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KARNATAKA: COOKERY CONTEST: ‘The Hindu Our State Our Taste’ Contestants come up with a Variety of Dishes in Bengaluru

A good start to “The Hindu Our State Our Taste, a cookery competition that was held at Bengaluru on July 1 in Uttara Kannada Bhavan saw an overwhelming response and good numbers.

Namitha K.N. was adjudged the winner of the preliminary round. She showcased her talent by cooking Mangaluru style, Coorg Style and Mixed Types of foods that represented the flavour of Karnataka with Gold Winner Cooking Oil. Judges for the contest celebrity chef duo Oggarane Dabbi Murali and Suchitra Muralidhar said that the judging criteria for the dishes were based on taste, texture, flavour, and presentation.

Akila T. was adjudged the first runner-up and Uma Janardhan was adjudged the second runner-up.

The regional rounds will be held in 24 cities, and the winners will participate in the grand finale in Bengaluru on September 10, 2023. The first prize will be ₹1 lakh, the second prize is ₹60,000 and the third prize is ₹40,000.

The participants must cook a traditional Kannada dish or give it a special twist and bring it to the venue.

Celebrity Chef Mr. OggaraneDabbi Murali and Mrs. Suchitra Murali, Mr. Raghunandhan from The Hindu Group, Subha Rajashekar – beauty miss Karnataka 2017, Trishula Trust secretary and Suvarna Ladies Club president from Suvarna channel, Mr. Rajashekar, Mr. Mahesh from Gold Winner, Mr. Anantha Swamy Sri Enterprises from RKG Ghee, Mr. Raghunath from Butterfly and Mr. Sudarshan from Everest gave away the prizes to the winner and runners-up.

Our State Our Taste is presented by Gold Winner, co-presented by RKG, powered by Butterfly, in association with Aashirvaad, Parrys Sugar & Everest. Vermicelli partner is Bambino. Television Partner is Siri Kannada.

We are moving into the next round of OSOT Karnataka at Chikballapur on July 2. Venue: Dr. Ambedkar Bhavan.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

KARNATAKA: VETERINARY & ANIMAL WELFARE: Animal Diseases’ Institute ‘NIVEDI’ in Karnataka to Celebrate ‘Foundation Day, July 01st’

NIVEDI has emerged as a leading institution in the field of veterinary epidemiology, not just within the country, but also on the global stage.

There is an increased focus on zoonotic diseases in the last one decade with widespread destruction of forests — a major contributor to global warming — and increased incidences of human-animal proximity and conflicts. The Covid-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2, which has been classified as a zoonotic disease, has brought to fore the deadly impact of emerging infectious diseases of probable animal origin. 

Besides zoonosis, animals, including livestock diseases, pose a grave threat to the economy. “In the last three years, lumpy skin disease (LSD) has claimed over two lakh cattle heads in 30 lakh reported cases in the country. Similarly, African swine fever (ASF), entered India from Assam and Arunachal Pradesh in 2020. It has now spread up to Kerala and Karnataka. ASF is a highly contagious viral disease of domestic and wild pigs, whose mortality rate can reach 100 per cent,” said Dr BR Gulati, director, ICAR-National Institute of Veterinary Epidemiology and Disease Informatics (NIVEDI).

NIVEDI has emerged as a leading institution in the field of veterinary epidemiology, not just within the country, but also on the global stage. “We have an animal disease database of the country and provide valuable policy inputs related to animal health to state and central governments,” he added.

The institute is actively involved in ongoing flagship national animal disease control programmes of major livestock diseases such as foot and mouth diseases (FMD), brucellosis, Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR) in sheep and goats, classical swine fever or hog cholera (CSF) as well as LSD in bovines and ASF in pigs. Brucellosis is a bacterial disease, which mainly infect cattle, swine, goats, sheep and dogs. Humans generally acquire the disease through direct contact with infected animals, by eating or drinking contaminated animal products or by inhaling airborne agents.

NIVEDI is celebrating its foundation day on July 1 marking a significant milestone in its journey towards excellence in veterinary epidemiology and disease informatics. “By harnessing the power of data, technology, and interdisciplinary collaboration, the institute aims to continue making significant contributions to the field, promoting animal health, and improving the livelihoods of farmers and livestock owners,” said Gulati. Member, Agricultural Scientists Recruitment Board, New Delhi, SP Kimoti, will be the chief guest on the occasion.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL & KARNATAKA: DEFENCE SERVICES / TECHNOLOGY :DRDO, Navy Fly TAPAS Drone, Land it on Warship 

 The TAPAS UAV took off from Chitradurga’s Aeronautical Test Range (ATR) and flew 285 km and landed successfully on INS Subhadra.

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Indian Navy successfully demonstrated the transfer of command and control capabilities of TAPAS unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).

The TAPAS UAV took off from Chitradurga’s Aeronautical Test Range (ATR) and flew 285 km and landed successfully on INS Subhadra. According to the Navy, the vessel was 148km off the Karwar Naval base. A ground control station and two ship data terminals were installed on INS Subhadra to control the UAV.

The UAV took off at 7.35 am from the ATR and soared to a height of 20,000 feet and flew for three-and-a-half hours non-stop to land on INS Subhadra. “After this test, the UAV flew back to the ATR safely,” said the Navy.

“This test is called C2 — command and control capabilities — to check the ability of the operator to control the drone’s flight, sensors and payloads. C2 capabilities are essential for the safe and effective operations of a drone. This is a Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) drone, which has a flight endurance of 24 to 48 hours,” informed Girish Linganna, a Bengaluru-based defence expert.

TAPAS was designed and developed by the Aeronautical Development Agency and can be used for patrolling and intelligence gathering for all the three forces. These UAVs are considered the Indian version of Predator drones of the United States.

They are equipped with electro optics sensors to capture images and videos both during the day and night, long-range electro optics sensors to take images and videos from long distances that can be used for surveillance and reconnaissance missions and provide information about enemy movements and activities, Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) that uses a technique called synthetic aperture to create high-resolution images that can be used in all-weather conditions to obtain ground surface details like terrain features and objects, electronic intelligence, communication intelligence and other features.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

KARNATAKA: CANINES/DOGS FOR INDIAN ARMY: Belgian Malinois Dogs to Guard Indian Borders, Reared in Bavikeri, Ankola Taluk, Uttara Kannada

A post on Facebook changed the history of 17 Belgian Malinois puppies which were born at a house in a village near Ankola.

A post on Facebook changed the history of 17 Belgian Malinois puppies which were born at a house in a village near Ankola. For dog lover Raghavendra Bhat, a resident of Bavikere in Ankola taluk in Uttara Kannada district, rearing dogs has been a hobby.

But an unexpected big event occurred when he, as usual, posted the pictures of his Belgian Malinois puppies. An officer from the Army in Assam contacted him immediately, requesting him to give the puppies to guard the borders.

Bhat, an officer in the Department of Women and Child Development in Uttara Kannada, told this newspaper, “I had a big surprise when the Army officer contacted me. Another officer was sent to my house and he tested all the pups for 45 days, before ensuring that they are fit to serve the nation.”

Bhat learnt about Belgian Malinois after a friend who works in CRPF informed him about the breed. “I searched for the best dogs and did not want any with a history of inbreeding. I brought the male from Bengaluru and a pair of females from Haryana. I retained one female Lisa. I got a duron colour male from Hyderabad, which we named Devil. Malinois with this colour is rare and most sought after. The rest is history,” he said.

He has four Malinois now, KF, Devil, Lisa and Tiny.
Lisa littered 10 puppies and Tiny eight. Bhat’s family never thought that the pups would be picked up by the Army. Earlier, a few pups had been taken for service by the state police.

The family has been rearing dogs for the last 25 years and have several rare and popular breeds in their collection, including dobermann, German shepherd, pit bulls and American bully. Their Indian breeds include Bully kutta and Mudhol hounds. He is now planning to bring in the best of Rajapalayam hounds to his collection.

One-post fame
After a Fa­ce­book post, an Army officer from Assam contacted Ra­ghave­ndra Bhat, requesting that the puppies be given to guard the borders. The pups were tested for 45 days to be declared fit to serve the nation

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL & KARNATAKA: MARINE & FISHERIES: Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) Scientists Facilitate Successful Cultivation of Indian Pompano through Cage Fish Culture in Padhthonse Village, Udupi district

A team of scientists from the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Mangaluru, has facilitated successful cultivation of Indian Pompano (Trachinotus mookalee) for the first time in Karnataka in the Swarna estuary at Padhthonse village, Udupi district, and its harvest was done from June 2 to June 26.

The pilot project began last November under the Scheduled Caste Sub Plan Programme, wherein the beneficiaries got hands-on training in various aspects of cage culture.

Indian Pompano fingerlings, measuring 2-3 cm, were procured from the marine finfish hatchery of the Vishakhapatnam Regional Centre of ICAR-CMFRI.

About 4,000 fingerlings, each weighing 3-4 gm, were released into cages at a density of 40-50 fishes per cubic metre after acclimatising them to the local condition.

The fingerlings were fed pelleted floating feed twice a day, amounting to 5% of their body weight, said a release from CMFRI-Mangaluru.

After a five-month grow-out period, the Indian Pompano was harvested in batches between June 2 and 26. The average growth observed during this period was 400-450 gm, resulting in a total harvest of 1,300 kg with survival rate of 90%.

The beneficiaries sold the harvested fish locally, fetching prices ranging from ₹450 to ₹490 per kg generating ₹6.1 lakh revenue. With expenses at ₹3.75 lakh, the net profit earned was ₹2.35 lakh in six months.

Success of the pilot would not only provide alternative livelihood for SC families, but also help other local communities. The success has demonstrated the rapid growth rate of Indian Pompano to reach the preferred table-size in six months and the favourable market demand for the same.

Cage cultivation of fish in coastal Karnataka began in 2009-10 in coastal rivers with over 900 cages being installed in estuaries till now.

The Fisheries Department, the National Fisheries Development Corporation etc., extended financial support to over 500 families. Seabass, Red Snapper and Snubnose Pompano were among the species grown in cages.

The research programme was led by A.P. Dineshbabu and his team of scientists comprising Sujitha Thomas, Geetha Sasikumar, Rajesh K. M., and Divya Viswambharan.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

KARNATAKA: MEDIA / RADIO ASSOCIATION: Dr. Rashmi Ammembala Elected President of Karnataka Community Radio Centers Association

Dr Rashmi Ammemba was selected as the founding president of Karnataka Community radio Centers association.

The association had begun functioning in various districts of the Karnataka state from 2007. The formation of the state level association and the selection of the state office bearers was held recently in Bengaluru.

Dr Rashmi Ammembala, head of Community radio center of ‘Radio Manipal’ was elected unanimously. The other elected members were Sivashankaraswamy of Budikote ‘Nammadhwani’ as honorary president, Saibabu of ‘Kalike’ as vice president, Bharat B Badiger of Bagalkote BEC Voice as secretary, Ningaraju of ‘Janadhvani’ as joint secretary, Ramya of ‘Radio Active’ as treasurer.

Shivaji Ganesan of ‘Radio Siddhartha’, Dr Shivaraj Shastri of ‘Antarvani’, Shamanta DS of ‘Sarathi Jhalak’, Guruprasad of ‘Radio Shimoga’, VK Kadaba of ‘Radio Ninada’, Abhishek of ‘Radio Sarang’, Ananth of ‘Raman Dhwani’, Ravindra Kavataker of ‘KL E Dhwani, Manjunath of ‘Venudhwani’, Surekha Sankanagoudar of ‘Krishi Radio’, Panduranga Vitthal of ‘Jnanadhwani,

Shivakumar of ‘JSS radio’, Kiran Chaugala of ‘Nammura Banuli’, Varun Kanjarpane of ‘Namma nadi’, Tejaswini of ‘Radio Panchajanya’, Devendra of ‘Radio Manasa’, Noor Ahmed of ‘Sahkar Radio’ and Dr Shivalingaiah of ‘Neladani’ were selected as Executive Committee Member.

source/content: daijiworld.com (headline edited)

GLOBAL RECORD: INDIA & KARNATAKA: Karnataka’s Lion-Tailed Macaque Population Highest in World

The latest study was conducted in December 2022, covering  Sirsi-Honnavara and Shivamogga forest divisions.

Karnataka has the world’s largest population of lion-tailed macaques (LTMs) with 41 groups of 730 individuals, according to a study by the Karnataka Forest Department and Coimbatore-based Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History (SACON).

The study gave a big boost to conservation efforts as it found that the population of LTMs in the Sharavathi Valley Lion-Tailed Macaque Sanctuary (SVLTMS), spread across Shivamogga and Uttara Kannada districts, has been stable with more groups being added, as compared to the previous study. The earlier study in 2015 had put the population of LTMs at 30 groups with a little over 600 individuals.  

The latest study was conducted in December 2022, covering  Sirsi-Honnavara and Shivamogga forest divisions. Volunteers and forest department staff walked through 72 grid cells in the evergreen forests of the Western Ghats, which span north of the Sharavathi Valley Wildlife Sanctuary and south of the Aghanashini River Valley.

“The study areas were Kyadagi and Siddapur forest ranges in the Sirsi Forest Division, Honnavar, Gersoppa, Bhatkala and Kumta Forest ranges in the Honnavar Forest Division, and Kogar and Kargal forest ranges of the Shivamogga Wildlife Division,” said Vasanth Reddy, Conservator of Forests, Canara Circle, who initiated the study.

“It revealed that Uttara Kannada has been a significant and potential site for the conservation of LTMs, considering the sizable canopy and undisturbed habitat as compared to the north of Sharavathi,” HN Kumara, Senior Principal Scientist, SACON, said. He said the department’s initiatives, like restoration of canopy and forests and insulating high-tension transmission lines that pass through forest areas of Gerusoppa and other places, have helped in the conservation of LTMs.

This is the first integrated LTM assessment exercise for the Sharavathi Valley Sanctuary, covering both Canara and Shivamogga circles. Earlier, the study focussed only on Canara circle. LTMs are the indicators of evergreen forests as they prefer canopy and are rarely seen on ground.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

    India launches multi-lingual legal app for assistance from homes

    Former CJI UU Lalit said access to justice has always been a cause dear to his heart.

    Former Chief Justice of India M N Venkatachaliah recently launched the multi-lingual India Legal App, a legal helpline accessible to citizens to obtain legal assistance from their homes.

    Justice Venkatachaliah, also a patron-in-chief of India Legal Research Foundation, said that the app will benefit a wide range of consumers, including a large legal community of 1.2 million lawyers and half a million students, a release stated.

    After the launch of the app on Saturday, the first call on the app came from Meerut. An employee alleged that his employer did not give him money. Justice Venkatachaliah directed him to file a case against the employer and to approach the High Court. 

    Former CJI UU Lalit said access to justice has always been a cause dear to his heart. “From Supreme Court to lower courts the doors have always been open for impartial justice. However, systemic difficulties have made access to justice challenging,” he said. 

    The app can be used in 6 languages — English, Hindi, Gujarati, Marathi, Bengali and Punjabi. 

    source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)