NEW BREED OF COFFEE PLANT UNVEILED;

Madikeri December 29, 2007

“Chandragiri”, a new breed of coffee plant was unveiled at Bangalore yesterday by minister for state commerce, Jayaram Ramesh.

The new breed, an outcome of research at Balehonnur research station is out after 21 years. According to scientists the new breed is weather resistant and is disease resistant like berry borer which has destroyed hectares of plantations in Kodagu and other districts.

Unveiling the new breed at Nimhans conference hall, Jayaram Ramesh said that the center is keen on increasing domestic consumption. He announced that the consumption would be increased from 20 to seventy percent in the next ten years in India.

MP and scientist Dr.Swminathan said that farmers are the back bones of a countries progress. Scientific advisor to Prime Minister, Dr.K.N.R.Rao was also present.

The new breed would be distributed to planters through coffee board in the coming days, according to the Board member Dr.Kaverappa.

DOCTORS, NURSES STAGE PROTEST;

Doctors and nurses staged a lightening protest before the Zilla Panchayath president members who visited the hospital.

President Deergakeshi Shivanna, ZP health and education committee president Sanjay Jeevijaya, CEO Sundar Naik, DHO Rangaiah, Taluk panchayath president Napanda Kalappa and others were put to embarrassment as the doctors and nurses staged a protest and resorted to verbal fight against the general allegations of corruption and bad service against them.

President of the government employees union and Nurse Mary Magdolin stated that the Zilla Panchayath member Rajaram had passed cheap remark against nurses and behaved rudely during last week and demanded apology from him. She also took strong objections to few organizations staging protest before hospital condemning corrupt practices prevailing in the hospital. The protestors demanded that they should not be generalised while putting blame. If someone is corrupt, blame him or her, but do not generalize all, they demanded.

President Deergakeshi Shivanna said that she has received several complaints against the hospital and particularly about a baby being dead due to the negligence of the staff and another babies face being disfigured due to injury caused during delivery. The hospital staff said that the face was injured as it was a very difficult delivery with face presentation.

The ZP president and others had been to hospital to inaugurate a function ‘madilu scheme’. The function went on smoothly and the protest began during tea time.

NO CONFIDENCE WINS AT APMC GONICOPPAL;

The much awaited issue creating enough heat and dust, no confidence against the APMC president and vice president received majority vote yesterday.

About seven members out of twelve vouched the no confidence motion moved against President Mookonda Bose Devaiah and vice president Bheemaiah. Five members including the president went out of the meeting hall stating that there was no necessity of moving the motion against them as they had already submitted resignation, before the meeting.

Sadashivanna, secretary of Mysore APMC presided over the meeting and said that the Tahasildar would function in the APMC as an administrator. He said that the election for the posts of president and vice president would be held after the direction from State APMC director.