Bull run for Shankarapura jasmine ends

October 10, 2011

mallige

Mangalore, October 10: The Bull run this season for the famed fragrant Shankarapura Mallige or popularly known as 'Sooji Mallige' has ended. The rate of one 'atte' of flowers, which had crossed Rs 820 a week back, has now fallen sharply to Rs 150 on Sunday. It was quoting at Rs 210 on Saturday.

The more fragrant but less fancied Jaaji mallige, also grown in Udupi region, was quoted at Rs 45 on Sunday and on Saturday it was Rs 65. It was at a high of Rs 350 last week. About 800 jasmine flowers, depending on their size, are strung together using plantain stalk to make one chendu and four chendus make one atte.

Udupi Mallige Belegaarara Sangha president Ramakrishna Sharma Bantakallu says that the rates fluctuate wildly on a day to day depending on the supply and demand of jasmine, which is a fancy item. There are merchants in Mumbai who buy Rs 5 lakh worth of flowers on a day as when there is high demand during festivities and marriage seasons,'' he said. Apart from Mumbai, the coastal regions of Mangalore, Udupi and Kerala are the major markets for this flower.

There are about 10,000 families engaged in jasmine cultivation in the coastal districts extending from Kasargod to Uttara Kannada, with a maximum number of 7,500 families being in Udupi district. Sharma says the rates are likely to go up again during Deepavali and marriage season. The lowest rates an 'atte' quotes is Rs 80 during off season and it sometimes goes down to as low as Rs 40 during transport strikes. A rate of Rs 200 per 'atte' is remunerative,'' observes Sharma.

The fancy rate for the fancied flowers depends upon the whims and fancies of the wholesale merchants based on the demand from customers and the supply. Fortunately in the case of jasmine growers, whatever the hike, barring a commission of Rs 10 or Rs 20 the entire sum is passed on to the growers unlike in other agro sectors where middle men make windfall profits. We get a daily rate from wholesalers and we give the maximum to the merchant who quotes the highest,'' says Sharma.

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News Network
March 23,2020

Bengaluru, Mar 23: Following the alarming increase in Coronavirus cases, Police Commissioner Bhaskar Rao on Monday said that those subjected to home quarantine stamping would be arrested if they were found to visit public places.

"5,000 Home quarantine stamping was carried to ensure that they remain in home and not to be seen in public places for their own interest as well as in an attempt to prevent spread of Coronavirus", he tweeted.

"I have received information on some of those stamped are moving in BMTC (Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation) buses and sitting in restaurants. Please call 100, these people will be picked up, arrested and sent to government quarantine," Rao said.

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News Network
June 17,2020

Bengaluru, Jun 17: Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa has directed Minorities Department officials to take steps for tabling the Karnataka Lokayukta report on alleged irregularities in wakf properties in Karnataka, during the next session of the State legislature.

Following the Anwar Manipaddi report on alleged irregularities in wakf properties, the Lokayukta conducted the probe. The Siddaramaiah government rejected both the Anwar Manipaddi report and the Lokayukta report.

The Chief Minister issued the directions to officials during a review of the department works on Tuesday, said an official press release. The Lokayukta reportedly named several Congress leaders and senior officers in the scam.

The Lokayukta conducted the probe and submitted the report containing 15 volumes to the State government during the Siddaramaiah government’s tenure.

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News Network
January 14,2020

Bengaluru, Jan 14: A woman has sustained burns on the left hand and the left chest in a vicious acid attack that occurred as she walked home in Mallappa Layout, Seegehalli, near KR Puram in Bengaluru.

Prabhavathi, the victim, and her husband, Radhakrishna Reddy, own an acre and six guntas of land in Seegehalli. They had constructed 20 houses on the parcel and rented them while keeping the rest of the land empty and building a boundary wall around it, according to a senior police officer. 

Four men named Ravi, Kumar, Ashirvadam and Shekar laid claim to the land and demolished the boundary wall two years ago. When the couple approached the cops, Manjunath, a sub-inspector from KR Puram police station, visited the spot along with other officers and allegedly abused Reddy and his family. 

Reddy then approached a senior police officer who suggested that he file a complaint against the sub-inspector as well as his rivals for threatening the family. The case is pending in a case. 

On January 7, Ravi, along with four others — Raghu, Kabalan, Ashrivadam and Munireddy — mocked Prabhavathi as she walked home. They asked her to withdraw the complaint. When she ignored them, one of the men motioned to another person. In a flash, a man in the group threw acid on Prabhavathi. The liquid fell on her left hand and left chest, gashing them. Her screams drew her family who rushed her to a hospital. 

Reddy said the suspects had been intimidating them to sell the remaining land. He accused the KR Puram sub-inspector of “threatening” the family.

According to Reddy, following their complaint, a departmental enquiry was launched against the sub-inspector and his promotion was stalled. He suggested that the suspects had used the acid attack as a weapon to “silence” and force them into withdrawing the complaints. 

Following the acid attack, KR Puram police booked eight people — Ravi, Raghu, Kabalan, Ashirvadam, Munireddy, Sachin, Rahul, and Kumareshan — under IPC sections 326 (a) (acid attack) and 506 (criminal intimidation). Efforts are on to track them down. 

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