THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (SCDRC) has enhanced the compensation payout to a six-year-old girl who lost vision due to an ophthalmologists misdiagnosis. The doctor misdiagnosed her eye ailment as squint whereas the actual cause was brain tumour. The first standard student who showed signs of squint on her left eye, was taken to the Kollam-based hospital on March 20, 2003. The ophthalmologist there, after conducting a fundoscopy and refraction test on the

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A high-level meeting convened by the principal secretary to the chief minister with officials from the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), district administration, and revenue department ended without a clear decision on the timeline for disbursing compensation to landowners who gave up their land for the Outer Ring Road (ORR) project. Official sources told TNIE that the state government will submit the project for environmental clearance from the Union government th

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Participation of some Vice-Chancellors in programmes organised by Sangh Parivar organisations is a new trend, one the state has never witnessed before, CPM state secretary M V Govindan said on Friday. Govindan also accused the VCs of taking unconstitutional positions as part of saffronisation programme and destroying the autonomy of the universities. The issues we are witnessing at the University of Kerala is the result of such actions. The Union government is intervening by

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Cabinet meeting has decided to exempt stamp duty and registration fees for land pooled for the LIFE Mission free housing project of the government. This is applicable to land parcels received as donation, sale or any other mode. The beneficiary will have to submit a certificate from the district collector or a tahsildar assigned by him stating that the land is for house construction under the Mission. The exemption is for two years from the date of order. The meeting appr

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: KSRTC has collaborated with the Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology (RGCB) to set up a medical laboratory at Transport Bhavan in Thiruvananthapuram. The lab will offer blood sample collection and provide test results for both KSRTC employees and the general public. A wide range of tests, including special ones, will be available at discounted rates in accordance with the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS). Additionally, several health packages such as Executive Checkup

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Frequent but short trips to Oman. Luxurious lifestyle despite not having a regular source of income. Possession of several premium vehicles and a palatial 4000 sq ft house under-construction, whose source of money was unclear. And two previous drug cases. These anomalies made Thiruvananthapuram rural police interested in Shaiju aka Sanju, a 41-year-old man from Kallambalam. Their suspicion proved true on Wednesday night when the cops nabbed Shaiju and his three accomplices fr

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The CBI team that probed the suspicious death of a 13-year-old girl, who was found lying in the bathroom of her residence located in the police quarters here in March 2023, has filed a report before the Pocso Special Court ruling out the doubt that she couldve been raped. The CBI report also suggested that the Class 8 student might have died of natural causes. The girl was found lying in an unconscious state in the bathroom on March 30. She died on April 1 in a hospital while

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The capital city came to a near standstill due to a statewide strike called by trade unions, affecting bus services and forcing many shops, including restaurants, to shut down. Despite this, railway operations continued smoothly in the capital under strict police surveillance. While autorickshaws and some taxis operated around the railway stations, the absence of public buses left many commuters stranded. However, the city police emerged as a crucial support system for those

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Two hotel employees have been arrested in connection with the murder of a hotel owner in the city. The arrests were made on Tuesday night from Adimalathura. Police identified the accused as David, a native of Vizhinjam and Suresh, a Nepal native. Both were employed at the Kerala Cafe hotel near Cotton Hill School. According to police, the accused attacked officers during the arrest, injuring four. The duo had been absconding since the incident. The body of Justin Raj, the hot

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state BJP leadership found itself on the back foot on Tuesday after a video surfaced on social media in which Jyoti Malhotra, the social media influencer who was arrested for espionage, was seen travelling with former Union minister V Muralidharan in the inaugural journey of Vande Bharat train. In the video Jyoti was seen interviewing Muralidharan. The video surfaced at a time when the BJP has accused the state government and Tourism Minister Mohamed Riyas of inviting Jyo

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kuruvilla Joseph has been appointed as the first Pro-Vice Chancellor of the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST), Thiruvananthapuram. IIST, an autonomous institution under the Department of Space, Government of India, holds the unique distinction of being Asias first institute dedicated exclusively to education and research in space science and technology. A distinguished scientist and academician, Joseph has served IIST in several pivotal administrative ro

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The move of the city corporation to establish waste treatment plants to ride over the mounting organic waste crisis ahead of the local body elections in the state capital has faced major setbacks owing to local protests and political interventions. Protests have broken out in Thonnakkal and Kudappanakunnu, two sites identified by the corporation to set up solid waste management facilities, including a Black Soldier Fly composting unit and a Compressed Biogas (CBG) plant two

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The land owners who handed over their property to facilitate the long-pending Outer Ring Road (ORR) project are on a warpath and are gearing up to launch an indefinite hunger strike in front of the office of National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) at Enchakkal. On Monday, the representatives of the action council formed by the land owners met the regional officer, NHAI, to discuss the delay in the disbursal of compensation for the land acquired for the Outer Ring Road. Ar

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: State Minorities Commission chairman advocate A A Rasheed has directed authorities to expedite and complete the remaining work of the Mother and Child Block at the Sree Avittam Thirunal Hospital (SAT) in Thiruvananthapuram by December 2025. The directive came during a special sitting held at the Commission headquarters on Monday, following a newspaper report highlighting that the building, inaugurated years ago, is still not fully operational. A report submitted to the Commis

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Ever been to a museum to see a different view of life, but came back disappointed because you couldnt quench your curiosity? You saw the skeleton of a huge animal on display, but you received no information of how it is important to your land or ecosystem. No worries about that if you are heading to the Natural History Museum in Thiruvananthapuram as you will be provided a multilingual digital tour guide on a tablet phone. The countrys first audio-visual digital guide for a m

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The long-pending Outer Ring Road (ORR) project in Thiruvananthapuram connecting Vizhinjam to Navaikulam via Thekkada is facing major financial and administrative impasse as the cost of land acquisition has doubled from Rs 1,800 crore to Rs 3,800 crore. According to official sources, this estimate is valid till August and if the government fails to initiate the procedures to disburse the funds to the land owners by then, the cost will further escalate. As per the Right to Fair

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The ER & DCI Institute of Technology, the academic wing of C-DAC Thiruvananthapuram, has invited applications for its postgraduate engineering programmes for the academic year 2025. The institute offers two industry-oriented MTech programmes -- Cyber Forensics & Information Security and VLSI & Embedded Systems. Meritorious students from both streams will have the opportunity to undertake their academic projects as live projects at C-DAC Thiruvananthapuram or in collaboration

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A persistent sewage overflow near the Lakshya Coaching Centre on SS Kovil Road one of the citys busiest stretches is causing severe hardship to residents, students and pedestrians. For several days, dirty water has been gushing through a narrow bylane beside the centre, flooding the road and spreading a foul smell. Local residents said that walking through the stretch has become nearly impossible without covering their noses. The stench has made the entire stretch unpleasan

KOLLAM: Members of the Youth Congress Eravipuram staged a protest at Pallimukkil in Kollam on Saturday, demanding the resignation of Health Minister Veena George. As part of the demonstration, protestors burned an effigy of the minister and blocked the national highway, disrupting traffic. The police later arrested the demonstrators and cleared the protest site. The protest was inaugurated by DCC general secretary Faisal Kulappadam, who alleged that the recent death of a patient at Kottayam Medi

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a significant ruling to strengthen the implementation of the Right to Information (RTI) Act, the State Information Commission has clarified that government departments will be held accountable for compensating applicants who suffer due to lapses or negligence by officials in handling RTI requests. Issuing the order, State Information Commissioner Dr. A Abdul Hakkim emphasised that if an officer fails in discharging duties under the RTI Act, the responsibility for compensat

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: At a time when questions are being raised against the efficiency of the health sector, the states first skin bank is all set to open its door of relief for numerous burn victims. The skin bank is being set up in Thiruvananthapuram Government Medical College. The bank will be inaugurated on July 15 coinciding with the World Plastic Surgery Day. The centre has also secured the approval of the Kerala State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (K- SOTTO) for receiving skin th

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: It has been 60 years since the publication of Mathilukal, the celebrated novel by Vaikom Muhammad Basheer. To mark the occasion and to observe Basheers death anniversary, which falls on Saturday, the students of Karamana Government Boys HSS created a symbolic Snehamathil (Wall of Love) on their campus on Friday. Besides the students and staff of the school, parents, alumni, autorickshaw drivers, local residents, elected representatives, and BRC officials came together to buil

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state government will strengthen all precautionary measures to prevent tragedies like the one at Kottayam Medical College , said Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Friday. He expressed deep sorrow over the incident and assured that the family of the deceased, Bindu, will receive all necessary support. The chief minister said the government would continue to move forward with a stronger focus on healthcare. Meanwhile, the health department has decided to conduct a survey o

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chasing the tale of an outlaw of yore, an agile, elusive and generous mountain thief who scaled cliffs and leapt ravines to feed the poor a hero of sorts is an inevitable part of caving at Kalladanthy caves in Munnar. People arrive from different places to crawl through the cave, which was once the abode of Malayil Kallan (thief of the mountains), says Siju Varghese, who runs cave tourism at Kalladanthy. Though not everyones cup of tea, caving is rising in popularity in the

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Over 1.57 lakh persons, including 7,849 minors, have sought treatment at Vimukthi de-addiction centres run by the excise department between November 2018 and May 2025. Data accessed by TNIE shows that the number of individuals opting for de-addiction treatment has been rising. Official statistics reveal that 1,46,287 lakh people received outpatient care, while around 11,669 people were admitted over the period under review. Excise sources said that men and women having been s

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Forest Minister A K Saseendran said on Wednesday that the government will take into serious consideration the increasing number of adivasi deaths in human-animal conflicts. The minister was inaugurating the Gothrabheri state workshop at the forest headquarters here on Wednesday. Though all deaths are devastating, the numbers have reduced over the years, with 67 people being killed in 2024-25, against 113 in 2021-22, the minister said. Among the 67 deaths last year, 34 died fr

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The uncertainty prevailing in state Congress over the district-level rejig of office-bearers was raised in the first meeting of DCC chiefs called by KPCC president Sunny Joseph. It was Wayanad DCC president N D Thankachan who drew the attention of the leadership into the issue. If the leadership intends to change the existing district Congress presidents, it should be done immediately, Thankachan told the leadership. The uncertainty over reorganisation has created confusion a

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A pro-Congress social media page Gaga for Raga has invented a new form of campaign against the government on the bad condition of NH 66 stretches in the state. Going to the extremes of sarcasm, it has invited creative works on the collapses reported on NH stretches and the alleged corruption involved in it. They have invited best social media works like reels, carousels, meme, tweet threads and posters on the subject The collapse of NH 66, corruption and incompetence. The win

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state government is all set to begin protection work of the historic Arattu Mandapam at Shankumukham, which is under severe sea erosion threat, this week. However, the project has sparked opposition from the local fishing community, who allege that the authorities are ignoring the protection of the livelihood, houses and life of the local fishing community and focusing only on the Arattu Mandapam. The irrigation department has already invited tenders to install 120 metres

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The players auction for the second edition of the Kerala Cricket League (KCL) 2025 will be held in Thiruvananthapuram on Friday. As many as 170 players, including seniors such as Sanju Samson and a band of youngsters, will go under the hammer. Autioneer Charu Sharma will conduct the proceedings. Among the young blood, the most notable name is Ahmed Imran, the captain of Keralas U-19 team. A dependable top-order batter and a handy off-spinner, Ahmed made his senior debut for K

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Bhageerathi Amma was 105 years old and Karthyayani Amma was 96 when they became poster women of the states literacy movement by passing its examinations with top marks. Their stories have inspired many elderly persons in the state to return to the world of letters after decades. Chandramani C is one such senior citizen. At the age of 70, she has passed the Class X and also the Class XII equivalency exams with flying colours and going a step further, has also found wings to he

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Finance Minister K N Balagopal, on Tuesday, said that some practical problems of Goods and Service Tax (GST), which were evident from the beginning, are yet to be resolved. I was one of the few people who expressed dissent over GST in the joint select committee due to these problems, the minister said, after inaugurating the GST Day celebrations of CGST Thiruvananthapuram zone at the Tagore Theatre. Though said to be barrier-free, certain issues are persistent in the GST doma

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The iconic Valiyathura pier -- which is a testament to the maritime heritage of the capital -- will soon be a distant memory, with the Kerala State Maritime Board (KSMB) officially ruling out any restoration efforts, citing exorbitant cost and lack of functional relevance. A KSMB official confirmed that the 214-m-long pier, battered by years of neglect, sea erosion and repeated cyclone assault will not be revived. The pier, which split into two last year owing to rough waves,

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala University Vice-Chancellor Mohanan Kunnummal has raised serious concerns over the conduct of registrar K S Anil Kumar during a function attended by Governor Rajnath Arlekar at the Senate Hall on June 25. In a preliminary report submitted to the Raj Bhavan, the V-C has recommended a detailed inquiry into the registrars actions, which he said were based on vague allegations and without proper evidence. The event, organised by a pro-right wing organisation to mark 50 year

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Association of Medical and Paediatric Oncologists of Kerala (AMPOK) announced a research grant of Rs 5 lakh for cancer research at the Kerala Cancer Conclave 2025, which concluded on Sunday. The announcement comes at a time when experts are raising concerns about the quality of cancer studies, which are crucial for the prevention and treatment of cancer in the state. According to data presented by Prashant Mathur, Director of the National Centre for Disease Informatics an

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With just months left for the Thiruvananthapuram corporation councils term to end, tensions are escalating between the BJP and LDF, as both fronts trade corruption allegations. The corporations main office has effectively turned into a protest zone, frequently disrupting normal functioning and causing inconvenience to the public. The latest council meeting too was marred by noisy confrontations, with corruption charges dominating the session, leaving little room for meaningfu

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The coastal stretch near Vettucaud church (Madre De Deus Church) -- a major pilgrim centre in the state -- is facing serious threat from sea erosion with the adjoining park and surrounding areas already washed away by violent waves. The situation is alarming as the shoreline continues to recede rapidly causing damage to public infrastructure and posing an imminent threat to the pilgrim centre visited by hundreds of devotees daily. Experts warn that any structural intervention

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala Cancer Conclave 2025, organised by the Association of Medical and Pediatric Oncologists of Kerala (AMPOK), concluded in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday. The two-day event brought together over 200 experts from India and abroad for a series of high-impact discussions on pressing issues in oncology. The conclave featured eight key sessions addressing the growing cancer burden in the state, with a focus on emerging trends, future strategies, and barriers to optimal care.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Twelve-year-old Jesna Fathima was vacillating between teaching and medicine as a prospective career when she discovered: If I do engineering, I can do a lot more things. That thought didnt just randomly arise in her mind, rather it resulted from the STEM camp organised in her school by the Centre for Learning Engineering and Sustainable Education and the department of education, under the University of Kerala. Starting in 2023, the centre has been providing training camps in

The smell of paint, clay, and fresh ideas fills the corridors of the College of Fine Arts in Thiruvananthapuram. The collective creative energy has spilt into the gallery for that final, grand showcase. This years Degree Show is proceeding as final year students display all they have learnt throughout their course. This years event is especially significant as it is the golden jubilee year of the college. Over 40 students from the painting, sculpture, and applied arts departments are presenting

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state governments Ente Bhoomi programme will help Kerala position itself among the global leaders in land management, World Banks Lead Land Administration Specialist Mika-Petteri Torhonen has said. He was speaking at the Bhoomi National Conclave in Kovalam on Friday. I have been travelling globally and I could see that the Ente Bhoomi mission by Kerala is taking the state to one among the global countries, like Estonia, Australia, etc. I had a two-year interaction with th

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: KSRTC is facing challenges in promoting its new bus-tracking app among passengers. While concerns have been raised over its complicated user interface, the most pressing issue revolves around the attitude of conductors. The passengers have complained that the conductors often disable the tracking system, undermining the apps purpose, and refuse to accept digital payments. Voicing their frustrations on KSRTCs social media handles, the passengers pointed out that some conductor

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Two men who posed as government officials and duped several job-seekers to the tune of Rs 25 lakh by offering fake employment at the state Secretariat have been arrested by the Fort Police. The prime accused, Anil Babu, a resident of Valiyavila, Cheriyakonni, was taken into custody from Kottayam on Friday morning. Police said Anil had used the defrauded money to fund a lavish lifestyle. Krishnan, the second accused, a resident of Mukkola, Peroorkada, was arrested earlier in c

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: As Shankhumukham Beach continues to face severe erosion, experts have recommended the construction of offshore breakwaters to protect the shoreline and restore the once-popular destination in the state capital. However, the proposal has triggered criticism and concern, with many pointing to the still-incomplete offshore breakwater project at nearby Poonthura. MLA Antony Raju, after discussions with multiple departments and experts, has decided to push the offshore-breakwater

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The city corporation council meeting witnessed unruly scenes on Thursday after LDF councillors raised serious corruption allegations against two BJP councillors. The meeting turned stormy after LDF councillors demanded the resignation of Punnakkamugal ward councillor Manju P V alleging misappropriation of user fees collected by Haritha Karma Sena (HKS) members. The council has ordered a comprehensive probe into corruption allegations involving two BJP women councillors - Punn

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The expert committee constituted by the state government has recommended offshore breakwater to save Shankhumukham beach, which is rapidly eroding due to the encroaching sea. The proposed plan is to install geo-tubes 200m offshore at a depth of 6m along the 1.5 km stretch. The multi-phase protection plan also proposes sand nourishment to restore the eroded beach. Based on the success of the project, a second phase will be launched, involving smaller groynes and beach restorat