Regional

Belagavi (Karnataka), Sep 5 (IANS) A prowling leopard in this north Karnataka district managed to retreat into a nearby forest area giving a slip to more than 300 personnel who were trying to trap it for a month.

The education department has directed the 22 schools in the city to reopen and function normally from Monday following the forest department declaring the end of operations.

According to sources, the operation was trolled as the leopard managed to stay put in the 250-acre Golf Club even as more than 300 personnel from the forest, police department, sharpshooters, two elephants, anesthetic experts, wildlife experts and local hunter tribes worked day and night yielding no results.

On several occasions, the big cat had managed to escape with netizens, prompting hilarious comments from netizens on social media, who called him an "honourable citizen" waiting to return to forests after the Ganesh festival.

Now, the authorities have declared that the big cat has managed to sneak into the Mundoli forest area. However, the trap cameras, CCTVs installed at various places in the Golf Club and cages will be kept for a few more days. The two elephants -- Arjun and Ale -- brought from Sakrebailu Elephant Camp in Shivamogga will be sent back.

Authorities have explained that they could not find traces of leopard for a week. A total of 23 trap cameras and 8 towers were put up to watch the leopard's movements. Crackers were bursted and the whole premises combed to confirm that the big cat has managed to escape.

Chief Conservator of Forests Manjunath Chouhan has stated that the leopard has sneaked back into the nearby forest. Authorities have also confirmed with locals who have seen the it moving towards Mandoli forest area.

The authorities had used a honey trap method to catch it. More than 350 personnel carried out combing operations with JCB, elephants, sharpshooters, anesthetic experts every day for almost a month.

Since the prowling leopard continuously gave a slip to authorities, the 22 schools and colleges around in the areas switched over to the online mode of teaching. Nearly 20,000 students were affected by the leopard menace.

The authorities had laid traps with dogs inside in a few places. Later, they were forced to change the places of 8 small cages, one big cage and CCTV cameras as the leopard changed its place of movement.

The prolonged operation had created public outrage with the opposition Congress demanded the resignation of the Forest Minister Umesh Katti. A group of local women had challenged the authorities that if they are not able to catch the prowling leopard, let them in and they will catch the leopard, causing severe embarrassment to the authorities.

Social media campaigns were also taken up, kindling the authorities for their failure to catch the leopard.

The leopard had attacked a construction laborer in Jadhav Nagar on Aug 5.

--IANS
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Hyderabad, Sep 4 (IANS) Megastar K. Chiranjeevi on Sunday revealed that he set up Chiranjeevi Blood Bank as he was moved by the death of many people due to blood shortage in 1998.

Stating that he had many fans who were ready to do anything for him, he said he wanted to use this love and affection for the benefit of people.

Chiranjeevi was speaking at an event at Raj Bhavan, where Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan felicitated and distributed free life insurance policies to volunteers for donating blood for more than 50 times at Chiranjeevi Eye and Blood Bank.

The actor said so far 9.30 lakh units blood has been collected and 70 per cent of this was provided to the poor free of cost while the remaining was given to private hospitals.

He said the problem of blood shortage has been resolved to a large extent in the two Telugu states.

Chiranjeevi revealed that 2,000 to 3,000 people are frequently donating blood. He said the 'Chiru Bhadratha' scheme was started by the Chiranjeevi Charitable Trust (CCT) to provide security to donors.

Under the scheme, each frequent blood donor has been insured for Rs 7 lakh and the premium was being paid by the trust.

The Governor, in her speech, said that blood donation is a noble cause. She recalled that when she was the house surgeon, even family members of patients were reluctant to come forward to donate flood

She lauded Chiranjeevi Charitable Trust for immense efforts in collecting 9,30,000 units of blood and 4,580 pairs of eyes.

Appreciating Chiranjeevi for being inspirational and brand ambassador for blood donation, she said that this is an unprecedented monumental initiative by any film star in India for encouraging their fans to contribute to a noble cause for the betterment of society.

She said a blood donation programme was being undertaken by Raj Bhavan. An app has been developed to ensure that the needy get the blood on time. She requested the CCT to become part of this initiative.

--IANS
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By Vishnu Makhijani
New Delhi, Sep 4 (IANS) She's a traditionalist who loves to preserve the heritage of a bygone era - be it recipes, textiles or crafts - and believes "the woods are lovely, dark and deep and I have miles to go before I sleep". Freelance writer, food columnist and broadcaster Sabita Radhakrishna's latest offering, "Paachakam - Heritage Cuisine of Kerala", could not be better timed, coming as does in the midst of the Onam season.


There's a double bonus in this book - not only does it lead you through the varied cuisine of God's Own Country but there's also a double-page spread of the 24-items that make up the Sadya feast served on Onam and other special occasions and their precise positioning on a plantain leaf.

"I am a foodie, and my idea was to retrieve old recipes which would die with the people who cooked them and I started to document all my mother's recipes in 'Aharam' which was my first book on traditional cuisine. For one thing, I love to preserve recipes of a bygone era, and I am a traditionalist and do not like precious heritage items to languish, be it textiles, craft, or the craft of cooking food," Radhakrishna told IANS of "Paachakam" (Roli Books).

"My idea was not to write 'just a cookbook'. I needed to learn and understand the history of origin of the food, in this case Kerala, and to study the different communities and food habits. It was also a learning curve for me and I enjoyed it. I talked to women who were excellent cooks and chose one from each community who would be the central figure representing her community and who would guide me through.

"I am grateful to all those women from different regions who shared their family recipes. It was a long route just trying to standardize and test the recipes, and retrying if they didn't turn out right. It took me about one-and-a-half years before I submitted my manuscript," Radhakrishna explained.

This was just one part of the research that went into the writing of the book.

"I belong to an old school where I research in the conventional way, going to libraries and looking at archival material and reading books by other authors. I do not believe in just going to the internet and collecting material. I used to visit the library of (Chennai's) DakshinaChitra (heritage museum) though it is quite far away, and went through food history. Another valuable source and very good reading was the book by (food scientist and nutritionist) K.T. Achaya on the history of food in general.

"This is a challenge that every writer faces when you write about a culture alien to you. You research extensively, you talk to experts in the field and it is a long process of learning and understanding a different kind of cuisine. I decided to cover the major communities in Kerala, and their diversity and food habits were a revelation and so very interesting. I met many women who cooked traditional Kerala food," Radhakrishna elaborated.

The book focuses on major communities like the Nairs, Syrian Christians, Nambuthiris, Poduvals, Thiyas and Cochin Jews.

"I chose foodies who were very conversant with the pan-Indian recipes which today are diluted and sometimes changed drastically. I wanted no less than the original at least as close as possible," Radhakrishna said of her quest.

"I have found that in Kerala, most women who cook stick to original recipes though understandably they switch to short cuts which are inevitable," she added.

The recipes apart, the author also provides pen-sketches of the communities featured in the book.

Kanjee is the staple food of the Nairs, sometimes consumed thrice a day. Coconut, jackfruit, bananas and mangoes feature prominently in their cooking. Fish is preferred to chicken and fowl but beef is taboo.

Essentially non-vegetarian, Syrian Christians eat meat anytime, starting with their breakfast. Short red rice and tapioca are a must almost every day. The use of 'kodam puli' (tamarind), with its tangy flavour, makes the curries stand out.

While most of Kerala is predominantly non-vegetarian, Nambuthiris and Poduvals are pure vegetarians, also abstaining from garlic, onion and alcohol.

The history of the Thiya community of Malabar is shrouded in conjecture. Some converted to Islam around the ninth century due to the influence of Arab traders. A section of the Travancore Royal Family moved to North Kerala, where they cultivated rice and local vegetables while the larger community lived on a largely seafood diet. The advent of colonial rule saw the hot curries, for instance, gave way to stews, while the French introduced baking.

The food of the Cochin Jews is kosher - meat and dairy products cannot be mixed; pork is banned, as also fish cooked with fins and scales. The staple food of the Cochinis is unpolished parboiled rice which takes on many incarnations like dosa, idli, appam puttu. In this cuisine, large quantities of onions are browned, and the vegetables and other ingredients are cooked in onion juice instead of water, which gives them a distinct and special flavour.

In exploring the diverse foods and customs, interviewing community leaders, and researching preferred spices and flavours, Radhakrishna uncovers special commonalities between them that serve to define Kerala cuisine as a whole.

One thing that Radhakrishna was very insistent about is hone ground spices.

"There is no comparison between home ground masala powder and the commercial variety. At home we are careful to broil each ingredient separately and make just enough to last for a short time. Commercial powders are produced in large quantities, and preservatives have to be added for longer shelf life. I make my own powders at home, even today and definitely it contributes to a better taste. Flavours are undoubtedly better and the food is tastier with home ground spice powders," Radhakrishna maintained.

However, "the market today is flooded with readymade spice powders, and if you are a young working woman it is too tempting as these people do not have the time or patience to make powders at home", she added.

"Paachakam" is Radhkrishna's fifth book, two of which have won international award, but there's no letting up for her.

She also runs an NGO, Udhavi, which she founded nine years ago, "providing company for elders living alone and connecting them to services which they might need. I wrote a small book called 'Handbook for Silvers', less than 100 pages and it is selling very well".

"I am now compiling a book of recipes I have tried over and over again, which my friends and family love. I know people can get recipes from the Net, but nothing like a book with time-tested recipes. They are a mix of the old and the new and is called 'Amma's Kitchen'. It is my legacy to my children and their children who have always enjoyed my cooking.

"Would I be doing another regional cookbook? I really do not know as it requires so much work.

"Yes, the woods are lovely dark and deep and I have miles to go before I sleep," Radhikrishna concluded, quoting the American poet Robert Frost.

(Vishnu Makhijani can be reached at vishnu.makhijani@ians.in)

--IANS
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Bengaluru, Sep 4 (IANS) The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned of thunderous rainfall till September 9 across Karnataka. Heavy rains are going to lash Bengaluru, three districts of coastal Karnataka and hilly regions of the state from Sunday.

Yellow alert has been issued to Kodagu, Shivamogga, Uttara Kannada, Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Chikkamagalur districts. Incessant rains have continued in the state for a month.

The fishermen have been told not to venture into the sea as dangerous speedy winds are predicted. The rains are expected to pound north Karnataka districts of Bidar, Kalaburagi, Vijayapura, Gadag, Dharwad, Haveri, Davanagere for the next 4 days.

Heavy rains are predicted on the first day of the week - Monday, in Bengaluru city. The capital city has been facing the fury and many of the regions especially those in IT corridors have been affected.

Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai is visiting the flood affected localities and directing officials to respond to the flood affected local residents. Mahadevapura, Marathahalli, Outer Ring Road stretches of roads are inundated affecting the movement of software professionals.

The companies have written to the government and conveyed their displeasure over crumbling infrastructure due to heavy rains. Thousands of houses have been inundated across Bengaluru and authorities have taken up an operation to clear encroachments on storm water drains amid incessant rains.

Karnataka State Natural Disaster Management Centre (KSNDMC) has also warned of heavy rainfall.

--IANS
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New Delhi, Sep 3 (IANS) The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Saturday filed a chargesheet against two accused in People's Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) recruitment case of Kerala before a special NIA court.

The chargesheet was filed against Kambhampati Chaitanya alias Chaithanya alias Surya and Valagutha Anjayanelu alias V. Anjineyulu Velugutra, both the resident of Andhra Pradesh under sections 120B, 121A, 122, 123 of IPC, section 18, 18B, 20, 38 and 39 of the UA(P) Act.

The official said that the case pertains to recruitment of youth for the proscribed terrorist organisation CPI (Maoist) and training of such youth by CPI (Maoist) leaders and their front organisations besides organising camps to further carry out their activities and spread Maoist ideologies.

The case was suo-moto registered by NIA on February 3.

According to NIA, Sanjay Deepak Rao alias Vikas, a Central Committee Member from Western Ghats Special Zonal Committee (WGSZC) of CPI (Maoist), Pinaka Pani and Varalakshmi, members of the Revolutionary Writers Association, a frontal organisation of CPI (Maoist) in Andhra Pradesh, Sreekanth of Wayanad (Kerala) and Anjaneyalu alias Sudhakar of Andhra Pradesh had radicalised Chaithanya alias Surya to join the proscribed terrorist orgarnisation.

After recruitment, he was imparted training with the intention to threaten the country's security, unity, integrity and sovereignty.

Further investigations in the matter are on.

--IANS
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Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 3 (IANS) Kerala Assembly Speaker and senior CPI-M leader M.B. Rajesh resigned from his post on Saturday to join the Pinarayi Vijayan-led Cabinet.

The swearing-in of Rajesh is likely to be held on Tuesday, according to government sources. CPI-M state committee member and Thalassery MLA A.N. Shamseer will be the new Assembly Speaker.

The changes were effected after newly-anointed CPI-M state secretary M.V. Govindan resigned from the post of Urban Affairs and Excise Minister.

Govindan assumed office after incumbent state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan was admitted to a private hospital in Chennai for cancer treatment. It was Balakrishnan who insisted that he would resign from the party post and not take a leave for his treatment.

Rajesh is a two-term Lok Sabha MP and a first-term MLA who had been an office-bearer of the SFI and the DYFI for many years. Shamseer is a second-term MLA who had headed both the SFI and the DYFI in the state.

--IANS
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Chennai, Sep 3 (IANS) Chennai-based private hospital MGM Healthcare is exploring ways to use drones for transporting organs for transplantation, said Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari.

The Union Transport Minister was speaking via video conferencing during a function organised to mark over 500 successful heart and lung transplant operations at the MGM Healthcare.

Gadkari said that the construction of highways is reducing the travel time between various cities like Chennai-Bengaluru which will be of help for organ transportation.

Meanwhile, Prashanth Rajagopalan, Director MGM Healthcare said that the hospital is looking at using drones to transport organs from the Chennai Airport to the hospital.

According to him, currently the organs for transplant operations are transported by road from the Chennai Airport by creating a green corridor with the help of the city police.

He said that this put the public at some inconvenience and hence the hospital is looking at drones as alternative for carrying human organs from other cities.

According to Rajagopalan, the hospital has tied up with a city-based drone company while declining to mention the latter's name, citing a non-disclosure agreement with that player.

Hospital officials said transport of human organs for transplant operation is in vogue in some foreign countries. And in India, permission from the government authorities have to be obtained.

They also said the box containing the human organ for transplant will weigh about nine kgs and drones can easily lift them.

Speaking at the function Tamil Nadu's Minister for Health and Family Welfare Ma. Subramanian said that the state is the pioneer and the leader in organ transplantation.

Subramanian also said that the state government will take steps to create necessary facilities in all its hospitals to carry out organ transplantation surgery.

--IANS
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Shivamogga (Karnataka), Sep 3 (IANS) The ruling BJP will not interfere in the investigation of rape case involving prominent Lingayat seer Dr Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru, State Home Minister Araga Jnanendra said on Saturday.

"Police are acting as per the requirements of law. They are carrying out the court's directions. The case involving Murugha seer is sub judice. Will not talk much about it," he stated.

Additional security has been provided to the Murugha mutt of Chitradurga, he said, adding that seven platoons of the Karnataka State Reserve Police (KSRP) have been deputed on the premises, he said.

The ruling BJP was alleged of exerting pressure on the system, including the police, not to initiate action against the accused in rape of minors. Action was initiated only on the sixth day after the filing of an FIR.

Maintaining that it is the investigators' prerogative to arrest or not to arrest the accused in the POCSO case, the police neither issued a notice nor bothered to question the seer.

Spot mahajar was conducted by the police in the mutt with the minor girls belonging to the oppressed class at a time when the accused seer was present in the mutt. After the arrest, without the court's permission, the accused seer was shifted to a hospital and all preparations were made to admit him to a Bengaluru hospital.

Noting the developments, the court rapped and questioned the prosecution on Friday and gave directions towards not giving any preferential treatment to accused seer before handing him over to the police custody.

--IANS
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Bengaluru, Sep 3 (IANS) Former Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, who has been brought to the forefront by the BJP high command ahead of assembly elections in Karnataka, on Saturday claimed that he will ensure thumping victory for the saffron party.

Yediyurappa, who has been nominated to the party's highest decision-making bodies, the Parliamentary Board and the Election Committee at the national level, was seen sharing dais with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the frontline in Mangaluru on Friday.

During Prime Minister Modi's last visit to Bengaluru and Mysuru cities, Yediyurappa was only seen at the airport receiving him and could not be seen anywhere during his two-day visit on the occasion of celebration of International Yoga Day.

Sources in the BJP said that this time, seating arrangements were made as per the wishes of the Prime Minister.

Prime Minister Modi was seen holding hands of Yediyurappa at the time of his arrival and talking to him dearly.

Yediyurappa told Prime Minister Modi that he would meet him after the public rally. However, the Prime Minister took him to the rally and ensured he sat in the frontline, the sources added.

Yediyurapppa attended the government function without an invitation and protocol was also sidelined. He was seated next to the Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot.

Speaking to reporters in Shivamogga, Yediyurappa said, "I will travel the length and breadth of the state and ensure victory for the party in upcoming assembly elections in 140 seats," he stated.

Yediyurappa further stated that, "Prime Minister Modi has set a target of winning 140 seats out of 224 assembly constituencies in the state. Prime Minister Modi has told us that he would also arrive for campaigning. We will form a government in the state after the next assembly elections in 2023."

He also announced that he would organise a rally of 1 lakh people in Shivamogga in a short time after discussion with party leaders.

"Prime Minister Modi has told us that he would visit the state once in a month in the coming days. We will invite Modi Ji," Yediyurappa said.

The Central leadership is listening to Yediyurappa's strategies for the upcoming assembly polls in the state.

The response of the huge crowd in the form of clappings, whistling and celebrations, whenever Yediyurappa's name was mentioned at the Prime Minister's rally was testimonial to his popularity in the state.

When Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai's name was called out, the crowd was silent and even during his speech, he did not get any attention from the crowd, the sources added.

--IANS
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