Plans afoot to revive manjakoori in Sasthamcotta Lake

The fish, which has vulnerable status in IUCN Red List, was ranched at the Ramsar site last month and fishers reported its consistent presence since then. Kollam district panchayat plans to start a hatchery near the lake to conserve the indigenous species

CPI(M) indulged in communal campaign in Kollam : N K Premachandran

Heat wave alert issued in Kollam, Thrissur and Palakkad districts of Kerala

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a heat wave alert for Kollam, Thrissur, and Palakkad districts in Kerala, predicting high temperatures up to 41 degrees Celsius. The alert, for April 27 and 28, comes after extreme heat was observed in recent days. Authorities are advising caution, warning of sunburn, heatstroke, and dehydration. They recommend staying indoors during the day, carrying umbrellas, and staying hydrated. Public events are advised to be postponed to the evening.

Weather Advisory: Heat Wave Alert Issued for Kollam, Thrissur, and Palakkad Districts in Kerala

Weather Advisory: Heat Wave Alert Issued for Kollam, Thrissur, and Palakkad Districts in Kerala The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Saturday issued heat wave alert in Kollam, Thrissur and Palakkad districts of Kerala. The heat wave conditions would prevail in many places of these districts on April 27 and 28, the IMD said in a statement. The alert was issued in the wake of extreme heat recorded in the last few days and based on predictions that the temperature would rise up to 41 degree celsius in Palakkad and 40 degree celsius each in Kollam and Thrissur districts, it said. People should maintain extreme caution during such situations, authorities said. There are chances of people suffering sunburn and heatstroke, the statement said, adding that heatstroke can also lead to death. Authorities also advised people to take umbrellas while going out and drink plenty of water to prevent dehydration. Among many directives, the IMD urged people to avoid going out during the day time as much as possible and postpone all public events to evening.

Scorching Heat Sparks Alert in Kollam, Thrissur, and Palakkad Districts

Scorching Heat Sparks Alert in Kollam, Thrissur, and Palakkad Districts The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Saturday issued heat wave alert in Kollam, Thrissur and Palakkad districts of Kerala. The heat wave conditions would prevail in many places of these districts on April 27 and 28, the IMD said in a statement. The alert was issued in the wake of extreme heat recorded in the last few days and based on predictions that the temperature would rise up to 41 degree celcius in Palakkad and 40 degree celcius each in Kollam and Thrissur districts, it said. People should maintain extreme caution during such situations, authorities said. There are chances of people suffering sunburn and heatstroke, the statement said, adding that heatstroke can also lead to death. Authorities also advised people to take umbrellas while going out and drink plenty of water to prevent dehydration. Among many directives, the IMD urged people to avoid going out during the day time as much as possible and postpone all public events to evening.

Kerala records 70.35 % voter turnout in Lok Sabha election

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala recorded 70.35 percent polling in the single phase Lok Sabha election covering all 20 constituencies on Friday. According to the latest data available with the State Election Commission office at 8.15 pm, Thiruvananthapuram recorded 66.43 percent polling, Attingal 69.40, Kollam 67.92, Pathanamthitta 63.35, Mavelikkara 65.88, Alappuzha 74.37, Kottayam 65.59, Idukki 66.39, Ernakulam 68.10, []

Kerala LS polls: Low voter turnout leaves Left on a high

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The low turnout in the Lok Sabha elections, despite the high-decibel campaigning in the state, has left the three major fronts confused. Going by conventional theory, the CPM believes the drop in turnout hints at a lack of anti-incumbency sentiment against the state government. According to the CPMs internal assessment, only 370 UDF votes were polled in a polling booth at Kollam town, where the opposition front enjoys a majority of 1,200 votes. Its not an isolated incident, the party noted. The substantially low voter turnout of 70.35% has given fresh hopes to ruling Left, while it has left the UDF and the NDA a tad disappointed. Poll statistics of the last four general elections show whenever there has been a huge voter turnout, it has proven to be a washout for either LDF or UDF. In 2004, when the state recorded 77.77 polling percentage, the Left romped home with 18 seats. Similarly, in 2019, when the poll percentage was 77.84, the UDF won 19 of the 20 seats. As per the Lefts calculations, there was considerable leakage of UDF votes in its strongholds. In some places, it believes, the NDA poached UDF votes. The reluctance on the part of UDF voters was evident from low voter turnout in even assured seats like Ernakulam. The unexpectedly low poll percentage in Muslim League strongholds Ponnani and Malappuram indicated a visible reluctance among minority voters, too. The CPM claimed there was no dip in the Left votes, most of which were polled in the first half of the day itself. By around 5pm, 95% of the Left votes were polled. There was a visible dip in voter turnout in many UDF strongholds. The Left has considerable winning chances in many seats, said a CPM state committee member. The CPM leadership said there was a split in Muslim votes, and that would prove beneficial to the Left. Most political votes seem to have been polled, while the majority of the fluctuating voters didnt turn up, observed political commentator N M Pearson. Avida Saleem shows her ID card after voting at Government UP School at Valluvalli near Paravoor on Friday. The moderate voters who usually cast their franchise in favour of or against the governments have not been polled, he said. The absence of pro- or anti-state government votes show that the Left could well improve its performance. Meanwhile, the NDA maintains high hopes. In some constituencies, all the CPM votes havent been polled, said a senior BJP leader. Also there was considerable lag from the part of polling officials. This has also led to delay in polling and many voters returning without casting their votes. The UDF also claimed reluctance to vote among LDF supporters. Contrary to general perception, the dip in poll percentage was not due to absence of UDF voters, said CMP general secretary C P John. There was visible reluctance by LDF voters. The last minute issues around the E P Jayarajan episode might have contributed to this reluctance.

IMD warns of heat wave conditions in Kollam, Thrissur, Palakkad

Palakkad records the highest temperature of 41.4C, followed by Punalur with 38.5C

Kollam records 67.97% voter turnout

The voting percentage dropped around 5 percentage points from 2019.

Kollam records 65.37% voter turnout

The voting percentage dropped nearly 10 percentage points from 2019.

Will block unholy alliance between BJP & CPM: Congress' K Muraleedharan

Will block unholy alliance between BJP & CPM: Congress' K Muraleedharan Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) Thrissur Lok Sabha constituency candidate K Muraleedharan on Friday cast his vote at Jawahar Nagar LP School in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala and said that the Congress will block unholy alliance between BJP & CPM in the state. While speaking to the reporters, K Muraleedharan said that the party will win all the seats in the state. We are going to win all 20 seats in Kerala. Unfortunately, there is a deal between CPM and BJP in Kerala. The news has come out that EP Jayarajan (LDF convener) met BJP leader Prakash Javadekar. Their link is clear. We will win but we will block an unholy alliance between BJP & CPM in Kerala. Thrissur Lok Sabha constituency, where high-profile candidates are in the fray this time, is going to witness a fierce triangular contest between BJP, Congress, and the CPI. Congress has fielded K Muraleedharan, son of late Congress doyen K Karunakaran whose pocket borough was once Thrissur, the ruling Left Democratic Front nominated former Agriculture Minister in the previous LDF government in the state, VS Sunilkumar. The constituency, where both Congress-led UDF and CPM-led LDF interchangeably won multiple times in the past seven decades, is currently held by Congress. All 20 seats will vote in the second phase in Kerala. These include Kasaragod, Kannur, Vatakara, Wayanad, Kozhikode, Malappuram, Ponnani, Palakkad, Alathur, Thrissur, Chalakudy, Ernakulam, Idukki, Kottayam, Alappuzha, Mavelikkara, Pathanamthitta, Kollam, Attingal, and Thiruvananthapuram. The second phase has 88 Lok Sabha constituencies across 13 States/Union Territory including 13 in Rajasthan, 20 in Kerala, eight in Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh, five each in Assam and Bihar, six in Madhya Pradesh, three each in Chhattisgarh and West Bengal, and one each in Tripura, Manipur, and Jammu & Kashmir According to the ECI, over 15.88 crore voters will be voting in the second phase which includes 8.08 crore male electors, 7.8 crore female electors, and 5929 third-gender electors. A total of 4553 flying squads, 5731 static surveillance teams, 1462 video surveillance teams and 844 video viewing teams are keeping surveillance round the clock to strictly and swiftly deal with any form of inducement of voters across the 1.67 lakh polling stations, as per the ECI press note. (ANI)

This one-of-a-kind school band weaves quite a melody

KOCHI: It was sheer passion for music that led to the birth of G Band by the students, their parents, teachers and non-teaching staff of St Goretti Higher Secondary School at Punalur in Kollam district. The idea took shape following the Kerala School Youth Festival where the school bagged honours in four music categories. We had always wanted to perform songs as a group, says Sreehari M, a class X student of the school and coordinator of the band. The desire grew after the youth festival, he adds. Our journey started from failure. We had formed a team to compete in the nadanpattu cateogry during the district youth festival. However, we were not selected, says Sreehari. This prompted the lad to approach Sumith Samuel, a teacher at the school for help. He agreed after initial reluctance, adds Sreehari. The first performance of the G Band was by a team comprising teachers and it was during the school anniversary. However, the band had its actual formation in January 2024, says Sumith, the social studies teacher of the school. We have three teams in the band. Students make up two while the teachers, non-teaching staff, students and parents form the third. Each team sings a different genre, says Sumith. Another interesting fact about the band is that all the performances are devoid of musical instruments. But that has not made their performance lack perfection. Instead, we have been getting rave reviews on our social media pages. We will add instruments starting next year, says Sumith. Though live performances are too few and far between, the bands mainstay is the videos uploaded on social media handles of the school. It should be noted that the G Band doesnt have any permanent members. The aim behind the formation of the band is to give students with musical talent a chance to showcase their skill, says Anet Sara Joseph, a class VIII student and a member of the nadanpattu team. For Fida Sajeer, another student, G Band gave her a space to unleash the singer in her. Everything about the band is professional. To become a member, one has to make through an audition, says Fida. According to Sumith, G Band will not be confined to just the students. After seeing our performances, when the autorickshaw drivers at the auto stand near the school expressed their wish to perform in a music video, we decided to dedicate one episode to them, he says. Sreehari expects the G Band to become a professional group very soon. We are getting calls from a lot of people already.

After phase one, PM is panicking: KC Venugopal after casting vote in Alappuzha

Alappuzha: Congress candidate KC Venugopal cast his vote today at a polling booth in the Alappuzha constituency in the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections. Venugopal is in the electoral fray against Communist Party of India (Marxist) candidate AM Ariff and Bharatiya Janata Party's Sobha Surendran from the Alappuzha seat in Kerala After casting his vote, Venugopal told ANI, I am confident that the people of Alleppey will stand with me. After phase one of the Lok Sabha elections, the PM is panicking. I thank the PM for bringing the Congress manifesto into the public domain in a big way. Our manifesto is for the people whereas BJP's is for Adani and Ambani. In Kerala, UDF will sweep all 20 seats. The way BJP and CPM attacked Rahul Gandhi, the people of Wayanad will show that they are with him. The land of backwaters, with its history of swinging in favour of both the majors, Congress and the ruling CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF), comprises seven assembly segments spread across Alappuzha and Kollam districts, namely, Aroor, Cherthala, Alappuzha, Ambalappuzha, Haripad, Kayamkulam and Karunagappally. Alappuzha is a stronghold of Congress, though this constituency has a communist legacy. Venugopal has a successful electoral history in Alappuzha, where he won the seat in the 2009 and 2014 general elections. Voting in all the 20 Lok Sabha constituencies in Kerala is underway in the second phase. The results will be announced on June 4. Earlier, BJP-led NDA candidate from Thrissur Suresh Gopi cast his vote in Thrissur, Kerala in the second phase of the Lok Sabha election 2024 on Friday. After casting his vote, Gopi spoke about the significance of this election and the participation of the people in Kerala. You will see the people's hearts. The nation will see the participation of Kerala in the national development movement, sai Suresh Gopi, NDA candidate from Thrissur, after casting his vote. So the heart will bloom and Thrissur and such other constituencies in the states, Gopi said.

Confidence soars, hope floats in Kerala

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: After a high-voltage campaign, the Lok Sabha elections are finally here. As Kerala goes to the polls in a single phase on Friday, all three fronts are optimistic about improving on their performances in the last election. With three different kinds of anti-incumbency factors in play against the Union government, state government and against sitting MPs in a majority of the constituencies the fronts have enough reasons to hope for a favourable verdict. In an election where the Left is primarily banking on the sentiments against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, the sway of Muslim votes and the consolidation of community votes would prove the most crucial factor. However, the biggest takeaway from this Lok Sabha polls would be a major shift in the character of Kerala politics. This could well be the first election where the bi-polar politics of Kerala has transformed into a real tri-polar fight, with BJP candidates vying for top slots, that too for all the right reasons, in at least five constituencies where the party hopes to either win or finish second or even sabotage the probable winner. This election being crucial for all three fronts, the Congress-led UDF hopes to repeat its 19/20 performance of 2019 while LDF, going by internal assessments, is confident of substantially improving its tally, whereas the BJP hopes to make it big in at least two constituencies. Having claimed a Left wave across the state right from the beginning, the LDF has gradually settled into a more realistic expectation. Both CPM and CPI leaderships claim a pro-Left trend in all 20 constituencies and is confident of overcoming the anti-incumbency factor. The CPM is looking forward to victories in a minimum of four to five seats. The party calculates Attingal, where V Joy takes on Congresss Adoor Prakash and BJPs V Muraleedharan, as one of the most probable seats. We have a clear edge in Palakkad, Alathur, Thrissur, Mavelikkara and Attingal. In Vadakara, there were certain issues, but now theres good support from women voters. In the final round, we hope to come up trumps in Kannur, Chalakudy, Kollam and Pathanamthitta too, said a senior CPM leader. Compared to 2019, when the Left faced negative votes from the Hindu community over Sabarimala and a Muslim consolidation over the Rahul Gandhi factor, this time around, theres only the anti-incumbency factor against the state government. The LDF however claims that it has overcome anti-incumbency and is banking heavily on an anti-BJP sentiment to gain ground. Noticeably, many feel the Lefts allegation of a Congress-League-BJP nexus is more on the lines of an anticipatory bail, in case things dont turn out as planned. Meanwhile, UDF has managed to make a mark in the final phase of campaigning. The front claims to have a favourable situation in all 20 seats. Secretly, though, they admit certain regional factors could throw a spanner in the works. In Attingal and Palakkad, there are certain issues with both the candidates and with campaigning. Similarly, the Twenty20 factor, in addition to the Jacobite and Orthodox support to the Left, could prove costly for the candidate in Chalakudy, pointed out a Congress leader. The Congress is sure that, unless there are last-minute undercurrents, the Muslim votes will remain with UDF. In Thiruvananthapuram, where BJP finished second in 2014 and 2019, Rajeev Chandrasekhar is clearly a strong challenger. Both UDFs Shashi Tharoor and LDFs Pannian Raveendran have stated that the BJP would be the main opponent, thus acknowledging its crucial role. Similarly in Thrissur, where Suresh Gopi takes on CPIs ex-minister V S Sunil Kumar and Congresss K Muraleedharan, there are reasons to believe that BJP could occupy at least the second slot, if not the first. Similarly, in Attingal, Palakkad and Pathanamthitta, besides Kottayam where BDJS leader Thushar Vellapally is contesting, the votes polled by NDA candidates will be a decisive factor. With the three fronts having left no stone unturned to prevent a leakage of votes, the polling day is when the undercurrents, vote-trading, and final strategies would find manifestation. Poll planks Citizenship Amendment Act was a major poll plank for the Left Two anti-incumbency factors anti-Modi and anti-Pinarayi would prove crucial In some constituencies, theres anti-incumbency against sitting MPs too Both the LDF and the UDF hope to woo Muslim minorities, as sway of Muslim votes will be the deciding factor The BJP hopes to make it big in at least two constituencies Thiruvananthapuram and Thrissur while also nurturing hopes in at least five seats PM Narendra Modi addressed voters in close to 10 constituencies in a high-profile campaign The LS campaign began as a fight between LDF and UDF over CAA. Towards the fag end, there was a verbal duel between Rahul Gandhi and Pinarayi Vijayan The fake video allegation in Vadakara led to a legal fight between CPMs K K Shailaja and Congresss Shafi Parambil In Thiruvanamthapuram, UDFs Shashi Tharoor and NDAs Rajeev Chandrasekhar were locked in a legal fight over alleged remarks This could well be the first election where the bi-polar politics of Kerala has transformed into a real tri-polar fight, with BJP candidates vying for top slots

Sun, style and strategy: Sartorial choices of Lok Sabha candidates in Kerala on fleek

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: As the mercury climbs, so does the style quotient on the campaign trail. From seasoned veterans to fresh faces, candidates are shaking up their wardrobe and hair care routines to beat the blazing sun and win over voters. Some candidates stick to their signature style no matter the weather. Take the Vadakara LDF candidate K K Shailaja, whose crisp cotton sarees and infectious smile can cool down the hottest of days. When you imagine a politician in Kerala, the first image that comes to mind would be someone wearing a stiff white cotton shirt and the evergreen mundu. Though times have changed, some remain the same when it comes to the campaign trail. The majority of them are UDF candidates. They include UDF Kasaragod candidate Rajmohan Unnithan, Kannur candidate K Sudhakaran, Kozhikode candidate M K Raghavan, Thrissur candidate K Muraleedharan, Alappuzha candidate K C Venugopal and Mavelikkara candidate Kodikkunnil Suresh. LDF's Panniyan Raveendran is not to be ignored in his all time simple attire and long hair. To an extent, this saves them the trouble of choosing what to wear. Whether it is an election or not, white cotton shirts are what I choose any day, said K C Venugopal. 'No one wants to stay here anymore': The unflattering Kerala story Bonacaud Junction has to tell Another group of candidates are the kurtawalas. Elections have made them choose cotton kurtas over anything else. Thiruvananthapuram UDF candidate Shashi Tharoor, NDA candidate Rajeev Chandrasekhar and Pathanamthitta LDF candidate Thomas Isaac come under this category. Kollam NDA candidate K Krishnakumar wears cotton kurtas all day for campaigns. I wear cotton kurtas from Fabindia and try to have a change twice a day but it doesn't usually happen. Also in politics, changing more times can sometimes do more bad than good. However, if I get to change also, I immediately sweat. It's the heat of the campaign, that's fine, he said. Shafi Parambil, the Vadakara UDF candidate, can be seen in all kinds of clothes. One day he pulls off the chic young candidate in shirts and jeans, the next day he will be in white cotton shirts and mundu. Never does he miss wearing snazzy printed shirts and jeans and spreading his vibrancy into youth groups. From plain to printed, Alappuzha LDF candidate A M Arif is spiffy in linen shirts for campaigns. To escape the heat, the best is wearing linen shirts and mundu. I wear only linen for campaigns, said Arif. This candidate in the high-profile Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha seat has no house and lives in the party office NDA candidates Niveditha Subramaniam of Ponnani and Sobha Surendran of Alappuzha are saree folks. Cotton saree is a saviour in this weather, I avoid all other materials and try to change twice a day usually it doesn't happen but when I do, it's truly a refreshment and gives energy for the second half of the day, said Niveditha Subramaniam. Ernakulam LDF candidate K J Shine is usually seen in cotton sarees or set mundu but prefers salwar kameez for campaigns. During the first phase, I used to try and wear saree or set mundu but gradually I prefer salwar kameez to other clothing, said Shine. Battling hair loss amid the grueling campaign schedule, candidates like Krishnakumar and Niveditha Subramaniam prioritize haircare, finding time for weekly oiling sessions. Heavy hair loss is a factor while campaigning in this weather, you look haggard after campaigning but I try to oil my hair weekly, said Niveditha Subramaniam. Anna Linda keeps it real, admitting that election season leaves little time for hair and skincare routines. There is no time to take care of the hair and skin during election time, so he leaves it that way, she said about Hibi Eden's routine. The sartorial choices of candidates in this weather have been on fleek. From cotton classics to chic prints, they have made every effort to shine bright under the scorching sun.

This candidate in the high-profile Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha seat has no house and lives in the party office

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: S Mini, the candidate fielded by the Socialist Unity Centre of India (Communist) in the Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha constituency, is a politician from top to toe. In fact, she does not own a home and has been living in the party office for nearly three decades. Like most of her colleagues in the party, Mini, the lone woman in the fray in the high-profile segment, believes that the value of life comes from within and is not determined by material possessions or social status. She lives at the party's state committee office in the Kerala capital, along with her husband and party leader Shajar Khan. The couple's only son Alan M.S. is a degree student at Tirur in Malappuram. Mini joined the party at the age of 22, when she was doing a pharmacy course at the Government Medical College in Thiruvananthapuram. The firebrand leader of SUCI(C) says she joined the party against the wishes of her parents and siblings. There was stiff opposition from them and I was forced to quit home during my college days. Initially, I lived at a hostel and later moved to the party office. It was a wise decision for someone who wanted to become a full-time party worker, she says. Wayanad Election Notes: The solitude of Kerala's most famous tribal activist Vilappilsala protest During her political career spanning three decades, Mini was involved in numerous people's movements, small and big, in different parts of the state. The longest and toughest one perhaps was the people's protest against a polluting waste plant at Vilappilsala in the Kerala capital, says the 49-year-old. The strike which began as a relay satyagraha ended in a full-blown protest two years later. Somehow, we managed to overcome the numerous sabotage attempts by the government, city corporation and the police. I dedicate the victory to the mighty women in Vilappilsala, she says. What began as occasional outbursts took the form of an organised protest with the intervention of the SUCI(C). As the party's designated leader to Vilappilsala, Mini's initial assignment was to organise the local women. We formed committees for every fifty households and important decisions were taken by an apex committee. Party did not impose its decisions but equipped people to claim their rights, she said. The people's protest met with success when the government decided to shut the plant. At the peak of the strike, Mini was detained by the police for one full day. Years later, she was jailed by the police for accompanying Mahija, the mother of engineering student Jishnu Pranoy, to the DGP's office. Jishnu was found dead at the hostel of Nehru Engineering College in Thrissur and Mahija was proceeding to the DGP's office to protest against the delay in arresting those who allegedly pushed Jishnu into suicide. Mini was arrested by the police on conspiracy charges. She was jailed and released after eight days of judicial remand. The police are yet to file a charge-sheet in the court. Lush greenery, stark misery: Election vignettes from Kerala's Achankovil forest Nurses' rights The Indian Nurses Parents Association which works for nurses' rights was established under Mini's leadership. The idea of an organisation of parents was to help nurses who couldn't come out in the open against their employers. Mini travelled extensively in the country to resolve the issues faced by nurses and nursing students. One incident she vividly recalls is the visit to a private medical college at Nellore in Andhra Pradesh. The college had not returned the certificates of about 50 students, mostly Keralites, who refused to execute an illegal bond for a no-pay job after studies. The management did not change their stand in the deliberations with the INPA. Finally, Mini, with the help of a local SUCI leader, approached the district collector. She convinced him about the Supreme Court order banning the bond system at educational institutions. The collector then issued an order asking the management to return the certificates. Though the mission was successful, Mini says the collector was transferred within a few days, allegedly owing to the pressure from the college management which had considerable political clout. The manager later became the education minister in that state, she says. SUCI(C) contesting eight seats The party has fielded candidates in eight seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha election. Mini is the candidate in the Thiruvananthapuram seat. The other constituencies are Kollam, Mavelikkara, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Chalakudy and Kozhikode. Campaigning is in full swing and the party has good visibility in all the places. The party's first unit in Kerala was formed by a group of students of the TKM College of Engineering, Kollam. It stepped into electoral politics by fielding Kochucherukkan in the Eravipuram seat for the 1970 Assembly election. The party's first Lok Sabha candidate James Joseph who contested from the Kollam seat garnered over 8000 votes. Founded in 1948, the SUCI(C) had a presence in the assemblies of West Bengal, Assam, Bihar and Odisha at different times. Its lone MP was in the 15th Lok Sabha -- Tharun Mandal who was elected from West Bengal. Today, the Kerala unit of SUCI(C) has about 1200 full-time cadres and a few thousands of members.The party intervened in numerous public issues and equipped people to fight for their rights. It took the lead to unite people and organisations to fight for people's rights on issues ranging from the mineral sand mining at Thrikkunnapuzha to the anti-K-Rail protest. The party played a significant role in the people's movements at Chengara, Vilappilsala and Moolampilly.

All arrangements in place for polls in Kollam

Campaigning goes silent, but no less intense

A day ahead of the polls, candidates of the three major fronts in Kollam were busy meeting as many voters as possible

194 contestants vie for votes as Kerala gears up for polls with over 2.75 cr voters

Thiruvananthapuram: A total of 194 contestants in 20 Lok Sabha seats are seeking the blessings of the people as Kerala goes to the polls on Friday, after over a month-long fierce campaign by the CPI(M)-led LDF, Congress-headed UDF, and the BJP-led NDA. The Election Commission said there are over 2.75 crore voters in Kerala where polling will commence at 7 am on Friday. Chief Electoral Officer Sanjay Kaul said 63,100 bottles of ink are used to prevent fraudulent voting and ensure flawless and transparent elections. This time there are 2,77,49,159 voters in the state out of which more than five lakh are first-time voters. Kottayam constituency boasts the highest number of candidates at 14, while Alathur has the fewest at five. Other notable figures are: 13 candidates in Kozhikode and 12 each in Kollam and Kannur. Of the total 194 candidates, 169 are men and 25 are women. The Vadakara constituency stands out with the highest number of female candidates, at four. The Election Commission said steps have been taken to ensure safe and peaceful polling by deploying 66,303 security personnel. Kerala Police and Central forces are providing tight security for the polling in a total of 25,231 booths arranged at 13,272 places. Police deployment has been made throughout the state as per the instructions of the Central Election Commission. When the polling for 20 constituencies in the state begins at 7 am on Friday, more than five lakh first-time voters will go to the polling booth. As the curtains fell on Wednesday evening, marking the conclusion of the over-month-long, high-octane public campaigning for the April 26 polls, Kerala on Thursday witnessed a silent campaign before the state votes. Two union ministers, a state minister, three actors and a few MLAs are among the total candidates who try their political luck this time. BJP-led NDA is fielding the most number of women candidates - five. Unlike the previous general elections, Kerala has seen a highly active and aggressive campaign. Diverse issues ranging from the implementation of the CAA, the alleged existence of 'love jihad', controversies surrounding 'The Kerala Story' movie, the Manipur violence, Rahul Gandhi's candidature in Wayanad, as well as alleged appeasement of minorities by various political parties, dominated the high-decibel public campaigns. In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the UDF won 19 of the 20 seats, while the LDF had to settle for just a single seat.

High-octane Kottikalasham in Kollam

Kollam Lok Sabha election 2024: Date of voting, result, candidates, main parties, schedule

Kerala MLAs DNA jibe at Rahul irks Congress, CMs backing fuels ire

KOZHIKODE/MALAPPURAM/THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: CPM MLA P V Anvars remarks that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi should undergo a DNA test to verify whether he really belongs to the Nehru-Gandhi family snowballed into a controversy on Tuesday, three days before Kerala goes to the polls. With Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan backing the Nilambur legislator, a livid Congress reacted sharply to the remark and approached the Election Commission (EC) demanding action. During an LDF poll campaign in Palakkad on Monday, Anvar had called Rahul a fourth-rate citizen who does not deserve to keep the Gandhi surname. This is not just my opinion. People in India are saying it. Will a person in the Nehru family talk like this? I doubt it. I am of the opinion that the DNA of Rahul Gandhi should be tested, Anvar had said, in the backdrop of Rahuls question as to why Pinarayi had not been arrested by central agencies. Rahul Gandhi has become a fourth-rate citizen who doesnt deserve to keep the surname Gandhi, he had said. The video of the MLAs remarks went viral on social media, drawing widespread criticism from Congress leaders and workers. However, Anvar refused to withdraw his remarks on Tuesday. Rahul Gandhi said what a member from the Nehru family would not say. He doesnt deserve to be considered a member of the Nehru family, he said. When sought his response, the CM defended Anvar and said Rahul should have spoken carefully. He (Rahul) should be aware that if he says something, he will receive it back in kind, the CM said during a press conference in Kannur. He also said Rahul was not someone above criticism. Anvar latest incarnation of Godse, says Hassan The CMs reaction drew sharp rebuke from Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan, who alleged that Pinarayi made Anvar speak against Rahul throughout the LDFs LS campaign as part of a deal with the BJP. It is Pinarayi who started the war of words against the Congress and its former president. Hence, the protests should also be against him, Satheesan told reporters in Kollam, adding that Anvar had insulted Rajiv Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi with his remark. Meanwhile, within hours of the controversy, KPCC acting president M M Hassan approached the EC and demanded urgent intervention by the police. Anvar is the latest incarnation of Godse who killed Gandhiji. In fact, Anvars words are deadlier than Godses thoughts. He said things that should not have come out of a politicians mouth, Hassan said. AICC general secretary K C Venugopal termed Anvars statement as shocking. It is a matter of great concern that such statements are coming from a legislator of the Kerala assembly. Such abusive remarks will not be tolerated. Action will be taken against Anvar. He has not just insulted Rahul Gandhi, but also Rajiv Gandhi. Pinarayi Vijayan gave Anvar the licence to criticise Rahul Gandhi and the Nehru family, alleged Venugopal, the UDF candidate in Alappuzha.

1.951 polling stations in Kollam

BJP candidate lands in embarrassment over an eye injury complaint

BJP's G Krishnakumar in Kollam faced an eye injury during a campaign, allegedly attacked by a BJP leader. Arrest made under Section 324 of IPC. Investigation points to BJP activist's involvement.

Election fever peaks in Kottayam amidst intense political contest

KOTTAYAM: The intensity of the election campaign in Kottayam constituency surpasses the scorching summer heat. Campaigning started in Kottayam even before the announcement of elections, marking the beginning of a fierce battle for votes. LDF candidate and KC(M) leader, Thomas Chazhikadan, has been tirelessly campaigning for nearly two-and-a-half months. On the other side, UDF candidate Francis George, representing the Kerala Congress PJ Joseph faction, has also been actively engaging with voters for over two months. Despite a delayed start, NDA candidate Thushar Vellappally of BDJS has joined the race and is making up for the lost time with his vigorous campaign efforts. In the heartland of rubber and Kerala Congress political turf, the competition is fiercer than ever. The battle is particularly intense as two factions of the Kerala Congress are pitted against each other, while the BDJS has transformed the race into a three-way contest. All three political fronts are pulling out all the stops in their quest for victory. As the campaign reaches its fag end, the UDF camp is optimistic about a comfortable win, citing various factors. One key reason for their confidence is that Kottayam is traditionally a UDF stronghold. They are also counting on the communal dynamics in the constituency, with Christian voters making up 37.9 per cent, the Nair community at 17.5 percent, and the Ezhava community at 23.4 percent. The UDF hopes to capitalise on anti-communist sentiments among Christians, as well as the Churchs face-off with the LDF government on issues such as man-animal conflict and the crisis facing rubber farmers. Anti-incumbency sentiment is strong, evident in our interactions with voters. The significant rise in the cost of living due to government policies has fuelled peoples desire to express their discontent, said George Joseph, a UDF follower hailing from Pala. At the same time, the UDF is also on the defensive as the poll date draws closer following the mass exodus of leaders from the Kerala Congress. Prominent figures such as Kottayam district president Saji Manjakadambil, Kollam district president Arackal Balakrishna Pillai, party vice-chairman V C Chandy Master, and many others have left the party due to dissatisfaction with the leadership. On the other hand, the LDF focuses on numbers, boasting over three lakh assured votes in the constituency. They point to V N Vasavan of the CPM securing 3.14 lakh votes in the previous election. Combining these votes with those of the Kerala Congress (M) could secure victory for their candidate. They emphasize the clean image of their candidate, Thomas Chazhikadan, and his effective use of MP funds in the constituency.

A high-stakes battle in south Kerala

While the UDF has fielded sitting MPs in the four constituencies of Thiruvananthapuram, Attingal, Kollam and Pathanamthitta, the LDF is hoping to make advantage by fielding two MLAs, a former Minister and a CPI veteran. The BJP is also pinning much hopes by bringing in two Union Ministers, an actor and a turncoat

Kollam Lok Sabha constituency: Know polling date, candidates andpastresults

The result of the elections will be announced on June 4. Krishnakumar from BJP is standing for the Lok Sabha 2024 elections.

Kerala train commuters decry overcrowding as Railways prioritize premium services

KOCHI: There seems to be no end in sight to the woes of train travellers in the state. People who depend upon trains, not only their daily commute but also long-distance travel, are venting their anger at the railways strategy of introducing more and more premium trains like the Vande Bharat as a money-spinning measure. Reducing the number of general compartments to facilitate more AC and sleeper coaches has left many high and dry. Describing his experience during a recent journey on the Kochuveli-Mysuru Express, Liyons J, secretary of Friends On Rails, which describes itself as a WhatsApp network that aids train commuters, said, The sleeper compartment resembled a refugee camp. Even the aisles were taken over by passengers with general tickets. This is happening because of the cut in the number of general compartments on long-distance trains, he adds. Train travel has become a dangerous affair, points out Dr Meera, a Kozhikode resident who depends on trains for her frequent travels to her hometown in Kollam. People are even forced to travel hanging from doors. There have been many cases of passengers getting seriously injured or losing their lives after falling from running trains. But all this goes unreported, she says. According to Dr Meera, there have been times when she has cancelled trips after arriving at the station to find general compartments jam-packed. I have to ensure the safety of my child, who is part of most of my travels, she stresses. Of course, none of the passengers are against the rail transporters need to increase revenue, says Srijith T J, an officer with Kerala Agro Industries Corp Ltd. But that should not be at the cost of passengers, who are the ones filling its coffers. Srijith points out that when the railways changed old coaches for new LHB ones, it reduced the number of general compartments from two to one and four to two on many express trains. However, they increased the number of AC coaches from three or four to eight while reducing the sleeper coaches from 12 to 8. Now, the situation is such that it is tough to get a reservation even in sleeper coaches, he adds. Passengers also point to another of the railways money-making strategies. Tickets for sleeper coaches are sold right up to the arrival of trains. It should be noted that these tickets do not ensure seats as charts have already been prepared. But once these passengers get on the train they encroach on seats of those who had made reservations months back, says Ramesh Mathew, a frequent traveller. The removal of de-reserved facility has also hit daily commuters hard. According to Ramesh, the most congested long-distance trains are the ones plying the northeastern routes. Regular users have now ditched them. Migrant labourers dont bother with the reserved status of coaches. For them, it is fine to travel in any compartment, he says, adding that there is a dire need for operating more Antyodaya Express trains on the eastern region via Chennai or through Vizag, Berhampur and Howrah. Ease and low cost attracted many passenger to train travel. However, there has been no concurrent increase in the number of trains or coaches. If more MEMU trains are introduced from Ernakulam to Kollam via Kottayam or Alappuzha, KSRTC will fold up in no time, says Ramesh. Ernakulam-Thrissur is the busiest sector in Kerala. But there are not many passenger trains on the route. Malabar passengers complain about the lack of trains between Shoranur and Kannur in the afternoons. Their complaints are genuine. There are fewer afternoons trains for daily and short-distance passengers, he added. However, railway officials say that there is an adequate number of trains for passengers, with special services introduced, whenever necessary. Three new special trains have started service towards the northern parts of the country, an official added. Summer specials Southern Railway will operate 239 trips of special trains on 19 routes to clear the extra rush this summer. These trains will link Tamil Nadu and Kerala to state like Karnataka, Rajasthan, Bihar, New Delhi, West Bengal, Gujarat, etc. The trains are: 06083 & 06084 Kochuveli-SMVT Bengaluru 06043 & 06044 Dr MGR Chennai Central-Kochuveli 06081 & 06082 Kochuveli-Shalimar 06071 & 06072 Kochuveli-Nizamuddin 06085 & 06086 Ernakulam-Patna

Kerala's voter turnout patterns: Past elections shed light on potential outcomes

KOCHI: With just four days to go for the general polls in Kerala, all three political fronts will be focusing on a critical factor: voter turnout. Although each front claims that a high turnout would favour them, an analysis of Lok Sabha elections in the state shows that high polling percentages hovering around 80 per cent have usually benefited the UDF. In 2019, the state registered a voter turnout of 77.67 per cent, and the Congress-led UDF won 19 of the 20 seats. Kerala saw such high turnouts in the post-Emergency elections of 1977 (79.2 per cent) and 1989 (79.03 per cent), both of which favoured the Congress. In the 1984 elections, held shortly after the assassination of former prime minister Indira Gandhi, the state recorded a voter turnout of 77.13 per cent. The Congress won 17 seats. Interestingly, in 1977, Congress was in alliance with CPI, Kerala Congress, and the Muslim League. The Congress-led front secured 17 seats in the state even as the rest of India punished the party for imposing Emergency. In 2004 Lok Sabha elections, the voter turnout in Kerala was just 71.43 per cent. The CPM-led LDF won 18 seats, leaving the UDF and NDA with one seat each. In 1996, the voter turnout was 71.13 per cent. The LDF won 10 seats, a relatively strong performance. In 1999, the Left won 9 seats with only 70.19 percent turnout. According to political observers, voter turnout goes up when there is heavy anti-incumbency sentiment. Some of them highlighted that a spike in voter tunout was earlier considered beneficial to the UDF because its vote base was fluid, unlike the LDFs rigid cadre-based sure votes. It was assumed that a rise in polling percentage meant a rise in non-Left votes. Thats not always the case, argued P P Dhanuraj, founder-chairman of the Kochi-based think tank Centre for Public Policy Research. This general theory has been disproved in several assembly elections, he said. The 2019 Lok Sabha polls turnout to what was recorded during the 2016 assembly election (77.5 per cent), which the LDF had won in a convincing manner. Nevertheless, there is a possibility that anti-incumbency drives turnout up. According to political observers, the Sabarimala issue and the candidacy of then Congress president Rahul Gandhi in Wayanad boosted the high turnout of voters in 2019, up by nearly 4 per cent from the 73.6% in 2014. It was the second highest polling rate in three decades, after 79.03% in 1989. Interestingly, north Kerala districts registered higher turnouts than central and southern regions of the state. The highest polling was recorded in Kannur (83.21%) where Congress leader K Sudhakaran contested against CPM sitting MP P K Sreemathi and won by a margin of 94,559 votes. Wayanad, which was in the spotlight after Rahuls candidature, saw its highest polling ever at 80.31 per cent since the constituency was formed in 2009. Notably, eight of Keralas 20 Lok Sabha constituencies recorded more than 80 per cent polling for the first time in history. The lowest polling in 2019 was recorded in Thiruvananthapuram (73.66 per cent), followed by Pathanamthitta (74.24 per cent), Attingal (74.4 per cent), and Kollam (74.66 per cent). In 2019, there was a feeling that the Congress would return to power at the Centre. Hence, the majority of Muslim votes went to the UDF, said political observer N M Pearson. However, the current political landscape is different. The perceived anti-incumbency sentiment against the state government might not largely affect the Left. Rather, the anti-incumbency votes against the Centre could shift to the CPM. Thus, there might not be an-LDF wave this time. Pearson also noted that Kerala rarely saw intense competitions during Lok Sabha elections. This time, too, one cant say there is a heated contest, he said. Therefore, there is a possibility of a drop in voter turnout when compared with 2019. Only a few constituencies such as Thrissur, Vadakara, and Thiruvananthapuram are witnessing fierce contests.

Annamalai questions Mukesh's family life, slams Premachandran's industry efforts

KOLLAM: Launching a personal attack on LDFs Kollam candidate M Mukesh, Tamil Nadu BJP state president K Annamalai on Sunday accused the actor-politician of having faced serious allegations from his former wife, and also questioned how he could connect with society without having a family himself. Previous personal issues of Mukesh are a cause for concern. And without a family, his connection with society is questionable, said Annamalai, during an campaign tour with NDA candidate G Krishnakumar at Kadappakada. Annamalai also flayed UDF candidate and MP N K Premachandran for failing to rejuvenate Kollams cashew industry. Despite being a two-time MP, Premachandrans track record in revitalising Kollams cashew industry is dismal. Kollam was known as the cashew capital. Now, its industries have been neglected, he alleged. Emphasising the family-oriented background of Krishnakumar, suggesting it as a qualification for providing better service to the Kollam constituency, Annamalai said, Krishnakumar is a father of four. His commitment to his family reflects his potential to serve his constituents effectively. Unlike Mukesh, who lacks familial ties, Krishnakumar understands the dynamics of family and community. The tour began at 11am and concluded at Chinnakada by 1pm.

BSNL society scam victims in Kerala demand speedy probe

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Victims of the BSNL Engineers Cooperative Society scam have demanded a speedy investigation by the Crime branch into the case related to the swindling of `260 crore of the depositors money. The government had initiated the move to reclaim properties from the culprits by invoking the Banning of Unregulated Deposit Schemes (BUDS) Act. However, victims alleged the district collectors of Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam were soft pedalling the process. Its been a year, and approximately nine acres in Thiruvananthapuram and around 56 properties in Kollam are yet to be seized, said a victim, in case of anonymity. Since the inquiry is incomplete, the chargesheet has also been delayed. The victims accused the Crime Branch and the government of not taking any steps to obtain information from the court regarding the status of properties recovered. According to the victims, despite numerous individuals being affected, the case has not garnered the attention it deserves, compared to the Karuvannur Service Cooperative Bank scam and is often ignored by officials. While the Enforcement Directorate has stepped into the case, victims say that a comprehensive investigation is yet to begin. The victims alleged that there was delay in the investigation as the main culprits were politically influential people. The Crime Branch had arrested the society president A R Gopinathan and clerk Rajeev in the case of fund misappropriation of about `260 crore in December 2023.

Rajnath vows probe into 'corruption in cooperative banks in Kerala'

KOLLAM: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday vowed a probe by the Union government into the corruption in cooperative banks in Kerala if BJP returns to power in the country. Addressing election rallies for Baiju Kalasala and actor Krishna Kumar, the NDA candidates in the Mavelikkara and Kollam Lok Sabha constituencies, respectively, Singh pledged to recover the lost funds and return the same to the investors. Law and order in Kerala has broken down. If NDA returns to power, those who take the law into their own hands will be jailed, Singh said. Taking a dig at LDF and UDF, accusing them of collusion despite local rivalry, he alleged, The LDF and UDF, which are at loggerheads here, are friends in Delhi. While LDF ran the gold biscuit scam, the UDF regime ran the solar scam. Taking up concerns about Keralas traditional industries, Singh promised special protection for coastal zone and a dedicated package for the fisheries sector under the next Modi-led regime. He stressed on the BJPs track record, noting that not a single corruption allegation was raised in the NDAs 10-year rule. He also highlighted Indias increased international stature under Modis leadership and claimed a decrease in corruption compared to the previous Congress-led government.

IMD warns of isolated heavy rain in three districts on Friday

Maximum temperatures are likely to be 2 C to 4 C above normal inKollam, Thrissur, Palakkad, Kozhikode, and Kannur till April 22

In Kerala's Avanavanchery, Why This Banana Plant Is Attracting Visitors

According to reports, Madhu Kumar brought the seeds for the banana from one of his friends in Kollam, a year ago.

Death of APP: Kerala High Court grants anticipatory bail to 2 accused

KOCHI: The Kerala High Court has granted anticipatory bail to two accused in a case related to the death by suicide of Aneeshya S, Assistant Public Prosecutor, Munsiff Magistrate Court, Paravur, Kollam, alleging mental harassment from higher-ups. The court granted bail to SyamkrishnaK R, Assistant Public Prosecutor, Judicial First Class Magistrate Court-II, Paravur, Kollam and Abdul Jaleel, Deputy Director of Prosecution, Kollam district. The court said that on evaluation of the entire materials, effective investigation is possible even without detention of the petitioners in custody since the allegations are the outcome of official duties of the deceased and the accused. The material aspect would require thoroughprobe and I leave the same to the province of the probe officer with direction to investigate fairly without leaving room for any allegations, said Justice A Badharudeen.

718 people exercise home voting in Kollam district so far

In the Kollam constituency, 7,563 people have been allowed to cast Form 12D postal ballot

Keralites clinch top ranks in civil services examination

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : Candidates from Kerala shone in the civil services examination 2023, the results of which were declared on Tuesday. According to a list released by the Kerala State Civil Services Academy, as many as 11 Keralites figure among the top 200 ranks, including P K Sidharth Ramkumar, who secured the all-India fourth position in his fifth attempt. Ernakulam native Sidharth, who joined the Indian Police Service (IPS), is now undergoing training at National Police Academy, Hyderabad. A graduate of Architecture from the College of Architecture, Thiruvananthapuram, he cracked the Civil Services exam in his first attempt in 2020 but made three other attempts to improve his rank. Other Keralites in the top 100 ranks were: Vishnu Sasikumar (Rank 31) who is settled in Gujarat, Archana P P based in Bengaluru (40), Benjo P Jose from Adoor (59) Kasturi Sha from Thiruvananthapuram (68), Fabi Rasheed, also from Thiruvananthapuram (71) and Annie George from Kannur (93). While Febin Jose Thomas from Kollam and Vineeth Lohidakshan from Ernakulam secured all India ranks 133 and 169 respectively, Amrutha S Kumar from Ernakulam and Manjusha B George from Kottayam clinched ranks 179 and 195 respectively. As per the list released by the academy, 54 Keralites figure in the list of candidates selected for various Civil Services. A total of 1,016 candidates across the country had cleared the examination and have been recommended for different central government services, the UPSC said.

LDF looks to stymie Kollam sitting MPs chances in polls

MP breaks bread with PM, gives a sour after taste for Left

PM Modi targets CM Pinarayi, family; vows to jail the corrupt

THRISSUR/THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday launched a personal attack on Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, dragging him and his family onto the centre stage of BJPs electioneering in the state. Addressing election rallies for the party candidates in Thrissur and Thiruvananthapuram, the prime minister held the state government responsible for the financial rut it was in. The chief minister and his daughter are facing allegations of corruption over mineral sand mining. This incident would not have come to light had it not been for the intervention of the Union government, Modi said at Kattakada in Thiruvananthapuram. The state government is accused of trying to save those involved in the gold smuggling case, he added. The PMs accusation comes at a time when rumours are flying thick and fast that Pinarayis daughter may be summoned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for questioning within a week in the CMRL pay-off case. Speaking in Thrissur, Modi assured the victims of cooperative bank frauds in the state that they will get back their money if his party is voted to power. The perpetrators of the frauds will be sent to jail, he said. Referring to the Karuvannur bank scam, Modi alleged that the Left government in the state was inventing new ways for looting the public. In Karuvannur, CPM leaders looted money from the bank where people belonging to middle- and lower middle-class families had invested their hard-earned money... money that was saved and deposited at Karuvannur for their daughters marriage. Several parents could not hold their daughters marriage due to the scam, he said. For the past three years, Pinarayi has been spouting lies about the scam. It was the Modi-led government that recovered Rs 90 crore from the fraudsters, he added, promising to return the money recovered from tainted cooperative banks to the depositors. Modi said Keralas economy was in doldrums due to the corruption of the successive governments. The treasury is empty and the government doesnt have money to pay salaries to its employees. The money given by the Centre for the states development is being fully utlised for loan repayment, he added. The prime minister said the state government suffered a setback in the Supreme Court, which clearly said the state governments inefficiency was to be blamed for the financial mess it was in. Keralas future is not safe in the hands of the two major fronts here, he said. Modi said his 10 years of rule were clean, and his government took various steps to prevent corruption. He said the corrupt parties had forged an alliance to defeat him. But Im not scared of the corrupt. I will not show any leniency towards them, he said. He added that all votes for his party would strengthen the fight against corruption. The BJPs election manifesto, he stressed, was Modis guarantee to the people. The Kunnamkulam function was attended by party candidates Abdul Salam (Malappuram), Suresh Gopi (Thrissur), T N Sarasu (Alathur) and Nivedida Subramanian (Ponnani). The meeting at Kattakada was attended by candidates K Surendran (Wayanad), V Muraleedharan (Attingal), Rajeev Chandrasekhar (Thiruvananthapuram) and G Krishnakumar (Kollam). Actor Sobhana, who attended the rally in Thiruvananthapuram, said Modi had made the impossible possible and that won him a second innings in power. He is now working for a third innings and BJPs candidates from Kerala are capable of realising his dream for the country, she added.

Health Minister Veena George urges caution against mosquito-borne diseases

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : Health Minister Veena George has urged caution against mosquito-borne diseases, including dengue, chikungunya, malaria and filariasis, as intermittent rains continue in the state. She also emphasised the need to eliminate breeding sources to curb the spread of such viral diseases. Do not allow water stagnation inside or near houses. Precautions should be taken to avoid mosquito bites. Houses and surroundings should be kept clean, said Veena, directing officials to strengthen the pre-monsoon cleaning activities. A meeting held in March found that dengue cases are more prevalent in urban and coastal areas in Kollam, Thiruvananthapuram and Ernakulam. The minister had directed the district-level officers to intensify field-level activities. The state reported over 1,400 dengue cases and one fatality in April.

Idukki: Cell number provided while pledging stolen gold leads cops to suspects

IDUKKI : Kollam natives Alex K J and his partner Kavitha B thought they had covered their tracks. After killing a 70-year-old woman while robbing her at her residence in Adimali on April 13, the duo were trying to flee to Tamil Nadu by bus. En route, however, the couple provided one of their mobile numbers at a shop were they had pledged a gold chain snatched from the victims body. This proved their undoing. The number provided the first solid clue to their identity, leading police to them. According to officers, Subair found his mother Fathima Kasim lying in a pool of blood inside their house around 4pm when he returned from work. Her throat had been slit and gold ornaments she was wearing were found missing. Upon being alerted, police reached the spot, and in a primary investigation concluded that it was primarily a robbery attempt. From the statements of neighbours and local residents, officers came to know about the Kollam duo, who had been roaming the area the previous few days. Soon after the crime, the couple had vacated the lodge in Adimali where they had been staying and hired a taxi to Kothamangalam. Before leaving Adimali, however, the accused tried to pledge the gold chain - weighing around two sovereigns -- at a shop in town. The investigators got the mobile number from the shop owner. The duo were forced to furnish the number to receive the one-time password from a private financial institution for the transfer of money. We contacted Kollam police and collected details of the person in whose name the mobile number was registered. We crosschecked the photo with local residents which confirmed the identity of the suspects, Idukki SP T K Vishnu Pratheep said. Alex of Kilikolloor and Kavitha of Decent Junction, Kollam, were picked up from a KSRTC bus headed for Coimbatore on April 14. According to officers, the two were classmates who were separately married. However, they reconnected recently and started living together. The duo had arrived in Adimali on April 5 in search of a job and were staying at the lodge. They approached Fathima in search of rented accommodation. In the course of their interaction, they familiarised themselves with her circumstances.

In poll season, people use boycott threat to put spotlight on issues

ERODE: Even as the Election Commission aims to ensure 100% voting in the Lok Sabha election on April 19, people are threatening to boycott it even for minor issues, thereby keeping officials on their toes. On Monday, residents of Pannai Nagar near the Kollampalayam installed a banner announcing their decision demanding the removal of an encroachment on a public road. On information, the Surampatti police and revenue officials rushed to the spot and held talks with the public. The banner was removed after an assurance of prompt action. In the last week, three similar cases of election boycotts were resolved through talks by the officials.Meanwhile, the LBP irrigated farmers have also made election boycott threat demanding release of water from the Bhavanisagar dam. Speaking to TNIE , KR Sudhanthirarasu, President of Tamil Nadu Small and Micro Farmers Association, said, According to the G.O. Number 11, the WRD has to provide 11.5 tmcft of water from the dam in four intervals from January 7 to May 1. However officials stopped water supply in the middle of the fourth wetting due to the poor storage level. Officials should release water from the dam from April 18 for the fifth wetting. Otherwise, compensation of Rs 3000 per acre should be provided for crops. The announcement should be made by April 18. Otherwise, we will boycott the election. We are going to create awareness in this regard among all farmers. A senior officer in the district administration said Election boycott threats are issued even for minor local issues. Some issues, thoough, are long-term requests. Our officials go to those areas and find a solution through talks. There is no other way. We also monitor such campaigns through social media.

LDF, UDF & NDA: Gujaratis in Kerala disenchanted with all

KOLLAM : As the Lok Sabha elections approach, excitement brews within the Gujarati community of Kerala. Though most Malayali Gujaratis have traditionally leaned towards the BJP-led NDA in the LS polls, this time, there exists a certain distrust towards all three major fronts.And while the communitys wish for a strong Union government remains steadfast, dissatisfaction with the BJP and Congress is palpable. We have traditionally stayed aloof from politics; what we seek is a robust government for the country. While a significant portion of our community supports Narendra Modi and the BJP, theres a shift especially among the youth, who prioritise development, employment opportunities, and a more conducive business environment, something lacking in our state, says Shrenik Shah, a Gujarati community member in Kerala. The community is primarily concentrated in Ernakulam, Alappuzha, Kannur, Kollam, and Malappuram districts. As per the Gujarati Community Association, there are 15,500 members in Kerala, with Ernakulam having the most Gujarati families at 540. Kollam and Malappuram have 10 and 5 families, respectively, the lowest. Our community wielded significant influence in Kerala, but we now feel marginalised. The state government promised to renovate our Gujarati school, temples, and other heritage sites, but it seems they may take control of our heritage. Our numbers have dwindled, with our youngsters leaving and many planning to leave. We no longer hold the importance we did, laments Dhruv Kumar Pandya, secretary of the Alleppey Gujarati Samaj, Alappuzha. The Gujarati community, renowned for its business acumen, laments the neglect in industrial revival, particularly of spices and textiles sectors that have been hit due to Keralas business-unfriendly environment. As per the Gujarati Association in Kerala, 47 community-owned industries in Kerala downed shutters in the last five years. The LS candidates have largely overlooked these issues, the members allege. Says Kishorsbhi Shamji, a spice trader, For five years, my company struggled to export our products. We advocated for the revival of coir, spices, copra, and tourism, but faced hurdles due to trade union militancy, alleges Shamji. We anticipated industrial revival under BJPs Union government, but to no avail. Union Minister V Muraleedharan dismissed our concerns, citing indifference from the commerce minister. Now, Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal deems subsidies unnecessary for businesses. We hoped for reforms under the LDF government, but harassment by trade unions persists. Our UDF MPs remained silent. Who can we trust? Were left to just observe this election, says Shamji, who

Three more hospitals in Kerala get NQAS accreditation

These include Paaralam family health centre at Thrissur, Kulappully urban family health centre at Palakkad and the urban health centre at Karunagappally, Kollam.

Kollam Pooram all set to begin on Monday

Rain lashes Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram, yellow alert issued

Rain lashes Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram, yellow alert issued Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram is enduring heavy rainfall, and the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority on its official X handle posted that the Central Meteorological Department has announced yellow alert in four districts and advised to refrain from fishing on the coast of Kerala. Central Meteorological Department on its official website, issued the forecast for the next five days and the department has announced a yellow alert in various districts of Kerala. The districts include Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, and Alappuzha. The department has said that there are chances of heavy rain in the districts. Heavy rains mean rainfall of 64.5 mm to 115.5 mm in 24 hours. The Indian Meteorological Department on its official site predicted thunderstorms and lightning for districts like Kasaragod, Kannur, Wayanad, Kozhikode, Mallapuram, Palakkad, Thrissur, Ernakulam, Idukki, and Kottyam. Meanwhile, the Central Meteorological Department also informed that from April 12 to April 16, Thrissur, and Palakkad districts can witness maximum temperature up to 39C. Kozhikode district can see maximum temperatures up to 38C, while Kannur district can witness temperatures upto 37C. Kollam Alappuzha, Kasaragod districts can endure maximum temperatures up to 36C (2- 4 above normal). Hot and unsettled weather is likely from April 12-16 in these districts, except in hilly areas, due to high temperatures and humid air. (ANI)

Kerala police arrests rape accused held after 27 years on the run

KOLLAM : The Anchal police on Wednesday arrested an accused in a kidnap and rape case, who has been on the run for the last 27 years. The arrested is Sajeev, a resident of Varkala, who fled to the Gulf after being granted bail by a court. He was arrested in 1997 for abducting and sexually assaulting a 26-year-old woman. According to the police, the incident occurred on July 16, 1997. Sajeev and nine others abducted the woman, who was returning home in a private bus after visiting a temple in Kulathupuzha, and sexually assaulted her. Later, Sajeev took her to a secluded place in a car and subjected her to repeated sexual assaults. Following the incident, the police arrested a total of ten individuals, including the bus owners son. However, Sajeev was granted bail by a court a few weeks later and, subsequently, he fled to the Gulf. In 2003, he was declared a fugitive. Recently, the police received a tip-off regarding Sajeevs presence in Kerala. After days of surveillance, he was arrested from Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday.

Food for trot

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : It is a given that candidates receive ample food for thought during their hectic campaign trails. But what about the food for the tummy that fuels them through the jamboree? A common refrain we got from several candidates was that it was the interactions with the common folk that supplied them with the josh to keep pushing forward even in this sapping heat. Food is just one factor that brings energy, said Ponnani UDF candidate Abdussamad Samadani. There are different highs one gets during election campaigns. Meeting people, making conversations, sharing memories there isnt anything more to ask for. Now, coming to the actual poll plate, most candidates prefer to keep it simple. They also take care to keep themselves well-hydrated with water (many of them prefer it hot), tender coconut, lime juice or buttermilk. Thiruvananthapuram LDF candidate Pannian Raveendran says he tries not to skip the three meals. Puttu-pazham is my all-time favourite breakfast. I love robusta, but have other varieties of banana too, he said. I have a simple lunch with pulissery, avial and fish curry. Dinner is usually three small dosas. And in between the meals, lots of water. I prefer plain, hot water over other drinks. Fish curry meals is a common lunch choice for Thiruvananthapuram NDA candidate Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Mavelikara UDF candidate Kodikkunil Suresh and Samadani as well. According to Rajeevs team, the BJP leader was not fussy about food. He hits Chandrettante Chayakkada (a popular teashop) at Sasthamangalam often. He always carries lime juice, bananas and lots of water while travelling, said a team member. Food on time is not possible, so he munches down whatever he gets during the campaign. He prefers light food at night. Alappuzha UDF candidate K C Venugopal said he, too, wasnt too picky about food, but stressed that proper hydration was vital. Buttermilk, lime juice, salads and plenty of water make up my election-time diet, he added. Ernakulam UDF candidate Hibi Eden also takes extra care to not get sun-zapped. He completely avoids oily food. Biriyani is his favourite dish, and supporters often arrange it during campaigns, but he avoids it, said Hibis wife Anna Linda. His car has an icebox thats well-stocked with buttermilk,watermelon and cut fruits. Cotton balls dipped in lavender oil too are kept in the car to beat the tan during campaigns. Some veterans like Kozhikode LDF candidate Elamaram Kareem, LDFs Thomas Issac in Pathanamthitta and UDFs Rajmohan Unnithan in Kasaragod say food is the last thing on their minds during elections. I just go with the flow, there isnt any diet that I follow, said Issac. Kareem, meanwhile, said diet was a trivial issue during elections. It is the time to discuss politics, he added. What about first-timers? Ernakulam LDF candidate K J Shine said she found the campaign trail quite difficult during the initial phase. But now, I have come to terms with the new routine, she added. I am not rigid about food choices. I try to eat light, preferably fruits and vegetable salads. I also take a lot of liquids. Wayanad LDF candidate Annie Raja and Ponnani NDA candidate Niveditha Subramaniam said, though it was their first outing as candidates, they had been active in election work for their parties, and were used to the chaos. I eat whatever is available and have no special diet. But I am the happiest when I have rice porridge, said Annie. Like Pannian, Niveditha, too, prefers to drink only hot or warm water during campaigns. I avoid nonvegetarian food, she added. I carry Ayurvedic medicines and ointments to tackle minor health issues that could crop up due to the heat and skipping meals. Kollam NDA candidate K Krishnakumar ensures five hours of sleep before kickstarting the daily campaigning and includes plenty of liquids in his diet to avoid exhaustion. I have food in limited quantities. I also take ORS whenever I feel dehydrated, he said. A month of election campaigning while fasting, candidates have had dried up throats and tiring days yet that did not slow the campaign pace. For devout Muslim candidates, things were doubly challenging as a major part of their campaigns was during the Ramadan fasting period. It was difficult to stay hydrated. I used to wake up at 4am and have food with high water content. I would also gulp down as much water as possible before the fasting begins. But long speeches during the campaign trails used to dry my throat out, said Alappuzha LDF candidate A M Arif. Now that Eid is over, I have switched to my normal routine of having oats, eggs and fruits in the morning, taking vitamin supplements and hydrating drinks. I prefer a light dinner, and ensure four hours of good sleep. Malappuram UDF candidate E T Muhammed Basheer said that he had no trouble during the fasting period, and can easily switch diet modes. However, to be able to drink the usual morning tea after 30 days was a truly special feeling, he added. Source of energy A common refrain we got from several candidates trying their luck this Lok Sabha elections was that it was the interactions with the common folk that supplied them with the josh to keep pushing forward even in this sapping heat. As for their actual diet, most candidates preferred to keep it simple.

Forgotten majesty: Cheena Kottaram fails to rise from ruins of time, apathy

KOLLAM : In the heart of Kollam lies a 120-year-old relic of royal grandeur, that has now been reduced to a dumping ground for garbage and a shelter for stray dogs. Nestled in Chinnakada, near Kollam railway station, this once-palatial edifice now finds itself ensnared by creeping vines, its majesty overshadowed by neglect. Yet, a closer inspection still reveals the breathtaking Indo-Saracenic architecture it once proudly flaunted. The Cheena Kottaram was constructed in 1904 by the Travancore royal family. From originally serving as a guest house for royals and their guests during journeys along the Kollam-Shenkottai railway route, it today stands as a silent witness to the passage of time. Despite decades of neglect, efforts to revive the Railway Palace -- as it was also known -- have been stymied by red tape. Kollam corporation, which initiated renovation plans years ago, found its efforts hampered by jurisdictional disputes with the Indian Railways, which now oversee the site. Despite appeals to former Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu in 2016 for permission to undertake maintenance, the corporations pleas have fallen on deaf ears. In 2014, residents demanded that the palace be converted into a museum, but that failed to take off. In 2016, the corporation approached the railways to initiate renovation work, but that effort failed to evoke any response. We also requested that the building be handed over to the corporation for turning it into a tourism centre or museum, but nothing has come of it, says Sajeev Soman, chairman of the public works standing committee of the corporation. The Railways cited financial constraints and a lack of viability for failing to act. Before undertaking any renovation project, feasibility must be assessed. The maintenance of the palace is not a viable project for the public rail transporter, and thats why it is not a priority. Moreover, funds are scarce, said an official. The palace, which from the outside gives the impression of a two-storey structure, has only a ground floor with seven ornate rooms and Gothic-style arches. Red ochre bricks were used for the construction, in the style of traditional Chinese houses. Beyond that, the palace has no links with China.

Kerala police crack down on false propaganda about EVMs, register 12 cases

Kerala police crack down on false propaganda about EVMs, register 12 cases The Kerala police on Tuesday said a total of 12 cases have been registered throughout the state for disseminating false propaganda alleging that the electronic voting machines (EVMs) to be used for the Lok Sabha polls are fake. Among these cases, two have been reported in Malappuram district, and two each in Ernakulam and Thrissur cities. Additionally, one case each has been registered in Thiruvananthapuram Rural, Kollam City, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Palakkad, and Idukki districts, the police said in a Facebook post. It said that state-level social media monitoring teams of Kerala police have escalated their efforts to combat the spread of false information aimed at misleading the public and sowing discord. As part of this initiative, vigilant monitoring of various social media platforms has been intensified, the police added.

In Kollam, an MP and an MLA bank on past record, a newbie on Modis guarantee

All candidates from the three major fronts, M. Mukesh, N.K. Premachandran and G. Krishnakumar, are optimistic about the electoral outcome, despite the intense battle ahead

Temperature touches 40 degrees C, DDMA issues alert in Kollam

Weather update: IMD issues rainfall, heatwave alert in several parts of India; check state-wise forecast here

According to the weather department, the maximum temperature is likely to be around 40 C in the Kollam and Palakkad districts.

Guidelines issued for parading elephants at Kollam Pooram

Elephants in musth and in poor health will not be allowed to participate in Pooram

Congress's Decision to Reject SDPI Support Upsets BJP Poll Strategy

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala PCC has rejected the support offered by the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) known as the political arm of the banned Popular Front of India (PFI) in the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls, following widespread criticism unleashed by BJP accusing Congress of tying up with terror outfits. The Congress leadership decided to publicly decline the support extended by SDPI to foil the BJP attempt to create confusion in the minds of the electorate. Our party's well-stated policy is to have no truck with communal forces of any hue, said V D Satheeshan, leader of the opposition in the Kerala legislative assembly. The SDPI had extended support stating that the Congress was at the forefront of fighting the BJP across the country. Initially, the Congress state leadership was in dilemma whether to accept or decline the public support offered by the SDPI that has a significant vote share in constituencies where the UDF is engaged in a close fight with their rivals. Political observers say the SDPI support could make or mar the chances of candidates in some constituencies and thats the reason why the Congress was hesitant in outrightly rejecting the offer. The SDPI had secured 46,758 votes in the Malappuram constituency in the 2021 Lok Sabha by-poll. Similarly, the party's vote share in Ponnani has been hovering between 20,000 to 26,000. Besides, the party has a significant vote share in Kannur, Alappuzha and Kollam constituencies. Meanwhile the SDPI state leadership will meet on Saturday to decide the future course of action. The BJP had unleashed a hard-hitting campaign against the Congress across the country over SDPI issue. Union Home Minister Amit Shah had gone to the extent of even alleging that Rahul Gandhi is contesting in Wayanad with the backing of SDPI. The BJP leadership had dared the Congress central leadership to clarify its stand about the SDPI support and come clean on their links with terror outfits. Even the CPM-led LDF mounted an attack on Congress for accepting support from hardline communal organisations. Satheeshan says the Congress is opposed to organisations propagating majority and minority communalism alike. However, individuals are free to vote for the candidate of their choice.

No infighting in BJP camp in Kollam, says candidate

There were reports that G. Krishnakumar has filed a complaint against BJP district leadership for non-cooperation

IHCL debuts in Kollam, signs a Taj Resort

Indian Hotels Company (IHCL)announced the signing of a Taj branded resort at Kollam, Kerala. The resort is a Brownfield project. Speaking on the occasion,Puneet Chhatwal, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, IHCL said, With this signing, we further strengthen IHCLs longstanding presence in Kerala. As a historic seaport city renowned for its picturesque landscapes and... The post IHCL debuts in Kollam, signs a Taj Resort first appeared on Hospitality Biz India : India hospitality news, hospitality business analysis . The post IHCL debuts in Kollam, signs a Taj Resort appeared first on Hospitality Biz India : India hospitality news, hospitality business analysis .

High waves wreak havoc in Kerala's Kollam coast, several houses damaged in sea fury

High waves wreak havoc in Kerala's Kollam coast, several houses damaged in sea fury

Kerala: Houses damaged in Kollam after water enters inside due to high waves

The News Mill

Rough seas cause havoc in coastal hamlets of Kerala

Thiruvananthapuram: Strong waves and rough seas wreaked havoc in several coastal hamlets of Kerala on Sunday flooding houses and roads and damaging boats and fishing equipment. The unexpected high tides and surge in the water level was experienced in the coastal areas of Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alappuzha, Thrissur districts. #Kerala: Coastal areas of Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alappuzha Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .

Rough seas batter coastal areas in southern, central Kerala

Coastal areas in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alappuzha, and Thrissur districts hit; Kallakkadal likely to persist for one or two days more; travel to coastal tourism hubs prohibited for three days

Elaborate arrangements for Kollam Pooram

In Frames | Embracing the feminine

Chamayavilakku, a festival in Kollam district of Kerala, is a flamboyant display of sartorial creativity where men deck up in womens clothes, complete with jewellery and accessories

Poll expenditure monitoring strengthened in Kollam

BJP candidate for Wayanad LS seat has 242 cases against him

BJP candidate for Wayanad LS seat has 242 cases against him BJP state chief K Surendran, who is also the NDA candidate pitted against Congress MP Rahul Gandhi in Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency, has 242 criminal cases against him. As part of the statutory requirements, Surendran had recently published the details of his cases in the party mouthpiece which ran for three full pages. Similarly, the saffron party's Ernakulam constituency candidate K S Radhakrishnan has around 211 cases against him. ''Most of the cases are related to Sabarimala protests which were held in 2018. Most of the cases are in court. When party leaders call for a strike or a protest, the police register a case in connection with that,'' George Kurian, the state general secretary of the BJP told PTI. He said it's mandatory to publish the details of the cases against the candidates. Meanwhile, BJP national general secretary B L Santhosh on Friday tweeted details of the cases against Surendran, Radhakrishnan, the party's Alappuzha candidate Shobha Surendran and Vatakara candidate Praful Krishna and said it was ''hard to be a nationalist in some parts of Bharath.'' ''Its hard to be a nationalist in some parts of Bharath. It's everyday struggle. But it's worth the struggle. Form C7 of Sri @surendranbjp, WAYANAD candidate. One personHundreds of cases,'' Santhosh posted on X. Giving a breakdown of the number of cases against the BJP state chief, Kurian said 237 cases were related to Sabarimala protests while five were registered in connection with various agitations in Kerala. The BJP and affiliated parties had organised statewide protests in 2018 against the Kerala government's decision to implement the Supreme Court order on women's entry to the hilltop Sabarimala shrine in Pathanamthitta district. The case details of other party candidates are yet to come out. The last date for filing nominations for the Lok Sabha elections is April 4. Scrutiny will be conducted on April 5 while the last date for withdrawing nominations is April 8. As of today, the Election Commission has received 18 nominations. Left candidate M Mukesh from Kollam and BJP candidate from Kasaragod, Ashwini M L are prominent names who have filed their nominations.

Mukesh files papers in Kollam

Heavyweights to slug it out in Kollam constituency

Kerala stares at heat wave-like conditions

India Meteorological Department issues alert warning of 40C in Thrissur and 39C in Kollam and Palakkad for the next five days

Fierce electoral battle anticipated in Kollam

5-year-old girl dies after being run over by temple chariot

A five-year-old girl was killed after being run over by a ceremonial chariot (vandikuthira) that was used for the annual festival at the Kottankulangara Devi temple in Kollam on Sunday night. The deceased is Kshetra, daughter of Rameshan and Jiji, of Thekkumbhagam, Chavara. The temple was hosting the famous Chamayavilakku festival.

Battle heats up between UDF and LDF in Kerala's Kollam LS seat

Battle heats up between UDF and LDF in Kerala's Kollam LS seat As summer sets in, the temperatures in the election campaign for Kerala's Kollam Lok Sabha seat also continue to rise. Sitting MP and Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) leader N K Premachandran is facing a tough challenge from the ruling LDF's CPI(M) MLA and film-star-turned-politician M Mukesh in Kollam, known for its famous cashew processing units. Fielding film-star-turned-politician G Krishnakumar, the BJP is also trying its luck in the constituency which is dominated by Hindus. In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Opposition Congress-led UDF's ally RSP's leader Premachandran had won with 4,99,677 votes out of the total 9,68,123 against his nearest rival, ruling CPI(M)'s K N Balagopal, who secured 3,50,821. It was 33 degrees Celsius in this highly humid coastal town at 12:30 pm when the PTI team met Mukesh, who represents Kollam in the state Assembly, here yesterday. Clad in a white shirt and white dhoti, LDF candidate Mukesh stepped out of an ordinary MUV and walked towards the fishermen at the Kollam harbour. The enthusiastic crowd raised slogans in favour of the actor and two-time MLA. They presented him with a palm leaf cap, a traditional one used by the fishermen community, to shield from the scorching sun. Mukesh walked through the harbour greeting the fishermen and sought their votes. Later, they presented him with an amount from their daily wages towards his deposit money in the election. ''I do not want to be overconfident and minimise the opposition candidates. My voters know what I have been doing for them as an MLA for the last two terms, and I seek votes based on what I have done for them,'' Mukesh told PTI after collecting the deposit amount from the fishermen. Mukesh has been a known face for Malayalam movie lovers for the last 41 years, and he feels that familiarity helps him converse more confidently with the voters. ''They listen more carefully and affectionately because of my career in the movies,'' Mukesh said. The ''In Harihar Nagar'' actor, who was in his second round of campaigning, is happy about the attention he receives from people. He believes that he can manage both his film and political careers effectively. ''My father was a communist and a panchayat president. I have seen him doing theatre in the evenings and very successfully managing his political role. That is my inspiration,'' Mukesh said. After a quick tender coconut refreshment, he then moved on to the district hospital, where he sat with the superintendent for some time and met the voters. When Mukesh was actively seeking votes in the Kollam town area, his rival-- Congress-led UDF's Premachandran, who already has four terms as the MP of Kollam and is presently holding the seat-- was busy meeting the voters at Kundara, about 19 kilometers from Kollam town. Known for his notable interventions in Lok Sabha on various issues, the RSP leader was meeting the cashew industry workers and later visited the house of one of the party supporters, taking a break from the campaigning due to the heat. Sitting as one among a crowd of his supporters, Premachandran discussed campaign strategies for the coming days. ''This is a very important election to keep the BJP away from power and to protect the secular fabric of the nation,'' Premachandran told PTI. He said the controversy over his participation in a lunch organised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi was created by the CPI(M). ''Anyone who opposes CPI(M) is stamped as Sangh Parivar. Everyone knows about my strong fight against the Sangh Parivar, both inside the House and outside,'' Premachandran said. He said political differences and personal friendship are different. Denying the speculations over his possible move to BJP, Premachandran said that he will never shift to the saffron party as he is one of their strongest critics in the country. ''I was never ever contacted by a BJP leader with an offer to join them. They know my politics well, and they will not come. It is the CPI(M) that is creating such a false narrative,'' Premachandran said. He also justified Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's move to contest from Wayanad. ''He is the sitting MP of Wayanad. If the LDF is so concerned about the national interest, then they should have withdrawn their candidate in Wayanad,'' Premachandran said. Premachandran stopped at one more institute, run by his friend, and met the staff and his friend, seeking their votes. He then retired for lunch, taking a break till 3 pm, before resuming the campaign. The BJP announced its candidate, 55-year-old Krishnakumar, on Sunday evening. He is an actor-turned-politician and is currently a national council member of the party. In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, BJP's K V Sabu polled 10.66 per cent of the total votes. In 2021 assembly elections, Krishnakumar unsuccessfully contested on a BJP ticket from Thiruvananthapuram. The constituency has 69.5 percent Hindus and 18.1 percent Muslims. Kollam also has a sizeable number of fishermen community votes, including those who are Hindus.

Five-year-old girl dies after being crushed by ceremonial chariot during festival at Kottankulangara temple in Kerala

A five-year-old girl died after accidentally falling under the wheels of a ceremonial chariot during the annual festival at the Kottankulangara temple near Kollam. The incident occurred on Sunday night, and the child, the daughter of a local couple, was rushed to the hospital but could not be saved. Police have registered a case in connection with the incident.

BJP Fields Kerala Unit Chief Surendran Against Rahul Gandhi In Wayanad

Scholar and former vice-chancellor of Sree Sankara Sanskrit University, K.S. Radhakrishnan, and actor-turned-politician G Krishnakumar will contest from the Ernakulam and Kollam constituencies, respectively.

LS polls: BJP fields state chief Surendran against Rahul Gandhi in Wayanad

LS polls: BJP fields state chief Surendran against Rahul Gandhi in Wayanad Announcing candidates for the remaining four seats in Kerala, the BJP has fielded its state chief K Surendran in the high-profile Wayanad constituency against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. Scholar and former vice-chancellor of Sree Sankara Sanskrit University, K S Radhakrishnan, and actor-turned-politician G Krishnakumar will contest from the Ernakulam and Kollam constituencies respectively, the party announced on Sunday. T N Sarasu, former government college principal, would seek electoral luck from Alathur in the northern Palakkad district. The BJP is striving to break the decades-old bipolar politics dominated by the Congress-led UDF and the CPI(M)-led LDF in Kerala. The party had earlier announced the candidates for 12 seats. Its ally BDJS will contest four seats in the state. With the surprise candidature of Surendran in Wayanad, a traditional Congress bastion, the BJP is trying to give a fitting reply to its opponents by fielding a strong candidate against Rahul Gandhi. CPI's Annie Raja is the candidate of the state's ruling Left in the constituency. Surendran, the face of the saffron party's fierce agitations against the entry of young women into Sabarimala years ago, has been serving as the president of the state unit of the BJP since 2020. Hailing from Ulleyeri in Kozhikode district, Kunnummel Surendran, who began his career as Wayanad district president of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha, had unsuccessfully contested from Pathanamthitta in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Though he was fielded from Konni in the assembly bypoll in the same year, he couldn't make it. Known as a close confidant of Union Minister V Muraleedharan, Surendran lost the Manjeswaram constituency by a mere 89 votes in the 2016 Assembly polls. A well-known scholar, writer, orator, and academician, K S Radhakrishnan joined the BJP in 2019. He served as the vice-chancellor of Sree Sankara Sanskrit University in Kalady and the chairman of the state Public Service Commission during the tenures of the Congress-led UDF governments in the state before beginning his political career. He unsuccessfully contested from the Alappuzha Lok Sabha constituency during the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Fifty-five-year-old G Krishnakumar is an actor-turned-politician and is currently a national council member of the BJP. In 2021, Krishnakumar contested on the BJP ticket to the state assembly from Thiruvananthapuram. T N Sarasu, a former government college principal who hit headlines over her confrontations with the Left student union, will contest from Alathur to take on sitting MP and Congress leader Remya Haridas and State Devaswom Minister and senior CPI(M) leader K Radhakrishnan. Kerala's 20 Lok Sabha constituencies will go to polls on April 26.

LS polls: BJP fields its state chief Surendran against Rahul Gandhi in Wayanad

Thiruvananthapuram: Announcing candidates for the remaining four seats in Kerala, the BJP on Sunday fielded its state chief, K Surendran, in the high-profile Wayanad constituency against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. Scholar and former vice-chancellor of Sree Sankara Sanskrit University, K S Radhakrishnan, and actor-turned-politician G Krishnakumar will contest from the Ernakulam and Kollam constituencies, respectively. Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .

Arrest of Kejriwal to divert attention from electoral bonds scam: Kerala CM Vijayan

Arrest of Kejriwal to divert attention from electoral bonds scam: Kerala CM Vijayan Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday said the electoral bonds scam is the biggest corruption ever witnessed in India and added the BJP government at the Centre arrested his Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal to divert attention from the same. Addressing the third consecutive rally organised here by the CPI(M) against the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), Vijayan alleged the BJP-led Central government and the Sangh Parivar give scant regard to the rule of the law in the country. He alleged that the Sangh Parivar was trying to take control of the Constitutional institutions and even threatening the country's judiciary. ''The Union government, BJP, Sangh Parivar, they all very well know that the Supreme Court order on the electoral bond scam was harmful to them. They wanted to divert the attention from this topic and for that they have arrested Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal,'' Vijayan said. The chief minister said when the idea of electoral bonds was floated, the CPI(M) had opposed it as it was a tool for corruption and moved the Supreme Court against it. ''The electoral bonds scam is the biggest corruption ever witnessed in India. How did they get the courage to engage in such blatant corruption? They (BJP) thought they would never be questioned,'' he added. With the arrest of Kejriwal, Vijayan said the Sangh Parivar was trying to send a message that they are above the law of the land and will do anything to implement their agenda. Talking about the anti-CAA protests of 2019 and the subsequent violence and riot in Delhi, the chief minister referred to the inflammatory slogans of Union Minister Anurag Thakur and said it was the CPI(M) which went on to file a case against him. Vijayan attacking the Congress over its stand on the CAA. He alleged that at a time when the whole country was protesting against the contentious Act, the Congress MPs were participating in a feast organised by the party president. ''During the protests, none of the Congress leaders were present. Rahul Gandhi was abroad. It was the Left leaders who were arrested by the Delhi Police. At that time we had only one MP, A M Arif from Alappuzha who spoke against the CAA. Now, the Congress leaders are saying that they had opposed the Act technically,'' Vijayan said. The chief minister alleged that the Sangh Parivar unleashed violence upon the ant-CAA protesters in Delhi and the BJP government at the Centre gave silent permission to the rioters. ''Around 53 people were killed, many went missing, over hundreds were injured in the riots. The houses, shops, establishments of numerous Muslims were attacked in the violence orchestrated by the Sangh Parivar,'' he said. Vijayan said the CAA was an RSS agenda being implemented by the BJP government. The Left party is organising massive anti-CAA rallies at five places in the state. The first rally was held in Kozhikode on March 22. A rally was held in Kasaragod district on Saturday. Two more rallies will be held in the coming days in Malappuram and Kollam. The CAA was passed in December 2019 and it subsequently got the President's assent, but there were protests in several parts of the country against it, with many opposition parties speaking out against the law, calling it ''discriminatory''. The CAA aims to expedite citizenship for undocumented non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan who arrived in India before December 31, 2014.

Kollam district administration formulates pre-monsoon action plan

Pre-monsoon cleaning activities will be intensified to destroy the sources of mosquitoes

Kerala CM says idea of equality in Constitution shredded through CAA

Kerala CM says idea of equality in Constitution shredded through CAA As Kerala inches towards the polling date of April 26, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan launched a scathing attack on the BJP-led Centre on Saturday over the implementation of the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and said the idea of equality enshrined in the Constitution is being shredded through the law. Addressing a massive anti-CAA rally organised by the Communist Party of India (Marxist) at this northernmost district of the state, Vijayan attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and alleged that the ideology and structure of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) were adopted from Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini's fascism. He also alleged that the RSS, which controls the BJP-led government at the Centre, does not recognise secularism. ''Our country is secular but the RSS never accepted secularism. It wants to make India a theocracy and remove secularism. It considers some of us as enemies. It had declared religious minorities and communists as internal enemies,'' Vijayan said. He referred to RSS ideologue M S Golwalkar's quote in one of his books that had termed Christians, Muslims and Communists as internal enemies of the country. ''Its (RSS') ideology was not from any ancient texts or myths or vedas or from the Manusmriti but was taken from Hitler. We saw the genocide that followed Hitler's rule, which shocked the entire mankind. However, Hitler's actions were praised by the RSS in India. They announced that internal issues of a country should be resolved by taking an example from Hitler's Germany,'' the Left leader said. He also said RSS leaders had visited Mussolini and adopted the fascist organisational structure. Vijayan said the strength of India always lies in its unity in diversity. ''All of us differ in our beliefs, languages, cultures, food and attire. We are diverse in many fields and that is why we hold our diversity so dearly,'' he said. The chief minister said crores of people are worried and concerned over the CAA, which he alleged targets the Muslims in the country. ''The idea of equality enshrined in our Constitution is being shredded through this law,'' he said. Vijayan said protests erupted across the globe when the CAA was announced in India and the world leaders criticised the move. ''Because none of the civilised societies in the world can accept citizenship based on religion. We should remember that even when the entire world opposed his actions, Hitler remained unfazed. The RSS is following his footsteps,'' he said. Vijayan also attacked the Congress, which backed out from a joint protest against the CAA. The chief minister continued his attack on the Congress leadership, alleging that they were completely silent even after the rules for the implementation of the CAA were notified recently by the Centre. The Left party is organising massive anti-CAA rallies at five places in the state. The first rally was held at Kozhikode on Friday. Three more rallies will be held in the coming days at Kannur, Malappuram and Kollam. The CAA was passed in December 2019 and subsequently, got the president's assent, but there were protests in several parts of the country against the law, with many opposition parties calling it ''discriminatory''. The Act grants citizenship to undocumented migrants of all religions -- except Muslims -- from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, who arrived in India before December 31, 2014.

Actor Kalabhavan Soby arrested in cheating case

Actor Kalabhavan Soby arrested in cheating case Actor and mimicry artiste Kalabhavan Soby George has been arrested in an alleged job fraud case, police said on Thursday. The 56-year-old was arrested from Kollam in a case registered at Sulthan Bathery police station in Wayanad district. Police said there were over 35 cases registered against him in various police stations across the state. ''We arrested him on Wednesday from Kollam in a case lodged by a Wayanad resident for defrauding him of over Rs three lakh. The accused had offered a job visa to Switzerland,'' police told PTI. There are around six similar cases registered against him in Wayanad alone and 24 such cases against him in Ernakulam district. ''As of now, there are over 35 cheating cases against him. He has been remanded to judicial custody,'' police said. Soby was in the news when he claimed that the car accident death of well-known violinist, Balabhaskar, was a murder.

New species of deep-sea isopod discovered off Kollam coast named after ISRO

The fish-parasitic crustacean, belonging to the genus Brucethoa, was recovered from the base of the gill cavity of Spinyjaw greeneye, a marine fish

Squads deployed for election monitoringin Kollam district

Special surveillance systems will be in place till 72 hours before election in sensitive areas

Forest authorities in Kollam takes steps to ensure water for wildlife during summer

Kerala RSS leader Srinivasan's murder: NIA arrests key absconding PFI member

NEW DELHI: The anti-terror federal probe agency NIA on Tuesday said that it has arrested a key absconding member of the Popular Front of India (PFI) in connection with its probe into the murder of RSS leader Srinivasan in Kerala. A spokesperson of the NIA said Shafeekh, who had been absconding since the targeted killing of Srinivasan in Palakkad on April 16, 2022, was tracked by the agencys Absconder Tracking Team (ATT) to Kollam district. He was taken into custody by the anti-terror agency for his involvement in the case, the official added. A total of 71 persons have been identified for their involvement in the horrendous conspiracy, in which NIA has already filed two charge sheets, on March 17, 2023 and November 6, 2023. One of the accused, identified as Abdul Naser, had died on January 2, 2023, while two absconders, Saheer K V and Jaffar Bheemantavida, were arrested respectively on October 19, 2023 and February 12, 2024, the spokesperson said. A resident of Malappuram district, Shafeekh was part of the PFI machinery and its hit squads that had carried out the heinous killing of Srinivasan, the NIA said, adding that the agencys investigations revealed that he had harboured Ashraf K P, who, under directions from the PFI leadership, had conspired with others leaders and cadres of the organisation to execute the conspiracy. Ashraf had also conducted recce of various potential targets for elimination, the official said. Reportedly, the RSS leaders murder was alleged to have been carried out in revenge and retaliation for the killing of Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) activist Subair, who was allegedly hacked to death by RSS workers in Elappully, Palakkad.

NIA Arrests Member of Banned PFI from Kollam District in RSS Leader Srinivasans Murder

A resident of Malappuram district, Shafeekh, was part of the PFI machinery and hit squads that had carried out RSS leader Srinivasans targeted killing

Pilot project to record carbon emissions in govt.-owned seed farms in Kerala

The farms located in Kasaragod, Kannur, Kozhikode, Malappuram, Ernakulam, and Kollam districts and the Athirappally tribal valley are involved in the one-year project

Enthusiastic participation of children at JSW Futurescapes-Young World painting competition

The preliminary round was held at the school level in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, and Pathanamthitta, and over 3,700 students participated in them. As many as 307 students were selected for the regional finale, out of which more than 200 students turned up for the event

Kollam district administration to ensure green protocol compliance during LS polls

Congress-led UDF looks to repeat its 2019 LS poll performance in Kerala

Congress-led UDF looks to repeat its 2019 LS poll performance in Kerala The Congress-led UDF, which won 19 of the 20 seats in Kerala in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, is looking to repeat the performance in the 2024 polls by retaining the same candidates with a few changes, while the Left front and the BJP have carried out a major overhaul of their nominee list. The Congress has fielded all its sitting MPs, except T N Prathapan who won from Thrissur last time, and added two new names to the list -- current Palakkad MLA Shafi Parambil from Vatakara and AICC general secretary in-charge of organisation and Rajya Sabha member K C Venugopal from Alappuzha. Parambil is being fielded from Vatakara after the party decided that its sitting MP from there, K Muraleedharan, will contest from Thrissur in the wake of his sister Padmaja Venugopal joining the BJP. The BJP has fielded two union ministers -- V Muraleedharan (Attingal) and Rajiv Chandrasekhar (Thiruvananthapuram) -- and Anil K Antony (Pathanamthitta), son of Congress stalwart A K Antony while retaining actor Suresh Gopi in Thrissur. The ruling LDF too brought changes in its candidates line-up by fielding political heavyweights like former state Finance Minister Thomas Isaac (Pathanamthitta) and Rajya Sabha member Elamaram Kareem (Kozhikode). The region-wise performance in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections is as follows 1. Northern region In Kasaragod constituency, Congress' Rajmohan Unnithan polled 4,74,961 votes out of the total 11,00,051 votes cast there with CPI(M)'s K P Sathishchandran came in second with 4,34,523 votes. BJP's Ravisha Thanthri Kuntar got 16 per cent of the total votes. In Kannur, K Sudhakaran (Cong) won by securing 5,26,755 of the total 10,65 619 votes cast there, and CPI(M)'s P K Sreemathi came in second with 4,35,182. In Vatakara, Congress leader K Muraleedharan with 5,26,755 votes out of the total 10,65,619 and CPI(M)'s P Jayarajan came second by polling 4,42,092 votes. In Wayanad, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, won with a huge margin by getting 7,06,367 votes out of a total of 10,92,197 with his closest rival -- CPI's P P Suneer receiving only 2,74,597 votes. In Kozhikode, Congress candidate M K Raghavan polled 4,93,444 out of a total 10,76,193 votes to come first, while CPI(M)'s A pradeep Kumar came second with 4,08,219 votes. BJP's Prakash Babu got 14.97 per cent of the total votes. Malappuram -- IUML's P K Kunhalikutty won by polling 5,89,873 out of the total 10,34,618 votes with CPI(M)'s V P Sanu coming in second with 3,29,720 votes. Later, Kunhalikutty resigned from the Lok Sabha to contest in the state assembly elections in 2021. Subsequently, a by-election was held in Malappuram in 2021 and IUML's Abdussamad Samadani won by getting 5,38,248 votes out of a total of 11,02,537 and Sanu, who got 4,23,633 votes, was again defeated. Ponnani -- IUML's E T Mohammed Basheer won with 5,21,824 votes out of the total 10,17,265 and Left candidate P V Anvar came second with 3,28,551 votes. BJP candidate Rema got 10.87 per cent of the total votes. Palakkad -- Congress candidate V K Sreekandan won with 3,99,274 votes out of the total 10,28,249 and CPI(M)'s M B Rajesh came a close second with 3,87,637. BJP's Krishnakumar C got 21.24 per cent of the total votes. Alathur -- Congress candidate Ramya Haridas won with 5,33,815 out of the total 10,18,743 and CPI(M)'s P K Biju came second with 3,74,847. 2. Central Kerala region Thrissur -- Congress' T N Prathapan won by polling 4,15,089 votes out of the total 10,41,869 with CPI's Rajaji Mathew Thomas coming second with 3,21,456 and BJP's Suresh Gopi coming third with 2,93,822 votes. Chalakudy -- Benny Behanan (Cong) won with 4,73,444 votes out of the total of 9,90,224 and veteran actor and CPI(M)'s late Innocent came second with 3,41,170 votes. BJP's A N Radhakrishnan got 15.56 per cent of the total votes. Ernakulam -- Congress' Hibi Eden won with 4,91,263 votes out of the total 9,67,203 and CPI(M)'s P Rajeev came second with 3,22,110 votes. BJP's Alphons Kannanthanam got 14.24 per cent of the total votes. Idukki -- Congress' Dean Kuriakose won by polling 4,98,493 votes out of the total of 9,19,297 and Joice George, an independent candidate, came second with 3,27,440 votes. Kottayam -- Thomas Chazhikadan of the Kerala Congress(M), then a UDF ally, won with 4,21,046 votes out of the total of 9,10,339 and CPI(M)'s V N Vasavan came second with 3,14,787. However, the seat fell into the LDF kitty later after Kerala Congress(M) joined the Left front. Alappuzha -- The only seat where the LDF won last time with CPI(M)'s A M Ariff polling 4,45,970 out of the total 10,88,728 votes with Congress' Shanimol Osman coming a close second with 4,35,496 votes. BJP's Dr K S Radhakrishnan polled 17.22 per cent of the total votes. 3. South Kerala region Mavelikkara -- Congress' Kodikunnil Suresh won by polling 4,40,415 out of the total of 9,71,035 votes and CPI's Chittayam Gopakumar came second with 3,79,277 votes. Pathanamthitta -- Congress' Anto Antony came first by getting 3,80,927 out of the total 10,26,553 with CPI(M)'s Veena George coming second by polling 3,36,684 votes and BJP's K Surendran third with 2,97,396 votes. Kollam -- UDF ally Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) fielded N K Premachandran who won with 4,99,677 votes out of the total 9,68,123 and CPI(M)'s K N Balagopal got 3,50,821 votes. BJP's K V Sabu got 10.66 per cent of the total votes. Attingal -- Adoor Prakash of Congress won with 3,80,995 votes out of the total of 10,04,888. CPI(M)'s Dr A Sampath and BJP's Sobha Surendran came second and third with 3,42,748 and 2,48,081 votes, respectively. Sobha Surendran will contest from Alappuzha in 2024. Thiruvananthapuram -- Congress's Shashi Tharoor won for a third consecutive time by getting 4,16,131 out of the total 10,10,180 votes and defeated BJP's Kummanam Rajasekharan and CPI's C Divakaran, who came second and third, respectively. Rajasekharan polled 3,16,142 votes while Divakaran got 2,58,556 votes. Kasaragod, Kozhikode, Ponnani, Palakkad, Thrissur, Chalakudy, Ernakulam, Alappuzha, Pathanamthitta, Kollam, Attingal and Thiruvananthapuram were the LS constituencies in which the BJP got a vote percentage in double digits in 2019.

Heatwave criteria not suited for Kerala, experts blame inadequate weather infrastructure

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: At a time when Kerala is reeling under one of its harshest summers, following prolonged dry spells and erratic weather patterns the state is also staring at a major challenge in terms of inadequate weather readings and infrastructure. Adding to the woes, experts point out that the national criteria for declaring heatwaves are not suited for Keralas weather patterns. High humidity levels, brought on by its tropical climate, make summers worse in the state, they say. Even as sweltering heat plays havoc, experts and agencies here are grappling with inadequate predictions that hinder more specific public warnings. The 100 automatic weather stations (AWS) installed by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) have been giving erratic and invalid predictions. There are also no weather stations in four districts Kasaragod, Wayanad, Idukki and Pathanamthitta which cheats the state out of a comprehensive picture of the prevailing conditions. State Disaster Management Authority member secretary Sekhar Lukose Kuriakose said the national criteria for heatwave declaration is not suited for Kerala. We need to develop local thresholds for heat-related health warnings. We need to undertake studies in this regard and have already initiated steps to come up with state-specific criteria that will be essential for the state in the coming years, he told TNIE. According to IMD, a heatwave is defined as a maximum temperature of 40 Celsius or more for the plains, 37C or more for coastal stations and 30C for hilly regions. An increase of 4-5C from the normal is considered a heatwave condition, while an increase of 6C or more is considered a severe heatwave condition. Kerala: Sultry nights signal beginning of summer, temp to touch 38 degrees Celsius We have a moist heatwave situation in Kerala because of the rise in temperature and humidity. The heat we experience here is way more than the actual temperature. Unfortunately, the state is unable to meet the criteria set by IMD and National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). The state government should take steps to collaborate with IMD and come up with state-specific criteria, said MG Manoj, a scientist with Cusats Advanced Centre for Atmospheric Radar Research (ACARR). He stressed the need for more research in the area. We need more weather readings and infrastructure, a long-pending demand in Kerala. In the future, more weather infrastructure should be set up at identified strategic points across the state for better predictions on microclimate changes. More data is essential for further studies and solutions, he added. Kerala faces hottest summer in decade: Soaring temperatures drive power consumption to record highs Early onset of summer sees increase in waterborne diseases in Kerala The human body reacts differently to varying temperatures, health experts said, amid calls for increased inclusion of health management in climate change and mitigation policies of the government. Heatstroke and heat rash are only included as heat-related events by the NDMA. This should change and health should be given top priority, while devising policies for climate mitigation. We are trying to raise this point and educate policymakers to give due consideration to matters of health, said Dr Anish T S, associate professor, community medicine, Malappuram Medical College Hospital. Meanwhile, K Santhosh, director, IMD Thiruvananthapuram, said they follow the national criteria. We follow the national criteria for weather-related declarations and the IMD headquarters make decisions on matters whether a state should have a specific set of criteria for heatwaves or not, Santhosh said. Calibrating weather stations cannot be a sudden process, he said. The Kerala Met department has proposed the setting up of more weather stations in the state to cover all districts, he added. Mild heat waves prove deadlier over time in India, study reveals urgent need for revised heat warnings Yellow alert in 10 districts KSDMA has issued a yellow alert for 10 districts in the state owing to a rise in temperature till March 20. All districts with yellow alert warnings are likely to record 2 to 4 degrees Celsius above normal temperature. Maximum temperature is likely to be around 39 degrees Celsius in Kollam and Palakkad districts, while Alappuzha and Kozhikode districts will record 38 degrees Celsius. Kottayam, Pathanamthitta and Thrissur districts are likely to record 37 degrees Celsius. Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam and Kannur districts will record 36 degrees Celsius.

Excise steps up vigil in Kollam district before Lok Sabha polls