Water sports catches up in Hubli

Water sports catches up in Hubli

Express News Service 16 Mar 2010 08:48:51 AM IST

HUBLI: There has been overwhelming response to the adventure water sports festival organised for the first time in Hubli. Braving scorching heat, hundreds of people including children and women are thronging the Unkal lake to take part in the thrilling events.

The five-day festival is organised by State Youth Affairs and Sports Department in association with General Timmaiah National Academy of Adventure Sports and the district administration.

According to organisers over 1200 people were being trained in water sports as part of the festival. About 30 instructors from the academy and the Sports Department have been training and guiding people taking part in adventure water sports in the lake.

Facilities and equipment have been made available for taking part in sports like rafting, water scooter, canoeing, carole ride, kayaking, water-skiing and wind surfing.

Before taking up an exhilarating ride on water, life-saving jackets will be given to the each person as a precautionary measure.

Shabbir, the team leader of trainers at the festival told Express that allaying fear about water among people, particularly the youths, is the aim behind organising the event. We have already organised the adventure water sports festival in Karwar, Mangalore, Davangere, Manglore, Udupi and Hassan. We are also planning to organise it in other cities where there are lakes, he said.

Many youths at the venue said that they were thrilled to take part in water sports for the first time.

Adventure water sports to begin on Saturday

Adventure water sports to begin on Saturday

TNN, Mar 12, 2010, 10.36pm IST

DHARWAD: The department of youth services, in association with General Timmaiah National Adventure Academy, will organize a five-day adventure water sports camp at Unkal Lake from Saturday.

DC Darpan Jain told reporters here on Friday that the meet will feature water skiing, canoeing, water scooter and surfing among others. Experts from the academy will guide the participants at the camp. Minister for youth services and sports Goolihatti Shekhar will inaugurate the meet on Saturday at 1 pm.

The DC said plans were afoot to introduce more adventure sports in the district by developing hillocks and water bodies. Para-gliding, aero sports, rock climbing and other such adventure activities will be organized in the days to come, he added.

Jain said lakes at Kelgeri, Sadhanakeri, Navalur, Kalgahtagi, Navalgund and Kundgol will be developed under lake-development projects as part of environment protection programmes. Efforts are on to develop Sanjeevini Park between Dharwad and Hubli into a bird sanctuary, he added.

Karnataka makes a pitch for Hero Honda plant

Karnataka makes a pitch for Hero Honda plant

10 Mar 2010, 0302 hrs IST, ET Bureau

BANGALORE: 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.

At the meeting in New Delhi on Tuesday, Hero Honda Motors team was led by chairman Brijmohan Lall Munjal and MD Pawan Munjal. The firm has shortlisted Karnataka as one of the states for setting up its fourth manufacturing plant.

A team from Hero Honda has already visited Karnataka and looked at a site in Hubli, though a final decision is likely to be taken next month after they make their second visit.

During the meeting, 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. The state government conveyed the message that they could be given refund on value added tax (VAT) and other concessions if the investments are above Rs 250 crore.

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.

Stakeholders, industrialists present wish-list to CM

Stakeholders, industrialists present wish-list to CM

TNN, 11 February 2010, 10:53pm IST

HUBLI: Chief minister B S Yeddyurappa got a flood of suggestions and requests from various trade bodies, in a pre-budget interaction with stakeholders here on Tuesday.

While sports goods traders wanted tax to be reduced from 12.5% to 4%, agricultural commission agents found a tax of 1.5% too heavy. Residents' associations wanted flyovers in Hubli-Dharwad, while transporters sought the development of ports in Karwar and Kumta. The child development academy wanted land for buildings and senior citizens wanted to travel free in buses without being asked to produce age proof.

Karnataka Chamber of Commerce and Industries (KCCI) president M C Hiremath urged the CM to strengthen the single-window agency for industrial clearance. "The only thing it has accomplished is deciding on allocation of land for industrial units. Entrepreneurs have to approach other departments separately for licence, permits, inspections and no-objection certificates. This should change," he said.

KCCI demanded rationalization of tax structure, lower tax rates and increased infrastructure investment in north Karnataka. He also suggested construction of an iron ore dumping yard near Devikoppa near Kalaghatagi, to avoid entry of ore-laden lorries in the twin cities.

Karnataka Handloom Development Corporation sought a bail-out package and assured market for handloom produce. Lorry owners' association sought reduction in the price of diesel, a permanent truck terminus, and ring roads connecting all major highways around Hubli and Dharwad.

Cotton Merchants' Association president V P Linganagoudar sought government's intervention in promoting cotton cultivation and trade. He sought the establishment of a cotton zone on the lines of the steel zone near Bellary.

BVB College principal Ashok Shettar demanded that Hubli be turned into an attractive industrial investment destination. He suggested setting up of a power plant using gas from the Mumbai-Bangalore pipeline.

Hotel Owners' Association representatives revealed that nearly 70% of hotels were not registered under VAT. They also sought exemption from maintaining accounts for hotels that had a turnover of up to Rs 20 lakh.

Writer-activist Patil Puttappa urged Yeddyurappa to ensure equitable development of all regions to keep away divisive forces from disrupting peace in the state. He asked the government to share the costs of railway projects, build a four-lane road between Hubli and Dharwad, and fill vacant posts of teachers in colleges, especially in the backward areas.

Yeddyurappa promised that he would study the demands before presenting the budget.

Earlier, rural development and panchayat raj minister Jagadish Shettar said it was the first time that a pre-budget consultation was being held outside Bangalore.