State's first butterfly park opens in Belvai

August 18, 2013

Mangalore, Aug 18: Who doesn't like the colourful wings of butterfly fluttering and swaying in the air, hopping over flowers? Well, everyone does but not many spare a minute to think of the fact that how extinct these wonderful creatures have become.

However, looking at the toll modern lifestyle has taken on these tiny creatures an avid butterfly lover and conservationist Sammilan Shetty took a step towards preserving the butterfly species and this step has brought him to the inauguration of a 'Butterfly Park' at Belvai near Karkala, on Sunday.

Named as 'Sammilan Shetty's Butterfly Park', this is the first of its kind in the state. The dedication and planning of two years has finally culminated into an exclusive park for butterflies, with 113 butterfly species living over 7.35 acre land.

Speaking about his love for butterflies, Mr Shetty said that his interest grew while he was working on a project on 'Study of local butterflies'. His Zoology lecturer Ashok C H had designated the topic to him.

Slowly observing the creature, he made up his mind to have park for these creatures which were becoming victim to man's extreme meddling with nature.

“I came across a book on gardening of butterflies authored by Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) Programmes-General Manager Isaac Kehimkar. Taking clues from the book, I too started to plant nectarine flower saplings that attract butterflies, and created an atmosphere that is suitable for the butterflies to lay eggs and breed in the park,” he said.

Dr Arunachalam Kumar, Director of Nitte University (Research and Development) said that thermal power plants are harmful to butterflies as it affects the metamorphosis phase. He said that setting up of power plant at a distance of 15 km would definitely affect the butterfly park.

Karnataka State Wildlife Board Member Dr N A Madhyastha said that butterflies are ecological indicators.

Portal publicflyparkbelvai.com too was launched on the occasion. The website comprises information about butterflies and the butterfly park. The park developed at a cost of Rs five lakh, will be open for public on every Sunday from 8.30 am to 12.30 pm.

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Am doing butterfly project ( M.Sc project) in Karanji lake mysuru, if you provide an apportunity to do work on butterflies any where in Karnataka. Please its my humbnle request to you.

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DK-Udupi local authorities' constituency by-poll: 4 candidates – Cong, BJP, SDPI, Ind – in fray

News Network

October 8,2024

Mangaluru: The by-election to the legislative council from the Dakshina Kannada and Udupi local authorities' constituency will be a contest among four candidates. An independent candidate, Muhammed Riyaz, has withdrawn his nomination on Monday, the last day for withdrawal.

Deputy commissioner Mullai Muhilan MP stated that candidates Kishore BR (BJP), Raju Poojary (Congress), Anwar Sadat S (SDPI), and Dinakar Ullal (independent) will be in the fray.

Polling will be held at 392 booths in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts between 8am and 4pm on Oct 21.

A total of 6,032 voters from Dakshina Kannada and Udupi are eligible to vote. While there will be 234 polling booths in Dakshina Kannada, Udupi will have 158 stations. Gram panchayat members, corporators of the Mangaluru City Corporation, members of city municipal councils, town municipal councils, town panchayats, MLAs, MLCs, and Lok Sabha members are eligible to vote.

Election observer of the Election Commission of India (ECI), Pankaj Kumar Pandey, reviewed the poll preparations at the deputy commissioner's office on Monday. He issued directions to officials regarding arrangements to be made during the election and counting of votes.

The deputy commissioner stated that out of 6,032 voters, 3,127 are women and 2,905 are men. He said the counting of votes will be held at St Aloysius PU College in the city on Oct 24.

Udupi deputy commissioner Vidya Kumari K, city police commissioner Anupam Agrawal, Dakshina Kannada ZP CEO Anandh K, Dakshina Kannada SP Yathish N, Udupi SP Arun K, and additional deputy commissioners Santhosh Kumar G and Mamatha Devi were present.

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