Noted film director Sangeeth Sivan passes away at 61

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Noted film director and cinematographer Sangeeth Sivan passed away in Mumbai, according to film industry sources on Wednesday. He directed approximately 20 films in Malayalam and Hindi. Yoddha, Vyuham, Gandharvam, and Nirnayam are among the Malayalam films directed by Sivan. Kya Kool Hai Hum and Apna Sapna Money Money are some of the Hindi films he directed. He made his directorial debut with the film Vyuham in 1990. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan condoled his demise.

Video journalist trampled to death by wild elephant in Kerala

Thiruvananthapuram: A video journalist from a Malayalam news channel was trampled to death by a wild elephant while he was working on an assignment in Palakkad district. The incident occurred on Wednesday morning when video journalist A V Mukesh, 34, was on an assignment to cover the wild elephants that had strayed into a residential area in Malampuzha. As he was taking the visuals a wild elephant unexpectedly charged at the crew. While the reporter and driver managed to run to safety, the wild elephant trampled Mukesh. The video journalist who sustained serious injuries in the attack was rushed to the district hospital in Palakkad, but he could not be saved. Mukesh who was a native of Parappanangadi in Malappuram district, leaves behind his wife Tisha. Apart from his photography work, Mukesh was also a popular columnist who wrote a column titled Athijeevanam on Mathrubhumi.com. Before joining the Palakkad bureau in Palakkad, he had a long stint in Delhi. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan forest minister A K Saseendran, opposition leader V D Satheeshan condoled the tragic death of the cameraman. Kerala Union of Working Journalists (KUWJ) also expressed their sympathies.

Kerala: Success rate of 99.69% recorded in SSLC exams

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A success rate of 99.69% was recorded in the SSLC (Class X) exam 2024, the results of which were announced here on Wednesday. The pass percentage this year was 0.01% lower than the all-time high success rate of 99.7% recorded last year. Of the 4,26,892 students who appeared for the exam this year, 4,25,565 became eligible for higher studies, General Education Minister V Sivankutty said while announcing the results. The number of A+ holders in all subjects this year was 71,831, denoting an increase of 3,227 students compared to the previous year. Among the revenue districts, Kottayam had the highest success rate of 99.92% and Thiruvananthapuram had the least pass percentage of 99.08. The number of schools that recorded 100% success rate dropped from 2,851 last year to 2,474 this year. This included 892 government schools, 1139 aided schools and 443 unaided schools. The Minister said a total of 4.66 lakh Plus One seats were available for students who passed the SSLC exam in higher secondary and vocational higher secondary schools. If seats in ITIs and Polytechnics are also taken into account the total no of seats for higher studies would go up to 5.37 lakh, he said.

RCC Cyberattack: Ransom in cryptocurrency demanded, 20 lakh patient data stolen

Thiruvananthapuram, May 8 (UNI) In one of the highest volumes of cyberattacks in India, details of 20 lakh patients with the Regional Cancer Center (RCC) here were compromised, affecting 11 out of 14 servers and causing disruptions in many divisions, including the Radiation Department. The attack compromised the health information of over 20 lakh patients... The post RCC Cyberattack: Ransom in cryptocurrency demanded, 20 lakh patient data stolen first appeared on Central India's Premier English Daily .

'I will lose my job': Passengers in dismay after Air India Express cancels 86 flights as 300 cabin crew go on 'mass sick leave'

Passengers took it to X and other social media platforms to express their anger against the cancellations. Videos of many angry passengers at Delhi, Kochi, Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram airports are doing rounds on social media. Travellers can be seen arguing with the ground staff of Air India Express as their flights were cancelled at the last minute.

Air India Express flight cancellations leave Kerala passengers high and dry

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Hundreds of passengers who came to catch the Air India Express flights from three major airports in the state were left stranded due to the sudden cancellation of flights due to the staff protest, on Wednesday morning. As many as 12 flights were cancelled affecting trips to Sharjah, Abu Dabhi, Dubai, Muscat, Bahrain etc. Many of them missed connection flights from other airports due to these cancellations. Passengers of the Thiruvananthapuram - Sharjah flight came to know about the cancellation only after they waited for onboarding at the security gate. The passengers expressed their anguish at the sudden change in plans and the lack of response from Air India Express management in arranging alternate flights. Among those affected are those who face visa expiry, job interviews etc. Some of them explored tickets in other airlines at double the money. Flight Fiasco: Air India Express grapples with 70+ cancellations amidst cabin crew sick leave Anoop Govind, a finance professional, complained on social media that his parents would miss the international connection flight from Bengaluru after the flight from Thiruvananthapuram had been cancelled. Air India Express offered only a full refund or rescheduled the flight within 7 days. A section of our cabin crew has reported sick at the last minute, starting last night, resulting in flight delays and cancellations. While we are engaging with the crew to understand the reasons behind these occurrences, our teams are actively addressing this issue to minimise any inconvenience caused to our guests as a result. We sincerely apologise to our guests for this unexpected disruption and emphasise that this situation does not reflect the standard of service we strive to provide. Guests impacted by cancellations will be offered a full refund or complimentary rescheduling to another date. Guests flying with us today are requested to check if their flight is affected, before heading to the airport, Air India Express spokesperson. The operations of close to 80 international and domestic flights were affected from various airports as about 300 cabin crew reported sick, as a mark of protest, at the last minute.

Kerala airports witness passenger fury over last-minute AI Express flight cancellations

Kerala airports witness passenger fury over last-minute AI Express flight cancellations Protests by irate passengers were witnessed at all airports in Kerala on Wednesday against the last minute cancellation of their Air India Express flights. Passengers, mostly travelling to the Gulf nations, claimed that they were informed about the flight cancellations after they completed their security check and were waiting to board the flight. While Air India Express has offered a full refund or complimentary rescheduling to another date, passengers are not happy with that. Many of them claimed that they could lose their jobs if they do not reach their place of work today, while some others' work visas are about to expire. One woman, who was to travel from Kannur to Sharjah with twin babies and her husband, said she has to rejoin work on May 9, but Air India Express was offering her a flight from Kochi only on May 10. ''What would be the point in me travelling on May 10? If I do not reach there before May 9, my boss will say not to come and I will lose my job,'' she told media. Similar concerns were aired by many others who have to rejoin their places of work in the Gulf nations today or tomorrow and failure to do so could result in them losing their jobs. The woman also said that she had been waiting at the airport since Tuesday night, when her flight was scheduled to leave for Sharjah, but no accommodation or other facilities were provided to them by the airline. Another woman, who had booked tickets on Air India Express to meet her husband who is hospitalised in Muscat, said that she was told about the cancellation only when she reached the Kannur airport in the morning. One man who had to travel urgently to Sharjah on Tuesday night from Kannur, did not wait to cancel the ticket and instead quickly bought a ticket on Indigo for Rs 37,000. ''There is a fight going on at the ticket counter. So, I quickly bought a ticket on Indigo for Rs 37,000,'' he said. Similar scenes of irate passengers, some travelling with small children, were seen at Kochi, Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram airports in the state. Air India Express has cancelled ''scores of flights'' due to a shortage of cabin crew members as a section of them are reporting sick to protest against alleged mismanagement at the Tata Group-owned airline, according to sources. Discontent has been brewing among a section of the cabin crew at the low-cost carrier for some time now, especially after the start of the process of merger of AIX Connect, formerly AirAsia India, with itself. The sources on Wednesday said several cabin crew members started reporting sick since Monday evening and as there are not enough cabin crew members, ''scores of flights'' have been cancelled at various airports, including Kochi, Calicut and Kannur. Later the airline, in a statement, said, ''A section of our cabin crew has reported sick at the last minute, starting last night, resulting in flight delays and cancellations. ''While we are engaging with the crew to understand the reasons behind these occurrences, our teams are actively addressing this issue to minimise any inconvenience caused to our guests as a result.'' The airline, in its statement, sincerely apologised to passengers for this unexpected disruption and emphasised that this situation does not reflect the standard of service it strives to provide.

Kerala airports witness passenger outrage over AI Express' last-minute flight cancellations

Kerala airports witness passenger outrage over AI Express' last-minute flight cancellations Protests by irate passengers were witnessed at all airports in Kerala on Wednesday against the last minute cancellation of their Air India Express flights. Passengers, mostly travelling to the Gulf nations, claimed that they were informed about the flight cancellations after they completed their security check and were waiting to board the flight. While Air India Express has offered a full refund or complimentary rescheduling to another date, passengers are not happy with that. Many of them claimed that they could lose their jobs if they do not reach their place of work today, while some others' work visas are about to expire. One woman, who was to travel from Kannur to Sharjah with twin babies and her husband, said she has to rejoin work on May 9, but Air India Express was offering her a flight from Kochi only on May 10. ''What would be the point in me travelling on May 10? If I do not reach there before May 9, my boss will say not to come and I will lose my job,'' she told media. Similar concerns were aired by many others who have to rejoin their places of work in the Gulf nations today or tomorrow and failure to do so could result in them losing their jobs. The woman also said that she had been waiting at the airport since Tuesday night, when her flight was scheduled to leave for Sharjah, but no accommodation or other facilities were provided to them by the airline. Another woman, who had booked tickets on Air India Express to meet her husband who is hospitalised in Muscat, said that she was told about the cancellation only when she reached the Kannur airport in the morning. One man who had to travel urgently to Sharjah on Tuesday night from Kannur, did not wait to cancel the ticket and instead quickly bought a ticket on Indigo for Rs 37,000. ''There is a fight going on at the ticket counter. So, I quickly bought a ticket on Indigo for Rs 37,000,'' he said. Similar scenes of irate passengers, some travelling with small children, were seen at Kochi, Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram airports in the state. Air India Express has cancelled ''scores of flights'' due to a shortage of cabin crew members as a section of them are reporting sick to protest against alleged mismanagement at the Tata Group-owned airline, according to sources. Discontent has been brewing among a section of the cabin crew at the low-cost carrier for some time now, especially after the start of the process of merger of AIX Connect, formerly AirAsia India, with itself. The sources on Wednesday said several cabin crew members started reporting sick since Monday evening and as there are not enough cabin crew members, ''scores of flights'' have been cancelled at various airports, including Kochi, Calicut and Kannur. Later the airline, in a statement, said, ''A section of our cabin crew has reported sick at the last minute, starting last night, resulting in flight delays and cancellations. ''While we are engaging with the crew to understand the reasons behind these occurrences, our teams are actively addressing this issue to minimise any inconvenience caused to our guests as a result.'' The airline, in its statement, sincerely apologised to passengers for this unexpected disruption and emphasised that this situation does not reflect the standard of service it strives to provide.

Off the cuss

KOCHI: In todays fast-paced digital world, Generation Z is shaking things up like never before. They are the ones making memes go viral, starting online movements, and challenging traditional norms. And while they are at it, there are also reshaping how language is used, particularly by making cuss words appear cool and casual. One of the most interesting words in the English language today is the word f*&k. It is one magical word: just by its sound it can describe pain, pleasure, hate and love...., Osho once famously said. The classic video is all-time hit on social media. Many among todays youth would swear by the logic. There are, in fact, some who replace f*&k with local favourite m@*ru. Cuss words, once considered taboo, are now as common as saying hello. But why? Whats behind this linguistic shift? Here, TNIE examines Gen Zs enduring love affair with swearing to gauge if its a natural evolution in language, whether there are psychological factors at play, and what experts have to say about this cultural trend. Sign of changing times Right off the bat, Mini S Menon, a freelance journalist and English language trainer, says that the prevalent usage of cuss words today is anything but language evolution, but instead a sign of the changing times, of changing priorities and social equations. People are more frustrated now theres too much happening around them, a tsunami of information. Theres a yearning to become all that todays media exposes one to. But people are still stuck in their everyday realities. I think this usage of cuss words is a direct consequence of that frustration, says Mini. Earlier, she used to make her children wash their mouths with soap and water every time they used cuss words. But today, even adults are using cuss words. They have been normalised to a large extent, says Mini. I dont think many are aware of the significance of the words they use. Now, its more about fitting in. Its more emotion than anything else. So, I dont think its an indication of language evolution. Covid effect Indeed, for most people, cuss words are just exclamation marks or interjections. Arun B Nair, professor of psychiatry at Thiruvananthapuram Government Medical College, points out that the trend settled in during the Covid period, when people, regardless of age, were exposed to a plethora of online content. Western movies and series popular among youth feature conversations where cuss words are used multiple times in one sentence. These words are seen as stylish and entrench themselves in popular culture. Adults are also influenced by this and take a softer approach towards children using it, Arun says. This, he says, is not ideal in every setting. According to him, practical life skills education is very vital in schools to help students discern between informal and formal settings. Starting this education early is important, Arun reasons, as it can help young people become emotionally stable, socially adept, and flexible in their communication. As regular expressions However, the frequent use of cuss words has robbed each of its shock value. Its also interesting to explore the evolution of cuss words, Kochi-based psychologist Shibili Suhanah says. Certain words started as insults. Today, they are regular expressions of aggression, surprise, or even love. A word that has taken a peculiar tangent in the word slut. Today, it is used nonchalantly among friends. Neuroscientific studies show that swearing arouses emotions and activates our limbic system. Cuss words command more attention and evoke emotions, thus making people pay closer attention, explains Shibili. Sumy Joy Oliapuram, a professor of Malayalam at Maharajas College, concurs. Unlike earlier times, these words are not taken as seriously anymore. I dont believe these words should be (or can be) obliterated from our vocabulary. They express strong emotions. In some cases, using cuss words can act as a pressure-cooker valve, he says. A coloured past Cuss words, like any word, have a history. In most cases, they are derived from upper-class attitudes towards commoners and women and are even sexually coloured. However, the new generation, unaware of this history, may not understand the words obscure meanings. Also, linguistics suggests there is no point in searching for roots when words have evolved and taken on new meanings, Sumy points out. Indeed, cuss words now portray a myriad of emotions. So much so that it has become challenging to discern the exact emotion behind such expressions, says Muhammed Sahal Cev, a psychologist from Kozhikode. This is validated by Muhammed Nazeeb, a student from Thrissur, who says, Among close friends, we often use cuss words as slang. They dont carry actual meaning or intent. However, when interacting with others, the context changes. A peculiar fad So, are cuss words a fad? Shibu K, who heads the Department of psychology at Christ Nagar College, Thiruvananthapuram, certainly thinks so. This trend stems from a psychological need for attention and peer group acceptance. Its seen as a way to assert strength within the group and align with an ideal self-image dictated by their generation, says Shibu. According to him, external factors such as parental quality, family dynamics, and institutional influence are toothless in quelling this trend. However, not all are okay with the prevalence of cuss words. The world is indeed more open-minded now. But thats not an excuse for swearing. Even if its used casually, if someone has a problem with it, its still a problem, says Ashly Mariam Punnoose, a student from the University of Kerala. Not cool Indeed, regardless of these words casual intent, most have distasteful and derogatory origins, especially to women or queer people. Using such language can harm careers and personal lives. Respect is crucial in any relationship, adds Ashly. While Gen Z might think cuss words are cool, the legal system thinks differently. Keep it clean or you might find yourself in hot water, says Krishnaveni M, a lawyer in Thiruvananthapuram District Court. If obscene words are used in public to insult or annoy, legal action as per IPC Section 294(b) can be taken against the perpetrator, attracting a punishment with imprisonment up to 3 months or with a fine, or both, she says. The interesting aspect of the said offence is that it is categorised along with major crimes like robbery, murder, rape, etc. In that sense, it is a non-compoundable offence. It cannot be settled or compromised between the parties outside of court and requires a full trial for justice, Krishnaveni says. It must be kept in mind that, as held by the Supreme Court in a 2022 judgment, mere abusive, humiliating, or defamatory words by itself cannot attract an offence. There must be further proof to establish that it was to the annoyance of others. Peace out As Gen Z embraces a newfound freedom of speech, lets not forget the age-old advice: choose your words wisely. After all, in a world where everything can go viral, the language we use today could shape the conversations of tomorrow. Peace out! RAW & GENUINE Writer S Hareesh, in an earlier interview with TNIE, said cuss words are a sign of openness. It is a natural way of talking, particularly among friends. Such words can even carry a sense of humour and affection. I view swearing as a raw and genuine expression of local dialect, he said.

AICC blinks, Sudhakaran to return as KPCC president

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Giving in to persuasion by key party leaders in Kerala and pressure from K Sudhakaran himself, the Congress national leadership has decided to reinstate the Kannur leader as the KPCC president. Sudhakaran will re-assume the post at Indira Bhavan at 11am on Wednesday. It is learnt that a section of senior leaders backing Sudhakaran had conveyed to Delhi that dilly-dallying on Sudhakarans return at the partys helm will send a wrong message on social balancing. Following this, Deepa Das Munshi, AICC general secretary in-charge of Kerala, softened her stand and gave Sudhakaran the green signal during a telephone conversation on Tuesday. Sudhakaran was forced to defend his Kannur Lok Sabha seat as there was no other credible Thiyya leader to take on CPM. The other Ezhava community member in the fray is Attingal candidate Adoor Prakash. The High Command realised it will end up further antagonising the Ezhava community which is already under-represented in the Congress, said a leader close to Sudhakaran. Sudhakaran keen on making grand return to Indira Bhavan Talking to reporters in Angamaly later, a jovial Sudhakaran confirmed that he will resume his duties at Indira Bhavan on Wednesday. Its learnt Sudhakaran had decided to turn his return into a gala event by inviting all 26 general secretaries, working presidents and vice-presidents. As per plan, a meeting of party office-bearers was to follow. Meanwhile, post June 4, after the Lok Sabha results are out, the AICC is expected to go for a major organisational overhaul, even if UDF sweeps the polls. Amid the uncertainty surrounding his return as party head, there were campaigns both in his favour and against him. A section of leaders wanted a new president to lead Congress at the time of the local body polls. Meanwhile, a peeved Sudhakaran was keen on getting an honourable exit, and wanted to take credit for UDFs performance in the LS polls. Many senior Congress leaders had alerted the High Command that it was targeting Sudhakaran at a time when communal balancing was at stake. While AICC general secretary K C Venugopal was in Sudhakarans favour and had promised to address the issue after the third phase of the elections, Deepa wanted Sudhakaran to return only after the poll outcome was known. During her phone call with Sudhakaran on Tuesday though, Deepa was keen to know whether he wished to have a swearing-in ceremony at Indira Bhavan, toeing Sudhakarans line. News of Sudhakarans return has come as a setback to leaders in his opposing camp. In the days to come, power equations in the state Congress are expected to see changes.

Mathew Kuzhalnadan to file appeal against court order in CMRL pay-off case

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A day after the Thiruvananthapuram Special Vigilance Court dismissed Congress legislator Mathew Kuzhalnadans plea against the CM and his daughter in the CMRL pay-off case, the MLA admitted that the court verdict was a setback. Speaking to reporters at Indira Bhavan, Kuzhalnadan maintained that his confidence level is intact and that he has decided to go for an appeal. Without hiding his disappointment over the vigilance court verdict, Kuzhalnadan who is also a practising lawyer in the Supreme Court and Kerala High Court, opined that he does not agree with the views of the court. He recalled that the petition was not to put the CM behind bars. My point was that corruption had taken place and so it calls for a probe. I had submitted 28-odd documents as preliminary evidence. I have no qualms in admitting that the dismissal of my plea was a setback. I have decided to file an appeal before the higher court, said Kuzhalnadan.

Complaint against Sobha: Police record EP Jayarajan's statement

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Thiruvananthapuram city police on Tuesday recorded the statement of LDF convener E P Jayarajan in connection with his complaint alleging a conspiracy behind the spread of a rumour that he was going to join the BJP. Jayarajan had filed the complaint against BJP leader Sobha Surendran, controversial middleman T G Nandakumar and state Congress chief K Sudhakaran, alleging that the trio was involved in the conspiracy. The statements of Jayarajan and his son were recorded by a police team led by the cyber city assistant commissioner. The police are yet to register a case on the complaint, and the statement was recorded as part of the preliminary inquiry. Police sources said Jayarajan reiterated his allegations before the cops. The police complaint was filed after Sobha alleged that Jayarajan was about to join the BJP but retracted at the last minute. Nandakumar, meanwhile, had revealed that BJP leader Prakash Javadekar visited Jayarajan at his sons apartment at Akkulam and discussed political matters.

Rain likely across Kerala till May 12, says IMD

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a slight relief from the sweltering heat, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted widespread rainfall in the state till May 12. It will be scattered to fairly widespread rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds (30-40 kmph) over the state during the period. They have also predicted isolated heavy rainfall on May 8 and 11. According to the IMD, the maximum temperature in Palakkad can go up to 39 degrees Celsius in the coming days while the temperature in Alappuzha, Thrissur, and Kozhikode can go up to 38 degrees Celsius. Despite the overnight rains, the average day temperature increased slightly across the state. Kasaragod received up to 9 cm rainfall on Tuesday. It was appreciably above normal in Alappuzha, Kozhikode and Palakkad, above normal in Malappuram, Kottayam, Kollam, Thiruvananthapuram and Thrissur and it remained normal elsewhere over the state. Palakkad recorded the highest maximum temperature of 39.4 degrees Celsius. There was a warm night alert for Alappuzha and Kozhikode on Tuesday. Satheesan seeks compensation for heat wave victims Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan has sent a letter to the chief minister urging him to provide compensation to family members of those who lost their lives to the heat wave. He also demanded that a special package be announced for farmers. In the letter, Satheesan said the heat wave condition should be treated as a natural disaster so that family members get compensation. He said the severe conditions have left the farming sector in doldrums. It is for the first time in the history that Kerala too has been included in the heat wave category by the met department. Over the past several weeks, several people have died in the state due to heat wave conditions, said Satheesan.

Kollam man kills wife and daughter, tries to end life of son, own life

KOLLAM: In a shocking incident that unfolded atParavur in Kollam on Tuesday, a man identified asSreeju, 46, from Poothakkulam, allegedly took the lives of hiswife and daughterby slitting their throats. The deceased are Preetha, 39, and Sreenanda, 12, whose bodies were discovered in their residence. According to Paravur police, Sreeju also attempted the life of his elder son, Sreerag, 17, before trying to end his own life by slitting his wrist. The man and son have been admitted to the hospital and are in critical condition, according to the police. For eight years, Sreeju has been residing with his family at Poothakkulam. On Tuesday, at 7:30am, residents found his wife Preetha, and daughter Sreenanda dead in their bedroom. Sreeju and his son Sreerag were found injured in their home. Subsequently, the residents informed the police. With the help of local residents, the police shifted all family members to Government Medical College Parippally, where Preetha and Sreenanda were declared dead. Sreeju was later transferred to Government Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram, and his son Sreerag was shifted to Holy Cross Hospital in Kottiyam. Both are currently receiving treatment in the ICU. Paravur police have registered the case and initiated the investigation. The bodies have been transferred to Government Medical College, Paripally, for postmortem examination.

Human trafficking: 2 Keralites held

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : The CBI has arrested two Keralites in connection with the trafficking of young men from the state to Ukraine war zone to assist the Russian army and allied mercenary groups. Priyan and Arun, residents of Thiruvananthapuram, were arrested by the CBI Delhi unit from Thiruvananthapuram. The two hail from the coastal area of the capital district and are suspected to be the local recruitment agents operating on behalf of key accused Santosh Alex, who is stationed in Russia. The CBI had earlier conducted raids in multiple cities in the country to crack down on the trafficking networks that were supplying manpower to the Russian army by deceit. Able-bodied youngsters of the age ranging from 18-25 were recruited to Russia under the pretext that they will be given jobs as security officers and support staff in the Russian army. However, the recruits were forced to work in the war front, resulting in several casualties, including deaths.

Driving licence applicants in Kerala reluctant to give ground tests

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With driving school instructors continuing their protest for the fifth straight day, applicants are largely staying away from scheduled ground tests for obtaining a driving licence . Though the Motor Vehicle Department (MVD) decided to carry out the tests with the support of police, they could only conduct them at two out of the 86 centres on Tuesday. Less than 30 tests were held in Pathanamthitta and Tiruvalla. As per the new order, each centre can conduct 40 tests. While the applicants were ready to give the test in the initial days of the protest, the numbers have come down significantly, said an officer. Meanwhile, the driving school operators said the tests in Pathanamthitta and Tiruvalla were conducted with the support of the All Kerala Driving School Owners and Workers Union (CITU), which has stayed away from the protest. The chances of conducting tests are limited because there are only a few members in the union affiliated with CITU. And many of them are not happy with the neutral stand that the union took, said Nazar Usman, general secretary of Motor Driving Owners Koottayma, which is among the associations that challenged the reforms in the driving test. A joint committee of various driving school owners associations, including those associated with AITUC and BMS, decided to launch a protest in front of the Secretariat on May 13. A member of the All Kerala Motor Driving School Instructors and Workers Association expressed concern that the issue would not be resolved until the chief minister returned from his tour on May 21.

Police to file chargesheet after simulating road rage incident in Thiruvananthapuram

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The city police will soon file a chargesheet against KSRTC driver H L Yedu in connection with Mayor Arya Rajendrans complaint that he made lewd gestures at her during the road rage incident. Having been investigating the case for the past 10 days, the police will file the chargesheet against the driver within a week, a senior cop said. The police have collected circumstantial evidence, including CCTV footage, that buttress the allegation raised against the driver, the officer said. According to the police, the visuals collected from four private CCTV cameras from Pattom to PMG have revealed that the bus was dangerously tailgating the car in which the mayor and her family were travelling. From the footage, it was assessed that it was possible for the women passengers, including the mayor, sitting in the rear seat of the car to see the gestures of the driver, the officer said. Road rage row involving Thiruvananthapuram mayor: KSRTC driver used phone for an hour while driving, police claim The officer also claimed the police had collected the audio clip where the mayor is heard questioning the driver over his lewd gesture and evading it without giving a prompt reply. The police will conduct a live simulation of the whole episode to understand the finer aspects of the case. The chargesheet will be filed after the simulation, the officer said. Meanwhile, the Cantonment police have summoned High Court lawyer Baiju Noel Rosario and Yedu to record their statements on Wednesday. It was on Baijus complaint that the police first registered a case against the mayor and her husband K M Sachin Dev, MLA. Yedu has been summoned both as an accused as well as a complainant. The statements of the mayor and the MLA would be recorded in the subsequent days. Police sources said they will take a decision on altering the FIRs after recording the statements of the lawyer and Yedu. Since two FIRs cannot be registered on one incident, the police will seek legal opinion before revoking certain IPC sections from the FIRs. Certain IPC sections were included in the FIRs on the basis of the allegations levelled by the complainants. But they were found to be wrong during the subsequent probe. For example, in the FIR registered on the complaint of the lawyer, a section for trespassing into the bus has been included. Since a KSRTC bus is a public place, the trespassing charge wont stand, a source said.

Kerala varsities ready to roll out 4-year UG courses

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: As the states higher education sector is poised to fully implement the four-year undergraduate programmes starting this year, major universities have cleared the decks for the rollout of a variety of interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary courses. University of Kerala (KU) pioneered the four-year UG programme in the state last year by offering such a course in Politics and International Relations. This year, the varsity is set to roll out 15 more Four-Year Undergraduate Programme (FYUP) - Honours with Research courses in science, arts, commerce and business administration. Students can choose their major subject from any of the 16 programmes at the end of the first year of the four-year course. Along with it, they can choose their minor subject from as many as 51 innovative minor courses offered by the 44 teaching and research departments of the university. The choice of minor subjects includes data science, data analytics, applied linguistics, cyber security, supply chain, bio-diversity, nanoscience, biotechnology, biochemistry, climate change, functional materials, machine learning and artificial intelligence. Unlike the conventional three-year degree course, the four-year programme provides students the option to pursue more than one discipline. If a student secures the required credit in a minor subject, he or she can continue pursuing the subject at the post-graduate and research levels. According to KU Vice-Chancellor Mohanan Kunnummal, a variety of online courses, skill development programmes, internships and research projects also form an integral part of the four-year UG programme offered by the varsity. The Four-Year Undergraduate Programme (FYUP) - Honours with Research has been conceived to instil in students a multidisciplinary approach, social commitment and research aptitude. The idea is to connect them to the job sector and also encourage research in their respective domains, he said. Programme highlights According to prof Sam Solomon, director of the Centre for Undergraduate Studies, KU, students who obtain the required credits at the end of the third year can exercise the exit option with the normal BA/ BSc / BBA/ Bcom degree. Students who secure a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 7.5 or above can advance to the fourth year of the programme. These students will be awarded the Honours with Research degree on completion of the four-year course, he said. This year, the varsity plans to admit students on the basis of marks scored in the Plus Two examination. The admission notification will be issued soon after the publication of the Plus Two results. From next year onwards, an entrance exam is being planned taking into account the limited seats available for the newly launched courses. KERALA UNIVERSITY 4-YEAR UG PROGRAMMES: 16 BSc Hons With Research: 7 Biology, Physics, Computer Science, Chemistry, Mathematics, Geology, Psychology BA Honours With Research: 7 Hindi, Malayalam & Kerala Studies, English, Sanskrit, Politics & International Relations, Economics, History BCom Hons With Research: 1 BBA Hons With Research: 1

Calicut, MG varsities to revamp 5-yr PG courses

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: As part of the transition into four-year UG courses, Calicut and Mahatma Gandhi universities are planning to thoroughly revamp and introduce new programmes to their existing five-year integrated postgraduate courses. Students will be given the exit option in the third and fourth years of the five-year programme with regular and honours degrees, respectively. Calicut University Vice-Chancellor M K Jayaraj told TNIE that six new integrated PG programmes will be added to the four courses already on offer. Languages such as Arabic and Sanskrit along with comparative literature will be among the newly introduced five-year integrated PG programmes, the VC said. Under the revamped course, students can pursue the regular BA/BSc/BCom degree after the third year. Students obtaining the required credits can proceed to the fourth year and can exit the course with the Honours degree on successful completion. Those who choose to continue can obtain a PG degree at the end of the fifth year. MG University Vice-Chancellor C T Aravindakumar told TNIE that the varsitys five-year integrated PG programme will be re-designed into a four plus one PG programme allowing exit options in the third and fourth years. However, affiliated colleges will offer the four-year undergraduate honours programme, the syllabus of which is in the final stages of approval by the varsity. At present, the university has eight such programmes that are being thoroughly revamped to meet the new requirements. Two more programmes have been added recently. Efforts are on to also introduce language programmes in the four plus one mode, he said. FOUR-YEAR DEGREE PROGRAMME CALICUT UNIVERSITY: 10 Existing: 4 Physics, Chemistry, Bio-Science, Development Studies New: 6 Botany, Zoology, Economics, Arabic, Sanskrit, Comparative Literature MG UNIVERSITY: 10 Science: 5 Physics, Chemistry, Bio-Science, Environment Science, Computer Science Humanities: 5 Economics, History, Politics & International Relations, Gandhian and Development Studies, Social Science *Language courses to be introduced

Kerala: Virtual trial room, Salabha Koodu to support child victims in POCSO cases launched

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a first-of-its-kind initiative in the state, the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA), Thiruvananthapuram, has set up a virtual trial room for Pocso (Protection of Children from Sexual Offence) victims and children going through a trial. The virtual conference trial room has been set up as part of the Salabha Koodu initiative, which aims to provide assistance to children and aid them in overcoming psychological challenges and mitigating criminal inclinations. The designated space situated in the DLSA office is designed to cater to the specific needs of children, featuring amenities such as books, games and other forms of entertainment. Secretary and Sub Judge S Shamnad of DLSA told TNIE that the authority aims to offer holistic support for children through the initiative. The programme was conceived to provide a supportive environment for children who are involved in legal proceedings or require assistance from the legal system, he said. The authority has appointed a child psychologist and a full-time social worker at the newly opened facility Salabha Koodu, a child-friendly legal space. He said that the facility will also impart legal awareness for children and parents to prevent and address crimes against children. We aim to identify and make early intervention for children facing physical, mental, financial and emotional adversities and ensuring that they receive the necessary support system. Since its opening, we have offered support to around seven children and we want more people to utilise our services, said Shamnad. The facility has been set up using CSR funds from RM India. Sakhi Womens Resource Centre secretary advocate J Sandhya said that court proceedings and the environment are intimidating for children and the virtual trial room will help address these issues. This is the first of its kind in the state and even in India. The facility will offer a friendly atmosphere for children and victims, she said. The Electronic Video Linkage Rules for Courts (Kerala), which came into effect in 2021, allow for the use of Electronic Video Linkage (EVL) facilities at all stages of judicial proceedings, as well as in other court proceedings. As per the rules, the victim can attend the court proceedings online from anywhere and this facility will be a boon for many, said Shamnad. The Kerala Legal Services Authority (KeLSA) has recently launched CLAP (Child Legal Assistance Programme) aimed at extending crucial legal aid to children, particularly children in custody disputes initiated by parents in family court. The designated child-friendly space is expected to provide a comfortable environment to enable interaction between child support lawyers and the children, added Shamnad. In safe hands The designated space situated in the DLSA office is designed to cater to the specific needs of children, featuring amenities such as books, games and other forms of entertainment DLSA has appointed a child psychologist and a full-time social worker at Salabha Koodu

Kerala braces for the worst drought in 40 years

KOCHI: Standing in the midst of wilted cardamom plants, M L Roy, a farmer at Kalthotty in Idukki district is unable to hold his emotions. This is the worst summer in my memory. Around 90% of my cardamom plants have wilted and I will have to replant the entire farm. It will take three years for the cardamom to give yield. I tried my best to protect the plants by bringing water in pickup trucks to irrigate the crop, But all my efforts failed. The drought has turned me into a construction worker, he said. A prolonged dry spell, parched farmlands, dried-up rivers and wilted crops. Kerala is grappling with the worst drought conditions in 40 years. The water level in reservoirs has depleted to worrying levels and villages in north Kerala have been hit by worsening water scarcity. There was no rain in the districts north of Thrissur for the past four months. The Kerala Water Authority has been forced to stop pumping in many areas in Palakkad and Malappuram districts due to the drying up of water sources. The depletion of groundwater resources has added to the woes of farmers as both open wells and borewells have dried up. Farmers in Idukki, Palakkad, Malappuram, Wayanad, Thrissur, and Kozhikode are staring at a bleak future as the crops started wilting due to the non-availability of water for irrigation. Crops in thousands of acres of farmland including plantain, paddy, cardamom, pepper, vegetables, coffee and cocoa have wilted under the scorching summer heat. Kerala: Climate change reality gets heatwave check A meeting convened by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on May 3 assessed the drought situation and decided to initiate steps to ensure the distribution of drinking water in drought-hit areas. Agriculture Minister P Prasad has issued an order to form expert committees at the block level to assess the situation. The panel members have been directed to visit drought-hit areas and submit a report by May 9. The government is planning to approach the Centre with the data demanding to declare the state as drought-hit. Keralas first official heatwave scorches Palakkad We have allocated Rs 12 lakh to each panchayat during the past two months to ensure distribution of drinking water in drought-hit areas . If the fund is inadequate they can approach the district collector for more funds. The situation in Palakkad is worse as water sources have dried up in many areas. Though we considered releasing water from the Malampuzha dam, the storage is low and the water may not reach Ottappalam. We are relying on summer rains to tide over the crisis, said Local Self Government Department Minister M B Rajesh. The paddy farmers have not been able to launch cultivation of the second crop as there is no water available for irrigation. The storage in Malampuzha dam is low. So the collector said they cant release water for irrigation. Plantains, rubber, coconut, arecanut and vegetable plants have died up as the open wells and borewells have dried up. The dairy farmers are desperate as the milk output has decreased drastically and cows are dying due to heat stress. We are planning to hold a protest in front of district collectors office on May 8 demanding to delcare the district as drought-hit, said National Farmer Protection Council leader Pandiode Prabhakaran. According to Cardamom Growers Association president Antony Mathew, cardamom production will decrease by 60% in the coming months as around 75% of the plants have wilted due to the scorching summer. The temperature has risen to 33 degrees Celsius in Idukki which is the highest in history. The situation is worse than in 1983 when the district faced a drought situation. The ideal climate for cardamom is 22 - 25 degrees Celsius, but the temperature has risen by more than 10 degrees Celsius which has led to wilting of the plants. Even if it rains now, it will not help the farmers as we have to replant the farmlands, he said. The farmers are in debt and despair as most of them have availed of agriculture loans. Small-scale farmers are forced to work as daily wage labourers to sustain their lives. Idukki has been hit by a farm disaster as the wilting of cardamom will have a long-standing impact on farmers. The lackadaisical approach of the KSEB has aggravated the crisis. Most of the farmers have installed motor pumps for irrigation, but low- voltage problem has made it impossible to operate them. Exploiting the situation some agents of step-up devices are luring farmers to buy their products, said Reji Njallani, a cardamom farmer in Idukki. Pineapple farmers in Ernakulam, Thrissur, Kottayam, Pathanamthitta and Kollam districts have been badly hit by the drought. The production has decreased by 50% and the size of the fruit has reduced due to adverse climate. We have suffered around 40% loss due to the drought. Plants are wilting and the fruits are small which reduces its quality, said Pineapple Farmers Association president James George. The scarcity of drinking water has affected Ottapalam, Chittoor and Shoranur areas in Palakkad district as pumping from Bharathapuzha has been affected. According to Kerala Water Authority, the situation will aggravate if summer rains are delayed beyond May 15. The KWA is relying on release of water from Aliyar Dam as the storage in the Malampuzha dam is low. In Malappuram also pumping stations had to be shut down due to depleting water resources. The KWA is facing difficulty in pumping operation due to low-voltage problems. North Kerala is facing a drought situation as there has been no rain since February. The water levels in Chaliyar and Bharathapuzha are low which has affected drinking water projects. The storage in reservoirs is also low which has affected agricultural activities. The depletion of groundwater level has led to water scarcity in interior areas, said Centre for Water Resources Development and Management (CWDRM) senior scientist C P Priju. KSEB dams 3,542.13 MCM - Max storage total 1,111.69 MCM(32%) - Effective storage 4,140.25 MU - Max capacity Water to generate 1,316.77 MU power Kerala rains 2023-24 3,000 mm - Annual rainfall (Longtime average) 2,025.6 mm - Rainfall in 2023-24 Irrigation dams 1,528.33 MCM - Max capacity 457.48 MCM - Storage on May 7 Water woes The Kerala Water Authority has been forced to stop pumping in many areas in Palakkad and Malappuram districts due to drying up of water sources. Crops in thousands of acres of farmland including plantain, paddy, cardamom, pepper, vegetables, coffee and cocoa have wilted under the scorching summer heat. Increasing groundwater stress a concern Though Kerala has been boasting about its abundant water resources, the harsh summer has pushed the state into a water crisis. Central Ground Water Board regional director Mini Chandran said the state has been facing water stress during summer. Erratic monsoon, rapid urbanisation, deforestation, changes in land use patterns, pollution of water bodies and climate change have contributed to water stress. We have collected water level from across the state in April, which is under analysis. The data reflects variations in water levels, she said. A wilted cardamom plantation at Nedumkandam in Idukki | Shiyami Groundwater data 2023 5,527.28 MCM - Annual ground water recharge 5,005.27 MCM - Annual extractable groundwater resource 2,730.47MCM - Gross ground water extraction 54.55 % - Average extraction No. of assessment units Critical assessment units: Chittoor, Malampuzha and Kasaragod (Extraction level 90% to 100%) Semi critical: 30 units Stage of extraction: 70-90% Safe category: 119 units Stage of extraction less than 70% Depth to water level in Kerala Lowest: Ernakulam (0.16 metre below ground level) Deepest: Thiruvananthapuram: 51.7 m below ground level. The average depth of groundwater: 10 metres below ground level (85%) No overexploited and saline assessment units in Kerala Three blocks have deteriorated to semi-critical in 2023 Kozhikode, Sasthamcotta and Varkala

Sidharthan was stripped, beaten up & denied care: CBI

KOCHI: Sidharthan J S was brutally assaulted, subjected to public trial and denied medical attention for hours, the final report by the CBI investigating the veterinary college students death has revealed. Sidharthan, 20 a student of Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, was found hanging in the hostel in Pookode, Wayanad, on February 18. The CBIs New Delhi Unit submitted the report before the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court, Ernakulam on April 25. The document, a copy of which is with TNIE , brings to light the horrific ordeal the youth from Thiruvananthapuram was subjected to from the night of February 16 until the early hours of February 17. It said the accused persons 19 people have been booked in the case stripped Sidharthan to his undergarments while questioning his alleged misbehaviour towards a girl student. It said Sidharthan was continuously beaten up with a belt, a glue gun cable, and slapped and kicked. A partially-naked Sidharthan was also forced to confess his guilt before the hostel inmates, the CBI document said. The assault, restraint, confinement, humiliation, and harassment, started around 9.30pm on February 16 and lasted till 1 am on February 17, said the report, adding that Sidharthan was repeatedly pushed to the ground by the accused persons. Findings As per the report, the probe has established that accused 1 to 19 Akhil K, Kashinathan R S, Ameen Akberali U, Arun K, Sinjo Johnson, N Asif Khan, Amal Ihsan A, Ajay J, Althaf A, Soud Risal E K, Adithyan V, Muhammed Dhanish M, Rehan Benoy, Akash S D, Abhishek S, Shreehari R D, Dones Daie, Billgate Joshwa Thannikode and Naseef V committed offences under IPC and The Kerala Prohibition of Ragging Act 1998. Second opinion on cause of death awaited: CBI report The humiliation and harassment deprived the deceased Sidharthan of his self-respect and dignity, said the report, adding that after beating and humiliating him, the accused persons neither provided him medical care nor offered consolation to bring him out of the mental trauma, thereby abetting Sidharthan to commit suicide. It said while the postmortem report suggests death due to hanging as the cause, the CBI has sought a second opinion. The autopsy report and detailed notes of the forensic doctor, along with photographs taken at the time of the postmortem, have been forwarded to AIIMS, New Delhi, for constituting a medical board and providing expert opinion. The second opinion from the board is awaited, the report said, adding that further probe was needed to ascertain the role of others in the students death. Detailing the events before Sidharthans death, the report said after classes got over, Sidharthan had left for Thiruvananthapuram by train on February 15. It said the accused decided to question Sidharthan for his alleged misbehaviour, and the 13th accused Rehan Benoy called him on his phone. Rehan, 10th accused Soud Risal E K and 12th accused Muhammed Dhanish M compelled him to return to the hostel to settle the issue, and Sidharthan got off in Ernakulam and returned to the college, it said. Around 9.30 pm on February 16, accused Dhanish, Adithyan V, Soud, and Althaf A, along with his classmates, took Sidharthan to a hillock opposite the mens hostel, and questioned him. Hearing the noise, the second accused Kashinathan R S went to the spot and asked what was happening. Dhanish said there was some issue, which they will settle, it said. The report said Kashinathan left but returned and slapped Sidharthan, and instructed others to take him to the hostel where he would deal with him. Sidharthan was taken to room 21, allotted to accused Amal Ihsan. He was made to confess in front of many students, said the report. Accused Amal, Sinjo Johnson, Asif Khan, Arun K, Kashinathan, Ameen Akberali U, Althaf, Ajay J, Adithyan, Dhanish, Dones Daie, Billgate Joshwa Thannikode and Soud physically assaulted Sidharthan with a leather belt, cable wire of a glue gun, and also kicked and slapped him. He was forced to stand in his undergarments and was confined to the room, the report said. Around 1am on February 17, Sidharthan was taken to the dormitory on the first floor, where Kashinathan threatened him that he will be socially isolated, causing mental trauma to the deceased. First accused Akhil, a PhD student, reached the dormitory, slapped Sidharthan and dispersed others. Sidharthan then returned to his dormitory and slept in room 5, said the report, adding he did not eat that day. He was found hanging from the iron grill in the ventilation window of the bathroom on February 18, said the final report. Charges IPC Sections 120 B (criminal conspiracy), 341 (wrongful restraint), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 324 (causing hurt using a dangerous weapon), 342 (wrongful confinement), 355 (criminal force or assault with intent to dishonour a person, but not on grave provocation), 306 (abetment of suicide) and 506 (criminal intimidation). Test using dummy Sidharthans death was recreated by a team of experts from CFSL, New Delhi, using a dummy having his same height and weight. The dimensions of the bathroom, the position of the inner bolt and the broken condition of the door etc, were noted by the CFSL team, said the final report.

CBI arrests two people in connection with Russia-Ukraine human trafficking case

They have been arrested from Thiruvananthapuram

Patna emerges as India's most flood-prone city, reveals recent study

Patna emerges as India's most flood-prone city, reveals recent study Patna experiences the worst floods in India, followed by West Bengal's Murshidabad and Maharashtra's Thane, according to a district-level flood severity index (DFSI) developed by researchers at IIT-Delhi and IIT-Roorkee. The index takes into account the historical severity of floods based on the number of affected people, the spread and duration of floods. The researchers said the top 10 districts where flood severity is the highest are: Patna, Murshidabad, Thane, North 24 Parganas (West Bengal), Guntur (Andhra Pradesh), Nagpur (Maharashtra), Gorakhpur (Uttar Pradesh), Ballia (Uttar Pradesh), East Champaran (Bihar), and East Medinipur (West Bengal). These are followed by Muzaffarnagar (Bihar), Lakhimpur (Assam), Kota (Rajasthan), Aurangabad (Maharashtra), Malda (West Bengal), Rajkot (Gujarat), Prayagraj (Uttar Pradesh), Aurangabad (Bihar), Bahraich (Uttar Pradesh), Ahmedabad (Gujarat), Jalpaiguri (West Bengal), Darjeeling (West Bengal), Dibrugarh (Assam), Azamgarh (Uttar Pradesh), Chamoli (Uttarakhand), West Champaran (Bihar), Amravati (Maharashtra), Medinipur West (West Bengal), and Samastipur (Bihar). Though Chamoli in Uttarakhand does not face recurrent floods, it appears on this list because of a few isolated highly damaging flood events. Among the 30 districts facing the highest risk of floods, 17 are in the Ganga basin and three are in the Brahmaputra basin. Among all the Indian river basins, the Ganga basin has the highest population, and its high flood proneness is worrisome, said the researchers, including Manabendra Saharia, an assistant professor at IIT-Delhi. Assam experiences the highest number of floods in India, having faced more than 800 flood events over 56 years. The other flood-prone states, in descending order of flood events, include Kerala, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, and Maharashtra. Data from 1967 to 2023 shows that Thiruvananthapuram has experienced more than 231 floods or more than four events per year on average. Five districts -- Thiruvananthapuram, Lakhimpur, Dhemaji, Kamrup, and Nagaon -- have been categorised as ''severely flood-prone,'' having recorded more than 178 floods, or more than three events per year on average. The researchers said localised intense rainfall events are likely to rise in the future due to climate change, and therefore, more flash floods are expected. Under the warming climate, the frequency of cyclones will increase, and coastal and nearby inland areas will face more instances of intense rainfall and floods. It is also likely that areas that are not currently flood-prone may begin to see flooding. The researchers said human fatality due to floods is nearly stable or has come down in recent times due to better management despite an increase in the population in India. The number of deaths is around 1,000 per year since 2015, the data showed.

Kerala man kills wife, daughter before attempting to end son's and own life

Kerala man kills wife, daughter before attempting to end son's and own life A man allegedly murdered his wife and daughter by giving them some poisonous substance first and then slitting their throats before attempting to kill himself in Paravur, in Kerala's southern district of Kollam, on Tuesday. The accused, Sreeju, a 46-year-old man from Poothakkulam, also tried to kill his elder son Sreerag (17) by cutting his throat and later attempted to kill himself by piercing his vein on his hand, Paravur police said. Both the father and son were found this morning in critical condition at their house and rushed to a nearby hospital, they said. The incident is suspected to have taken place on Monday night, and the motionless bodies of Preetha (39) and Sreenandha (12) were found in the house by relatives living nearby, a senior police officer said. Having received no response from anyone when called, relatives broke open the door to the house. When they entered the house, they found the bleeding bodies of the family of four. ''The wife, daughter, and son suffered cuts to their throats. We suspect that the wife and daughter were also given some poisonous substance, but we can confirm it only after the pathology report comes out,'' the officer told PTI. A surgery was performed on Sreerag at a private hospital here, the officer said, but didn't disclose details about his health condition. Though Sreeju, the accused, was rushed to the Government Medical College in Thiruvananthapuram, his condition is yet to stabilise, he said. Quoting their relatives, police said financial difficulties are suspected to be behind the killings and attempted suicide. Sreeju is a mason by profession, and Preetha was working at a local cooperative bank in the district. A detailed investigation is underway, police added.

Kuzhalnadan to go for appeal against Vigilance court verdict

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A day after the Thiruvananthapuram Vigilance Court dismissed his pleas against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Congress legislator Mathew Kuzhalnadan has termedthe court verdict a setback. Talking to reporters at Indira Bhavan, Kuzhalnadan maintained that his confidence level is intact. He said he would file appeal before the higher Court. Without hiding his disappointment over the vigilance court verdict, Kuzhalnadan, who is also a practicing lawyer in Supreme Court and Kerala High Court, opined that he does not agree to the views of the court. I have no qualms in admitting that the dismissal of my plea was definitely a setback. I have decided to file an appeal before the higher court, said Kuzhalnadan. The Thiruvananthapuram vigilance court had rejected Kuzhalnadan's plea citing that there is lack of preliminary evidence on his allegations levelled against the Chief Minister and his daughter over monthly instalment row. The court had also said that the legislator had only merely raised allegations and he failed to produce substantiating documents. The order also stated that Kuzhalnadan had deliberately filed a case against the Chief Minister and his daughter which was motivated by politics.

K Sudhakaran to resume duties as KPCC chief on Wednesday

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: K Sudhakaran, who has taken a break to contest the Lok Sabha poll from Kannur, will resume his role as Congress state president on Wednesday. Coupled with the intervention of senior Congress leaders and pressure from K Sudhakaran himself, the AICC leadership has intervened favourably in bringing him back at the helm of the party. A section of senior Congress leaders who backed Sudhakaran conveyed the message to Delhi that if there is further dilly-dallying on Sudhakaran's return as party chief, it will convey a wrong message. Deepa Dasmunshi, AICC general secretary in-charge of the state also loosened her firm stand and gave the green signal to Sudhakaran during a telephone conversation on Tuesday morning. Talking to reporters at Angamaly, a jovial Sudhakaran confirmed that he will resume his duties at Indira Bhavan on Wednesday. Congress brass not keen to reinstate Sudhakaran as partys Kerala chief Sudhakarans return to Indira Bhavan was getting delayed for sometime. There was also a campaign going on in his favour and against him. A section of leaders felt that a new president should lead the party in time for the local body election. A peeved Sudhakaran has been keen on getting an honourable exit. Also Sudhakaran felt that as KPCC chief he should be given the credit for UDF performance in the poll. Following this, many senior Congress leaders alerted the party High Command saying that they are unduly targeting Sudhakaran when communal balancing has been at stake. Sudhakaran was forced to defend his Kannur Lok Sabha seat as there was no other suitable leader to take on the CPM. So when Sudhakaran is being shown the door without giving him due recognition, the Congress High Command realized that they are only further antagonizing the Ezhava community which are under-represented in the Congress, said a leader close to Sudhakaran. While All-India Congress Committee general secretary (organization) K C Venugopal was in favour of Sudhakaran and had promised to address the issue after the third phase election, Deepa Dasmunshi wanted him to return to office only after the Lok Sabha poll outcome is known on June 4. Following the intervention of the senior Congress leaders, there was swift action from the Congress High Command. This saw Deepa Dasmunshi calling up Sudhakaran over phone. She was keen to know whether he wishes to have a swearing in ceremony organized at Indira Bhavan thereby toeing the line of Sudhakaran. The Sudhakaran camp is jubilant following the developments.

Kerala man kills wife, daughter before attempting to end own life

Kerala man kills wife, daughter before attempting to end own life A man allegedly killed his wife and daughter by slitting their throats before attempting to kill himself in Paravur, in Kerala's southern district of Kollam on Tuesday. The accused, Sreeju, a 46-year-old man from Poothakkulam, is suspected to have given them poison before cutting their throats, police said. His wife Preetha (39) and Sreenandha (12) were found dead in their house this morning. Though Sreeju also tried to kill his elder son Sreerag (17) and later himself, both of them were found in critical condition, Paravur police added. A police officer said financial difficulties were suspected to be behind the killings and attempted suicide. Sreeju is a mason by profession. ''Both the man and his son are under treatment. The son has been admitted to a nearby hospital, and the man was taken to the Thiruvananthapuram Medical College,'' he said. Further details can be divulged only after a detailed investigation, the police added.

Celebrate handmade crafts at HAME fest on May 11

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The handmade exhibition titled Hame is all set to present its second edition at the Womens Club in Kowdiar on May 11. The expo organised by eight women entrepreneurs from different parts of the city will feature an array of diverse creations that celebrate the beauty and craftsmanship of handmade and homemade products. Items ranging from jewellery, resin artworks, macrame, crochet, and homemade curry powder would be exhibited. We aim to promote homemade and handmade goods. There has been a rising case of people buying mass-produced items and discarding them after using for a brief period. Despite their short life cycle, many prefer them over handmade products, and this is where Hame would like to bring a change. More than an expo, it is a platform where handmade products and their craftsmanship are valued, says Vineetha Nair, organiser of the event and a local crochet artist. The event is scheduled to begin from 11am to 8pm. According to the organisers, the one-day event aims to provide an opportunity to the public to recognise the skilled craftsmanship and support those independent artists who to date carry the traditional methods.

The hilltop where gods hid their gold

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : At 900 metres above sea level, Ponmudi, tucked away in Peringammala village, offers a welcome respite from the summer heat. The peak, nestled in the Western Ghats mountain range, is just 62 kilometres from the Thiruvananthapuram city. According to 'Keralathile Sthala Charithrangal: Thiruvananthapuram Jilla', by V V K Valath, this sanatorium for the mind and body was once a hub of Buddhism and Jainism, and owes its name to Ponnuyir Nathan, another name for Buddha. The book also hints at a historical connection between Malayattoor and Ponmudi. The ponmala in Malayattoor in Ernakulam holds the same significance as Ponmudi in Nedumangadu taluk. What is today a Christian church in Malayattoor was once a sacred site for Buddhists, the book reads. Furthermore, the transition of people from Buddhism to Christianity brought about significant changes, including alterations to their mottos. The inclusion of the word cross marked a significant shift in religious identity, as evident in their new motto: Ponin kurishu muthappo, ponmala kettam. Ponmudi means golden peak or crest of gold and stands at a higher altitude than Malayattoor. According to the folklore of the native Kani tribals, the mountains are protected by gods. They believed that gods hid gold in the hills crest, thus giving it the name Ponmudi. Historian Vellanad Ramachandran says that the name Ponmudi might have come from the old Buddhist communities that lived there long ago. He explains, There are signs that Buddhists once lived in Ponmudi and nearby Agasthyakoodam. When Hiuen Tsang journeyed to south India, he documented the accounts of decaying Buddhist temples. In the ancient book Manimekalai from the 6th or 7th century, Chithalai Chathanar also mentions Buddhist monasteries near Agasthyakoodam. Mudi means the highest point, like a tall mountain peak. So it is likely that Ponmudi is the highest spot where Ponnuyir Nathan lived. Not necessarily meaning Buddha himself, but perhaps a name known to Buddhist monks, Ramachandran clarifies. He further notes that during the reign of Visakham Thirunal Rama Varma, a rest house palace was constructed in Ponmudi, attracting visits from monarchs of various regions. However, the palace no longer stands today. Later, foreign settlers built beautiful bungalows on the hilltop. At that time, the place was celebrated for its tea leaves. The mention of Ponmudi in historical texts like Visakhavijayam and Garuda Sandesham is evidence of its historical significance. Today, it is a popular getaway destination for the city folks. Whats in a name Weekly column on the history of place names. Got any suggestions? Write to xpresstpuram@gmail.com

Shashi Tharoors mutual fund portfolio worth Rs 1.72 crore has these 23 schemes

Shashi Tharoor, Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology and former Minister of State for HRD and External Affairs, filed his nomination papers for Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha seat in 2024 general elections. He has declared that his total investments in mutual funds was at Rs 1.72 crore.

Popular Malayalam film director Harikumar passes away

Thiruvananthapuram: Popular Malayalam film director Harikumar passed away at a private hospital here on Monday evening. He was 70. Ailing from cancer, he was under treatment for a while. In a career that began in 1981 when he directed his first film Ambal Poovu, he rose to huge heights with Sukurtham (1994), written by acclaimed 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 .

Female Asian elephant hit by train in Palakkad, dies

Female Asian elephant hit by train in Palakkad, dies An adult female wild elephant died late on Monday night near Kanjikode here after being hit by a train making it the second such incident within a month in the district. A senior forest official said on Tuesday that the incident occurred around 10.30 pm yesterday when the Thiruvananthapuram-Chennai Mail hit the jumbo which had come close to the tracks. This being the second such incident in Palakkad district within a month, the forest department is going to hold a meeting with Southern Railway to discuss possible solutions, including putting up fencing in the area, the official said. He also said that the forest department would be examining whether the train had exceeded the stipulated speed limit of 45 kilometers per hour (kmph). ''The speed in the area is regulated at 45 kmph in accordance with the orders of the High Court. We will be checking whether the train exceeded the same,'' he said. The official said that preliminary investigations indicate that the elephant walked around for around 30 mins after being hit by the train and then succumbed to the injuries on its head suffered in the accident. Earlier, on April 13, another female wild elephant died after being bit by a train in Palakkad district. The jumbo was alive for a few days, but was unable to stand up due to its injuries. The forest department provided it with food, water and medical aid, but their efforts to raise the elephant failed and it later succumbed to its injuries.

Renowned Malayalam Filmmaker Harikumar Passes Away At 70

Monday evening marked the passing of veteran Malayalam director and screenwriter Harikumar, who succumbed to cancer at a private hospital in Thiruvananthapuram. His departure leaves behind a rich legacy in the realm of impactful cinema. Over the course of his extensive career spanning decades, Harikumar helmed 18 films, including memorable titles like Sukritham, Udyanapalakan, and [] Read on Lehren - Renowned Malayalam Filmmaker Harikumar Passes Away At 70

Uncertainty looms over driving tests in Kerala as protests by instructors intensify

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : In the face of protests from driving school owners and instructors, the motor vehicle department could not conduct any driving tests on the fourth working day after the test reforms came into force, leaving hundreds of applicants in limbo. The driving schools have stopped taking applicants for the test to protest against the impractical conditions in the new order. They staged protests in front of the test grounds, blocking applicants and officers from entering the test ground. A joint committee of various driving school owners associations, including those associated with AITUC and BMS, decided to launch a protest in front of the Secretariat on May 13. All Kerala Driving School Owners and Workers Union affiliated with CITU stayed away from the protest. In the wake of protests, the MVD issued a new order giving more time for fixing cameras and replacing vehicles older than 15 years. But the demand for avoiding vehicles with double clutch for road tests and limiting the number of tests per day to 40 per centre resulted in fresh protest from school owners. The demand for vehicles without double clutch for road tests is a ploy to fail students. The applicants will have to wait endlessly in order to get the licence. The driving schools have to invest in two vehicles instead of one for the tests, said Nazar Usman, general secretary of Motor Driving Owners Koottayma. The driving school owners alleged that Transport Minister K B Ganesh Kumar was planning to centralise driving tests. They also criticised the minister for creating a rift among the owners by calling only CITU for talks. The driving schools have challenged the reforms in court. However, they suffered a setback when the court refused to stay the implementation. The case will be heard again on May 21. Agitation on May 13 A joint committee of various driving school owners associations, including those associated with AITUC and BMS, decided to launch a protest in front of the Secretariat on May 13. All Kerala Driving School Owners and Workers Union affiliated with CITU stayed away from the protest. In the wake of protests, the MVD issued a new order giving more time for fixing cameras and replacing vehicles older than 15 years.

VD Satheesan criticises Kerala government for undeclared load shedding

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan took a jab at the state government on Monday and said the unauthorised load shedding in several districts amounted to deceiving people. He said the current power crisis could have been avoided had there been a long-term Power Purchase Agreement. Over the past few weeks, incidents of unauthorised load shedding were experienced across the state during peak hours, leading to protests from consumers in front of KSEB section offices. Satheesan recalled that during the tenure of former chief minister Oommen Chandy, then power minister Aryadan Mohammed had come out with a 25-year-long agreement for procuring 465 MW power at Rs 4.29 paisa. The cancellation of PPA was result of a conspiracy hatched by the state government and the Kerala State Electricity Regulatory Commission. The Board is forced to procure power at Rs 12 per unit on a short-term basis only because of the absence of a PPA. A loss of at least Rs 8-10 crore is being incurred every day, said Satheesan.

Schools in Thiruvananthapuram post good results in ISC, ICSE exams

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Schools in the capital district put up a good show in the ISC (Class 12) and ICSE (Class 10) examinations, the results of which were announced by the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations on Monday. St Thomas Residential School, Mukkolakkal In the ISC exam (Science stream), of the 113 students presented by the school, 95 secured distinction and 17 bagged first class. At the school level, Anoushka Ranjan Kuriakos secured the first position with 99.25% marks. Athira S J bagged the second position with 99% and K Cynthia Fedora secured the third position with 98.75% marks.In the Commerce stream, out of the 19 students who took the exam, 12 secured distinction and seven bagged first class. Abinav Anil with 91.75% marks was the school topper in the Commerce stream. In the Humanities stream, of the 13 students presented by the school, nine students got distinction while four secured first class. The school toppers in ISC Humanities stream were M P Gargi (97.25%), Janaki Sitara (92.25%) and Bhavana K S (91%). In the ICSE exam, of the 199 students presented by the school, 175 secured distinction and 24 bagged first class. Durga B S and Siddharth Kumar Gopal shared the first position in the school with 99.2% marks. The second position was secured by Ria Ann Abraham with 99% marks and Shreya S K bagged the third position with 98.8% marks. Christ Nagar Higher Secondary School, Kowdiar In the ISC exam, of the 71 students presented by the school, 57 passed with distinction. Sneha Elza David (96.25%), Meenakshi A (96%) and Thejas Arun (95.75%) were the school toppers. Of the 161 students who appeared for the ICSE examination, 152 passed with distinction. The school toppers were: Advaith Krishna R A and Diya Nair (98.2%), Mohammed Rizwan N (98%) and Pranav S (97.8%). Sarvodaya Vidyalaya, Nalanchira The school registered 100% success rate in the ISC examination. Of the 112 students presented by the school, 82 secured distinction. Ardra S Hari (98%), Shreya Vinod (97.75%) and Parthiv Sathish (97.5%) were the school toppers. Of the 230 students who appeared for the ICSE examination from the school, all passed with 170 students securing distinction. The school toppers were: Niranchan R Nair (98,8%), Girivardhan AR (98.4%) and Dhruva S Saju (98%). Loyola School, Sreekariyam In the ISC exam, 35 of 37 students secured distinction. Abhinav Chandrasekhar and George Thomas Saji were school toppers with 96%. Kevin Salins bagged second spot with 95.75% marks. In the ICSE exam, of the total 85 students who appeared for the exam, 84 secured distinction. Niketh Jan topped the list with 492 marks while Kishan Sivadas and Muralikrishna Ashok shared the second spot with 491 marks each. Lecole Chempaka Silver Rocks, Sreekariyam The school recorded 100% success rate in the ISC examination. The school toppers in various streams were: Malavika Arun (Science Stream) with 97.75% marks, Nayana Shyu (Commerce stream) with 94.25% and Malavika Deepak (Humanities) with 95.75% marks. In the ICSE exam, all 124 students presented by the school passed, with 109 students securing distinction. The school toppers were: Juhi Fathima Lulu (98.8%), Ashwin Nair V and Shaina Elizabeth Mathews (98.6%) and Nidhi Aby (98.4%).

Kerala: Safety concerns prompt further check of Akkulam Glass Bridge

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The growing safety concerns surrounding the new glass bridge at Akkulam Tourist Village -- the new addition to the adventure tourism infrastructure in the state -- have prompted the tourism department to carry out further examination of the glass bridge to rule out safety concerns. The decision to conduct further safety examination comes in the wake of a controversial incident involving a mysterious crack that surfaced on one of the glass panels used in the construction of the bridge - which is touted as the longest in Kerala. Following the mysterious crack, VYBECOS (Vattiyoorkavu Youth Brigade Entrepreneur Cooperative Society) -- the agency implementing the project -- filed a complaint with the Sreekaryam Police alleging suspected vandalism as the cause of the damage. The other day, the broken glass panel was replaced with another and the police have kept the broken glass panel as evidence for further investigation. According to the police, the glass panel weighs around 1 tonne and transporting it for further scrutiny to some other state is a herculean task. We are in talks with the tourism authorities and we are planning to bring the experts here to check the quality of the glass, said an investigating officer. Controversy brews over mysterious crack on Akkulam glass bridge in Thiruvananthapuram MLA V K Prasanth, who is the director of VYBECOS, said that the glass bridge is intact and we still suspect vandalism and the damage was inflicted on purpose. The matter is being investigated by the police and we have decided to conduct one more safety check to alleviate the apprehensions on the safety of the glass panels used in the bridge, Prasanth told TNIE . He said that the bridge would be opened to the public soon after the elections are over. Alleging foul play and vandalism, Prasanth blamed the staff and security at the Akkulam Tourist Village. We have decided to enhance security at the village and more CCTV cameras will be installed once the bridge becomes operational. We have taken it up with the government and more security staff will be deployed, said Prasanth. He added that there are not many glass quality-checking experts available. We will have to depend on the private parties. The examination will be done in the coming days and we will open the glass bridge without much delay. The police said that this is the first time in recent times they are getting such a complaint. Its a high-security zone and the investigation is underway, said the officials at Sreekaryam Police Station.

Kerala: CITIIS 2.0 DPR proposes Rs 31 lakh monthly income from waste management

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Smart City Thiruvananthapuram Ltd (SCTL) has finalised its detailed project report (DPR) for the ambitious CITIIS 2.0 (City Investments To Innovate, Integrate and Sustain) programme of the Centre that aims at promoting climate-oriented reform and integrated waste management with a major thrust on circular economy. The DPR aims to generate wealth from waste by setting up RDF(Refuse-Derived Fuel) plants, manure generated from organic waste converters and recycling. The SCTL and the city corporation aim to generate around Rs 31 lakh per month by converting waste to revenue generating resources. The DPR proposes land development, procurement of machinery and vehicles, construction of infrastructure, operations and maintenance. Out of the total Rs 129.66 crore allocation under CITIIS 2.0, the state and the Centre will chip in Rs 103.7 crore and Rs 25.9 crore, respectively, for the programme. According to sources, the Ministry of Urban Affairs has convened a meeting after May-mid with the SCTL authorities and corporation officials to take a final decision on the proposed DPR. The DPR proposes several key projects, including three RDF plants, automatic baling units, advanced technology-driven waste management solutions, recycling stations and organic waste converters at markets, etc. The DPR aims to achieve zero-garbage status for the state capital by ensuring 100% scientific handling of waste. Thiruvananthapuram generates around 423 tonnes of waste daily, of which around 127 tonnes is non-biodegradable. We aim to make the city sustainable in waste management. The DPR proposes a scientific solution to ensure end-to-end scientific disposal of the waste generated in the city. Besides, the DPR gives major thrust for waste-to-wealth solutions, said an officer. It is learnt that the Haritha Karma Sena is handling only 60% of the total waste generated in the capital and the DPR aims to fix all the gaps. We will collect and process the waste and generate revenue. The DPR proposes installation of 30 organic converters and we have identified 27 markets to place them at. Organic waste converters are more advanced compared to the conventional aerobic bins as it takes only much less time for manure conversion, said the source. Thiruvananthapuram is the only city in Kerala chosen by the ministry for the CITIIS 2.0 programme. The period of the programme will be four years. Proposals Integrated solid waste management system Organic waste converters of various capacities at markets and institutions Aerobic bins with sensors and sheds for storage Machinery and plants and capacity building of RRF, MRF and upliftment of MCFs RDF plant, baling machine, shredders, compactor, magnetic separator, thermocol recycling - plant, automatic sorter, hammer mill, forklifts and conveyors Incinerators for schools and colleges and old age homes Suction machines, sweeping machines and lead collectors for cleaning of roads and drains Deduster machines IT-enabled optimised waste collection control and communication system

Ripe or raw, Kerala's jackfruit is in high demand

KOCHI: Having gone mainstream, jackfruit is trending globally. This versatile fruit, which also serves as a vegetable in its raw form, was once overlooked due to its bulky, unattractive appearance and the effort required to prepare it. However, jackfruits natural properties, such as its ability to help regulate blood sugar and its affordability as a meat alternative, are now contributing to its rising popularity worldwide and making it a common sight on dining tables. James Joseph, founder of Jackfruit 365, recalls a time in the 1990s and early 2000s when jackfruit trees were cut down indiscriminately because of various issues. At the time, the fruit was considered a nuisance and was often left to nature or given away for free due to the cost of harvesting it from high trees. When left on the trees, ripe jackfruits attracted birds and animals and the fallen fruit often produced an unpleasant odour. Jackfruit is the largest tree-borne fruit and can reach impressive sizes, weighing up to 30-35 kilograms and measuring around two feet (60cm) in length. Joseph left his job at Microsoft to become a jackfruit evangelist through his startup in 2013 and finds the recent shift in perception incredible and inspiring. Recently, a couple in Thiruvananthapuram gifted 3,500 jackfruit saplings to attendees at their wedding. Now, people recognise the value of the fruit which can also serve as a vegetable. They also understand its therapeutic value in controlling blood sugar and alleviating fatty liver, he says. Now, there are companies producing value-added products from jackfruit, Joseph points out. The shift demonstrates the growing appreciation for the fruit and its versatility. Amal Jose, managing director of Kalady-based Troppy Foods India, says his family has been transporting truckloads of raw jackfruits to north India for the past 20 years and exporting processed jackfruit in various forms to Canada. Jose highlights the fruits exceptional meaty and dense texture that allows it to closely resemble pulled pork when shredded. It is also in high demand among vegans and can be used as a meat substitute in sausages, burger patties, pepperoni, dumplings and kebabs. Plenty of raw jackfruits are sent to north India on a daily basis. Sold on a per-kilogram basis, its price currently ranges from Rs 18 to 23. North Indian demand is primarily for raw jackfruit used as a vegetable. The demand is robust and increasing, Jose adds. Josephs company uses a patented method to process green jackfruit into flour, retaining its soluble fibre. This method provides an effective and easy way to control blood sugar. Clinical studies on Jackfruit365 flour show a significant reduction in HbA1c levels. Current studies are exploring the flours potential to reduce fatty liver and obesity. Being rich in potassium, jackfruit is known to help lower blood pressure. The fruit also contains isoflavones, antioxidants and phytonutrients, all of which have cancer-fighting properties. Joseph has also designed signature dining experiences for his clients in collaboration with several internationally renowned chefs. His innovative jackfruit-infused recipes include galouti kebab, biryani, masala dosa, kathi roll, panna cotta and payasam, all made from dehydrated jackfruit. These recipes showcase the fruits versatility and appeal, offering dishes that are low in carbs, fat and calories while also being gluten-free. Jackfruit is the only fruit or vegetable that doesnt require organic certification, notes Dr K P Sudheer, of the College of Agriculture in Vellanikkara. It is one of the best vegetables available today, being fibrous. At the mature stage, the sugar content is high. But if used as a healthy meat substitute at the raw stage, it can contribute to keeping society healthy, he explains. Jackfruit economy Joseph emphasises that the state is yet to capitalise on a significant economic opportunity. His estimates suggest that during a typical season from October to June, average production reaches around 25 lakh tonnes when weighed at the fully ripe stage. Every day, 1,000 tonnes of small raw jackfruits are shipped to various markets in India from Kerala for approximately 100 days in a season. If allowed to fully grow and ripen, the weight would increase by four to five times. This represents only 20% of the jackfruits produced in a season. The economic value could be immense if all of it were processed and traded, he says. Sudheer points out that the wastage in jackfruit can reach up to 50%, and in some varieties, it can go as high as 80%. The potential for jackfruit-based enterprises is huge in the state, and as yet untapped, he says. One of the most notable qualities of jackfruit is its natural resistance to pests, which ensures minimal exposure to pesticides and chemicals. It also produces an abundant yield without the need for fertilisers, benefiting both farmers and consumers. With an annual yield of at least three tonnes per tree, jackfruit meets demand generously.

Kerala: Pens & papers down! KEAM going hi-tech with computer-based testing

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a major shift, the entrance examination for engineering and pharmacy courses in the state is doing away with the traditional pen-and-paper mode in favour of computer-based evaluation from this year. Around 85,000 students have registered for this years Kerala Engineering, Architecture and Medical Entrance Exam (KEAM) , which will be conducted as a single paper over six sessions from June 1 to 9. Commissioner for Entrance Examinations (CEE) Sudhir K said KEAM 2024 will be conducted in 230 centres in the state, and in Delhi, Mumbai and Dubai. We are close to finalising the exam venues after undertaking several rounds of tests and physical verification of infrastructure facilities. C-DIT is our technological partner in this massive exercise, he told TNIE. Except for KEAM, the other exams conducted by CEE were computer-based. The large number of candidates were the sole reason for the government to continue with the pen-and-paper mode. However, with national engineering entrance exams such as JEE shifting to a computer-based format, it was decided to adopt the same scheme for KEAM. Till now, students used to record answers to multiple-choice questions on an optical mark recognition (OMR) sheet. Each OMR sheet is scanned to prepare the score, which is a time-consuming process. With the adoption of computer-based mode, the publishing of exam results can be speeded up. KEAM 2024, which was initially proposed to be held from the second week of May, had to be postponed to avoid a possible clash with the schedule of the Central University Entrance Test (CUET) for admission to undergraduate courses. Despite the deferment, officials are hopeful of publishing the results well before June 20 this year. Whats changed? Unlike in previous years when KEAM was conducted over two papers one in the forenoon and another afternoon this years computer-based test will comprise just a single paper with questions covering physics, chemistry and mathematics for engineering aspirants. Candidates who have applied for the pharmacy course need only attempt the test comprising physics and chemistry questions. Candidates will be allotted one of the several sessions scheduled from June 1 to 9. Though initially planned over two sessions a day, we have now rescheduled it to just one session from 10 am to 1 pm. This is to ensure that any technical issues in the first session do not impact the subsequent session. The plan is to conduct the test for 21,000 candidates every day, the CEE said. Several sets of question papers have been prepared, which will be randomly assigned for each session. The official added that June 10 has been kept as a reserve day, for factoring in various emergencies that may occur during the process. The venue and time schedule will be intimated through candidate admit cards, which will be available for download by May 20. To ensure that candidates are neither benefited nor disadvantaged due to the examinations over multiple sessions, a normalisation procedure has been adopted. Pros and cons KEAM, which used to be of five hours duration in total, has now been reduced to a single test of three hours for engineering and one-and-a-half hours for pharmacy, said Rajoo Krishnan, former joint commissioner for entrance examinations. The number of questions have come down from 240 to 150 for engineering and 75 for pharmacy, he pointed out. In the earlier OMR-based evaluation, entries once made could not be changed. In the case of computer-based testing, however, candidates can review all the entries till the time of final submission, he said. However, variation in the standards of questions asked in different sessions could lead to comparisons by students and the normalisation procedure to address it needs to be convincing enough, Krishnan said. Addressing security As higher educational institutions with the best technical infrastructure facilities have been zeroed in as exam centres, officials do not see technical glitches marring the exams smooth conduct. The exam will be conducted through dedicated servers with advanced security features to prevent any sort of external interference. As part of ensuring additional security and curbing impersonation, biometric verification and facial image capture of the candidates will be carried out. Moreover, all exam centres will be under CCTV surveillance, another first-of-its-kind initiative for KEAM. In case the computer/mouse allotted to any candidate malfunctions anytime during the test, he/she will be immediately allotted another computer and the time lost due to this will be adjusted in the server so as to give the candidate the full allotted time.

Congress brass not keen to reinstate Sudhakaran as partys Kerala chief

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Pouring cold water on K Sudhakarans plan to resume charge as the state Congress chief immediately, the party national leadership has advised him to be patient. The high commands edict has come at a time when the air is thick with speculations that the old warhorse is unlikely to be reinstated as the Congress president in Kerala. The Congress leadership claims there is no confusion on bringing back the 75-year-old leader at the helm of state Congress. But sources say theres a concerted effort by a section of leaders to block his reentry. They want interim president M M Hassan to continue in office till June 4. A peeved Sudhakaran has repeatedly sought AICC general secretary K C Venugopals view on the issue. Venugopal has apparently asked Sudhakarans emissary M Liju to wait till the third phase election gets over on Tuesday. Following this, Sudhakaran cancelled his scheduled hospital visits for eye treatment. While Venugopal has asked Sudhakaran to wait for a few more days, AICC general secretary in-charge of the state Deepa Dasmunshi is adamant that he should wait until the LS poll procedure gets over on June 4. An AICC leader told TNIE that its evident that even if UDF makes a clean sweep or not, they dont want Sudhakaran to walk away with the credit. This has not only dampened the spirits of Sudhakaran, but has left him deeply upset. Not in a hurry to resume my role Sudhakaran took to Facebook on Monday stating that he is not in a hurry to resume his role. Ive never gone after positions when I had worked for the party, compromising on my life, spanning several decades. Whenever the Congress high command asks me to resume my role, I will take over it. Im in no hurry to take over, wrote Sudhakaran. He feels that he has been insulted as he was planning to resume his duties as KPCC chief from Sunday. A source close to Sudhakaran said the leader feels the national leadership has been sidelining him. Sudhakaran was at the helm of the party for almost three years, and Hassan was in office for a month. The latter has been given undue preference. If the AICC leadership is eager to remove Sudhakaran, they can do so. But its evident that there is a concerted effort to give credit for LS poll results to Hassan so that the A group is appeased. The attempt is to make sure that Sudhakaran does not get his due as KPCC chief, said the source. Senior Congress leader K Muraleedharan has been targeting Sudhakaran for the last few days, blaming organisational lapses in the Lok Sabha election. The Sudhakaran camp feels that Muraleedharans allegations have stemmed from a larger conspiracy led by a group of young Turks which has got the blessings of a section of A group leaders.

Kerala: Harikumars movies pulsated with life & emotion

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: For him, the middle path held a world of possibility. By traversing the path flanked by commercial success and critical acclaim, Harikumar went on a unique journey, unearthing tidbits of life and capturing them in frames of human emotion. His death on Monday, after a long fight with cancer, adds to the list of Malayalam cinemas stellar talents who have bid adieu. The director-screenwriter leaves behind an array of films, including 'Sukrutham', 'Udhyanapalakan', 'Ezhunnallathu' and 'Ayanam', for fans of the medium to cherish. Harikumars tryst with films started early, in his own words, through books that gave him not just perspective but values that shaped his art of storytelling. I am more interested in how a story is told than the story itself, he once said in an interview. His contemporaries remember him for his qualities of ambition and hardwork, a filmmaker who made movies that bore the scent of life and upheld values, and above all as a friend. I worked with him on his first movie 'Ambal Poovu'. He didnt strike me as a newcomer. Instead he displayed a seasoned grip of the subject matter and his craft, says actor Jalaja, who went on to act in another of his movies, 'Oru Swakaryam' sharing screen space with Venu Nagavally. For veteran filmmaker Shaji N Karun, Harikumar was part of the golden age of Malayalam cinema, when films were hallmarks of the doyens of the art. The films of the period bore the signature of the minds that made them. Harikumar was symbolic of the times. He had a unique way of choosing subjects. He was planning his next project when death came calling, Shaji said. As a member of several state and national award juries, he also had the role of guiding others on movies that deserve to be highlighted. The films that were selected with his input were indeed richer in content. His absence will be felt in selecting movies that will set an example or benchmark for good cinema, Shaji added. Noted lyricist and Harikumars friend Prabha Varma feels the beauty of his movies was in their lyrical quality. They were culled from life and portrayed such sensitivity that they elevated the craft of storytelling to a different level, he says. Harikumars movies straddled the path between parallel cinema and commercial films and remained aesthetically qualified to belong to both genres. Harikumars frames had a universality to them His training in films was mostly through observation, study of the finer elements of the craft and the rich influence that storytellers such as Hrishikesh Mukherjee, Basu Bhattacharya, Bharathiraja, Balu Mahendra, and Malayalams own Bharathan and Padmarajan had on him. What made his movies unique was the simplicity in narration that cut through layers of the complex emotions portrayed. His frames had such a universality. Sukrutham was arguably his best and he will be remembered for that movie, says Prabha Varma. Harikumar, who left his job with Kollam municipality to pursue his passion, had a track record comparable to his esteemed contemporaries. From his first movie to the last ('Autorickshawkarante Bharya'), his films bear a class that is more noted for the values that he defined his life. He chose content with care and sharpened it with hard work. Films and the way they portray life mattered to him. Rest was left to how nature would treat his work, Varma says. Times change, yet some things remain constant. Like hard work to match ambition, values that meet goals, and ideas that meet the artist. In the likes of Harikumar, all these confluence. The times they live in then freezes. As Shaji says, the golden age.

Actor Kanakalatha passes away at 63

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Actor Kanakalatha, known for her brilliant portrayal of character roles, has passed away. The 63-year-old actor, who was suffering from Parkinsons and dementia, breathed her last at her residence in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday. In her four-decade-long career, Kanakalatha acted in more than 360 films in different languages. Her noted films include 'Priyam' (2000), 'Kannezhuthi Pottumthottu' (1999), 'Varnapakittu' (1997), 'Spadikam' (1995), 'Kireedam' (1989), 'Rajavinte Makan' (1986) and 'Chillu' (1982). Her maiden film was 'Unarthupaattu' (1980). Her roles in 'Anyar', 'Vakkalathu Narayanankutty', 'Chirikkudukka' and 'Agrahaaram' were also noted. She had also acted in several Tamil movies. Beginning with amateur dramas, Kanakalatha later started performing major characters in professional theatre. Thats when she decided to continue with acting as her career. Kanakalatha acted in several TV serials also. She was also dubbed in 'Kariyilakkattu Pole'. Kanakalatha was among the rare genre of gifted actors in the Malayalam cinema industry who could adeptly handle both comedy and serious roles. She was in the league of those few actors who would portray meaningful characters from everyday life without difficulty. Kanakalatha was among those, who with their supporting characters, left an indelible imprint in the minds of viewers in the 1980s and 90s. Kanakalatha was an integral part of Malayalam movies those days, acting alongside prolific actors like Jagathy Sreekumar. Her latest film was 'Pookkalam'. Other recent films were '3 Days', 'Idukki Blasters', 'Kakkapole' and 'Iruttu'. She performed noted roles in Tamil films 'Karpooramullai', 'Unakkaga Piranthen', 'Kathaluku Mamane' and 'Enakkayi Piranthen'. Her dramas include 'Pramani', 'Indulekha' and 'Swathi Tirunal'. Kanakalatha became sick in 2021 and was under the care of her sister Vijayamma. The illness started as sleeplessness and dementia was confirmed in August 2022. Kanakalatha was born to Parameshwaran Pillai and Chinnama in Kollam on August 24, 1960. She married at the age of 22 and divorced 16 years later. She does not have children.

Tharoor Demands Investigation into Wadettiwar's Allegations Regarding Karkare's Death

Tharoor Demands Investigation into Wadettiwar's Allegations Regarding Karkare's Death Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Monday said whatever his party colleague Vijay Wadettiwar said about the death of then Maharashtra ATS chief Hemant Karkare during the 26/11 terror attack must be investigated. Wadettiwar, the leader of opposition in the state assembly, had recently claimed Karkare, who was the Maharashtra Anti Terrorism Squad chief during the 26/11 terror attack, wasn't killed by Kasab's bullet but by one fired by a policeman affiliated to RSS. ''I think whatever he said should be investigated. He is saying there is evidence that the bullet that killed Karkare was a police revolver bullet and not from Kasab. If such evidence is there and if it is proved, then it is a serious matter,'' Tharoor told reporters here. ''But sitting here, I cannot simply say whatever (he) said was correct because I don't know (about it ). But whatever he said is a serious matter and there should be a probe into it. Karkare was a patriot police officer and the truth should be known,'' Tharoor added. The Thiruvananthapuram MP said the issue raised by Wadettiwar has been in the public domain for some time and had also been mentioned in a book titled ''Who Killed Karkare'' written by former IPS officer S N Mushrif. ''The book also makes this claim that the bullets found in the body of Karkare were not fired from the weapons of the terrorist, but from another weapon. I just want to say when such a serious matter is out there in the public domain, it should be taken seriously by the authorities,'' he said. Wadettiwar had made the statement while attacking the BJP's Mumbai North Central candidate Ujjwal Nikam, who was the special public prosecutor in the 26/11 trial. Tharoor said the candidate (Nikam) against whom this issue was brought up did make a completely false claim that biryani was served in jail to Kasab, adding that former IPS officer Meeran Borwankar refuted this claim. ''The UPA government which arrested the terrorist, tried him, got all evidences on record and then ensured the death penalty is being unfairly attacked,'' Tharoor said in connection with the biryani statement. It must be investigated if the reward for the BJP candidate (Nikam) was for his role in propagating this ''biryani in jail'' myth, he added. Tharoor claimed Mushrif's book and Wadettiwar have alleged that Nikam misled the court (during the Kasab trial), which (if true) was a serious charge and a crime and ''needs to be enquired into''. Tharoor said he did not want to speak about Nikam, who is now a BJP candidate, but when he was a public prosecutor he had particular leanings. Now it is being proved as he has become a candidate also, the Congress MP claimed.

ThiruvananthapuramCorporation council passes action plan for pre-monsoon cleaning

Corporation plans to take up a total of 985 works this year as part of pre-monsoon cleaning across the city

Veteran filmmaker Harikumar dies

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Notable filmmaker Harikumar, who directed films such as Sukrutham, Ayanum, and Udhyanapalakan died in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday. He was 70. He was under treatment for cancer. The end came at a private hospital. Harikumar debuted as a director with a film titled 'Aambal Poovu' in 1981. His films were noted for trying to bring out the complexities in human relationships in contemporary society. Notedlittrateurssuch as MT Vasudevan Nair, Perumpadavam Sreedharan, Balachandran Chullikadu, M Mukundan wrote screenplays for his films. The veteran filmmaker directed his last movie, 'Autorickshawkarante Bharya', in 2022. Harikumar wrote screenplay, story, and dialogues for more than 20 Malayalam films. He was a member of the National Film Awards jury in 2005 and 2008.

Kerala court directs police to file case against Thiruvananthapuram Mayor, MLA on bus drivers complaint

Kerala court directs police to file case against Thiruvananthapuram Mayor, MLA on bus drivers complaint Thiruvananthapuram: A Thiruvananthapuram court on Monday directed the Kerala Police to register a case against city Mayor Arya Rajendran, her husband and MLA K.M. Sachin Dev, and others for obstructing a bus driver from doing his job and other charges. [] The post Kerala court directs police to file case against Thiruvananthapuram Mayor, MLA on bus drivers complaint appeared first on Mangalorean.com .

Vigilance court dismisses Congress MLA Kuzhalnadan plea against Kerala CM's daughter's firm

Thiruvananthapuram vigilance court dismisses Congress MLAs plea for probe into financial transactions involving CMs daughter

Setback to Congress MLA Mathew Kuzhalnadan in CMRL pay-off case

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a major relief to CM Pinarayi Vijayan and a big setback to Congress MLA Mathew Kuzhalnadan, the Vigilance court on Monday rejected the petition of the legislator seeking a probe against the CM and his daughter Veena Thaikkandiyil on the allegation that they had received a monthly payment from the Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited (CMRL) in return for favouring the operations of the firm. The court rejected the petition citing that the documents produced by the petitioner could not prove the allegations against the CM and his daughter. The petitioner during the previous hearing had produced five documents to prove the allegations against the CM and his daughter. CMRL pay-off case: ED grills 2 more persons Mathew had initially filed the petition seeking the court to issue a directive to the Vigilance and Anti-corruption Bureau (VACB) to probe the allegation. Later the petitioner changed his stand and asked for a probe directly conducted by the court. The government counsel had argued that change in the stand had revealed that the petition was politically motivated and sought its dismissal. Close on the heels of the CMRL row, Mathew had approached the court seeking to direct the Vigilance to register a case and probe the allegation. The government in its reply informed the court that the petition was not legally maintainable. It pointed out that the court cannot review the order of the Income Tax Settlement Board and two Vigilance courts had already disposed similar complaints. Pay-off case: CMRL refuses to hand over key documents to ED

Thiruvananthapuram district collectorate launches rapid and intensive afforestation initiative

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Saplings were planted at the Thiruvananthapuram District Collectorate on Saturday as part of a rapid and intensive afforestation initiative. District Collector Geromic George inaugurated the Miyawaki Afforestation Project along the approach road to the collectorate as part of beautification under the Smart City project. The project aims to increase the citys biodiversity and restore the lost greenery through the Miyawaki model, which is a Japanese afforestation technique. Additional District Magistrate Premji C, Sub-Collector Ashwathi Srinivas and Assistant Collector Akhil V Menon also participated in the project by planting saplings. The rapid and intensive afforestation initiative of the Natures Green Guardian Foundation is suited to Keralas unique climate and biodiversity. The project is being implemented under the supervision of Nirmiti Kendra. Around 1,200 unique trees and plants seen in the natural forests of Kerala are being planted as part of the initiative. The idea is to create a 100-year-old forest within 25 years.

Kerala: Workshop on IPR to document traditional knowledge judiciously

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A workshop on Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) held at CSIR-National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (NIIST) here has called upon the scientific community to document traditional knowledge in a judicious manner to guard against their misuse by vested interests by various means including biopiracy. The workshop was held at CSIR-NIIST campus here earlier this week in connection with World IPR Day, for which this years theme was IPR and Sustainable Development Goals - Building Our Common Future with Innovation and Creativity. In his inaugural address, G M Nair, president, Kerala Academy of Sciences and Director, Central Laboratory for Instrumentation and Facilitation (CLIF), University of Kerala, highlighted the importance of enhancing awareness about IPR in general and patents in particular. Citing a case of effective scientific intervention, Nair lauded the contribution of the Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanical Garden and Research Institute (JNTBGRI) scientists in the development and commercialisation of JEEVANI from Arogyapacha and the subsequent sharing of revenue with Kani tribes. This was the first world model of equitable benefit sharing based on Article 8(j) of Convention on Bio-Diversity (CBD), he noted. CSIR-NIIST director C Anandharamakrishnan, who presided over the function, spoke on the importance of acquiring patents, copyright and trademarks by the scientific establishments. R S Praveen Raj, workshop convenor and senior principal scientist, CSIR-NIIST, said the event was meant to build awareness among scientists, researchers and innovators on patent search and patent drafting along with exposure to various IPRs and rights of the inventors. P Nishy, head, Business Development, NIIST and Suresh K I, Patent Committee chairman, NIIST also spoke. The inaugural session was followed by subject presentations. Parvin Abraham, Registered Patent agent & IPR associate, TIPS @ Timed, SCTIMST, Poojappura gave a General Introduction to IPR and Patent. Pyary Hasna Mehthab, Registered Patent & Trademark Agent spoke on Patent Filing Procedures and Patentability. The workshop was attended by around 125 participants.

ICUs are more patient-friendly now as current approach more humane says Jean-Louis Vincent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Jean-Louis Vincent, a physician and professor of Intensive Care Medicine at the University of Brussels, said that the intensive care units (ICUs) have become more patient-friendly as the current approach is more humane. An influential figure in critical care treatment, Dr Vincent was speaking about the future of intensive care at KIMSHEALTH in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday. He discussed the evolution of intensive care, noting how it has transformed into more welcoming spaces. Earlier, inside ICUs, patients who were drowsy under the effect of sedatives had no other option but to look at white ceiling for days together. There was no TV or even a clock inside these ICUs. However, the situation has now changed. Due importance is now given to a patients ideas and preferences, said Dr Vincent. Vincent also introduced the concept of eCASH (early Comfort using Analgesia, minimal Sedatives, and maximal Humane care), emphasising the promotion of patient mobility within the ICU. Patients are now encouraged to move with the respirator inside the ICU and even go outside to meet a physiotherapist or nurse. The idea is that the movement helps patients recuperate faster, he said. Dr Deepak V, clinical director for critical care at KIMSHEALTH Thiruvananthapuram, said that the hospital allows family members to meet patients frequently and not just during visiting hours. Unless the visits do not interfere with the functioning of the ICU or patient care activities, family members are encouraged to be with patients. Now the concept is to deliver ICU care without interfering much with the routine life, said Dr Deepak. He shared an anecdote where a patients request to see their grandchild inside the ICU in KIMSHEALTH was accommodated, highlighting the hospitals commitment to respecting patients individual needs and routines.

KSRTC bus driver Yedu used phone for an hour while driving, say police

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: As the war of words and legal battle continue over the road rage controversy involving KSRTC driver H L Yedu and Thiruvananthapuram Mayor Arya Rajendran, the police have reported that the driver was found using his mobile phone for about an hour while driving the bus, which violates the Motor Vehicle Act. Kerala: KSRTC driver booked on sexual harassment complaint by Mayor Arya Police sources said Yedu spoke over his mobile phone for about an hour multiple times during the Thrissur-Thiruvananthapuram journey on the day of the incident. On examination of the call detail record, it was found that at one point he spoke for about 35 minutes at a stretch, the source added. The bus did not have such a long break. That means he was using the phone while driving, said the source, adding that the police have intimated the KSRTC officials about their finding. Reacting to the police claim, Yedu said: Its ridiculous to say that I was on the phone for an hour. Surely, they will come up with new allegations and I will face them legally. Yedu said he did not remember the precise time he had spent talking over phone. He said he might have used the phone to receive a call from his elderly mother. Meanwhile, the Cantonment police will not be recording the statements of the mayor, her MLA-husband K M Sachin Dev and three others, against whom a case was registered following a court directive based on a lawyers petition. Police sources said detailed statements of all stakeholders have already been recorded during the probe on the complaint filed by the mayor against Yedu. Apart from that, the police have also identified some passengers of the bus, and onlookers on the street, who had witnessed the whole incident. Court to hear driver Yedus plea today There were about 10 people in the bus when the incident happened at Palayam. We have recorded statements of some of them, said an officer. The police said they checking whether the driver was involved in the disappearance of the memory card containing the visuals from the CCTV cameras in the bus. They said the driver had mentioned the CCTV cameras three days after the incident. It is suspicious that he also gave contradictory statements on whether he had gone to the bus to check the CCTV visuals, said an officer. Yedu also brushed aside the police charge about the memory card being missing, saying he badly wanted the visuals to prove his points and alleged that the cops were not probing the case sincerely. Meanwhile, a Judicial First Class Magistrate court (JFMC) in Thiruvananthapuram will hear Yedus petition seeking the registration of a case against the mayor and others for obstructing him while on duty, on Monday. The Cantonment police on Saturday registered a case against the mayor, her husband and 3 others on a directive issued by a JFMC court while considering a petition filed by High Court lawyer Baiju Noel Rosario. Rosario told TNIE that he had filed the petition on April 30 on behalf of the public. I am not connected to Yedu. I filed a complaint with the court owing to the inconvenience caused by the accused to the public, he said. According to him, multiple FIRs cannot be registered on a single incident. It is to be seen whether the court will take note of the aspect that the mayor and others obstructed the driver during his duty while considering the petition of Yadu. So, if the court gives a directive to register a case, then they could be booked for obstructing the driver, he said.

Increase in transgender electors in Kerala, but not many exercise their franchise

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The 2024 Lok Sabha election saw an increase in the number of transgender voters in the state. Compared to 2019, there was a six-fold rise in transgender community voters this time. However, this did not reflect in polling as only less than half of them could cast their votes. In the 2024 election, there were a total of 367 voters from the transgender community in the state. However, only 150 of them could cast their votes, a mere 40 per cent. In 2019, the total number of transgender voters in the state was 62. However, only 22 people exercised their franchise (35.63 percent). During the five-year gap in which the number of voters rose six times, there was only a five per cent increase in the number of people who exercised their franchise. Kerala was one of the first states that framed a policy for transgender people in 2015 when separate voter ID cards were issued nationwide for the community in 2014. The transgender community was granted entry into parliamentary democracy very recently, social scientist J Devika told TNIE . Hence, society has the responsibility to persuade them to vote. The community has to feel a connection with the democratic process, she said. Incidentally, in the 2019 Lok Sabha election in Kerala the first intersex candidate Aswathi Rajappan contested in the Ernakulum seat. It was seen as a sign of LGBTQ individuals getting more acceptance in the public sphere. However, Syama S Parbaha, state secretary, Democratic Transgender Federation of Kerala, a wing of DYFI that formed the first political wing for transgender people in the country, told TNIE , In this election even though many transgender members had applied for address change, most of them were rejected. We dont know the real reason. There were also issues of duplicate cards in some districts. I think more than political parties it is the responsibility of each member to exercise their rights. The first transgender voter in Kerala and the first member of the Democratic Transgender Federation of Kerala, Surya Ishaan, pointed out the lack of interest on the part of family and the public to remind them about adding the transgender members name to the voters list. Party workers who are happy seeing people exercise their franchise, do not show the same enthusiasm to help change the voter ID address and include our names in the voters list. Usually the family members and villagers are not interested in the process. Political activists do not take the issue seriously, she said. Surya, a celebrity make-up artist, said she cast her vote for the first time after obtaining a voter ID card through her own initiative.

Kerala: As endosulfan wound festers, kin of victims demand relief

KASARAGOD: For Kasaragod, endosulfan remains a festering wound. Governments have come and gone, yet the misery of individuals and families affected by the pesticide refuses to go away. Aerial spraying of endosulfan on the cashew plantations of Kasaragod first started in 1978. Initially, the effects of the spraying were seen in insects, birds, fish, and foxes. Later, human beings started showing indications, largely in the form of congenital conditions, including hearing loss, cerebral palsy and mental disorders. Those living near the plantations were the worst affected. In April 2017, medical camps was conducted by the state government in various locations in the district to identify victims. Around 4,000 people attended the camps, based on which a list with 1,905 people was prepared. But authorities only declared 287 of those as affected. Following a 2018 protest by the Endosulfan Peeditha Janakeeya Munnani in Thiruvananthapuram, 76 more people were added to the list. In January 2019, the mothers of victims conducted an indefinite strike, after which 511 children under 18 years of age were also included. This took the number up to 874, who received medical aid and other benefits from the government. Others, though, never received any updates. 1,031 people do not fulfil endosulfan victim criteria: National Health Mission We started an agitation to include the remaining 1,031 people in the list so that they can also receive medical aid, says Shyni P, convenor of the Endosulfan Samara Samithi, formed by the families of those affected. The impugned order, which said children born after 2011 would not be included, should be reversed. These children require medical and financial support. My 32-year-old brother, a victim, has also been denied justice. He relies on others for every aspect of life. Thahira and Shahir An indefinite strike was started on January 30 this year, demanding the inclusion of the 1031. The strike is being organised by the samithi at the mini civil station at Kanhangad. As there has been no response from the government, members are getting ready for a hunger strike this month. Demand for justice Thahira, 41, and Shahir, 39, the eldest of my four children, are among those affected. In the past, I used to carry them around, but now I am 64 and unable to do so. My wife died recently from cancer. The only assistance Thahira and Shahir receive is a disability pension. We approached the Endosulfan Authority multiple times on the issue of the children, but no help has been forthcoming. I hope the protest will help resolve our problems, said Abdul Rahman, from Kalnad. The endosulfan cell, which is supposed to meet annually with representatives of victims, was last convened on January 8, 2023. Its been over a year since it last met. Two of my daughters are affected. Both of them were not in the list of victims. In 2018, my younger daughter passed away at the age of 22. My oldest daughter is 33. I am unable to go to work as she cannot manage anything independently. When I travel to participate in the protest, I place her in the care of my neighbour. Protests have become our only hope. We must continue doing so until justice is achieved, said Prassana B, of Hosdurg. We will picket the revenue divisional office on May 8. And even then if they do not call a meeting, we will go on an indefinite hunger strike, said Shyni.

Two youths drown in Keralas Kollam

Two youths drown in Keralas Kollam Thiruvananthapuram: In a tragic incident, two youths drowned to death in the Kallada river in Keralas Kollam district on Sunday, police said. The deceased were identified as Nithin, 21, of Kulanada and Sujin, 20, of Manchaloor. The incident occurred at the Manakkatu Kadavu near Manchaloor Matam in Pathanapuram of [] The post Two youths drown in Keralas Kollam appeared first on Mangalorean.com .

Coastal greening programme to take off in Kerala soon

Initiative to plant mangroves will be launched in 33 panchayats along the coast between Ernakulam and Thiruvananthapuram districts

Kerala Coast Hit by Sea Surge; Orange Alert Extended

Kerala Coast Hit by Sea Surge; Orange Alert Extended Amidst warning of a 'Kallakkadal' phenomenon in coastal areas of the state, several places in Kerala have been witnessing high tidal waves and intense sea incursion since Saturday night. ''Kallakkadal' is a phenomenon of sudden sea swells causing rough waves in coastal areas. A number of houses were damaged and roads were flooded as massive waves hit the shores in many coastal hamlets. Sea water gushed into houses forcing residents to shift to safer places in Anchuthengu and Poonthura areas of Thiruvananthapuram. At several places, local people had to pay extra vigil to protect their fishing equipment, kept on the shores, from the high tidal waves. Besides Anchuthengu, Poonthura and Muthalapozhi hamlets in Thiruvananthapuram, sea incursion was reported in Mundakkal and Alappadu areas in Kollam district, Purakkad in Alappuzha and Kodungallur and Perinjanam in Thrissur district and so on, local people said. Meanwhile, the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) on Sunday continued to place the southern coasts of Kerala and Tamil Nadu under Orange Alert warning as part of the ''Kallakkadal'' phenomenon. In its latest alert, the agency warned that the southern coasts of Kerala and parts of Tamil Nadu comprising Kanyakumari and Tuticorin regions are likely to experience rough seas and sea surge due to extremely strong waves of 0.5 metres to 1.5 metres till 11.30 pm tonight as part of the phenomenon. INCOIS, the Central agency that issues weather warnings for fishermen in the country, advised people to safely moor their fishing vessels in the harbour. It also warned fishermen not to venture into the sea in small boats and vessels after 8 pm on Sunday. Authorities advised people to continue their caution and avoid trips to the beach and completely stay away from activities at sea. The term 'Kallakkadal' literally means a sea that comes suddenly like a thief. INCOIS has earlier said that the swells result from strong winds in the southern part of the Indian Ocean at certain times, and that they occur suddenly without any particular indications or warning which is why it is named 'Kallakkadal'.

Kerala's Coastal Communities Face Rising Seas

Kerala's Coastal Communities Face Rising Seas Amidst warning of 'Kallakkadal' phenomenon in coastal areas of the state, several places in Kerala have been witnessing high tidal waves and intense sea incursion since Saturday night. ''Kallakkadal' is a phenomenon of sudden sea swells causing rough waves in coastal areas. A number of houses were damaged and roads were flooded as massive waves hit the shores in many coastal hamlets. Sea water gushed into houses forcing residents to shift to safer places in Anchuthengu and Poonthura areas of Thiruvananthapuram. In several places, local people had to pay extra vigil to protect their fishing equipment, kept on the shores, from the high tidal waves. Besides Anchuthengu, Poonthura and Muthalapozhi hamlets in Thiruvananthapuram, sea incursion was reported in Mundakkal and Alappadu areas in Kollam district, Purakkad in Alappuzha and Kodungallur and Perinjanam in Thrissur district and so on, local people said. The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) on Saturday withdrew a 'red alert' issued for 'Kallakkadal' in coastal areas of Kerala and the south Tamil Nadu coast and revised it to an 'orange alert'. The agency warned that low-lying areas of the Kerala coast were likely to experience rough seas and sea surge due to extremely strong waves of 0.5 metres to 1.5 metres till 11.30 pm on Sunday as part of the phenomenon. INCOIS, the Central agency that issues weather warnings for fishermen in the country, advised people to safely moor their fishing vessels in the harbour. Authorities advised people to continue their caution and avoid trips to the beach and completely stay away from activities at sea. The term 'Kallakkadal' literally means a sea that comes suddenly like a thief. INCOIS has earlier said that the swells result from strong winds in the southern part of the Indian Ocean at certain times, and that they occur suddenly without any particular indications or warning which is why it is named 'Kallakkadal'.

Kerala: Six-fold rise in third gender voters, but not many exercise their franchise

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The 2024 Lok Sabha election saw an increase in the number of transgender voters in the state. Compared to 2019, there was a five-fold rise in the number of transgender community voters this time. However, this did not reflect in polling as only half of them could cast their votes. In the 2024 election, there were a total of 367 voters from the transgender community in the state. However, only 150 of them could cast their votes, a mere 40 per cent. In 2019, the total number of transgender voters in the state was 62. However, only 22 people exercised their franchise (35.63 percent). During the five-year gap in which the number of voters rose six times, there was only a five per cent increase in the number of people who exercised their franchise. Kerala was one of the first states which framed a policy for transgender people in 2015 when separate voter ID cards were issued nationwide for the community in 2014. The transgender community was granted entry into parliamentary democracy very recently, social scientist J Devika told this daily. Hence, society has the responsibility to persuade them to vote. The community has to feel a connection with the democratic process, she said. Incidentally, in 2019 Lok Sabha election in Kerala the first intersex candidate Aswathi Rajappan contested in Ernakulum seat. It was seen as a sign of LGBTQ individuals getting more acceptance in public sphere. However, Syama S Parbaha, state secretary, Democratic Transgender Federation of Kerala, a wing of DYFI which formed the first political wing for transgender people in the country, said community members could not cast their votes as they failed to change their address in the voter ID card. Many of the community members are living in places far away from their native places. Some of them are outcasts from their families and villages. In this election even though many transgender members had applied for address change, most of them were rejected. We dont know the real reason. There were also issues of duplicate cards in some districts, she said.

Schools to reopen in Kerala on June 3

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The new academic year in the state will begin on June 3. A high-level meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan decided to complete all preparations for school reopening in a time-bound manner before the Praveshanolsavam on June 3. The meeting decided to take sufficient steps to ensure the safety and security of school buildings. Necessary repair works should be carried out, and the fitness of buildings must be ensured. The cleaning of school premises should be carried out in addition to ensuring clean drinking water. It also decided to remove unused vehicles parked on school premises, along with unused furniture and other equipment. The meeting also decided to ensure the fitness of school buses and private vehicles carrying students.

Assault bid on journalist near Vanchiyoor court

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A man tried to molest a woman journalist who was on duty in the capital city on Saturday. Following her complaint, the Vanchiyoor police registered a case. According to the complaint, a middle-aged man attempted to physically assault her while she was on duty near the court premises at Vanchiyoor. The man groped me initially and continued to assault me for almost twenty minutes while I was taking the KSRTC drivers byte as part of a report, she said. Despite her repeated attempts to stop him, the assault continued. The place was crowded with journalists and advocates, and nobody knew who the person was. When I finally confronted him after taking the byte, he began hurling abuses at me, she added. The assailant claimed to be there in connection with a case. When advocates and journalists intervened in the issue, he fled from the scene. Following this, she filed a complaint with the police. The district committee of the Kerala Journalists Union has demanded that the accused should be immediately booked under non-bailable charges. The Vanchiyoor police have filed an FIR against the assailant charging IPC 354 (outraging the modesty of women).

Guide the youth to enhance scientific productivity: V K Saraswat

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: NITI Aayog member V K Saraswat has urged the medical community to reach out to students and guide them to enhance their scientific productivity. He was speaking at the annual convocation of the 40th batch of Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences (SCTIMST) at Achutha Menon Centre for Health Science Studies on Saturday. You have been lucky to be a member of this prestigious institution. It is imperative for you to play a part in promoting science and medicine-related ecosystem. Every young and aspiring person of science looks up to you for inspiration. So reach out to them and make their life worthwhile, said SCTIMST president Saraswat. Speaking on the occasion, Abhay Karandikar, secretary of Department of Science and Technology, Union government, said it was for the first time that he witnessed a convocation ceremony where doctors, clinicians, medical engineers, nursing professionals and public health officials received their certificates simultaneously. Your institute emphasises on interdisciplinary research and cross communication that aligns seamlessly with the objective of the National Education policy which focuses on fostering a holistic approach to learning and nurtures the professionals capable of tackling multi-faceted issues. As you step out of this institute, you are not just graduates but ambassadors of healing, empathy and progress, said Karandikar. V Narayanan, ISRO scientist and director of liquid propulsion systems centre, addressed the graduates inspiring them to contribute to the country by believing in themselves. The general public in our country identifies this institute to provides world class treatment in cardiology and neurology. But all may not be aware it to be a world class research institute in the medical field that has come up with numerous innovations in treatment and diagnosis of diseases. With the knowledge you have gained till now, you are going to heal patients of this country, said Narayanan. Saraswat conferred degrees to 162 graduates who completed different courses, including Doctor of Management (DM), PhD, Master of Public Health (MPH), Master of Science (MS) and diploma. The 7th G Parthasarathi oration was delivered by Shiv Kumar Sarin, president of National Academy of Medical Sciences.

Kerala: Motor Vehicle Dept to conduct 40 tests per day, H to continue for now

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : After days of protests by driving school owners, the Motor Vehicle Department (MVD) has made slight changes to its earlier circular directing modifications in licence test procedures. Through a new order issued on Saturday, the MVD has opted to reinforce the existing road test, albeit with certain alterations. While the H test will continue for the time being, the applicant will be allowed to take part in it test only after clearing the road test. The licence will be provided only to those applicants who clear both tests. However, the driving schools must set up grounds for carrying out tests as mandated in the earlier circular issued by the department at the earliest. A three-month concession has been allowed for using vehicles attached with dual clutch and brake for the driving test. It has also been decided to give a three-month concession to attach dashboard cameras and VLDC in vehicles used for the test. A six-month period has been allotted to conduct the driving test in vehicles which is more than 15 years old. The decision to limit daily tests to 30 has been increased to 40. Of these, 25 have to be new applicants and the next ten to be considered must be candidates qualified for a retest and the rest five to those with employment/education/migration purposes. Driving school workers to end boycott The All-Kerala Driving School Workers Union (CITU) has decided to withdraw from boycotting driving tests by the Motor Vehicle Department. The decision was taken in view of the departments decision to give relaxation in testing. The discussion between Transport Minister K B Ganesh Kumar and the union secretary Elamaram Kareem will be held on May 23. If the discussions fail, the union will start protest strike in front of the Secretariat, said general secretary C T Anil Kumar.

No more spot booking for Sabarimala darshan

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a major decision aimed at crowd control at Sabarimala, the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) has decided to do away with spot booking. Instead, booking through virtual queue will be allowed. It has also been decided to permit not more than 80,000 pilgrims to the hill shrine a day. TDB president P S Prasanth told TNIE that the decisions were taken in view of difficulties faced by devotees during the last pilgrimage season. Going by the new decisions, only those who book through the virtual queue system can visit the temple. The bookings will start three months before the commencement of the pilgrimage season. In another significant move, the board decided not to appoint people from other states for Sabarimala duty on a daily wage basis. Pre-paid system for dolly services Instead, the TDB will appoint a task force of 5,000 people in uniform for duty to assist pilgrims. It has also been decided to implement a pre-paid system for dolly services.The decisions were taken during the review meeting chaired by the TDB president on Saturday. In the backdrop of a womans death following suspected ingestion of the juice of Arali leaf and flower, the TDB has decided to wait for scientific examination reports before taking a call on continued use of Arali flower in temples under the board. The autopsy report and the internal organ examination report of the deceased are awaited. If the reports prove that the cause of death was juice of Arali flower, then the board will stop its use in all temples under the board, said TDB president Prasanth.

Thiruvananthapuram: Mayor, MLA booked after court directive

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : In a major setback to mayor Arya Rajendran and her husband Sachin Dev, MLA, in the road rage controversy, the Cantonment Police on Saturday registered a case against the duo and three others who travelled with them. The case was registered following a directive from the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court Thiruvananthapuram on a petition filed by KSRTC driver H L Yedu seeking action against the mayor and the MLA . It is learnt that the charges imposed against them include unlawful assembly, public nuisance, obstructing public transport and obstruction in public way. Earlier, despite complaints by the driver, the police had refused to register a case against the mayor and MLA. On Saturday, Yedu moved the court alleging police inaction. In his plea before the court, Yedu had accused the mayor of obstructing his official duty and the MLA of barging into the bus and threatening him. The issue snowballed into a major controversy after the mayor had accused the driver of showing obscene gestures. Sachin Dev Conductor might have misled authorities, says Yedu Raising fresh allegations against the conductor of the bus, Yedu said the conductor might have misled the authorities. According to the petition, a group of five people, including the mayor and her husband, attempted to intimidate him. He said he decided to approach the court after inaction by the police on his complaint. In his plea, Yedu demanded to initiate a search for the missing memory card containing the CCTV visuals from the bus. He raised suspicions regarding the memory card suggesting that the conductor may have misled the authorities. According to Yedu, the conductor was sitting on the front seat, but he lied to the police. Yedu alleged that the conductor is associated with DYFI. The conductor offered his front seat to the MLA when the latter got into the bus, alleged Yedu. The court has accepted the plea and will consider it on Monday. The Cantonment police had earlier registered a case of sexual harassment against Yedu based on Aryas complaint. However, the police did not register a case on Yedus complaint alleging that Arya and other car passengers obstructed the trip and misbehaved with him. Meanwhile in another development, the State Human Rights Commission has filed a case on the complaint filed by the driver stating that the mayor and others obstructed his official duties. The commission had ordered the Kerala Police and KSRTC MD to submit an investigation report within a week.

Fostering an inclusive future

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : Gone are the days when orphanages and care homes were the go-to options for children without a family. In a significant shift, society has evolved enough to understand that every child needs the chance to grow up in a loving, family setting. Enter foster care. Its not a short-term commitment that merely provides a temporary home, rather about creating lasting bonds, says Anusha Andrews, a foster caregiver. She is part of over two hundred foster families in the state. Its the same for many families. We need these children just as much as they need us. We took a long-term contract. Otherwise, it is difficult for all of us. Children fear uncertainty. We need to assure them that we wont let them go, she stresses. Foster care is like the superhero of childcare; swooping in to provide a safe, clean and stable environment, making sure no child feels left out. Often serving as a springboard to a better life, fostering also helps some children become part of a family forever through adoption. In Kerala, the State Child Protection Society -- functioning under the department of women and child development -- is tasked with arranging foster care. The District Child Protection Unit works as the district-level nodal authority for the same. Kerala stands ahead of other states in providing a familial environment to children. With 245 children currently in foster care, the system followed by the state provides options like vacation, kinship and group fostering. For children aged 6-18, foster care offers a taste of family life before they find their forever homes. Short-term fostering, typically lasting less than a year, allows for adaptability checks, ensuring both the child and the family thrive together. And with recent amendments allowing for adoption after just two years of foster care, the potential for permanency brings hope to both children and families. Kinship fostering adds another layer of familiarity, as children are taken up by relatives or close family friends who become their official foster carers. This not only offers socioeconomic familiarity for the children but allows for financial aid from the welfare department to support the caregivers. Vacation foster care, a newer initiative, allows children to experience family life during holidays, attending family functions and engaging with peers outside their usual circles. Officials visiting homes once every month serves to ensure the safety and well-being of the children. It isnt ideal for children to grow up in institutions. Fostering helps children develop life skills and enables social interactions beyond their peer groups, says an official with the women and child development department, who doesnt want to be named. Group fostering provides another alternative, with up to eight children living in a home-like setting under the care of trained caregivers. While the turnout of foster families may not be overwhelming, awareness is growing, particularly after the Covid pandemic. We used to send children to extended families in case of emergencies. That has now changed, with other families stepping up for the cause -- a positive change. A foster parent has to be in the age-group of 35 to 65, the official says. The State Adoption Regulation Agency facilitates adoption of children who have completed two years in foster care. Mostly middle-class families step up, with single-child households often embracing foster care during vacations. A financial support of Rs 2,000 per month throughout the fostering period is provided, although each case is carefully assessed by the sponsorship and foster care approval committee, the official points out. Proper preparation -- including interviews and home studies -- helps equip foster parents with the knowledge to handle the emotional and physical needs of their wards. I received the approval to foster two brothers in December 2021. Its been almost two and a half years now, and weve become a family. The authorities conduct home studies and interviews. I was interviewed the most to make sure I was comfortable with the decision, being the child in my family, adds Anusha, who serves as a foster sister.

KSEB saves 200 mw per day after bringing in restrictions

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : Within a day of imposing restrictions on power consumption during peak hours, KSEB has yielded results by saving 200 mw of power. This has led the board officials to review the situation within two days and impose further restrictions. But to make matters worse, the consumers have been slapped with an additional 10 paisa surcharge along with the existing 9 paisa surcharge per unit of power in this months power bill. The KSEB has also decided to set up a control room to address the raging issue of consumers protesting in front of section offices when power outages happen. It is aimed at coordinating the situation to address the overload in feeders, manage the load at substations and also understand the demand and availability of power in various places. Power Minister K Krishnankutty expressed happiness as the consumers are cooperating with the governments proposals to bring down power consumption. He informed that maximum demand for power had come down to 5,676 mw after consumers took up the directive of the state government seriously. The control room will help smoothen the distribution and transmission in power sector. It will be managed by officials belonging to the distribution and transmission wings and the State Load Dispatch Centre. We have decided to ensure that the control room functions as long as the current power crisis exists, said Krishnankutty. Currently, there is a 9 paisa surcharge in the power bill which the consumers are already paying. This has been increased by an additional 10 paisa resulting in a total of 19 paisa which is the fuel surcharge for March. But various trade union officials have alleged that there is nothing much to boast about saving 200 mw of power as it was achieved due to switching off feeders at Palakkad and Malappuram on Friday night where there was 10 minutes - 20 minutes load shedding. Moreover, most of the commercial establishments have been using LED lamps for decoration. So there is not much power saving happening as claimed by the power minister, said a KSEB trade union leader. Control room The KSEB has also decided to set up a control room to address the raging issue of consumers protesting in front of section offices when power outages happen It is aimed at coordinating the situation to address the overload in feeders, manage the load at substations and also understand the demand and availability of power in various places

KSEB wary of imposing load shedding as it may lead to denial of central grants

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The KSEB and the LDF government decided against imposing load shedding for fear of not getting central grants and other projects from the centre in the future. The performance of KSEB will be assessed while seeking interest-free loans, sanctioning grants and new projects and if the word, load shedding is mentioned in the application, the KSEB stands to lose the benefits. The entire crisis being faced by the KSEB now is linked to the long-term Power Purchase Agreement entered into between the KSEB and power companies in May 2023 that was cancelled by the Kerala State Electricity Regulatory Commission later. The board had decided to push for load shedding if the power situation becomes bleak further. But later it realised that there were practical difficulties in going ahead with the load shedding as the Union power ministry evaluates the KSEBs performances based on several parameters. KSEB has been feeling the heat ever since it realised late that it has difficulties in distributing power despite having it. A senior KSEB official told TNIE that over the last three years the board had not initiated any steps to improve its distribution network. When the demand for power increases, the KSEB has to make sure that its existing system is enhanced. It has not bothered to enhance the capacity of transformers and feeders. In northern districts, more than 500 transformers experienced issues as the distribution network almost collapsed. Fortunately, the board initiated enhancement work in southern districts which did not see much power outage during peak hours, said a senior KSEB official. With the transformers dripping and oil overflowing from them in northern districts, the board decided to bring in measures to bring in alternative steps to overcome the crisis there. The board officials feel that its the lack of vision and planning which has pushed the KSEB to think of imposing load shedding. Another top board official told TNIE that this burgeoning power crisis has brought to focus the 25-year-long 465 mw Power Purchase Agreement signed in May 2023 when Aryadan Mohammed was the power minister, which was subsequently cancelled. If the PPA was in force, there would not have been any power crisis in the state. We would have got power at Rs 4.29 per unit instead of the Rs 10 per unit which will be bought from a private power company during May. The board and the LDF government should hold those officials responsible for pushing the state into power crisis, said a top board official on condition of anonymity.

Kerala: Congress candidates fume at party colleagues over campaign lapses

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A week after the Lok Sabha election in the state, three Congress candidates came down heavily on the party machinery for lapses in campaigning. Senior leaders K Muraleedharan, M K Raghavan and Adoor Prakash, who contested from Thrissur, Kozhikode and Attingal, respectively, expressed their resentment at the partys election review meeting on Saturday. Meanwhile, the leadership, which was once confident of making a clean sweep, observed that the contest was tough in constituencies like Attingal, Thrissur and Palakkad. The review meeting saw Muraleedharan and Raghavan criticising their party colleagues. According to party sources, Muraleedharan was particularly critical of Thrissur DCC president Jose Valoor and former MP T N Prathapan for their lack of wholehearted support. The duo was caught off guard when Muraleedharan pointed at the skyrocketing election campaign expenses. His remark that certain leaders greed for money was really shocking created a stir among those present. Muraleedharans sister Padmaja Venugopal, who recently joined the BJP, had also cast similar aspersions against the same two leaders and former MLA M P Vincent before the Lok Sabha election. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Muraleedharan, however, denied raising the issue. While Muraleedharan named names, Raghavan claimed that a legislator from Wayanad and his loyalists stayed away from actively campaigning for him. He, however, did not name the legislator. Adoor Prakash, meanwhile, highlighted organisational lapses in the poll campaigning in Attingal, which saw an intense three-cornered fight. Cong exudes confidence of winning 20 seats Adoor Prakash said while court intervention helped address the issue of around 1.65 lakh double votes, there was no such intervention from within the party. Prakash did not hide his disappointment when he reported that no Congress agent was present at some polling booths. He is still confident of defending the seat. But he maintained that the previous victory margin of 38,247 is unattainable, said a party source. The party observed that there was a tough fight in some seats. However, the leadership is confident of attaining the magic figure of 20 seats against all odds. However, most sitting MPs who attended the meeting felt that they will not be able to better their existing victory margin. Meanwhile, Congress state president in-charge M M Hassan informed that the party has decided to hold a protest meeting at Vadakara on May 11 against the CPMs alleged hate campaign against UDF candidate Shafi Parambil. He recalled a fake video which was extensively used against Shafi by the CPM camp.

Tharoor Accuses PM of 'Fabricating' Ideas to Criticize Congress Manifesto

Tharoor Accuses PM of 'Fabricating' Ideas to Criticize Congress Manifesto Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Saturday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi was coming up with imaginary ideas regarding the Congress' manifesto to attack the party. The situation today was such that ''the very idea of Indian democracy that our forefathers fought for is in peril'', he told reporters here. ''Our manifesto is a strong document with a vision for the future. Modi is making up imaginary ideas that are not in our manifesto and attacking us for that. We too can come up with imaginary things about Modi but we are not doing that,'' he said. ''We believe Modi's own record is bad enough and there is enough to attack. He, however, has nothing to say against us except imaginary things which we have not claimed in our manifesto,'' he added. The issue of Muslim reservation was brought up by the PM but there was no mention of the term ''Muslim'' in Congress' manifesto, Tharoor claimed. ''He said we are going to snatch away the houses and buffaloes of people and give it to Muslims. There is no such reference in the manifesto. He says we are going to take away mangalsutras and gold and give it to Muslims,'' he said. Calling such statements from the ruling side as ''utter nonsense'', Tharoor asked them to ''campaign on the basis of real issues''. In some states Muslims have been included in the OBC category, but that is a state policy which the Congress has not advocated for national reservation, the Thiruvananthapuram MP said. ''This is a wilful distortion of existing reality to suggest the Congress wants to do something by winning the Lok Sabha election. Lok Sabha election is for national government and not for state government,'' he said. The PM has been using language that no one would have dreamt someone on the post would ever do, he said. The country has seen how democratic institutions established by Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar's Constitution have been hollowed out by the BJP, which was also attempting to reduce the Parliament to '' a notice board or a rubber stamp'', he alleged. As per the Constitution, the government is responsible to the people, but this dispensation has only worked for a few, he said in a swipe at the BJP. ''We are concerned this government has not kept any of its promises made in the last 10 years. They promised two crore jobs, but since 2014 we have seen a net loss of one crore jobs rather than an increase,'' he said. ''Today we are in a situation where the very idea of Indian democracy that our forefathers fought for is in peril. We have a government in Delhi for the last 10 years that has seriously challenged every basic principle for which the freedom struggle was fought,'' Tharoor asserted.

Kerala's Heatwave Intensifies: Yellow Alert Issued for 12 Districts by IMD

Kerala's Heatwave Intensifies: Yellow Alert Issued for 12 Districts by IMD The India Meteorological Department on Saturday issued a yellow alert for 12 out of the 14 districts in Kerala due to the likelihood of high temperature and humidity there till May 6. IMD said the maximum temperatures were very likely to be around 39 degrees Celsius in Palakkad, around 38 degrees Celsius in Kollam, Thrissur and Kozhikode, around 37 degrees Celsius in Alappuzha, Kottayam, Pathanamthitta and Kannur districts and around 36 degrees Celsius in Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam, Malappuram and Kasaragod districts from May 4 to May 6. ''Hot and humid weather is very likely over these districts except in hilly areas during May 4 to May 6 due to high temperature and humidity. (YELLOW WARNING),'' it said. It also issued a yellow alert for Alappuzha and Kozhikode districts for today due to the possibility of warm night conditions there. The southern state has been reeling under hot weather conditions for several days leading to educational institutions being closed in Kerala till May 6. Additionally, the government has also issued a slew of directions which include avoiding working under the sun from 11 am to 3 pm by construction workers, farmers, hawkers, etc. It has also asked everyone to avoid exposure to sunlight during these hours of the day and remain hydrated.

Rebellious Indulekha on Ravi Varmas canvas

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Rebellious she was and beautifully talented. She was barely a woman, or on the verges of it, as she courted Madhavan, whose persona was progressive yet not as captivating as hers. Indulekha, the heroine of the 1889 classic by Oyyarathu Chandu Menon, was more than just a well-bred woman of the late 19th century Kerala she represented the spirit of women, albeit privileged, who could take on regressive and male-centric feudal social structures. Her portrait by the legendary Raja Ravi Varma, however, reveals a more sober, almost coy form of her, clutching a letter that she has written for her beloved. In it, she seems a playful teenager, slightly built, the child in her yet to give way to the subtly sensual women that Raja Ravi Varma otherwise painted. The painting that was unveiled at the Kilimanoor palace on the occasion of Raja Ravi Varmas 176th birth anniversary on April 29 is, in fact, a replica of the original now in the possession of Sasikala Parackal. Her father was gifted the original by the palace around 80 years ago. It was kept in Sasikalas house in Irinjalakuda as a valuable piece of art, which was handed over to her after her father passed away in 1978. He told me it was a gift from Kilimanoor palace and I should take care of it, says Sasikala. Beyond this, I did not know much till the time historian M G Sasibooshan came to our house as part of a litigation my advocate husband was handling. Sasibooshan sensed the hand of Ravi Varma in the painting, which wore some weary marks of time but not enough to camouflage the poise and elegance of Chandu Menons heroine. I then took the painting to the Archeological department and to experts on Raja Ravi Varma, all of whom corroborated Sasibooshans view. Then we got help from Madhan S of Heritage Conservation and Research Academy who studied the painting and restored it to its current glow. I then visited the Kilimanoor palace and informed them of this prized possession. The whole story became public in 2022, says Sasikala. It was the copy of this painting that now finds space in the palace. It is one of the two Indulekha paintings of Raja Ravi Varma. One was in a reclining pose, which is already in the public sphere. The one recently unveiled has Indulekha as a lovelorn girl sitting with a letter in hand that has the year 1892 written on it that can be read with a microscopic lens, says Rama Varma of Kilimanoor palace. According to him, there is a high likelihood that the heroine is real and belonged to the Kilimanoor palace as said in the novel. The character was inspired by Chandu Menons wife Lakshmikutty Amma. He and Raja Ravi Varma were contemporaries and possibly the writer requested the legend to paint his heroine. Also, the lady in the reclining Indulekha painting and the sitting one are the same. So, in all likelihood, and also considering the social milieu of the late 19th century, Indulekha could be real though by a different name. There are several such Ravi Varma paintings in personal collection of people, which is yet to come to light, Rama Varma says. Ravi Varma had the habit of making prints of his works and gifting them to keen people. This is why there are different versions of some of his paintings such as Damayanti, Jatayu Vadham, the Parsi lady, etc. The unfinished Parsi lady is with us whereas the two finished versions were given out, he says. With the penchant to possess a Ravi Varma on the rise and with love for his aesthetics seeing a surge in recent times, the rare paintings of his in personal possessions must be documented well to avoid fakes. Also, the prints go at exorbitant rates in the auctions held across the country. All these make the rare prints in personal possession susceptible to manipulations and hence proper documentation and carbon dating is a must, Rama Varma says, adding he has been getting calls from across India from people who claim to possess a rare Ravi Varma. We are in the process of procuring such paintings and exhibiting them in Kilimanoor Palace. Phased work has begun for that. Not just Ravi Varma, the works of other proteges such as the legends sister Mangala Bayi Thampuratti and brother Raja Raja Varma also have to be presented and preserved, Rama Varma says. Regarding the original painting, Sasikala says she will hand it over to her next in line. How they take care of it is not my headache, she says, agreeing such artworks require dedicated handling because a thing of beauty needs care to remain a joy for a long time if not forever.

Heatline

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : Kerala is experiencing one of its worst summers ever with the mercury soaring to unprecedented levels. This has had the India Meteorological Department to sound a heatwave alert in the state. While global warming is indeed cited as the primary reason for daytime temperatures remaining unusually high, one cant discount factors like the urban heat island effect or the coastal states maritime climate where average humidity is relatively higher. These mean that when the temperature increases, the heat you feel is also significantly higher. Women carry cans to collect water from tanker lorries arranged by the municipality in Koyilandy

Mambazhakaalam

KOCHI: As I eyed the golden Alphonso in the market, I was taken back to my home where in the backyard mango trees would start blooming way before the summer holidays set in. Come the holidays, my house would have a daily feast with mango mojitos, curries, pickles, and desserts for every meal. It was only as I grew older did I realise the different names of the variants. The golden mangoes were Alphonso or Aapus as my grandmother would say, and the long raw mangoes, I used to have with salt and chilli powder, were Totapuri or Kilimooku. Sometimes, identifying mangoes is something you can do but not explain, says Ranganathan, a vendor in the market as he explain the history of certain mangoes. This was a common statement I heard during my quest to learn how to identify different mangoes. Baiju S Chittilappilly, who owns a farm in Kerala, explains that mango cultivators can often identify, through experience, the different mango trees based on the shape of their leaves. Alphonsos leaves are longer than a lot of other varieties, he says. Alphonso, especially the one from Maharashtra, holds tightly to its title of King of Mangoes and sustains the publics choice award. With a slight sparkle, it stands out in a cart due to its almost perfect roundness and clean golden-yellow skin. A good Alphonso mango will weigh up to 250 grams and will not have any blemishes or spots on its smooth skin, points out Baiju as he speaks of this variants high demand. With dark yellow flesh almost comparable to turmeric, Alphonso is widely available in nearly every market. And another one known for its hue is Sinshoora. Being one of the firstborns of the mango season, it is Sindhoora that often welcomes the public to a very sweet and fruitful season. While comparatively easier to identify, with its reddish shade, the fruit weighs nearly 250 grams per mango. There are not a lot of distinct reddish mangoes I have seen, and Sindhoora is a combination of red, green, and a bit of yellow, says Sameer, a fruit seller from Bihar. As I walked more into the lanes of markets, I stumbled upon a public favourite Imam Pasand. With its origin in Urdu stories to the possibility of it having been Emperor Humayuns favourite, it is one of the sweetest mangoes available. Very much in competition with Alphonso for the grand title, Imam Pasand has thin, tasty skin and is being bought a lot this season. On the other hand, Banganapalli is the middle child of the season and is a bit more pale than others. Often distinctly larger than many varieties, Banganapalli is one of the most affordable lots in the family. Another variety, Jawaad can be sweeter than Banganapalli sometimes. However, most people cannot afford those, so Banganapalli is bought a lot, Sameer adds. Malgoa, with a smaller seed and more flesh, will be available well into May. With a thick skin, it is seen and described as being more round and curvy with a dip near its stem. With a pale flesh, Malgoa is sweet even before ripening, unlike mangoes like Sindhoora or even Neelam, says Baiju. Neelam, a latecomer to the mango season, mainly comes from Andhra Pradesh. With a particularly small round shape, it can be seen when the monsoon rains start, he adds. While the markets are full of different variants, isnt it a wonder that our states can grow so many of them right in time for the season? Baiju tells me that with various grafting and budding techniques becoming popular among mango cultivators, growing multiple varieties of mangoes together is a cakewalk. Grafting is a practical method. Multi-budding, where you can grow multiple mango types on one tree, is very useful. The only main factor that affects is the climate, and some trees have close to 25 mango types growing together, says Baiju. And thats how our markets get filled with mangoes from all over the country. Though the season of varieties like Moovandan and other umpteen local variants are almost over, the mango season is not close to an end as more and more varieties from other states enter the market. Aam Dal/Toker Dal by Joyadrita Ragavendran Chatterjee Ingredients Red masoor dal: 1.5 cups Raw mango (cut into long, thick strips): 1 Salt and sugar to taste Turmeric powder Mustard oil Mustard seeds for tempering Red chilli: 1 Method Boil the red masoor dal with a couple of pieces of mango, salt, and turmeric powder. Keep the other mango slices aside. Heat mustard oil with the mustard seeds and red chilli in a wok temper. Add the remaining mango slices and let it soften. Next, pour the boiled dal. Adjust salt. Add sugar. The final dal should taste sweet and sour. Prawns Raw Mango Curry by Sheeba La Fleur Ingredients Prawns: half cup Green chillies: 4 nos Ginger paste: 1/4 tsp Garlic paste: 1/4 tsp Salt to taste Raw mango: 1 diced Tomato: 1 small Section 2 Grated coconut: 1cup Shallots: 6 nos Tamarind a small ball Red chilly powder: 2tbsp Corriander powder: 2tsp Fennel powder: 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder: 1/2 tsp Ginger a small piece Garlic: 2 nos Water: 1/4 cup For tadka Coconut oil: 2tbsp Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp Sliced Shallots: 2 nos Curry leaves: few Dried red chilli: 3 Method Add prawns, green chilly, ginger and garlic paste with half a cup of water and cook for two minutes. Now add diced tomatoes and raw mangoes to it and cook for another two minutes. Make a fine paste with ingredients from section two. Add the paste to the prawns and cook for another 3 minutes. Heat oil add mustard and other tadka ingredients and pour it into the curry. You can serve it with rice or puttu. MANGO CHEESECAKE by Arun Vijayan, consultant chef Ingredients Crushed biscuits: 500gm Melted butter : 150gm Cream cheese : 350gm Whipping cream : 250gm Cornflour : 50gm Mango puree : 250gm Condensed milk: 300gm Method In a blender, add biscuits and process them until fully crushed. Now add melted butter and blend again. Transfer the biscuit crumbs into a 7-inch springform pan and press down evenly. Set it in the fridge for 10-15 minutes. In another bowl, add cream cheese, heavy cream, condensed milk, mango pureeand cornflour. Mix until the batter is fully combined. Now transfer this on top of the biscuit base. Seal the bottom of the springform pan with two layers of aluminium foil so nothing leaks out. Now add the batter to a cheesecake tin and place it in a preheated oven at 160 Celsius for about 40-45 mins. Once baked fully run a knife around the edges while the cheesecake is still warm. Transfer the cheesecake to the fridge to cool for about 7-8hours. Garnish it with mango puree. Sticky Mango Rice by Sheeba La Fleur Ingredients Uncooked sticky rice: 1 cup Full-fat coconut milk: 1 can (13.5 oz / 400 g) Sugar: 1/4 cup Salt: 1/2 tsp Cornstarch (Optional): 2 tsp Mangoes (peeled and sliced): 3 ripe Toasted sesame seeds for garnish (Optional) Method Rinse the sticky rice with water and gently stir it with your hands. Drain the water to remove the excess starch. Then add cold water. Soak the sticky rice for a minimum of 1 hour, or up to overnight in the fridge. Once soaked, rinse again and drain the water. Transfer the rice to a heatproof bowl, add about 2.5 cups of water to your steamer (not into the rice), place the heatproof rice bowl on the steaming rack placed in the steamer, and cover the steamer. Turn to medium-high heat to bring the water to a boil. When the steam starts to come out of the pot, turn to medium heat. Steam for 20 to 25 minutes, until the rice is cooked through, with no hard raw bits in the middle. Remove the pot from the stove. Let sit, covered, while you prepare the other ingredients. Make the sauce when the rice is cooking. Combine the coconut milk, sugar, and salt in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat or medium-low heat until the sugar is melted. Do not bring the coconut sauce to a boil. Carefully remove the bowl of sticky rice from the steamer. Pour 1 cup of the sauce into the bowl. Stir to mix well until the sauce is fully absorbed. The mango sticky rice is ready to serve when the rice mixture and the sauce cool to room temperature or lukewarm. For that extra garnish, you can also pour a few spoonfuls of extra coconut sauce on top of the rice or also top with some toasted sesame seeds. Creamy Mango Curry by Arun Vijayan, Consultant chef Ingredients Tender mango wedges: 300gm Finely chopped onions: 30gm Finely chopped garlic : 10gm Finely chopped ginger: 10gm Tomato pure : 20gm Cumin powder: 5gm Salt to taste Turmeric powder: 8gm Fresh cream : 30ml Butter : 10gm Sunflower oil : 50ml Method Heat oil in a pan and add onion, ginger and garlic. Saut it until brown. Add the seasonings and tomato pure. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes in slow heat until the tomato gets mashed. Then add little hot water and mango wedges to it. Reduce the flame and finish with fresh cream and butter. The curry can be served with bread or white rice. Mango margarita by BLND Restobar, Thiruvananthapuram Ingredients Fresh mango: 75 gm Lime juice: 30ml Chilli: 1/2 chilli Ice cube: one big scoop Method Blend all the above ingredients in a blender and serve it in a margarita glass with chilli salt on its rim. Garnish with a chilli. Mango Rasam by Mala Sekar Ingredients Raw mango: 1, medium size Toor dal: 1 small cup Tomato: 1 Pepper: 1 spoon Cumin seeds: 1 spoon Green or red chillies: 2 Crushed ginger: a small piece Coriander leaves Method Pressure cook toor dal and raw mango with a pinch of turmeric on medium flame until two whistles. Once its done, blend it into a smooth paste and add water if its too thick. Add oil to a pan and add mustard, chilies, ginger, a pinch of asafoetida, and turmeric for tadka. Chop the tomato and add it to the tadka along with salt. After this is done, add the toor dal and raw mango paste. Once it comes to a boil, add pepper and cumin powder Garnish with coriander generously.

Seven children to be adopted from Kerala Child Welfare committee on May 4

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a first, the state welfare committee has decided to entrust seven couples with children they have been taking care of, on the same day. Seven babies will be taken home by these parents on Saturday morning. Kids will be adopted from the committees adoption centre in Thiruvananthapuram. Seven children, all between five and seven months old, are starting off their new journey with their new parents. Six of them will be in Kerala one in Thiruvananthapuram, two in Alappuzha, two in Kottayam, and one in Kozhikode. Meanwhile, one of them will travel to Tamil Nadu with the parents. All parents are professionals such as doctors, assistant directors, university employees, police officers, and entrepreneurs. The new ruling committee has so far given 76 children for adoption to families over a period of 14 months. Twelve of them have gone abroad. According to priority, deserving couples who registered through the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) to various adoptions centres across India got clearance from state children welfare committee. The process of giving up children for adoption was made efficient by providing adequate care and security at various Child Welfare Committee centres,said general Secretary G L Arungopi. Starting a new life The committee has given 76 children for adoption to families over a period of 14 months. Twelve of them have gone abroad Deserving couples who registered through CARA to various adoptions centres across India got clearance from state CWC.

Thiruvananthapuram-based architect wins HUDCO award for flood-relief initiative

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Housing and Urban Development Corporation (HUDCO) design award in the category of cost effective rural/urban housing deploying innovative/emerging & disaster resistant technology has been awarded to architect N S Abhayakumar. Abhayakumar won the award for Project Bhoomika, a flood-relief housing initiative, as part of which 10 houses were built for people in Cheruthana village of Alappuzha who lost their houses in the 2018 floods. The design scheme of the project was based on a cost-effective and disaster-resistant technology. The highlight of Project Bhoomika was the partial inclusion of its beneficiaries in the design process. Unlike other housing projects in which a row of cookie-cutter houses is made, Project Bhoomika gave its beneficiaries the option to choose the design without affecting the cost. The project also saw the involvement of young students of architecture and civil engineering in the implementation of a socially relevant human settlement project. Cheruthana is a village that experiences flooding at least three times a year during the monsoons. Project Bhoomika was conceived after the flood relief work was finished. It was found that houses with strong and sustainable construction withstood the flood. So, as an architect, I wanted to do something for the affected to help them resist adversities in the future. Around 100 houses were scouted to find the needy with the help of local youngsters for the project, said Abhayakumar, who is a member of the Trivandrum runners club, a registered charitable organisation that actively worked during the 2018 floods. A mix of precast concrete elements was used for the foundation, and pre-fabricated galvanised pipes and ferro-cement technology for the superstructure to minimise the site work, which is usually the reason for the higher cost of construction in Kerala. The cost for construction of the 400 sqft two-bedroom houses, erected on nine pillars of 1m each, was kept below Rs 6 lakh each. The best part is that beneficiaries were not relocated from their native places for the purpose. Considering the topography of the region, which is surrounded by water with limited road access, the houses were conceived in such a way that different parts such as the well rings, pillars, and wall panels could be pre-fabricated and transported by boat and then erected at site. I hope that local bodies in other flood-prone areas replicate this model, said Abhayakumar. Project Bhoomika The highlight of the project was partial inclusion of its beneficiaries in the design process. They were given the option to choose the design without affecting the cost Also ensured the involvement of young students of architecture and civil engineering in the implementation of the project

Swell waves: Red alert along Kerala coast

THIRUVANANATHAPURAM: Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) has issued a red alert along Kerala and south Tamil Nadu coast owing to swell waves till Sunday night. During the period, the coast will experience strong waves from 2.30 pm on Saturday to 11.30 pm on Sunday. The Kerala State Disaster Management Authority had already directed that people should be moved away from beaches from 10 pm on Friday. They have alerted fishermen living in vulnerable locations to shift to safer locations based on the directives of the authorities. They have advised the public to avoid trips to beaches and venturing into the sea. Swell waves cause panic along Kerala coast Fishermen have also been advised to move fishing nets and boats to safer locations, preferably in harbours. Swell waves lashed the Kerala coast causing panic in coastal communities on April 31. The sea attack caused damage to roads and fishing equipment, and also necessitated the rehabilitation of people in some locations. The severity was high in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alappuzha and Thrissur. IMD maintained a yellow alert in Palakkad and Kozhikode considering the heatwave alert on Friday. However, it did not issue any fresh heatwave alerts for any districts for Saturday.

Kerala: 816g MDMA seized in 48 hours; surge in drug haul anticipated after LS poll

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The enforcement agencies have seized a large quantity of synthetic drugs from two locations in the state within a span of 48 hours, indicating that the drug menace is going to intensify further in the state after the Lok Sabha polls. About 616g of MDMA was seized by the excise from Kozhikode rural on Thursday, while 200g were seized from Angamaly by the police on Friday. The seized contraband could fetch more than Rs 25 lakh in the open market, said an excise source. As per the excise sources, the smuggling of narcotics to the state had reduced since March third week due to the heavy deployment of police, excise and other paramilitary forces in the inter-state borders owing to the Lok Sabha polls. Since the poll date was announced on March 16, the state and central agencies had intensified the scrutiny of vehicles on the inter-state borders of Kerala. Apart from the police and excise, officers from the Income Tax department, SGST division, Directorate of Enforcement, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), and the Narcotics Control Bureau were involved in inspections at the state border and within the state. A senior excise officer told TNIE that seizure of commercial quantity of MDMA rarely happened in the run up to the Lok Sabha polls. MDMA weighing more than 10g is considered as a commercial quantity, as per the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS). Because of the strict surveillance on border points and multi-layered screening of vehicles done within the state and outside, it was almost impossible to smuggle in contraband during the Lok Sabha poll campaign period. Now, that the polls are over in Kerala and Tamil Nadu, we are expecting a surge in smuggling attempts. More seizures are also expected in the coming days, he said. The synthetic drugs reach Kerala from Chennai, Bengaluru, Delhi and Goa, while cannabis is sourced from plantations located in the hinterlands in Andhra-Odisha border. Since the Lok Sabha poll date was announced, heavy deployment of law enforcement officers made movement of the narcotics a risky affair. Now that the vigilance has been scaled down, the rackets having inter-state connections would be eying to push in the drugs, the excise officer added.

Kerala: Post-poll developments likely to alter equations in Congress leadership

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: After the Lok Sabha election, the A group which has been at loggerheads with the Congress state leadership has cosied up to it indicating a change in power equations within the party. If earlier, Congress state president K Sudhakaran and Opposition Leader V D Satheesan worked as a team, party insiders reveal that fissures have developed in their rapport. The A group which was once led by former CM Oommen Chandy did not share excellent camaraderie with the current leadership. A day after the Lok Sabha poll, rumours were rife that Satheesan is eager to see Congress state president in-charge M M Hassan, who belongs to the A group, continuing in office. This move has antagonised the Sudhakaran camp which led him to advance his duties as party chief from last Monday onward. But he later postponed his trip to Thiruvananthapuram after reports emerged that Hassan, who led the Lok Sabha campaign of the Congress, will chair the meeting on reporting of poll prospects at Indira Bhavan on Saturday. A leader close to Sudhakaran told TNIE that since the tenure of Satheesan has reached the second half, he has been trying to garner maximum support from the A group so as to have a tie-up with it. Satheesans diplomatic move is to garner the support of as many legislators as possible keeping in mind the 2026 assembly elections. Apart from senior A group leaders, youth leaders like Palakkad MLA Shafi Parambil and Rahul Mamkootathil have the backing of Satheesan. Circulation of fake reports that Sudhakaran is likely to be defeated in Kannur has led him to return to the seat of party chief at the earliest before the poll outcome is known, said a leader close to Sudhakaran. Satheesan camp has vehemently denied the allegations that he had tried to derail Sudhakarans return to the KPCC president post. The Leader of Opposition is currently on voice rest and his office informed that there is a standing directive from AICC that Hassan will hold charges until the Lok Sabha poll is over. K C Venugopal, All India general secretary (organisation), in a letter dated March 21 had conveyed to Deepa Das Munshi, AICC general secretary in charge of the state, that Hassan is being given charge of state party chief until the conclusion of Parliament elections, given the current PCC presidents involvement in the ongoing elections.

Controversy brews over mysterious crack on Akkulam glass bridge in Thiruvananthapuram

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The tourism department has landed in a tight spot with the police nearly ruling out vandalism as the cause of the mysterious cracks at the recently constructed glass bridge at Akkulam, Thiruvananthapuram. It has also raised serious concerns regarding the bridges construction and safety measures taken by the agencies involved including the tourism department, District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC), Kerala Adventure Tourism Promotion Council (KATPC) and the Vattiyoorkavu Youth Brigade Entrepreneur Cooperative Society (VYBECOS) the agency roped in by the tourism department to execute the project. On Friday, the forensic team carried out an investigation on the bridge to probe the cause of the crack. VYBECOS had filed a complaint with the Sreekaryam police alleging vandalism being the cause of damage. A police officer investigating the case said that vandalism was highly unlikely. The cracks occurred on the surface under the bridge, not on the top. Its humanly impossible to reach out beneath the bridge and inflict such damage. More scientific investigation is required to find out other potential causes, said the officer. The Sreekaryam police have registered a case under IPC Sections 447 and 427, indicating possible trespassing and damage of property. We have summoned the manufacturer of the glass to conduct another round of inspection in their presence, the officer added. Meanwhile, Vattiyoorkavu MLA V K Prasanth had a different take on the issue, claiming that it could be a gunshot that caused the damage on the bridge. He alleged that the damage was done intentionally to sabotage the operations of VYBECOS. We are not happy with the security at Akkulam Tourist Village and we suspect that the damage was inflicted intentionally to sabotage the project. It could be a gunshot but there are not enough CCTVs installed at the village to confirm this. Since the introduction of adventure tourism at the village, the staff here have been upset as they were forced to work more efficiently. The revenue generation has multiplied at the village because of our involvement. We have pointed out these things to the government and the police, said the MLA. Recently, the National Institute of Technology Calicut (NIT-C) had inspected the glass bridge. Prof T M Madhavan Pillai of the Department of Civil Engineering, who led the safety inspection of the glass bridge, told TNIE that they found nothing wrong with the bridge. We assessed the safety and structural stability of the glass bridge and found it to be intact. The glass used for the construction of the bridge already had the safety clearance and is of good grades. Hence, we didnt check the quality of the glass, said Madhavan. Sanjeev S J of Environment Protection Research Council, who filed several RTIs regarding the glass bridge, said that he has not received any reply from the DTPC regarding the agency that constructed the bridge. Its a high security zone because of the presence of the Southern Air Command. Hence, there is no possibility of vandalism. It is shady as the construction and the execution of the project has not been done in a transparent manner, he alleged. Built at a cost of Rs 12 crore The glass used for the glass bridge was bought from Saint-Gobain a global glass manufacturing company. Each glass panel weighs around 1 tonne and is constituted of three layers with a total thickness of 36 mm. The 52-metre-long bridge with a height of 75 feet was constructed at a cost of Rs 1.2 crore using private investment.

Kerala: Jain, a relentless crusader of deprived childrens rights

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Keeping child as an exclusive subject, artist C D Jain has been creating art works for the past 27 years. At his 21st solo exhibition, being held at Lalitha Kala Akademi Art Gallery, Vyloppilly Samskrithi Bhavan, he has showcased 21 of his works which have never been exhibited before. Out of this, 16 works were done on canvas and five on paper. The exhibition, which was started on April 27, will conclude on May 3. A social activist for predominantly childrens rights, his art voices issues of the marginalised. Born in Parassala, Jain is a 1988 BFA graduate from College of Fine Arts, Trivandrum. He also worked as a guest lecturer at the college for a short period. From his college time, he has conducted art workshops for rural children in different parts of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra. He is an artist, activist, and child educator, but his passion is teaching. I will never claim myself as one of the finest artists but definitely as a teacher, said Jain. Since 1996, he has been a relentless crusader of deprived childrens rights by fighting against issues of child labour, child abuse, pain and destitute, missing and cheerful children series through his works. Vignettes of his Madurai life have packed his 27 years per se. The world is unfair for many, my travel to Madurai has taught me that. To not confine the viewers in the title, the paintings of the series are not named, said Jain. The intensity of first-hand experiences saturates his canvases. He has a clarity of the shades to choose and the way to present perhaps makes up the major reason for taking a year to complete two paintings. Some are created with zero pencils on acrylic, it takes time to deliver, said Jain. Benign Forest, a collection on display was done in acrylic and speaks of the mans communion with nature while the five paintings of his series Destitute Child were done with charcoal on paper. The eyes of the children in his pictures are dark, just like how their view of the world is. Though his earlier works were rich in hues and detailing, Destitute Child with minimal elements speak a hundred times louder than the vibrant shades of nature paintings. Jain was also a recipient of the State Forest Department Award in 1986 and the Lalitha Kala Akademi Award in 1987. He was an art consultant of Unicef World Vision and Save the Children India from 2005-2006. Destitute Child The eyes of the children in his pictures are dark, just like how their view of the world is. Though his earlier works were rich in hues and detailing, Destitute Child with minimal elements speak a hundred times louder than the vibrant shades of nature paintings

Time for course correction in Kerala

KOCHI: Romal S grimaces as he recalls uncertain times he and his 300-odd college-mates encountered when the management of the Cochin Institute of Science and Technology (CISAT), a private engineering institute in Muvattupuzha, suddenly decided to close the campus down one fine day in 2019. The teachers had launched a strike as their salaries were not paid, says the youngster in his mind-20s, who was then pursuing a mechanical engineering course at CISAT. And then came the bolt from the blue the college was shut down. Aromal later joined a private engineering college under Vinayaka Missions Research Foundation, a private deemed-to-be-university, in Salem. Meanwhile, CISATs second campus at Valanchery in Malappuram was also shut down due to financial issues. The private engineering college sector in Kerala seems to have come full circle more than two decades after the A K Antonty government opened it up for the private players amid much brouhaha in 2001. Over the years, the sector has been on a decline. So much so that today the number of institutions that have managed to survive the onslaught of time, lack of finances, and the stranglehold of outdated regulations has been reduced from 167 in the heydays to about 90. Many of the institutions are struggling to pay back the bank loans. In the academic year 2015-16, Ernakulam topped the list with 33 self-financing colleges (as per the economic review of 2017). However, by 202324, the number dropped to 21. In Thiruvananthapuram, the number came down from 28 to 17. The numbers are likely to drop further, says A N Kareem, general secretary of the All-Kerala Self-Financing Engineering College Management Association (AKSFECMA). About 10 to 15 colleges are on the verge of closure in the coming academic year. The future of the sector, he adds, hinges on the outcome of the Kerala Engineering, Architecture, Medical Entrance Examination (KEAM). Last year, there were about 96,000 applications for KEAM. This year, only 62,000 applications have been received, Kareem explains. Only about 70% of the applicants eventually sit for the examinations. From that, only about 50% clear the test. A majority of the eligible students make a beeline for the government and aided colleges. Thus, last year, we could fill only 40 per cent of our approved intake. This year, things look bleaker. Ravi Kumar (name changed on request), an AKSFECMA member who had to shut his engineering college down owing to financial struggles, echoes the sentiment. There is no future for this sector, he sighs. He adds that the drastic drop in the student intake at his college forced him to liquidate property worth Rs 18 crore over the past six years for paying salaries and day-to-day running of the college. I waited till the final batch of students graduated; I did not want to be the villain who spoiled their futures, says Kumar, adding that the government policies are to blame for the mess. The rigid rules make it impossible for us to improvise. Sources in the sector say fear of financial loss has made many people shelve their plans to start colleges despite receiving necessary approvals. Govt the sole villain? There are other factors in play, says D Dhanuraj, chairman of the Centre for Public Policy Research. One is the high cost. I narrowed on this reason while doing some studies related to the sector. Education cost is very high in Kerala when compared with the other states. So when they can get quality education at a lower cost in another state or even in foreign countries, and an opportunity to experience different cultures and places, the children will surely opt to go out. Another reason is that, unlike in the past, the youth today are not obsessed with engineering, Dhanuraj highlights. Engineering has lost its glow. Also, it should be noted that the children today are very well-informed. So, when it comes to their higher education prospects, they do thorough research before arriving at a decision, he says. So, in an era that has opened up a wide array of new-gen courses and opportunities, why would the children settle for the traditional streams? Dhanuraj also points out the relatively poor STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) capacity of the students in the state. Why would students struggling with subjects such as physics, chemistry and mathematics take up a course that is based purely on these three? he asks. An increasing number of students are taking up the humanities stream, as new job opportunities are opening up. Why slog it out at something that they are not cut out for? P R Shamshudeen, owner of CISAT that shut down in 2019, concurs, but has not lost all hope. I had to close my colleges due to dismal fee revenue. The number of admissions for mechanical, electronics and civil engineering was very poor. I had no other choice, he says. However, in 2022, I reopened CISAT. The realisation that the new-gen courses in AI, machine learning and data science is the in-thing made me get approval for the same from the All India Council for Technical Education. To survive in this sector, self-financing colleges need to upgrade their courses and standards. Kareem agrees, insisting that the state government should frame policies that are more congenial with current times. The rigidity has to go. There should be more freedom to start new-gen, innovative courses. It is high time the government stepped in to stem the flow of students to outside states and foreign countries, he says.

Heavy metal contamination in fishes in Kochi backwaters pose grave health risk, says Study

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, May 3: Heavy pollution from industries in Greater Kochi is getting into the water, which is then getting into fish and shellfish, making them dangerous to eat because they have harmful metals, according to a new study. The study by the Department of Marine Technology, Cochin University for Science and Technology (CUSAT), and the []

Cathedral board removed from Mateer Memorial Church

Change effected on the day the new CSI Thiruvananthapuram bishop Royce Manoj Victor took charge

PM creating 'Hindu hriday samrat' image in LS elections: Tharoor

Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Friday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is trying to create an image of 'Hindu hriday samrat' (king of Hindu hearts) in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The Thiruvananthapuram MP also claimed there was a decline in the voting percentage in certain areas in the first two phases of the Lok Sabha polls and it reflected the indifference being felt by the traditional BJP supporter.

Tharoor expresses limited support for dual citizenship proposal

Tharoor expresses limited support for dual citizenship proposal Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Friday said he had taken up the issue of dual citizenship with authorities in the past but did not get much support. Addressing a press conference here, the Thiruvananthapuram MP said people living abroad must be allowed to keep their Indian passports, adding the issue requires ''more expansive understanding''. ''I had taken up this issue in the past but did not find support on dual citizenship from the present government or the BJP or the previous government,'' he said. ''A lot of Indians living abroad may have had to take a foreign passport for reasons like professional convenience, travel, work etc. But their hearts are still here and they still feel an emotional connection to their motherland. We need to find concrete ways of recognizing that,'' Tharoor added. Tharoor, a former diplomat who had earlier served as under-secretary-general of the United Nations, also said the Overseas Citizenship of India was actually a misnomer. ''It is not citizenship, is only a lifetime visa. And as we have seen with the BJP government, even that visa can be revoked by the government. We definitely need to revisit this policy and try and make it more durable,'' he asserted. He said there was need to encourage and permit the country's citizens to keep their passports even when circumstances require them to take another passport abroad. ''But, we have to find a legal formula to do that,'' Tharoor said, adding he would be a voice for dual citizenship in Parliament. Dual citizenship is not permitted in India as per provisions of Article 9 of the Constitution read along with Section 9 of Citizenship Act 1955.

Travel tips: More domestic tourists come to see the beaches than foreigners, the calm and noisy sea creates turmoil in the mind.

India is a rich country culturally and geographically. The culture and civilization here make it an ideal country but the geographical position of India makes it richer than other countries. India is a geographically rich country. It has huge ancient hills and mountains and there is also a desert there. There are lush green forests and animals here and there is the beauty of rivers and lakes. But along with this, India is also a peninsula which is surrounded by huge, beautiful seas on all three sides. Adding to the beauty of India, these beaches have the power to fascinate anyone. Witness the beauty and vastness of India, these beaches provide a unique view with the waves crashing on the golden shining sand in front of the blue sea. The amazing view of the rising and setting sun from the beaches is seen only in India. The beaches of India are also the pride of India where lakhs of tourists come every year and get lost in the beauty of these beaches. These beaches of India present a dignified presentation of India. Top beaches of India India has a stunning coastline stretching over 7,000 km from south to west, bounded by the Bay of Bengal, the Indian Ocean, and the Arabian Sea in the east. This amazing coastline boasts some spectacular natural beauty. These beaches give you a wonderful trip to explore the exhilarating sea world with its unique and beautiful flowers and creatures. Among the beaches in India, there are some that you must visit at least once in your life. Golden sand, crashing waves, lush green trees, and vast sea are waiting for you, so let us know about these beautiful beaches of India- Arambol Beach There are many beautiful and spectacular beaches in Goa and thousands of domestic and foreign tourists visit these beaches every day, but if you want to explore the offbeat beach in August, then you should reach Arambol Beach. Present in North Goa, it attracts a lot of tourists. Many programs also take place from time to time on the banks of this beautiful beach. Many people also come here to enjoy water sports. Nightlife here is also very colorful. Gokarna Every day thousands of domestic and foreign tourists come to visit South India. In such a situation, if you want to explore the South Indian offbeat coastline in August, then you should reach Gokarna. Gokarna of Karnataka is considered a famous destination for its beautiful and beautiful beaches. In Gokarna, you can explore Om Beach, Kudle Beach, Gokarna Beach, and Paradise Beach. You can also visit here with family, friends, and partners. Bangaram Beach Lakshadweep is a very beautiful and beautiful tourist center of the country. Lakshadweep is also considered very popular all over the world for its beautiful beaches. In such a situation, if you want to explore any offbeat beach of Lakshadweep, then you should reach Bangaram Beach. There is a crowd of tourists on the banks of Bangaram Beach during the day and it remains lively till night. It is said that as the evening approaches, the seawater appears blue. Here you can also enjoy water activities. Apart from Lakshadweep Bangaram Beach, you can also explore Agatti Island. Kovalam Beach Kovalam beach, located in Kerala, 40 kilometers away from Chennai, on the way to Mahabalipuram, is a village known as Kovelong. Kovalam Beach, running along the Malabar Coast, has a long stretch of white sandy beaches and is one of the most popular sea beaches in Kerala. Kovalam, located at a distance of 16 km from Thiruvananthapuram, actually has 3 beaches separated by a rocky landscape. Lighthouse Beach, Hawa Beach, and beaches make Kovalam the center of the sea coast. Ayurvedic massage centers, wooden raft rides, and shopping shops have also been built on this beach. The calm water here is considered ideal for swimming. The best time to visit here is considered to be from September to March. Varkala Located off the coast of Alleppey and Kovalam, Varkala is one of the premier beaches in India. An ideal spot for photography, the curved stretch of rock and the beauty of the sun will take your breath away. It is at a distance of 50 kilometers from Thiruvananthapuram and 37 kilometers from Kollam. Varkala is fast becoming a popular wellness center with its many Ayurvedic massage and therapy centers. With its help, you can also remove your fatigue of many days. Palolem beach If you are looking for dolphins, then the Palolem Beach of Goa is one of the best places in India where your dolphin-watching wish can be fulfilled. This beach is located in South Goa. It is 76 kilometers away from the capital Panaji. There are coconut trees on the banks of this beach which attract tourists from all over the world. Palolem Beach is located at a distance of 37 kilometers from Marama Goa. It is called a beach like heaven and it is about 1 mile long. At this place, white sand is spread in the shape of half half-moon. This most beautiful and picturesque beach of Goa, Palolem Beach is covered with a thick forest of coconut palms. Baga Beach Baga Beach is the most popular and usually crowded beach. Baga Beach is located in North Goa. It is 16 kilometers away from Panaji, the capital of Goa. People enjoy all kinds of water sports here parasailing and windsurfing, scuba diving, etc. Baga Beach attracts tourists with its brown sand and palm trees that come very close to the water's edge. Along with this, it is also a place for many people to enjoy the sun rays lying on the sand bed under the sun, this beach is considered to be an ideal beach for fishing, lying in the sun, and paddle boating. Not only this, Baga Beach is known for parties, nightlife, and seafood. It has good restaurants and hotels near it. This beach attracts tourists with its brown sand and palm trees. Alleppey Beach The shining sand and clear waters of Alleppey Beach make it one of the most prominent places to visit in Kerala. Alleppey Beach is very popular among nature lovers and tourists. The beautiful view of sunrise and sunset from here makes your journey memorable. You can spend memorable moments with your family and friends along the banks of Alleppey Beach. Many special places around Alleppey Beach make your travel experience even more pleasant. Marari Beach Marari Beach is counted among the most prominent beaches of Kerala. If you are fond of spending time amidst nature then Marari Beach is the ideal tourist destination for you. There is also a small village in between which attracts a lot of tourists coming here. Here you can understand the art, culture, and lifestyle of South India very well. The experience of watching sunrise and sunset from Marari Beach is very pleasant. Marari Beach Travelers and Nature Lovers. Here by the beach you can spend a memorable time with your family and friends. (PC: Lifeberrys)

Mixed response from Wayanad over Rahul Gandhis decision to contest Raebareli

Thiruvananthapuram, May 3: With Rahul Gandhi deciding to contest the Raebareli Lok Sabha seat in Uttar Pradesh also, there was a mixed response from people in Keralas Wayanad. Elections were held in Wayanad Lok Sabha seat on April 26. While some people said there was nothing wrong for him to contest Raebareli too, a few [] The post Mixed response from Wayanad over Rahul Gandhis decision to contest Raebareli appeared first on The Shillong Times .