[Belgaum] MLAs to organise 15-km human chain

Source: The Hindu

A 15-km human chain from Visvesvaraya Technological University in Machhe to Pune-Bangalore NH4 will be formed on Wednesday to urge the Centre to provide funds to implement Rs. 5,000-crore Belgaum Vision 2030 plan. The vision document lists out projects to be taken up for the development of Belgaum district.

MLAs Abhay Kumar Patil, Feroz Nooruddin Sait and Sanjay Patilare organising the human chain.

Mr. Abhay Kumar Patil said a large number of people from all sections of society will participate in the formation of human chain. A signature campaign seeking support of the citizens for the cause of Belgaum will also be launched on the same occasion. Later, a memorandum would be submitted to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh urging him to favourably consider the demand for implementation of the vision plan under a “special package”.

The MLAs said that the State Government has promised to contribute 10 per cent of the project cost and the Centre will be urged to make a generous contribution for the development of Belgaum.

Belgaum District State Government Employees'Association president Jagdish Patil appealed to the members of the association to extend their support.

MLAs and Deputy Mayor of Belgaum City Corporation Dhanraj Gavali have appealed to the people to participate in large numbers.

Multi-speciality hospital planned in Hubli

Source: Times of India

HUBLI: A group of city-based doctors, who are also specialties, have come together to set up a 150-bed multi-specialty and multi-super specialty hospital behind NWKRTC office off Gokul Road. The ground-breaking ceremony of the hospital will be held on Thursday at 10.30 am.

Speaking to reporters here on Tuesday, Tatwadarsha Healthcare Solutions Pvt Ltd chairman Dr S P Baligar said the hospital will have CT/ MRI scans, specialized ICU, surgical ICU, paediatric ICU and neonatal ICU among other facilities, "making it the only hospital in north Karnataka to have all such facilities under one roof".

Dr Baligar said the hospital will be equipped to provide emergency treatment to accident victims and other patients within the golden hour. Services like kidney transplant will be added in future.

Tatwadarsha Hospital, which will be ready in one year, is being built with a vision and mission to provide best and affordable healthcare and the doctors involved in this are committed to revolutionize healthcare services in Hubli. Plans are on to set up a trust to provide subsidized treatment to the poor.

Hubli gets a new luxury hotel

Source: The Hindu

HUBLI: “Ananth Executive”, a new hotel to be managed by promoters ‘Ananth Residency' in Hubli will be inaugurated on Friday.

Located in the heart of the city behind St. Mary's School at Keshwapur, Hotel “Ananth Executive” offers 54 air-conditioned rooms, including 13 suites, a coffee shop vegetarian, multi-cuisine restaurant, a banquet hall to accommodate 50 or 100 guests for workshop, interviews, symposium, seminars and so on and a board room to accommodate 20 or 30 people for board meetings. The hotel has a huge parking lot, a release said.

Arvind Kalburgi Enterprises, which owns the property, has designed, developed, and constructed the environment-friendly hotel and it will be managed by “Ananth Residency”.

[Belgaum] Karnataka seeks Rs 4329.40 crore central assistance

Source: Deccan Herald

The Karnataka Government today requested the Centre to extend Rs 4329.40 crore financial aid to transform Belgaum into the 'City of the Decade 2011-2021.'

"The project envisaged by the state proposes to provide citizens a safe and sustainable environment, with state-of-the-art infrastructure, service delivery, connectivity, and economic well-being, supported by an efficient governance framework," Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa said in a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

To achieve the desired results in consonance with the Mission statement,the state government has prepared a detailed "City Development Strategy and Investment Plan for Belgaum City" , he said.

Total investments estimated for development infrastructure would be around Rs 4329.40 crore, he said and urged the Prime Minister to include the project in the ensuing budget as a special project.

Karnataka Government would be willing to bear 10 per cent of the cost as per Government of India guidelines, he said.

"I shall be thankful if you could kindly issue directions to the Union Urban Development Ministry to incorporate this project on priority to commemorate visit of Mahatma Gandhi to Belgaum City for the 39th Annual Session of the Congress and hope our request is considered favourably", he said.

The Karnataka Government is organising the second World Kannada literary conference in Belgaum next month.

[Haveri] Byatanal project to bring relief to many villages

Source: Times of India

HAVERI: Agriculture is the main occupation of the people in Haveri district. Irrigation plays a significant role in obtaining increased yields from the land. The potential for irrigation in the district is being tapped in a slow manner. Though the state government has prepared master plans for various river basins, they are yet to fulfill the dreams of dryland farmers in Haveri -- a much-awaited one being the Byatanal project.

The verdict of Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal (KWDT) has breathed life into several irrigation projects in Krishna basin, including the Byatanal project. This was proposed in 2001 to construct a dam for Varada river near Byatanal, Hangal taluk at an estimated cost of Rs 422 crore to utilize 20.52 tmc feet of water.

The project is expected to utilize land, both forests and farms, in over 13 villages of Haveri district and 18 in Sorab taluk of Shimoga district. Farmers of Anavatti said that the project would irrigate large tracts of land in the region, otherwise devoid of such a facility. The Byatanal project will benefit Haveri, Dharwad and Gadag districts, but people in Sorab would have to pay the price.

H K Patil told TOI, "It is a major irrigation project, the survey of which was over in 2001. The government needs to revise the estimate and give technical approval to fully utilize its share as per KWDT. The project includes construction of an 84 km long canal to the east and a 104 km long canal to the west. This comes as a boon as it will be a source of drinking water for more than 100 villages in three districts."

Posco to set up plant in Gadag

Source: Times of India

BANGALORE: Posco, the South Korean steel giant, has zeroed in on Gadag to set up its steel manufacturing unit.

Principal secretary to the commerce and industries department V P Baligar said the unit will come up on 3,000 acres at Haligudi in Mundargi taluk, Gadag district. Similarly, Coca Cola will set up its plant on 250 acres in backward Yadgir district.

[Dharwad] New truck terminus to come up

Source: Times of India

DHARWAD: A new truck terminus will soon come up on a 7.26-acre land at Belur Industrial Area off Dharwad. The terminus, being developed at a cost of Rs 8 crore, will accommodate 184 trucks. Facilities like dormitory, drinking water, retail shops, toilets, dhaba and police station will also come up there.

District minister Jagadish Shettar visited the site on Monday along with DC Darpan Jain. He said the project launched in September 2010 would be completed before December this year. "A proposal has been submitted to the government, demanding funds to construct a hi-tech truck terminus at Anchatgeri near Hubli. Once the funds are sanctioned, the work on the terminus will be taken up on 50 acres," he added.

MP Pralhad Joshi and MLA Shankarpatil Munenkoppa were present.