The Hindu : Briefly

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Feb 18, 2004

Kerala

Kerala

Briefly

School teachers' protest

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM FEB. 17. The All Kerala School Teachers' Union (AKSTU) has announced that it would launch a State-wide protest against the Government move to sanction new schools in the unaided sector and professional colleges in the private sector. Addressing a press conference here today, the general secretary of the AKSTU, P.M. Vasudevan, said the Government had failed to find a solution to the problems of teachers. He said the problems in the education sector would worsen with the introduction of the grading system for the SSLC examinations. He said the State meeting of the AKSTU, to be held at the Transport Employees Union hall from February 19, would discuss the problems in the education sector.

Seminar on art education

The southern regional centre of the Lalitha Kala Akademi is organising a two-day seminar on `Art Education: Crisis and Possibilities' at the College of Fine Arts here on February 19 and 20. The renowned artist, A. Ramachandran, would inaugurate the seminar. Experts and art critics such as Sadanand Menon, Ashrafi Bhagat, Ajaykumar, C.B. Sudhakaran, Nandakumar, D.N. Varma, B. Jaya Prakash Reddy, Somy Manjunath Chavan and Ravi Kumar Kashi, would present papers at the seminar.

`CPI(M) stand opportunistic'

The BJP State general secretary, P.P. Mukundan, has said the threats made by the Leader of the Opposition, V.S. Achuthanandan, against the Editor (Kerala) of The Indian Express showed that the CPI(M) was yet to come to terms with democratic institutions and conventions. In a statement here today, the BJP leader said the CPI(M) stand was opportunistic on issues such as inner party democracy and freedom of expression. The ouster of M. P. Parameswaran, from the party showed that the party was not prepared to forgo its dogmas and Stalinist style of functioning.

VHSC hall tickets

The practical examinations for the students of the vocation higher secondary course will be held from March 1 and the theory examinations will commence on March 10. The hall tickets of candidates will be distributed from the examination centre concerned from February 27, according to an official release.

Workshop on mill industry

KOCHI Feb. 17. The Small Industries Service Institute of Thrissur will organise an educational workshop on ``Waste minimisation and cleaner production in rice-mill industry'' at Kalady on February 25. K. Singaravadivel and R. Jagan Mohan, scientists from paddy processing research centre of the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Tanjavur, will lead the technical sessions, a release said.

Plea for Lok Sabha seats

The All-India Catholic Congress Socio-Political Samithy has urged the Congress leadership to allot the three Lok Sabha seats of Mukundapuram, Thrissur and Ernakulam to candidates from the Syrian Catholic community. David Thomas Ambatt, chairman of the samithy, told a news conference here on Tuesday that the Ernakulam seat had been the monopoly of one community (Latin Catholics), though the city was home to the Syro-Malabar Church's headquarters and that a majority of the traders and businessmen belonged to the Syrian Catholic community. He said that in the past Syrian Catholic candidates had won from Thrissur and Mukundapuram and wanted that the two seats be returned to the community.

Sabarimala temple closed

PATHANAMTHITTA Feb. 17. The Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple has been closed after the five-day monthly poojas in the Malayalam month of `Kumbhom' today. The temple Tantri, Kantaru Rajeevaru, assisted by the Melsanthi, Gosala Vishnu Vasudevan, performed a `sahasra kalasam' and `kalabhabhishekom' on the Ayyappa idol. The `padi pooja' was also held in the evening. The temple will be reopened on March 13 for the monthly poojas in the Malayalam month of `Meenam'.

NDF protest today

KOZHIKODE FEB. 17. The National Development Front (NDF) today dismissed the Cabinet decision to discuss the demand for special recruitment for minorities in the next Assembly session as yet another attempt to ``hoodwink the socially disadvantaged people''. The NDF would organise protest demonstrations in the State tomorrow against the announcement, the NDF leaders, A. Syed, Elamaram Kareem and E. Aboobacker, told presspersons here today. They said the Government contention that there was a case relating to this issue in the Supreme Court was not a valid reason to delay special recruitment of minorities recommended by the Narendran Commission.

INL demand

The Indian National League (INL) State general secretary, P.M.A. Salam, has demanded that the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) leadership disclose the topics that figured in the constant talks that were being held between the IUML and Sangh Parivar `emissaries'. Talking to reporters here today, Mr. Salam said there was `mystery' over the visit of the former Indonesian president, Abdurahiman Wahid, to the house of the IUML leader, Panakkad Syed Muhammedali Shihab Thangal, in Malappuram recently. Mr. Wahid was reportedly accompanied by Sangh Parivar fellow travellers, T.V.R. Shenoy and Ravidhar, during the visit.

KSU(S) State meet

KANNUR FEB. 17. The two-day State conference of the KSU(S) will begin here on February 21. The organisers said here today that the Congress (S) State president, Ramachandran Kadannappally, would inaugurate the delegates' conference at the Chamber Hall here. The valedictory session on February 22 would be opened by the former Minister, V.C. Kabeer. The KSU(S) office-bearers, Rajesh Mathew and N.C.T. Gopalakrishnan, were present also present at the press conference.

Cabinet decision hailed

PALAKKAD FEB. 17. The Perumatty grama panchayat president, A. Krishnan, who was planning to start an indefinite fast before the Coca-Cola unit at Plachimada from February 21, has withdrawn it and hailed the Cabinet decision stopping the company from drawing ground water till June 15, 2004. The Janata Dal secretary general, K. Krishnankutty, also hailed the decision of the Government and said that his party had decided to suspend the anti-Coca-Cola agitation that was going on at Plachimada. The decision of the Government came as a big victory for the anti-Coca-Cola Agitation Committee led by the tribals and Dalits who were sitting on dharna in front of the factory for nearly 700 days demanding its closure.

`Strike to be made a success'

KOLLAM Feb. 17. The district unit of the Action Council of State Employees and Teachers has said the campaign in support of the general strike on February 24 was progressing in the district. Squad work in support of the strike had been completed. Sixty one evening dharna would be organised in various parts of the district from February 19 to 21, the council convener, Basil Joseph, said in a statement here today. In another statement, the Kerala State Hotel and Restaurant Workers Federation called upon its members to ensure the success of the strike. The Kerala State Civil Supplies Officers Federation said it would join the strike.

Vehicles' exhibition

The Rotary Club of Quilon Lake City, in association with the Mechanical Engineering Department of the T.K.M. College of Engineering would organise an exhibition of vehicles and spare parts at the Cantonment Maidan here from March 5. The club president, T. Reghunath, told reporters here today that car manufacturers from within the country and abroad would attend the event. Facilities for availing vehicle loans from banks and other financial institutions would be arranged at the venue.

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