The Hindu : Kerala News : Briefly

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Apr 07, 2005

Kerala

Kerala

Briefly

Power for water supply schemes

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM APRIL 6. The Electricity Minister, Aryadan Mohammed, has asked the Kerala Sate Electricity Board to accord top priority to give electricity connections for water supply schemes taking into consideration the drought-like situation and water shortage prevailing in many parts of the State. An official press note said today that the applicants who were waiting after remitting money would be given connections immediately. The board had issued the necessary instructions in this connection to all division and circle offices.

Special train services

The Southern Railway has increased the frequency of the 635/636 Chennai Central-Thiruvananthapuram-Chennai Central Special Train from tri-weekly to four days a week in order to clear the heavy rush of passengers during April, May and June. According to the railways, the additional services of the special train from Chennai Central will be on Friday and from Thiruvananthapuram Central on Saturday. With the increase in frequency, there will be a total of 20 additional services. At present, the special train is operating from Chennai Central on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday and on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from Thiruvananthapuram Central. The additional services from Chennai Central will be on April 8, 15, 22 and 29, May 6, 13, 20 and 27 and June 3 and 10. The services from Thiruvananthapuram Central would be on April 9, 16, 23 and 30, May 7, 14, 21 and 28 and June 4 and 11.

Delimitation panel

The headquarters of the Delimitation Commission for Local Bodies will be Thiruvananthapuram, according to the rules governing it. It can hold sittings wherever it wants to. The State Election Commissioner will be its chairman. Four officials not below the rank of Government Secretary will be its members.

Benefits restored

The benefits that used to be enjoyed by couples of inter-caste marriages in Government service have been restored.They include posting in the same station. They will be eligible for the benefit even if one of them is in Government service and the other in the service of an autonomous, quasi-Government or private institution.

VS opposes sponge iron unit

The Leader of the Opposition, V. S. Achuthanandan, has opposed the move to set up a sponge iron unit at Malampuzha. In a statement here today, Mr. Achuthanandan asked the Industries Department to cancel the clearance given to Kerala Sponge Iron Limited for setting up the unit which, he said, would pollute the waters of Malampuzha dam.

Asianet in Singapore

The Asianet will start transmitting its programmes in Singapore from tomorrow. A press note from the Asianet Communications said today that with this all Malayalis in the world would be able to see the channel's programmes. There were an estimated 25,000 Malayalis in Singapore. Asianet's programmes are already available in America, Europe and Africa.

SBT gives Rs.35 lakhs to RCC

The State Bank of Travancore (SBT) has donated Rs. 35 lakhs to the Regional Cancer Centre (RCC), Thiruvananthapuram, for the purchase of a new mammogram unit. Om Bhatt, managing director, SBT, handed over a cheque for the amount to B. Rajan, RCC director, at a function held at the bank's head office today.

Mourning day

Friday the day on which Pope John Paul II would be laid to rest has been declared as the third of the three-day mourning period declared by the country. The national flag will fly at half-mast. Official celebrations and programmes will also not be organised on the day. Two more persons will represent the State at the Pope's funeral in addition to the Revenue Minister, K.M. Mani. They are the former Minister, K.V. Thomas and K.C.Joseph MLA.

CBI action against officials

KOCHI APRIL 6. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered two cases following raids on residences of two Government officials in the city in connection with accumulation of assets disproportionate to the known means of their incomes. Cases were registered against an official of the Central Excise Department and a former official of the Cochin Customs, sources said here. Cash running into lakhs of rupees, bank deposits and documents were seized in the raids that were continuing late in the evening, sources added. These raids were conducted after obtaining permission from the CBI special court. The CBI also conducted raids in Kollam and Alappuzha.

NSS College bags award

ALAPPUZHA APRIL 6. The NSS College, Cherthala unit of the National Service Scheme has won this year's State Government award for the best National Service Scheme unit in colleges under various universities in the State. The programme officer of the college National Service Scheme unit, B. Sreekumar, has been selected the best programme officer in the State the, a release here said.

Sabarimala temple opens on Sunday

PATHANAMTHITTA APRIL 6. The Lord Ayyappa Temple at Sabarimala will open on Sunday for the eight-day annual Vishu festival that begins the next morning. Vishu will be celebrated at Sabarimala on April 14. The Vishukkani darshan at the Ayyappa shrine will be held from 4 a.m. to 7.30 a.m. The tantri, Kantaru Mohanaru, and the melsanthi, V. Muraleedharan Namboodiri, will give Vishukkaineettom to the devotees. The temple will close on April 18.

Traders to observe fast

KOLLAM April 6. More than 500 traders from Kollam will observe a fast in front of the Secretariat at Thiruvananthapuram on Friday to express solidarity with the president of the Kerala Vyapari Vyavasayi Ekopana Samithy, S. Nazaruddin, who will go on an indefinite fast at the same venue from Thursday. Mr. Nazaruddin will go on fast to demand the withdrawal of the Value Added Tax regime that came into force from April 1.

Workshop on social service

The Confederation of NGOs of Rural India will organise a workshop for the personnel of voluntary and social service organisations. The workshop, to be held at the KEDES complex at Chathannur on Thursday, will be inaugurated by N. Balagopal, member of the National Khadi Board. The director of the Jan Shikshan Sansthan, Nadakal Sasi, will preside over the inaugural function.

Homoeo camp

The Kollam unit of the Institute of Homeopaths Kerala (IHK) will organise a free homoeo medical camp at the Pallimukku Iqbal Library Hall from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. The district president of the IHK, S. Suresh, and unit secretary, T. Abraham Vaidyan, said participants should register in advance with the Masters Homeopathic Clinic at Madanada (phone: 2763826).

Legal news board

THRISSUR APRIL 6. The Thrissur unit of Niyama Sameeksha, legal aid group, has put up a legal news board in the city as part of its legal education programme. The board put up in front of the COSTFORD at Ayyanthole will display all important judgments pronounced by the Supreme Court to inform the public about them.

Power disruption

TIRUR APRIL 6. Power supply from the sub-stations at Tirur, Kuttippuram, Edappal, Ponnani and Edarikkode will be disrupted between 12 noon and 2.30 p.m. tomorrow owing to repairs to be done at the 220 KV sub-station at Shoranur, said officials of the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) here today.

First prize for shooting

PALAKKAD APRIL 6. The Deputy Superintendent of Police, CBCID, Palakkad, D. Madhu, secured the first prize in revolver/pistol shooting application attack, 30 yards, in the Kerala Police Shooting Competition held at the Kerala Police Academy on April 5.

Drinking water

KASARAGOD APRIL 6. The District Collector has given administrative sanction to carry out immediate repairs of filter points, ponds, wells and borewells so as to streamline the drinking water schemes in various parts of the district. The total estimate of the various works to be done in the municipalities and grama panchayats in the district has been put at Rs. 62.40 lakhs. The District Collector has also appointed officials to co-ordinate and monitor the drought relief works in the district.

Temple festival

The `Ashtabandabrahma Kalasotsavam' at the Mujunkavu Shree Parthasarathy temple in Kumbala near here would be held from April 16 to 21.

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