ISRO TO INSTALL WEATHER CENTERS IN KODAGU

Madikeri January 31

The India Space Research organization will install fifteen automatic weather forecasting units in Kodagu.

Addressing a press conference here, ISRO meteorology programme director T.G.K.Murthy and deputy director Manikyam told that the places will be identified within two days and the centers will be installed within a month.

They stated that the meteorology centers will help the farmers and agriculturists in Kodagu to monitor weather through satellite. They will be given daily weather details and they shall also take precaution about weather adversities and plan their activities accordingly.

They also said that the crop insurance can also be applied according to the satellite based weather forecast. ISRO is establishing the centers with and investment of over rupees twenty lakhs. Their main intention of installing more centers is to see that the farmers in rural areas also get the benefit of technology. There are 600 such centers all over India opened by the government and ISRO has opened around 750 centers. They also said that there is need to open 3000 more such units all over the country and they shall proceed with it if proposals are put forth.

Planter’s association president Dulip Najappa was present.

CMC MEETING; OPPSITION WALKS OUT

As is usual with the City Municipal council meeting, pandemonium broke over a issue and the opposition walked out of the hall in protest.

Heated discussions prevailed in the meeting yesterday and opposition Congress and JDs members walked out objecting to the presence of commissioner against whom they had demanded action in the last meeting.

Commissioner Raya was bombarded in the last meeting as he had allegedly twisted and altered the previous meeting’s resolutions. The president P.D.Ponnappa had promised to initiate enquiry. Resolution was passed to ask the government to conduct an inquiry and also to transfer him. Members were enraged as nothing was done so far.

The ruling party faced another embarrsment after the walk out by the opposition. A sitting member asked the president what action was taken against the commissioner. Commissioner Raya tried to answer the question and he was silenced by other members. Immediately, other CMC staff, led by Chandru took strong objection and scolded the members for not allowing the commissioner to speak. Tension prevailed for a while and the MLA Appachu Ranjan intervened and said that the other staff cannot poke their nose in the meeting, other than the commissioner.

While walkout out and heated arguments swallowed most part of the meeting, few other topics about road and drinking water was discussed in the meeting in the remaining part.

Members alleged that there are illegal water connections in the city, done with the knowledge of employees. President assured to look into the matter.