MISCREANTS SHOOT TUSKER TO DEATH;

Madikeri January 4, 2008

Unknown persons shot to death a tusker creating tension and terror around Kodlipet area.

Information reaching the forest department said that a tusker was shot dead near Gudugur in Belur forest range yesterday morning. Villagers from all around began to rush to Gudugur as the news spread to get a glimpse of the 35 year old tusker.

Tusker has so far killed seven persons in this region since a year and appeals and protests hit deaf ears with the forest department taking no action to curb the menace. Recently when a person was killed by the tusker, former MLA Appachu Ranjan had issued a statement asking villagers to shoot the elephants if they trouble them.

Visiting the spot yesterday, former minister B.A.Jivijaya and former ZP president K.P.Chandrakala lambasted the statement of Ranjan and questioned that will he come to court in the place of those who kill elephants, provoked by his speech?

Appachu Ranjan who arrived late to the spot said that he will hold protest if the department arrests anyone in this case.

RFO Dayanand and police arrived at the spot. Huge ivories were removed from the body and were cremated later. Pellet was also removed from it. A case is registered.

FAKE NOTES IN BUSSES;

A fake hundred rupee currency was found by a private bus owner at Madikeri.

Owner Nanda said that it has become very common that the passengers climbing their busses from Kodagu Kerala border produce fake notes and owners are burning them to avoid investigation hassles.

The hundred rupee note was given to conductor from Kutta region, border of Kerala and it was sent to the owner.

Bus owners are worried about the increased number of fake note transactions. It can be recalled that a huge haul of fake currency racket was unearthed at Kutta during last year.

KGF RIDICULES COFFEE BOARD;

The Karnataka Growers Federation has ridiculed Coffee Board and alleged that it has renamed an old variety of coffee and held a releasing function at Bangalore to hoodwink media and planters.

Taking strong objections to the Coffee Board holding a function at Bangalore and releasing “Chandragiri” variety, stating that it was a new version of coffee, resistant to leaf rust and stem borer diseases, the president of the Federation, N.K.Pradeep and vice president H.T.Mohan Kumar revealed that the new variety is as old as 2003 -04, released by the then chairman of Coffee Board Lakshmi Venkatachala under the name ‘Nandini”. The planters have cultivated the same and found that it is not resistant to Stem Borer disease. The present committee has re did the same and held a function to take media attention.

They have advised the Board to conduct proper research and come out with a true variety which is disease resistant.