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Monday, Sep 20, 2004

Kerala

Kerala

Briefly

Top officials visit castle

Thiruvananthapuram Sept 19 . The Chief Secretary, Babu Jacob, today visited the Halcyon Castle at Kovalam as part of initiating steps to take over the castle. Mr. Jacob said the visit was to know the ground situation and to work out details for taking over the castle by the Government. The process for issuing formal orders based on the Cabinet decision had commenced and it would be issued soon, the Chief Secretary said. Official sources said a survey of the erstwhile ITDC property by the Revenue officials had commenced as part of preparing the rough sketch. Mr. Jacob was accompanied by the Principal Secretary (Revenue), R Sunderasan, the District Collector, Tinku Biswal, and other officials. The Cabinet, at its meeting last week, had decided to take over the castle following the claims of the private hotel group that purchased the property that it belonged to it.

Farm awards distribution

The Chief Minister, Oommen Chandy, will present the 2001-'02 State farm awards to the winners at a function to be held here on September 20. The winners are Nenmeni Nellulpadaka Patasekharasamiti, Kollengode, (Nelkathir Award for Group Farming), Mampuzha Mathew, Malappuram, (Karshakothama Award for the Best Farmer) and C. C. James , Kozhikode, (Kshiradhara Award for the Best Dairy Farmer). Anup K. John, Kollam, (award for the highest marks in SSLC) would also be given at the function.

`Chandy fooling people'

The former Congress leader, Cherian Philip, has said that granting of No Objection Certificate (NOC) to a private group for mineral sand-mining off Arattupuzha coast without the knowledge of the Cabinet clearly showed that the Chief Minister of Kerala was actually the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) leader, P.K. Kunhalikutty. In a statement here today, he said the Chief Minister, Oommen Chandy's statement that he would study the decision was nothing but a bid to hoodwink the people.

`Fare hike to please operators'

The CPI-led Kerala State Transport Employees' Union (KSRTEU) has said that the Government decision to hike bus fares was meant only to please the private bus operators. In a statement here today, the Union alleged that the fare hike would benefit only the private bus operators. The losses of the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation would only increase with the fare hike, the statement added.

Padmaja's union backs Aryadan

The Padmaja Venugopal-led Kerala Electricity Employees' Confederation has offered full support to the Power Minister, Aryadan Mohammed, and welcomed his declaration that the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) would not be split into separate profit centres. In a separate statement, the Forum for Consumer Satisfaction (CONSAT) also welcomed the Minister's statement that consumers would be allowed to purchase electronic meters on their own.

Plea to fill vacancies

The Kerala Motor Vehicles Department Gazetted Officers' Association has said that one major method to enhance collection of revenue through the Motor Vehicles Department was to expand computerisation to all district offices of the department and to fill the existing vacancies. In a statement here today, the Association also sought formulation of transfer norms for the Motor Vehicles Department.

`Muthanga report full of error'

Thrissur Sept. 19. The CBI report on the Muthanga incident is full of factual errors, the Adivasi Gothra Maha Sabha (AGMS) leader, C.K. Janu, has said. Addressing a convention for the protection of the rights of Adivasis, organised by the Human Rights Forum here on Sunday, Ms. Janu said the police had cruelly tortured Adivasis, contrary to what the report had tried to project. A convention has been planned against the report in Kozhikode in October. The writer-activist, Civic Chandran, S. Rajagopal, president, Human Rights Forum, and Poonam Rahim, secretary, also spoke.

Mammootty to open meet

KOZHIKODE SEPT. 19. Mammootty, cine star, will inaugurate the valedictory session of the Silver Jubilee celebrations of the Madya Varjana Shanthi Sena Council at a programme to be held at the Town Hall here on October 6. The State president of the Council, Elayidath Venugopal, said the session in the morning would be inaugurated by M.P. Veerendrakumar, MP. The Director General of Police, P.K. Hormese Tharakan, the Inspector Generals, Sibi Mathew and Aravind Ranjan, among others would address the meeting. The Council would also organise camps for those who have given up liquor and narcotic substances in connection with the Gandhi Jayanti week from October 2.

Two youth killed in accident

KANNUR SEPT. 19. Two youth were killed when a speeding private bus on the National Highway near the Valapattanam Bridge here hit the two-wheeler in which they were travelling. The Valapattanam police identified the deceased as Hamzad (25) and Siddikh (24), both hailing from Athayakkunnu here.

The accident occurred near the old toll booth on the highway at around 12-45 p.m on Sunday.

New BSNL towers

KOTTAYAM SEPT. 19. Bharath Sanchar Nigam Ltd. (BSNL) would focus on the rural areas during the current phase of expansion in the State, THE Kerala Circle Chief general manager, S. A. Thomas said. He was speaking on the occasion of the distribution of Sanchar Sevak Pathak and Bharath Sanchar Sarathy awards to BSNL employees. By March 2005, BSNL would add 1,200 new towers in the State, he said. The new endeavour would help to bring down the rural-urban divide in IT, Mr Thomas said.

Workshop

The Sruthy School of Music at Orthodox Theological Seminary will hold a one-day workshop on Tuesday for school students and music teachers at schools. The workshop will be held at Baker Memorial School, press note said. (EOM/GJ)

Art camp

Thrissur Sept. 19. A week-long camp for traditional painters, organised by the Kerala Lalithakala Akademi, concluded here on Sunday. Addressing the valedictory function, the Speaker, Therambil Ramakrishnan, urged the Cultural Affairs Department and various agencies to take efforts to preserve the country's heritage and culture. ``There is a growing tendency to disregard one's heritage. Some of us are blissfully ignorant of our country's culture and heritage. We seem to accept the glory of our culture only when it is endorsed by the West,'' Mr. Ramakrishnan said. The Mayor, K. Radhakrishnan, the chairman of the Kerala Lalithakala Akademi, Kanayi Kunhiraman, the vice-chairman of the Akademi, K. A. Francis, Kattoor Narayana Pillai, artist, and K. K. Varier, mural painter, were among those present on the occasion. Thirty-five artists from the southern States took part in the camp.

Ten held

The Town East police raided a private ayurvedic clinic here this afternoon and arrested 10 persons, including four women, on charges of immoral trafficking.

Elected

KOLLAM Sept. 19. E. Shahnavas Khan and Paripally R. Raveendran have been elected president and secretary respectively of the Kollam district committee of the All India Lawyers Union (AILU). The other office-bearers are Aisha Potti, D. Suresh Kumar, Saiju Koshy and Vijaya Kumar, vice- presidents; Pazhinjiyil Jayachandran Nair, S. Vinobha, Maniyan Pillai and K. Sajinath, joint secretaries; and T. M. Jaffer Khan, treasurer. They were elected at the district meeting of the AILU which concluded here on Saturday.

Reception

The Sneha Sandesha Yatra from Parasala to Kasaragod organised by the Art of Living was given a grand reception on entering Kollam city this evening. The yatra led by Swamy Sadhyojatha and Swamy Chhayapathi was given a reception in front of the Asramam Muneeshwaram Kovil by a huge crowd led by the Kollam City Centre coordinators of the Art of Living, V.R. Baburaj and Riji G. Nair. A public reception for the yatra was also organised at the Asramam Open Air auditorium. Swamy Sadhyojatha and Swamy Chhayapathi addressed the gathering. A sneha sangeetha sandhya organised in connection with the event was also held.

Visits students

ALAPPUZHA SEPT. 19. The Tourism Minister, K. C. Venugopal, today called on the students of the Alappuzha Ambedkar Memorial Residential School undergoing treatment at the Medical College Hospital and the district hospital following suspected food poisoning at the school. Around 20 students of the school had been admitted to the two hospitals on Saturday after the students developed uneasiness after lunch.

Programme

PATHANAMTHITTA SEPT.19. The noted gazal singer, Shabir Ali, will perform at the Gazal Sandhya organised by the SPECS, a cultural forum in Pathanamthitta, at the Municipal Park here on September 25. In a statement issued here today, the SPECS secretary, G.Anish, said that the gazal evening has been organised as a tribute to the departed playback singer, Brahmanandan. Brahmanandan's son, Rakesh Brahmanandan and Pramod Nilambur will also participate in the concert.

Ten held

Thrissur Sept. 19. The Town East police raided a private ayurvedic clinic here this afternoon and arrested 10 persons, including four women, on charges of immoral trafficking.

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