The Hindu : Kerala News : Briefly

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jul 20, 2004

Kerala

Kerala

Briefly

Meter: judicial probe demanded

THIRUVANTHAPURAM July 19. The AITUC-affiliated Kerala Electricity Workers' Federation today demanded a judicial probe into the purchase of meter by the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB). In a statement, the union's working president, A. N. Rajan, said the meters bought by the KSEB were not genuine electronic devices, but poor quality `hybrid' devices. He further alleged that there was corruption involved in the Rs. 132-crore deal.

BIS conducts raids

The enforcement officials from the Thiruvananthapuram branch of the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) conducted a series of search and seizure operations in Ernakulam district on July 15 and 16, as part of the efforts of BIS to curb the misuse of ISI marks. In a raid conducted at the shops of two major plywood dealers at Ernakulam, the BIS team seized rollers with fake ISI mark on them. Rollers and plywood with spurious ISI markings were seized from a factory at Perumbavoor also. Action would be taken against these traders/manufacturers for violating the BIS Act of 1986. Any person who uses the ISI mark without a valid licence from BIS is liable for imprisonment for a term up to one year or a fine of Rs. 50,000 or both, a BIS release said.

Bank of Baroda zonal head

T.V. Lakshminarayanan has taken over as the head of the south zone of the Bank of Baroda, which consists of the States of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka and the Union Territory of Pondicherry. There are 261 branches in the five regions that come under the zone.

JEC office-bearers

PATHANAMTHITTA July 19. Mathew Arackal and Issac Mar Phelexinos have been elected presidents of the Joint Ecological Commission (JEC), an organisation of various Churches for the protection of environment. Mathew Koshy Punnackadu is the new general secretary while K.M. Varghese and Varghese Kattuparambil have been elected vice-presidents of the organisation. John Kakkadu, Paul Moonjely and Oommen Varkey are the new secretaries.

Bomb attack on police

KANNUR JULY 19. A police team today came under a country bomb attack when it was chasing members of a suspected `goonda' gang alleged to be involved in the stabbing of a cobbler here on July 18.

A policeman was injured in the incident.

The police team led by the town police station sub-inspector, P. Sukumaran, was attacked at Peringalayi, near here, at around 1-30 p.m. when it was in pursuit of the culprits suspected behind the stabbing of Mohanan (45), a cobbler, after he refused to give them money. The police team in a jeep nabbed two of them and was chasing two others when two country bombs were hurled at it.

The police said that one of the country bombs exploded. The police driver, P.P. Ajith, who suffered injuries in the attack, has been admitted to the District Government Hospital.

The police arrested Panakkadavu Rajesh, his brother, Shaji, Santhosh and Saheer.

Mohanan, who had suffered serious stab injuries in the attack by the gang, is being treated at the Pariyaram Medical College Hospital.

Free eye camp

KOLLAM July 19. The Kollam unit of the Young Men's Christian Association is conducting a free eye camp and cataract operation here on July 31. Ophthalmologists from the Thirunellveli Aravind Eye Hospital will lead the camp. Those needing cataract operation would be taken to Thirunellveli for the same and all expenses would be met by the organisers. Those desirous of attended the camp should register their names with the general secretary, YMCA, Chinnakada, Kollam..

Office-bearers elected

Keerthi Ramachandran and P.S. Rajendran have been elected president and secretary respectively of the Kollam unit of the Ezhava Mahajana Sabha. The other office-bearers are K. Gopalakrishnan Channar, vice-presidentand K.R. Vijayamohan, treasurer.

DYFI worker held

PATHANAMTHITTA July 19. A Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) activist, Ayub Khan, has been arrested by the police for deflating the tyres of the official car of the municipal chairperson, Ajeeba M. Sahib, which was parked near the municipal office in the town this forenoon.

Dharna planned

KOZHIKODE JULY 19. The Kerala Electricity Employees Confederation (INTUC) will organise a dharna and protest march in front of the electricity offices in the State on July 29. According to the confederation general secretary, M.S. Rawther, the agitation is being organised to press the demand for granting Dearness Allowance and leave surrender, giving promotions, making compassionate appointments, distribution of holiday wages and leave surrender amount and filling up of lineman posts.

Career guidance

The ICFAI National College, a constituent of the ICFAI University, will be conducting a career guidance meet and a student empowerment workshop free of cost at 10 a.m. on July 20 at its Kozhikode centre in Davood Chambers, West Hill, Chungam. According to an ICFAI release, the meet and workshop would benefit those who had completed their graduation and were wishing to pursue a career in management.

Training

KOZHIKODE JULY 19. The DOEACC Centre, Kozhikode, will be conducting a unique six-month programme in Embedded Systems, `Post Graduate Diploma in Embedded System Design', to mould fresh electronics engineers and to re-train working engineers into high-calibre embedded system designers. For more details visit the website, www.cedtic.com or contact the Training Officer, DOEACC Centre, PB No.5, NIT Campus PO, Kozhikode-673601 on phone numbers 0495- 2287166 or 2287266.

Fire at market in Ollur

THRISSUR JULY 19. A fire broke out in a `Margin free market' at Ollur in the wee hours of today. According to the shop owners, the fire destroyed properties worth about Rs.4 lakhs. The fire was brought under control by two fire-tender units from Thrissur. According to preliminary reports, it was electric short-circuit that caused the blaze.

Award for journalist

KOTTAYAM July 19. Mushtaq Kodinji, reporter with Chandrika, has been selected for Fr. Columbiere Award for excellence in journalism. The award, instituted in memory of Fr. Columbiere Kayathinkara, former Editor of Deepika, carries a purse of Rs.10,000, a citation and a memento. Mr. Mushtaq has been selected for his articles on cruelty to animals.

Management seminar

ICFAI University, sponsored by the Institute of Chartered Financial Analysts of India, will hold a seminar on `Career opportunities in management and IT' at Hotel Pearl Regency here on Tuesday. Girish Kumar, regional head of ICFAI National College, will deliver the keynote address.

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