The Hindu : Kerala News : Briefly

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Aug 16, 2004

Kerala

Kerala

Briefly

CITU march on August 18

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM Aug. 15. The State CITU has decided to hold marches to the State Secretariat and District Collectorates on August 18 in support of the indefinite fast by farmers' organisation leaders in front of the Secretariat that is to be begin from Tuesday. A CITU release said here today that the marches and dharna were being organised to exert pressure on the UDF Government to give up its negative attitude towards the crisis in the farm sector.

Krishna Pillai Day

The CPI State secretary, Veliyam Bhargavan, has called upon party units and cadres to observe August 19 as `Krishna Pillai Day' to mark the death anniversary of the founder leader of the Communist party in Kerala. In a statement here today, he said Krishna Pillai's memory was a perennial source of inspiration for those waging struggles for the oppressed.

`Restore Onam advance'

The Kerala State Transport Employees' Union has urged the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) authorities to restore Onam advance and other benefits to the KSRTC employees. In a statement here today, the union general secretary, M. Radhakrishnan Nair, alleged that the Corporation management was trying to make up for the losses on account of diesel price hike by denying the benefits to the employees.

Study on churches

The study on the churches of Kerala being undertaken by the Census Directorate here under the Ministry of Home Affairs will be completed in a year. This was decided at the second meeting of the expert committee headed by Babu Paul here on Saturday. The meeting finalised the chapter frame and questionnaire for the study. The proposed survey had become controversial during the NDA rule as Christian leaders voiced concern over it. Subsequently, the expert committee was asked to look into the matter.

Mobile reservation system

In a bid to serve the passengers in a customer-friendly way in the Silver Jubilee year of Thiruvananthapuram Railway Division, the Southern Railway will introduce a Mobile Computerised Passenger Reservation System (MPRS) in the division on a trial basis. According to the Divisional Railway Manager, G. Narayanan, the computerised passenger reservation system will be mounted on a van and moved to various points. The passengers would not have to commute to the station for reserving tickets since the MPRS system would be moving to their doorsteps, he said. The MPRS would be extended to other selected places in the division depending upon the response from the public, he added.

Mobile phone recovered

A mobile phone dumped into a 30-ft. deep well on the premises of the Government Arts College, Thycaud, by an accused in a case was recovered by the personnel of the Kerala Fire and Rescue Services after a three-hour effort today. According to Fire and Rescue Services, a request for recovering the mobile phone came from the SI (Crime) of the Cantonment police station after the accused revealed that he had dumped the handset into the well. The water in the unused well was pumped using a floating pump and other debris were removed. Later, two personnel, K. Sudhakaran and C. Ashokan climbed down the well and recovered the mobile phone.

Award-winners congratulated

The Minister for Information and Parliamentary Affairs, M. M. Hassan, on Sunday congratulated the winners of the National Film Awards from the State. He said that Malayalam cinema could once again make unparalleled contribution to Indian cinema.

Plea on PF interest rate

The Kerala Government Employees Union on Sunday demanded that the higher interest rate on Provident Fund (PF) deposits be restored. Protesting against the reduction in interest rates, the union general secretary, Sooranad Chandrasekharan, said that the employees were hoping that the present Government would reverse the reduction of interest rates by the previous Government.

Course in LAN implementation

KOZHIKODE AUG. 15. The NITC-IBM Advanced Career Education Centre, a project promoted by the National Institute of Technology, Calicut (NIT-C), is organising a short-term course in LAN implementation and administration at the Centre. According to a release, those having a minimum understanding of computers can apply. Those who successfully complete the course will be given work experience for six months in various departments of NIT-C. Those interested should apply before August 18. More details can be had from the NITC-IBM Advanced Career Education Centre, First Floor, Main Building, NIT-C Campus, Kozhikode REC P.O., Kozhikode-673601 or on telephone numbers 0495-2286526 or 2286527.

BMS allegation

THRISSUR AUG. 15. The Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) national vice president, C.K. Sajinarayanan, has alleged that even the Government is concealing the fact that many of the new private sector banks are running at a loss. Inaugurating a national conference of the Dhanalakshmi Bank Workers' Union here today, Mr. Narayanan said that some of the loss-making private sector banks were now trying to enter into tie-ups with the public sector banks. He said that the Government and the Indian Bank Association should intervene urgently to resolve the crisis that had developed in the banking sector in the wake of the globalisation and the opening up of the sector to private players.

CPI(M) men observe fast in jail

Eight CPI(M) activists who were shifted from the Kannur Central Jail to the Viyyur Central Jail, near here, observed a fast today to press for their demand to be shifted back to Kannur. They said that they were being kept along with the habitual criminals and were hence facing a lot of problems. They were shifted from Kannur following the murder of the CPI(M) activist, Ravindran, recently in the Kannur jail. They have threatened to launch further agitation if their demand is not met.

Detained

at airport

Nedumbassery Aug. 15. Emigration officials at the Cochin International Airport in Nedumbassery today detained a passenger for possessing forged passport. Shahul Hameed (42), a resident of Malappuram, was detained on his arrival from Abu Dhabi by the Gulf Air flight, GF 270, at 6.15 a.m.

The address on his passport read Madhavan Neeleswaram, Kasaragod, which confirmed that he had forged the passport by replacing the photograph. On interrogation, he said that he had procured a forged passport on missing the original.

Raksha Bandan fete

KOLLAM AUG. 15. The Raksha Bandan festival will be celebrated here by the Prajapita Brahmakumaris Ishwariya Viswa Vidyalaya on August 16. The celebrations would be held at the District Cooperative Bank mini-auditorium from 8.30 a.m.

Quarrying banned

The District Collector, B. Sreenivas, has banned all granite quarrying activities at the Maruthi Hillock at Muttara, near Kottarakara with effect from Saturday.

The Maruthimala Samrakshana Samskarika Samithy has been waging a campaign to save the hillock.

The Samithy wants the hillock, having cultural importance, to be developed as a tourist attraction.

Management

meeting

KOZHIKODE AUG. 15. The two-day South India Management Meet, Ascend '04 organised by the MBA students of Calicut University concluded at the seminar complex at Thenjipalam in Malappuram district on Saturday.

Around 250 students from 17 B-schools in South India participated in the meet. P.A. Chandrasekhar, BSNL general manager, was the chief guest at the valedictory function.

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