** India’s first tunnel aquarium opens at KSR railway station

From now on, anyone waiting to board a train, or to receive someone, at the KSR railway station can look forward to an exciting and relaxing activity.

For, a first of its kind aquatic kingdom set up in any railway station in India will be launched in the concourse portion at the entry of the station on Thursday. The joint venture by the Indian Railway Station Development Corporation (IRSDC) and HNI Enterprises was planned for an April launch, but the Covid second wave delayed it.

** Bengaluru gets largest Miyawaki forest

“The project started in November 2018 and now the saplings stand tall and dense. The area will be with us till January 2023 after which it will be handed over to the Railways.

The 4.75 acres of Miyawaki forest created on Indian Railway Institute of Disaster Management land in Hejjalla, Mysuru Road, is the largest man-made forest in Bengaluru, according to Say Trees, an NGO group. The area is covered with 60 native species in four layers — trees, sub-trees, canopy and shrubs.

** Krithi Karanth becomes first Asian woman to win WILD Innovators Award for her work in understanding human-animal conflict

For her efforts, Krithi was awarded the WILD Innovators Award, the first for an Asian woman on April 27, 2021.

This award is bestowed by the WILD ELEMENTS Foundation that brings together innovators, advocates and partners to identify solutions for conservation.

The foundation partners with premier science and conservation experts across the world and also with celebrities and influencers who promote interdependence.

According to the citation, Krithi was given the award for researching human dimensions in wildlife for over 20 years.

** Israel model of farming to be implemented in Kalaburagi district

As part of his ambitious Kalaburagi Vision 2050, a 30-year programme for changing the backward scenario in different economic sectors in Kalaburagi district, Mines and Geology Minister Murugesh Nirani said that Israel model of farming would be implemented in all taluks of the district. The Israel model is known for high productivity with limited resources.

“Israel is known for its unique methods of farming using advanced technologies to achieve high productivity with limited resources. We are planning to implement such farming on 100 acres in each taluk of Kalaburagi district on a pilot basis. We can expand to other areas after assessing the results,” he told mediapersons at the Aiwan-e-Shahi Guest House in Kalaburagi on Tuesday.

** Technology weaves a stronger silk supply chain

Silk occupies a prime position in our country’s sartorial profile. The Indian wardrobe is rarely complete without silk garments, especially saris, that function like a cultural calling card for the country’s weaving communities. Places like Mysore, Kanchipuram, Tirubhuvanam, Varanasi, Bhagalpur and Chanderi are famous for their silks even among those who may have not visited them.

India is the only country that produces all the five known commercial silks — mulberry, tropical tussar, oak tussar, eri and the distinctive gold-tinted muga. Of these, mulberry silk is the most widely produced, with 25,345 metric tonnes produced in 2018-19.

** Agro centres to tie up with Israel, help double farm income in India

A collaboration between the two countries in this sector will improve quality and profitability, he said.

The centres are located in Kolar, Bagalkot and Dharwad, and will provide scientific inputs and methodologies.

Giving the example of the mango, he said the Alphonso, Mallika and Raspuri are local mango varieties but farmers have long been complaining of dwindling profitability. Innovative solutions can make the mango crop better again, the CM said. Tomar said new methods would help not just production, but also post harvest management.

** Mangaluru: Rambutan fruit farming proves to be more profitable than arecanut, rubber

Progressive farmer Krishna Shetty of Kadaba taluk of the district took a bold step under these circumstances and started growing Rambutan fruit.

He planted 500 saplings of the fruit during the first lock down and has got overwhelming yield during the second lock down.

He has got a whopping seven tonnes of yield in just one and a half years and expects to get around eight to 10 tonnes this year.

** A campaign to brand white okra launched in Karkala

In a concerted effort by elected representatives, Horticulture Department and a cooperative society, a campaign has been launched in Karkala, Udupi district, from Tuesday to promote the widespread cultivation of a local variety of “bili bende” (white okra) involving 20,000 families under the brand name ‘Kaarla Bende’. Kaarla in Tulu means Karkala.

** Visionary urban forester S. G. Neginhal succumbs to COVID-19

Visionary urban forester and former Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer S. G. Neginhal, 93, who played a pioneering role in greening the city facing growth pangs in the 1980s succumbed to COVID-19 in the city Sunday morning.