Belgaum, a backbone for automobile industry and nerve centre for foundries in Karnataka, will soon have a foundry cluster. The work on the Belgaum Foundry Cluster (BFC) project started three years ago at an investment of close to Rs 25 crore, is nearing completion and is expected to be operational in August this year.
The project once completed will benefit 135 foundries and over 1,000 machine shops in and around Belgaum and hundreds of other units in the neighbouring towns of Hubli-Dharwad, Shimoga, Harihar and even Kolhapur, and Shinoli in Maharashtra, according to Manoj Kulkarni, chief executive officer, BFC.
The foundries from Belgaum are currently dependent on Bangalore and Pune for some of the high-end machining work. With the opening of this cluster they will make substantial savings in their production costs.
According to Kulkarni, foundry units at BFC are expected to produce 1.6 lakh tonnes of castings during the present fiscal, a growth of 60 per cent over 2007-08 and generate a combined revenue in excess of Rs 700 crore per annum, a growth of 75 per cent. The exports are expected to touch Rs 350 crore per annum, a growth of 700 per cent.
The foundry cluster is likely to generate employment to 12,000 persons, a growth of 50 per cent.
Belgaum, in north Karnataka is known for its foundry industry for decades. One third of the state's foundry units are located in six industrial estates of Belgaum. They produce 110,000 tonnes of castings per annum. However, the units were hit by the infrastructure bottlenecks and a lack of common facilities.
The project was sanctioned by the Union ministry of commerce under the Industrial Infrastructure Upgradation Scheme (IIUS) in 2003 for Rs 24.78 crore. While, the Centre sanctioned Rs 18.58 crore, the Karnataka government put in another Rs 2.49 crore while the balance is contributed by the user industries.
The objective is to strengthen the existing infrastructure and to create additional infrastructure with a view to enhance efficiency, competitiveness, raise export capabilities and make the industry environment-friendly by reducing pollution.
Under this project, a 34,000 sq ft building has been constructed at Udyambag Industrial Estate, which houses common tool room, testing laboratory, training centre, modern communication and information centre and a library. A convention centre has also been established. A new vertical machining centre for making patterns, spectrometer for conducting metal analysis and coordinate measuring machine have been installed.
The BFC has acquired five acres land on the outskirts of the city to build the common effluent treatment plant (ETP). The work on which is nearing completion. The sand reclamation plant is the first of its kind in the country as it will help reclaim 10,000 tonnes of waste sand per month. A modern sand reclamation machine has been imported from England and is being installed presently.
The cluster will also have modern software for 3D modelling, simulation and ERP for foundries will be made available to foundries. The foundry cluster will not only help improve the quality standards of material produced here but also protect ecological balance and conserve natural resources apart from growing exports, Kulkarni said.
"Our vision is to make Belgaum Foundry industry a global sourcing hub for castings and machined components by the year 2010. Despite slowdown in manufacturing sector and rising prices of steel and metal scrap we anticipate foundry units will register a healthy growth of 15-20 per cent during the current financial year," he said.
As part of the project, nearly 23 kms of road is being rebuilt in Udyambag industrial estate.
Foundry units in and around Belgaum are serving the automobile industry, general engineering and agriculture sectors. Automobile majors like Mahindra and Mahindra, Bajaj Auto, Ashok Leyland, TAFE, Caterpillar and engineering companies like Kiroskar Oil Engines Ltd, Alfa Laval, Simpsons are some of the companies sourcing castings from Belgaum. The Belgaum foundries also export to countries like the US, Germany, Belgium and West Asia.
Friday, May 30, 2008
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Gokak falls: regaining lost glory
Source: http://www.deccanherald.com/Content/May182008/sundayherald2008051768489.asp
"The best period to enjoy Gokak falls is from July to September when the sound of falling water can be heard much before the falls comes to sight, writes Srinidhi Raghavendra L V."
Belgaum district, in the northwestern tip of Karnataka has been notoriously famous for its Marathi leanings. In fact the controversy still prevails whether the district belongs to Maharashtra or Karnataka. The lingua franca of the region is mostly Marathi and even the Kannada spoken here is laced with a generous dose of Marathi.
Thanks to this controversy and its associated disturbances, the district has been totally ignored by both the people and the rulers of the state. Belgaum with its lofty green mountains, lush green valleys, roaring water falls and ancient forts and temples could have been developed as a high-potential tourist destination. But alas Karnataka government seems to be more interested in raking up ancient political cases than developing tourist infrastructure in far-flung districts such as Belgaum.
Two major rivers flow through the district— the Malaprabha and Ghataprabha— making the region lush green and fertile. In course of the flow, through the mountains and valleys, the rivers form several natural and picturesque waterfalls, among them: Gokak and Godchinmalki falls are the more popular ones. The most famous waterfall in the region— Gokak Falls— is a mere six km from Gokak town and 71 km from Belgaum city. KSRTC buses ply almost round the clock from Belgaum to the falls. Those who fancy train travel can travel to Konnur or Ghataprabha railway station from Belgaum and another three kilometres by local transport.
Gokak Falls is sited in a picture postcard setting between tall, rugged sandstone cliffs. The Ghataprabha river separated from the Malaprabha river by the Belgaum hills flows through the black soil plains before it enters the rocky belt of Gokak. The flow of the river is broken by a tableland about 180 feet above the neighbouring valley.
The river takes a giant leap over the sandstone cliff, in a picturesque horseshoe shaped gorge to fall into the Gokak valley with a thundering noise and forming a cloud like foam below. One can actually go to the head of the falls and look down where the water is falling.
As one gets closer to the head of the fall the roar increases and drowns out any other noise that people attempt to make. It is a perfect place to spend a quiet moment with nature who seems to bless us with gentle spray of moisture rising from the waterfalls. The horseshoe-shaped waterfall spans a breadth of 177 metres as it sweeps over the brink of the cliff. The best period to view and enjoy the glory of the Gokak falls is from July to September when the sound of falling water can be heard much before the falls comes to sight. The spray thrown up by the falls creates a feeling of silver clouds between two steep and rugged rock faces. The locals here feel that the roaring falls symbolise purity, peace, and love.
Though Gokak falls shot into fame as early as 1885 when it was discovered by British explorers, who described the Gokak Falls thus: “Except in width and colour of water, the general features of the fall, its height, shape and rapidity above are very much like those of the Niagara,” it remains a largely unknown among the people of the state, thanks to the indifferent attitude of successive state governments towards developing the falls as a tourist destination.
The British established the Gokak Water Power and Manufacturing Company here with an investment of Rs 20 lakh in 1887. Later, in 1907-08 the company installed a electric turbine to generate hydro-electricity. A rope way connects the high tableland with the power generating station below. The town’s colonial past is resplendent in the mill’s elegant colonial buildings and residential quarters of the managing director and other top mill officials. The mill and the power plant are operational even today and the main activity of the former is conversion of Cotton into yarn.Aside from the falls the place has several attractions.
Among them, the 210-metre hanging wooden bridge across the falls enables people to cross the river. A walk on this century old creaking bridge— on which only 30 people are allowed at a time— is a thrilling experience.
"The best period to enjoy Gokak falls is from July to September when the sound of falling water can be heard much before the falls comes to sight, writes Srinidhi Raghavendra L V."
Belgaum district, in the northwestern tip of Karnataka has been notoriously famous for its Marathi leanings. In fact the controversy still prevails whether the district belongs to Maharashtra or Karnataka. The lingua franca of the region is mostly Marathi and even the Kannada spoken here is laced with a generous dose of Marathi.
Thanks to this controversy and its associated disturbances, the district has been totally ignored by both the people and the rulers of the state. Belgaum with its lofty green mountains, lush green valleys, roaring water falls and ancient forts and temples could have been developed as a high-potential tourist destination. But alas Karnataka government seems to be more interested in raking up ancient political cases than developing tourist infrastructure in far-flung districts such as Belgaum.
Two major rivers flow through the district— the Malaprabha and Ghataprabha— making the region lush green and fertile. In course of the flow, through the mountains and valleys, the rivers form several natural and picturesque waterfalls, among them: Gokak and Godchinmalki falls are the more popular ones. The most famous waterfall in the region— Gokak Falls— is a mere six km from Gokak town and 71 km from Belgaum city. KSRTC buses ply almost round the clock from Belgaum to the falls. Those who fancy train travel can travel to Konnur or Ghataprabha railway station from Belgaum and another three kilometres by local transport.
Gokak Falls is sited in a picture postcard setting between tall, rugged sandstone cliffs. The Ghataprabha river separated from the Malaprabha river by the Belgaum hills flows through the black soil plains before it enters the rocky belt of Gokak. The flow of the river is broken by a tableland about 180 feet above the neighbouring valley.
The river takes a giant leap over the sandstone cliff, in a picturesque horseshoe shaped gorge to fall into the Gokak valley with a thundering noise and forming a cloud like foam below. One can actually go to the head of the falls and look down where the water is falling.
As one gets closer to the head of the fall the roar increases and drowns out any other noise that people attempt to make. It is a perfect place to spend a quiet moment with nature who seems to bless us with gentle spray of moisture rising from the waterfalls. The horseshoe-shaped waterfall spans a breadth of 177 metres as it sweeps over the brink of the cliff. The best period to view and enjoy the glory of the Gokak falls is from July to September when the sound of falling water can be heard much before the falls comes to sight. The spray thrown up by the falls creates a feeling of silver clouds between two steep and rugged rock faces. The locals here feel that the roaring falls symbolise purity, peace, and love.
Though Gokak falls shot into fame as early as 1885 when it was discovered by British explorers, who described the Gokak Falls thus: “Except in width and colour of water, the general features of the fall, its height, shape and rapidity above are very much like those of the Niagara,” it remains a largely unknown among the people of the state, thanks to the indifferent attitude of successive state governments towards developing the falls as a tourist destination.
The British established the Gokak Water Power and Manufacturing Company here with an investment of Rs 20 lakh in 1887. Later, in 1907-08 the company installed a electric turbine to generate hydro-electricity. A rope way connects the high tableland with the power generating station below. The town’s colonial past is resplendent in the mill’s elegant colonial buildings and residential quarters of the managing director and other top mill officials. The mill and the power plant are operational even today and the main activity of the former is conversion of Cotton into yarn.Aside from the falls the place has several attractions.
Among them, the 210-metre hanging wooden bridge across the falls enables people to cross the river. A walk on this century old creaking bridge— on which only 30 people are allowed at a time— is a thrilling experience.
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