Kerala - Kozhikode   

Chandy urged to secure release of hostage

KOZHIKODE: A meeting of the District Development Committee (DCC) has urged Chief Minister Oommen Chandy to seek the help of the Centre in releasing a Keralite captured by a terrorist group in the Philippines.

A resolution to this effect was adopted at a meeting of the DCC, chaired by District Collector in-charge V.G. David, Additional District Magistrate, at the Collectorate here on Saturday. The resolution moved by K. Dasan, MLA, Koyilandy, said that Kolaraveettil Biju, 36, hailing from Moodadi, had been kidnapped by a religious terror group, which was demanding a hefty ransom.

The resolution also asked the Union Minister for Overseas Affairs Vayalar Ravi to intervene through the Indian Embassy. It was on Wednesday that his parents here came to know that their son, whose wife, Aleena, a Philippine fashion designer, had been abducted by armed militants from her house in the Sulu Province in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao in the Philippines. Biju was running a studio at a military camp in Kuwait. It was on June 10 that he visited his wife's house in the Philippines.

Assistance sought

In another resolution, the DCC also asked the State government to arm the district administration with financial assistance to meet monsoon-related calamities. The meeting was attended by elected representatives, including legislators and senior government officials.

The meeting also asked the government to take steps to clear the confusion among the residents over the suspected cases of endosulfan-related disorders at Chakkittapara grama panchayat in Perambra Assembly constituency. K. Kunhahamed, MLA, moved the resolution in this regard.

‘Protect ecology'

V. M. Ummer, MLA, in a resolution, asked the State government to sanction an arts and science college in the government- sector or unaided sector in an appropriate place in Koduvally Assembly constituency, which has no college. E.K. Vijayan, MLA, also raised a similar demand in his constituency in Nadapuram.

Purushan Kadalundi, Balussery, MLA, asked the Department of Forest and Wildlife to ensure that the proposed bird-watching project at Killikudikki, Kakkayam, did not destroy the fragile ecology in the region.

The meeting also adopted a resolution seeking the government to upgrade the Perumanna E.M.S. School into a Higher Secondary School, implement an organic farming package in the district similar to the one proposed in Kuttanad and Idukki districts and not to stop the E.M.S. Housing Scheme.

C. Moinkutty, P.T.A. Rahim, Elamaram Karim, A.K. Saseendran, C.K. Nanu, K.K. Lathika, MLAs, and K. Moideen Koya, who represented Minister for Panchayats M.K. Muneer, and District Planning Officer in-charge D. Humayun took part in the meeting

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