The pest attack has been noticed in some taluks.

The millipede takes shelter in cool, wet places in the field and when curled up is the size of a Re. 1 coin. The millipede feeds on new sprouts and can cause serious damage to the crop. It can be tackled by throwing out all waste material that can hold water or cause dampness.

Pests should be picked up early in the morning and burnt in a heap.

Hens should be allowed to roam around in the field so that they feed on these pests, said a release from the Krishi Vigyan Kendra.

Article source: http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/tackle-millipede-pest-attack-farmers-told/article4827481.ece

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Speaking at a meeting to receive suggestions from non-governmental organisations and community organisations, at the zilla panchayat here on Monday, he said that under the new project, clusters would be developed in cities where the minority population exceeded 10,000 in a particular area. Dr. Jaffer said that Bidar and Gulbarga were among the 90 districts in India where the programme was being implemented.

He said that the programme aimed to provide minorities with access to ‘roti kapada aur makan’. As of now, Bidar and Humnabad had been identified for some projects under the MsDP programme.

He said that last year, they focussed on housing, health and anganwadis. This year’s project proposal was almost ready and it would be forwarded to the government in a month.

Demands

Various suggestions and demands were made at the meeting.

Some community leaders said beneficiaries should be selected after conducting surveys in their locality. There were complaints of delays in distribution of caste certificates, ration cards and student scholarships. Allegations were made that officials in panchayat institutions and urban local bodies tended to divert funds meant for minorities to other schemes.

The Deputy Commissioner was asked to instruct officials of the Karnataka State Minorities Development Corporation and banks to speed up loan disbursal to minorities. More Urdu schools and development of existing schools were sought.

The Deputy Commissioner was urged to instruct the district surgeon to improve facilities at the district hospital and introduce CT scan and other facilities.

Article source: http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/aiming-to-provide-minorities-access-to-basic-necessities/article4827480.ece

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The final year students, Priyanka P. Kulkarni, Vidyashree M. Holagar, Poornima S. Aldi and Priyanka B. Kulkarni, under the guidance of their professor V.C. Tapali, configured a GSM-based energy meter, which has multiple applications such as a tamper alert. Individual meter readings too can be recorded for the purpose of billing by sitting in the control room at the administrative office.

Ms. Kulkarni said that the device worked on the principle of serial communication. “It is used to transfer data between two systems using single bit data line instead of 98 bit data line of parallel communication.”

She said that the device was much cheaper than that using parallel communication and also enabled two computers located in two different cities to communicate over the telephone. The GSM-based device would be fitted to all energy meters at the consumer point. If the main wire was removed from the energy meter or it was tampered with, a message would be automatically transmitted to the control room for follow-up action.

She said that the device could be used to bill individual connections. Power supply could also be disconnected if the bill was not paid in time, with a simple command while sitting in the control room. Reconnection could also be done in the same manner.

Another project

Another set of students in the same department have come out with a power transmission system whereby power is transmitted using microwaves.

The students, Rahul S. Chalake, Bishnu B. Chettri, Praghna B. Bhavi and Minakshi B. Kare, said that wireless transmission of power would cut down cost of power transmission and also drastically reduce power theft and transmission loss.

Article source: http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/students-come-up-with-device-that-checks-power-theft-meter-tampering/article4827491.ece

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Now the scene has changed. Now they walk in smartly with their new-found asset: a tablet PC. Under a pilot project “E-Asha” of UNICEF and the State Health Department, the Asha Sahyoginis of Jasol village are the first ones in the country to go hi-tech.

The tablet PC has given a new confidence to the Asha Sahyoginis, who have been very quick in learning its use. About 25 health workers have been trained under the project for reporting the health status of women in the Jasol public health centre in Balotara block of Barmer.

Sharing her experience with the device, 27-year-old Devaki says that it is a very useful tool. Earlier, they had to try very hard convincing women, mostly uneducated, about the need to have vaccines or the ill-effects of malnutrition on their babies. “Now it’s much easier. Once we feed a woman’s data, we quickly get detailed information on her health status. We show her the video and she can understand how her low haemoglobin count would affect her health and what should a lactating mother eat.”

“It is a mutually educative experience,” she adds. Though studied only till Class VIII, Devki can type at a modest speed, though in Hindi. Her elder sister Saraswati and other colleagues are also very happy to be associated with this project. They say: “It is easier to work on the PC than the paper formats. The best thing is when we feed info about a pregnant woman, she may not be able to read it, but can certainly understand the visuals.”

Shayar Kanwar, also working at the Jasol PHC for the past eight years, says she is fully enjoying working on the tablet. “We have learnt a lot and the best part is earlier, women used to be reluctant to interact with us. Now they, too, have started taking interest. It is much easier for them to understand their health status. Even their family members can see that she needs better care,” she adds.

The Indian Institute of Technology, Jodhpur has contributed towards developing the software for the project. The initial results have been encouraging and hopefully it will be launched in the whole district in future. The health workers feed all the health information about pregnant women and children in the software designed for the pilot project. When the health workers upload information, they automatically get tips on how to take care of the women. An instant video gives tips on the steps to the followed, or if the pregnant woman or the child needs to be referred to the hospital. When data is uploaded by the health workers, it gets stored in with the IIT and in due course the UNICEF and the Health Department will be able to track the project’s success.

The district IEC (information, education, communication) coordinator Vinod Kumar Bishnoi says, “The software is fully equipped with all information on ante-natal and post-natal check-ups, all question-answers on newborns and immunisation list. The health workers have to upload the data once, then both the pregnant women and ASHAs get reminders for follow-up, check-ups and vaccinations through SMS.”

The border district of Barmer was chosen for the initiative because a State-level analysis of data revealed a relatively higher infant and maternal mortality rates here. In addition, the adverse geographic and climatic conditions also pose a challenge for health services system in border areas. Funds have been provided by the Jasol PHC to buy 10 tablet PCs for the Asha Sahyoginis.

Article source: http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/asha-workers-in-rajasthan-go-hitech/article4827252.ece

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Playing the last classical game against Carlsen ahead of the World Championship match scheduled in Chennai in November next, Anand could not find any suitable plan and was outplayed by the young Norwegian in what could be termed as a rude wake up call for the Indian world champion.

Boris Gelfand of Israel joined Hikaru Nakamura of United States in lead on 3.5 points after winning his second game in the tournament at the expense of Alexander Morozevich of Russia.

While Nakamura played his first draw in the tournament sharing point with Dmitry Andreikin of Russia the most striking thing known past the half way stage is the fact that the four Russian participants are yet to score a victory in the tournament.

With Gelfand and Nakamura in front, Carlsen and Mamedyarov are close behind on three points each. Andreikin and Fabiano Caruana of Italy share the fifth spot on 2.5 points while Anand and Karjakin are joint seventh now on two points each.

Lower down, the Russian duo of Morozevich and Vladimir Kramnik share the cellar with 1.5 points in their bag right now.

While the focus of the world stayed on the Carlsen-Anand game, Andreikin did well to keep Nakamura in check. The American had won three games in a row and was raring to go but was denied any leverage by the best performing Russian here.

In other games of the day, Mamedyarov remained focused and drew with Caruana while Kramnik played his third draw in five games here splitting the point with Karjakin.

The results (Round 5):

Magnus Carlsen (Norway, 3) beat V. Anand (India, 2); Boris Gelfand (Israel, 2.5) beat Alexander Morozevich (Russia, 1.5); Hikaru Nakamura (USA, 3.5) drew with Dmitry Andreikin (Russia, 2.5); Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (Azerbaijan, 3) drew with Fabiano Caruana (Italy, 2.5); Vladimir Kramnik (Russia, 1.5) drew with Sergey Karjakin (Russia, 2).

Article source: http://www.thehindu.com/sport/other-sports/anand-loses-to-carlsen-in-tal-memorial/article4829325.ece

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In March 1970, C. Subramaniam, who contested the Rajya Sabha election as candidate of the Congress led by the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, had to face the ignominy of defeat. The poll took place months after the 1969 Congress split, with one group owing allegiance to Indira Gandhi and the other to senior leaders, including S. Nijalingappa, K. Kamaraj and Morarji Desai.  

Subramaniam, CS as he was known, had lost in Gobichettypalayam in the 1967 Lok Sabha election. In the mid-1960s, CS, as Union Agriculture and Food Minister, had played a crucial role in the implementation of Green Revolution and Indira Gandhi was particular that he should return to Parliament at the earliest possible opportunity.

It was under such circumstances that CS had entered the fray even though his party – then called, Ruling Congress – had just eight MLAs in the Assembly.

He had hoped to get support from other parties and even from his erstwhile colleagues, most of whom were part of the other Congress formation – Congress (Organisation).  In the 1967 Assembly elections, the undivided Congress had won 51 seats.  

In the 1970 Rajya Sabha election, three DMK candidates and one nominee each from the Congress (O), Swatantra and the Muslim League romped home. CS eventually managed to get the support of 23 MLAs, but still lost. But, within a year, after the 1971 Lok Sabha elections, CS went back to the Union Cabinet and in the Krishnagiri by-election held in August 1971, he emerged victorious.

Fifteen years later, the State witnessed another interesting fight when T. R. Baalu of the DMK got elected.

In June 1986, Mr Baalu, who was the then Madras District Secretary of the party, surprised everyone by securing 35 votes in the first round even though his party had 22 MLAs. The DMK, at best, had hoped to get 31 votes with the support of its allies – Communist Party of India (Marxist) – five members and the CPI and Muslim League – two each. But, four votes had apparently gone from the AIADMK-Congress front. The loser then was the Janata Party’s Era Sezhiyan, a seasoned parliamentarian, who was also supported by the AIADMK. 

To enable Mr Sezhiyan’s victory, at the eleventh hour, the AIADMK had decided to retire one of its candidates, Anakaputhur Ramalingam, and transfer its extra votes to Mr Sezhiyan. But, the plan did not work. Eventually, the AIADMK won three seats; the Congress – two and the DMK – one.  

Ten years later, in the February 1996 election, the presence of M. Udaya Bhanu, who was part of a rebel Congress group led by Vazhapadi K. Ramamurthy, forced a contest for the sixth seat. However, the official nominee of the Congress, S. Peter Alphonse, coasted to victory by securing 42 votes. Mr Udaya Bhanu was defeated with a tally of 13 votes. The other five seats went to the AIADMK.

Article source: http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/rs-polls-unfolded-drama/article4827930.ece

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When produced in court, Biju faced a cheating charge in addition to the murder charge.

The magistrate, D. Sreekumar, remanded him in the Kottarakara sub-jail for 14 days in connection with the cheating charge and till 11 a.m. on Wednesday on the murder charge.

The cheating charge pertains to a bogus cheque case filed years ago by the Kottarakara police.

Crime Branch Dy.SP C.G. Suresh Kumar, who is investigating the murder case, had moved a plea seeking Biju’s custody for further probe. While the court heard the counsel of the Crime Branch CID, Biju’s lawyer who could not make it to the court on Tuesday made a submission through his junior to hear him on Wednesday.

The magistrate accepted the prayer and fixed 11 a.m. on Wednesday as the time to hear Biju’s counsel.

Though remanded in jail for 14 days for cheating, Biju could be handed over to Crime Branch if the court was convinced of that need, legal sources said.

Protesters gather

Tense situation prevailed around the court complex with activists of the Democratic Youth Federation of India, the All India Youth Federation and the Bharatheeya Janata Yuva Morcha gathering there, demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Oommen Chandy. As the police vehicle carrying Biju reached the court premises by 3.50 p.m., demonstrators started shouting slogans, alleging a link between Biju and Mr. Chandy. DYFI activists burnt the Chief Minister in effigy outside the court complex. The demonstrators mobbed the vehicle which carried Biju to jail. The police had to clear the way for the vehicle. Some agitators hurled footwear at the vehicle.

Biju has not been formally arrested in the solar scam case. Earlier in the day, he was quizzed by top police officers for over three hours at the Crime Branch complex here. ADGP (South Zone) A. Hemachandran; ADGP (Crime Branch) Vinson M. Paul; Kollam City Police Commissioner Debesh Kumar Behera; and Kollam Crime Branch Superintendent of Police Uma Behera were among those who interrogated him.

Article source: http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/biju-remanded-in-subjail-for-14-days/article4827931.ece

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The Padmanabhapuram Palace, celebrated as an exemplar of Kerala architecture and an excellent expression of traditional timber construction, is located near Nagercoil in Tamil Nadu. This royal mansion was home to the kings of Travancore for about 200 years before the capital was shifted to Thiruvananthapuram.

Iravi Iravi Varma Kulasekhara Perumal built the palace in the early 17th century. It was known as Kalkulam palace, after the town. In the mid-18th century, Anizham Thirunal Marthanda Varma, the renowned ruler, expanded and renamed the palace and city as Padmanabhapuram. Given that Marthanda Varma was ardently attached to the Padmanabhaswamy temple in Trivandrum and extensively endowed it, this was not surprising.

After the State reorganisation process in the 1950s, the palace became part of Madras State (later renamed Tamil Nadu).

However, Kerala retained its administrative control. The maintenance expenses for and income from the palace are equally shared by Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Though the Government of Travancore realised the value of this heritage structure and declared it a protected monument in 1938 under the Ancient Monument Act then in force, experts had pointed out that it deserved a higher level of recognition.

Celebrated Indian architects such as Charles Correa had often described the palace as a key building typology to understand the Indian design response to environmental issues. In 1999, realising the importance and outstanding universal value of the palace, the government sought international financial assistance to research and prepare the nomination file. UNESCO sanctioned about $16,300, but not much progress was made. Last year, the Ministry constituted the advisory committee and sought to maintain the ‘geographical balance’ in the matter of nominations. The committee, after reviewing the list, recommended that the Padmanabhapuram palace be included in the tentative list. Shikha Jain, member-secretary of the committee, in an e-mail reply, told The Hindu that the Ministry would review the recommendations and take a final decision in July 2013. Each year, member-countries of UNECSO add monuments to the tentative list and nominate a few from it when a special committee convenes to select world heritage monuments.

After independent experts assess the sites, the World Heritage Committee would review the recommendations and take a decision. Currently, the UNESCO World Heritage Committee is meeting in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

The Padmanabhapuram palace is now a potential candidate for nomination next year and when chosen would be the first Kerala architectural edifice to get into the World Heritage list.

Article source: http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/world-heritage-status-likely-for-padmanabhapuram-palace/article4827456.ece

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The court directed the State government to pay the compensation to the woman and later recover the sum from four persons, including three police officials. A constable concerned in the case was no longer in service.

In its judgment on an appeal, a Division Bench comprising Justices Elipe Dharma Rao and N. Kirubakaran said that since the police were involved in the death and the earlier investigation had proceeded on wrong presumption ignoring the ground realities and the evidence available, it deemed it a fit case to transfer the investigation to the Central agency. A long time had passed since the death. Other materials could be collected by the investigating team since an extraordinary situation like the one in hand (where an innocent Adi-Dravida man was done to death by the police) always demanded an extraordinary relief.

In August 1995, Pandian, working as a daily wage earner in Kothawalchavadi market was picked up by police in a kidnap case filed before Kunnam police in the then composite Tiruchi district. On August 4, 1995, the VAO of Kilumathur filed a complaint with the Kunnam police stating that the body of Pandian was found hanging from a neem tree.

Pandian’s wife, Anjalam, filed a writ petition alleging that her husband was tortured and done to death by four policemen against whom prosecution should be launched. Unsatisfied with a single Judge order, she filed the present appeal.

Article source: http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/18-years-after-custodial-death-hc-orders-cbi-probe/article4827522.ece

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During interrogation, he told the investigating official that serial actress Shalu Menon is his good friend and that he had wished to marry her.

Meantime, Shalu Menon told reporters that she doesn’t have any connection with Biju and that he had misused the relation between them.

Reshmi was found dead at her residence on February 4 in 2006. Biju told police that she died after tripping on the floor. But an investigation by the crime branch found that it was a murder.

Article source: http://www.kaumudiglobal.com/innerpage1.php?newsid=37671

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