Coast Guard cautions people against trespassing near Karwar beach Land transfer

Coast Guard cautions people against trespassing near Karwar beach Land transfer

The action of the Uttara Kannada district administration of handing over the middle part of the Karwar beach to the Defence department has kicked up a new controversy. The Defence department has put up a board restricting entry to the beach.

Fourteen acres of revenue land on Karwar beach was handed over to the Coast Guard to build an office there, said K.. Narasimhamurthy, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Uttara Kannada.

What surprised people was the secrecy maintained by the Revenue Department officials on the whole process, said Rajesh Nayak, president of the Karwar Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) unit. After acquisition of the major part of the beaches in Karwar for the Seabird project, the people of Karwar were left with a small stretch of the beach. The Revenue Department officials should have consulted the public, fishermen and the social and political organisations before handing it over. What was the reason for secrecy that they maintained in the whole deal, said Mr. Nayak. Gaja Surangekar, a fishermen leader, said the district administration had cheated the fishermen who had been using the beaches for fishing for centuries. He said that the people came to know about the transfer of land only on Tuesday when the signboards were put up. “We will launch an agitation and never allow them to snatch our right to use the sea shore,” he said.

Ratan Durgekar, a morning jogger on the beach, criticised the officials of the district administration. He said when thousands of acres of land acquired for project Seabird still remained unused in Karwar, what was the necessity to hand over a new piece of land in the civilian area to the Defence department? He said the people living around the Seabird project area faced several restrictions. A Defence office in civilian area would create more problems for the citizens of Karwar. The Tourism Department was showcasing Karwar beach to attract tourists. About Rs. 5 crore project was prepared by the district administration itself to develop the beach. Officials of the National Highway Department, who worked on the four-lanes highway that passed through the same area were unaware of land transfer. The area where the signboard was put by the Coast Guard covered forestland.

A senior Forest Department official pleaded his ignorance about this. He said that part of land on the beach belonged to the Forest Department and survey no. 108 on the beach was a forest as per records.

The projects like “green wall” on Karwar beach was taken up by the Forest Department to stop the sea erosion, sea breeze and sand accumulation on the road. Now the Defence area in forestland might create problems to implement these projects, he said.

Many beach lovers, environmentalists and fishermen organisations have threatened to launch agitation against the district administration for handing over the beach area to the Coast Guard.

Naval Base at Karwar - The Untold Agony in the Achievements...

India is finally going in for a major expansion of its newest naval base at Karwar in coastal Karnataka, which provides it "strategic depth" on the western seaboard and will house aircraft carriers and nuclear submarines in the future.

This comes after a long delay since the ambitious `Project Seabird' to build the futuristic Karwar naval base was first approved by the government way back in 1985 at an initial cost of Rs 350 crore. Budgetary constraints derailed the project for a decade before a truncated Phase-I was approved in 1995, with the work finally commencing in 1999 with a Rs 2,500 crore fund allocation.

"Phase-I is now fully complete. We have 10 warships based there. Now, the detailed project report for Phase-II is in the final stages. After approval by the Cabinet Committee on Security, construction will begin next year,'' Navy chief Admiral Nirmal Verma told TOI. Navy will be able to berth 25 to 30 big warships at Karwar after Phase-II gets over by 2017, he added. The base will also house a wide variety of smaller ships, including 10 of the 80 fast-interceptor craft of Sagar Prahari Bal, the specialised force being raised for coastal security after the 26/11 terror attacks on Mumbai.  
Source - Times of India

INS Kadamba

INS Seabird

Project Seabird was a program to establish a new Naval Base, the INS Kadamba. This base would be India's first base exclusively for naval ships and the largest. Prior to its existence, naval ships shared space with commercial vessels at the two major ports in Mumbai and Visakhampatnam as well as smaller enclaves in Kochi, Goa and other small ports. A new Naval Base on the western coast was sanctioned in 1985 primarily on strategic consideration for completion by 1995 to provide additional infrastructure for the growing Naval Fleet. Karwar in Karnataka was chosen as the location of this base. The base would is under the jurisdiction of the Western Naval Command.

The Naval base was inaugurated by Defence Minister, Mr Pranab Mukherjee on 05 May 2005. The then Prime Minister Late Shri Rajiv Gandhi laid the foundation stone on 24 Oct 1986. The project was originally conceived by Admiral OS Dawson (Retd), PVSM, AVSM, ADC, who was Chief of Naval Staff from 28 Feb 82 to 30 Nov 84.

The West Coast was chosen for the location of the new base since the eastern base at Visakhapatnam, which could berth 50 ships, was considered adequate for India’s security needs in the east. Mumbai, on the west coast, was too congested due the substantial number of merchant vessels that docked there regularly, often forcing naval ships to wait a day before they could dock. Shallow waters along the channel in Mumbai prevent the berthing of aircraft carriers, which would have to lie in anchorage. Expansion of the Mumbai base was impossible and nearby buildings such as the Bombay Stock Exchange presented a security risk. Furthermore, Mumbai was a mere 580 nautical miles (900 kilometers) from Karachi whereas the Karwar base would be around 900 nautical miles (1,450 kilometers) from Karachi, thus being further away from potential attacks such as via missiles. The topography of the Karwar base was also considered valuable by the Navy. Features include sufficient and even water depth permitting easy berthing and navigation, hilly forested terrain to camouflage ground installations and the low occurrence of siltation.

The project was beset with abnormal delays. Despite revision of completion schedule from 1995 to 2005, the execution of marine works commenced after 14 years in 1999 raising doubts about the completion of the project even as per the revised schedule.

The cost of the project estimated at Rs 350 crore (Rs 3.5 billion) in 1985 increased to Rs 959 crore in 1990 on finalisation of detailed project report and further escalated to Rs 1294 crore in 1995, though the scope of the project was considerably reduced. The Ministry accepted consultancy services for supervision, contract management and quality assurance at higher rates than that quoted by foreign consultant in July 1990, resulting in extra expenditure of Rs 7 crore. Incomplete and inadequate studies by Central Water Power Research Station entrusted with site selection studies prolonged the studies for more than eight years. Tardy progress in implementation of approved rehabilitation package for the affected families despite budgetary allocations for this project led to its revision time and again and ultimately its financial impact increased by Rs 78.20 crore. Investment of Rs 2.64 crore on creation of assets, established to match the proposed commencement of marine works in June 1998 remained unproductive due to non-acquisition of land and conclusion of marine works contract.

The Ministry sanctioned in July 1986, acquisition of 6933 acres of State Government revenue and forest land and 5421 acres of private land at a cost of Rs 22 crore. But subsequent developments like (a) minimising human displacement (b) restriction on construction within 200 metres from high tide line, (c) planning of Konkan Railway line through the station and (d) reduced scope of the project necessitated reassessment of land to be acquired. Out of 8175 acres land decided to be finally acquired, 324 acres had not been acquired as of January 2000.

The INS Kadamba was commission on May 31, 2005. As of then, Project Seabird was being executed on 4480 hectares (11200 acres) of land, which was a mix of forest, revenue and private land. More than 4000 families living in 13 villages have been relocated to seven Rehabilitation Centers. Out of the acquired 3500 hectares of forest land, only 400 hectares have been used for construction. As per the existing policy, 800 hectares of compensatory afforestation has been done. In addition, about 900 hectares of afforestation has been carried out within the Naval area after taking over. Some sources have estimated the cost the total project cost at US$800 million.

Due to budget limitations, the Navy halved the original Phase I of Project Seabird. Phase II which will last from 2005 to 2010 will double most of the existing facilities. In addition, a naval air station will also be constructed where large ship-based helicopters will be stationed. The Navy ultimately plans to berth 50 vessels at Karwar.

Currently, the Navy plans to station the operating fleet of the Western Naval Command at Karwar while sending ships for repair and maintenance to Mumbai.

One of the unique feature of the base is the ship-lift and ship-transfer system for dry docking of the ship at the Naval Ship Repair Yard. The ship-lift is capable of lifting upto 10,000 tonnes and measures 175m x 28m. A ship-lift is a large elevator platform that can be lowered into water and lift a ship vertically to the yard-level so that the ship can be moved onto a dry repair berth on land. The ship-lift will be able to lift all other Indian Navy vessels except aircraft carriers and supply vessels. Currently there are 2 jetties available for ship-berthing. Ultimately, 11 piers will be available which will be able to accommodate 42 ships. Ships will be placed by end 2005 to enable the Western Naval Command with operational flexibilities.

Source

Land Acquisition/Rehabilitation of Displaced Persons

The land required for execution of Project Seabird was approx. 4480 hectares, which was a mix of forest, revenue and private land. Over 4000 families living in 13 villages were required to be rehabilitated. The rehabilitation of the project affected families commenced in 1995 and this process went through various stages of negotiations, agitations, resistance, discussions and meetings with the involvement of local, state and national level political level leadership, including the High Court of Karnataka and National Human Rights Commission. Finally, at a meeting between the then Raksha Mantri and the CM of Karnataka in 1999, a comprehensive rehabilitation package was settled at a cost of Rs 126 crores as opposed to the original estimate of only Rs 9 crores. The actual work at site was to have been completed within 10 years (1995-2005), but could only commence in 2000 after the project affected families were rehabilitated in seven Rehabilitation Centers. The Project is being executed in a holistic manner with the involvement of all agencies. 

Source

Non-payment of Compensation – Movable Assets of Govt Office Attached

The court personnel attached the movable assets found in the office of the special land acquisition officer of the Seabird Naval Base here, located in the office of the district deputy commissioner, on Monday March 8. The court had ordered for the attachment of the movable assets of the office, as per an execution petition filed by the persons aggrieved at the non-payment of compensation for their lands acquired for the naval base.
Land belonging to the late Vishnu Siddappa Naik, the late Datta Siddappa Naik, and their brother, Mohan Siddappa Naik, located in Chendia Aligadda village, had been acquired by the land acquisition officer in the year 1989.  The land owners, dissatisfied with the price offered for their lands, had approached the court for enhancement of compensation, which was granted by the civil court here. Thereafter, the government had filed a special leave petition in the High Court to approach the Supreme Court against the court order, which was declined. The appeal filed by the estate officer of the department of defence in the court against the court order, is yet to be admitted by the Supreme Court.
The court bailiffs took away chairs, tables, fans, Xerox machine, and cupboards found in the office. Employees of the office, who initially resisted the move, had to move out of the office as they could not function in the office that was being emptied. Advocate for the displaced persons, P S Bhat, said that the court took this step, as the land acquisition officer failed to pay compensation as per the court order, even after several requests were made to him on this issue.
Source - Daijiworld.com

Compensation, a mirage for Seabird land losers in Karwar - Deccan Herald
It is 24 years since the government acquired 2,500 acres of private land from people in Karwar and Ankola taluks to build ‘Seabird,’ the biggest naval base in Asia.
However, compensation has become a mirage for the people who lost their home and hearth for the naval base. The land acquisition process for the project costing Rs 25,000 crore began in 1986. But the compensation distribution has run into a controversy. As a result nearly 25,000 people of 8,000 families have become homeless.

These people had sacrificed their land to strengthen the defence system of the country. However, they are yet to be compensated. The Government had paid just Rs 150 per gunta. Those who lost the land went to the court saying that the sum was too meagre.

The Additional Civil court (Senior Division) directed the government to pay Rs 11,500 per gunta. According to the court order, Geethabai Dayanand Naik, who had given up her land, was given a compensation amount of Rs 4.90 lakh.  However, the Defence department appealed to the High Court against the lower court order stating that it was not possible for the government to give such a huge amount. The High Court upheld the order of the civil court. The Department has now filed a special leave petition in the Supreme Court. It will take a long time for the hearing to come up in the Supreme Court.

The majority of the families who have lost land either belong to the fisher community or are farmers. As the seashores are a part of the naval base project, the fishermen are worried about their future. The farmers rehabilitated in a barren land are not able to continue with their agriculture activities. 
Source - http://www.deccanherald.com/content/61202/compensation-mirage-seabird-land-losers.html
More - http://onespot.wsj.com/india-news/2010/03/30/a/603926757-compensation-a-mirage-for-seabird/
Despair of the displaced

The displaced families complain that the land in the rehabilitation centres is not fit for cultivation and that the government has not been able to provide them an alternative livelihood.

PROJECT SEABIRD has, by and large, overcome its initial setbacks, but many of the families that lost their land and/or livelihood as a result of the building of the naval base are yet to find their feet.

According to revenue records, 4,111 families, including 3,315 engaged in farming on less than one acre of own land and 856 of fisherfolk, living in 12 villages have been affected by the project. However, Prabhakar Rane, a former Karnataka Minister who is honorary president of the Seabird Naval Base and Konkan Railway Evacuees Forum, disputes the figure. He says there are more than 10,000 project-displaced families, comprising around 40,000 people.

The 11-year delay between the final land acquisition notification in 1989 and the actual shifting of people from the project site added to the problems associated with rehabilitation and resettlement (R&R). During this period of uncertainty, families expanded and land prices climbed. The displaced families were unhappy with the R&R package that the Karnataka government offered initially. In 1989, many of them approached the Karnataka High Court, which forbade the evacuation of people until "proper rehabilitation measures" were undertaken.

In August 1998, the Defence Ministry and the State government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on a Rs.126-crore rehabilitation package, and the court allowed the project to proceed. Under the package, the head of every displaced family received Rs.50,000 and a house site in one of the newly created rehabilitation centres (RCs), while two adult sons and one unmarried daughter above the age of 35 got Rs.70,000. (The site was in addition to the compensation plus 30 per cent solatium and 12 per cent interest received for the extent of land lost.) Seven RCs were created - at Chittakula, Amadalli and Harwada for fishermen and at Todur, Hattikeri, Belekeri and Mudageri for agriculturists.

The displaced families want the R&R package to be extended to all sons and a maintenance allowance for the 12 years that they remained without their lands and jobs. The families are unhappy with the RCs, most of which do not have proper roads and a regular water supply system. Most important, the families want the State government to provide an alternative livelihood, which even government officials agree they have not been able to do. The few government-sponsored employment generation schemes (like carpentry, poultry and mushroom farming) have not found favour with the displaced people. They hope the government or the Navy will provide them with jobs as security guards, drivers or secretaries.

Said Nagubeechu Gowda, whose family lost land in NK Bail, Berede and Bavekeri villages and has now been rehabilitated at the Belekeri RC: "Earlier we cultivated paddy and even cash crops like coconut, groundnut and cashew, but here the land is not fertile, we cannot cultivate anything. There is no water either for drinking or for irrigation. Many of the wells have dried up." Added Sukri Gowda, a farmhand who has also been rehabilitated at the Belekeri RC: "There is hardly any agricultural activity close to the RC. We cannot even collect firewood because the Navy has taken over most of the forest areas."

Source - Frontline

Seabird officer issued notice

The additional civil court (senior grade) here has issued a showcause notice to the land acquisition officer of Seabird Naval Base project, asking him why he should not be arrested for not complying with the court order.

A case was filed about 10 years ago by one Janaki Teka Naik of Amadalli village, asking for more compensation for her land acquired by the naval base. But after her death when the court case was still in progress, her son Devidas Naik continued with the case. On February 7, 2008, the court ordered the land acquisition officer to deposit 25% of the amount of the additional compensation to be paid to Devidas.

As per the direction of the court, the officer presented a cheque of Rs 29,57,928 in the court on October 18, 2008. The cheque was sent to State Bank of India's Bangalore branch for realization. But due to the negligence of the bank staff, the cheque was not realized even after nine months, according to a written statement issued by Pradeep Naik, the advocate representing Devidas in the case. Repeated requests of Devidas and his family made to the land acquisition officer, bank officials and defence officials did not yield any results. Considering this as a serious offence, the court issued the showcause notice to the land acquisition officer.

Source - Times of India, from http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_8012/is_20090716/ai_n39597262/

Woes of North Karnataka - Wikibin.Org

North Karnataka with rich history, tradition, natural resources, still not overcome issues like Border issue, Regional Imbalance, Emerges as terror hub.
North Karnataka has been severely lagging from all aspects of development.
There is a backwardness in everything fields like Infrastructure, Education, Economy, Government facilities, Rail links, Road transport, Airports, Tourism many more.

Border Dispute 
Even though the Kannada Dynasties Kadamba, Rashtrakuta, Chalukya, Vijayanagara Empire ruled the Karnataka, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Tamilnadu and also the parts of Gujarath. The impact of Kannada is clearly visible in the names of the places, Kannada words used in there literature.
If we trace the history of the Maratha empire, not much difference between
Kannadigas and Marathis and should live together as friends and not enemies.
Karnataka Kshatriya Maratha Parishat clearly said
* The Maharashtra Government should accept the Mahajan Commission report on the boundary issue and Belgaum was part of Karnataka .
* All Marathi speaking people in Karnataka were safe and were living peacefully with Kannadigas.


Maharashtra Claim 
Maharashtra laid claim to over 800 villages in Karnataka in Bidar, Belgaum and North Kanara districts.
Boundary dispute between Karnataka and Maharashtra arose over the demarcation of the boundary between both States by the States Reorganisation Act 1956.
Attempt to redemarcation of the boundaries on uniform principles, Discussions and protracted correspondence between the Chief Ministers of two States and even the appointment of a 4 member committee (in 1960) failed. Then Senapathy Bapat, a freedom fighter, and 3 other Maharashtra leaders went on a fast unto death demanding the resolution of the dispute. In October 1966, the Government of India appointed the third Chief Justice of India, Mehr Chand Mahajan, to make recommendations to solve the dispute.
Of the 865 villages and towns villages claimed by Maharashtra, the Commission recommended
(which submitted its report in August 1967) the transfer of 264 villages be transferred from Karnataka. Of the 516 villages claimed by Karnataka, the Commission recommended the transfer of 247 from Maharashtra.
Maharashtra refused to accept the Mahajan Commission Report, But Karnataka accepted the report.

Facts from History 
* Historically North Kanara or Uttara Kannada was part of the great Kannada Empires. Initially the Kadamba Dynasty (350 - 525CE). Later the Chalukya Dynasty. Then a succession of dynasties such as the Rashtrakutas, Hoysalas and the Vijayanagara Empire ruled.
* Kavirajamarga (The 9th century writing) refers to the entire area between the Kaveri River and the Godavari River as Kannada country, that implys that the language was popular farther north in present day Maharashtra. Owing to its popularity in modern Maharashtra during medieval times, Kannada has had an influence on the Gujarati language also.
* Inscribed stones and copper plates, found in the neighbouring districts of Ratnagiri and Belganv as well as the state of Kolhapur, inform us that Satara and south Maharashtra, between 550 and 753 A.D. were held by Badami Chalukyas
* People who speak Kannada now have a majority in Belgaum city.
*Kannada Roots of Shivaji : Baliyappa or Balli, an ancestor of Shivaji came from Sorturu in Gadag District in present day Karnataka (North Karnataka) and not from Sorat from Sourashtra.
* The dynastic surname Bhosle or Bhosale of Shivaji, is a derivative of Hoysala Kannada rulers of Karnataka.
* Maharastra Gazetteer on Kolhapur clearly indicates that it was belongs to Kannadigas. Mahalaxmi temple (9th Century) at Kolhapur, Construction initiated by Kannada Rashtrakutas. The oldest part of the temple was the work of the Kannada Early Chalukyas. Within the temple area, below the carved ceiling are standing figures of Jain Tirthankars with inscriptions carved along in an old form of Kannada Language (Hale Kannada).
* At Ajanta and Ellora cave temples you can notice Some of the paintings those belongs to Kannada dynasty Chalukya.
* Kailash temple in Ellora was built by the kannada dynasty Rastrakutas.
* In Maharashtra after the fall of Vakatakas, South Maharashtra was lost to the Kadambasand North Maharashtra was lost to Kalachuris. The new religion of Basavanna had set a great religious revolution there. Basavanna settled down at Sangameshvar in the Ratnagiri district, propounding Shaivism (Veerashaivism) called the Virashaivas.
* The greatness of Vijayanagara Empire and glory of Kannada valour which spread beyond Maharashtra in earlier age.
* Marathi is actually a mongrel language combining the old Dravidian vernacular of the region which would have been close to Kannada and Telugu and the actual Maharashtri Prakrit and Sanskrit. For WORDS OF DRAVIDIAN ORIGIN IN MARATHI CORE VOCABULARY refer [http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~fsouth/DravidianElement.pdf]
* During the region of Nanda-Maurya, Kannada got established as a separate language from Proto-Dravidian.
* Kadambas are earliest sovereigns in Karnataka and they had sway over major part of Karnataka, and parts of Goa and Maharashtra.


Kannada impact on Marathi 
* Most of the words of Dravidian origin in Marathi appear to come from the languages immediately to the south, that is Kannada Kodagu Tulu.
* Kannada words are the highest in Marathi, spoken under Yadavas (1180-1320).
* Marathi inscriptions of 1222 in Kannada script at Khandoli.
* Marathi was influenced by Kannada and that many Kannada words are found in Jnaneshvari.
* The popular deities of Maharashtra Vitthala, Mahalaxmi, Tulajabhavani and Khandoba have their origin in Karnataka.
* Pune (Punnaka) 8th century, The earliest evidence of copper plates dating 758 AD and 768 AD reveals that this region was ruled by the Kannada Kingdom Rashtrakuta.
* Areas between the Narmada River in the north and Kaveri River in the south came under Kannada dynasty Chalukya.
* Political history of Maharashtra shows use of Kannada) for administrative purposes.
* The Code of Law Document (1670), on the arrival of the Portuguese, was translated into Persian and Kannada (Kanarese).
* In 1810, Stuart M. Elphinston, who became Governor of Bombay, was given a citation in Kannada.
* Going by the influence of Kannada language and culture, Belgaum should have been the State capital.

Belgaum border dispute 
Facts from History
* In the past Belgaum was known as Venugrama (means Bamboo village). Evident from the remains of monuments found here, it was a part of the Chalukya Empire(6th to 8th century).
* The history of Belgaum (12th and 13th century), was built and ruled by local rulers called Rattas of Saundatti and they built Belgaum fort.
* Belgaum was later ruled by the Yadavas of Devangiri and then became a part of the great Vijaynagar Empire.
* Belgaum is a Karmabhoomi of Rani Chennamma (First woman freedom fighter of the India, In 1824, ignited the spark of the freedom struggle) of Kittur.

Mahajan Commission 
The Central government in 1966 constituted a commission, headed by third CJI Meher Chand Mahajan
, to solve the border dispute between Karnataka and Maharastra. Mahajan Commission had recommended exchange of several villages between Karnataka and Maharastra, but rejected Maharashtra claim on Belgaum.

Politicising the issue 
Belgaum Kannada Marathi people are peace loving, Marathi people know Kannada and Kanndiga also speak Marathi and respect each other. But
generally during elections time MES and Shivsena activities again and again raked the border issue.
There is no point in politicising the issue, Belgaum is an integral part of Karnataka and has been
accepted by Government of Karnataka as per the Mahajan Commission report.

Goa Claim 
Claim made by Goa Konkani Rajya Ekikaran Manch, on Karwar, Supa and Haliyal in North Karnataka
Fact from History
* So many Kannda words are in use in Konkani.
* Goa was ruled by Kadamba Dynasty Kannada kingdom, having its capital at Halasi in Khanapur taluka of Belgaum District.
* Konkani was written in Kannada script in Goa historically for a long time.
* Kadambas of Banavasi won over some parts of Goa. The province of Goa was later occupied by two important Kannada dynasties, the Badami Chalukyas and Rashtrakutas. Goa saw a great development during this period and established itself as an important business center. Subsequent rulers of Goa, the Kadambas of Goa, actually had Chandavar in Uttara Kannada District as their capital.

Regional Imbalance 
Due to the Development activities are concentrated around Bangalore and Mysore.
North Karnataka remains underdeveloped. Due to this, the migration into Bangalore
and to other parts of India increasing. A High Power Committee for redressal of regional imbalances had been set up to study this issue.
It had made several recommendations. The report had stated that at
least Rs 31,000 crore had to be spent for North Karnataka.

Nanjundappa Committee report 
S.M. Krishna constituted the Nanjundappa Committee, to study and recommend a comprehensive development programme
to remove regional imbalance in North Karnataka districts.
Nanjundappa Committee report recommended investment of Rs. 16,000 crore over the 5 years to boost development.
No major action taken on the report after promises were made for the development of North Karnataka.

History and Tourism 
With the grace of the Dynasties like Kadamba, Rashtrakuta, Chalukya, Vijayanagara Empire, Deccan Sultanates. North Karnataka region has Thousands of group of monuments that include Temples, Basadi, Stupa, Gumbaj, Tomb.
Due the negligence of the Government of Karnataka, Government of India, Archeological Survey of India and Tourism Department, the places like Sannati Lakkundi, Aihole, Anegundi, Bidar, Gadag, Sudi, Hangal, Halasi, Chaudayyadanapura, Galaganatha many more are still waiting for the basic facilities like Compound, Garden, Guard.
North Karnataka would have been the Tourism Paradise of India, but still waiting for the basic facilities.

Neglected in Railway and Union Budgets
In Every Union and Railway budgets North Karnataka successively neglected.
A budget comes and goes with no positive news for North Karnataka.
Karnataka particularly North Karnataka's railway infrastructure is pathetic. Last 5 years Indian Union and Railways budgets are just meant for North India, Tamilnadu and Bihar.

North Karnataka emerges as terror hub 
North Karnataka has emerged as the hotbed for terror activity, according to intelligence sources.
North Karnataka is looked upon as a safe haven by terror groups. There is a huge SIMI presence in North Karnataka, and it has emerged as the most preferred destination after Hyderabad. After the heat was stepped in Hyderabad following blasts there, SIMI gradually moved into North Karnataka. Hubli-Dharwad and Bijapur as key destinations for SIMI.
A majority of the sleeper cells in Karnataka are in this region, These areas have huge populations of migrants, mainly from Kashmir, Bangladesh, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. While it is unfair to generalise that all migrants are into terrorism.
North Karnataka has been a preferred hub for terrorist for many years now. Terror training camps had been set up in the forests of North Karnataka. North Karnataka also played host to the crucial meeting termed as the Castle Rock meeting in Hubli.

North Karnataka representative’s negligence 
Politicians visit people of North Karnataka every time during elections and make huge castle election promises. But no representative and no party has ever done any significant development for North Karnataka. It is still the forgotten and neglected part of the state even after 50 years. Opportunist politicians and all burning issues which politicians are not even having a glance on them.

North Karnataka as a separate State 
Karnataka the moderately developed State, but the districts of
North Karnataka severely lag behind South and Coastal Karnataka.
In terms of Education, Health, Infrastructure, Economy, Drought.
Karnataka government has itself recognised this many times but not done much to develop.
The reasons for backwardness is Negligence.
In other words, historical neglect and continuing neglect by successive State Government. Packages have not helped, because development doesn’t come in Packages. Development requires a set of leaders dedicated to the cause of their respective constituencies.
North Karnataka’s problem has been a governance deficit that has led to North Karnataka as a separate State.


Source - http://wikibin.org/articles/north-karnataka-fate.html

Hankon Thermal Power Plant - 7 - Project Shelved on Persistent Agitations

Hanakon thermal power plant project shelved

Ind-Bharath Thermal Power Company Limited (IBTPL) which had proposed to set up a thermal power plant at Hanakon near Karwar has decided not to go ahead with the project following opposition from environment activists and the general public.

The decision of IBTPL and the samiti has come as a surprise to many. The samiti members hurriedly called the press conference and declared that they would withdraw all the criminal cases of forgery and cheating that they had filed against IBTPL. Mr. Vasurao said that IBTPL would withdraw the cases filed against the samiti members. The samiti leaders who had been accusing the company all along for using money and muscle power to curb the agitation against the proposed thermal power plant, lauded IBTPL for deciding against the project. Samiti leaders and Mr. Vasurao said that there was a misunderstanding and communication gap because of which there were problems.

Blaming the forest officials for providing the wrong information about the distance between Hanakon and Curtogoa Wildlife Sanctuary, Mr. Vasurao said that IBTPL relied on their report and went ahead with the project. He said IBTPL had no role in the atrocity committed by the police on the agitators on July 30, and said the guilty should be punished.

Asked whether it was a “give and take arrangement” between IBTPL and the few leaders of the samiti, Mr. Vasurao said there was nothing murky in the whole deal and it was done purely in the interests of the people of Karwar. The samiti offered full cooperation to IBTPL if it sets up an “eco-friendly” industry.

Mr. Vasurao said IBTPL would chalk out an alternative plan to develop the land it had purchased in Hanakon. Later, the samiti leaders and Mr. Vasurao went to the Deputy Commissioner’s office and signed an agreement with regard to the decision not to set up thermal power plant in Hanakon.

The sudden decision of some of the leaders of the samiti has created resentment among the other leaders who stayed away from the press meet. Some leaders who were imprisoned in Bellary Central Jail during the agitation were found arguing outside the Deputy Commissioner’s office with those who signed the pact with IBTPL without informing others.

A committee member, seeking anonymity, said that some leaders who were out to take the political mileage out of the agitation had called the press meet without knowledge of others. He said only the leaders from the Congress party were present and other leaders belonging to different other parties were informed in the last minute deliberately so as to keep them away from the press conference. Source - The Hindu

The Times of India Report of this news - This is the second major power plant project in Karnataka getting shelved in the recent times following protest by the local population and environmentalists. In 2007, the state government had dropped the proposed 1,000-mega watt capacity Chamalapura thermal power project at Mysore following stiff resistance.

In 2004, Karnataka had initially proposed to build a 300 MW thermal power project in Hanakona but subsequently due to power crisis in the state, raised the capacity to 400 MW project. The company had obtained a clearance from the state and the Centre and was awaiting a nod from the Pollution Control Board.

The locals and environmentalists had strongly opposed this project. In early 2009, events took a serious turn when police fired in the air to disperse the mob which was protesting during the shifting of the essential materials in the project site.

This had kicked off sporadic incidents of violence and the leader of the agitators and 17 women had been arrested. Even the reported police atrocity on several of the agitators had created a controversy.

Later, noted activist Medha Patkar and other political and non-political leaders joined the agitation. “We have already written a letter to the ministry of environment & forests about the plans to shift the thermal power plant from Karwar to Tuticorin,’’ Rao said, adding that they will also withdraw all the cases slapped against the agitators. As an alternative plan, he said the company now plans to start an eco-friendly project, including health resort, golf club, engineering or medical colleges with super speciality hospital at the land purchased by it in Hanakona to set up the power plant.

Meanwhile, sources said the company was also miffed with the Goa government for giving them false information which they had sought before initiating steps to set up the project. “The Goa government in a letter to the company had claimed that the distance between the project site and the Cotigao Wildlife Sanctuary was over 17 km. Later the company on verification realized that the wildlife sanctuary was within 5 km from the project site,’’ company officials said. Source

Ind-Barath to shift project

While company officials refused to comment, government sources confirmed the development. They said the company was planning to set up 3x150-Mw, coal-based, thermal power project, which was first planned for Hankon in Andhra Pradesh.

The land requirement is estimated at 220 acres and is likely to use a blend of imported and Indian coal, in a ratio of 80:20. The imported coal requirement is estimated to be 1.28 million tonnes per annum and will be sourced from Indonesian collieries, added sources.

The project may use the port of Tuticorin to import coal, which is in the process of investing Rs 538 crore to increase the draft at main berths, entry channels and turning circles. Currently, the port is handling around 7.5 million tonnes of coal every year, which is expected to increase to 12.5-13 million tonnes by 2012.

Ind-Barath Power currently has an operating capacity of 375 Mw and is setting up plants with 3,000 Mw of capacity. It has also tied up debt of Rs 2,600 crore for a 800 Mw coal-based power plant in Orissa. Its other projects are coming up in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

In October, the company raised $100 million in funding from Sequoia Capital India, Bessemer Venture Partners and Citi Venture Capital International (CVCI). The troika would be getting an 18 per cent stake in the power generation company, which is valued at over Rs 2,100 crore, according to agency reports.

This was the second round of funding for Ind-Barath, which raised Rs 300 crore in 2007 from CVCI and UTI Ventures.

Clarification

Ind-Barath's power plant was originally planned for Hankon, which is in Karnataka, and not Andhra Pradesh, as mentioned in the story. 

Source - Business-Standard

Hankon thermal plant moves to Thoothukudi

It’s now official. Ind Bharat Power (Karwar) Limited, a private company based in Hyderabad, which proposed the establishment of a 3x150 MW coal-based thermal power project at Hankon near here, officially declared here on Saturday that the proposal had been dropped and the proposed project would be shifted to Thoothukudi in Tamil Nadu. He said it was pointed out in the letter that the company was not able to implement the project due to political, environmental and other unforeseen reasons. He said the materials brought for the project were being shifted to the new project location in Tamil Nadu.

GOLF CLUB, HOSPITAL PROPOSED: Rao said the company is proposing to establish eco-friendly projects such as a health resort with golf club and a medical college with a hospital on the site at Hankon. The local people had welcomed it, he said. The necessary environment impact assessment study would be carried out in this regard, he added. Source - Express Buzz

Success !!!

The Hyderabad based Ind- Bharath Power (Karwar) Limited has decided to shift its 450-MW coal-based thermal power plant project to Tuticorin in Tamil Nadu from Hanakon in Uttara Kannada district. It is the victory for the people of Hanakon and surrounding villages, who have been fighting against the thermal project for the last two years.

These people had waged a war against the project on all fronts - legal, social, cultural, emotional and political. From the small village of Hanakon, they took their complaint to Delhi, woke the authorities up and convinced them how dangerous the project would be if implemented. They even roped in environmentalists like Medha Patkar to oppose the project. They were so emotional that the Gabit community had even gone to the extent of returning the palanquins the Asnotikar family had donated to a temple in their village.

What is more important here is that these Gabit community members preferred to return the palanquins — a spiritually and sentimentally important symbol for these innocent villagers — to antagonising the politically influential Asnotikar family.

Only those who know the influence of deities in an Indian rural situation can understand how hard it is to take such a daring decision in a remote and conservative village of Uttara Kannada district. During the annual fair of Sateri Devi in Hanakon, the only prayer the villagers had made before the deity was to stop the thermal power project from being implemented.

When the company announced its decision to shift, the first thing the villagers did was to offer special puja and to burst crackers to thank the deity. Had the company not shifted its project to Tamil Nadu, these villagers were ready to launch a Singur style of protest in Hanakon.

The success here is a lesson for the people of Uttara Kannada: Unity and active participation of local leaders can prevent an authority — be it government or a private agency — from implementing any anti-people project.

But what pains at this juncture is when the union government decided to set up a nuclear power plant in Kaiga in the late 1980s there was no similarly satisfactory local support for the people who opposed the project. The protest was led by mostly the outsiders to this region. People from Sirsi and other places used to go there for protest. But Karwar people did not participate. Local people involved in the protest only at the end of the decade-long struggle against the nuclear power project.

The then octogenarian litterateur and Jnanapeetha award winner Dr Shivarama Karanth, who hailed from the neighbouring Dakshina Kannada district, had contested Lok Sabha election in 1989 as a symbolic protest against the Kaiga nuclear power project.

He suffered a humble defeat in the election. The environmentalists protested against the project because the location was situated in an ecologically sensitive area of the Western Ghats and the site of the project had seismic faults. There were many more reasons to protest the Kaiga nuclear power plant.

The nuclear power project would not have come up in Kaiga if there had been an active local participation against that project then, as in the case of thermal power plant in Hanakon.

Going by the list of projects the state government now has on its hand, taking a respite from similar protests seems to be a distant dream for the people of Uttara Kannada. A diesel-based thermal power plant in Tadadi, development of Tadadi into an all-weather port and a large scale steel plant somewhere in Uttara Kannada are under serious consideration of the state government.

Without conducting a study of the ecological bearing capacity of Uttara Kannada district in particular and one of the 12 biodiversity hotspots of Western Ghats in general, will it be feasible to have so many projects in one district? People of Uttara Kannada district will have to question the governments. Hanakon success is in front of them as a model.Source  - Express Buzz

Karwar cuisine- a tradition - Sourced from www.karwar.eu

Source - karwar.eu

Karwar cuisine

Cuisine of Karwar, a small town on the western coast of India, just south of Goa, is unique in its taste, flavour and variety. People of  Karwar have spread over different parts of India and the world in search of employment and livelihood. But the karwar Diaspora, no matter where it exists cares for the food of the native land. Their mouth waters the moment somebody mentions the Karwari dishes.

There are books on Goa cuisine which is therefore well advertised but Karwar cuisine is less known. Though it may have similarities to Goa cuisine, it is distinct. Goa was under Portuguese rule for five hundred years and this inevitably affected the content and the style of cooking with the inevitable impact of the Portuguese food style. But Karwar cuisine has retained its pristine purity and traditional favour. the Malwani food in south Konkan is similar in some respects. But Karwar food has its own tongue- tingling and mouth-watering quality. It is quite distinct from the food of the neighboring Karnataka and Maharashtra states. Karwar food deserves to be widely known and its dishes made accessible to not only the Karwar Diaspora but also all the lovers of good food the world over.

Local crops and products, fruits and vegetables inevitably enter into the cuisine of the people. Rice, cocoanuts and the fish are naturally the main ingredients of Karwar food but it is enriched by wide varieties of fruits, nuts, vegetables, leaves and spices.

Rice: rice is locally grown since the crop requires heavy rains, which Karwar is blessed with. The locally grown parboiled rice ( ukado tandul) is used for rice gruel ( pej) for mid-morning meal. Rice ripens around Dasara-Diwali time (month of October) and appears in the market. It is stored in the house in hugemoodos (baskets made of dry paddy stalks) for use through the rainy season till the next crop is available.

Cocoanuts:  Every Karwari house would normally have a grove of cocoanut trees in the backyard. Cocoanuts are used in abundance in Karwari cuisine to produce a variety of curries, chutney and sweet dishes like patoli, modak and madgane. A traditional house has a ragada, a stone artifact that is used to mash cocoanuts flesh. Cocoanut milk is an input to sweet dishes like payas and madgane. It is mixed with jaggary made from local sugarcane which serves asros cakes made of rice are dipped and eaten. Cocoanut when dried up becomes copra which when crushed becomes oil which is a medium for cooking. Fish fried in cocoanut oil gets an aroma and taste of its own.

Fish:  A wide variety of fish is the treasure provided by the sea the estuaries. Karwar fishermen spread the early in the day and the fisherwomen bring the fresh fish to sell in the morning bazaar. The head of the household personally goes to buy the fresh fish according to the liking of his family members. Often he successfully bargains with the fisherwoman about the price. A successful purchase of quality fish at a bargain price becomes a matter of boast in an animated morning conversation with friends and neighbours. Bangada ( macharel) Tarala (sardine) are the fish most abundantly available as reasonable prices. Paplet( pomphret), Visvan or Surmai( king fish) Ravas, Shevate are bigger fish each with its own taste. Nagali found in estuaries are a delicate fish and is aptly called Lady’s Finger. Sungata (prons), Tisryo (shall fish) Kalwa (rock fish or mussels) and Kurlyo (crab) each has its own flavour and taste. Winter (November to January)     

 Is the best season for fish-lovers? The fish is abundant and appetite is demanding. During the rainy season, fishermen cannot enter the turbulent sea to catch fish. So fresh fish – bangada, sungata and mori (shark)- is dried in the summer season on the road under the hot burning sun and stored for use in the rainy season. They are carried in bundles by visiting Karwaris who live in places where fresh fish is not available. Kismore made of dried bangada, sungata and mori is more delicious.

Fruits: mango is rightly called the king of fruits. Everybody knows about Ratnagiri Alfanso (hapus), which is exported to up country market of Mumbai and from there to Dubai and other foreign lands. American president Bush relished the alfanso mango during his visit in India and hoped that the mango will be exported to US also. But Karwar varieties of mangoes are quite different and are unique in taste and flavour. Karwaris will not exchange them for any other variety. First are ishadth, kalo (black) and dhavo (white).They are full of sweet pulp. There is musrad big in size and with special flavour. Third is fernadfirm in flesh and easy to cut into pieces. Karwar meal cannot conclude in the summer season without a plateful of pieces of these mangoes. Summer is the season when mangoes arrive in abundance in the market. Amras-puri is a favorite dish in a summer season meal. Beside there are also small juicy mangoes, which are used to prepare sasav, a special dish of Karwar. Mango curries flavoured with ghalani are also a favorite. Wild mango trees, grown in forest provide an abundance of raw mangoes, which are collected in early season to produce whole mango pickle besides a variety of other pickles. Mango juice is dried in the sun and made into flakes –sath for relishing the taste of mango long after the mango season is over.

Jackfruit: Like mangoes, jackfruits also ripen in summer. Huge jackfruits hang in bunch from the jackfruit trees. Every household compound has a tree or two. The green exterior with small spikes hides a treasure of golden ( garas) that is sweet flesh covering large seeds neatly packed inside. The huge fruit is ripped open with a knife and with oil smeared hands, lest the glue( cheek) sticks, thegaras are taken out to be consumed at leisure. There are two types of jackfruits – kappa and baraka. Garas of kappa are crisp and delight to relish. Those of baraka are juicy and are used to prepare relishing patolis – a pancake steamed in a covering of haldi (turmeric) leaves. Patolis are eaten steam-hot with dollop of ghee melting over it. The jackfruit seed ( bikan) is used as an additional input to curries.

Bananas: Bananas are a common fruit in India but the standard banana sold in the market is with green skin. But those in Karwar, smaller in size are golden in colour, sweeter and fragrant. Bananas are eaten fresh after the meal but are also turned into sasav, a sweet, sour, pungent dish.

Cashews: Summer is also the season for cashew nuts. Very few know that cashew nut appears on the top of the cashew apple resplendent in its red hue. Cashew apple is nice in taste but can hardly compete with mangoes and bananas. It is the cashew nut that is more coveted. A thick exterior covers the nut which is roasted on fire (nowadays it is done in cashew factory) the cover removed and the nut taken out for eating. The nut has a crisp brown cover, which is easily removed with fingers. There is hardly any nut as delicious as cashew nuts. It is eaten as it is or salted or spiced. It is also mixed with variety of preparations like sweets such as madgane and kheer or savouries like phov and muga- ambat( green gram curry). Cashew nut is the ingredients of katli sold by the famous Chitale shop in Pune.

Ananas (pinapple): This is also summer season fruit. Its rough exterior cover is removed to reveal a sweet sour interior, which is sliced and eaten. The slices are canned and its juice tinned. Karwaris use the ananas for sasav and bhaji.

Chibud (melons): These again are available round Dasara-Diwali time. They are eaten mixed with phov, coconut and jaggery.

Vegetables: coastal areas are not known for modern vegetables like cabbage, cauliflower or green peas, which require cooler climate not available in Karwar’s coastal climate, which is warm and humid. But there are distinct local vegetables.

Neerfanas ( breadfruit) : though called a fruit it is indeed a vegetable. Green in colour like jackfruit but much smaller and round in shape. They appear on the branches of a huge tree with its artistic leaves. Their skin is peeled off to reveal a whitish flesh inside which is sliced and shallow-fried. These are called phodies a typical Karwar dish which is very delicious. A tasty bhajis- suki ( dry) and patal( saucy) is also made combined with vatana (dried white whole peas)

Mage: This is a typical fruit vegetable of Karwar – like the people of Karwar, soft and somewhat sweetish whose liquid bhaji mixed with vatana (dry peas) or ghalani and coconut paste is a great delight.

Vali-bhaji ( local spinach): This is a leafy vegetable whose bhaji mixed with dry shrimps is an ideal accompaniment to mid-morning pej( rice gruel). It is rich in iron.

Tambadi ( red) bhaji: this is another leafy vegetable of Karwar, which is often flavoured with lasun( garlic)

Toushe (cucumber): This is often used as an input to a delightful home made cake eaten with dollops of ghee.

Ambade: This sour fruit vegetable is put in a special curry called udadmethi, which tingles the tongue.

Leguminous crops:

Mug(green gram): are sprouted and are used as an input to a most popular vegetarian curry flavoured with phodani palo (curry leaves) and enriched with cashew nuts. It is eaten with rice and is a must at wedding feast and other ceremonial occasions. Usal is another dish flavoured with fresh coconut gratings. Mug is nutritious.

Spices:

Chilli: Bydagi variety, grown in neighbouring Dharwar district is invariably used for all types of curries –vegetarian or fish. Byadagi gives the red tinge and taste to the curries but is not pungent.

Tepal (Trifal): It is an essential input in many fish, specially Bangada( maceral), tarala( sardin)  and vegetarian curries. It leaves unforgettable taste in the mouth. While raw they are green in colour but on drying assume a black tinge. Dried tepalas are stored and used for months together.

Sola- bhiranda and vatamba. They are grown wild and are plucked and dried. They are used to add sour taste to the curry. Red Bhirandas are used for sola kadhi, which has the cooling effect and is in demand in summer.

Haladi( turmeric) leaves: the aromatic leaves are used to cover the sweet pancake-patoli.

Cooking utensils and procedures:

Karwari cuisine has its own cook-wear i.e. modak-patr for steaming patoli and heet and special frying pan for cooking yerrapes. Kashya vessels for prparation of fish curries.

It has also unique cooking procedures i.e. dhuvan for smoking viangan( brinjal) bharit and kismore. A burning coal with coconut oil poured on it is covered with bharit or kismore, which them assume a delightful flavour.

Karwar cuisine- a tradition

Karwar cuisine is a tradition that is evolved from generation to generation and is a part of Karwari way of life. A Karwari housewife does not mechanically follow written prescriptions and formulae in a recipe book but relies on her own uncanny judgment of taste and flavour. She passes on her skill to daughters and daughters-in –law. Things have undergone a change in recent years. Girls are getting educated even up to the highest levels of education – graduate and even post-graduate. They get less time in the kitchen. They take jobs, which keep them engaged for hours on in the office. They do not find it possible to spare time for preparing dishes involving elaborate processing. They would like them to be available at some restaurant or hotel but latter are seldom familiar with the delicacies and nuances of Karwar cuisine. Hence the need for a recipe book on Karwar cuisine. We hope our book will be widely used.