Category: Nature / Environment

** Udupi: Rare fish caught at Malpe sold for record price of over Rs 9,000 per kg

  • A rare variety of fish which was caught in the fishnet laid out by some fishermen from Malpe brought luck to the fishermen. The fish, which is known in the local parlance as goli meenu (ghol fish), was sold for a record price.

The fish was the prized catch of Balaram Second Boat owned by Shan Raj Thottam. In the auction, the fish was sold for over a lac of rupees. At times, exotic varieties of fish catches bring huge rewards to the fishermen. This fish catch proved to be a good omen for the fishermen

** Bengaluru doctor juggles between farming and medical emergencies

Dr Deepak Rudrappa’s mini-Lalbagh houses over 16 varieties of flowers, 20 Ayurvedic trees, 18 types of fruits and three types of honey.

It was in 2017 when Dr Deepak Rudrappa, consultant orthopaedic surgeon at Manipal Hospital, Yeshwanthpur, had to decide between buying a luxurious car and a farmland.

Thanks to Dr Jaisheela, his wife and an ENT surgeon, he chose the latter, which has now become a lifeline to Rudrappa’s family. Most of the vegetables and fruits grown at the farm make it to his family’s dining table. 

** Mysuru Bags Five-Star Ranking In ‘Garbage-Free Cities’

Mysuru city that was hoping for a place in the top three cleanest cities has, however, been awarded five-star ranking in ‘garbage-free cities’ category.

Urban Development Minister Byrathi Basavaraj, Mysuru Mayor Sunanda Palanetra, Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) Commissioner G. Lakshmikanth Reddy and Senior Health Officer Dr. D.G. Nagaraj received the award from Hardeep Singh Puri, Union Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs

** BBMP wins award for ‘keeping Bengaluru clean’

The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and eight other municipal corporations in Karnataka have won various awards instituted by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs for keeping their respective cities clean. 

** Tech company offers farmers alternative to burning stubble

Disposing stubble after a yield is necessary to facilitate the next crop cycle, but constributes to air pollution

A Bengaluru-based firm is offering a microbial bioenzyme developed by Indian Agriculture Research Institute (IARI) to help farmers across India dispose stubble (crop residue) on their farms responsibly.

Stubble decomposes within 25 days of spraying the bioenzyme, named Pusa Decomposer, and gets converted into manure, thereby improving the quality of soil, claims the company, which is also offering a free spraying service.

Dhruv Sawhney, COO and Business Head, nurture.farm

** Week-long exhibition of bird photographs inaugurated

A week-long photography exhibition of rare birds by journalist K. Shivasubramanya was inaugurated at Puttur on Sunday.

Inaugurating the exhibition at Sougandhika, a nursery at Parpunja, poet Subraya Chokkady said the external world became tolerable only because of birds. If there were no birds, the world would have become meaningless, he said.

** NIT-K develops e-bike for forest surveillance, commute

Its battery can be charged by solar power and the headlight doubles up as a torch

The National Institute of Technology-Karnataka (NIT-K), Surathkal, has designed and developed an e-bike to ensure that commuting in the forests is eco-friendly in its true sense.

A unique feature of this bike is that its battery can be charged using solar power and it has a removable headlight which doubles up as a torch for using during night surveillance.

** Efforts on to get heritage status for jackfruit tree

Aged around 250, it is said to be Karnataka’s oldest of this variety.

A jackfruit tree, aged around 250, located 40 km from Bengaluru, is believed to be State’s oldest tree of this variety and one of the oldest in the country. The tree at Janagere village in Magadi taluk is now in the limelight as agricultural and horticultural scientists are striving to get “heritage tree” status for it.

Ravish J.R., owner of the tree, has fenced it for protection. Villagers say that he is the 10th generation owner of the tree that has been protected not only by the family of owners, but also by the community.

** Mandya farmer’s quest to preserve agrarian heritage

Bore Gowda has won the Plant Genome Saviour Award

A farmer from Mandya has bagged the Plant Genome Saviour Award in recognition of his efforts to conserve the indigenous variety of paddy and agrarian heritage.

Meet S. Bore Gowda, a farmer from Shivalli in Mandya district, whose journey from a farmer engaged in farming practices that focused on use of chemical fertilizers to that of a rice conservator and seed saver, has won him a fan following.