Water consumers in Mangaluru city will get automated SMS alerts on bill amount as a new private agency is set to take over water billing of Mangaluru City Corporation from the New Year. Though the agency, MN Compu Solutions, would take over from January, it would take at least a month for the consumers to receive SMS alerts in phases, sources in the civic body told SeeandSay here on Tuesday.

But all consumers would get the alerts by May, they said and added that the agency was issued with the work order on December 20.

They said that if water meters were not functioning, consumers would get the alert saying “meter not reading”. If they did not respond to get them repaired or install a new meter within a week, a remainder would be sent on their cellphones thereafter.

The selection of the new agency would be dearer to the corporation than earlier. If the corporation paid Rs. 7.25 per bill, now it would have to pay Rs. 9 per bill to the new agency. Officials in the civic body justified it stating that new features have been added under the new contract system. It, in addition to SMS alerts and remainders, has a software-linked system to assess the consumption of water by each connection on quarterly basis. In addition, there is a system to impose fine on the agency, if it failed to issue bill to any connection without any issues .

The existing contract system, which was more than three years old, did not have these features, they said.

According to the data available with the corporation, it had 81,527 water connections against 1.10 lakh registered property. But the number of water connections need not match with the number of property. It is because, for example, many apartments, though had many flats, had one or two water supply connections. For example, if an apartment had 20 flats (considered as registered property), it would have only one water connection.

The new agency would conduct a survey of all water connections for four months from January and maintain the data. It was based on the number of property registered.

Meanwhile, Sudhir Shetty Kannur, a councillor, alleged that some areas have not received water bills for the past eight months and some new apartments were not being issued with the bills as the system of contract is in the transition stage.

The Rs. 1-crore project will help ease traffic congestion on the highway
A two-lane bridge near Mahaveera Circle on the road leading to the Mangaluru-Bengaluru national highway will be widened soon to avoid frequent traffic congestion at the circle.

The council of the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) took a decision to this effect in its meeting on Monday. The council approved widening the bridge at an estimated cost of Rs. 1 crore.

B.T. Kantharaj, Deputy Commissioner (development) and Superintending Engineer at the corporation told the council that the bridge would be widened on both the sides to allow four-lane movement of traffic. Funds from the first instalment of Rs. 100 crore — special grant to the corporation from the Chief Minister — would be utilised for it.

But the Leader of the Opposition (BJP) in the council Premananda Shetty questioned the move to divert Rs. 1 crore from the Chief Minister’s special grant for the bridge work. He said it was not right to divert that amount, which had been reserved for constructing a bus stand for private buses at Pumpwell.

Replying to this, Mr. Kantharaj said that at a recent high-level meeting, the government had warned the corporation that the amount should be utilised in the current financial year. Moves to construct the bus stand was on but it would take a few more years.

The civic body might lose the amount if it waits till then to withdraw it, Mr. Kantharaj said, adding that it was better to use it for widening the bridge to help ease traffic congestion.

The council agreed to invite bids for constructing the bridge. Later he told The Hindu that short-term bids would be invited as the bidder would have to be selected and works would have to begin before March 2015 to avoid losing the fund.

Mayor Mahabala Marla told officials that henceforth, engineering, electrical and health section officials should clear the bills of contractors in consultation with the councillors of the respective wards as many councillors had alleged that the contractors were being paid even though some works remained incomplete.

The Mayor was hopeful that the government might post a regular Commissioner to the civic body in the second week of January 2015.

Health and Family Welfare Minister, U.T. Khader has asked senior leaders in the state to desist from politicising issues related to terrorist acts.

Responding to Union Law Minister, D.V. Sadananda Gowda’s comment indicting State government of overlooking intelligence inputs on terror attacks in Bengaluru, Mr. Khader said seniors like Mr. Gowda should not politicise issues related to security.

He told reporters here on Tuesday that leaders like Mr. Gowda know reports and alerts by intelligence agencies have been taken seriously in the past and continued to be so now. There has not been any failure as alleged by Mr. Gowda. Mr. Khader said seniors like Mr. Gowda has better understanding of the situation. “If seniors like him speak like this, what can I say?”


Mr. Khader said by openly blaming the State government, Mr. Gowda has brought discredit not only to the State but also to the nation. “This is what the perpetrator wants to see and he is taking advantage.” The Minister said at present political parties should join hands with the Government in finding persons involved in spreading this terror and send them behind bars.

 

Veteran film and theatre director Sadananda Suvarna will be conferred the Karavali Gourava Award at a function to be held at the Karavali Utsav grounds on December 31.

Talking to reporters here on Saturday, Deputy Commissioner A.B. Ibrahim said the committee headed by writer Vivek Rai recommended name of Mr. Suvarna for the award, the first to be given as a part of the Utsav.

Mr. Ibrahim said this award would be given every year henceforth.

Mr. Rai said the choice of Mr. Suvarna, who turned 84 on December 24, was unanimous.

Mr. Rai said the award was being given in recognition of his contribution to the drama and film industry in the country.

Mr. Suvarna has been modest about his work by which he has brought to light literature of writers such as U.R. Ananthamurthy and Poornachandra Tejaswi.

Mr. Suvarna’s ‘Karanth Darshana’, a documentary on the life of Jnanpith recipient Kota Shivaram Karanth, is much appreciated.

Entering the film world in 1975, Mr. Suvarna’s film ‘Ghatashradha’, directed by Girish Kasaravalli, won the Swarna Kamal award.

He has also produced classics such as ‘Mane’, ‘Tabarana Kathe’ and ‘Kubhi Mattu Iyala’.

He also bought out a television serial ‘Guddada Bhoota’ that was telecast on Doordarshan and later on private channels.

Mr. Suvarna has also created a documentary on reformer Naranayana Guru and the ‘Tulunadu Ondu Inukunoota’, which gives a glimpse of the coastal region.

Mr. Suvarna has produced and directed many plays including the court-based trilogy ‘Court Trivali’, which have won wide appreciation across the State.

Nandini legallybelongs to the Karnataka Cooperative-Milk Producers’ Federation Ltd (KMF). Yes, the trademark Nandini, under which the KMF sells its products, cannot be used by others as the High Court of Karnataka has refused to allow a leading restaurant group to use “Nandhini” as its brand name.

“When Nandini has acquired a distinctive character and has become well-known, the use of another mark with only an alphabet difference would very likely cause confusion in the mind of the public,” the High Court ruled.

A Division Bench, comprising Chief Justice D.H. Waghela and Justice Budihal R.B., passed the order while dismissing the petitions filed by M/s Nandhini Deluxe, a group of restaurants which came into existence in 1989.

The petitioner had questioned the orders passed by the Intellectual Property Appellate Board (IPAB), which had ordered in favour of the KMF.

The Deputy Registrar of Trade Marks in 2009 had refused to accept the KMF’s opposition for allowing the restaurant group to use “Nandhini” as trademark for its products listed under Classes 29 and 30 of the Trade Marks Rules, 2002.

The Deputy Registrar had refused to accept the KMF’s claims over Nandini based on a copyright certificate secured in 1992 and had allowed the restaurant group to use “Nandhini” as trademark for its products on the basis that the design and letters were different.

However, the IPAB had held that the KMF was using Nandini consistently and it had become entrenched in the minds of the consumers and that there was no evidence to establish that the restaurant group was trading foodstuff under this name. The IPAB had also said that the restaurant group cannot be allowed to use “Nandhini” as it would confuse the average consumer about the products of the two entities.

While upholding the IPAB’s decision, the High Court also refused to accept the petitioner’s claim that the KMF uses “Nandini” only for milk and milk products and that it would not confuse the consumer.

The family members of the differently able persons submitting records to the registration counter at the distribution of aids camp, at NGO Hall in Mangaluru

Parashuram, a seventh standard student at a government school at Angaragundi cannot walk because of polio, smiled after a long time after receiving a tricycle from the Government on Sunday.

Hailing from a family of migrated daily wagers at Vijayapura, he said that he had to crawl using hands to go to school which is about 1.5 k.m. away from his home near Jokatte. From today, he would use the tricycle to go around.

Parashuram was among many differently abled persons who were given aids and appliances at a camp in the premises of Mangaluru Taluk Panchayat office here on Sunday. epartment for the Empowerment of Differently Abled and Senior Citizens and Pt. Deendayal Upadhyaya Institute for the Physically Handicapped, under the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, had organised the camp.

A Rotary Club representative at the camp arranged for the tricycle to be taken to Parashuram's house. In all, 298 beneficiaries were identified eligible to receive 333 appliances at the camp. Of them some turned up and some did not. An official at the camp said that arrangements would be made to send the pending appliances to the homes of beneficiaries.

MANGALURU: The Karavali Utsav Sports Committee is organising a two-day state level flood lit kabaddi tournament as part of ongoing Karavali Utsav at Nehru Maidan here from December 31. Top six state ranked teams and top two local teams in the men's and women's section and will vie for top honours in this tournament that is being held in league-cum-knockout format, Mayor Mahabala Marla, also chairman of the committee said here on Saturday.

While Vijaya Bank, Railways, BMTC, KPTCL - all from Bengaluru; Jayalaxmi, Boluru, Alva's College, Moodbidri; Sporting Sports Club (SC), Ullal, and Vidyanjaneya SC, Ullal will vie for top honours in men's side; Bengaluru sides - Amruthahalli SC, Vijayanagara SC, Matha SC and Karnataka State Police respectively; and Mysuru Sport Club, Alva's College, Moodbidri, SDM College, Ujire, Jayalaxmi, Boluru will do so in the distaff side.

While the winners in both category will respectively receive Rs 1 lakh each; runners up will take home Rs 60,000 each and teams finishing third and fourth Rs 30,000 each. There will also be individual prizes for best catcher, best raider, best all rounder who will get Rs 5000 each. Athletes M R Poovamma and Sahana Kumari will be part of the inaugural function. Kabaddi players Sukesh Hegde and Uday Chowta will be felicitated, he noted.

Mangaluru: Mahajana Sabha Bengre and Bengre Vidyarthi Sangha Yuvaka Mandala organised cleanliness drive on Sunday December 28.

The campaign was started from Bengre ferry service at around 7am. Hundreds of people participated in the noble task. People collected plastics and other waste materials and disposed it in scientific manner.

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