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A day out with original Manjummel Boys

KOCHI: Manjummel Boys, helmed by Chidambaram and starring an ensemble cast that includes Soubin Shahir and Sreenath Bhasi, is a survivor-thriller inspired by a 2006 real-life incident. Since its release on February 22, the movie has collected nearly Rs 200 crore at the box office, making it the highest-grossing Malayalam movie to date. This resounding success has invariably put Manjummel, a quaint town on the outskirts of Kochi, and a group of thick friends, on whom the story is based on, into the global limelight. On the day TNIE visited them, the real Manjummel heroes were in conversation with the youth of Amalothbhavamatha Church about the importance of cultivating good friendships. Despite their growing fame and increasingly busy schedule, this group of ordinary men who share an extraordinary story never back away from an opportunity to inspire. According to them, this is their mission. Here, they talk about their friendship, the importance of art and sports clubs, the Manjummel effect on their personal lives and town, the movie and more... How did your friendship take shape? Subash: Right from our childhood, we were a close-knit group. There was no social media then. When we got home after school, we all gathered on the ground to play. We took part in local club activities and swam in the stream nearby. Such bonds last long. Such friendships are a source of strength during distress Siju David (Kuttan): Yes. For instance, after the Kodaikanal accident, we struggled to arrange cash for the return trip, Subashs treatment, etc. None of us was financially stable. Sumesh helped us a lot. Though he could not make it to the trip, he arranged everything in a single night. When we finally reached here, there was no delay for anything on account of lack of funds. Five years ago, we formed a society named Yuva, which helps people in distress. Each week, we set aside some money to attend to emergencies. Werent you guys part of a club here earlier as shown in the film? Siju David: Yes, it was called Darshana. There were about 40 members when it began. It was active for years. Then, it became Yuva Darshana. Later, when the residents associations became more prominent, clubs started to wane. We, however, continue to serve society via Yuva. Is it just your gang? Siju David: No, many from the Manjummel area are part of it. Siju John: It has members of all ages. Whenever people approach us, say seeking assistance for a marriage or a death, our team offers whatever help we can. Todays youngsters are falling prey to vices such as drug abuse. Could you elaborate on the importance of art and sports clubs in this context? Sumesh: Such activities are essential. It is when children dont have any outlet for activities that they fall prey to bad influences. Sujith: We kept each other close, away from harm. After getting back from school each day, we used to head straight to the playground or the club. Sadly, todays kids dont have such avenues. They are confined to their silo. Subash: Back in the day, there were many public grounds. It is from these playgrounds that friendships blossomed. Art and sports clubs were physical manifestations of such bonds. The government should establish public grounds in every locality. [To Siju David] What were the events in your life that helped develop your willpower to take the decision to descend the crevice in Guna Cave? Siju David: I used to hold leadership positions at the clubs here. I guess donning that position as a youngster and coordinating matters helped me. Sujith: Also, when we were kids, there was an incident when Krishnakumar got caught in a current while we were swimming. It was Kuttan who dived in to save him. Kuttan was a natural leader. Sixon: This is true to this day. When we go for tours, etc., we just hand over the money to Kuttan. He is the responsible one and takes care of everything. We dont have to worry. We just chill! Sujith: Our families are reassured when we say Kuttans name. They trust him. Subash: Even if we have to go anywhere else, we just say we are going to Kuttans house. (all laugh) Have you guys always been an adventurous group? Sujith: At that age, we didnt know that what we were doing was adventurous. It just felt like a natural thing to do. Siju David: In Kodaikanal, the fencing at the suicide point was not very tall back then. So we crossed over to click a pic. We were not very aware of the dangers. The same thing happened at Guna Cave. What went through your minds while watching the Manjummel Boys film? Siju David: It was like going on that trip again. We experienced those moments, emotions. We were all in tears. Anil: We would say 95 per cent of whats shown in the film was real. Sixon: Prior to the screening, the film crew had invited us to the set of Guna Cave, which was set up in Perumbavoor. When we reached there, we were overwhelmed. The set designer Ajay Chalissery did an exemplary work. It was as close to the original as it can get. We started trembling as we entered. Siju: They had set up cameras inside the set to capture our reactions. We stood numb. It was as if we were inside the real Guna Cave. Thats what they wanted to know. We didnt have to convey the feeling through words our emotions told them everything. Did they seek references from you while creating the set? Subash: When the Manjummel Boys crew sought permission to study the Guna Cave, the Tamil Nadu officials hoped to replicate what Ordinary did to Gavi. They were right theres now a big tourist rush to Guna Cave now Hence, they got permission. They went in five times to get the structure of the cave right. Ajay went on a sixth trip with his painting team. He wanted them too to get a feel of the cave To be frank, I was scared as soon as I took the first step in. My whole body was shaking I knew it was fake, but fear had taken over. At least three teams had approached you to turn this story into a film. But those projects didnt work out. Finally, how did this one take off? Sixon: Many urged us to see this story turned into a movie. One friend, Shawn Antony (the films co-producer), was keen about it. He met Kuttan and Subash. Then, there was Ganapathi, whom we knew. The films director, Chidambaram, is his brother. He was an up-and-coming filmmaker when we initially met. His first film, Jan-E-Man, had not been released then. They came and discussed the story with us, took a documentary and began work. It just happened. We never imagined that the movie would become this big, such a vibe. Siju David: Initially, we thought Chidambaram was going to shoot a film with Ganapathi as the central character. Later, we learned Soubin was part of the cast and co-producing the film. Sujith: Their team was very committed. They came to our houses and studied everything about us the way we walk, talk our mannerisms. I think they did that for about two years. Their hard work has paid off. The film depicts us correctly. We were surprised. Sixon: They even studied our old photos and got the costumes right. Subash: I had only seen Sreenath Bhasi in films until then. During the pre-production stage, he visited my house. Sujith: Yes, Subashs mother did not even know who Sreenath Bhasi was. She presumed him to be her sons friend. Money is not our priority Were you guys actually passionate about tug-of-war as shown in the film? Siju David: Yes, definitely. We are all crazy about it. We were part of local competitions. Some of us still have scars from bouts of those days We once even participated in a tug-of-war event with an elephant (laughs). [To Subash] What were the childhood experiences that helped you develop the mental courage to triumph over the fall? Subash: I must say, swimming and climbing trees (laughs). Sujith: Subash was adventurous even in childhood. Swimming was his main hobby. Sumesh: Swimming in the stream requires physical and mental strength. He loved swimming, and would catch fish cook and eat it alone! Subash: Also, I was not great at studies. So, I was often made to stand on the bench among girls as punishment. Such torments also helped shape my mental strength (laughs). On a serious note, I survived because a jagged edge of boulder in the crevice pierced through my jeans and prevented me from falling further. Sujith: He is tall; his height was also a factor. Did you ever regret going on the trip? Subash: Yes. But now, I see people are drawing inspiration from my story. I am told it is helping motivate those who are in distress. Also, old-time friends have started to reconnect. Earlier, I used to wonder why I was spared. I see it now maybe to lend hope to others. I am grateful to God for it. [To Subash] You mentioned you used to be an atheist And theres a scene in the film where you question the concept of God... The director and writer were responsible for shaping the conversations in the film. While we did have similar discussions, the way they were portrayed in the film was crafted to engage the audience effectively. I, indeed, used to question the existence of God. But while laying trapped inside the cave, I prayed to all gods in the world [To Prasad P S] Did you return to Kodaikanal after the 2006 incident? Prasad: Yes, in 2009. I took a family on a tour there. After dropping them, I asked at a shop if they knew of the incident. They did. In fact, all of Kodaikanal still remembers the incident. Were there more safety measures at the site when compared to your previous visit? Prasad: There were some changes. When we visited the cave in 2006, there was a board stating that 13 people had perished there. But it was written in Tamil. During the rescue, an official told us Subashs name would be the 14th on that board. The local people, too, initially urged us to leave the place after Subash fell. They warned us that staying there would land us in trouble. They were right. Sixon: We endured much torture, more than what what was shown in the film. Krishnakumar: The local people, however, rallied behind us after they also heard Subashs cries from the pit. Sixon: We were withheld after the rescue. Thankfully, the doctor, who treated Subash at the local hospital, intervened and helped us leave the town without legal hassles. That was one aspect we missed in the film. Are you in touch with the doctor? Siju David: Sadly, no. We had tried. Shes the only one whom we have not been able to reconnect with from that time. We hope to meet her soon. [To Subash] Do you think you have found closure to the trauma with this film? Subash: Yes. The recovery phase was an ordeal. It took me six months to start sleeping properly after the incident. Physically, I spent about 60 days in an Ayurveda hospital. [Physical injuries included gashes, scraped skin across the body.] It took me nearly two years to return to normal life. The focus since then was on moving forward. When the decision was made to turn our experiences into a film, I felt it was important. I wanted the world to see the struggles that my friends underwent to rescue me. They are my fount of inspiration. Sreenath Bhasi played your character at a time when he too was in a tough phase Did that reflect during interactions? Sixon: Yes, very much. During the shooting process, whenever we met, Bhasi would say that he, too, was in a metaphorical pit and that, through this film, he would rise. When did you guys embark on another trip after the 2006 incident? Siju David: Six months later, to Munnar. Subash, of course, could not join. Anil: We returned to Kodaikanal only for the puja ceremony of the film after nearly 18 years. Writer B Jeyamohan made some comments about Malayali boy groups on boozing and raising a ruckus wherever they go. How do you guys view his comments? Siju John: One needs to only read the comments under his statement to know the reaction of Malayalis. We dont have anything particular to add. Anil: It is likely that when Jeyamohan was young, he, too, has done similar things. Siju David: We entered a restricted area, thats true. It was not the right thing to do. The fencing wasnt proper back then. Maybe, safety measures should be enhanced and well-maintained at such sites. After the incident, did any family member of the 13 who had perished in the pit earlier reach out to you? Sumesh: No. However, the first thing the police asked Kuttan was whether he saw any skeleton there. Siju David: I couldnt see anything, as I went in with a torch around my neck and I was using both my hands to hold onto the rope. I grabbed the torch and looked only when the first rope ended. I had to wait till they got another one. I checked around me. All I saw were bats. I immediately switched off the torch. [To Abhilash] In the film, your character is shown as walking away from the gang in the end what actually happened? Abhilash: Yes. I was in shock. It was me who saw Subash falling into the pit. It was a traumatic sight. I cut off from the gang, too. Because of my withdrawn nature, my neighbours presumed I had left for the Gulf. Like how they show in the film, did you return to the cave to give the now-popular Loose adikkada advise? No. I was in shock. Siju took me outside, and I waited there until Subash was rescued. [To Subash] You used to write, right? Have you considered turning your story into a book? Subash: I have thought about it a lot. I have written it in my mind. But Chidambaram has portrayed it better than I ever could. I may write about the before and after of the incident. (Gang-members laugh out, saying he has written three bizarre scripts.) After watching the film, many are inspired by your life. Do you have any message for the youngsters? Subhash: I didnt do anything extraordinary. It was my friends actions that saved me. They inspire me. But I will tell this to youngsters: nurture and preserve good friendships. Also, fights between friends are normal. Dont get hung up on your ego. Now, the original Manjummel Boys have become famous. How are you guys handling this busy schedule and attention after leading a relatively peaceful life? Siju David: The incident took place in 2006. A month later, news of our story started to appear. We were catapulted into the limelight. In 2008, I received a bravery award from the President. We used to receive letters. Many of them. We felt like celebrities then. Today, after the film, everythings different. We dont have time for our personal lives now. We are busy with events, interviews, inaugurations. Our lives have completely changed. Subash: We are all common people. We never wanted celebrity status. But now, can we work for a living? Imagine, you are in your work clothes, which are torn and dirty, and people come to take selfies... Not all of us have white-collar jobs. So its a bit uncomfortable... So, temporarily, I have stopped my work [in the construction field]. Now, we give interviews and that helps the film. When all this is buzz is over, we will return to our normal lives. Have the real Manjummel Boys got any remuneration from the film team Sixon: People have been asking us the same thing. Siju David: They have not discussed anything on those lines with us. There was no such agreement or contract. Subash: Money is not our priority

The New Indian Express 19 Mar 2024 9:25 am

Tale of brinjals, scissors and a canal

KOCHI: Equidistant from the north and south railway stations, Kathrikadavu, in recent years, has become one of the go-to food corridors in the city. Not many know how a kadavu or canalside became a residential and commercial area in Kochi. And those who know, mostly the elders, have different versions of the etymology of Kathrikadavu. However, none are sure about which is the correct version. According to Thankappan, a 71-year-old resident, Kathrikadavu was near a canalbank. In earlier days, vegetables were brought to Kochi using water transport. Kathirikai is the Tamil word for brinjal or eggplant. As the kathirikai was brought to this canal hub, this place came to be known as Kathrikadavu, he explains. However, he is not sure about the veracity of the story. A shop owner at Kathrikadavu junction, 57-year-old Kunjimon Valiyaparambil, has another take. The junction of Kathrikadavu resembled the shape of a kathrika (scissors). It was once called Kathrikakadavu and later, got shortened to Kathrikadavu, he says. But now the shape has changed to an inverted 4, Kunjimon smiles. However, some say it wasnt the junction, but the canal that was in the shape of scissors. Shibu Paulouse, 49, an electrician and resident of Kathrikadavu, has heard a story from his ancestors about how the place got its name. Kathrikadavu was one of the canal stops. It was in the shape of scissors and connected Thammanam, the railway station, Perandoor and Edappally canals, he explains. Now, everything has changed. The shape was lost when the water retreated and new land was formed, he adds. P A Stephan, the former councillor of Kathrikadavu, also says the name came thanks to the water frontage in Kathrikadavu. The present-day Thammanam-Pullepady road is a reconstructed version of the water frontage. Once, people used to dump waste on the waterfront and the river used to be full of garbage, he adds. It was really a wasteland in the past, similar to a cemetery where all the dead bodies in various epidemics were dumped. Long back, people who contracted smallpox were isolated in Vasoori Koloth or the present-day Homeo hospital, he explains. Nonetheless, the present councillor of Kathrikadavu, M G Aristotle says, the tale of a kadavu shaped like scissors that connected Ernakulam Market, Chittoor, Karanakodam and Edappally canal, seems to be the most accurate. Kathrikadavu has transformed from a village to a densely populated town. Now, it is one of the divisions under the corporation that pays the highest amount of tax. Whats in a name Weekly column on the history of place names. Got any suggestions? Write to cityexpresskoc@newindianexpress.com

The New Indian Express 19 Mar 2024 9:08 am

Social media romance buzz turns novels chart-toppers

KOCHI: A 78-page novel authored by N Mohanan in 1997, chronicling his lost love, is witnessing a remarkable resurgence more than a quarter century after the writers passing. A fortuitous Instagram reel has propelled the novel Orikkal, which contains autobiographical elements penned towards the end of the novelists life, into a sensation on social media. And DC Books, the publishers of the book, have released 17 editions within a span of six months, with the book topping the charts. Frequently purchased alongside Mohanans work is Ram c/o Anandhi, a novel by Akhil P Dharmajan, which has seen 28 editions since its launch a year ago and has topped the best-selling chart among Indian language books. Accompanying these is Nimna Vijays second novel Ettavum Priyappetta Ennodu and Visappu Pranayam Unmadam by Muhammed Abbas. Sujith Surendran, representing DC Books, told TNIE that theres a discernible trend among youngsters of increasing attraction to romance-themed content. He observed that this interest is mirrored in the creation of reels and videos featuring poignant lines from romantic books. Such content not only piques curiosity but also boosts sales by captivating the audiences attention. Within six months, we have released 17 editions of Orikkal and printed 2,000 to 3,000 copies per edition, a notable departure from our typical 1,000 copies. The last three editions of Ram C/O Anandhi had 10,000 copies per edition, contributing to total sales crossing one lakh copies, Sujith said. He attributed the surge in sales primarily to social media. Were observing shifts in reading preferences, indicating an evolving landscape. The engaging narration and music in the reel have significantly boosted its popularity, particularly among the younger audience. Nimnas book, published by a relatively unknown publisher, is also breaking records, he emphasised. Sidharthan M of Mathrubhumi Books said book sales exhibit seasonal behaviour, with the current trend leaning towards romance and with social media engagement driving sales. Previously, selling 2,000 to 3,000 books was considered a success. Now, some books are selling 30,000 to 40,000 copies, which is unusual for Malayalam language literature. Kalyaniyennum Dakshayaniyennum Peraya Randu Sthreekalude Katha by R Rajasree sold more than 40,000 copies. Initially published as social media posts, it later gained popularity among readers and was adapted into a book, he said. Writer Nimna, however, discounted that romance is trending, pointing out that her book is about self-love. She added that promotion on social media led to a take-off in sales, which was later aided by fan-made content that saw sales skyrocketing. Her last edition, the 22nd, had a print of 8,000 copies. M Sarita Varma, daughter of Mohanan and the current rights holder of the book, described it as a love story, a tale of sacrifice, written candidly by a person who may have had a premonition of his death. My father penned this in 1997 and passed away shortly thereafter, in 1999. Its autobiographical with elements of fiction and contains numerous literary references. Such profound love is rare to find in modern times, and its resonance with youngsters may stem from its themes of sacrifice and cherishing moments, she said. Sarita, a journalist and writer herself, added that the publication rights of the books were frozen for around 16 years before she decided to republish it, prompted by letters from readers. The book was a bestseller in its time, and Im not surprised by its reception now. Maybe social media has also played a role in boosting sales, she added. Shifts in reading preferences A discernible trend among youngsters of increasing attraction to romance-themed content is mirrored in the creation of reels and videos featuring poignant lines from romantic books

The New Indian Express 19 Mar 2024 8:58 am

Kochi: Cops say Aluva abductors and victims may be acquaintances; seven identified

KOCHI: The police probing the suspected abduction of a youth from the vicinity of the Aluva railway station have identified seven persons, including three who have been reported missing since Sunday. Ernakulam Rural police chief Vaibhav Saxena said while everyone has been identified, whether it was a case of kidnapping or not will only become clear after interrogating the suspects. An autorickshaw driver had on Sunday alerted the police about the alleged abduction of the youth by a group who was travelling in a Toyota Innova car. The police registered a case suo motu based on the drivers statement and launched a probe. The police found the car at Kaniyapuram in Thiruvananthapuram later in the day. Eyewitnesses reported seven people fleeing from the spot after abandoning the vehicle. The police found bloodstains inside the car. As per sources, two people from Thrissur who had rented the car to an ASI at Pathanamthitta AR camp have also been questioned. The ASI told the officers that the vehicle was rented for his NRI friend who recently returned from abroad. We have identified all the persons involved in the case. We know their whereabouts and police teams from other districts are after them too. Three of the seven are likely victims and four are abductors. However, we are yet to confirm whether it is a case of kidnapping. This is the most vital aspect in the case. We are yet to get any complaint, Vaibhav said. The abductors and alleged victims may be known to each other and financial deals may be the reason behind the entire incident, he said. That may be why all seven fled when the police chased the vehicle in Thiruvananthapuram, Vaibhav said. Duo who arranged vehicle arrested Two Kollam natives who arranged the SUV used by the abductors and were part of the conspiracy were arrested on Monday. The arrested are Riyas Khan, 48, of Anchal and Anvar Abdul Sathar, 31, of Kollam. The Aluva police said an ASI with the Pathanamthitta Armed Reserve Camp had taken the vehicle on rent for his friend and the vehicle reached the duos hand through the officers friend. The police also suspect the abducted persons are migrant workers who had taken D5 lakh to supply goods, but were kidnapped after they failed to deliver the same. Meanwhile, though eyewitnesses statements indicate three people were abducted, Riyas and Anvar, who were privy to the conspiracy, have maintained only two were kidnapped. Curiously, no missing complaint has been received from the family of the allegedly abducted persons.

The New Indian Express 19 Mar 2024 8:31 am

Kochi gears up for LS elections; 3,094 electronic voting machines ready

KOCHI: Preparations to ensure smooth conduct of the Lok Sabha elections in Ernakulam district are going on in full swing, District Collector N S K Umesh said on Monday. Kerala will go to the polls on April 26. Umesh said 3,094 electronic voting machines (EVMs) have been inspected and are ready for casting votes. Bharat Electronics Ltds M3 model machine has also been set up. As many as 2,980 control units and 3,209 VVPAT machines are ready. Three flying squads, static surveillance teams, and video surveillance teams each besides a video viewing team and an accounting team are working to analyse the income and expenditure of the candidates. Around 2,545 persons have been appointed to work with different squads, Umesh said. He said banks have been instructed to report suspicious transactions above Rs 10 lakh during the elections. Transactions above Rs 1 lakh done via the accounts of the candidates and their close relatives will also be monitored, said Umesh, while urging banks to maintain a record of the functioning of ATM counters. The district requires 12,864 polling officers to conduct the elections. Umesh said all booths will be of high quality and are being set up on the ground floor. Ramps are available in 2,080 booths as of now and will be installed in others, he said. The district recorded a 78.68% turnout in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. As many as 80.43% of votes were cast in the Chalakudy constituency, while 77.56% of votes were cast in Ernakulam.

The New Indian Express 19 Mar 2024 8:27 am

Unkept promises: Moolampilly evictees give clarion call

KOCHI: Tired of the trail of broken promises by consecutive governments, families displaced due to the Vallarpadam Container Terminal project have decided to strengthen their campaign seeking justice. The campaign is a clarion call for the political parties who have been ignoring our voices, said Francis Kalathunkal, general convenor of the Moolampilly Coordination Committee. The residents of Moolampilly were evicted 16 years ago to pave the way for the very ambitious Container Terminal project. As many as 326 families from Mulavukad, Kothadu, Cheranalloor, Vaduthala, Kalamassery, Eloor, Manjummel and Edappally were evicted in 2008 to build road and rail connectivity to ICTT. The then-LDF government brought out a Moolampilly rehabilitation package. Though the families were granted plots at seven places in and around Kochi, six of them were landfills. Over 250 families are yet to get houses and are living in rented houses, said Francis. When the land was allotted, 52 families decided to construct houses. However, seven of them found the structures sinking and developing cracks. So, others refrained from investing their hard-earned money in building houses. They continue to live in houses taken on lease or on rent, he says. A PWD study also pointed out that the lands were not suitable for constructing buildings and needed proper foundation work to support any structures, he adds. The tragic thing is that around 36 people who had been waiting for the implementation of the rehabilitation package have passed away, four of whom died by suicide, he says. We were promised that one person from each family holding a degree would be given a job at the terminal once the project comes to fruition. However, we were given nothing, he says. The creation of a post of rehabilitation officer has also been our long-pending demand. We need such an official to oversee the implementation of the rehabilitation packages, said Francis. The Moolampilly evictees also want the monitoring panel that was set up for their rehabilitation to be revamped. COMPENSATION Evictees were to be allotted 4.5 cents of land if the extent taken over was below 5 cents and 5.5 cents if the area exceeded 5 cents. HC directed government to ensure land allotted is made fit for A-Class construction, up to the standards of consolidation necessary for a double-storeyed building The government sanctioned Rs 75,000 per family for piling work A member of each family was guaranteed employment Rs 5,000 for each family as rent till their rehabilitation and a lump-sum of Rs 10,000 for shifting

The New Indian Express 19 Mar 2024 8:19 am

Abhimanyu murder case: Kerala Court appoints inquiry officer to probe missing documents

KOCHI: The Ernakulam District Principal Session Court on Monday appointed an inquiry officer to conduct an administrative-level probe into the missing of 11 crucial documents in the Abhimanyu murder case. Observing that the documents have been missing from the court since January 2019, District Principal Sessions Judge Honey M Varghese, however, said such incidents were not unusual. The missing documents include the chargesheet, postmortem report, case particulars with a covering letter, an attested copy of the register of property found in prison search, police intimation to an accused person named Arjun, casualty register and hospital card of another accused Vineeth, the wound certificate of Rahul K, 15 customer application forms submitted to procure SIM cards, a site plan, a certificate issued from Maharajas College and a 161 CrPC statement by the accused persons during the interrogation. The court, while considering the case on Monday, observed, Missing documents are regular at courts. There have been instances where the lost documents were found later. There is nothing unusual about the missing of documents in this case. Regarding the inquiry officer, the judge did not disclose any details saying that it is an administrative procedure, not a judicial one. However, it is learned that a judge is conducting the inquiry into the incident. Judge Honey was apprised of the missing document issue on September 2023. As per procedure, she reported it to the Kerala High Court which directed her to reconstruct the files. The case was considered Monday to hear the defence counsels objections, if any, regarding the authenticity of the reconstructed documents. However, the counsel representing the eight accused persons, who are members of the student political organisation Campus Front, filed an objection over the reconstruction of missing documents. The counsel for the third accused sought more time for filing an objection.

The New Indian Express 19 Mar 2024 8:10 am

Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu to hold wild animal census

KOCHI: Spurred by the spike in human-wildlife conflicts in Kerala, the state forest and wildlife department, along with the Tamil Nadu and Karnataka governments, will undertake a simultaneous survey of wild animals to find out the increase in their numbers. While announcing on Monday, Forest Minister A K Saseendran said the current number of wild animals in Kerala are estimated based on the census done in 2018. The last time the survey was done was five years ago. To find out the rise in the number of wild animals and their current status, Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu have jointly decided to undertake a new census at the same time, Saseendran told reporters in Ernakulam. He said the government has also come up with initiatives to ensure availability of water in forests to prevent wild animals from straying into human habitats. The move aims to avoid human-wildlife conflicts, which have claimed several human lives this year alone. Blaming climate change for the incursion of wild animals into human settlements, Saseendran said, Availability of water will be ensured in forests to prevent wild animals from entering human settlements. A pilot project in Thiruvananthapuram proved the issue could be resolved by spending Rs 5 lakh, and we have decided to go ahead with its implementation. I have directed the officials to identify and submit a report on natural springs and swamps inside the forest within a week and find places where water can be easily supplied, Saseendran said. Around 240 such water bodies have been identified in Wayanad forest division alone. The project will be implemented with the cooperation of local bodies and hotel owners, and using corporate social responsibility funds.

The New Indian Express 19 Mar 2024 8:06 am

Monson cheating case: Probe officer accused of extortion

KOCHI: Sleuths from the Kochi unit of the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) on Monday recorded the statement of a businessman, the complainant in a cheating case registered against conman Monson Mavunakal, after he accused the investigating officer of extortion. The VACB Ernakulam SP had summoned Yakoob Purayil, a native of Mukkam in Kozhikode, after the latter filed a complaint before the VACB director accusing Crime Branch DySP Y R Rustom, who has investigated cheating and rape cases against Monson, of extortion. Yakoob and five other businessmen from Kozhikode are the complainants in the cheating case. Yakoob alleged that Rustom extorted money from him on several occasions. After his statements were recorded, Rustom told reporters outside the VACB office that he handed over proof substantiating his allegations to the officials. I have handed over all the evidence to the VACB. The probe officer threatened me to pay money several times, citing various reasons. He put the main cheating case against Monson involving financial transactions on the back burner. They were only interested in the rape cases against him. Money was also demanded claiming police officers draw low salary. On most occasions, account numbers of other persons were provided for transferring money, Yakoob alleged. He also alleged that Rustom added and removed names from the list of accused on whim. We never said anything about IG G Lakshman, but he was made an accused in the case. Some persons of interest were deliberately excluded from the case, Yakoob alleged. Theft at Monsons house: Probe begins The Ernakulam North police have launched a probe into the alleged theft of antiques from the rented house of conman Monson Mavunkal at Kaloor in Kochi. Monson, who is in jail, had recently lodged a complaint with the crime branch alleging that antiques had gone missing from his museum. Following a search on Monday, crime branch officials said 15 items were found to be missing.

The New Indian Express 19 Mar 2024 7:51 am

Kerala: Four students from Pookode Veterinary College face action in old ragging case

KOCHI: The management of the College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Pookode, which came under scrutiny after the death of the second-year student J S Sidharthan following an alleged mob trial, has initiated disciplinary action against four students implicated in a ragging incident that took place in 2023. The four students said the anti-ragging committees surprising action against them came despite the victim stating, in writing, that he had no allegation of physical or mental assault. It is believed that the disciplinary action is a retaliatory move for disclosing the events that led to Sidharthans death. The committee decided to rusticate students Ajith Aravindakshan and Amresh Bali with immediate effect for one year. They have been charged under several sections of the UGC Regulation on Curbing the Menace of Ragging in Higher Educational Institutions, 2009 after their involvement in ragging came to light. The committee has withheld the scholarships/ fellowships and other benefits of two other students, Nihas N and Jonath Antony, as per the 2009 regulations. An order issued on March 15 said during the probe by the anti-ragging squad into the suspected suicide of Sidharthan, an old incident of alleged ragging was reported to the squad on February 27, 2024. The squad conducted a detailed inquiry by collecting statements from all the students linked to the incident and submitted a report before the anti-ragging committee chairman. In it, the squad concluded that the victim had been subjected to physical assault and that the incident comes under the purview of ragging as per UGC 2009 regulations. During the inquiry, the squad observed that the male victim wants to conceal his identity. In this regard, the standing counsel of the university has advised to maintain anonymity of the victim to the extent possible, said the order. The anti-ragging committee held a meeting later, on March 13, and initiated action against the students. The four students have approached a lawyer in Kochi to file a petition against the order.

The New Indian Express 19 Mar 2024 7:39 am

Kerala LS polls: Candidates celebrity endorsement bid misfires

KOCHI/THRISSUR: Its election season, and celebrity endorsements are the norm rather than the exception. However, their attempts at such an endorsement and celebrity photo opportunity have backfired on the Left and NDA candidates in the Thrissur Lok Sabha constituency, much to their embarrassment. CPI candidate V S Sunil Kumar and BJPs Suresh Gopi were at the receiving end of their own over-enthusiasm, following a snub by the celebrities. Sunil Kumar was forced to delete a photograph he posted on his social media pages with Tovino Thomas after the actor cautioned candidates against using his image as he is the ambassador of the Election Commission of India (ECI) in Kerala. Meanwhile, a prominent doctor who tried to arrange a meeting of Suresh Gopi with Kalamandalam Gopi was reportedly rebuffed by the Kathakali maestro himself. The photo posted by Sunil Kumar showed him standing with Tovino, with the caption extolling them as the shining stars of Thrissur, along with CPIs symbol and the request urging voters to help the candidate win. Tovino took to social media to issue a statement after Sunil Kumar posted the photo. Did not know that Tovino is SVEEPs brand ambassador, says Sunil Kumar I wish to hereby convey that Im the ambassador for Kerala for the ECIs Systematic Voters Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) programme and so it is against the law to use my photo, or a photo including me for any kind of election campaigning. In case somebody is using it, I wish to clarify that it is without my knowledge or consent. Wishing everyone a fair election experience, Tovino wrote on his FB page after Sunil Kumar posted the photo. After deleting the post, the former agriculture minister explained that he was unaware that Tovino was SVEEPs brand ambassador. He said the photograph was taken during his visit to Pulikunnam where the actor was shooting for a film. Earlier, the Congress and BJP had ridiculed and opposed CPIs action of using Tovinos pictures on the election posters. The NDA took a step further and complained to the ECI against Sunil Kumar. Meanwhile, Raghu Gurukripa, son of Kalamandalam Gopi, alleged that a prominent doctor in Thrissur called him and tried to influence his father on behalf of Suresh Gopi. The doctor had said Gopi Asan should bless Suresh Gopi and the actor would visit Asan at his residence. When Raghu denied them permission saying no BJP or Congress workers should approach his father as part of their election campaign, the doctor asked him whether his father doesnt want to be honoured with Padma Bhushan. Raghu being a follower of the LDF, has been campaigning for Sunil Kumar. Hence, he denied the doctor permission to bring Suresh Gopi to visit his father at his residence. According to Raghu, his father himself had denied permission for the meeting. Raghu, however, deleted the post on Monday and wrote on Facebook that he did not want people to exploit his father for their own profit. Raghu also urged people not to discuss the matter further. Responding to the row, Suresh Gopi said he didnt appoint anyone to ask permission to meet Gopi Asan. It is the BJP district president who takes care of the list of prominent people who I should meet as a candidate. When we have the campaign visits in each assembly constituency, we meet people there and seek blessings, he said. Suresh Gopi added that he had not read Raghus post on Facebook. He also said that if the party asked, he would meet Gopi Asan. I have met him several times, and even had the opportunity to release a documentary on him, Suresh Gopi said.

The New Indian Express 19 Mar 2024 7:18 am

Kerala HC allows mom to buy drug for SMA-affected child without paying tax

KOCHI: In a display of judicial compassion and intervention, the Kerala High Court has stepped in to address the plight of a mother grappling with the dire medical needs of her three-year-old child affected by the life-threatening rare disease Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA). The court recently issued an order permitting her to purchase the drug Risdiplam, sold under the brand name Evrysdi, from the dealer without paying IGST. The court issued the order on the petition filed by the mother seeking a directive to the Union government not to collect IGST from the distributor for the purchase of the drug which is imported from F-Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Switzerland. The petitioner is sourcing the medicine from a distributor in Ernakulam. She submitted that a circular issued by the Centre said that the import of medicines for treating individuals suffering from life-threatening diseases can be considered for exemption on a case-to-case basis. The present price of Risdiplam is Rs 6.07 lakh per bottle, including 12% GST. The court pointed out that it was clear from the terms of the circular, minutes of the GST council, and the provisions of Article 279A(4) of the Constitution that the Union finance minister is competent to consider the grant of exemption from IGST for the import of medicines for individuals who are suffering from life-threatening diseases. The case of the petitioner appears to be eminently qualified for the grant of such exemption, it said. Advocate T Sanjay, counsel for the petitioner, said that the child needs several bottles of Risdiplam and the price of the same is unbearable to an ordinary citizen. According to the petitioner, she is incurring huge medical expenditures for his treatment by way of hospital and medical equipment expenses. Such huge expenses are beyond the means of the petitioner, who is jobless and survives on the remittances of her husband, who is working in Dubai. The total amount incurred by her for the purchase during the period from March 16, 2022, to February 10, 2023, alone comes to Rs 24,26,668, the plea stated.

The New Indian Express 19 Mar 2024 7:12 am

Indian Navys Remotely Piloted Aircraft crashes

New Delhi, March 18 (IANS) A Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) of the Indian Navy crashed on Monday during a routine training sortie, an official said. The Navy said that at around 5 p.m., an RPA/ Searcher, during a routine training sortie at INS Garuda, Kochi, crashed one mile short of the runway. No injuries or []

bhaskarlive 18 Mar 2024 11:28 pm

Duck Mappas - Have You Tried This Flavourful Dish From Central Kerala?

Duck Mappas is a quintessential signature dish from Central Kerala. This is a dish you're likely to find at toddy shops around Kochi, Alappuzha and Kottayam.

NDTV 18 Mar 2024 7:08 pm

CMFRI launches mobile App to encourage citizen science initiative in marine fisheries research

Kochi, March 18 (IANS) The ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) on Monday launched an innovative mobile App MARLIN@CMFRI to encourage citizen science initiatives in marine fisheries research. MARLIN@CMFRI allows the public to effortlessly upload photos of marine fish species encountered in the vast expanse of the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone, leading to the development []

bhaskarlive 18 Mar 2024 4:03 pm

Air India Express Expands Summer Flight Offerings Amid Rising Travel Demand

Air India Express has announced a major expansion of its routes and increased flight frequencies in anticipation of the busy summer travel season ahead. The airline's 2024 summer schedule will see more than 360 daily departures, connecting various business and leisure destinations. Compared to last summer, there has been significant growth in the network, with domestic flights up by over 25% and international flights up by more than 20%. This translates to an additional 55 domestic flights and 19 more international flights, totaling 259 domestic and 109 international departures. The airline aims to boost flight frequencies to international destinations such as Abu Dhabi, Dammam, Jeddah, and Sharjah. It also plans to strengthen its network by increasing both domestic and international frequencies from Ayodhya, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kannur, Kolkata, Kochi, Mangalore, Thiruvananthapuram, and Varanasi, offering passengers a wider range of travel options. This expansion comes at a time when Indian travelers are gearing up for a busy summer of travel, with airfares expected to rise. Reservations for the peak summer season from April to June have surged by 30-40% compared to last year, according to reports. Limited flight availability may further drive up airfares. Other airlines are also gearing up for the summer rush. IndiGo, the country's largest airline, plans to introduce new routes for both domestic and international flights. SpiceJet has completed lease agreements for 10 aircraft to meet the increased demand expected during the summer months. However, Indian carriers are facing challenges, with around 200 planes expected to remain grounded due to engine issues and financial difficulties at struggling airlines. Additionally, flight cancellations may occur if the government does not delay the implementation of new pilot duty hours, scheduled to take effect on June 1st. In other aviation news, FLY91, a new player in India's aviation industry, has commenced its commercial services. The airline is initially operating flights between Goa, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and Sindhudurg, with plans to add flights to Agatti, Jalgaon, and Pune in April. They will operate flights between Goa and Bengaluru on Monday, Friday, and Saturday, with a similar schedule for Bengaluru-Sindhudurg routes. Additionally, they will fly between Goa and Hyderabad, as well as Sindhudurg and Hyderabad twice a week. Tata-Owned Air India Cuts 180 Jobs, Cites Business Streamlining Cheap domestic flights will be booked at low price, know what is the process After all, why did the flight attendant say that food should not be eaten in the flight, know this interesting reason

News Track 18 Mar 2024 3:11 pm

Direct flights to Kolkata, Kochi and Imphal will start from April, see complete schedule here

Air India Express Kolkata Direct Flights: Air India Express, a subsidiary of Tata Group owned Air India, will start direct flights from Kolkata to Imphal and Kochi in April. Air India Express Kolkata Direct Flights: If you are fond of travelling, then there is good news for you. Air India Express, a subsidiary of Tata [] The post Direct flights to Kolkata, Kochi and Imphal will start from April, see complete schedule here first appeared on informalnewz .

informalnewz 18 Mar 2024 3:06 pm

Air India Express to operate non-stop flights to Kochi, Imphal from Kolkata in April

Air India Express, a subsidiary of Air India, will start non-stop flights from Kolkata to Imphal and Kochi this April, offering new fare products and increased domestic routes. The airline aims to provide a personalized travel experience for its guests.

The Economic Times 18 Mar 2024 2:47 pm

Kochi to Chandigarh, Top 15 contestants of Superstar Singer 3

Mumbai: The kids singing reality show Superstar Singer 3, which has super judge Neha Kakkar, has revealed its top 15 contestants, after multiple rounds of auditions. The Top 15 contestants will be divided into five teams with three contestants in each Captains team. The captains are Pawandeep Rajan, Arunita Kanjilal, Sayali Kamble, Mohd Danish 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 .

The Siasat Daily 18 Mar 2024 2:31 pm

From Kochi to Chandigarh, Top 15 contestants line up for Superstar Singer 3

Mumbai, March 18 (IANS) The kids singing reality show Superstar Singer 3, which has super judge Neha Kakkar, has revealed its top 15 contestants, after multiple rounds of auditions. The Top 15 contestants will be divided into five teams with three contestants in each Captains team. The captains are Pawandeep Rajan, Arunita Kanjilal, Sayali []

bhaskarlive 18 Mar 2024 2:18 pm

Jolt for CPIs Thrissur candidate as actor Tovino says his picture should not be used for campaigning

Kochi, March 18 (IANS) Former State Agriculture Minister and CPI candidate for the prestigious Thrissur Lok Sabha constituency, VS Sunil Kumar on Monday suffered a jolt when the hugely-popular actor, Tovino Thomas, took to his social media page to point out that no one should use his picture for campaigning. He wrote, My best wishes []

bhaskarlive 18 Mar 2024 12:33 pm

Youth abducted from Aluva, car found in Thiruvananthapuram

KOCHI: Four days after a man was abducted while leaving the Aluva railway station, another youth was allegedly kidnapped from the station's vicinity on Sunday. The Aluva police registered a case based on the statement of an autorickshaw driver and launched a probe. The victim is yet to be identified. Meanwhile, the car used by the alleged abductors was found abandoned at Kaniyapuram in Thiruvananthapuram later in the day. The police had received an alert in the morning saying a person was abducted by four people who came in a car. A case was registered based on the statements of an autorickshaw driver. The latter said the incident took place around 7.30am when the youth was coming out of a hotel after having food. As per the autorickshaw driver's statement, the four-member group forcibly shoved the victim inside a car and took off. The police are analysing CCTV footage from the area. Four days ago, a man was abducted while coming out of the railway station. The abductors released him later.

The New Indian Express 18 Mar 2024 9:23 am

Footfall to Kuzhuppilly floating bridge sees dip; Operator says it is safe

KOCHI: The Varkala floating bridge accident that saw 15 visitors getting injured has put the spotlight back on the safety of such structures. Last November, a floating bridge at Chavakkad in Thrissur district collapsed soon after its inauguration by Tourism Minister P A Mohamed Riyas. At the same time, the operator of the floating bridge installed at the Kuzhuppilly beach in Vypeen attempts to clear the apprehensions raised about its safety. The bridge being operated by my company places great importance on the safety aspect, says Vince K, director of Float Adventures. While more visitors now arrive at the Kuzhuppilly beach in the evenings, given the adverse weather during daytime, the floating bridge there has been a hit since its launch last October, he stresses. Safety concerns galore after Varkala floating bridge mishap, water sports operators asked to follow IMD weather updates Amid allegations against the Varkala floating bridge operator over the non-compliance of rules like getting permission from the disaster management authority and the Kerala Coastal Zone Management Authority, Vince says his company has obtained the necessary permissions through the District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC). We adhere to the safety protocols like shutting down the bridge during adverse weather. For example, two days ago, when the waves became rough, we stopped the entry of visitors by 4pm and closed the bridge. The months of February, March and April are lean, Vince points out. Though we do get good numbers of visitors during weekends, the footfall is not that high compared to January. The heat and examinations have led to a drop in the number of visitors, he says. Crafted using high-density polyethylene, the floating bridge promises to provide visitors the joy of riding the waves. Conceived by the tourism department, the bridge was built in 15 days at a cost of Rs 1 crore. Rs 1 crore has been spent to construct the floating bridge at Kuzhuppilly in 15 days

The New Indian Express 18 Mar 2024 9:20 am

Work-near-home plan scrapped, Infopark to repurpose workspace in Kochi

KOCHI: The state governments ambitious work-near-home (WNH) initiative, which was slated to be launched on a pilot basis under Infopark at Ernakulam South, has been scrapped over differences in project implementation. The abrupt abandonment of the Rs 25-crore project comes merely months before its launch. Envisioned as a haven of productivity, the initial workspace was conceived to accommodate up to 500 people at a time. The project was designed to cater to the demand of professionals in the city and nearby areas. However, the government sought to extend it to remote areas. The decision to drop the project was taken since it didnt align with the governments proposal, said a source with Infopark. Unperturbed, Infopark now plans to convert the space into one of its office buildings. We have a technology business centre functioning within the Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium. We have similar plans for this space. The building will be rented out to private offices. A tender will be invited soon, the source said, adding that the workspace will be inaugurated as part of the 20th-anniversary celebration of Infopark. The workspace is equipped with plug-and-play facilities, a co-working space, meeting rooms, conference halls, training centres, a coffee lounge and restaurant, seamless internet connectivity, uninterrupted power supply, and security. Meanwhile, reports suggest that Infopark dropped the project -- which was first announced when Dr T M Thomas Isaac was finance minister -- after a cash-crunch-hit government withdrew support for it. Didn't align with govt proposal Envisioned as a haven of productivity, the initial workspace was conceived to accommodate up to 500 people at a time. As per a source, the decision to drop the C25 crore project was taken since it didnt align with the governments proposal Infopark now plans to convert the space into one of its office buildings

The New Indian Express 18 Mar 2024 9:16 am

As temperature goes up, experts call for caution against summer diseases in Kochi

KOCHI: Amid the worry of high temperatures causing serious health issues like sunstroke, sunburn and dehydration, experts have called for caution against the spread of summer-specific diseases and infections. With several viruses and bacteria circulating during summer, maintaining hygiene is crucial to prevent the occurrence of diseases, they said. Summer-time infections can enter the body in four ways through skin contact, intake of water and food, mosquitoes and by inhalation. Diseases like chickenpox can spread through both contact and inhalation. Gastrointestinal and liver diseases like hepatitis A (jaundice), typhoid, shigella, and E.coli spread through food and water, said Dr Rajeev Jayadevan, chairman of the research cell of the Indian Medical Associations Kerala unit. Early onset of summer sees increase in waterborne diseases in Kerala Washing hands thoroughly with soap and water after using the washroom and before eating should be made a universal practice, he said. Consequently, it also reduces antibiotic use and anti-microbial resistance. Carrying a bottle of boiled water while travelling is a good idea to avoid infections, he added. Heatwave criteria not suited for Kerala, experts blame inadequate weather infrastructure

The New Indian Express 18 Mar 2024 8:49 am

Illegal parking of large oil tankers on Seaport-Airport road sparks concerns in Kochi

KOCHI: Residents have come out against the illegal parking of large oil tankers along the Seaport-Airport Road near Kakkanad, saying it was posing a threat to both them and commuters on the stretch. Last week, nearly 300 tankers were seen in queue in Chittethukara area. As per the residents, illegal parking of lorries as they wait to fill up or unload fuel at BPCL, IOC, and HPCL plants in the area has led to several accidents and loss of life. In 2022, three people died within a week due to the practice, they said. Since the road is uneven at the sides, passing by the parked tankers often leads to accidents, said the residents adding that a permanent solution is yet to be devised despite their numerous protests and complaints. Eldho Chirakachalil, an IT professional and social activist who has lodged several complaints with the officials concerned and Kerala State Human Rights Commission on the danger posed by illegal parking of the lorries and organised several protests, said he was forced to raise his voice after two youths working in Infopark died in accidents on separate occasions. The rights commission directed installation of milestones on the Irumpanam road stretch, which used to be filled with illegally parked lorries. Now, the lorries are congesting the stretch from Chittethukara to Eechamukku, which has no milestones, posing significant risks due to the hazardous cargo they carry, alleged Eldho. Officials with the Kochi city traffic police said they are initiating action against illegal parking of lorries. However, Eldho alleged their negligence in recognising the severity of the issue. The concerns are about potential accidents or fires involving the fuel-laden tankers, especially in light of recent incidents like the fire at Brahmapuram waste treatment plant. If other vehicles hit these fuel tankers or in any case catch fire, the damage will be unimaginable, he said. Meanwhile, lorry drivers and owners alleged the companies concerned were not providing them with parking spaces, forcing them to park by the road. At a recent hearing at Aluva Palace, the rights commission had summoned Eldho to testify. He urged the panel to compel the police to enforce strict no-parking regulations and mandate fuel companies to furnish adequate parking spaces. He also called for urgent road-widening initiatives by the state government. The commission has directed the district collector and fuel companies to furnish a report after examining the situation immediately.

The New Indian Express 18 Mar 2024 8:42 am

Phase 3 in works as Infopark plans to get more land to tackle shortage in Kochi

KOCHI: With space constraints impeding the growth of IT ventures within the Infopark campus in Kakkanad, the authorities have decided to expand the project into neighbouring areas. Infopark has submitted a proposal to the state government to acquire land under Phase-III in Kakkanad, according to sources. The lack of space on the campus has completely stalled growth as we have limitations in accommodating more companies in the existing Phase-I and Phase-II projects of the software park. For the growth of a company, land and infrastructure are very much required. If all goes as planned, a new campus will be opened soon, an Infopark source told TNIE. Spread over 260 acres across two phases, Infopark houses 546 companies that together employ about 70,000 professionals. Several big companies, including IBM, TCS, and Wipro, have opened spaces in Infopark. We are receiving several proposals from companies to set up their offices in Kochi. But the unavailability of land is posing a challenge as there is no space to accommodate new companies, the source said. Kochi dialogues | City needs a think-tank For growth: Infopark CEO A favourable decision from the government on the proposal will open the gates for the Phase-III development of Infopark, which is a major contributor to the IT export revenue from the state. Meanwhile, the government is expected to consider the land pooling method for the Phase-III development of the IT park. We hope the government will consider the proposal after the Lok Sabha elections. If the plans come alive, it will open another chapter in the history of Kerala, said another source. In addition to Infopark's infrastructure including Thapasya, Vismaya, and Athulya, parallel developments by co-developers like Leela Soft, L&T Techpark, and Brigade Enterprises are under way on the campus. This expansion offers IT companies a variety of office space options customised to their needs and budgets.

The New Indian Express 18 Mar 2024 8:40 am

North Paravoor Cooperative Bank in Kerala under vigilance scrutiny for corruption

KOCHI: Yet another cooperative bank has come under the scanner with the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) registering a case against the secretaries and governing body members of North Paravoor Service Cooperative Bank. The VACB FIR stated that the bank paid Rs 1.49 crore as fees to a lawyer for filing tax to the tune of `27.23 lakh since 2008-09 fiscal. The FIR was registered by the Ernakulam VACB unit recently under various sections of the IPC and Prevention of Corruption Act. There are as many as 24 accused persons including two secretaries, a person who availed loans and 21 governing board members, including local CPM leaders. The accused bank secretaries Krishnakumar P, Jayashri K S, loanee Shainaj Sudheerkumar, board members C P Jayan, V Dileepkumar, T M Sheikh Pareeth, M A Vidyasagar, R Murukeshan, K R Didi, Sindhu Vijaykumar, Sreedevi Apukuttan, K Ramachandran, Gopalakrishnan P K, K M Rajeev, E P Sasidharan, T V Nidhin, Angels M P, Chandrabose K B, Jibu C P, Vijaykumar J, Jyothi Dineesh, Sunil Sukumar K S, Vidyanandan K A and V S Sadanandan. The case was registered based on a complaint filed by N Mohanan, a resident of North Paravoor. As per the FIR, the secretaries and governing body members of the bank conspired and illegally granted loans to Shainaj and another person named Sarasmohan. According to Vigilance, Shainaj and Sarasmohan had availed a loan mortgaging their properties. A new loan of Rs 32 lakh was sanctioned again by mortgaging the same properties to the same persons. Though Shainaj and Sarasmohan did not repay the first loan availed by them, it was shown as closed as per bank records. Karuvannur probe revealed similar frauds in 12 other cooperative banks: ED tells Kerala High Court Another major graft as per VACB FIR is that accused persons misappropriated funds in the form of income tax filing for the bank. From the 2008-09 fiscal to the 2020-21 fiscal, the bank paid Rs 27.23 lakh as income tax. However, fees for filing income tax returns during the same period coming to the tune of Rs 1.42 crore were paid to lawyer K K Chandrasekharan, including Rs 3.25 lakh paid as advance. From March 2008 to March 2018, Rs 79.50 lakh was paid to the lawyer as tax filing fees. From March 2018 to March 2021, Rs 59.25 lakh was paid as fees to the lawyer. However, income tax filing fees for the lawyer were fixed by the governing body on March 27, 2018. Despite this, the secretaries continued to pay the amount as fees without receipts or vouchers. Thus accused persons knowingly diverted the funds of the bank. Karuvannur Service Cooperative Bank scam: ED grills CPM Thrissur dist secretary The case is being probed by Ernakulam VACB Inspector Kiran Sam. VACB officials said that the victim had approached the Vigilance Court with a complaint. The court directed VACB to investigate it. We conducted a preliminary probe and found it a fit case to probe. We have collected some records from the bank and we are examining them. Soon we will summon the accused persons for a detailed interrogation. The probe is in the preliminary stage, a VACB official said. Conspiracy suspected FIR says bank paid Rs 1.49cr as fees to a lawyer for filing tax to the tune of Rs 27.23 lakh since 2008-09 fiscal There are 24 accused persons including 2 secretaries, a person who availed loans and 21 governing board members, including local CPM leaders Case was registered based on a complaint filed by N Mohanan, a resident of North Paravoor

The New Indian Express 18 Mar 2024 7:55 am

1st Temple in Kochi celebrates Nadayiruthal with life-size mechanical Elephant, Mahadevan, gifted by Actor Priyamani and PETA India

NL Corresspondent Kochi: Actor Priyamani and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India have donated a life-size mechanical elephant, Mahadevan, to the Thrikkayil Mahadeva Temple in Kochi in recognition of the temple's decision never to own or hire live elephants. Mahadevan will be used to conduct ceremonies at the temple in a safe [] The post 1st Temple in Kochi celebrates Nadayiruthal with life-size mechanical Elephant, Mahadevan, gifted by Actor Priyamani and PETA India appeared first on Northlines .

The Northlines 18 Mar 2024 7:47 am

Ramesh Chennithala takes charge as UDF's campaign chief in Kerala, eyes full sweep in LS polls

KOCHI: With Congress Working Committee member Ramesh Chennithalas appointment as the campaign committee chairman of the party in Kerala, the former Leader of the Opposition is poised to assume the role of UDFs leading figure in the forthcoming parliamentary elections. Bestowed upon him by the Congress central leadership, the new responsibility, along with his role as the in-charge of party affairs in Maharashtra, indicates that he enjoys the continued backing of Congress top leaders. Chennithalas elevation to the position came soon after K Muraleedharan was named the party candidate in the Thrissur Lok Sabha constituency. The Congress has fielded all incumbent MPs for the upcoming parliamentary elections, except T N Prathapan, aiming to replicate its 2019 success when the front secured 19 out of 20 seats. Party sources said that a resounding victory for the UDF would enhance Chennithalas clout within the party. Moreover, he is in charge of party affairs in Maharashtra and a better electoral performance by Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) will boost his prospects in the future. Chennithala was busy forging MVAs seat-sharing deal with its constituents in Maharashtra. Congress-led UDF looks to repeat its 2019 LS poll performance in Kerala Kerala: LDF, UDF claim LS sweep, NDA bets big on five seats Definitely, the victory of UDF in the coming elections will help Chennithala redefine his political stature as he is focused on state politics. He will get the backing of the entire party in the state, said political observer K Baburajan. When the discussions over the Congress candidates in Thrissur and Vadakara ended in a deadlock, the central leadership contacted Chennithala who was in the state to resolve the issue, party leaders said. He was summoned to New Delhi for further discussions. Congress state president K Sudhakaran and Leader of the Opposition V D Satheesan were present at the party headquarters in Delhi during that time. The party finalised the candidates after seeking the opinion of Chennithala, the senior-most leader in the state, a source said. On his arrival in Kochi from Mumbai on Thursday, Chennithala told reporters that the partys campaign for the LS polls will turn high-tech. Congress poll campaign will be made high-tech. We are preparing the plans, he said adding that UDF will win 20 out of 20 seats this time.

The New Indian Express 18 Mar 2024 7:47 am

Kerala: In a life dedicated to learning, 70-year-old eyes doctoral glory

KOCHI: Dont judge a book by its cover. The adage holds true for Guru Sree E G Namboothiri. The frail septuagenarian from Kothamangalam exudes humility and grandfatherly charm. However, a glance at his resume will give you a picture of his achievements. Besides 10 postgraduate degrees, five postgraduate diplomas, and three diplomas, he has completed three certificate courses. Now, he is planning to add another feather in his already crowded hat. I want a PhD. And why not? With 10 PGs I am well qualified for admission to a PhD programme, says Govindan Mash, as he is called by his acquaintances. However, the 70-year-old fears that he may not be able to fulfil his dream. Well, I am at an age when the passport and ticket for my next journey is being readied, he says laughing. Nothing is impossible if you have the will, Govindan Mash adds. The retired teacher is the recipient of various national awards. He was among the first 12 to be awarded the best scholar award by President K R Narayanan. My academic accomplishments are the result of my fathers desire and motivation. A former block development officer, he always stressed the importance of education. He wanted me to study and gain knowledge as much as possible. And Govindan mash didnt disappoint. I have PG degrees in English, economics, managerial economics, Gandhian philosophy, sociology, public administration and education. I have also done my MEd and MPhil, says Govindan Mash, listing some of his major educational successes. He started his career as a teacher in 1979. During the two years that I worked at Aluva Vidyadhiraja Vidyabhavan, I led an ashram life, he recounts. In 2007, he was selected to be part of a five-member team to visit Japan to study the transition of education and cultural values in a developed country. It was a great experience and I was very honoured to be selected by the Indian government for the mission. It was there that I got to savour one of the joys of being a teacher. I met two of my students in Japan who later on came to my rescue when our team had to deal with the Japanese speaking director, during a dinner he hosted, Govindan Mash says. His expertise in multiple subjects led to his appointment as a resource person for English and geography at the State Council for Education Research and Training (SCERT). Govindan Mash was also tasked with training teachers in Lakshadweep and was also in charge of the examinations for state board-affiliated schools in Dubai. I retired as an assistant professor of a BEd college, adds Govindan Mash, who credits his wife, who was also a teacher, for backing his academic quests.

The New Indian Express 18 Mar 2024 7:34 am

6,744 chickenpox cases, 9 deaths in 75 days in Kerala

KOCHI: Kerala has been witnessing a surge in chicken pox cases, with temperatures reaching high levels early this year. Alarmingly, the state reported 6,744 cases of infection and nine deaths, including children, owing to chicken pox a summertime infection spread by varicella-zoster virus until March 15. Last year, the state witnessed a total of four deaths and 26,363 confirmed cases of chickenpox, according to the data with the directorate of health services. With the temperature rising, the chances of contracting the disease is high. A contagious disease, chickenpox can spread through physical contact with an infected person. The virus can also be transmitted through the air, said Dr Rajeev Jayadevan, chairman of the research cell, Indian Medical Association, Kerala. According to him, certain sections are at a greater risk of developing complications. The disease can sometimes be dangerous in the case of infants, people with immune suppression and pregnant women owing to potential harm to foetus. In some cases, complications may even lead to death, he said. Chickenpox: Prevention vital, vaccination available Therefore, prevention is important. Effective vaccination is available, said Dr Rajeev. Chickenpox cases go up in Ernakulam district, caution advised According to Dr Rajeev, patients can help prevent the spread of the disease by isolating themselves until all the skin lesions have healed. If a person with unhealed skin lesions touches or scratches them and then comes into contact with public surfaces such as door handles, infectious fluid containing live viruses can adhere to the surface, he said. Dr Sulphi Noohu, former president of IMA, Kerala, said an outbreak typically occurs before summer. Almost all seasons see the prevalence of the disease. However, the cases rise in tandem with the surge in temperature. So, it is essential that people remain cautious and take preventive measures, he said. Vaccination can prevent a person from contracting chicken pox. Also, effective treatment options are available, said Dr Sulphi. Treatment and early detection are crucial. The effectiveness of the treatment may decline with the severity of the illness. Vaccination is usually recommended for the senior population and those with comorbidities, Dr Sulphi added. Monkeypox vs chickenpox: Difference in way symptoms of both diseases manifest in patients, say docs Symptoms Patient may experience body pain, tiredness and loss of appetite. Blisters, that may turn red, may appear first on the head and mouth in most people. Then they appear on the chest and other body parts. Treatment Inform health centres immediately and seek treatment if symptoms appear Avoid contact with others and stay in a clean and ventilated room Be careful not to poke or burst the abscess Cover mouth and nose while sneezing and coughing Consume nutritious food Avoid self-treatment, take medicines as directed by doctors

The New Indian Express 18 Mar 2024 7:15 am

Kochi hospitals health initiative for mothers launched

Ammaykkou Karuthal to offer free diagnosis for 5,000 mothers and free surgery for 500 mothers.

The Hindu 18 Mar 2024 1:43 am

Kochi Water Metro ferries begin service to four new terminals

The ferries begin service in the High Court-Bolgatty-South Chittoor and the South Chittoor-Eloor-Cheranaloor corridors from March 17

The Hindu 18 Mar 2024 1:39 am

Inviting and insulting artists bad attitude, says Kerala minister

KOCHI: A day after the interruption of singer Jassie Gifts performance by the principal of St Peters College, Kolenchery, snowballed into a controversy, Minister for Higher Education R Bindu took to Facebook to express her displeasure over the incident. Inviting artists and cultural leaders and insulting them is a bad attitude in a college. Saddened by the unfortunate experience of blessed artist Jassie Gift who set a trend in the Malayalam music industry, R Bindu noted on Facebook. Minister for Fisheries of Kerala Saji Cherian, through a post on Facebook, said, Jazzy Gift is a proud artist of Malayalam. The action of Kolancherry St. Peter's College Principal who intervened in a way to insult him who paved his own path in the music industry with hard work and won the hearts of the people is extremely disappointing and immature. It is appropriate to correct the mistake on the side of the college in this matter and express regret to him. The support of cultural Kerala is with dear Jazzy Gift. Meanwhile, the principal of the college, Dr Binuja Joseph, said that there is a 2015 government order which prevents external musical events at colleges and that it is being imposed strictly after the Cusat stampede. When students made a request to invite Jassie Gift, I gave permission to invite only him as the chief guest, and it was planned that he would sing five songs. I interfered as another person too performed. The programme was organised at my risk. I was just trying to communicate with him and the students, Dr Binuja told reporters. Jassie Gift, invited to the college day function, left the venue after the interruption. The issue sparked a controversy as netizens reacted strongly and students staged a protest on the campus.

The New Indian Express 17 Mar 2024 8:54 am

Kerala LS polls: Long wait for BJP candidate in Ernakulam as UDF, LDF intensify campaign

KOCHI: The schedule for the Lok Sabha elections has been announced and the candidates of both LDF and UDF have made tremendous forward strides in campaigning. But the BJP cadre in Ernakulam district has been anxiously waiting for the candidate. Though Ernakulam is not among the A-class constituencies of the BJP, the party had garnered 1.38 lakh votes in 2019 when former Union minister Alphons Kannanthanam contested from here. The party workers believe that they can improve the vote share to 2 lakh if the party presents the right candidate and gives ample time for campaigning. Apart from Ernakulam, the BJP has not announced the candidates for Wayanad, Alathur and Kollam. However, considering the distinction of Ernakulam as the commercial capital of the state, the BJP state leadership wants to improve its foothold in the constituency. Though the NDAs performance was disappointing in the constituency in the 2021 Assembly elections, it garnered 1,44,172 votes in the 2016 Assembly elections with the help of BDJS which has substantial influence among the Ezhava community. Though the leaders do not have any clue about the candidate, around six leaders of the party have expressed willingness to contest from Ernakulam. It is said the national leadership is trying to rope in a prominent person from the Congress with the help of the Pathanamthitta constituency candidate Anil Antony. The names of a sports personality, a TV anchor and state vice president K S Radhakrishnan are on the list of probables. I have no idea about the candidate for Ernakulam. As you know, the national leadership is expected to release the names soon. Lets wait for the announcement, said Radhakrishnan. Former Union minister Alphons Kannanthanam who contested from Ernakulam in 2019 said he has conveyed to the national leadership that he is not willing to contest. I want to concentrate on campaigning. I will be actively involved in the campaign in Thiruvananthapuram, Pathanamthitta and Thrissur constituencies. If the party decides, I will be campaigning in other constituencies also, he said. Cashing in on the advantage of early candidate declaration, UDF candidate Hibi Eden and LDF candidate K J Shine completed the first round of campaign in the constituency. Meanwhile, the BJP district leadership organised a leaders meeting on Saturday which decided to complete the preparations at the booth level by the time the candidate is announced.

The New Indian Express 17 Mar 2024 8:30 am

Thrissur IS module operatives were based on spoils-of-war concept: NIA

KOCHI: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) investigation into an Islamic State (IS) module with operatives from Thrissur and Palakkad has revealed that the group believed in the ancient concept of ghanimah -- which in Arabic means the spoils of war. This was submitted by the agency when the NIA court recently considered the bail petition of fifth-accused Saheer E P of Mannarkkad. The case relates to the busting of the terror group module, formed in 2023, which was allegedly conspiring to target prominent members of society and religious places of other communities. Mathilakath Kodayil Asif, Seyid Nabeel Ahammed, Shiyas T S, Rayees T S and Saheer were arrested. Saheer was picked up for assisting Nabeel, the founder, and another member, Ameer, to go underground after NIA registered the case. The agency submitted that the accuseds crimes were based on ghanimah, under which they believed in funding their activities by committing theft and robbery. The module members believed that money gained from stealing was booty that could be used to their benefit, the NIA said. The central agency said Nabeel was a member of the banned Popular Front of India (PFI) and that he was involved in various offences, including a robbery, committed on April 20, 2023. He was later arrested by state police and lodged in Chavakkad jail. However, after being released on bail he continued in his criminal ways, even arranging funding for IS activities in Kerala. NIA arrests PFI weapon trainer from Kerala's Kannur After the arrest of Asif from Sathyamangalam, Nabeel approached Saheer, who arranged a mobile phone and SIM card for his wife. Saheer even provided his ID card to help Nabeel rent a room at a lodge in Alanallur. Saheer told interrogators that Nabeel was training him in share trading and that the phone and SIM card were for that purpose. He also claimed to be unaware of the criminal antecedents of Nabeel. The NIA, however, maintained that reports of Nabeels arrest following the robbery were all over the media and that it was impossible to miss them. Moreover, after Asifs arrest, reports of his links to Nabeel were also widely circulated. The call details and other evidence reveal that Saheer helped Nabeel give police the slip before he was arrested from Chennai in September of 2023, the agency said. NIA questionstwo Kerala ISmodule members The NIA court dismissed Saheers bail petition, saying the allegations against him are serious. On scrutiny of materials placed before me, the court is of the view that there are reasonable grounds for believing that the accusation against the petition is prima facie true, judge P K Mohandas observed. Group conspired to target elite people The agency submitted its findings when the NIA court recently considered the bail petition of fifth-accused Saheer E P of Mannarkkad The case relates to the busting of the terror group module, formed in 2023, which was allegedly conspiring to target prominent members of society

The New Indian Express 17 Mar 2024 7:59 am

Kochi: Water metro to set sail to Chittoor, Eloor from March 17

KOCHI: The water metro will commence operations on two new routes High Court-South Chittoor and South Chittoor-Eloor-Cheranalloor on Sunday. The first trip to South Chittoor from High Court will begin at 7.45am while the one from South Chittoor to High Court at 8 am. The travel time is 40 minutes with the ticket priced at Rs 40. A total of four trips will be made each day on the new route and the number of trips will be increased based on demand. The service to Mulavukadu North will commence in a few days, the water metro authorities said. The last trip from High Court to South Chittoor and vice versa will be at 6.45 pm and 6.20 pm, respectively. On the South Chittoor-Eloor-Cheranallor route, the first trip will begin from South Chittoor at 10 am, with a total travel time of 35 minutes. Kochi: With 2 new routes, Water Metro to extend network from Sunday Initially, a total of five trips will be made on the route. The travel time from Eloor to Cheranalloor is less than 10 minutes. Currently, 13 boats are operational on the High Court-Vypeen-Bolgatty and the Vyttila-Kakkanad routes. The construction of terminals at Paliyamthuruth, Kumbalam, Willingdon Island, Eroor and Mattanchery is progressing. Meanwhile, work on the Fort Kochi terminal is in its final stage and operations between High Court and Fort Kochi will begin soon, the authorities said. Work on the Fort Kochi terminal is in its final stage and operations between High Court and Fort Kochi will begin soon

The New Indian Express 17 Mar 2024 7:41 am

Family of missing Navy soldier demands CBI enquiry

Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Mar 16: The family of 19-year-old Sahil Verma, an Indian Navy soldier who went missing on February 25 from onboard INS Kochi, has demanded CBI enquiry into his sudden disappearance. Addressing a press conference here today, the family members of Sahil Verma said that there is no information of whereabouts of the Sahil with the Navy even after 19 days of his missing. Sahils uncle Ashok Verma told, We had gone to Mumbai and met with the [] The post Family of missing Navy soldier demands CBI enquiry appeared first on Daily Excelsior .

Daily Excelsior 17 Mar 2024 5:24 am

Young volunteers paint Kochi streets with messages on social issues

A group of youth under the banner of Captains Social Foundation are engaged in street art in the city by preening up public spaces with their paintings

The Hindu 17 Mar 2024 1:25 am

Kerala-based band Motherjane reunites after 12 years

Motherjane, a music band from Kochi, Kerala, has contributed significantly to the country's rock music scene. Formed in 1996 by drummer John Thomas, guitarist Mithun Raju and bassist Clyde Rozario, the band has huge fan followers and their albums were big hits. Now, after a long break of 12 years, the band is coming back with a live performance. What inspired Motherjane to reunite after 12 years? It was the culmination of many things. One important catalyst was a conversation I had with Baiju. We were on a casual call once and I just asked him how the music was going on. His answer to me was that he had stopped playing the guitar for a few months now. I was pretty shocked so I asked him why and he answered that he was saddened by how society treated musicians during the lockdown. It disillusioned him and as a result, he was considering focusing on other ventures. As someone who has always been a big fan of his, I said that there was no way he could be allowed to quit and almost immediately I suppose the thought of restarting the band came to life. Then one day I was on a call with Deepu and I asked him what he thought of the idea of restarting, his response was to add Baiju to the call.. and voila we were back. I was literally that simple. Please share any insights into the preparations that went into reuniting the band. Speaking for the 3 of us we have always been very proud of the music we have put out together as a band and because our friendships had continued over the years the reunion just seemed like something that was meant to happen. So, we decided to get back together and perform our original material and perhaps in a way rescue it from the renditions played by John and a few other musicians that we felt were not doing those songs any justice. The invitation was extended to John and Clyde and they decided to decline for reasons best known to them. It took an impromptu trip to Baiju's house and a single jam session to know that together we still could pull out songs from the air. As you might know, unfortunately, there were frivolous legal claims to the band name and the copyright of the music which of course saw the courts favoring us with an interim judgment whereby the copyright, trademark, and name wererecognized as belonging to our record label Aum-i Artistes under legal agreements signed and accepted by all band members. While the legal arguments for the final judgment will continue until both sides present their case, we remain greatly reassured because the courts have already recognized that we have enough prima facie evidence of the ownership of the music and the band name by virtue of producing all the legal agreements needed. Could you please tell us more about Motherjane's tour after 12 years of hiatus, and how does their upcoming performance at Bira 91 Taproom Saket fit into this tour? We first decided to do a tour called Rewritten to honor the 15th anniversary of our album Maktub. One thing led to another and Motherjane's reunion took on a life of its own with us making some 4-5 new songs and deciding to make a full-length album. We had just finished a gig in Bangalore Fandom where we performed our first single from the new album, which is called #DoGoodDontBeNice and we shot the audience for what is going to be our first music video. The song itself is being mixed and mastered and shall be released soon. To put it simply, we got a resounding recommendation made by someone at the gig to the Bira Taproom team and the next thing we knew was this invitation to perform in Delhi. We will be playing their Stout festival on St.Patrick's Day and we think he would appreciate the humor and wisdom in a song titled #DoGoodDontBeNice. It sounds like something we can raise a toast to! What prompted Motherjane to embark on a tour after such a long break, and what cities or regions can fans expect them to visit? Love for music. We've always loved performing live. In fact,I think we shine as a LIVE act. For all you know, we may even reach unexpected heights in this day and age where AI is doing too much and artists too little in LIVE situations. What is rare is always precious and our mix of ethnic Carnatic music with global rock is already a USP that serves us well. The last time we were out there, we received a lot of love from people all over our country. We would like for that to continue as we reach out and embrace a new generation, in India and internationally. Are there any special surprises or elements that fans can expect from the upcoming performance? The new song for one and the hallmark face paint for another. The song itself is unreleased and so you guys should come and celebrate it with us. The inside truth is that we met in Baiju's house after 12 years and he started playing a riff and some chords, I said I had some words for a song idea and started singing to it and Deepu just joined in. Whether #DoGoodDontBeNice took only 10 minutes to write or 10 years of living to make, is still a mystery to us. How has the music industry changed since Motherjane's last performance together, and how does the band plan to navigate these changes? The industry has grown and there are so many amazing artists out there. And I'm not just talking about the stalwarts who are still there, but also young artists and bands that are absolutely killing it with their vision and music. The production levels of shows have gone up greatly and kudos to the lights, sound, staging, and AV professionals who are capable of putting up international-level gigs in this country. We look forward to working with all these disciplines and to learning how to use all of them to convey the songs and stories that Motherjane wants to tell. Please throw some light on the new music or projects from Motherjane following this reunion performance? Our patrons can expect an album called Rewritten with 9 songs in it. Its first single #DoGoodDontBeNice will be played LIVE at BiraTaproom on the 16th of March along with the classics like Mindstreet, Fields of Sound, Chasing the Sun, Maktubetc etc. What's new on the old songs are our new young members Alan Santosh on Bass and Alloy Francis on Drums. These boys are absolutely killer musicians and a delight to play with. I'm sure existing Motherjane fans will take them into their hearts instantly. I'm also sure they will bring new fans to the fold as well. Then there are all the new songs like Home, Mr.Gody-Guard, EllamNallathinu, Paint, etc which are on their way. It's definitely a good time to be a Janiac. What message would you like to share with your fans who have been eagerly awaiting this reunion? Motherjane became a great band once because it attracted great fans. Though it is cooler to say that we want you, the truth is that we need you, because this 'job' that you give us is to us the greatest job in the world. So, all you Janiacs out there, past, present, and future, know this: we truly love you for allowing us to make you laugh, cry, think, and feel all the wonderful emotions that we share as humans and as a tribe. How has the band evolved individually during the past 12 years, and how do you think this will influence your performance? Of the band, as it is now, 3 of us have grey hair while the other 2 are recently out of their teens and that's the funniest answer I can think of even if it's just facts. Smiles. On a more serious note, we've grown and seen more of life and we appreciate this second chance that we have been given. At its heart,Motherjane has always been a brotherhood of possibilities and those are things that this world needs sorely. A sense of brotherhood while achieving all of our highest potential. Are there any particular challenges or obstacles the band faced in coming back together, and how did you overcome them? I will leave you with a few lines from a new song of ours called Paint: Wingless, fearless Outstretched in faith (We're) trapeze artists, Brush strokes in space In a brotherhood of myelin Worries kept at bay 'No mind' on outcome Only the Way!

Deccan Chronicle 16 Mar 2024 1:33 pm

Kaapi katha: The rich saga of Indian Coffee from sacred heist to digital rise

KOCHI: The tale of how coffee, a humble bean, found its roots in India is an intriguing one and involves ancient source trades, a daring heist, colonial expansion and the mushrooming of digital platforms. The origins Though its historical roots can be traced to Africa, it was Yemen in West Asia which emerged as the powerhouse of coffee cultivation, exporting the commodity to all corners of the then-known world. Arab merchants who were engaged in trade with India, the epicentre of the spice trade, introduced roasted coffee to the subcontinent, where it quickly captivated the elites, sparking a surge in demand. As the demand for the bean quickly outpaced supply, it was clear that the commodity had to be locally grown. But many factors prevented this. To retain their monopoly over coffee cultivation, Yemeni farmers and producers allowed only roasted beans to be sold. The penalty for the sale of green coffee beans was death. The heist In 1670, Indian Sufi saint Baba Budan, who was returning from a pilgrimage to Mecca, was by chance exposed to coffee in Yemen. After learning as much as possible about the bean, he devised ways to bring the seeds back home. He hid seven beans in his beard and cane, and made the long voyage back to India. Once he was home, he planted the beans on the slopes of Chandragiri Hills in Chikmagalur, Karnataka. This act not only marked the genesis of coffee cultivation in India but also sowed the seeds of a thriving coffee culture that would spread across the country. The hills are now referred to as the Baba Budangiri Hills and a shrine has been built there in his honour. Coffee The expansion If this was the inception of coffee cultivation in India, colonial expansion proved to be the turning point. In the 18th century, realising the potential of the Indian climate for coffee cultivation, the British began large-scale plantations in the southern states. To date, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu form the core of the traditional coffee-growing region, contributing a whopping 92 per cent of the countrys coffee production. The French influence on Indian coffee cannot be discounted. It is evident in the use of chicory, a roasted root vegetable that adds a characteristic earthy bitterness to the coffee. Indeed, this era saw the establishment of systematic cultivation methods and varied processes. Notable among them is the development of the Monsoon Malabar coffee, a unique process adapting to the challenges of sea transport. The industry Post-independence India witnessed a significant shift in the coffee industry with the establishment of the Indian Coffee Board and the enactment of the Coffee Act of 1942. These developments facilitated a more organised and supportive environment for coffee growers, leading to the predominance of smallholder production. Today, a significant percentage of coffee growers in India are small farmers. These years also saw coffee being cultivated beyond the traditional belt to the eastern coasts of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha, and to the northeastern states. This diversification introduced a variety of microclimates and terroirs, contributing to the unique profiles of Indian coffee, including the distinctive Indian-monsooned coffee. The culture Coffee in India has transcended its status as merely a crop. Today, it has woven itself into the cultural fabric. Especially in the south where traditional filter coffee is a revered daily ritual. Recently, TasteAtlas, a popular food and travel guide platform, has released a new rating list of the Top 38 Coffees In The World, which saw our beloved filter coffee in the second spot. The digital age has ushered in a new chapter for Indian coffee, with the emergence of Amazon-exclusive brands and the rise of online marketplaces. This transformation has democratised access to premium coffee, allowing consumers to enjoy high-quality brews with the click of a button. From the daring heist of Baba Budan to the digital marketplace, the evolution of Indian coffee is as refreshing as the beverage itself. Beef tenderloin with spinach and coffee Beef tenderloin with spinach and coffee Courtesy: Chef Arun Vijayan, restaurant consultant INGREDIENTS Beef tenderloin: 500gm Garlic: 10gm Salt to taste Brown sugar: 5gm Lemon juice: 10ml Black pepper powder: 10gm Olive oil: 15ml Thyme: 3gm Worcestershire sauce: 25gm Coffee decoction: 20gm Baby spinach: 20gm Beef stock: 100ml Butter: 15gm METHOD Marinate the beef with salt, pepper, thyme, lemon juice and brown sugar. Heat olive oil in a tawa and cook for 10 to 15 minutes until the beef gets tender. Keep it aside. Melt butter in a pan, add the finely chopped garlic and saut until brown. Add the Worcestershire sauce, coffee and stock water. Boil and reduce, until it gets thick. Add baby spinach to it. Slice the prepared beef and pour the sauce over the sliced pieces. Stir-fried vegetables with coffee seasoning Stir-fried vegetables with coffee seasoning INGREDIENTS Roasted baby potatoes: 80gm Carrot: 40gm Beans: 50gm Pealed small onion: 20gm Thyme: 5gm Coffee decoction: 10ml Crushed black pepper: 5gm Salt to taste Lemon juice: 10ml Chopped parsley: 5gm Chopped garlic: 5gm Olive oil: 30ml Method Heat olive oil in a pan and add chopped garlic and small onions. Cook for a few minutes and add the rest of the vegetables and seasoning. Then again cook for 2 to 5 minutes on medium to low heat and squeeze some lemon juice. Irish Coffee INGREDIENTS Irish whiskey: 1 ounces Maple syrup: 2 tsp Hot freshly brewed coffee: 6 ounces Whipped cream for topping METHOD Pour the whiskey and maple syrup into a glass. Mix well until the maple syrup dissolves. Pour coffee into it and mix well. Top with whipped cream and serve the drink hot. Sunrise Swim (Mocktail) Courtesy: BLND restobar, Thiruvananthapuram Ingredients Lime juice: 30ml Elder flower syrup: 20ml Ice Soda water Espresso short: 1 shot Lime wheel Mint sprig Method Pour lime juice and elder flower syrup into a shaker. Shake well with ice and pour it into the glass. Then layer with soda water and one shot of single espresso. For final touch, garnish with lime wheel and some mint sprig. Coffee Kisses Ingredients For the Biscuits Self-rising flour: 170g Caster sugar: 85g Butter: 85g Egg (beaten): 1 Instant coffee: 1 tbsp Boiling water: 1 tsp For the Buttercream Butter: 100g , Icing sugar: 200g, Instant coffee: 1 tbsp Boiling water:1 tsp Method For the Biscuits Preheat oven to 180c and line baking sheets with grease-proof paper. Dissolve coffee in boiling water and set aside to cool. In a bowl, mix flour and sugar and rub in butter with hands, until you get a sandy consistency. Add the egg to the cooled coffee and beat with a fork. Add it to the bowl and mix to create a soft dough. Roll about a teaspoon of the dough into a ball. Repeat with the rest of the dough to make about 30 balls and bake them in the pre-heated oven for 15-20 minutes. Buttercream Prepare instant coffee, set aside. Mix icing sugar and butter in a bowl, add coffee and beat until its fluffy. Spread the icing between two biscuits.

The New Indian Express 16 Mar 2024 10:28 am

Ogawa: A bowl of Japan in Kochi where authentic Udon meets local flavours

KOCHI: Cosy, homely and pure comfort. Shintaro Tanakas Japanese cafe Ogawa, is a slice of his home he brought to Kochi with him. As one enters this beautiful cafe, Shintaro welcomes you with a warm smile and a glass of water infused with mint and lemon. After cleaning the hands with the refreshing oshibori, a wet towel, one can peruse the menu, attractive due to its conciseness. Located on Kaloor-Kadavanthra Road, Ogawa introduces Kochiites to some authentic flavours of Japan, notably its handcrafted Udon noodles a hearty wheat-based noodle known for its chewy texture. At the noodle booth, one can witness the mesmerising sight of the chef skilfully slicing the noodles from the dough accompanied by loud beats of rock music. The noodles here are served with curry. The creamy dish comes with either chicken or tomato. It is a fusion food. Curry is international and Japanese people have embraced the flavour long back. You can find many Indian curry restaurants in Japan, says Shintaro, who runs the cafe with two partners, Asifali Hassan and P S Sinaj. This is not Shintaros first rodeo. He used to run two cafes back in his village of Ogawa. His journey from organic farming to caf ownership in India was inspired by a profound admiration for the country, sparked by the film Gandhi by Richard Attenborough. In 2007, at the age of 20, Shintaro fulfilled his long-held dream of visiting India. Chicken noodle soup I pitched the idea of starting a caf in India to my friend who has been settled in Delhi. And without missing a beat, she suggested Kerala as the base, says Shintaro. In 2023, he came to Kochi for a cycling journey and solidified his decision to make it the home of his cafe. Teaming up with Sinaj and Asifali, he formed Shintaro Groups Private Limited to bring their vision to life. At Ogawa, patrons can savour the traditional Udon noodles and chicken noodle soup, and indulge in Shintaros special kakiage. The udon curry noodles is thick and flavourful and comes with a side of salad made with carrot, cabbage and black raisins. It provides the much-needed crunch and tanginess while chewing the noodles soaked in curry. Udon is mostly served in Japan with broth, dried fish, soy sauce and some sea plants. But people in Kerala would have a hard time getting adjusted to that taste, says Shintaro. The kakiage, on the other hand, is a type of tempura. The batter-dipped and deep-fried batch of vegetables is served with some mint chutney. The matcha tea and home brew coffee is one perfect way to finish the fair. The cafe exudes a homely warmth, along with the meticulous attention to detail that Japanese cuisine is known for.

The New Indian Express 16 Mar 2024 10:16 am

Fire in her belly: Kerala's women blaze through barriers to become firefighters

KOCHI: At the Kerala Fire and Rescue Services Academy in Thrissur, a team of women are preparing to fight fire, handling the high-pressure hydraulic hose, as part of a mock drill. They have just arrived from Thiruvananthapuram, where they attended the passing-out parade after being trained at this academy. Their demeanour reflects the raw energy and exuberance that natures most feared element bears. They display the dual nature of fire warmth and lethality. Indian mythology contains stories of powerful women born from fire, like Draupadi. Or of Sita, whom fire could not scorch. Or Kannagi, who set a city afire with her grief and fury. Yet, traditionally, women were kept away from fields that were considered fiery. However, the winds of change have been blowing across India. And Nari Shakti has been on the rise. The latest venture of women into the male bastion of firefighting in Kerala is yet another example. The batch of 82 women has found their way into the Fire and Rescue Services, six decades after its formation. These womens induction, after the passing-out parade on Womens Day (March 8), made Kerala home to the largest batch of female firefighters in the country. Their first task was to take on the notion that women were unfit for the physically demanding job. They went through the rigours of a six-month-long training programme and have come out blazing, reducing regressive barriers to ashes. A mock drill It did take time for the notions to change. But then, everything happens in its own time. Didnt it take years for women to be recruited in the police, excise, and forest departments? asks M G Rajesh, regional fire officer and director of the academy. The new group includes 26 postgraduates, 50 graduates, four B Tech graduates, three B Ed graduates, and two diploma/ITA holders. At least 27 among them are married, and 12 are mothers. They were selected after a Public Service Commission screening, which included physical and aptitude tests. They are now packing up for a six-month training at fire stations across Kerala, after which they will be ready for actual deployment. It has been an exciting journey so far, says Megha Dickson, of Alappuzha. From rescuing people in the mountains to handling chemical accidents, we have been trained to tackle various kinds of emergencies. Our training included industrial fire safety, underwater rescue, flood rescue, self-rescue, first aid, rescue in smokey and dark rooms, and basic life support (BLS). The academys facilities were great, and they made sure we followed safety rules every step of the way. The trainees sneer at the doubts raised on the toughness quotient required for the job. I never imagined I could lift a person heavier than myself through a ladder, but I was able to do that, says Anu S from Malappuram. The move to induct women has bearings on the role that women could play during rescue efforts, says district fire officer Reni Lukose. When we go on rescue missions, women and children are often the ones in distress, he explains. The presence of women in our team can have a soothing effect. Women fire and rescue officers can also help manage stress during difficult situations. Moreover, he adds, there is a need to educate individuals, especially in rural regions, about BLS techniques. The involvement of women officers in this initiative is important because they can organise hands-on training sessions and engage with womens groups within communities better, he notes. The first batch was admitted into the academy on September 4, 2023, after which they underwent the training and now the induction. It is a proud moment to be part of the training process, says Havildar Renitha, who is part of a group tasked with providing support to the new batch of women firefighters. Anusree V P, of Kozhikode, says it was a proud moment as her 10-year-old daughter was present during the passing-out parade. She always wanted to become a teacher. However, after seeing me in uniform with the cap, she also wants to be in a similar job, she adds. Knowing that she is proud of me fills my heart with joy. Societal challenges are tougher to tackle than physical ones, says in Sneha C M from Kollam. The first question from those who heard I was joining the force was: Dont you have any other job options? The notion that women cannot handle such jobs is ingrained in peoples minds. However, I am confident that we can prove them wrong, she says. Pics: S Lal Binsi S P, from Thiruvananthapuram, recalls how she took the physical test for the job just two years after giving birth to her child. People were astonished when they heard about my training achievements after the C-section. Many of us lacked a sports background. Yet, we have come a long way, she smiles. Tanur Fire and Rescue Service station officer Rajendranath M, who was in charge of ground training, admits that doubts had indeed been cast on the endurance levels of the trainees. However, they kept surprising us with their grit, he says. The higher-ups appreciated us after the parade. Now on, more women will be encouraged to join services like this. The motto of the force is We Serve to Save, and the women seem to understand it well. It is not just a job; it is a noble service, says Geetumol K M from Kottayam. A sense of achievement was palpable in all members of the team, well-emphasised by the commander of the passing-out parade, Sneha Dhinesh, who hails from Ernakulam. The parade was in front of the chief minister on Womens Day. The confidence I gained from here is going to propel me throughout my life, she says. There are 100 new posts for women in the Kerala Fire and Rescue Services. Officials in the academy suggest this allocation is insufficient. The recommendation is that each of the 129 fire stations in the state should have at least four women officers.

The New Indian Express 16 Mar 2024 10:12 am

Kochi: Is Cheranelloor turning a dumpyard?

KOCHI: Cheranelloor, a suburb on the banks of the Periyar River, is slowly becoming an open-air dumpster. Piles of garbage lie strewn about on roadsides, forcing passers-by to palm their noses to avoid the stench. A lions share of the blame has fallen on the panchayat officials, for their perceived inaction in dealing with waste. Villagers also hold accountable the non-residents for exacerbating the trash problem. While its true that visitors contribute to the litter, a closer examination by TNIE revealed a broader issue of residents attempting to deflect responsibility. Harita Karma Sena, made up of Kudumbashree women, only charges Rs 50 monthly to collect, move, process, and recycle/dispose of plastic waste from each household. However, they say most residents shy away from paying even this meagre amount. This is despite the recent government move mandating using a Green Card or Harita Karma Sena user fee card for accessing certain government services. The motive behind the move was to improve waste management participation. However, Cheranelloors scenario is proof enough that the projects implementation has gone haywire. My team collects waste from around 450 houses across the 17 wards in the panchayat here. Many residents dump waste on uninhabited lands nearby or burn it, says Sumathi Karunakaran, the consortium president of Harita Karma Sena here. The dumping of waste is like a chain reaction. If one person starts dumping their waste at a certain spot, the others follow, she adds. Nestled between two major hospitals, Cheranelloor has a unique problem. A majority of the houses here are occupied on rent by medical professionals. Many of them lack a Green Card. Landlords, responsible for facilitating their tenants compliance with waste management regulations, often lack awareness themselves. Recently, the panchayat authorities installed CCTV cameras across the village to crack down on those dumping waste illegally. Though such interventions are great, the panchayat has to be more adept at monitoring and taking action against defaulters, says Shaji V A, a resident. Ultimately, it is the residents broken civic sense thats the biggest contributing factor, he adds. This is collaborated by Cheranellore panchayat president K G Rajesh. Last year, we distributed 3,000 bio pots to the residents to help them manage food waste. Many expressed their difficulties in using them. In response, we set up public aerobic composters. People can bring their food waste as per their convenience. However, only a few do. Most here are lazy, he says.

The New Indian Express 16 Mar 2024 10:06 am

Health experts urge vaccination push for elderly to combat respiratory diseases in Kochi

KOCHI: As the population of the elderly is increasing in the state, health experts suggest the administration of adult vaccines to protect senior citizens from catching respiratory diseases. Diseases like influenza are spreading in society. It can severely affect the elderly population and people with comorbidities. In this situation, administration of influenza and pneumococcal vaccines can help reduce the severity of the disease and the number of deaths, said Dr Anup Warrier, infectious diseases specialist at Aster Medcity, Kochi. The prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is 4% in the state, while it is only 2.7% at the national level. Government-level policies should be formulated to administer vaccines to the elderly. It can even help in reducing the cost of vaccines, said Dr Rajesh V, pulmonologist at Rajagiri Hospital, Kochi. He added that vaccines can help reduce hospitalisations following respiratory diseases.

The New Indian Express 16 Mar 2024 9:31 am

Kochi: Top floor of electronic retailers warehouse near Kaloor catches fire

KOCHI: A fire that broke out on the third floor of an electronic retailers warehouse in Karukapilly, near Kaloor, on Friday evening was put out before it spread to the lower floors, where home appliances were stocked. It was the timely intervention of fire and rescue service officers that prevented a major blaze. Around 5.45pm, local residents noticed black smoke billowing from the top floor of the building. The fire station in Gandhi Nagar was immediately alerted and two fire trucks reached the spot by 6.10pm. The third floor, which comprises the terrace, was being temporarily used to store cardboard used to package the appliances. The gate of the building was closed. On entering the premises after breaking the lock, we realised that it was cardboard stored on one side of the top floor that had caught fire. As many as five trucks two each from Gandhi Nagar and Club Road stations and one from Eloor station were employed for the operation, which lasted nearly an hour, a fire and rescue service officer said.A shortt circuit is suspected to have caused the fire.

The New Indian Express 16 Mar 2024 9:29 am

As tax sops & benefits disappear, IT sector grows beyond SEZ parks in Kochi

KOCHI: Kochis IT ecosystem is expanding rapidly beyond special economic zones (SEZs) and the removal of various sops, including tax waivers, is to mainly explain the trend, say industry insiders. The expansion to Keralas semi-urban and rural areas and beyond traditional SEZ parks is a strong reflection of the improvements in local infrastructure and the availability of highly skilled talent, says Jijimon Chandran, CEO & founder of Acsia Technologies and chairman of the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII), Thiruvananthapuram zone. Other benefits, such as tax holidays in SEZs, are also over. This approach also aligns with our vision to build a more vibrant and inclusive tech ecosystem across the state, Chandran said. Companies took to SEZ parks primarily for the tax waivers, indicated Susanth Kurunthil, CEO of Kochi Infopark. However, those have now been taken away. Some sops, like exemption from GST if firms build their own infrastructure and customs duty waiver, still exist. But these benefits arent that important for IT companies, says Kurunthil. Another put-off is the administrative hassles that companies face in SEZ parks. They have to steer past many compliance criteria. Paperwork has to be filed and all of this, while eating into their time, increases unnecessary workload, he said. While SEZs focuses solely on export, IT firms today see India as a big market and hence are keen to expand within the country, too. Now, SEZ rules prevent that. Infopark has two non-SEZ spaces, besides the one in the co-developer project Carnival Infopark Phase I. The Thapasya building offers plug-and-play layouts ranging from 500 sqft to 12,500 sqft and warm-shell options from 2,500 sqft. While Vismaya is also a multi-tenanted facility with each floor dedicated to one company. The ground floor is fully dedicated to commercial services like shops, banks, ATMs, clinics, financial services etc. Our non-SEZ property has big IT companies like Tech Mahindra, TCS, UST Global, etc, Kurunthil said. Various benefits are being offered in the governments industrial parks located outside SEZs, said Minister Industries and Law P Rajeeve. Facilities such as single-window system and legal help, besides attractive incentives that go a long way towards making doing business easy, are offered in these parks. For entrepreneurs setting up spaces, these industrial parks are very beneficial and this might be what is attracting them to these facilities, the minister said. However, Sachin Tikekar, president and joint MD of KPIT Technologies, said, We are in that phase where SEZ parks dont offer many benefits. Moreover, it doesnt make sense because these places are away from the city, where availability of talent becomes a challenge. Affinity for urban spaces Employees also prefer to be closer to urban centres. The economic benefits are now not clear and we have to look at other parameters, including connectivity to airports, availability of hotels, IT infrastructure, and uninterrupted power

The New Indian Express 16 Mar 2024 9:27 am

Kerala: Bond revelation places lottery baron Santiago Martin back in spotlight

KOCHI: Santiago Martin is back in the spotlight, this time in connection with the controversy over electoral bonds. The lottery baron first courted disrepute when he sold Sikkim lottery tickets worth nearly Rs 4,750 crore in Kerala, from which he caused the government of the Northeastern state a loss of over Rs 4,500 crore, during the 2008-10 period. Yet, the scam did not land him behind bars, despite lengthy investigations by the CBI, and later the ED. On Thursday, in further evidence of his political clout, a company linked to Martin, Future Gaming and Hotel Services, was revealed to have bought electoral bonds -- which the Supreme Court (SC) struck down as unconstitutional -- worth Rs 1,368 crore. Following an SC rap, the data on the bonds was released by SBI and uploaded on the website of the Election Commission of India. Martin, 62, who hails from Coimbatore, ventured into the lottery business at a young age and bagged contracts from several state lottery departments, including Sikkim and Nagaland, and even Bhutan. His venture into Kerala was, however, shortlived as the then Chief Minister, V S Achuthanandan, turned against him despite his close links with political parties. In 2010, his lottery sales came under the scanner of the state commercial tax department. Close on the heels, CBI registered 32 cases against Martin and his aides John Britto, John Kenedy, Jayamurughan, Sivaparakash, Selvaraj, and Sakthivel. Of these, 31 cases related to the sale of Sikkim lotteries and one was linked to the sale of Bhutan lottery. In 2014, the CBI filed charge sheets against Martin and his aides in seven cases related to Sikkim lotteries, while closing 23 cases involving mostly vendors. The single case related to Bhutan lottery did not proceed as desired after the government of the Himalayan kingdom failed to release the data demanded by the agency. Lottery King Santiago Martin's TN-based firm tops electoral bond purchases with Rs 1,368 crores The CBI investigation revealed that lottery tickets worth Rs 4,752 crore were sold in Kerala between 2008 and 2010, of which only Rs 142.93 crore was paid to the Sikkim government. The lottery scam, however, did not result in any loss to the Kerala state exchequer. Additionally, the charge sheet said that no fake tickets had been sold. The agency found that of the 202 winners of lottery draws, only three were from Kerala. As many as 150 winners hailed from Maharashtra, while 14 were from West Bengal, 13 from Tamil Nadu, nine from Karnataka, three each from Gujarat, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh, and two each from Orissa and Andhra Pradesh. These winners had never purchased any lottery ticket from Kerala. According to the CBI, the reward money was given to 72 persons with the assistance of 15 middlemen after taking commission. These 72 persons included Maharashtra government employees with the RTO, BMC, irrigation department, the states Pradhan Mantri Grameen Sadak Yojana, deputy commissioners of land and estate department, survey and town planning department, besides researchers and businessmen. Though CBI alleged hoarding of black money using the officials, no further investigation was held to trace these persons. Kerala lottery scam: ED attaches Rs 173 crore worth assets of Santiago Martin, business partners Based on the CBI charge sheet, the ED came into the picture by registering a money laundering case against Martin and his aides. It named 53 accused persons in the case, including Martins close aides, family members and his real-estate companies based in Coimbatore and Chennai. Between 2016 and 2023, the ED identified proceeds of crime worth `910.29 crore and carried out attachment of properties on six occasions. The trial in the case is pending before the PMLA court in Kochi.

The New Indian Express 16 Mar 2024 9:15 am

Empowering women, the filmmaking way: Kerala launches film tech training to boost gender parity in cinema industry

KOCHI: Aiming to ensure a greater participation of women in filmmaking, the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy has come up with a project to train women in the technical aspects of cinema. Around 30 women will be trained in the first phase of the project launched as part of the department of cultural affairs Samam project. The women will be trained in aspects like production management, costume designing, lighting and make up. Several women have expressed interest in the initiative, Cuckoo Parameswaran, a council member of the Chalachitra Academy, told TNIE. We will be selecting 100 women, and after further screening with the help of a panel of experts, 25 to 30 women will be trained to handle the technical side of filmmaking, in the first phase. The participation of more women in film production is much appreciated, she added. Department of cultural affairs secretary Mini Antony said women need more exposure in the field of filmmaking. Only a few women receive opportunities in the industry, compared to men. There are several hurdles girls have to overcome and they need a support system to excel in the field. The initiative can support several women, Mini said. She said the women expressing interest to join the industry have to be encouraged. The idea is to incorporate more women into the field of filmmaking and to train and empower them. Through the initiative, women will be able to understand how the field functions, the financial and managerial side of the industry, the complexities involved and the possible risk factors, she said. With no upper age limit, any woman who is 18 years or older and has passed Class 10 can join the training programme. We are opening a platform for women who never had a chance to be a part of the industry. The participants will be provided with an internship opportunity and will be given a stipend during the training period, the secretary added. Age no bar With no upper age limit, any woman who is 18 years or older and has passed Class 10 can join the training programme. Internship and stipend to be ensured during training period

The New Indian Express 16 Mar 2024 8:37 am

Kerala University Youth festival: Shaji was beaten up by SFI activists, allege dance trainers

KOCHI: Jomet Michael and Sooraj, who received anticipatory bail in the case relating to alleged bribery at the Kerala University arts festival, on Friday came out with serious charges against SFI. Jomet and Sooraj told reporters in Kochi that they had witnessed SFI activists assaulting P N Shaji, an arts festival judge who was found dead in his house in Mele Chovva, Kannur, on Wednesday evening. Shaji and the two dance trainers were booked following a complaint lodged by the festival organisers alleging that the judge had taken a bribe to favour a team in the Margamkali competition. Shaji was later released on bail. According to Jomet, following the announcement of Margamkali results, Shaji was beaten up after being taken to a room close to the Senate hall. Kerala: Varsity youth fest judges death puts spotlight back on SFI Shajis plea to stop attack disregarded Shaji was assaulted with a cricket bat. There were hockey sticks and several lethal weapons in the room, said Jomet, adding that SFI leaders Anju Krishna and Akshay led the attack. They continued the assault despite Shajis pleas to stop it, they said. According to them, Shaji pleaded, please dont drag me into unnecessary issues, I have no other means for livelihood. I will end my life. The duo said they were detained, along with the Margamkali judges, in the same room for several hours. Jomet and Sooraj also expressed their intention to complain against the SFI leaders seeking appropriate action. KSU says SFI leaders involved in KU youth fest corruption, demands probe

The New Indian Express 16 Mar 2024 8:24 am

Karuvannur probe revealed similar frauds in 12 other cooperative banks: ED tells Kerala High Court

KOCHI: The Enforcement Directorate has informed the Kerala High Court that the investigation into the financial fraud in Karuvannur Service Cooperative Bank revealed that similar irregularities happened in 12 other cooperative societies in Kerala. The service cooperative banks named are Ayyanthole, Thumboor, Nadackal, Mavelikkara, Moonilavu, Kandala, Perunkavilla, Mylapra, Chathannoor, Konni, and Marayamuttam and BSNL Engineers Cooperative Bank. The cooperative societies are engaged in granting illegal loans to the public and it was done without any approval from the Registrar of Cooperative Societies. The Banking Regulation Act clearly states that no cooperative society shall carry out banking business in India unless it is a cooperative bank and holds a licence issued by RBI. The affidavit was filed in response to a petition filed by Alisabri, an accused in the case, and others challenging the provisional attachment order of the ED and to de-freeze the bank accounts. The ED stated that the investigation into the financial fraud in Karuvannur Service Cooperative Bank is in a crucial stage and the investigation into the balance proceeds of crime is under progress. Regular audits and concurrent audits were conducted in the society and the scam was divulged, and during the audit itself a copy of the same must have been given to the governing body of the society and the Registrar of Co-operative Societies. Therefore, it has to be believed that the Registrar of Co-operative Societies was aware of the scam happening in the society. It is,therefore, the responsibility of the registrar who even after knowing the irregularities conducted in the society, deliberately turned a blind eye to it repeatedly over money years, resulting in such a big scam, wherein a huge amount was swindled out of public deposits. HC pulls up ED over inordinate delay in Karuvannur probe The decision-makers are politically influential people and their associates. This leads to the question of the functioning of entire cooperative societies which are under direct supervision/regulation by the registrar. It is incumbent upon the Directorate of Enforcement to examine the registrars under the provision of Section 3 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002. So, the prima facie involvement of the Registrar of Co-operative Societies needs to be examined. Though a summons was issued to the registrar, he approached the Kerala High Court and obtained a stay on the summons, which has hampered the probe. Kerala: Fed up with torture and financial difficulties, Karuvannur investor seeks euthanasia Key takeaways from affidavit The cooperative societies are engaged in granting illegal loans to the public, violating the Banking Regulations Act As audits copy must have been given to the Registrar of Coop Societies at the time it is carried out, it is believed that the registrar was aware of the scam The decision-makers are politically influential people and their associates. This leads to the question of the functioning of entire cooperative societies Kerala Industries Ministries P Rajeev under ED scanner in Karuvannur scam

The New Indian Express 16 Mar 2024 8:03 am

Historic Inauguration: India's First Underwater Metro Line Commences Operations in Kolkata

Kolkata: The inauguration of India's first underwater metro line marked a historic moment in Kolkata today, as commuters eagerly queued up for the inaugural ride on the country's maiden underwater train journey. The launch of the underwater metro, an engineering marvel, elicited applause and patriotic chants of 'Vande Matram' and 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' from the excited passengers. At 7 am, the first trains departed from both the Howrah Maidan and Esplanade stations, initiating operations on the East-West metro corridor of Kolkata. The section connecting Howrah Maidan to Esplanade passes beneath the Hooghly River, with the under-river tunnel stretching 520 meters long.Metro Railway Kolkata shared the milestone moment on social media, announcing the commencement of commercial service at the newly inaugurated Majerhat station on the Purple Line. Passengers expressed their gratitude to Prime Minister Modi for spearheading such a significant infrastructure achievement, with one placard reading, Thank you very much Modi ji for making India proud. Excitement filled the air as travelers shared their anticipation for experiencing India's inaugural underwater metro journey, with ticket procurement taking merely 10 minutes. The tunnel's aesthetic features, adorned with blue LED lights, provided a captivating ambiance reminiscent of the river's depths. The underwater metro is scheduled to operate on weekdays, with trains running every 12 to 15 minutes in this section until the last service at 9:45 pm. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Kolkata metro operations on March 6, and he also partook in a metro ride with school students following the inauguration. During his journey, PM Modi interacted with passengers and metro staff, underscoring the significance of this transformative project. In addition to the underwater metro, PM Modi inaugurated the Kavi Subhash - Hemanta Mukhopadhyay Metro section and the Taratala - Majerhat Metro section, integral parts of the Joka-Esplanade line. Notably, the Majerhat Metro Station stands as an architectural marvel, showcasing innovative design concepts for urban mobility enhancement. The Prime Minister also unveiled and initiated multiple connectivity projects worth 15,400 crore across the country. These include the Pune Metro's Ruby Hall Clinic to Ramwadi stretch, Kochi Metro Rail Phase I Extension from SN Junction to Tripunithura, and the Agra Metro's Taj East Gate to Mankameshwar section, among others. Yediyurappa Announces Jagadish Shettar's Candidacy from Belagavi MEA Dismisses US Criticism of CAA as Misinformed and Misplaced Mary Millben Praises PM Modi's Leadership on Citizenship Amendment Act

News Track 15 Mar 2024 5:11 pm

Russian Nationals in Kerala Vote in Presidential Election

Kochi: Russian nationals, including tourists, residing in Kerala participated in Russia's presidential election at a designated booth located in the Russian House, the country's Honorary Consulate in Thiruvananthapuram. This marks the third occasion that the Russian House has served as a polling station for this purpose. The majority of votes in the Russian presidential election are expected to be cast over a three-day period from Friday to March 17, covering the vast expanse of the country's 11 time zones. Early voting commenced on March 1, encompassing regions of Ukraine currently under Russian occupation.The election is widely anticipated to secure Russian President Vladimir Putin's continued tenure for another six years, with minimal opposition challenging his bid for a fifth term. Ratheesh Nair, Honorary Consul of Russia and Director of the Russian House, expressed gratitude to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation for their collaboration. He stated, This initiative caters to Russian nationals residing in Kerala as well as tourists. We are pleased to facilitate their participation in the electoral process.Nair further extended appreciation to the Russian citizens in Kerala for their enthusiastic engagement in the voting process, emphasizing the importance of their contribution to electing a new president. One Russian national conveyed her gratitude to the Russian House for enabling them to exercise their voting rights in their homeland's election. She noted that all individuals who visited the polling booth were either permanent Russian residents in India or tourists visiting the country.She emphasized the civic duty of every citizen to actively participate in the electoral process, underscoring the significance of voting. Against the backdrop of Russia's ongoing conflict with Ukraine and the suppression of political dissent, the election features three candidates standing against President Putin: Leonid Slutsky of the Liberal Democratic Party, Vladislav Davankov of the New People Party, and Nikolay Kharitonov of the Communist Party. However, they are widely regarded as pro-Kremlin candidates, posing minimal opposition to Putin's candidacy. Personalized Commemoration By Indian Railway: Each Engine Dedicated to a Fallen Soldier Joaquin Phoenix and Emma Stone to Star in Ari Aster's New Movie 'Eddington' Poco X6 Neo Set to Launch in India Today: Here's What We Know

News Track 15 Mar 2024 4:11 pm

Overseas demand pushes up orthodox leaf tea market at Kochi auctions

Prices gain by 6/kg on active purchases by CIS and Middle-East buyers

The Hindu Businessline 15 Mar 2024 4:03 pm

Kochi Restobar hosts 'A Thousand Fragmented Sunbeams' digital art exhibition tackling social issues

KOCHI: Velocity, a popular restobar in Kochi, has been transformed into an unlikely canvas for a powerful digital art exhibition titled A Thousand Fragmented Sunbeams. This unique event, curated by Tanya Abraham and showcased by The Art Outreach Society (TAOS), is a bold endeavour that bridges art with societal themes such as gender, domestic abuse, and sexual identity. Artists Pinkoblue and Devius bring to life experiences and stories that demand attention. Tanya Abrahams innovative choice of venue is a deliberate one, tapping into Kochis burgeoning bar culture to reach a broader audience. For the dissemination of art knowledge, it is important to take art to the audience. Public spaces can become spaces for political reasoning and query, Tanya says. This strategic move ensures that the conversation around sensitive issues is amplified beyond the traditional confines of gallery spaces. The exhibition draws inspiration from workshops held by TAOS for women victims of abuse and kolam artists, infusing the artwork with narratives of healing and expression. A Thousand Fragmented Sunbeams exemplifies how art can be a vehicle for social change. Tanya has set a precedent for how art can be experienced. Exhibition concludes on Saturday

The New Indian Express 15 Mar 2024 9:04 am

Malayali knits sucesss in linen, leads WFB Baird's textile revolution in India

KOCHI: Established in Ireland in 1912, WFB Baird and Company Ltd emerged as a titan in the textile manufacturer on the global stage. Embarking on a bold venture in 2005, Baird set its sights on the bustling markets of India, choosing Kochi as its base. The subsequent years were a period of much transformation and adaptation, culminating in the early 2010s with a complete localisation of its operations and leadership. This new chapter of WFB Baird and Company Ltd in India was marked by an unprecedented move: the appointment of a woman with no background in textiles as its CEO. Armed with a resolute spirit and a knack for steering large enterprises, Suchitra Menon shattered expectations. Im a chartered accountant, Suchitra reveals. Before 2011, the thought of leading a textile company was alien to me. My world was numbers, not fabrics. Yet, her ascension to CEO in 2013, after joining the firm in 2011, is proof that nothing can stop a person who is talented and committed to hard work and enterprise. Today, she stands as the longest-tenured Indian CEO of Bairds India operations. Suchitras journey at Baird began at the helm of finance. Though Im from Kozhikode, I have been working in Kochi for the past 21 years. Before joining Baird, I worked as the head of the corporate finance of Harrisons Malayalam Ltd from 2005 to 2011, adds Suchitra. On how she landed up with the Baird job offer, she says, I came across the job opening here and decided to try it out. The job was interesting and the fact that this is a different sector was the icing on the cake for me. It wasnt long before she ventured beyond finance, propelled by the company chairman to dive into the sales department. Despite initial reluctance, Suchitra discovered a passion for the product and the market. Linen epitomises sustainability. Its a natural, premium, summer fabric that resonated with me, she explains. Her sales experience proved enriching, opening new vistas in the domestic market and beyond. Suchitras rise to CEO marked a significant transition for Baird in India, moving towards an entirely Indian-managed team at the Cochin Special Economic Zone. The journey was fraught with challenges, from overcoming industry biases to mastering the textile trade. Various facts played against me. First, Im a woman in a male-dominated industry. Second, I come from a non-technical background and was not from a textile family. So initially, dealing with the men in the factory was difficult. They were reluctant with me at first. However, I was able to break the ice in a year or two, she says, adding what kept her moving was the strong support she received from the women in the company. Under her leadership, Baird has fostered a culture of freedom and inclusivity, celebrating the contributions of women with policies like extended maternity leave. Her decision to join Baird, driven by a fascination with fabric and fashion, has seen the companys Indian chapter shine at prestigious events like the Lakme Fashion Week. With operations spanning Ireland, India, and Poland, WFB Baird & Co. Ltd continues to supply exquisite Irish Linen to the creme de la creme of designers, brands, and retailers across the globe.

The New Indian Express 15 Mar 2024 8:59 am

A versatile culinary delight: Fennel's aromatic marvel elevates global cuisines and thrives in Northern India

KOCHI: Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) stands proud as an annual wonder that captivates the world with its aromatic allure and robust stature. With a stout, glabrous frame reaching heights of 1.5 to 1.8 meters, this herbaceous plant is a testament to natures bounty. Originating in Europe and Asia Minor, fennel has found fertile ground in northern India, where its growth thrives in cold weather. Flourishing best in mild climates, fennel benefits greatly from dry and cold conditions, resulting in abundant seed production. However, extended periods of cloudy weather during flowering can increase susceptibility to diseases and pests. But fennels appeal extends far beyond its cultivation habits. This herb has entrenched itself in culinary traditions worldwide, its leaves prized for their aromatic essence, often used in garnishing and featuring prominently in salads. From Italian sausages to pizza toppings, fennels versatility knows no bounds. Its dried fruits, cherished for their fragrant aroma and pleasant taste, enhance soups, meat dishes, sauces, pastries, confectioneries, and even liquors. Beyond its culinary contributions, fennels fruits boast aromatic, stimulant, and carminative properties, making it a multi-faceted gift from nature that transcends the kitchen.

The New Indian Express 15 Mar 2024 8:55 am

Solve & sleep: New health platform targets India's sleep crisis and sexual well-being

KOCHI: Many people, over umpteen responsibilities, forget to dedicate time for rest. In the race to finish tasks within deadlines, quality sleep often takes a backseat, and people often forget that sleep deprivation can have a serious impact on overall well-being. The problem is widespread and India has become the second most sleep-deprived country in the world after Japan. This is what led Rajiv Ambat, a techie-turned-wellness expert and CEO and founder of NuvoVivo Center for Obesity, Lifestyle Disorders and Research, and Dr Sandeep Prabhakaran, senior consultant in Urology and Andrology at Aster Medicity, to launch an online platform SOLVEMy Health on the World Sleep Day (March 15). (Sleep, Overhaul, Longevity & Vitality Enterprise). The startup aims to extend services globally to help individuals improve their sleep, sexual health, and overall well-being. Ive seen cases where people suffer from various ailments due to lack of sleep. They need support to achieve quality sleep, unfortunately, they dont realise that its increasingly becoming a menace. And theyll only start worrying about sleep when it reaches an extreme state, says Rajiv. According to him, sleep disorders do not always happen due to orthopaedic issues or stressors. It can be neurological too such as restless leg syndrome and narcolepsy, psychiatric and psychological conditions like depression and anxiety, or respiratory disorders like obstructive sleep apnea, and nutritional deficiencies. For example, the lack of magnesium can contribute to both insomnia and hypertension. Sleep If impaired sleep is left untreated, it can lead to hypertension, heart diseases, obesity, diabetes and mental health disorders. Instead of taking pills or purchasing an orthopaedic pillow, it is vital to recognise the sleep issue. At SOLVE, we integrate expertise from multiple disciplines like neurology, psychiatry, pulmonology, psychology, lifestyle medicine, diet and exercise. Through a team of experts we identify the root causes of sleep disturbance and provide comprehensive solutions tailored to each person,explains Rajiv. Consultations are provided through the website, and via call. After analysing the situation, the patient will be sent to a health expert who focuses on a specific medical discipline. The platform also provides home-based sleep studies for accurate assessment and offers CPAP machine and obesity management techniques to address obstructive sleep apnea and provide cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia. Prioritise sexual health According to Rajiv and Dr Sandeep, lack of sleep is also one of the reasons for poor sexual well-being. Many companies focus on sexual pleasure and offer products for the same, but none gets to the root cause. Even sexual health requires an integrated approach because issues like insomnia, stress, depression, hormonal change, and nutritional deficiency also have an impact on it, says Sandeep. According to him, sexual health issues are an early indicator of other ailments including cardiovascular disease (CVD). As per studies, those with erectile dysfunction have a 50 to 60 per cent chance of developing CVD in the future, he adds. Male erectile dysfunction, anorgasmia (inability to achieve orgasm), premature ejaculation and female dysfunction like low libido in perimenopause age, unable to achieve orgasm, pain during intercourse, vaginismus, absence of sexual desire, etc, will be addressed by SOLVEs team of androligists, gynaecologist, psychologist and lifestyle expert. Some of the sexual health issues can be psychological as well, he says. Since many find it difficult to address sexual health issues, they rely on unscientific methods and spend a lot of money. Finally, they approach doctors like us. In such matters, a discreet consultation is what they look for. Many even find it difficult to purchase medications as well. Addressing the issue, we have plans to deliver sexual health medications to the doorstep, says Sandeep. DID YOU KNOW? Just like sleep, an integrated approach is required for sexual health as well. Issues like insomnia, stress, depression, nutritional deficiency also have an impact on it. According to the SOLVE founders, instead of going behind temporary solution, it is crucial to get to the root cause

The New Indian Express 15 Mar 2024 8:48 am

President's nod clears way for Seaport-Airport road expansion in Kochi

KOCHI: In a major boost to infrastructure development in the city, the much-delayed development of Seaport-Airport road received a reboot with the President of India issuing an order to release 2.49 hectares of National Armament Depot (NAD) land for road construction. The order has put an end to a 20-year-long wait. Following the order, NAD will hand over the land to the Roads and Bridges Development Corporation of Kerala (RBDCK), the agency implementing the project. Industries Minister P Rajeeve, who made the announcement, said RBDCK will pay the Centre Rs 23.06 crore as cost of the land. As per the agreement with NAD, in return for the land acquired for the road, the HMT-NAD road will be rebuilt with a width of 5.5m. The state government has been in constant touch with the Centre to speed up the decision-making process. With this, the deadlock over the Seaport-Airport road has been cleared, the minister said. He said a special board of officials will be formed to demarcate land for the project. The state government will take further action to expedite the decision-making process. Steps will be taken to install electric poles, transformers, telephone poles, etc, as part of the HMT-NAD road renovation. New traffic signal points will also be added, he said. Recently, at a meeting held under Rajeeve and Public Works Minister Mohamed Riyas, KIIFB approved the `722 crore needed for development of the stretch between NAD and Mahilalayam road. As part of the development of Seaport-Airport road, the widening of Bharata Mata College - Collectorate road and Infopark-Irumpanam road will be carried out. Though the decision to start land acquisition depends on the final verdict of the Supreme Court, the government has decided to start the road work after sanctioning (levying) the compensation amount. The Seaport-Airport road project covers a 25.7km stretch from Irumpanam to Kochi airport and has been divided into two phases. The first phase, from Irumpanam to Kalamassery, covering 11.3km, was completed in 2003. The second phase was divided into three sections. HMT Road-NAD Junction to Mahilalayam Junction road (section A), Mahilalayam Junction to Chowara (section B), and the stretch from Chowara to Airport Road (section C).

The New Indian Express 15 Mar 2024 8:43 am

Amit Shah opens NIAs new office-cum-housing complex in Kochi

KOCHI: The new office and residential complex of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in Kalamassery was opened on Thursday. Union Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated the facility through video conference. The office complex, including a community centre and barracks, was constructed at a cost of Rs 41.85 crore. It includes an administrative block with 3,276 sqm built-up area, state-of-the-art investigation and intelligence facilities, a modern interrogation room, etc. The residential block can house 49 personnel, and also includes the barracks and a community centre. In June 2017, the agency acquired three acres of land from HMT in Kalamassery, which was formally registered in May 2018. The work began in August 2020. The NIA branch office in Kochi was established in April 2012 and has jurisdiction over Kerala and the Union territory of Lakshadweep. The office will be fully functional within a month. Some final work is pending, and this will be completed in a few weeks. The work on the residential complex is progressing in full swing, an NIA official said. Amit Shah also launched the mobile app Sankalan a compendium of new criminal laws by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) -- and the Digital Criminal Case Management System (CCMS) platform of the NIA. The Sankalan app has been designed to navigate through new criminal laws as a bridge between old and new criminal laws. This app will work as a comprehensive guide for all stakeholders. It can also function in offline mode, and its availability has been ensured in far-flung areas so that all stakeholders can have access to desired information round the clock.

The New Indian Express 15 Mar 2024 8:40 am

After an event-filled Church career, Fr Paul Thelakkat to retire on March 15

KOCHI: Fr Paul Thelakkat will on Friday step down as editor of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church-run English bi-weekly, Light of Truth. He had helmed Sathyadeepam, another publication brought out by the Church, from 1986 to 2004. Fr Thelakkats tenure as editor of the two publications was marked by several controversies, which he details in his autobiography Kathashesham, which was released in Kochi on Wednesday. One of the episodes relates to the publication of an article by Fr George Nedungatt S J, a Malayali who was also professor at the Pontifical Oriental Institute in Rome. The Light of Truth article followed a talk by Pope Benedict XVI on September 27, 2006, where he said, Apostle Thomas came to western India from where Christianity spread to the south of India. Fr Nedungatts piece interpreted Pope Benedicts speech to say that St Thomas did not come to the south of India, creating big news at the time. Many popes have acknowledged the origin of St Thomas Christians to the Apostle Thomas, Fr Thelakatt told TNIE. Archbishop Joseph Powathil issued a press release saying Pope Benedict had not denied the coming of St Thomas to the south of the country. After Cardinal Varkey Vithayathil sent a letter to the Vatican, the Pope amended his words and affirmed that St Thomas had indeed come to the south of India. Whether St Thomas had come to India is not determined by the Popes statement, wrote Fr Thelakkat in his autobiography. Fr Thelakkat was also vocal in his view that the church should settle the dispute relating Franco Mulakkal, when five nuns confronted to Jalandhar bishop with allegations of sexual abuse. All that I wanted was for church authorities to settle the dispute in an honourable and just manner, to prevent it from becoming a major scandal out in the public. Church authorities failed to settle the matter internally, Fr Thelakkat said.

The New Indian Express 15 Mar 2024 8:38 am

Kerala: Varsity youth fest judges death puts spotlight back on SFI

KANNUR: The death of PN Shaji, a judge at the Kerala University Arts festival, has put the spotlight back on the SFI, already on the back foot after the tragic end of Pookode veterinary college student J S Sidharthan. Shaji, 51, was found dead in his home in Kannur on Wednesday evening. The issue turned political with state Congress president K Sudhakaran and Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan accusing the SFI of abetting the death, even as Higher Education Minister R Bindu blamed infiltrators for the incident. The family of the dance teacher alleged that there were bruises on his body suggesting he was beaten up brutally. There were reports that Shaji, who was booked in a bribery case, was beaten up in the office of the fests organising committee in Thiruvananthapuram before he was handed over to the police. Shaji and two others were taken into custody last week following a complaint lodged by the fest organisers alleging that he had taken bribe to favour a team in the margamkali competition. He was released on bail and was asked to appear before the police in Thiruvananthapuram on Thursday. P Lalitha, Shajis mother, said he was visibly upset when he reached home. He fell on my legs and cried, saying he didnt do anything wrong. He kept on wailing and said he was betrayed by some people. He repeatedly said he never accepted any bribe. There were bruises on his face and shoulder, she said. Kerala University Youth Festival suspended Anil Kumar, his brother, said Shaji was completely broken after the incident. He said some people approached him to help a particular team but he didnt oblige. People known to Shaji trapped him in the case, Anil alleged. The family said Shaji didnt eat anything on the day and went to his room. His family learnt of his death when they found him lying in the room in the evening. He was rushed to the nearby hospital, but could not be saved. From his room, police recovered a suicide note. The note in Malayalam, written on the back of the paper provided to fests judges for writing their remarks on performances, said, I am innocent. I didnt take any money. This is (the) truthtruthtruth. I gave (marks) only to the eligible. My mother knows I did not do anything wrong. May God save those who are behind this. KSU says SFI leaders involved in KU youth fest corruption, demands probe SFI activists confined Shaji to room, beat him up: Satheesan Sudhakaran, who visited the bereaved family at Shajis home in Mele Chovva, Kannur, alleged that the SFI was responsible for the death. Shaji was a person of good reputation. He refused to give first prize to the team suggested by the SFI. He was beaten up by SFI workers and ended life as he couldnt bear the insult, Sudhakaran told reporters later. Satheesan alleged the incident was proof the SFI was a challenge to the people of Kerala. He alleged that Shaji was confined to a room and assaulted by SFI activists. He said the incident comes weeks after the brutal assault by SFI activists on Sidharthan, which led to his death. Terming Shajis death tragic, Higher Education Minister R Bindu, however, said it could be the handiwork of those who had infiltrated the festival. CPM central committee member P K Sreemathy, who also visited Shajis house, termed Sudhakarans allegation immature and said there was no point in blaming the SFI. Forensic experts examined Shajis house and the body is currently kept at the district hospital. Cremation will be held at Payyambalam beach on Friday morning. Kerala University Youth Festival: KSU alleges SFI of 'physical violence', holds protest Protest, controversy, death March 7: Kerala University Youth Festival begins March 8: Protest breaks out at Thiruvathira contest venue against judgement March 9: Bribery allegations come up; four, including margamkali judge P N Shaji, taken into custody March 10: KSU stages protest, Mar Ivanios College principal files complaint before KU vice-chancellor March 11: VC suspends youth festival March 13: P N Shaji found dead at home March 14: VC disbands university union; complaint filed seeking police probe KU union disbanded The SFI-controlled KU union has been disbanded in the wake of violence and bribery charges. The VC has turned down the unions request to extend its tenure. (With inputs from Thiruvananthapuram & Kochi)

The New Indian Express 15 Mar 2024 8:30 am

Loadshedding looms large as KSEB faces power, fund shortage

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The KSEB will be forced to go for loadshedding if the Kerala Water Authority does not provide the first installment arrears of Rs 500 crore to it. At a high-level committee chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to address the power crisis in the state, a conclusive decision on providing Rs 2,300 crore arrears that the KWA owes to the board or additional borrowing of resources was not taken. Pinarayi has constituted a high-level committee including the chief secretary, the power secretary and secretaries of various departments, and KSEB chairman and managing director to address the stalemate. Pinarayi has granted permission to the KSEB to borrow Rs 500 crore in April. It may be recalled that he had sanctioned a borrowing limit of Rs 700 crore in last December and another Rs 200 crore this month. Despite the CM directing the KWA in last October to pay Rs 37 crore every month to the board through an escrow account, it was not done. The KWAs claim is that if they start paying the monthly amount to the board, then the salary of its staff and pension disbursal would be affected. A top power department official told TNIE that a whopping Rs 3,480 crore arrears from various government institutions are pending. The decision that KWA will pay Rs 2068 crore to the board in installments over a period of 10 years is not feasible. It will not help address the crisis the board is facing as the recommendation is not practical. KSEB CMD demanded that an immediate first installment of Rs 500 crore be paid by KWA, said a top official of the power department. The crisis being faced by the board is not a trivial one as Rs 16 crore is currently required per day to buy power from the power exchange making a liability of a whopping Rs 1477 crore in three months as advance payment. The board expects that by April they might have to cough up Rs 22 crore as summer will be at its peak. Also, the inflow to the dams is only 35% which will push production down when the demand rises rapidly. The cancellation of the 465 mw power purchase agreement also has added to the woes resulting in loss of energy availability by 10% - 15%. The high-level meeting also decided to make advance deposits more attractive by providing increased rebate as the KSEB wants to improve its cash flow. Currently, 2% rebate is being provided to the consumers for six months and 4% rebate for a year. The CM also agreed to a proposal put forward by the board to go for a 500 mw long- term PPA after checking the legal aspects. If the earlier 465 mw cancelled PPA was for 25 years, the new proposal has been mooted for a 15-year duration. Pinarayi has urged the board to look into its feasibility. Consumption hits record high Kochi: The power consumption in the state continued above 100 MU for the third consecutive day on Wednesday. Meanwhile, the state set another record in peak consumption as the consumption touched 5,066 MW at 10.29 pm on Wednesday. The state had broken the previous record of 5024 MW set on April 19, 2023 as the consumption touched 5031 MW at 10.40 pm on March 11.

The New Indian Express 15 Mar 2024 7:55 am

Support industrial water supply project to sustain IT industry, urges KINFRA

KOCHI: Raising concern over the acute water shortage at the Infopark in Kochi, the Kerala Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (KINFRA) has sought the support of the public for the completion of the industrial water supply project. KINFRA managing director Santhosh Koshy Thomas said the project was necessary for the existence of the Infopark as major IT firms have been complaining about the shortage of water and the quality issues regarding the water presently sourced from Kadambrayar. The government had granted administrative sanction for the KINFRA water supply project in 2013 in an attempt to address the growing drinking water demand in the Infopark. Though KINFRA started laying a 14.5km-long pipeline from Thottumugham in Aluva to Kakkanad in 2022, the work got stalled as certain organisations launched an agitation alleging that the 45 MLD project will cause water scarcity in the district. Though the KINFRA tried resuming pipe-laying in February, District Collector N S K Umesh directed to stop the work as Congress activists, led by MLAs Uma Thomas and Anwar Sadath, disrupted the work. Though the capacity of the project has been raised from 30 MLD to 45 MLD, only 4 MLD of water will be drawn at the initial stage. The maximum capacity of 45 MLD will be achieved only in 2050. Though it is an industrial water supply project, around 80% of the water will be used for the daily needs of the around 70,000 employees at the Infopark, said KINFRA managing director Santhosh Koshy Thomas. There is a trend of IT firms shifting from metropolitan cities like Bengaluru to tier-2 cities like Kochi as they want better infrastructure. One of the advantages of Kerala is the availability of quality drinking water. Major IT firms operating at Infopark are in an expansion mode and the employee strength is expected to cross 1 lakh in a year. If we fail to ensure water supply, these firms may migrate to other locations. The biggest shortcomings of the Infopark are water scarcity and the traffic congestion in the area. If we fail to address these issues, it may damage the states interests, said Infopark CEO Sushanth Kurunthil. Though Water Resources Minister Roshy Augustine and the collector held five discussions with elected representatives from April 2023 to January 2024, there was no consensus. The protesting UDF argue that the government can go ahead with the project if there is adequate water in the Periyar after completing the much-delayed 190-MLD drinking water project in Aluva. The KINFRA should tap resources available in the Kadambrayar to meet industrial requirements. Preference to ensure water supply for public, Says Congress Declaring that the UDF will continue the protest against the KINFRA industrial water supply project, Ernakulam DCC president Mohammed Shiyas said preference should be to ensure availability of water for the people. People in Aluva, Kalamassery, Thrikkakara, Varapuzha, Cheranalloor, Kochi corporation and Edakochi are struggling due to scarcity of water. They are forced to purchase water at an exorbitant rate everyday. We are not against industries, but the governments priority should be to ensure basic amenities to people. The Kerala Water Authority has admitted that they are not able to pump 230 MLD water from Aluva during the summer season. The KINFRA should draw water from Muvattupuzha river or Kadambrayar for industrial needs instead of putting the people to hardship.

The New Indian Express 15 Mar 2024 7:47 am

CIALs business jet terminal completes 1k services

KOCHI: The Business Jet Terminal of Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL), launched in December 2022, has completed 1,000 flight services so far, marking a significant milestone in its operations. In just 14 months since its inception, CIAL has achieved the remarkable feat, reaffirming its position as a premier destination for corporate travellers from India and abroad to Kochi. We are happy to celebrate this significant milestone of completing 1,000 flight services at the Jet Terminal. This achievement underscores our commitment to delivering unparalleled services and convenience to our esteemed clientele., said S Suhas, managing director of CIAL. Notably, this terminal is the largest of its kind in India, and it ranks third, following Delhi and Bengaluru, in terms of the highest number of flights landing at this facility. Spanning over 40,000 sq ft, the terminal stands as the archetype of modernity and luxury in the country.

The New Indian Express 15 Mar 2024 7:34 am

With new airline, Malayali founder wants to keep it simple

KOCHI: When Fly91, founded by Manoj Chacko, takes flight on Monday, it will become the third Malayali-founded airline after Thakiyudeen Abdul Wahids East-West Airlines and Shyson Thomas Air Pegasus to operate in the Indian skies. Named after the countrys telephone code, Goa-based Fly91s vision is to enhance air connectivity between smaller cities in the country. And the failure of many domestic airlines, including the likes of Kingfisher and Jet, is a lesson that Chacko is keen not to repeat. The Thrissur native and his team did their research. We studied the downfall of over 24 airlines and industrys success stories to prepare our strategy. Ours is a simple strategy involving a single fleet and a basic structure, ensuring we are adequately capitalised, having the right talent pool in place, building a strong network, focusing on cost leadership, etc. Fly91 aims to follow these ground rules, Chacko told TNIE over phone. Speaking about operating in Kerala, Chacko said the state does not feature in the companys initial plans. It will be considered, possibly in the second phase, after evaluating some other cities. Our current focus is Goa, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Agatti, Sindhudurg, Jalgaon, and Pune, said Chacko, who has over three decades of experience in the aviation sector. We will evaluate more cities in the next stage. We are studying the market, and hope to connect to 10 more airports immediately after the launch of services, he added. On being the third Malayali to launch an airline, he said, I am an Indian citizen. I was born and brought up in Goa. And having worked in various cities, I dont associate myself with any specific part of the country. Though I have my roots in Kerala, I am not sure if its fair to call me a Malayali, an amused Chacko said. Fly91 received the Directorate General of Civil Aviations air operator certificate earlier this month. It will operate from eight cities under the governments regional air connectivity scheme, UDAN, and has already received approval for 20 routes in the first year. The airline will begin with operations on the Goa-Bengaluru, Bengaluru-Sindhudurg, Goa-Hyderabad, and Hyderabad-Sindhdurg routes. We aim to provide air connectivity on routes that can be covered in under 90 minutes of flying. This is the sweet spot we are looking at, he said. Explaining the selection of routes, Chacko indicated, We try to correlate various factors, including macroeconomic indicators of a destination, like GDP, population, purchasing power, and current availability of air transport, besides rail and road connectivity. As one of the best capitalised regional airline startups, Fly91s MD and CEO said the company raised around `200 crore in the last four years and believes that it is more than adequate for the plan they have devised for the next five years. Fund raising was not easy, says Chacko, a former vice president of Kingfisher. We struggled to raise funds. Despite meeting many investors, we heard back from very few. However, we were determined to launch the airline after funds were raised, he said. Fly91 will initially operate with two 70-seater ATRs that it has leased. Ours is a scheduled commuter licence, and we cannot operate on trunk routes. We are focused on airports where bigger airlines cannot fly to and enhancing connectivity in smaller cities, he said. Future plans The airline plans to expand its fleet to six aircraft by the end of the year. In the second year, we intend to open our second base, either in Navi Mumbai or Noida -- for which discussions are ongoing -- and to connect another 8 to 10 cities. Every year, we intend to add six aircraft to the fleet, open a new base, and open 8 to 10 stations. In short, in the next five years, we aim to have 30-36 aircraft and five bases connecting 50 cities, he stressed.

The New Indian Express 15 Mar 2024 7:31 am

Chief Minister launches Kochi Water Metro extension to four more terminals

South Chittoor, Eloor, Cheranalloor and North Mulavukad terminals turn operational taking the total number of terminals to nine; number of routes goes up from three to five

The Hindu 14 Mar 2024 11:14 pm

Kerala CM opens four new Kochi Water Metro terminals

Kerala CM opens four new Kochi Water Metro terminals Kerala Chief Minister Pinarai Vijayan inaugurated four new terminals of the Kochi Water Metro service on Thursday. The terminals are Mulavukad North, South Chittoor, Eloor and Cheranellur. Speaking at the event over videoconference, Vijayan said around one lakh people would benefit from these new Water Metro stations. As Kochi is the business capital of Kerala, the most important thing to do here is to provide effective transportation facilities to the people living in the islands connected to the city, he said. ''We have approached our commitment with utmost seriousness. More people will benefit from this service. The saying 'What Kerala thinks today, India thinks tomorrow' is becoming a reality and that's why other states are approaching us for advanced Water Metro vessels,'' Vijayan added. He said the Left government is of the stand that basic infrastructure should benefit the society as a whole and keeping that in mind, the Left government has implemented developmental projects including the GAIL pipeline, LNG terminal, City Gas project, power highway, the national Waterway project, the high-range highway among other projects. ''The new terminals will improve connectivity between the islands and the mainland in Kochi. Currently, there are 13 air-conditioned water metro boats ferrying people between High Court jn, Vypin, Bolgatty, Vyttila and Kakkanad terminals. The Fort Kochi route will start soon,'' the chief minister said. The Water Metro project, a first in the country, was inaugurated in April 2023 and is a socially inclusive transport option connecting 10 islands along a 78-kilometre network. The panoramic windows of the vessels provide a visual treat of the scenic backwaters of Kochi and will ferry city residents across 15 proposed water routes. The flagship Water Metro project of the Left front government, set up at a cost of Rs 1,136.83 crore in the port city, will connect the 10 islands using 78 electric boats and 38 terminals, once fully operational. The Kochi Water Metro service is fully funded by the Kerala government and KfW, a German funding agency.

devdiscourse 14 Mar 2024 10:28 pm

NIA gets new facility in Kochi

The Hindu 14 Mar 2024 9:01 pm

VD Satheesan calls Kerala Left Convenor Jayarajan captain of Sangh Parivars B-Team in state

Kochi, Mar 14 (IANS) Launching a scathing attack against E.P. Jayarajan, the Convenor of the ruling Left in Kerala, Congress leader of opposition V. D. Satheesan on Thursday described the veteran CPI-M leader as the captain of the Sangh Parivar forces B-Team in the state. It has now come to light that Jayarajan and his []

bhaskarlive 14 Mar 2024 4:33 pm

Vigilance tells court it can't register case against Kerala CM, daughter in CMRL payment scam

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Vigilance and Anti Corruption Bureau on Thursday informed the Special Vigilance court here that it cannot register a case against CM Pinarayi Vijayan and his daughter Veena T under the Prevention of Corruption Act since the allegation levelled by Congress MLA Mathew Kuzhalnadan against did not come under the ambit of the act. The report, which was signed by the Vigilance Director, also cited that since the same allegation is being considered by the High Court, the petition filed by the Congress legislator should not be accepted. Kuzhalnadan had filed a petition on February 29 against the CM, his daughter and five others alleging that the Kochi-based Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited (CMRL) had received favours from the CM and in return the firm owned by CM's daughter was paid a kickback to the tune of Rs 1.72 crore. Kuzhalnadan had alleged that the kickback was paid disguised as the fee for providing marketing and software services. The detailed hearing on Kuzhalnadan's petition will be heard on March 27. The state government had earlier objected to the court's receiving the petition on file. The objection was overruled by the court, which granted the government 15 days to file its response.

The New Indian Express 14 Mar 2024 2:53 pm

Kochi Water Metro ferries to link four more terminals from March 14

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan set to virtually inaugurate new water metro terminals at Eloor terminal on Thursday evening

The Hindu 14 Mar 2024 1:37 pm

Loading awkwardness

CHENNAI: As a child, when faced with a relative cooing about a fluffy frock or a family friend asking to capture my face on camera, I would hide behind our heavy beige curtains. This floor-length fabric ensured a safe escape from acknowledging any praise or compliment. Over the years, I might have outgrown this curtain but discreetly found a hiding spot in self-depreciating humour or comments, a lengthy explanation or a series of crying cat memes. Twenty five years of being used to finding an invisible curtain in social situations, I almost forgot that I dont need to take praises with a pinch or a mound of salt. A friend once quipped I could never physically say thank you and the day I did, the world would turn upside down. Apparently, Im not alone with my repertoire of deflective strategies. CE spoke to around 15 young professionals across streams about compliments, all admitting they struggle when receiving praise, appreciation, or validation. For Lisa Anthony, a Kochi-based journalist, excuses and weird faces are her go-to reaction when complimented. Every time someone tells me I look good in a certain attire, I have this tendency to tell them that it belongs to my sister. That way, I escape the need to say thanks because the ball wouldnt be in my court anymore. I generally feel good when someone tells me something good but I feel uncomfortable at the same time. Maybe because I think the person could be bluffing, she says. Meanwhile, asked about bad responses to compliments, Chennai-based Mohan, once sent a thumbs-up message to a friend who thanked him for helping her through a tough time. It was a time when I was not used to personal compliments from friends and close circle. It was the worst way to respond to an emotional message. Vinay BS, an assistant professor, was told by a student he didnt accept compliments. When they tell me they like my classes, I used to tell them, You need not butter me, you will only slip and fall. But I felt it was real and would feel super happy. Flattery at its finest In 2001, Hans Poortvliet initiated the concept of National Compliment Day on March 1 in the Netherlands. This day of spreading positivity grew into a worldwide phenomenon in 2019. According to a press release, World Compliment Day simply addresses the basic human need for recognition and appreciation. Nobody wins commercially, but everybody wins emotionally. And therein lies its power. But, beyond this, Poortvliet didnt seem to account for people like us struggling against the face of flattery. The question of why we struggle to respond positively takes us back to the patriarchal systems, offshoots of imposter syndrome, and awkwardness. Echoing this thought, assistant manager - Content Development at ixamBee Savithri S Iyer says, I dont take compliments well because I have low self-esteem. I tend to blush and flounder and say something ridiculous that tends to put people off altogether. I am working on boosting my self-esteem but its a work in progress. Consultant psychologist Eliza Dion Vayalil chalks up this behaviour to false modesty and low self-esteem. They havent gotten many compliments before, not common in their family or social circle. Anybody who have been shamed or teased or bullied in childhood would behave like this. Women are held to beauty standards more than men, and girls might experience lot more shaming, she says. Critical parents, being judged, and harsh teachers contribute to this. Lisa points out, Most of us have been taught that being humble equals masking our happiness when complimented. Often, compliments arent merely reflective of praise or validation; women navigate the world of thinly-veiled insults, back-handed, patronising, condescending and uncomfortable compliments or sandwiched compliments. Ammu Ghosh, a student, says, People say I look pretty when Ive lost a few pounds. I usually lose weight because of stress and so basically they are complimenting me for going through a really bad phase and coming out alive. For instance, women also deal with uncomfortable or lewd compliments from the opposite gender. Take the case of Jayapriyanka J who has received awed reactions from men because she knows how the F5 key on the computer works or Senalda Ronald who faced a barrage of surprised youre not like other girls compliments. According to Senalda, an editorial assistant, Now, Ive come to a place where I can accept a compliment but it took 25 years to get there. When I was younger, I felt like I wasnt allowed to feel that good about myself in many ways for whatever reasons that were traumatic. Growing out of it was a conscious exercise. I would have to tell myself thank you and not be self-deprecating when I get a compliment and not hurt myself to justify it. At first, it felt strange to say thank you, but it became okay after a while. I guess its a hard process and it feels good to just say thank you. Most of us feel warm and seen when receiving genuine compliments. We acknowledge the importance of assurance and validation as confidence boosters, despite the uneasiness to accept that we are loved and worthy of praises. In our attempt to leave behind our huge beige curtains, the repertoire of responses must be left behind for what my friend calls the non-Stranger Things upside-down world.

The New Indian Express 14 Mar 2024 12:06 pm

Death of lawyer: Mother moves Kerala High Court seeking CBI probe

KOCHI: Prasanna, the mother of the late Aneeshya S, who served as an assistant public prosecutor at the Munsiff Magistrate Court in Paravur, Kollam, approached the Kerala High Court on Wednesday seeking a CBI probe into her daughters death. Aneeshya died by suicide alleging physical and mental harassment from higher-ups on January 21. Advocate Jani A, counsel for the petitioner, submitted that the deceased faced continuous harassment and torture from deputy director of prosecution (DPP) Abdul Jaleen and assistant public prosecutor (APP) Shyam Krishnan. They sent unwanted and insulting comments about her in the official WhatsApp group of the prosecutors. Despite registering an FIR, the police have not carried out any probe into the incident. The comparison of the tower location and attendance register would bring out the truth which was tried to be brought out by the deceased regarding the illegal and improper attendance of the APPs in the courts. The investigating officer is reluctant to probe this aspect. The enquiry officer is a close friend of Jaleel, the counsel said. Paul Muthoot murder case: HC upholds conviction of Kari Satheesh The Kerala High Court on Wednesday confirmed the conviction and sentences imposed upon the second accused, Satheeshkumar alias Kari Satheesh, in the Paul Muthoot George murder case. The court said it was the second accused who inflicted stab injuries on Paul, which resulted in his death. Hence, the court upheld the conviction of the accused for various offences, including murder. It set aside the conviction of Satheesh for the offence under section 326 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons) of the IPC (Indian Penal Code). There were 14 accused in the case. After the trial, the fourteenth accused was acquitted, while the others were convicted and sentenced for the offences they were charged with. Paul was murdered on the Pallathuruthy-Perunna road in Alappuzha district in 2009. Directive to produce safety audit report of airports The Kerala High Court on Wednesday directed the Union government to produce the safety/surveillance audit report, both by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the Airport Authority of India (AAI), of three airports in the state for the past five years, including the latest one. The court issued the order on the petition filed by Advocate Yeshwanth Shenoy of Ernakulam, seeking to produce the last five safety audit reports for the airports in Kozhikode, Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram. Forward list of cops considered for IPS post The High Court has directed the state government to forward the list of police officers, who are under the zone of consideration for conferment of Indian Police Service (IPS), for the vacancies of 2021 and 2022 through the single window system within two weeks. The division bench issued the order on the petition filed by Shanawas A, and K Mahesh Das, who were superintendent of police, Crime Branch challenging the delay on the part of the state in forwarding the proposal. Senior advocate N Nandakumara Menon, counsel for the petitioners, said that as of now, there exist 15 vacancies.

The New Indian Express 14 Mar 2024 10:38 am

Mohun Bagan Super Giant beat Kerala Blasters FC 4-3 in ISL

Kochi, Mar 14 (UNI) Mohun Bagan Super Giant continued their incredible run of form with a 4-3 victory against Kerala Blasters FC at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here in the Indian Super League (ISL) match on Wednesday night. The Yellow Army was dealt with only their second loss in their last 10 games at home... The post Mohun Bagan Super Giant beat Kerala Blasters FC 4-3 in ISL first appeared on Central India's Premier English Daily .

Central Chronicle 14 Mar 2024 10:05 am

Fans disappointed as Blasters lose plot against Mohun Bagan

KOCHI: The hordes of Kerala Blasters FC fans who descended on the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium at Kaloor to cheer their team were left disappointed as the hosts suffered a 3-4 defeat at the hands of Mohun Bagan Super Giant on Wednesday. Albanian forward Armando Sadiku excelled for the Kolkata side, scoring twice. Blasters Greek striker Dimitrios Diamantakos also struck twice but that proved too late, his second effort coming in time added on with the visitors already up 4-2. Though Blasters remain in the top six with 29 points, the team needs to perform well in the remaining three games to ensure a spot in the playoffs. As in the last game, the Blasters had to face early attacks, with Mohun Bagan drawing first blood in the fourth minute. Though the home side showed aggression and bounced back with midfielder Vibin Mohanan equalising after a swift exchange of passes with K P Rahul in the 54th minute, the momentum didnt last long as Sadiku scored his second on the hour mark. While the Blasters managed to draw level again through Diamantakos in the 63rd minute, they failed to counter the Mohun Bagan attacks, leaving the fans in shock. Dejected, fans lashed out against the poor performance of the home players. I have been to the stadium for almost all the home matches of KBFC, and unfortunately, the game didnt meet our expectations, said Anantheswar Shenoy.

The New Indian Express 14 Mar 2024 9:17 am

Kochi: Inspection of drinking water projects under Amrut scheme

KOCHI: A core committee chaired by mayor M Anilkumar on Wednesday evaluated the progress achieved in the first and second phases of the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (Amrut) project. During the project review, Anilkumar said that 26 drinking water initiatives, worth Rs 159.28 crore, received administrative approval in the second phase. Twelve of these projects have already commenced, with pipeline works at Kunjan Bava Road, Kumaranasan Nagar, Vinoba Nagar, and Perumbotta Road now completed, he said. As part of this, 400 free drinking water connections have been provided. This has solved the drinking water issue in these areas, said the mayor. The Karshak Road, Ashok Road and Vathuruthu works are in the final stage, he said. A new pipeline project from Karuvelipady pump house to Mundamveli and a project to provide free drinking water connections in Divisions 1 to 28 have been launched and around 1,000 connections have been provided. The installation of three high-capacity pumps at Pazhoor pump house is in the final stage.

The New Indian Express 14 Mar 2024 9:15 am

Prepare SOP for Brahmapuram, min tells DDMA

KOCHI: Industries Minister P Rajeev has directed the district disaster management authority (DDMA) to prepare a special standard operating procedure (SOP) to deal with any accident at the Brahmapuram waste treatment plant. The minister suggested that the SOP should contain information on the officers to be contacted and their responsibilities. Rajeeve also suggested planning activities in collaboration with the health department. The condition of hospitals and related facilities should be assessed in consultation with the primary health centres nearby and the district medical office. He issued the direction during a review meeting to assess the progress of the activities implemented by various departments to prevent the recurrence of fires at Brahmapuram. As part of the installation of automatic wet risers and fire hydrants at the plant, 10 fire hydrants have been made operational. Three fire monitors are also ready. The strengthening of the interior roads for the passage of fire tenders will be completed at a cost of Rs 25 lakh. Rajeeve said the state of the roads, fire hydrants and other systems should be checked every two weeks to ensure their functionality. He directed the current work to be completed urgently. A 200KW generator has been hired and installed at the plant, to be used in the event of a power outage. In the last meeting, the minister had asked officials to take steps to prepare a parallel system to overcome power failure at the plant. Officials also ensured that a water tank with a capacity of one lakh liters will be installed within three days.

The New Indian Express 14 Mar 2024 9:10 am

ISL: Kerala Blasters' Vukomanovic disappointed by how they conceded goals against Mohun Bagan

ISL: Kerala Blasters' Vukomanovic disappointed by how they conceded goals against Mohun Bagan Following Kerala Blasters FC's 4-3 loss against Mohun Bagan SG in the Indian Super League (ISL), the Tuskers' head coach Ivan Vukomanovic said that he was disappointed with how they conceded goals. While speaking at the post-match press conference, Vukomanovic said that many players in his squad are making their debut in the ongoing season. The head coach added that he was disappointed with the individual mistakes. We're like a bunch of kids running around fighting for ourselves. Many players are playing their debut season. And I must say I'm proud of them. But I'm disappointed by individual mistakes and how we concede, Vukomanovic was quoted by ISL's official website as saying. He added that during a game, a player should enter the field with concentration and responsibility. So these five elements are the most important part of a football game. So when it comes to set pieces, of course as a team, you work on that. You work during the week. You spend some time doing that. During the game, it comes to concentration, it comes to responsibility, it comes to being aware of the situation and taking that responsibility, he added. Recapping the match, the Blasters faced a 4-3 loss against the Kolkata-based side. But it could have been a comeback story in Kochi. In the first half, it was a box-to-box battle between both sides. Mohun Bagan's Armando Sadiku made the first breakthrough of the game during the opening minutes of the game. The hosts made a comeback in the game with an equaliser at the 54th-minute mark after a clever move in the box by Vibin Mohanan. Later in the game, Sadiku scored his brace in the 60th minute during a set piece, followed by Dimitrios Diamantakos's left-footed shot from the centre of the box to make it 2-2. Deepak Tangri scored from a beautiful free header during another set piece from a Dimitri Petratos corner. The fourth goal for Mohun Bagan came in the seventh minute of the added time from the left foot of Jason Cummings. Later, after conceding four goals, Diamantakos completed his brace in the last minute of injury time to make the scoreline 4-3. (ANI)

devdiscourse 14 Mar 2024 9:06 am

Kochi: With 2 new routes, Water Metro to extend network from Sunday

KOCHI: Kochi Water Metro Ltd (KMRL) will commence operations on two new routes -- High Court-Bolgatty-North Mulavukad-South Chittoor and South Chittoor-Eloor-Cheranalloor -- on March 17. Ahead of the launch, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will inaugurate the terminals of South Chittoor, Cheranalloor, Mulavukad and Eloor virtually on Thursday. The event will be held at Eloor terminal at 5.30pm. With the commissioning of new routes, the Water Metro will expand its services to nine terminals, establishing five routes across the city. At present, it operates services on Vypeen-High Court and Vyttila-Kakkanad routes with tickets priced at Rs 20 and Rs 30 respectively. Tickets on the High Court Jn-South Chittoor and Bolgatty-South Chittoor sectors will cost Rs 40, which will be the highest on the network. On the other hand, price of tickets on High Court Jn-North Mulavukad, Bolgatty-North Mulavukad, South Chittoor-Cheranalloor and Eloor has been set at Rs 30, while it is Rs 20 on North Mulavukad-South Chittoor and Eloor-Cheranalloor routes. The Water Metro has witnessed a remarkable surge in ridership, with over 17.5 lakh passengers availing of its services since its launch in April 2023. The addition of new routes is expected to further increase the reach and convenience of the service. At present, 13 boats operate on the High Court Jn-Vypeen-Bolgatty and Vyttila-Kakkanad routes. The construction of terminals at Paliyamthuruth, Kumbalam, Willingdon Island, Eroor and Mattancherry is progressing. Meanwhile, work on the Fort Kochi terminal is in its final stage and operations between High Court and Fort Kochi will begin soon. The integration of the new routes is expected to facilitate seamless travel for commuters and enhance the overall effectiveness of the project. Upon completion, 78 boats will be deployed to link 10 islands via 38 terminals.

The New Indian Express 14 Mar 2024 9:05 am

ISL: Mohun Bagan SG edge past Kerala Blasters FC in seven-goal thriller

ISL: Mohun Bagan SG edge past Kerala Blasters FC in seven-goal thriller Kochi: Mohun Bagan Super Giant continued their incredible run of form with a 4-3 victory against Kerala Blasters FC at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi in the Indian Super League (ISL) 2023-24 on Wednesday. The Yellow Army was dealt with only [] The post ISL: Mohun Bagan SG edge past Kerala Blasters FC in seven-goal thriller appeared first on Mangalorean.com .

Mangalorean 14 Mar 2024 8:58 am