03 AM Posted by ukmad

The reservations for the Mayor is out. This time out of the 22 women corporators, One amongst them will the Mayor of Belgaum. The Dy.Mayor post is open for all. Once the reservation is out all are now forming their own groups.The marathi, Kannada and the urdu Groups. It will be a nice political fight with no political values.

Find your name in the voters List: Be ready to vote

6:12 PM Posted by ukmad

The Electoral Rolls are being revised. The same is available to see on the Internet.

Just click on the link below:
http://164.100.80.116/electoraldata/Part_List.asp?AC=197&ACNm=BELAGAUM
You will see a page in Kannada fonts. Try and make out your area(i.e.Your pooling booth) and click on it. A pdf file will open again all in Kannada just find your name in it.

If your name is not there then click the link below:
http://164.100.80.116/eci/Default.asp

I don't know whether this thing of E-registration will work or no, but do give it a try. My name appeared in the voters list.

At the moment all the voters list have been revised. And the Electoral officers are now visiting houses to know whether you have the Voter ID card. If you don't have one, a public Advertisement will be given as on when and where the VOTER ID cards will be made. I may also cover it so keep a watch.

Come ON... In a Democracy We must Vote and To Vote your name must be there in the Voters list.

Mayor reservation to be announced today: Belgaum Chorla road remaking: New road for Nartaki Theatre

1:13 PM Posted by ukmad

The reservation for the post of Mayor and Dy.Mayor may be announced later in the day today. The post of mayor may be kept as open.

The Belgaum Chorla road is being rebuilt and the work has already commenced. The first part being the 18 km stretch from Peeranwadi. The full road will be 6 meters wide and 9 meters wide in the Ghat. The road will be built till the Goa border. After the road is complete Goa will be 50 kms nearer than the present. Hope this road is done fast as going to Goa is becoming a problem as the alternative road from Savatwadi is in very bad condition. So, the only option is from Anmod, where you have that 8kms of bad safari like ride.

A new road is being built to go to Nartaki Theatre from the Railway over bridge. The goods shed road will be leading to the new road being built.

All banks on strike tomorrow. So go to the bank today only as its holidays Friday, saturday and Sunday.

Lessons to learn from Past Kannada Marathi Unity

10:36 PM Posted by ukmad

This story is taken from my Associte Blog http://belgaumnri.blogspot.com/ .

I request my blog readers to think over the post (Last paragraph) I got from one of the old newsprint of Times of India.The wrong and right
Bringing Kannada marathi divide among Belgaumites : Utter wrong
Mr More's Balckening of face in Banglore : Utter Wrong( As a elected representative he have dignity of public servant and mainly respect as human being)Are not Kannadigas staying in Mumbai and Pune and Mahrashtra, are these Bangalorei so called Kannada abhimanis ( bloody Konga's-- migrants from Chennai), have these ever thought about them.Just look back into history after Babri Masjid issue the middle east started publishing jobs with the tag ( Only muslims and christens need to apply ) the discrminitaion is still on except for professionals who are invited by these countries.
Kumarswamis decison for holding winter session (if aimed as Belgaums devlopemnt and bridge regional imbalance gap then) : Right
Kumarswamis intention to divide our hearts of Belgaumites : Wrong.
I request all Belgaumites to stand above language to heal each other wounds and slap on these politicians face, Belgaum's devlopment should become our main interest , livilihood for everyone is all about the basic need for every human being. A tolerant society is my dream but want your eyes to share the same and if any one should open his eyes they should see Belgaum as the city for everyone,I am not a social reformer ,but do believe in thought process and mind power , ability of an individual to come up and stand out in the times of difficulties, we all might have seen "Rang de Basanti" , dont you all think our society need such awakening , and why not Belgaumite be trendsetters, Unity is strentgh but dont just leave it reading as bunch of words.
If it has happened in the past it can happened today.
Jan 2001 Times of India Belgaum: Is Belgaum city corporation (CCB) moving away from its language-based politics? the coming together of marathi and kannada groups for the second time in the history of bcc to elect the mayor was an indication towards this. and at the first meeting of the newly elected bcc members, a resolution to merge marathi-speaking areas of karnataka with maharashtra was rejected outright. it was a tradition of the bcc to pass such a resolution pleading with the union government to take an initiative to merge the border areas into maharashtra. the resolution was proposed by the mes and shiv sena, which received a setback when a section of marathi corporators, led by sambhaji rao patil, joined hands with kannada-urdu group to come to power. to the disappointment of mes-shiv sena, the ruling members passed another resolution giving a new twist to the long-standing border dispute between maharashtra and karnataka. the members made it clear that they would welcome any decision taken at the proposed meeting between karnataka and maharashtra at the initiative of pm vajpayee. this did not go well with the opposition. when mayor vandana belgundkar gave her ruling, the mes and shiv sena rushed to the well of the house and stalled the proceedings. mayor suspended the disrupting corporators and had to adjourn the house when they did not relent. the ``knockout punch'' came from sambhaji rao patil. he is an active and powerful pro-marathi leader in belgaum city. he said: ``they are not ready to resolve the border dispute. what they need is to keep the issue alive to reap political benefits.'' former mayor shivaji shuntkar earlier tabled the resolution, which was opposed by mlas ramesh kudchi and manohar kadolkar and sambhaji rao patil. the resolution states that belgaum, khanapur, nippanni, karwar, bidar, bhalki and other areas should be merged with maharashtra. it may be recalled that cm krishna had taken an initiative to create a platform for both marathi and kannada corporators to come together and prepare an agenda for the development of belgaum. He had also announced a special developmental package for belgaum.

Belgaum may get a FM Radio Soon

4:27 PM Posted by ukmad

The private FM radio explosion will soon embrace the hinterland of India, going into the smallest of towns, and among the beneficiaries will be residents of 16 places in Karnataka.
The Broadcast Engineering Consultants India Ltd (BECIL), a government body tasked with formulating the growth plan of FM radio, has said in a report that the Phase-III of private FM radio expansion should focus on small town India. Accordingly, BECIL has suggested to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) that the Phase-III expansion should focus on 237 ‘C’ and ‘D’ category towns in addition to some ‘A’ and ‘B’ category cities.

If the expansion process goes ahead as envisaged after TRAI gives its recommendations that will be formulated after receiving the inputs of all stakeholders to a consultation paper it has issued earlier this week.
People of Karnataka will be one of the major beneficiaries of this expansion, as a number of places will be brought under the FM radio map when it is implemented.

According to the list of cities suggested by BECIL where FM stations should be allowed in the State are Belgaum, Bellary, Devangere, Hubli-Dharwad (all four stations each), Bijapur, Bidar, Chitradurga, Chikmagalur, Gadag Betigeri, Hospet, Hassan, Kolar, Raichur, Shimoga, Tumkur and Udupi (all 3 stations each).
Hope this happens fast, I am dying to hear to FM in Belgaum.

Belgaum's spare parts industry in limbo:CNBC-TV18

12:30 PM Posted by ukmad

This story has been contributed by Mr.Sheri Sundeep.
Source: Moneycontrol.com
Some serious development is on cards in Belgaum, which comes in the northern part of Karnataka. CNBC-TV18 finds out more. It is a long drive through northern Karnataka before one reaches Belgaum, where three-fourths of the people speak Marathi. This road is its lifeline. Part of the golden quadrilateral, it connects Belgaum with Mumbai and Pune.

Belgaum's Rs 320 crore foundry industry supplies Mahatrashtra's carmakers with spare parts. The foundries also source raw material from Maharashtra, which makes the parts 8% more expensive because of inter-state taxes.

The industry would rather be part of Maharashtra and politicians have taken up the cause. The tussle between Maharashtra and Karnataka is in the courts and the Karnataka government is doing all it can to prove it's developing the district.

In September last year, the Karnataka government held one assembly session in this building here in Belgaum to send a clear message that Belguam is very much part of Karnataka and further prove their point they decided to change officially change the name of the town to its Kannada name Belgavi a few months ago.

Belgaum will soon also have an IT park, a textile park, a foundry cluster, two SEZs, a new airport and a mini Vidhan Soudha. The town will host two of Karantaka's investor meets and the World Kannada Forum.

Amita Prasad, Regional Commissioner, Belgaum Division says, "Belgaum is an integral part of Karnataka and development has always been happenng. From the government point of view Belgaum is a part of Karnataka."

There is a striking difference in development between north and south Karnataka. A Najundappa Committee report says the south is 10 years ahead. But now Belgaum in the north is getting its due.

Many of you after reading this may not adhere to the top, but I just wanted to show how national media thinks about Belgaum.If the same was published in TarunBharat it would be said that its Pro Marathi. If the same appeared in a Kannada paper Pro Kannada. I am a BELGAUMITE for me both are languages I know to read and write and its does not matter untill and unless there is some development. Let me know your views also.

Irate customer locks Bank; Art of Living Camp

10:17 AM Posted by ukmad

The Art of Living will organize "Maha Satsang" and "Pranayama Dhyan" camp at the Nehru Stadium (Dist. Stadium) in the city from 5th of February. Sri Sri Ravishankar Guruji, the founder of the Art of Living will be conducting the program.

From Express News Service:

Irate customer locks Bank

A customer who had deposited lakhs of rupees in a private finance company had expressed his anger in a different way by locking the Society during the working hours as the Society failed to return his sum at the fixed time.

Basavaraj Bhagwant Anchi of Anjaneya Nagar had deposited some amount in the Mahantesh Co-operative Credit Society Ltd at Mahantesh Nagar.

The Society, which is having account in Basaveshwar Co-operative Bank Ltd, had issued cheques of the Bank and had asked Anchi to draw the money in September. However, the cheques bounced due to insufficient balance in the account.

Anchi called on the directors of the Bank on this issue who asked Anchi to submit the cheque after a few days. However, again the cheques bounced.

They neither responded nor gave the phone numbers of the concerned people to Anchi. Enraged by this, Anchi locked the doors of the Society. Later, he informed the matter to the Malmaruti police.

MES calls for 'hartal' today

11:04 AM Posted by ukmad

Taken from The Hindu:
The Belgaum city unit of Maharashtra Ekikaran Samithi has called for "hartal" and appealed people to observe a bandh on Thursday as a "tribute to the Marathi-speaking workers who sacrificed their lives while fighting for justice in the boundary dispute" between Maharashtra and Karnataka.

The MES has been observing January 17 as "Martyr's Day" since 51 years.

President of the city unit of the MES Narayanrao Tarale and working president Deepak Dalvi on Wednesday appealed to the people to respond positively to the "hartal" call.

Tributes would be paid to martyrs at Hutatma Chowk in the city, they said.

A public meeting would be held in the evening at Samyukt Maharashtra Chowk, they added.

The Hartal call has not received a great deal of response from the local pbulic. May be in the evening Khade Bazar and Ramdev Galli corner will be closed due to the meeting there.

Will do anything for Mayor

10:40 AM Posted by ukmad

 Taken fromExpress News Service:

Sarva Bhashik Sama Vichar Vikas Vedike, a forum of corporators who are against the Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES), has claimed that their group will capture the prestigious posts of Mayor and Deputy Mayor of the Belgaum City Corporation.
Forum leader and former mayor Sambhajirao Patil told reporters that out of 58 members in the Corporation, his group has 29 corporators.
He said the corporators who are against the MES have come on a common platform with an intention of developing the Belgaum city.
Four-time mayor Sambhajirao Patil said the forum has Kannada, Marathi and Urdu speaking corporators. He said seven more Marathi speaking corporators who at present are with the MES will join his forum before the elections for Mayor and Deputy Mayor.
He said the forum is committed to the development of the city an it has no interest in border dispute and border politics.
When asked whether he is interested to contest for the Mayor's post, Patil said he was not interested in Mayor's post but added that if all corporators of the forum want him to contest, then he will re-think on it.
He alleged that the MES has cheated the Marathi speaking people on Karnataka-Maharashtra border dispute. He said it (MES) is least bothered about the development of the city.
Senior Kannada and Urdu corporators N B Nirwani and Latifkhan Pathan were present. As many as 24 corporators were present in the press meet and five corporators remained absent. However, the forum claimed that all the five corporators have given in writing that they are with the forum.

Wow what a politicians Game, I should say. I am not instrested in becoming mayor but if you al insist I will surely be one. Anyways folks the mayor elections are getting hotter day by day and horse trading in this election is now MANDATORY I belive. Lets See Who wins it anyway. Still the reservation category for the Mayor is not declared, obce that is done the the HORSE TRADING will be at its peak.

Reliance Fresh Belgaum retial outlet and Distribution Unit

11:12 AM Posted by ukmad

Taken from Associate Blog BELGAUMNRI.BLOGSPOT.COM

I admire Reliance Fersh initiaitve to help farmers paying them directly and eliminating middlemen, I wish the Belgaum distribution unit would grow bigger in near future, creating employment and opportunities, Reliance fresh should tie up with Agricultureal collages in Belgaum to promote seed devlopment and more emphasis on biotic plantation then chemical and hybrid vegitables.
Source: oheraldo.in
Goa’s reliance on vegetables and fruits from Belgaum could be under threat and competition has come in from an economic giant. The setting up of a vegetable procuring unit at Belgaum by ‘Reliance Fresh’, a division of Reliance Industries Ltd, to provide vegetables to its growing chain of outlets in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra may adversely affect the supply of vegetables to Goa in the near future.
Farmers in Belgaum are only too happy to offer their produce to Reliance at better rates and with the vegetable supply from Belgaum — predominantly meant for Goa — now likely to be diverted elsewhere, Goans would have to pay much more for the few vegetables that enter the Goan market.Incidentally, though Reliance Fresh intends to set up seven outlets in Goa at ‘cheaper rates’, the supply of vegetables would be too meagre to cater to the entire state. Reliance has recently set up a procuring unit at Halga, about 10 km from here, where vegetables are being purchased directly from farmers. “Vegetables purchased are being sent to Hyderabad and other places,” Suresh D, the unit manager at Halga said.At present, about 10 tonnes of vegetables are being procured by Reliance everyday and sources speculate that the demand would rise sharply with the growing number of retail outlets to be opened in the region. The unit at Halga is strategically based at the hub of the vegetable growing hinterland of Belgaum district, where more than 60% of the farmers in the district are engaged in growing vegetables.Sudhatai Hiremath, Secretary of the Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC), the apex body controlling the procurement and sale of vegetables and other farm produce, said Reliance has been issued licences to procure vegetables from farmers and the company has been promptly paying the cess to APMC. Officials disclosed that Reliance plans to open seven outlets in Goa and attempts are being made to supply farm-fresh vegetables from Belgaum at rates cheaper than that offered by the Belgaum vegetable traders.This is because Reliance will buy vegetables directly from farmers, eliminating middlemen in the process. “Our intention is to give justice to the farmers by offering them better rates for their produce,” said Aniruddin of Reliance. According to Umesh Patil — a vegetable wholesaler and member of the Cantonment Wholesale Vegetable Merchants Association — over 100 brokers supply vegetables to Goa and other coastal areas including Karwar, Kumta (Karnataka) and Sindhudurg (Maharashtra).“About 30 tempo loads of vegetables are supplied to Goa everyday and more than 70% of the vegetables from Belgaum are sent to the coastal areas,” said Patil.To a query on the impact of ‘Reliance Fresh’ on the prevailing supply of vegetables to Goa, Patil admitted that while the prices may not increase in the immediate future, the increase of Reliance outlets in the region could spark off a shortage of vegetables en route to Goa.Meanwhile, the farmers in the district are pleased with the new development, as they are being paid a better rate as compared to the brokers.“We do not have to bother about the brokerage and other costs that we earlier used to pay,” said a farmer.

94,628 bogus voters in Belgaum

11:12 AM Posted by ukmad

Taken from Express News Service
Belgaum district with 18 Assembly segments has 94,628 bogus voters. The electoral staff deployed to trace out spurious voters from the voters’ list, has traced these names which were enrolled illegally.Disclosing this to reporters here on Friday, Deputy Commissioner M E Shivalingmurthy said the voters’ registrar office is engaged in erasing such names from the electoral roll under the People Representation Act 21 and 21 A.He said the staff conducted survey in three phases in all the 2,704 polling stations in the district from November 14, 2007 to Jan 5, 2008. After deleting the spurious names, the district will now has 28,87,155 voters which is 62.40% of the approximate 43,94,668 population.He said the department had started another special survey from Friday to trace out remaining illegal names in the electoral list. The survey will end on Jan 20.The survey team which will visit all the houses, will register new eligible voters in the voters’ list. The DC said people can file their complaints, grievances in the electoral office in two weeks time. The final voters’ list will be released on Feb 7, 2008.