The Hindu : Kerala News : Briefly

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, May 02, 2004

Kerala

Kerala

Briefly

Sale of toddy shops

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM MAY 1. The Government has decided to put toddy shops remaining unsold as on April 30 for public sale, on a shop-by-shop basis or in lots, on May 3. Under the abkari policy formulated by the Government in March, it had inter alia decided to continue the existing licensing system in respect of the toddy shops and grant privilege of vending toddy for 2004-05 to last year's licencees themselves, subject to certain conditions. However, some shops are remaining unsold for want of purchasers. Hence, the Government decided on the public sale by relaxing certain conditions in the Kerala Abkari Shops Disposal Rules, 2002.

Probe into anomalies

The inquiry instituted by the Travancore Devaswom Board into the anomalies in the renovation and reinstallation of seven ornamental lamps in the Sree Subrahmanya Swamy Temple at Haripad is progressing. The inquiry official, Cherunniyoor Sasidharan Nair, has conducted about 10 sittings and questioned several witnesses since the inquiry began in February. A Crime Branch inquiry is already on into the issue. Earlier, on the basis of a preliminary inquiry into the anomaly, the Board had suspended the Thiruvabharanam commissioner, K. G. Rajasekharan Nair, and the first grade overseer, K. P. Geethachandran. The inquiry official had on April 26 questioned the former administrative officer of the Haripad Devaswom and the Head Accountant, both witnesses of the management.

Coastal surveillance

The 37 Sri Lankan nationals who were advised by the police to leave the country, have left for Colombo, police officials said. The Sri Lankan nationals were part of a 48-member team of foreign nationals who were discovered staying in a lodge at Valiathura on April 28. The team also consisted of 11 Nepali citizens. The State police and the Coast Guard had conducted a coastal surveillance following an intelligence report that a ship was scheduled to pick up the foreigners off the coast of Vizhinjam for transport as illegal emigrants to some South East Asian countries. The police said a tab was also being kept on the Nepali citizens who have not yet left the country. The Sri Lankans and Nepalis had arrived on valid passports and visas. Their entry was cleared by the Emigration Department at the International Airport here.

Dalit Congress demand

The Bharatiya Dalit Congress has demanded that the Minister for Welfare of Scheduled and Backward Communities, M. A. Kuttappan, should be kept away from election work. It maintained that election work by Dr. Kuttappan would only do harm to the UDF as his actions as Minister had invited the wrath of the Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST). The Dalit Congress general secretary, D. S. Raj, said in a statement that Dr. Kuttapan had formed a parallel organisation using SC promoters. Considerable delays had occurred under his ministership in the distribution of educational and other benefits to SC and ST.

Cyber police station

A cyber police station has started functioning at Pattom with Statewide jurisdiction. The station will handle crimes under the Information Technology Act. The Deputy Superintendent of Police, State Crime Records Bureau, will be the Station House Officer. The station has been set up in view of increasing sexual abuse through the Internet, growth of pornographic Web sites and credit card frauds.

Road construction stopped

PALAKKAD MAY 1. Palakkayam Forest Range officials of the Mannarkkad Forest Division have stopped the construction of a road through the reserve forest, near the Meenvallam Water Fall, at Kalladikkode, by a private estate owner. The earth mover machine used for the construction of the road was also seized by the forest authorities. The private estate owner had also blasted rocks violating the forest rules from the area for the construction of the road. The secretary of the Bharathapuzha Samrakshana Samithi, Indanur Gopi, and the secretary of the Jana Jagratha, P.S. Panicker, demanded the arrest of the culprits. They alleged that the culprits were not arrested because of their political influence. They said that the construction of road through the forest would result in soil erosion and landslide in the area affecting the Meenvallam Water Fall and the Thuppanad stream that originated from there.

CITU worker found dead

ALAPPUZHA MAY 1 . The body of a man, identified by the police as Surendran, was found on the pavement, near the Vallakkalil theatre, Mavelikara, at around 11 a.m. on Friday. The police said that Surendran of Thondalil Chirayil in Mavelikara was a CITU loading worker in Mavelikara town. The body bore several wounds inflicted by a sharp weapon, said the police. The deceased was an accused in a murder case.

Course in share trading

KOCHI MAY 1. A month-long training will be provided in share trading by the Capital Market Institute under the Cochin Stock Exchange from May 12. The course will focus on job opportunities in share markets and other financial institutions and it will be certified by the National Stock Exchange which will be conducting the examinations. The NSE will issue the certification as National Stock Exchange Certification of Financial Market. The course will be involve topics like Capital Market, Derivatives, Depository and Surveillance. The course will be useful for students, job seekers, deposit holders, bankers and personnel working in depositories and stock exchanges . Training will be given on holidays too. For more detailts contact 0484-2400044, 2401898.

Maritime museum

A three-day workshop held at the Centre for Heritage Studies (CHS), Thripunithura, for finalising conservation strategies for the remains of the ancient vessel at Thaikkal, has suggested the setting up of a maritime museum in the State. The artefacts of the Thaikkal vessel should be exhibited at the proposed museum along with other exhibits that would showcase the rich maritime heritage of the State, suggested experts. The experts who took part in the workshop have also formulated six conservation strategies for the vessel and it would be submitted to the State Government. This includes the use of chemicals and traditional conservation materials like sardine oil for conserving the wood. The CHS authorities are also considering a proposal to seek the cooperation of English and Norwegian marine archaeologists, who have expertise in conserving marine artefacts. The meeting left it to the State Government to decide on the venue of the proposed museum.

The authorities are soon to prepare a detailed estimate for the conservation and continued maintenance of the artefacts.

Applications invited

KOLLAM May 1. The BSS Computer College has invited applications for the computer courses conducted by the Centre for Development of Imaging Technology (C-Dit). The courses include PG DCA, PG DSA, Diploma in Hardware and Network Engineering, Diploma in Computerised Secretarial Practice and a certificate course in DTP. The last date for submitting applications is May 11 and the classes will start the next day. More details are available at telephones: 0474-2761788 and 0474-2453335.

Support to UDF candidate

KASARAGOD May 1. The Janata Dal (United) will support the UDF nominee, N.A. Muhammed in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections, according to the JD (U) leader R.Krishnadas.

Collectorate dharna

Demanding immediate relief and rehabilitation of the victims of the dreaded pesticide, Endosulfan, the Kerala Vikalanga Samyuktha Samithi will stage a demonstration-cum-dharna in front of the Collectorate here on May 3.

Music study camp

KOZHIKODE May 1. The free music study camp organised jointly by Thiruvannur Swathi Thirunal Kalakendram Trust Music Therapy Foundation with the assistance of Centre Cultural Department began here on Friday. Noted musician, Neiveli Santhanagopalan, inaugurated the camp.

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