Kerala   

Briefly

Alert against leptospirosis

KOZHIKODE: District Medical Officer V.K. Krishnakutty has asked the general public to be alert in the wake of reported cases of leptospirosis (rat fever) in different parts of the city. Sudden bouts of illness, severe backache, sore eyes and decrease in the amount of urination are some of the initial symptoms.

Private hospitals have also been asked to report cases of infectious diseases at the 24-hour cell set up for this purpose at 2370540, he said. — Staff Reporter

Plea to hike pension for freedom fighters

KOZHIKODE: Goa Freedom Fighters Association has said that the revised State budget has not addressed the need to increase the basic pension of the freedom fighters.

The pensioners were yet to get the benefits of the decision taken by the State Government in January 2006 to increase the dearness allowance for pensioners, association State secretary K.M.Kuttykrishnan said in a press release here on Sunday. — Staff Reporter

Digital language lab

THALASSERY: A digital language laboratory was opened at the Government Brennen College here on Sunday.

The laboratory, the first of its kind in the Government colleges in the State, was formally inaugurated by retired administrator Murkot Ramunny. Head of the English Department and principal-in-charge Tharanath was also present.

Mr. Tharanath said that Rs.5.75 lakhs from the Rs.35 lakh-plan fund of the college had been spent for setting up the language laboratory in the college. He said that the latest language teaching software will be used in the laboratory. The software will guide the students and correct exercises given to them. — Staff Reporter

Mayor to inaugurate ayurveda centre

KOLLAM: Mayor N. Padmalochanan will inaugurate the Navneetham Ayurvedic Centre at Asramam here on Tuesday. The pharmacy attached to the centre will be inaugurated by the former principal of Kottakkal Ayurveda College C.A. Raveendran on the occasion. — Staff Reporter

Roof of school building caves in

PATHANAMTHITTA: The tiled roof of a 40-year-old building of Government Upper Primary School at Panyaly, near Omalloor, caved-in on Sunday. The school building had been abandoned by the Education Department at the beginning of this school year owing to its dilapidated condition. — Staff Reporter

Scheme for women's empowerment

THRISSUR: Manjula Naidu, All India General Secretary of the Mahila Congress, has said that the organisation plans to launch a scheme for helping women become economically independent. At a press conference here on Saturday, Ms. Naidu said the empowerment scheme was being planned along the lines of the Kudumbasree programme in Kerala. The details of the scheme are being chalked out, she said. — Staff Reporter

Plea to hike pension for freedom fighters

KOZHIKODE: Goa Freedom Fighters Association has said that the revised State budget has not addressed the need to increase the basic pension of the freedom fighters. The pensioners were yet to get the benefits of the decision taken by the State Government in January 2006 to increase the dearness allowance for pensioners, association State secretary K.M.Kuttykrishnan said in a press release here on Sunday. — Staff Reporter

Digital language lab

THALASSERY: A digital language laboratory was opened at Government Brennen College here on Sunday. The laboratory, the first of its kind in the Government colleges in the State, was formally inaugurated by retired administrator Murkot Ramunny. — Staff Reporter

Major rail accident averted

KOCHI: A major accident was averted when the Ernakulam-Thiruvananthapuram Vanchinad Express stopped after running into a heap of mud that had fallen on the tracks close to the Piravom Road railway station early on Sunday morning. Earth caved onto the track at 6.30 a.m., just before the train reached the place. The driver managed to slow down the train, thus reducing the impact of the collision. The train renewed its journey after an hour, by which time the mud was removed from the tracks. The Kottayam-Ernakulam passenger train and the Chennai-Thiruvananthapuram Mail were delayed by over an hour following the incident. Sources said instances of earth falling on the tracks was common in the area. The mud may have given away in the incessant rain on Saturday, they said. — Staff Reporter

Plot to destroy ITI alleged

PALAKKAD: The general body meeting of the Indian Telephone Industries (ITI) Employees' Union held here on Sunday has urged the Central Government to save the premier public sector company from the alleged `conspiracy of the multinational companies in the telecom sector to destroy it.' In a statement, the Union said the Central Government has decided to increase the number of telephone consumers from the existing 12 crores to 25 crores. This required an investment of Rs.1.3 lakh crores. But there is an attempt by the multinational companies to keep away ITI. — Staff Reporter

PDP sees bid to keep Maudany in jail

Thiruvananthapuram: People's Democratic Party (PDP) working chairman Poonthura Siraj on Saturday alleged a conspiracy to keep the party leader Abdul Nasir Maudany confined to the Coimbatore Central Jail as an undertrial prisoner till his end. Addressing a press conference here, he said the ailing Maudany was yet to be hospitalised for treatment despite the intervention of the Kerala and Tamil Nadu Governments. Pointing out that Maudany's trial was proceeding at a snail's pace, he termed the delay as criminal negligence. — Staff Reporter

Ration dealers' plea

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala State Ration Dealers Federation has condemned the Union Government's move to limit the supply of kerosene to cardholders Below Poverty Line. At a press conference here, the office-bearers said the move would scuttle the ration distribution system in the State. Arrangements should be made to provide kerosene and sugar to all cardholders as per their requirement, they said. — Staff Reporter

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