The Hindu : Briefly

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jan 14, 2004

Kerala

Kerala

Briefly

New Lok Ayukta appointed

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM JAN.13. The former Chief Justice of Gujarat High Court, K. Sreedharan, has been appointed as Lok Ayukta. The former judge of the Kerala High Court, K.A. Mohammed Shafi, is the new Upa Lok Ayukta.

Research centre status

The University of Kerala has accorded research centre status to the Kerala Council of Historical Research (KCHR). The KCHR director, P.J. Cherian, said in a press note here today that students and teachers with University Grants Commission (UGC) qualifications could now register with the KCHR for doctoral research. The KCHR has a library equipped for research in local history and information on material on Kerala society available with similar institutions outside the State. Those who wish to enrol with the KCHR as research guides should apply with their bio-data citing their area of specialisation. Those wishing to enrol as researchers should apply to the Director, KCHR, Vailoppilly Samskriti Bhavan, Thiruvananthapuram-695 003 before June 1, 2004, with their bio-data, area of research and bibliography. Those completing their post-graduate studies this year can also apply. There is no application fee.

Quota in professional courses

The State Government has set apart three per cent of seats, after excluding the all-India, special reservation and nominees quotas, for the benefit of students with physical disabilities, in the admission to professional courses. This reservation norm will be followed in all Government and aided professional colleges, according to the Commissioner for Entrance Examinations (CEE). However, such candidates will be required to furnish a disability certificate, obtained after January 1, 2003, along with their application forms. Their admission will be based on the performance in the entrance tests. Just before the allotment of seats, they will have to appear before a medical board to be appointed by the Government. In the case of candidates seeking admission to the MBBS course, the eligibility will be decided by the Medical Council of India. The condition that candidates with physical handicap require only a pass in the entrance test will be subject to the approval of the university concerned, the CEE has clarified.

LS must be prorogued: MP

The CPI(M) Member of Parliament and former Assembly Speaker, Varkala Radhakrishnan, has written to the Lok Sabha Speaker, Manohar Joshi, expressing strong objections to the Vajpayee Government's refusal to prorogue the Lok Sabha. In a fax message sent to the Speaker today, Mr. Radhakrishnan pointed out that three weeks had elapsed after the Lok Sabha was adjourned sine die on December 23. Normally, the House would be prorogued immediately after it is adjourned sine die. The Government was apparently trying to have a resumed session for the limited purpose of passing only a Vote on Account, he said. This, Mr. Radhakrishnan pointed out, would result in breach of Article 87 of the Constitution which stipulates that the Lok Sabha's first session of the year should begin with the President's address. The Government seemed keen to reserve the President's address to the post-poll session of Parliament. "We will be creating an unparliamentary practice if the House (once) adjourned sine die on the advice of the Prime Minister pending no business, is again called for transacting Government business," the MP said.

Memorial lectures

The Bodhananda Research Foundation proposes to organise three memorial lectures in the names of three eminent leaders of Kerala in the three major cities of the State. The first in the series of lectures in the name of V.K. Krishna Menon will be delivered by the noted scientist, Raja Ramanna, in Thiruvananthapuram on January 24. It will be inaugurated by Uthradam Tirunal Marthanda Varma, head of the royal family of erstwhile Travancore.

Service tax target

The Central Excise, Customs and Service Tax Commissionerate, South Kerala, which has jurisidction over Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram districts and three taluks each of Pathanamthitta and Alappuzha districts, aims at mopping up Rs 105 crores as service tax during the current financial year. The Commissioner, R.K.Jain, who announced this in Thiruvananthapuram today urged the trade and industry and service providers to cooperate with the Commissionerate.

HMS to take out flag march

The Hind Mazdoor Sangh (HMS) will take out a flag march from Kanyakumari on January 26 to Nagpur to mark the national conference of the organisation being held at Nagpur from February 8 to 10. The march will be led by the HMS national secretary, Thampan Thomas. It will reach Nagpur on the eve of the national conference. The march would be accorded reception by HMS units all over the State, an HMS release said here today.

K. Gopalan JD(U) State chief

KOZHIKODE JAN. 13. K. Gopalan has been nominated president of the Janata Dal (United). Mr. Gopalan's nomination has been made by George Fernandes, who has been elected national president of the Janata Dal (United) following the merger of the Janata Dal (U) and the Samata Party. The State committee of the new party would be reconstituted soon. Mr. Gopalan was a member of the Rajya Sabha, general secretary of the undivided Congress, State president and secretary of the Janata Party and State president of the Janata Dal.

SFI-MSF clash

KANNUR JAN. 13. Activists of the Students Federation of India (SFI) and the Muslim Students Federation (MSF) clashed at the Sir Syed College at Taliparamba today. The police said the trouble began when a group of MSF workers protested against the SFI bid to burn the Education Minister, Nalakath Soopy, in effigy on the campus at 2-30 p.m. Two MSF workers, identified as Nahnad and M.S. Wahad, degree students of the college, have been admitted to a private hospital at Taliparamba with minor injuries.

Logo of water conference released

PALAKKAD JAN. 13: The logo of the World Water Conference to be held at Plachimada and Puthussery in the district from January 21 to 23 was released at a function here today by the chairman of the organising committee, Sukumar Azhikode. The conference will have 11 main papers on privatisation of water, climatic changes and environment, corporate control of water, check-dam implementation, etc. The convener of the committee, N.N. Krishnadas, MP, said the conference would conclude with a public meeting at Pudussery, where a Pepsi Cola plant was located. The Leader of the Opposition, V.S. Achuthanandan, the KPCC president, K. Muraleedharan, the CPI State secretary, Veliyam Bhargavan, the Janata Dal(S) State president, M.P. Veerendrakumar, the IUML general secretary, E. Ahmed, and the BJP State secretary, Sreedharan Pillai, will speak.

JSS denies charge

KOTTAYAM jan. 13. The Jan Siksha Sansthan (JSS) has informed the district authorities that the Fashion Designing course run by the Indian College Training and Education Society is not recognised by them. The JSS, in a letter to the District Collector, said no student from the college had registered for the course for the current year. The statement from the JSS comes in the wake of the complaints made by the students of the college who had joined for the 10-month course in Fashion Designing. The institution had claimed that they course was recognised by the JSS.

Elected office-bearers

Roy Abraham Kallivayalil has been elected general secretary of the Indian Psychiatric Society for the second consecutive term. A press release here today said the new president is J. K. Trivedi from Lucknow. The new office-bearers were elected at the 56th national conference held at Mysore.

Conference

The third international conference of the Sri Ayyappa Dharam Parishad would be held at Kochi in April, according to a press release here.

Change in phone numbers

ALAPPUZHA JAN. 13. A BSNL release here has said that 1,172 telephone numbers in the Kalarkode telephone exchange here and 28 telephone numbers in the Alappuzha telephone exchange have been changed following the expansion of the Kalarkode telephone exchange. The subscribers who want to know the details of the changed numbers should dial 1,953 for information, the release said. Those subscribers in the Kalarkode who use the dynamic lock facility need to reregister their password, the release has added.

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