A team from the Karnataka government led by chief minister BS Yeddyurappa met the top officials of Hero Honda Motors to impress upon the two-wheeler maker to set up their manufacturing plant in the state.

Hero Honda team had visited the state and had shortlisted Hubli as one choice for its plant.

In the meeting in Delhi the Hero Honda officials raised certain concerns regarding fiscal incentives that would be possible if they are looking at Karnataka as their destination for the manufacturing plant.

Hero Honda has proposed an investment of Rs 2,000 crore for the plant and the state government has shown them two sites — 500 acres in Hubli and 1,000 acres near Dharwad. The Karnataka government is keen on locating Hero Honda’s project in the Hubli-Dharwad area as it wants to turn this region into a automobile hub. Dharwad already houses Tata Marcopolo Motors, which manufactures buses, and Telcon Construction Equipment company.

The Karnataka Govt. is very keen on developing Hubli Dharwad belt and always gives a thumbs down to Belgaum, and is that even the Karnataka govt. is thinking that Belgaum is in Maharashtra after a series of errors from the Vice president’s office.

The state govt. may it be of any party Belgaum always get bad treatment. Why cant the plan be in Belgaum district. The Belgaum foundry industry is being making automobile components for years and has gained it self a name in this field. Was the Hero Honda team even told that there is Belgaum nearby where also one can establish an industry. We lost the Kirloskar a 100 years ago, and Belgaum’s losing fate is still on.

To be very frank if this is the state of affairs that will continue nothing is going to happen in Belgaum and this blog will keep on writing about this and you all will be reading about it.

The name of Belgaum or Brand Belgaum is unknown and that is the problem. Industrialists coming to a state should ask the govt. we would like to see Belgaum as a prospective place for an industry. When will this happen?

God bless Belgaum!

Source: ET

By Satish Kumar

Veer Rani Kittur Channama  PG centre is based in Belgaum (in fact quite outside Belgaum at Bhutramatti) , where as Belgaum deserved to be having an independent university, though having largest number of colleges compared to any district in Northern Karnataka with Head Quarter of  KLE society running alone around 160 institutions and other education societies such as PEST and SKE .

Yesterday students of PG centre with support from All India Student council locked out the campus demanding it for an independent university as VCU and no Public representative or district official have even come forward to check this cause and concern or meet the students.

Belgaum was supposed to be having a University back in 1980 it self  but again the border dispute hindered  this progress and vested interest of the Hubli-Dharwad Politicians always stalled Belgaum development to maintain their clout over north Karnataka, this is always being a true fact in many other matters, Belgaum is always being on loosing ends and the recent menace being moving the education divisional office form Belgaum to Dharwad  by Basavaraj Horratti, our public representatives so called MP and MLA’s kept sleeping over such issue.

The last Vice Chancellor at PG centre has recently announced about making PG centre as independent university and supporting all viable conditions that can be met over, has unfortunately gone off records so far, except Mr. Prakash Hukkeri no one came forward in supporting this cause then. I had sent blue print for Belgaum to CM, which also include the design and developmental aspect of Veer Rani Channama University to be based in Belgaum, it was forwarded to the concerned department no action initiated yet. I believe the present education Minister Mr. Arvind Limbavli belongs to North Karnataka, in the recent years Tumkur, Davengere Shimoga and Bellary got Universities and also central university at Gulbarga and open university at Mysore , though  the number of collages and educational establishment reach the number of institutions in Belgaum alone. So the question arises is what right does the State Mystery of education has got to deprive Belgaum having an independent university? During Kumarswamy’s CM’s tenure Mahima Patel (Son of former Cm J H Patel) was representative of Karnataka in New Delhi and had got proposals from American university to be established in Belgaum it never metalized further.

I have listed few demands which students want and I fully endorse their views:

VCU as an independent University should begin its operation form this academic year.

Transfer back the Education divisional office back to Belgaum

Better transport facility to VCU from different parts of City not hopping from CBT.

Recreation centre and other facility with new Administrative building with ergonomic architecture not shabby structure available there.

New educational study zone for future IIM and IIT can be based already many colleges have sprawled in this area , I believe this vision goes live if the voices of Belgaumites goes high and get heard.

For a greener tomorrow the Cantonment board of Belgaum has decided to ban the use of plastic bags from March 15, 2010.

From that day loose plastic bags will not be available for sale or distribution. Products like milk, biscuits which come pre packed in plastics will be allowed.

The most important point here is to see how this ban is implemented with limited resources of the board and limited staff.

The ban on use of plastics is a welcome measure but how it is implemented is the biggest question.

The king of fruit the Mango is here in town from Ratnagiri and Konkan areas. The Alphonso (Hapus) is now being sold at Rs. 400 to 700 for a 2 dozen box.

A week ago when the first lot was received the prices were about Rs.1000 to 1200 for a 2 dozen box. The prices will come down again once as more and more stocks start coming in.

The fruit market is adrift with other fruits as well like grapes, watermelons, sweet lime, oranges.

Calling it a “simple error” the university officials say MBA degrees were issued to students who had failed was due to a software problem.

15 students were issued MBA degrees on the VTU convocation held in January 2010 who had actually failed and all this has come out after an RTI application by U Gautham.

VTU authorities describe the gaffe as “not a serious matter” but a “simple error”.

Blaming it all on the software the VTU has asked all the 15 students in question to return the degrees, but the RTI applicant has filed an case in the police.

VTU officials say that, software failed to show “failed” status.

A letter was sent by the Registrar (Evaluation) S.A. Kori on February 8, after a gap of one month after the degrees were awarded, stated: “You are hereby informed to surrender the degree certificate to the office undersigned immediately, which was sent to you through speed post.” The letters do not mention why the candidate should surrender the certificate.

This “simple error” now raises questions in the mind of the students that if this is the state of affairs of a technological university of the state, what about other colleges and universities.

Source: The Hindu

The auto Expo organised by Lions club of Belgaum Tilakwadi and Yash communication was inaugurated by Mr.Sanjay Ghodavat at 5.30pm at the Sardars Ground.

Sanjay Ghodavat cutting the ribbon

Guest visiting the stalls. this particular stall was on energy conservation

The auto expo will be open for public from 10 am to 9pm from 5 march to 9 march.

The Auto Expo is the first annual Automobile Expo being held in north Karnataka in association with Lions Club of Belgaum – Tilakwadi and Yash Communication (A Event Management Company). The Auto Expo will run from 5 to 9 March 2010. The event has been supported by Govt.of India’s MSME Dept., Govt. of Karnataka’s District Industries Center DIC & Govt. of Karnataka Chamber of Commerce & Industry.

Here is the first and fastest look for all you. All photos UkMaD.

Porche Cayman s

Bettle

Hummer

Toyota Celica

Toyoto Etios

Nano

Go clean a grease and oil remover. 5 gm tube can be used for 5 times cost Rs.2.50

Girish Anil Bembalgi (22) a BBA student of Jain College Belgaum was killed in an accident and his friend injured when a goods truck hit their pulsar vehicle. The injured has been identified as Mayank Shrivastav also a student of the same college.

The accident occurred on Tuesday mid night on the Belgaum – Khanapur road near Khadarwadi cross. The driver of the truck has fled and the police is in search of him.
It is said that Girish did not get medical help immediately and he had to wait for 45 minutes to get help. His friends called for the 108 ambulance but it never turned up. When his friends contacted the Udyambag police station, they got a reply saying when the ambulance comes take the injured to the hospital. At last one Scorpio was stopped by them and both were taken to hospital, but Girish had died on the spot.

After the excise duty increase in the union budget yesterday the new increased prices of petrol in the city are as follows:

Petrol: Rs.53.52 earlier it was Rs.50.56 (increase of Rs.2.96)

Diesel: Rs 40.00

Historical price chart over the years

After a long stint for opening an IIT in Belgaum the last time steam is getting heated again for having one here.

Mla Abhay Patil had tried getting in other MLA’s of the state with him and had also submitted a letter to union HRD minister Kapil Sibbal. But nothing concrete was mentioned then.

Now the same issue has raked up again after the Union law minister M. Veerappa Moily has promised to set up an IIT at Muddenahalli, the birthplace of Sir M. Visvesvaraya.

Belgaum MLA Abhay Patil, met union HRD minister Kapil Sibal with MP Suresh Angadi and Congress MLA Ashok Pattana on Monday in Delhi, to put forward Belgaum’s case for the institute.

Mr Patil said 122 MLAs from North Karnataka, Hyderabad Karntaka and Mumbai Karnataka have signed the petition urging the government to establish an IIT in Belgaum.

The institute is needed here as it will help boost the economy of the whole region, which is backward and badly in need of development, Mr. Patil said.

Will this lobbying help in any manner is to be seen. Normally Belgaum is treated soberly on all fronts may it be Railways or other infrastructure.

One main factor missing in this whole issue is the support of the citizens of Belgaum. How many know that some one is lobbying for an IIT. There is no awareness here only then what will this impact anyone else.

In November 2009, the MLIRC officials had written to the district administration asking how permission was granted for the construction of the college without their consent.

The Suresh Angadi Education Foundation’s Angadi Institute of Technology and Management (AITM) have been built amidst a firing range on Survey No. 72/73, which lies in the danger zone in the “Baghdad-Asmara field firing ranges”. The said area has been notified as a firing range in the Karnataka Gazette notification of February 10, 1981.

The office of the Deputy Commissioner had granted permission for conversion of land purchased from private individuals. The land in question falls in an area notified the firing range. The permission for conversion of land for non-agricultural purpose was given on the condition that it (permission) would be withdrawn if there were any objection from the Indian Army.

The fact that the college has already commenced it is hard to believe how the college got permission to construct the same without the NOC from the MLIRC.

The letter which was given in November the DC, J Ravishankar in the past week said he will inspect the place and give his decision, but later sent Addl DC Mr.Torgal, Asst Commissioner & Tahshildar to visit the place along with MLIRC officials.

The District administration is asking were the MLIRC officials sleeping when the building was being constructed.
Mr. J Ravishankar who was supposed to give a reply suddenly went on a 10 day leave. Citizens are speaking how is that the DC went on a leave now only.

Still the site is a notified as a firing range under the Karnataka Gazette and hence any building on that site will be illegal.
It remains to be seen how things frame up here. Is the law same for all? The answer to which one will get in the time to come.
Source: The Hindu and inputs

After the most unhappening last week Sunday also seems to be getting some lime light as it is Valentines day and the Sri Ram Sena has warned the flower vendors across the city not to sell flowers to youngsters and hotels.
Sena said that it will not allow the youth to celebrate Valentine’s day as it is not part of Indian culture. They also added that they wont intervene if celebrations do not hurt Hindu culture.

Sena activists would keep a vigil on the movements of youths. The Sena has asked social organizations, hotels and business firms not to organize functions.