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Monday, Apr 19, 2004

Kerala

Kerala

Briefly

`Modernise polytechnics'

Thiruvananthapuram April 18. The Kerala Gazetted Officers' Association has asked the Government to drop the move to close down 10 polytechnics in the State on the ground that they had failed to get the required recognition from the All-India Council for Technical Education (AICTE). These Government institutions lost the AICTE affiliation for want of stipulated facilities, the association said in a statement here today. It was the Government's responsibility to provide the necessary facilities to the institutions. Instead, the Government had taken it as an opportunity to shut down the polytechnics, so that private polytechnics could benefit, the association alleged.

Exhibit doctors' certificates

KOCHI April 18. The Kerala Action Force has urged the Indian Medical Association and the Health Department to ask all doctors to exhibit attested copies of their medical degrees in their offices. This would help to convince patients that the doctors' qualification were genuine, K. Radhakrishnan Menon, secretary of the Kerala Action Force, said. He pointed out that this was necessary because several patients were being cheated by quacks. He pointed out that most patients were reluctant to verify the qualifications lest they should displease the doctors. He said the IMA should take urgent steps to check violation of the human rights of the patients by doctors.

Filing of nominations

The UDF candidate in Ernakulam, Edward A. Edezhath, will file his nomination on Tuesday. The Muvattupuzha UDF candidate, Jose K. Mani, and the Mukundapuram candidate, Padmaja Venugopal, will file theirs on Thursday.

Techno-management course

KOZHIKODE APRIL 18. The National Institute of Technology Calicut (NITC) and the IBM Advanced Career Education (ACE) Centre is offering a techno-management course for commerce students. According to an NITC-IBM ACE release, minimum qualification for this course is Pre-degree\B.Com. The Indian Institute of Technology (Kanpur) has designed the course. The topics include web designing, office management, e-commerce, accounting software and communication in English. For details and application form contact NITC-IBM ACE Centre, NITC campus, first floor, main building, REC (PO), Kozhikode--673 601; or over telephone: 0495 2286526 or 2286527. Last date of receipt of application is April 30.

Israeli action condemned

The general secretary of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), E. Ahmed, today said that secular democratic forces, including minorities, were angered by the silence observed by India on the killing of the Hamas leader, Abdel Aziz Rantisi, by Israel. In a statement here, Mr.Ahmed observed that it was `State-sponsored terrorism'. "Why did the NDA Government at the Centre, which was against international terrorism, not oppose the Israeli Government's terrorism?" he asked. Mr.Ahmed pointed out that the resistance of Palestinians could not be snuffed out by killing its leaders. The IUML strongly condemned the killing of Mr.Rantisi, he added.

Fisherman rescued

A fisherman who was in a fishing boat that collided with a ship in the sea between Thalassery and Koyilandy on April 16, was today rescued by the crew of a boat of the Fisheries Department. Five other fishermen, who were along with the rescued fisherman, are still missing. The rescued fisherman, John (40) of Thengapattanam of Kulachal was found clinging to a plank when the crew of the Fisheries Department boat spotted him. He has been admitted to Koya's hospital at Cheruvannur here. According to John, the missing fishermen are Vijayan (28) of Thengapattanam, and Valiappan alias Alexander (51), Saharajan (24), Mary John (18) and Andrews (35), all natives of Kulachal. The Fisheries Department has despatched a boat to search for the missing fishermen. The Coast Guard has also been alerted.

Bank officers withdraw stir

THRISSUR APRIL 18. The 10-day strike by officers of the Dhanalakshmi Bank was called off today following an agreement reached between the organisation of the officers and the management. A release received here today from the Dhanalakshmi Bank Officers' Organisation (DBOO) said that according to the agreement, the retirement age of the officers would be 60 years, cancelling a recent decision of the management to reduce it to 58. The transfer of the DBOO secretary to Mumbai in the wake of the agitation would be reconsidered. The `mass dismissal' of the officers who had taken part in the agitation would be withdrawn, said the release. It added that the bank management had made it clear that the head-office of the bank would be retained in Thrissur itself and that there was no move to freeze sanctioning of loans in the State. Following the agreement, an indefinite fast observed by the Organisation secretary, P.V. Mohanan, was called off.

One killed in accident

PATHANAMTHITTA April 18. A 50-year-old man, Sasidharan of Kaithapparambu Vadakkekkara house, who was riding pillion on a motorbike, was killed when it collided with a jeep at Vayala near Adoor today. His son, Sreeraj (20), who was driving the bike has been admitted to the Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Hospital with serious injuries, police said.

Jubilee meeting

The valedictory meeting of the yearlong Golden jubilee celebrations of the Elanthoor Salem Mar Thoma Yuvajana Sakhyam will be held at the Salem Mar Thoma Church at Elanthoor near here on April 20. Thomas Mar Themotheus Episcopa of the Kunnamkulam-Malabar diocese of the Malankara Mar Thoma Church will inaugurate the meeting at the Church Hall at Elanthoor at 4 p.m. on Tuesday. The Sakhyam president, G. Yohannan, will preside over the function. Kurien John of the Pathanamthitta Catholicate College will deliver the keynote address.

Reception

KOLLAM April 18. The former KPCC president, Thennala Balakrishna Pillai, MP, will inaugurate the reception programmes of the UDF candidate from Kollam, Sooranad Rajashekaran, at Kunnathur on April 20. The Labour Minister, Babu Divakaran, will preside. Meanwhile, an audiocassette comprising Mr. Rajashekaran's campaign songs was released by the film star, Kalpana, at the DCC office here this morning by giving a cassette to the Labour Minister, Babu Divakaran.

Office-bearers

A. George Chacko and K. Santosh Kumar have been elected president and secretary respectively of the Kollam branch of the Indian Medical Association. The other office-bearers are: P. K. Usha Devi and Thomas William, vice-presidents, P. G. Jacob, joint secretary and Ganga Jayapreakash, treasurer.

Pravasi meeting

The Labour Minister, Babu Divakaran, will inaugurate the Pravasai Malayali Meet here on April 20. The meeting is organised by the Pravasi Malayali Welfare Association. The Minister will also inaugurate a Pravasi Super Market to be operated by the association at Pallimukku in the city. The State president of the association, Vellayani Sreekumar, said the Kollam Mayor, Sabitha Beegum, would formally declare open the office of the association in Kollam district.

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