INDUSTRIAL ESTATE IN KUDLUR IN DOLDRUMS;

The Industrial estate at Kudlur near Kudige is in Doldrums. The brain child of the then Chief minister, late Mr.R.Gundu Rao today is deserted with closed and semi functioning industries.

The once busy coffee hub with more than two dozen coffee curing works doing roaring business today the industrial estate has several of them closed down, while some of them function only during the season for few months. Several other industries are locked by the financial institutions who took over the belongings as they were mortgaged for non recovered loans.

The estate also houses industries like Hollow brick making, diamond cutting, juice factory, ply wood factory etc. The owners complain that the government is not providing them any facilities and encouragement which the industries in metropolitan cities receive.

Sprawling in 240 acres of land, the industrial estate here is suitable for industrial ventures. But the entrepreneurs regret that the concerned department has totally ignored the infrastructural developments. While water is a scarcity, road facility is a distant talk. Street light is only news where the government wants people to invest, they complain.

Industrial experts state that little interest to develop infrastructure and encouragement by the government will return the forgotten glory of the Industrial estate.

Picture of the Closed information centre amidst bushes

RELIANCE STARTS SERVICE;

The corporate giant reliance began its mobile service in Kodagu.

Former minister Mr.M.M.Nanaiah inaugurated the mobile service at Madikeri. The CoC president G.Rajendra inaugurated the Infocom service at Kushalnagar.

While the service is extended to couple of towns in North Kodagu, it will be extended to South Kodagu in the next phase, said reliance executive Mr.M.C.Madhu Manjunath.

He said that with eighty thousand kilometers of optical fiber in the country, Reliance has about one crore customers. He explained the world acclaimed services the company is providing to its customers in the field of technology. It has covered around 3700 towns in the country with 2800 towers. He also informed that reliance India mobile plans to get international Roaming service shortly.

TREMOR LEADS TO PROTEST;

The Town panchayath, Somwarpet yesterday decided to stage a protest before deputy commissioner’s office as it failed to bring experts to find the reason for tremor occurring in the town.

Headed by its vice president Mrs.Vijaya Laxmi, the members called a press conference and alleged that the district administration is considering the tremor problem at Somwarpet which is scaring the life of the residents. They said that women and children, including old people cannot risk their life by staying in places where tremors are being noticed since twenty days.

They also critisised the district in charge minister and Chief Minister who have ignored the issue and did not bother to visit the place.

TRANSPLANTING WITH THE MACHINE;

THE University of Agriculture, Madikeri held a live demo of transplanting paddy through a machine.

Dr.Fatima, head of the institution here stated that the Korean made machine from Korea can plant seedlings in four rows at a time saving time and labour.

Farmers from Madikeri taluk witnessed the demonstration. She stated that farmers at Virajpet taluk have already begun using the machine.