Kerala   

Briefly

KVP to merge with Congress

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala Vikas Party has decided to merge with the Indian National Congress, party chairman K. Sankaranarayana Pillai told mediapersons here on Thursday. The decision was taken unanimously at the party's State Council meeting here on Monday, he said. The merger will come into effect on January 15 at a meeting in Ernakulam. — Staff Reporter

Kovilan hospitalised THRISSUR: Noted writer Kovilan has been admitted to the Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, Ernakulam, with some neurological problems. According to his family sources here, Kovilan was undergoing treatment at the Unity Hospital in Kunnamkulam for the last two days. They said the 83-year-old writer was facing some memory problem while speaking. He was shifted to the Amrita Hospital on Thursday as per the suggestions of the doctors at the Unity Hospital. — Staff Reporter

Re-admitted to PDP

KOCHI: Poonthura Siraj, who was suspended from the People's Democratic Party, has been re-admitted to the party, said a statement issued by Abdul Nasir Maudany, chairman of the party. Mr. Siraj was re-admitted as he did not join any other party or acted against the PDP or its leadership during the suspension period, the statement said. — Staff Reporter

Appointed Chief Electrical Inspector

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: K.N. Santhakumaran has been appointed Chief Electrical Inspector of the State. An electrical engineer of the 1971 batch of T.K.M. Engineering College, Kollam, he has served as the District Electrical Inspector of Kasaragod, Thiruvananthapuram and Alappuzha, Deputy Chief Electrical Inspector in Ernakulam and the Additional Chief Electrical Inspector in Thiruvananthapuram.

He belongs to Chandanathoppu in Kollam district.

His elevation follows the voluntary retirement of his predecessor V.V. Giry, who has since been appointed Information Commissioner. — Special Correspondent

Man killed in accident

PATHANAMTHITTA: Diaz M. Joseph, 32, of Mangattukunnel at Poonjar South in Kottayam district, was killed when his motorbike and a car collided near Khadi Bhavan at Elanthoor on the Elanthoor-Omalloor road on Thursday afternoon. The Aranmula police have registered a case. — Staff Reporter

Actor injured

THRISSUR: Cine-television actor and mimicry artiste Saju Kodiyan was injured when his car collided with a lorry at Koratty in the district on Thursday. He has been admitted to the Little Flower Hospital in Angamaly.

— Staff Reporter

SIB Saral scheme

THRISSUR: The Thrissur-based South Indian Bank (SIB) has launched a scheme for enabling the customers to start a savings bank (SB) account in its branches without any complicated procedures. According to a release from the Bank, under the scheme, christened as `SIB Saral,' the customers can start an account in the bank with just Rs.100 as balance. The scheme, aimed at inculcating saving habits among the lower income groups, was formally inaugurated at Elappully in Palakkad on Thursday, the release said. — Staff Reporter

Website launched

Kozhikode: Anita Nair, Indo-Anglican writer, launched a website, www.malabarphoto.com, by news photographer N.P. Jayan, at a function held here on Thursday. The Malabar Chamber of Commerce and Zamorin's Guruvayurappan College Old Students' Association jointly organised the programme. Historian M.R. Raghava Varier delivered the keynote address. R. Shanker, editor, The New Indian Express (Kerala and Karnataka), was the chief guest at the function. Vice-president, Malabar Chamber of Commerce, P. Zakeer and secretary P.G. Anoop Narayanan, Joint Director of Tourism M. Raghudas, among others, spoke on the occasion. — Staff Reporter

Hartal observed

THRISSUR: A hartal was observed at Puthur in Thrissur district on Thursday as part of the ongoing agitations against the pig breeding farm being run by the Kerala Livestock Development Board (KLDB) there. The activists of the action council also blocked the road at the Swaraj Round in the town. K.K. Rahulan inaugurated the road blockade. Meanwhile, Cultural Affairs Minister A.P. Anil Kumar said he would try to meet social critic Sukumar Azhikkode, who has threatened to launch an indefinite fast from January 1 as part of the agitation. — Staff Reporter

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