Chidambaram says Belgaum cannot be UT

Mr.Chidambaram virtually snapped at the Maharashtra delegation led by state Chief Minister Ashok Chavan demanding Union Territory (UT) status for Belgaum.

The high-power delegation with members from the ruling Congress, NCP, RPI and the BJP was “taken to task” by the Home minister on Tuesday for alleging “harassment and oppression” of Marathi-speaking people in Karnataka.

Chidambaram put the delegation on the back foot by further reminding them that Belgaum had even hosted two state Assembly sessions. The delegation’s demand lost much steam when Chidambaram recalled that the foundation stone for “a new Vidhan Soudha” had already been laid in Belgaum. Belgaum is part of the state, how can it be made Union Territory, the Home minister asked.

Source: Deccan Herald

Karnataka budget 2009-10: old promises in new budget

B.S. YEDDYURAPPA presented the budget for 2009-10 today at Bangalore.

All the allocation you will read below had been already told at the Legislature session held at Belgaum. Nothing commendable but yet good to budget allocation made for what was promised.

This is what all Belgaum will get:
A big market for horticultural produce will be established at Belgaum in public private partnership at the cost of Rs.100 crore.
Rs.10 crore will be provided for establishing milk chilling plants at Belgaum

The Belgaum general hospital will be upgraded to have additional bed capacity of 250 each.

A Botanical Garden of the type of Lal Bagh will be developed by planting trees in 156 acres of Government land available at the Vaccine Institute in Belgaum. A provision of Rs.5 crore has been made for this in the year 2009-10.

Ring road facilities will be provided to Belgaum with private participation during 2009-10. Renovation of underground drainage system of Belgaum city will be taken up at an estimated cost of Rs.120 crores.

The State Government will provide its 50% share for taking up the works of new Railway lines Dharwad-Belgaum direct line, Kudachi-Bagalkot, Gadag-Haveri, Almatti-Koppal lines.

Apparel clusters will be built in Belgaum,
It is already decided to spend an amount of Rs.10 crores for providing infrastructure facilities to Handloom weavers in Belgaum and Rabakavi-Banahatti for establishing sizing units. To enable the poor weavers to carry out their profession in conducive environment it is proposed to launch a new programme to construct houses with 5000 weaving rooms at a cost of Rs.60,000 each. For this purpose an amount of Rs. 30 crores is provided during 2009-10.

A Foundry Park will be established in an area of 500 acres in Mache village of Belgaum district through KIADB.

The Government is committed for making permanent arrangements for conducting Legislature Sessions in Belgaum every year so as to strengthen the feeling of oneness among the people of all parts of Karnataka. In this direction an amount of Rs.100 crores will be provided for construction of Suvarna Vidhana Soudha during 2009-10.

Gangadhar Despande, (Freedom Fighter) memorial in Belgaum district.

A bouquet of Rs 1,464 crore for the development of North Karnataka, a major portion of which will be utilised for providing clean drinking water to fluoride-hit villages, and for the development of Belgaum district.

Entertainment tax has been reduced to 30% which should reduce the ticket of seeing a cinema. Staying at hotels could also become a bit cheaper as luxury tax has been reduced.

St Joseph's Convent Van used from 1940 to 1977

Movies as on 20-02-2009

Theatre	Movie	Timings
Big Cinemas	Delhi 6	11.15,1245,3.30,6,7.30,9.30pm
	Billu	3.15,10pm
Ritz Srikrishna	Chand sangam	3.30,6.30,9.30
Nirmal	Birugali (K)	12.15pm,3.15pm,6.15pm,9.15pm
Huns	Ugadi (K)	12,3,6,9
Arun	Gulabi	12.30pm,2pm,4pm,7pm
Roopali
Balkrishna	Shaitan ki Mohabat	12.30,3.30,6.30,9.30
Chitra	Venkat in Sankat (K)	12,3,6,9
Swaroop	E Sambhashane (K)	12,3,6,9
Hira	Chal Chala Chal	12.15
	Jababardast Muqabla	3.30,6.30,9.30
Prakash	Ambari(K)	12.15pm,3.15pm,6.15pm,9.15pm
Nartaki	Delhi 6	12,3,6,9
Santosh	Jungle	12.15pm,3.15pm,6.15pm,9.15pm
Globe	Priyangiri	12,1.45,3.45,6.45
Kindly check the excat  timings with the theatres

Private bus operators doing the LOOT: Bus Fares hiked for holidays

All those who planned a visit home, while going back you will need to shell more money for your bus fare as most of private bus operators like Pai, VRL have made a hike in the fares for Monday 23-02-2009.

The price hike is above Rs.50 per ticket.
Take this for example:
Pai Travels: Belgaum to Bangalore
Normal Bus: Regular rate is Rs.370 special holiday price is Rs.430. Volvo: Regular rate Rs.500 special holiday price Rs.550. Interestingly fares to Mumbai have not been hiked which are very high as normal fare for Volvo is Rs.700 & regular bus is 480.
Which eventually means an Rs.60 increase on the normal bus fare and Rs.50 hike in the Volvo bus fare?

Same is the case with VRL travels: Belgaum to Bangalore

Regular Sleeper - Rs340/- Lower Berth - Rs430/- Upper Berth - Rs380/-
Holiday Price - Semi Sleeper - Rs390/- Lower Berth - Rs480/- Upper Berth - Rs430/-

Regular - New A/c sleeper Lower Berth - Rs510/- Upper Berth - Rs470/-Holiday Price - Lower Berth - Rs560/- Upper Berth - Rs520/-

Volvo: Regular Fare 510
Holiday Fare – 560

PVG is not charging any holiday surcharge nor is the KSRTC or Mahesh as of now.

VRL is used to doing this from long; even I have traveled once by paying Rs.600 for sleeper. And VRL plays another game by leaving Special bus so there is no comparison you can ever make to the fare.

This entire price is hike is for one day Monday, which happens to be Mahashivratri a holiday and people will have to take a ticket back to work on Monday. Getting a Railway ticket which is very cheap, it only costs Rs.256 for regular sleeper, but getting the ticket is a night mare.

We should oppose this unruly price hike made by these bus operators who are nothing but LOOTING the common man.

When there are holidays in line like Saturday Sunday Monday; be sure the price has been hiked.

We should all do something against this, it’s our necessity and these bus operators are exploiting the same.

My question when the fuel prices have been brought down why this price hikes that too for one day. When the fuel prices are hiked, immediately the fares are increased but that’s not the case when prices are reduced. Why is this?

If any of the private bus operators are reading this story I request you comment on this and explain to the public and ratify your price hike.
Jago Grahak Jago !

Allaboutbelgaum.com is now on Leading Minds servers

Belgaum boundary dispute in the Supreme Court

The Supreme Court on Wednesday sought a response from the Karnataka government on an application moved by Maharashtra contending that the boundary issues between the two states have not been settled in accordance with the settled principle.

Maharashtra govt. has challenged the constitutional validity of certain provisions of the States Reorganisation Act, 1956 and the Bombay Reorganisation Act, 1960.

In its affidavit, the Centre said: “The language of the people is one among the several criteria for inclusion of any area in a State. The Union government as well as Parliament had considered all relevant factors during the passing of the States Reorganisation Act. It is neither feasible nor desirable to demarcate the borders of villages, taluks and districts in a manner that the people speaking one language can or may be retained in one State only.”

In view of the Centre’s stand, Maharashtra sought an amendment to the suit stating the disputed Marathi-speaking areas of the pre-Independence province of Bombay should have continued with the erstwhile State of Bombay and then with Maharashtra on the basis of the principle of reorganisation adopted by the States Reorganisation Commission. The transfer of Marathi-speaking areas to Karnataka was contrary to the basic principle of State reorganisation and an arbitrary and unreasonable exercise of power under Article 3 (formation of new States).

The article deals with linguistic and cultural homogeneity and wishes of people of an area affected by reorganisation. The state government said even before Independence, provinces had been created on linguistic basis, deferring to the wishes of people of the affected areas.
Maharashtra says if language was the basis of reorganisation, all Marathi-speaking areas should have come to Maharashtra. A promise that the finer points of a broad division of linguistically contiguous areas would be worked out later didn’t materialise.
Now, it wants a comprehensive exercise going right down to the village level to ensure that not even a single Marathi-speaking village is left behind in Karnataka.
The inhabitants of the disputed area are being denied their fundamental right to live with dignity, without fear or oppression and the right to educate their children in their own language.

Source: The Hindu
TelegraphIndia Rediff

BTP Construction: A Tunnel Expert: Stars of Belgaum

I guess not many of this group and their achievements, heres another Star of Belgaum
BTP Group

Shri Jayant B. Patil, Balasaheb B. Patil, & Bapusaheb B. Patil in the year 1988 started a tunneling construction company, B.T.Patil & Sons Belgaum (Construction) Pvt. Ltd. This company has made long strides in tunneling and underground construction.

BTP is contributing with guts and determination for the cause of infrastructure development which has been a key work in economic progress of the country, especially after embarking on liberalization programme. May it be Power, Irrigation & Water Supply; Railways tunneling through mountains has been a challenging task that BTP has always accepted through its conscientious, trained and hard working team of 2000. BTP is committed to attain excellence in everything that requires commitment & vision in years to come.While India is passing through extremely competitive phase of globalization young BTP is looking forward to enormous opportunities in its self-selected challenging and difficult path of being the harboring of infrastructural development through tunneling and underground construction. The company has diversified into future's biggest industry Road Construction

An US $ 18-million company today. BTP with an unabating quest for betterment is set to grow by leaps and bounds.

Tunneling and construction work of more than 65 kms at diversified locations of hydroelectric projects, irrigation projects and railway projects have proven the mettle of BTP, setting it to face the rigors of imminent down to earth competition necessary for improving critical infrastructure for overall economic development.

While constructing Tike tunnel on Konkan Railway through sound basalt strata, trees and plants 107 meters above remained unperturbed yet the 3072-m tunnel has been kept cool and fresh through scientifically designed ventilation system; is one of many examples.
The Construction of TILLARI HYDRO_ELECTRIC PROJECT heralds the fulfillment of a long cherished dream of millions of people of Konkan belt.

The main water storage for Tillari Hydro Electric Project is formed by Construction of a masonry dam, 38m high, across the Tillari River, with a capacity of about 113m. cum(4 T.M.C.)The impounded water will be led through a "Power Canal" 15 km in length to balancing reservoir formed by construction of a Forebay Dam (masonry).Some important Tunnels constructed by BTP:
Some Important Tunnels constructed:
Chiplun Tunnel - Total Tunnel Length 2125 m.
Tike Tunnel, Ratnagiri, Maharashtra - Total Tunnel Length 3,072m
Karbude Tunnel- Total Tunnel Length 6.5 kms
Achievements
National and International HonorsBTP, a name fast becoming synonymous with tunneling in the last decade and a half as acquired accolades aplenty, like.
National Record & International Honors:
* Tunnel excavation progress of 168 m/ month on a single face on Koyna Hydro-Electric Project (1995). * Tunnel excavation progress of 236m/ month on a single face on Jath Tunnel (M.K.V.D.C 2001). * 196.5 m / per face through shaft in one month while working on Bhima-Sina Link Tunnel (M.K.V.D.C 1999). * 330 m through one shaft in one month. * 1183 m per month on a single tunnel. * 10548 m in one year on a single tunnel. * 8,48,000 cum of Underground Excavation through shaft on a single Tunnel.
Record :
* Executing four blasts in 24 hours while working on Tike Tunnelof Konkan Railway. * 'World Tunnelling News ' an internatinal magazine dedicated to underground construction has featured B.T.P. time and again in their issues citing our achievements.
The BTP group is made of sister concerns that facilitate the overall construction process.

Patson Structural (India) Pvt.Ltd. A heavy engineering company having core competence in turnkey fabrication, erection and commissioning of turnkey structures is the backbone of BTP, while providing mechanical back-up to BTP, PSIL is looking forward to have the most modern engineering facilities state of the art machine shop & technology

B.T.Patil & Sons Belgaum (Const) Pvt.Ltd. A major Civil & Structural Construction Company of BTP into Hydro-power projects, Irrigation Tunnels, Roads and Rail Tunnels, Radial Crest Dam Gates & Highway/Water Supply Projects

B.T.Patil & Sons Foundation. A Charitable Trust which belongs to Patson Group, which helps the needy in Educational, Medical students & also contributes in Social & Sports promotional activities.

Truly the Patil’s are the Stars of Belgaum.
Website: http://www.btpconstruction.com/

Belgaum Congress Session 1924: Did you know this in History

Mayor of Belgaum this time could be Marathi
At the fag end of the Mayors term of the Belgaum city Corporation the ruling Pro Kannada Sarvabhashik Samavichar Vedike seems to have a split and chances this time that the mayor could be from the Marathi group have strengthened.
The 29 Pro Kannada corporators who were able to elect Prashanta Budvai as the Mayor are now complaining that she did very little for the city in a corporation, which is dominated by Marathi group.
At her last meeting most of the corporators did not turn up and its now said they have formed a new forum. This is a successful conclusion for the Marathi group as they can come back to power in corporation where there has been Marathi mayor since its inception in 1984, except on two occasions.
Twenty-two corporators of the Sarvabhashik Samavichar Vedike, a forum of the pro-Kannada faction, have parted ways with it to form a new outfit.

Source: Deccan Chronicle

The Name game: Belgaum & Belagavi

Union minister Pranab Mukherjee, while presenting the interim budget, chose to call the city `Bengaluru', thus giving it official sanctity.
It has been over three years now that the UPA government is sitting on the files of the renaming 13 cities in Karnataka.
In addition, all is stuck because of our town, Belgaum. The hitch lies in renaming `Belgaum' as `Belagavi'. The Centre has not agreed to this as Belgaum is caught between Karnataka and Maharashtra in the border dispute. One of the Centre's guidelines for renaming places is that the names should not hurt people's sentiments, have political overtones or be already in use in some other state. Karnataka is unwilling to drop Belgaum and go ahead with re-naming the other 12 cities.
See the importance of Belgaum, because of which renaming of 12 other cities is officially hampered. Bagalore is now called Bengaluru in almost all places but officially its still not renamed.
Why renaming at all? Bombay became Mumbai, Madras became Chennai, Calcutta became Kolkotta so why should we remain behind. However, what is the logic behind renaming is a mystery to me. What difference does it make I call it Belgaum and you call it Belagavi or even Belgaon, all will stay in the same city drink the same water and breathe the same air, so what is the utility of renaming?
Source: TOI

MES take out rally

The Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti yesterday took out a huge rally starting from Sardars High School ground urging the government to heed the demands of linguistic minorities. The state government should have government records in Marathi as "many of those living in Belgaum district speak Marathi". They also demanded rectification of mistakes in the preparation/ distribution of ration cards. Fertile land being acquired by BUDA and KIADB should be immediately stopped; these were a few demands of the protestors.

Farmers get relief: HC stays order of land acquisition

Poor farmers near the Bellary nala on the side of the NH4 who were about to loose their fertile land to the private society (Parivartan Alpasankyatara Krishi Sahakar Sangh ) controlled by Belgaum South MLA Abhay Patil, have won their first round of the battle.
The Karnataka High Court, on January 30, passed an interim order granting stay against the acquisition of land stating that the lands in the possession of the appellant farmers should not be disturbed until disposal of the appeal made by the appellants.
The respondents into the case included the Department of Industries and Commerce, Belgaum Deputy Commissioner, Special Land Acquisition Officer in Karnataka Industrial Development Corporation, Dharwad; Belgaum tahsildar and the sangh.
While passing the stay order, the court found prima facie that possession of lands was not taken as provided in Section 28 of Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Act, 1966. The possession of the land was taken by the Revenue Inspector of the village who was not empowered to do so under the law.
The court noted that the lands in question were earmarked for agricultural purpose in the Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP) for Belgaum.

See related posts of the same story.
Farmers say don’t take our land
Farmers accuse MLA of trying to grab land
Who will hear the farmers? Police accused of harassment
HC order comes as a relief to farmers
Source: The Hindu