New year, new hope; and there are shining stars on whose shoulders much promise rides, as we step into year 2020. From space science to farming to administration and medicine, these people are expected to inspire thousands into following in their footsteps
The lady of the lake Dr Shobha, lecturer, Mount Carmel College
She is true to her profession as a teacher. Shobha Anand, adjunct lecturer at Mount Carmel College and external consultant at Indian Institute of Human Settlement, has set an example for many. In 2014, she started her crusade single-handedly to save the nearly disused Rachenahalli Lake which BDA had revived in 2011, but due to lack of maintenance and attention, had started to die. Now she is helping residents and welfare associations save Amruthahalli, Arekere and Mylasandra lakes in the city. Recollecting her journey, she said that in 2014, she was looking for a place to undertake a bamboo plantation drive, when she was working with the Mahatma Gandhi Institute for Rural Energy. Since the lake was near the institute, she decided it was ideal, but a visit left her disheartened -- it was filled with weeds, had no boundary and was used as an open toilet. She mobilised locals and schoolchildren to take up restoration. Gradually, BBMP also joined hands, and now the lake is home to over 80 birds, including migratory ones. The entry of sewage into the lake has been addressed, and fishermen also cast their nets here. Morning and evening walkers come in regular numbers, and many awareness programmes are organised around the water body.
Swachh effort at ‘Yana Caves’ Shaila Seetaram Patagar,Vinoda Era Marathi
These two women are on a cleanliness mission. Along with their job of keeping the area clean, they are going out of their way to ensure that ‘Yana Caves’ -- a must-visit place in Uttara Kannada district -- are clean and tidy. Tourists who come here find these two women -- Shaila Seetaram Patagar and Vinoda Era Marathi -- appointed two years ago by the village forest committee of Yana, giving talks to tourists on how and why they should not leave behind plastic and waste. They show the tourists how everyday, around 5kg of waste is collected to create awareness on keeping the area clean. During weekends, the trash collected touches 10kg. After collecting a huge quantity of waste, they hand it over to the forest department. The duo is said to be known for their politeness with tourists, when they ask them to dump waste in dustbins. They also create awareness on plastic waste.
Reaching for the Moon once again P Veeramuthuvel,Project Director, Chandrayaan-3
After the failure of Chandrayaan-2 lander Vikram, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) quietly moved its project director M Vanitha and posted scientist/engineer ‘SF’ P Veeramuthuvel to achieve a successful lunar landing, scheduled to be launched in November 2020. He becomes an important person to watch out for this year as he will be heading a team comprising 29 deputy directors in charge of various mission activities, including the new lander and rover. He is said to have presented a paper on an effective method of controlling vibrations in the electronic package of spacecraft, which was tested at UR Rao Satellite Centre in Bengaluru, and which was a success. Chandrayaan-3, under Veeramuthuvel, entails sending a propulsion module to carry a lander and rover, but will not have an orbiter. Chandrayaan-2 orbiter is already successfully orbiting the Moon, and continues to send scientific data for an extended seven-year mission life.
IAS officer who touched many lives T Bhoobalan, CEO & MD, Tumakuru Smart City Ltd
Bhoobalan has created ripples in Tumakuru as a strict ‘taxman’. This young IAS officer, the CEO and MD of Tumakuru Smart City Limited, has been a favourite among the residents of Tumakuru. Coming under heavy pressure and demand from the public, this officer was brought back to the post after he was transferred. T Bhoobalan (31), a 2015 batch IAS officer, made a name for himself as Commissioner of Tumakuru City Corporation (TCC) by improving revenue collection from a mere 25 per cent to 85 per cent. Using a device equipped with an android application, tax collection at the doorstep -- which he initiated -- worked well to boost revenue collection. Not just that, he encouraged about 350 households to set up home composting units so they could convert wet waste into manure for their gardens. He also undertook an initiative to sell segregated plastic for laying of the Ring Road, under the Smart City project, which too brought in revenue. “My main focus is a clean and green city,” says the BE (Computer Science) graduate who hails from Coimbatore. Ironically, when the Smart Cities Council of India presented an award to him as one of the best MDs in September 2019, Bhoobalan was transferred to Belagavi as a land acquisition officer. Now, after the bypolls, he is back in Tumakuru, raising hope among the town’s residents for 2020.
Medicare at his clinic costs Rs 10 Dr Annappa N Bali, doctor
Seventy-nine-year-old Dr Annappa N Bali is an individual whose good health is prayed for by hundreds of patients who visit his clinic every day. The doctor, who has also built a small team of three assistants, has been treating patients for only Rs 10 as his consultation fee. This covers medicines, injections and other treatment too. He will an important person to watch out for this year too, in Bailhongal town of Belagavi district. On any given day, he treats 75 to 150 patients at his clinic, which is open from 10 am to 1:30 pm and again from 4 pm to 7:30 pm. Most of his patients are poor and many are even
treated free of cost.
Mixing the old and new for bumper crop Mithun Shetty Chara, progressive farmer
A progressive farmer from Chara village near Hebri, in Udupi district, Mithun Shetty Chara (32), is following progressive farming techniques and ensuring his venture is a profitable one.Mithun (second from right) was working in Amritsar, Punjab, some years ago with a travel agency, and decided to do something on his own. He turned to organic farming in his native village of Chara. By gradually transforming about eight acres of dry fields into arable land in Chara, Mithun became a youth icon for the people of Hebri. He has grown paddy, coconut and arecanut. About 2,000 arecanut saplings he has grown are flourishing after Mithun ensured they were well irrigated. So is a banana plantation on three acres of irrigated land, fertilised with only organic manure. Mithun has 10,000 chickens in his poultry farm, which also supplements his income. He also grows pepper as a subsidiary crop. Although Mithun uses organic manure, he says that for agriculture to be a profitable venture, modern tillers and harvesting machines are mandatory. Today, he participates in various important forums and conferences, shares his experiences and meets experts and field workers to establish sustainable agricultural practices and an eco-friendly way of life.
(Contributed by Devaraj Hirehalli, Prakash Samaga, Arunkumar Huralimath and Bosky Khanna)