Coorg.com

1,000 cusecs of water released from Harangi Dam

som — Tue, 09 Jul 2024 04:50:23 +0000

Following heavy rains over the past one week across Kodagu district, the Harangi Dam near Kushalnagar is receiving a good inflow of water, resulting in a steady increase in water-level of the dam. With rising water-level, the authorities released 1,000 cusecs of water from the Dam as a precautionary measure to prevent flooding.

On Monday, Madikeri MLA Dr. Manthar Gowda visited the Dam and received inputs from the Dam authorities on the Dam’s water storage, the monsoon forecast, inflow, outflow and other vital statistics. He later directed the officials to take necessary steps for meeting any possible floods.

The MLA also opened the power driven four crest gates of the Dam by performing Puja.

Kushalnagar Planning Authority Chairman Pramod Muthappa, Member Kiran Kumar, leaders Shivashankar, Harish, T.P. Hamid, Panduranga, Cauvery Neeravari Nigam Supervisor K.K. Raghupathi, Harangi Executive Engineer I.K. Puttaswamy, Junior Engineer Siddaraju and others were present.

With heavy rains lashing Harangi catchment areas such as Madikeri, Gaalibeedu, Vanachalu, Kaloor, Soorlabbi etc., the Hattihole and Madapura Hole tributary rivers are witnessing a steady increase in water level and are flowing full.

Meanwhile, the Harangi Dam officials have asked people living along Harangi River basin to move to safer places along with their belongings and cattle, as a precautionary measure.

The maximum level of Harangi Dam is 2,859 ft. and currently the water level stands at 2848.76 ft. The Dam recorded an inflow of 2,394 cusecs on Monday and subsequently, 1,000 cusecs of water was released.

The post 1,000 cusecs of water released from Harangi Dam appeared first on Coorg.com.

Coorg Woman At Mount Everest Base Camp

som — Sat, 01 Jun 2024 10:57:32 +0000

A woman from Coorg has made history by reaching the Mount Everest Base Camp. Dr. Latha, a 57-yearold gynaecologist working in Bengaluru, participated in the trek to the Everest Kodagu woman at Mount Everest Base Camp Base Camp and successfully reached the first phase target of 18,514 feet.

Dr. Latha, a native of Badubanahalli near Alur Siddapura in Somwarpet Taluk, Coorg, has brought great honor to her region through this remarkable achievement. She is the daughter of the late Mallappa.

With a keen interest in sports and trekking, Dr. Latha had a deep desire to conquer Mount Everest. She underwent rigorous training for six months with a Nepal-based company, running up to 10 kilometers daily and climbing small mountains to build stamina.

Dr. Latha was selected to climb the world’s highest peak during the April 28 to May 11 schedule, where several teams from India were participating. Among them, there were eight individuals aged between 30 and 40.

“Every day, we used to climb 10 to 15 kilometres and then rest. Only three members from our team, including me, could reach that Base Camp,” she said.

The post Coorg Woman At Mount Everest Base Camp appeared first on Coorg.com.

Coffee Planter Fires In The Air; Saves Man From Tusker Attack

som — Thu, 30 May 2024 10:40:30 +0000

Coorg (Pollibetta): A farmer heroically saved a man from a wild elephant attack by firing gunshots in the air at Pollibetta in Virajpet Taluk last night. The incident occurred when Chandra, a motorist, was on his way home near the Lourdes Hill Convent School on Siddapura Road and was attacked by the elephant, resulting in serious injuries.

Chandra was initially treated at Pollibetta Hospital and later shifted to Coorg District Hospital in Madikeri for further care. The attack happened last night when Chandra was riding a two-wheeler to his home and was ambushed by the wild tusker. In his attempt to escape, a terrorised Chandra abandoned his bike and broke through the gate of a farmhouse, only to be attacked again.

Coffee planter Kuttanda Shyam Somanna, who lived on his farm nearby, heard the screaming sound of a man and rushed to the scene. As a precaution, he had taken his licensed gun with him. Despite pelting stones at the elephant, the animal remained unmoved and was trumpeting. Somanna then fired gunshots in the air, which finally scared off the elephant, which stormed into a coffee estate.

Shyam then informed the family of the injured Chandra and he was quickly taken to the hospital. Deputy Range Forest Officer Srinivas and his staff later visited him at the hospital.

This morning, farmers again spotted the tusker foraging inside the coffee plantation. Forest Department officials quickly arrived to chase away the elephant. The situation has led to growing frustration among locals.

The post Coffee Planter Fires In The Air; Saves Man From Tusker Attack appeared first on Coorg.com.

Relocated Tusker Travels 100 Kms Back To CoorgIn Just Six Days

som — Tue, 23 Apr 2024 04:25:53 +0000

After Kusha (2022) and Drona (2023) returned to Coorg forests, it is Daksha now in 2024

A wild elephant that had caused terror among coffee planters, residents, and estate workers in the Siddapur-Maldare region and was captured and shifted to Nagarahole Tiger Reserve on May 16, has returned to its original habitat on May 22 by traveling a distance of 100 kilometers.

The elephant had killed a woman working in a coffee estate and destroyed a large quantity of agricultural produce, creating fear among the farmers and labourers and also attacking several people.

At a coffee plantation near the village of Karadigodu in Siddapur, over a hundred personnel, with the help of six tamed elephants from Mathigodu and Dubare elephant camps — Abhimanyu, Bhima, Mahendra, Harsha, Dhananjaya, and Ashwatthama — captured it and fitted it with a radio collar before releasing it into the forests of Antharasanthe in H.D. Kote Taluk, Mysuru district. The captured elephant was named as ‘Daksha.’

Now, within a short period, the troublesome elephant has been spotted roaming in the coffee plantations of Chennangi, Badaga Banangala, and Maldare areas, as indicated by the radio collar signals tracked by the Forest Department.

Before its capture, the wild elephant moved across coffee plantations through Siddapur, Ghattadalla and Karadigodu, appearing in the Chikkanahalli plantation. The Forest Department staff followed the elephant for about 10 kilometers through the narrow coffee plantation roads and successfully captured it using a tranquillizer.

The elephant was then loaded onto a truck using an earth mover and released into Antharasanthe Forest in H.D. Kote. From there, it travelled back through Nagarahole Tiger Reserve, Veeranahosalli, Kallalla and Anechowkur, reaching the Chennangi Forest area.

Residents and estate workers spotted the wild elephant near Chennangi school, identifiable by its radio collar, confirming it as the same elephant captured on May 16. The Forest Department’s radio collar map also verified the elephant’s return. Currently, a team of personnel is actively monitoring the elephant’s movements.

Deceptive tactics of officers

Kadyamada Manu Somaiah, President of the Coorg District Farmers’ Association, has expressed frustration with the Government’s approach to the wild elephant menace.

He believes that the practice of capturing and relocating elephants, only for them to return to coffee plantations, is a deceptive tactic employed by Government officials. The continuous destruction of agricultural produce has made it impossible for labourers and farmers to live peacefully, he noted.

Somaiah emphasises the need for the Forest Department to develop scientific action plans to effectively address the issue of wild animal menace. Mahadev, a labour leader, has highlighted the significant expenses incurred by the Government in capturing, fitting radio collars and releasing elephants into the forest.

He pointed out that if an elephant returns to the village, it would necessitate spending additional money in lakhs to capture and relocate it once more. He advocated for a permanent solution to the wild elephant menace.

Previous elephant travels

In July 2023, a wild tusker named Drona, previously captured and relocated from Virajpet Taluk to H.D. Kote jungles, surprised many by embarking on a journey back to its original capture site, spanning approximately 100 kilometres in just 20 days.

In 2022, Coorg district witnessed the remarkable journey of another tusker named Kusha, who covered an extraordinary distance from Bandipur Tiger Reserve to his familiar territory in the Dubare Forest Range. For six months, the 31-year-old Kusha traversed an impressive distance of over 150 kilometres, ultimately arriving at the Dubare Elephant Camp in June 2022.

The post Relocated Tusker Travels 100 Kms Back To CoorgIn Just Six Days appeared first on Coorg.com.

Kodagu Ex-Servicemen Welfare Assn. Meet Held

som — Sun, 14 Apr 2024 04:41:52 +0000

The 5th annual get-together of Kodagu Ex-Servicemen Welfare Association (Mysuru East) was held at Chamundeshwari Convention Hall on Bannur Road in city on Apr. 11. Association President Kanjithanda K. Aiyappa is seen addressing as Appachangada P. Motaiah, Kangra Achaiah, chief guest Kuppanda Achaiah, Kombanda Bheemaiah, Chandira Basappa and Igguda Chitra Subbaiah look on.

The post Kodagu Ex-Servicemen Welfare Assn. Meet Held appeared first on Coorg.com.

Khelo India Winter Games-2024: Coorg girl wins three Gold Medals in skiing

som — Mon, 26 Feb 2024 06:17:40 +0000

Skier Bhavani Thekkada Nanjunda, a native of Napoklu in Coorg district, won three gold medals in the 10-km Nordic ski competition, 1.6-km sprint and 5-km sprint events at the Khelo India Winter Games, which culminated yesterday.

Speaking to the media persons, Bhavani said, “It’s all about pursuing your passion. We have no snow in Karnataka. I have to work harder than those who compete from the Himalayan States.”

Bhavani is the daughter of Thekkada Nanjunda (Shambu) and Parvathi (Divya) of Perur village near Napoklu in Coorg. While studying at Navodaya Vidyalaya, Bhavani joined NCC which paved way to groom her interest in adventure activities.

The fourth edition of Khelo India Winter Games 2024 was held at Leh & Gulmarg. The 1st Chapter of winter games 2024 — Ice Hockey & Ice Skating — was held at Leh and the second leg winter games 2024 involving Ski Mountaineering, Alpine Skiing, Snowboard and Nordic Skiing was held at Gulmarg from Feb. 21 to Feb. 25.

Having attended many NCC camps at school and college, Bhavani had participated in the Republic Day Parade in Delhi in 2016.

She was trained in mountaineering at Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Mountaineering and Allied Sports, Manali and Himalaya Mountaineering Institute, Darjeeling. She underwent skiing training in Gulmarg, Kashmir and further in New Zealand.

The post Khelo India Winter Games-2024: Coorg girl wins three Gold Medals in skiing appeared first on Coorg.com.

New team of Kodagu Gowda Samaja

som — Mon, 26 Feb 2024 06:13:44 +0000

The Annual General Body Meeting of Kodagu Gowda Samaja, Mysuru, was held at its premises in Railway Layout, Vijayanagar 2nd Stage in city recently. Samaja President Thotambylu Manohar presided.

On the occasion, the following were unanimously elected as office-bearers for a period of two years 2023-24 and 2024-25:

Kombarana Basappa was elected as President, Kudupaje Dr. Chandrashekar as Vice-President, Ponnetti Nanda as Hon. Secretary, Nadumane S. Chengappa as Joint Secretary, Naduvatteera G. Lakshmana as Treasurer; Pattada Shivakumar, Hosur G. Raghava, Kuntupuni Sheela Seethamma, Kombarana Subbaiah, Kuntupuni Ramesh, Panathale Vasantha and Thotambylu Indira as Directors.

The post New team of Kodagu Gowda Samaja appeared first on Coorg.com.

‘Ranger Chinnappa’ passes away at 84

som — Mon, 26 Feb 2024 05:54:58 +0000

Retired Forest Ranger Kotrangada M. Chinnappa, fondly known as ‘Ranger Chinnappa,’ a resident of Kumatoor Village at Srimangala in South Coorg, passed away at 11.50 am today. He was 84 and was serving as the President of Wildlife First. Family sources said that the last rites will be held tomorrow.

Profile: Born in 1941 to a family with a military background, K.M. Chinnappa embodied the spirit of wildlife conservation. Joining the Karnataka Forest Department as a Forester in 1967, Chinnappa dedicated himself to protecting the forests and wildlife of the region. Much of his illustrious career was spent as a Ranger in Nagarahole, where he gained popularity for his unwavering commitment to upholding the law.

Chinnappa was confronted with rampant criminal activities plaguing the area, including timber smuggling, illicit drug cultivation, poaching and unauthorised brewing within the sanctuary. Determined to effect change, he embarked on a mission to restore order and safeguard natural habitats of wild animals.

Expansion of Nagarahole

Under Chinnappa’s leadership, the population of endangered species such as tigers and deer, which had been dwindling dangerously low, experienced a remarkable resurgence. He tirelessly pursued encroachers, reclaimed forest land and oversaw the expansion of the sanctuary from its initial 250 sq.km to an impressive 653 sq.km.

However, his relentless pursuit of wildlife conservation made him a target for hostility. Chinnappa faced numerous threats to his life, narrowly escaping a violent attack in 1970.

Despite his dedication, he was unfairly labelled as a criminal and had to relinquish his licenced revolver. False accusations of murder further tarnished his reputation, leading to a harrowing ordeal in prison before being exonerated by the court of law.

In 1992, his newly constructed home in Kumatoor was set ablaze by an angry mob. Despite the adversities, Chinnappa persevered, ultimately resigning from his position in 1993. His contributions to wildlife conservation were recognised with the CM’s Gold Medal in 1985, a testament to his unwavering commitment.

Continued service even after retirement

He received the Wildlife Conservation Society Certificate of Appreciation in 1988 and the Tiger Link Bagh Sevak Award in 1996. He has also received the ESSO and the Sanctuary Lifetime Achievement Awards in 2000 and 2006 respectively. In 2009, he was awarded the prestigious CNN-IBN Real Heroes Award. Chinnappa donated his entire prize money of Rs. 7.5 lakh from all these awards and recognitions to the cause of wildlife conservation.

Since retirement, Chinnappa trained more than 2,500 Forest protection staff in anti-poaching operations and fire protection. He continued to fight for protection of Nagarahole and other Reserves in the Western Ghats till his very end.

He reached more than 1,50,000 school children, teachers, rural youth and villagers with a strong wildlife conservation message through nature camps, slide shows, talks, rallies and interactions.

Book on legend

‘Kaadinolagondu Jeeva,’ a book based on first-hand experiences of Chinnappa is seeing its seventh edition in print. The book, written by T.S. Gopal, retired Principal of Srimangala Junior College, was published by Poornachandra Tejaswi Prakashana in 2000 and it was an instant hit. The 400-page book has 14 pages of colourful photos and has many stories and experiences of Chinnappa.

The post ‘Ranger Chinnappa’ passes away at 84 appeared first on Coorg.com.

Wins U-19 Badminton in 6th Khelo India

som — Mon, 05 Feb 2024 02:38:22 +0000

Machangada A. Laksh Chengappa, a promising badminton player from Mysuru city, emerged victorious in the U-19 badminton singles category at Khelo India Youth Games 2024. This prestigious event, marking its sixth edition under the Indian Government’s Khelo India initiative, concluded on Jan. 31.

With a participation of over 5,600 athletes from across the nation, the event took place from Jan. 19 to Jan. 31, hosted in four cities of Tamil Nadu. The badminton singles competition was held in Chennai from Jan. 27 to Jan. 30, where Laksh demonstrated his prowess by defeating Ansh Negi from Uttarakhand.

Laksh secured a victory with a score of 21-17 in the first set and maintained the momentum in the second set with a score of 21-13, ultimately clinching the gold medal in the U-19 badminton singles title. Laksh showcased consistently exceptional performances throughout 2023 in U-17 & U-19 categories. His outstanding achievements include a remarkable feat in winning All-India Sub Junior National Ranking (U-17) Championship held in Bengaluru.

His impressive medal-winning performances for the year 2023-24 are a bronze medal in the U-17 All India Sub Junior National Ranking held in Lucknow from June 20 to 27, 2023, a gold medal in the South Zone Championship held in Coimbatore from Aug. 11 to Aug. 14, 2023.

Laksh won a gold medal in the Inter-Zonal and Junior National Championship (U-19) held in Bengaluru from Sept. 7 to 8, 2023, a gold medal in the All India Sub Junior National Ranking U-17 held in Bengaluru from Nov. 28 to Dec. 5, 2023.

Laksh is in Class 10, studying through the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS). He was trained by the Prakash Padukone Badminton Academy and is now set to undergo training at the Badminton Association of India’s National Centre of Excellence in Guwahati. He was also trained at Sports Park by Aroon Pemmaiah (Head Coach) and B.P. Bheemaiah (Senior Coach).

Laksh is the son of Machangada B. Aiyappa (Roshan), a coffee planter from Kottageri in Balele, South Kodagu and Prarthana Uthappa. They live in Vijayanagar 4th Stage, Mysuru. While Aiyappa is a hockey player who has represented Karnataka across various Hockey India Senior Men’s National Championships, Laksh’s mother Prarthana is a basketball player and now works for Railways.

The post Wins U-19 Badminton in 6th Khelo India appeared first on Coorg.com.

At 43, Rohan Bopanna Becomes Oldest Grand Slam Champion

som — Sun, 28 Jan 2024 12:26:12 +0000

With his resounding victory at the Australian Open against Italians Simone Boleili and Andrea Vavassori, 43-year-old Machanda Rohan Bopanna from Kodagu has officially etched his name as the oldest-ever Grand Slam winner.

For Rohan Bopanna, 2024 could not have started in a better way. The last 7 days have been nothing short of a fairytale for the Indian tennis star, who has been on top of his game in the last 12 months or so. On Thursday, Bopanna was among the seven recipients of the prestigious Padma Shri.

The Indo-Australian pairing of Bopanna and Matthew Ebden engaged in a fierce battle against the Italians on Saturday, emerging victorious in two sets of 7-6, 7-5. The intense encounter, lasting 1 hour and 39 minutes at the Rod Laver Arena, marked the pair’s inaugural title as a team and Bopanna’s first men’s doubles triumph after participating in 60 previous Grand Slams — a record for the most attempts before clinching victory.

Bopanna, at 43, now surpasses Dutchman Jean-Julien Rojer, who secured the French Open men’s doubles title at the age of 40 alongside partner Marcelo Arevola.

The win also positions Bopanna to become the oldest number one in men’s doubles history when the new rankings are released next week. This triumph at the Australian Open signifies Bopanna’s second Grand Slam in his illustrious career, following his earlier success at the 2017 French Open in mixed doubles with Canada’s Gabriela Dabrowski.

The victory also marks Ebden’s second men’s doubles title, following his Wimbledon win in 2022 with fellow Australian Max Purcell. In the final, the Bopanna-Ebden duo took the lead by winning the first game of the initial set with straight serves. Subsequently, the Italian pair of Bolelli-Vavassori intensified the competition.

The first set was a closely contested battle that went down to the wire at 6-6, when Bopanna and Ebden launched an offensive blitz, scoring seven straight points to secure the set 7-6 after 51 minutes of relentless action. The second set followed a similar narrative, with both pairs going blow-for-blow in each game, maintaining a tight contest until it reached 5-5. Once again, Bopanna and Ebden surged ahead in the final two games to win the set 7-5 and claim the title.

Celebratory moments

Four years ago, Rohan faced uncertainties about his future in professional tennis. Despite being a Davis Cup veteran, a mixed doubles Grand Slam champion and former doubles World No.3, physical issues had taken a toll on his knees. As he clinched the title with a simple putaway overhead volley, Bopanna fell to the ground, celebrating with a roaring chest bump — a departure from his usually calm demeanour.

Reflecting on his journey, Bopanna shared his emotions on court after the victory. “A couple of years ago, I remember sending (my wife) a video message saying I am going to call it a day. I went five months without winning a match. But that perseverance inside me kept me going. I’m glad I could change so many things and find a wonderful partner,” he said.

“Of course, by now, I’m sure a lot of you know my age,” he said on court after the final. “But I’ve changed it now. I like to say I’m at level 43, not age 43.”

PM Modi showers praises:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday showered praise on Rohan Bopanna.

Time and again, the phenomenally talented @rohanbopanna shows age is no bar!

Congratulations to him on his historic Australian Open win.

His remarkable journey is a beautiful reminder that it is always our spirit, hard work and perseverance that define our capabilities.

Best… pic.twitter.com/r06hkkJOnN

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 27, 2024

The post At 43, Rohan Bopanna Becomes Oldest Grand Slam Champion appeared first on Coorg.com.