Kerala   

Briefly

Rs.279 crores for local bodies

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Government has sanctioned a sum of Rs.279.33 crores as the second instalment of assistance for implementation of the decentralised plans of the local bodies during 2006-07. The share of the district panchayats in lakhs of rupees is as follows — Thiruvananthapuram: 349.424, Kollam: 322.642, Pathanamthitta: 177.408, Alappuzha: 244.082, Kottayam: 247.206, Idukki: 267.758, Ernakulam: 303.60, Thrissur: 347.132, Palakkad: 479.366, Malappuram: 404.728, Kozhikode: 282.688, Wayanad: 268.148, Kannur: 251.60 and Kasaragod: 170.786. The share of the city corporations also in lakhs of rupees is as follows — Thiruvananthapuram: 626.714, Kollam: 294.17, Kochi: 381.648, Thrissur: 240.756 and Kozhikode: 296.46. — Special Correspondent

Heavy rush at Sabarimala

PATHANAMTHITTA: The auspicious Sahasrakalasabhishekom was performed at the Lord Ayyappa Temple in Sabarimala for the third consecutive day on Wednesday. The temple continued to witness heavy rush as hundreds of pilgrims from Tamil Nadu turned up for the holy darshan during the Tamil month of Aadi which they consider as holy. Devotees were trekking the hills braving the downpour. Dollymen carrying elderly pilgrims on their shoulders was a common sight on the Pampa-Sannidhanam trekking path. Sahasrakalasom Tantri Kantaru Mohanaru, assisted by Melsanthi M. Sukumaran Nambootiri, performed the Kalasapuja at the northern `mantapam' of the temple. The Brahmakalasom was taken out in a procession to the sanctum sanctorum for `abhishekom' prior to the Utchapuja. — Staff Reporter

Case against Kurien shifted

KOTTAYAM: The private complaint seeking to declare P.J. Kurien, MP, as an accused in the Sooryanelli sex scandal case has been committed to Thodupuzha Sessions Court by the First Class Judicial Magistrate Court-II at Peermade. The complaint was filed by the victim in March 1999 and was admitted in April that year by the Peermade Court. Mr. Kurien had fought the case in Kerala High Court and later in the Supreme Court which directed him to get bail from the Peermade court which he did on May 11, 2006. As the case has been registered under Section 336, now it is up to the district court to decide on the future course. — Staff Reporter

KSRTC staff to get DA

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Government has decided to give one instalment of dearness allowance (DA) to the KSRTC staff and pensioners. Transport Minister Mathew T. Thomas said here on Wednesday that the staff would get it from August 1, 2006, and the pensioners from September 1, 2006. — Special Correspondent

`Rice supply being blocked by Tamil Nadu'

KOLLAM: The Quilon Merchants Chamber of Commerce has alleged that the Tamil Nadu Government is blocking and even taking over the rice supply from Andhra Pradesh to Kerala. In a statement here on Wednesday, association general secretary Netaji Rajendran said that following a shortage of railway wagons, the bulk of the consignment was now being brought by road. He said that if the rice were blocked in this manner, it would create shortage in Kerala during the Onam season and would even lead to an uncontrolled price rise. He sought immediate intervention of the State Government. - Staff Reporter

Man's body found hanging

Thrissur: The body of a man who looked about 40 was found hanging in a bathroom of a house near the Uthramkulangara Temple at Velappaya in Avanur panchayat on Wednesday. The police said the body must have been decomposing for about four months. There was no one dwelling in the house for the past six months, its owner, Akkara Louis, told the police. A shirt found on the body bore the label, `V.R. Tailors, Kadakkal, Kollam.' The body was found when the owner wanted to let the house and got it opened, the police said. - Staff Reporter

Rejuvenation therapy for elephants

Thrissur: The annual rejuvenation therapy (`sukha chikitsa') for elephants belonging to the Cochin Devaswom Board began at the Sree Vadakkunnathan Temple here on Wednesday. The elephants will be given herbal medicines.

Seminar on issues in agriculture sector

Thrissur: A seminar on `Problems faced by the agriculture sector' is being organised by final year B.Sc. (Agriculture) students of Kerala Agricltural University's College of Horticulture here on July 20. Jiju P. Alex, Latha Unnikrishnan, George Thomas, P. O. George, K. P. Sathian, experts in various disciplines, and students Noel Francis Gonsalves and Nishana Nazimuddin will speak, according to a press release. — Staff Reporter

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