It’s time again to campaign for an IIT within Karnataka

It’s time again to campaign for an IIT within Karnataka

Published: Sunday, Jan 2, 2011, 9:36 IST

By Team DNA | Place: Bangalore | Agency: DNA

A delegation headed by MR Doreswamy, member of the legislative council, is all set to meet Union law minister M Veerappa Moily to submit a memorandum seeking that an Indian Institute of Technology be set up in the state.

“We are meeting Veerappa Moily on January 2 to submit the memorandum,” Doreswamy said.

As the eleventh five-year plan period ends in 2012, there is a buzz that the Union government would set up an IIT in the state in the 12th five year plan.

Sources from the ministry of human resource development said that under the 12th plan, the Centre would announce 10 more IITs. Academics from the state are keen that one of these be located in Karnataka.

Talking to DNA, Doreswamy said that the location of the institute should not become a matter of contention. “We don’t mind where the institute comes up, so long as there is one in Karnataka. We are putting pressure on the Centre for many years now. Karnataka is eligible to get an IIT, but the demand has not been heeded, on the pretext that the state already has the Indian Institute of Science, an Indian Institute of Management, and a central university. This time, we will not let them pay no heed to our demand,” said Doreswamy.

Former chairman of the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), Dr Ramegowda, said, “Last time, we met Moily and we hoped that an IIT would come up in Karnataka in the 11th plan period. This time, we have to make a very serious and sincere effort. Bangalore is the capital of information technology, and it fully deserves an IIT.”

Since 1996, the state has attempted to get the Centre to sanction an IIT here. In 2009, the human resources development ministry had agreed in principle to the IIT in Karnataka under the 11th plan. Later, however, officials from the department claimed that there was no proposal for an IIT in Karnataka.

In the past two years, many delegations have met the Union minister for human resources development, seeking that an IIT be set up in the state. 137 MLAs from North Karnataka submitted a memorandum in this connection earlier. Doreswamy too has earlier met Union human resource development minister Kapil Sibal, and submitted a memorandum, but to no avail.

Karnataka had once before missed the IIT bus because of a controversy over its location. While the then Congress government recommended that the IIT be set up in North Karnataka, JD(S) MLA HD Revanna had opposed that plan, seeking that the IIT be located in Hassan district.

Seven years ago, a committee set up by the then prime minister to seek recommendations for setting up IITs, headed by scientist UR Rao, had recommended that an IIT come up in Karnataka, at Hubli-Dharwad.

DJ party mania grips Hubli on New Year eve

DJ party mania grips Hubli on New Year eve

Basavaraj F Kattimani, TNN, Dec 30, 2010, 10.34pm IST

HUBLI: Gone are the days when hotels and resorts would host orchestras to entertain their customers on the eve of New Year. Now, DJ party mania has gripped the city ahead of the D-Day.

DJ party concept was just confined to metros like Bangalore and Mumbai till recently. But this year, most of the hotels and resorts have roped in DJs (disc jockeys) to entertain the people who ring in the New Year in their hotels and resorts.

DJs from Pune, Mumbai and Goa are in great demand now. Having booked DJ troupes, the hotels are busy preparing for the New Year to take the celebrations to new heights.

Hotels don't even bother to shell out Rs 30,000 to 1.5 lakh to host DJ parties. Fees for individual ranges from Rs 400-800, while it is Rs 1,200-3,000 for couples.

Speaking to `The Times of India', Prashant Arabhavi, general manager of Mandhar Hotel (Dharwad), said: "For the first time, we are designing the venue on Las Vegas theme for the party with a Goan DJ." Prakash Agadi, manager of Cotton County Club here, said they have already booked a good number of people. Pune-based DJs will perform there.

DJ Kushal said they are in demand at parties in cities like Hubli too. DJ parties usually allow the revellers to shake a leg with DJs on stage and listen to their favourite numbers in remixed version.

Rahul Baneerjee, resident manager of Clerks Inn here, said they are not hosting any DJ parties. "But for a change, we offer a Gala Buffet to treat the revellers with 60 types of food items, including continental, oriental, Chinese and Indian. We will also send eight couples on a trip if they happen to occupy lucky seats from among 90," he added.

Dharwad HC to have another circuit Bench

Dharwad HC to have another circuit Bench
TNN, Dec 11, 2010, 09.57pm IST

DHARWAD: The high court circuit Bench at Dharwad will have another divisional Bench. The new Bench will be functional from January 3, said Chief Justice of Karnataka High Court Justice Jagadeesh Singh Kehar here on Friday. He said the decision was taken considering the large number of cases being filed at the circuit Bench here.

Justice Kehar, who visited the circuit Bench for the first time after assuming charge as CJ, was addressing the advocates. He said that 17,000 cases had been filed in the circuit Bench in the last four months and the advocates had appealed to the high court to set up another divisional Bench to clear the cases quickly. Two judges will sit in the new divisional Bench.

Justice Kehar said two divisional Benches will deal with civil and criminal cases separately. He said the number of cases filed at a single Bench in Dharwad circuit Bench was on par with that filed at the main Bench at Bangalore and hence the decision to set up another divisional Bench. He called upon the advocates and judges to work in tandem to ensure speedy justice for the litigants.

Justices A S Pachhapure, K Govndraju, V G Sabhahit and H Billappa among others were present.

Boating, amusement park planned at Tolanakere

Boating, amusement park planned at Tolanakere

Staff Correspondent -The Hindu

• Fencing, strengthening of tank bund under way
• Barring one structure, there is no encroachment on the tank area: Deputy Commissioner
• First phase of work likely to be completed in five to six months

Development plan:Deputy Commissioner of Dharwad Darpan Jain speaking to presspersons after inspecting ongoing work at Tolanakere

HUBLI: The Dharwad district administration, which has chalked out a plan for the comprehensive development of Tolanakere (a tank) near Ramalingeshwar Nagar in Hubli, will initially begin work on strengthening the tank bund.

Speaking to presspersons after reviewing the ongoing work at Tolanakere on Wednesday, Deputy Commissioner of Dharwad Darpan Jain said that Rs. 1.8 crore would be spent for fencing the tank area, strengthening the tank bund and other related work in the first phase.

Mr. Jain said that the boundary of the 23-acre tank had been demarcated.

He clarified that barring one structure, there was no encroachment on the tank area. The tank area was being used by brick manufacturers who had set up kilns.

“We have informed the brick manufacturers, and will soon clear the kilns once the work gets going,” he said.

The Deputy Commissioner said the work had been undertaken under the Rs. 100-crore grant sanctioned by the State Government to the Hubli-Dharwad Municipal Corporation. The first phase of work was likely to be completed in five to six months.

Second phase

Mr. Jain said that in the next phase, steps would be taken to divert sewage entering the tank. A viewing point would be created and landscaping done. There were plans to start boating once the development work was completed, he said.

“We are planning a children's amusement park and other facilities. We are working out a system to ensure there is no dearth of funds for their maintenance.”

Regarding development of the Unakal tank, Mr. Jain said that sewage entering the tank had been diverted by laying underground drainage pipes in residential areas located around the tank.

Waste management

To a query, he said the district administration had submitted an integrated solid waste management proposal to the State Government and was awaiting its approval.

On unauthorised religious structures in the twin cities and in the district, Mr. Jain said the process of clearing such structures would begin in a day or two.

“Once again our officials have issued notices, conducted spot verifications and interacted with local residents and organisations. We want them to clear such structures on their own and if they don't, we will step in and do it after taking all those concerned into confidence,” Mr. Jain added