Mysore/Mysuru: The Coffee Board, established by the Government of India at Manasagangothri premises over five decades ago to act as a link between the cultural city and coffee growing Kodagu district, is now being silently shifted to Chettalli in Kodagu district.

The then Deputy Minister of Foreign Trade A.C. George had inaugurated the Coffee Board Office, opposite the University of Mysore (UoM) main entrance gate facing Mysuru-Bogadi Road on Feb. 4,1972 in the presence of the then UoM Vice-Chancellor Prof. D. Javaregowda (Dejagow). Since then, the Board has been working on coffee species development, bean development, seeds etc.

The Board also functioned as a training centre for Botany students of the UoM, JSS institutions and other Universities by appointing them as apprentice and providing them training on various aspects of coffee cultivation.

Now, the Board is being silently shifted to Chettalli in Kodagu and as a first step in this regard, the appointment of apprentices has been stopped.

Upon coming to know of its shifting, many apprentices of the Coffee Board have expressed disappointment over the shifting.

Pointing out that the Board was of great help to Botany students, they expressed apprehension that the shifting to Chettalli in Somwarpet taluk of Kodagu, will surely hit its infrastructure and research studies.

They demand that the authorities drop the shifting in the better interests of research studies as well as coffee growers.

Sources said that the Board may be shifted to Chettalli in June or July once the Lok Sabha polls get over. Meanwhile, Botany students too have opposed the shifting move. Noting that it is pointless to shift the Board to Somwarpet’s Chettalli, they decried the justification given by the higher authorities who say that research has taken a hit.

They also said, it is hard to believe the version of the authorities, wondering how the hurdles that were not there for over 50 years, have surfaced suddenly.