Nayanar flays Govt. stand on Hurriyat team's visit
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM The former Chief Minister, Mr. E. K. Nayanar, has termed as `grossly negligent' the Government's response to the proposed Hurriyat team visit to Kerala on September 2. In a statement here today, Mr. Nayanar regretted the Government's failure to see the likely consequences of the visit and its argument that since the All Party Hurriyat Conference (APHC) had not been banned by the Central Government, there was nothing that the State could do in the matter. Mr. Nayanar said it was sad that the Onam days were being used for communally divisive and anti-national campaigns. The BJP decision to organise hartals in Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode on the day of the Hurriyat team's expected arrival would accentuate the current divisions. The hartals would also cause serious hardship to the people. The APHC was an outfit led by organisations arguing for secession from India and merger of Kashmir with Pakistan. There were also those who argued that Kashmir should remain autonomous and with more powers. The CPI(M) was keenly observing the conflicting arguments. The party was of the view that the Hurriyat should not be banned but tackled politically. The party was also of the firm view that Kashmir was an indivisible part of India but should be given greater autonomy.
Friday, August 31, 2001
Onam traditions give way
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. For Malayalis, wherever they are, `Thiruvonam', which falls today, is an occasion to commemorate a mythical past of plenty and prosperity. However, even in Kerala, `God's Own Country', traditions and customs associated with Onam for centuries are changing because of consumerism. Villages and towns, no doubt, have been in the grip of the Onam fever since the Atham day (August 22). But more than the traditional aura, what stands out now is the spectacle of the State being transformed into an extended market place, where people throng looking for goods on sale at `special festival prices'. `Athapookkalam', perhaps, is the lone reminder of the past glory. It is the laying out of flowers in attractive designs at the door steps of homes. But children, as in the past, no longer need to run from field to homesteads to collect fresh flowers. Pookkalams are made of flowers bought from the market. The change in tradition is glaring when plastic flowers are used. `Onasadya', feast for Onam, still remains a major attraction. Delicacies made of banana chips to `ada pradhaman' are laid out on freshly cut plantain leaves, making it appealing to the eye as well as the palate. Onam used to be an occasion when even male members of a family lend a helping hand to the women folk in preparing sumptuous feasts. Legend has it that on the `Thiruvonam' day in the Malayalam month of Chingam, King Mahabali returns to Kerala from the nether world where he was banished by Lord Vishnu. The reign of Mahabali -- endearingly called `Maveli' by Malayalis -- was marked by plenty, prosperity and equality. The Devas, jealous of the Asura king, prevailed on Vishnu to get him banished to `Pathalam' (nether world). Before undergoing the ordeal, Mahabali wrested a concession from Vishnu that he would return to his kingdom on the Onam day every year to visit his *subjects. For the children of the present age, Mahabali is a character in the skits played in streets, or, a comic guy who shows up on the small screen on the Onam day. In the past, Onam used to be an occasion for both men and women to display their talents. For men, Onam was the time of martial arts competitions and a variety of rural sports. For the women, it offered a chance to briefly come out of the confines of homes to sing and perform the `kaikottikkali', a traditional group dance form. ``In my days, Onam used to be a great occasion. Examinations would be over. All play and no work. Home was filled with the fragrance of freshly-fried banana chips. We used to get new clothes or onappudava,'' said Mr. V.G.R. Nair, a retired school teacher. ``Look at my grand children. They are settled down with their T.V. game. No Onam songs or sports,'' Mr. Nair said. After a moment's pause, he added, ``I have no grouse. One has to change with time and tide. I too am going to spend Onam watching a movie or a comedy show on the television.''
Friday, August 31, 2001
Governor, CM extend Onam greetings
Chennai: Tamil Nadu Governor Dr C Rangarajan and Chief Minister Jayalalithaa today conveyed their greetings to the people of Kerala on the occasion of Onam, the harvest festival of the state, being celebrated tomorrow. In a message, Rangarajan said the harvest festival symbolised unity and communal harmony. “Let this festival rekindle the spirit of unity and promote peace and communal harmony,” he said. Jayalalithaa, in her message, expressed the hope that brotherhood and mutual harmony, which marked the festival, would be further strengthened.
Friday, August 31, 2001
President, PM extend Onam greetings
NEW DELHI: The President, Mr. K.R. Narayanan, the Vice President Mr. Krishan Kant, and the Prime Minister Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee, have greeted the people on the occasion of Onam festival. Expressing his warm greetings to the people of Kerala and Malayalees settled all over the world, Mr. Narayanan said ``may Kerala's joy extend to the whole of India bringing peace and prosperity for all its people''. Mr. Kant said ``the spirit of amity and love touches every heart during Onam''. In a message, Mr. Vajpayee hoped that the festival would bring prosperity and happiness to the people of Kerala living all over the world. -
Thursday, August 30, 2001
Kakkad power project shut down
Thiruvananthapuram: The 50-MW Kakkad hydel power project at Pathanamthitta district has been shut down following a leak in the tunnel linking the Moozhiyar dam with Kakkad power house at Seethakuzhi. Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) officials said here today that inspection work of the leaking tunnel had started. The KSEB had issued flood warning to those residing in the downstream areas of the Mozhiar dam and on the banks of the Pamba in the event of the opening of shutters following increase in the water level which at present stood at lower level, the officials said.
Thursday, August 30, 2001
No plan to ban APHC visit: Antony
Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister A K Antony today said the UDF government did not intend to ban the proposed visit of the All Party Hurriyat Conference (APHC) leaders to the state next month as the Union government has not imposed any restrictions on their movement. “It will be illogical to stop Hurriyat leaders from visiting Kerala as there has been no ban by the Government of India on their movement in the country,” Antony said during his weekly cabinet briefing. “They have been to some other states recently. They even called on Pakistan President General Musharaff during his visit to the country. There is no logic in arguing that they should not be allowed to come to Kerala”, he said. Antony said the Kerala government would “handle” the APHC leaders’ visit in the same manner that other state governments dealt with when they visited those states. The plan of a high-level APHC delegation to visit Kerala on September 2 to 4 has triggered a controversy in the state, with the BJP and CPM coming out against it, holding that the visit would lead to “dangerous consequences”. The Confederation of Human Rights Organisations is arranging meetings for the APHC delegation to explain to the public in Kerala their position on the Kashmir issue.
Wednesday, August 29, 2001
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Test tube baby in pvt. hospital
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. A private hospital in the city has claimed to have successfully managed the birth of the South Kerala's first test tube baby using the `Blastocyst' culture technique. The baby was born to Mr. S.H. Mallan (51), an employee of a private firm in Alappuzha, and Ms. R. Sukuntha (42), a Government employee. Mother and baby are safe, according to a release from Samad Hospital. In blastocyst culture technique, the embryo is grown in the laboratory chambers for five days, instead of two-day period in conventional In Vitro Fertilization, before it is deposited in the uterus of the recipient woman. The mature embryo increases the chances of pregnancy. So far, 10 test tube babies have been born at this hospital while another ten test tube pregnancies are in various stages of progress. The team of doctors behind the IVF procedure are Dr. Sathy M. Pillai, Dr. Meera, Dr. Manjula and Dr. Raja Singh.
Wednesday, August 29, 2001
Kozhikode: Parties stand on Hurriyat sought
Kozhikode: The BJP’s Kerala unit today asked the Congress and Muslim League to explain their stand with regard to the visit of the Hurriyat leaders to the state on September 2. The BJP’s Kerala unit vice-president P Sreedharan Pillai told reporters here that the party would observe a hartal in Kozhikode district on Sept 2 in protest against their visit. The party would also observe that day as ‘Kashmir protection day’, he added. A three-member delegation of Hurriyat leaders from Kashmir is scheduled to arrive in Kerala on September 2 and will address public meetings at Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram.
Wednesday, August 29, 2001
KOCHI: Kerala to set up fisheries task force
KOCHI: The Kerala Chief Minister, Mr A.K. Antony, said the State Government would take all necessary steps to restore Kerala's lost glory in the fisheries sector. Addressing a news conference here at the conclusion of a discussion on fisheries development in Kerala, he said it had decided to set up a task force headed by the State Special Secretary Fisheries, Mr N. Chandrasekharan Nair, to go into all aspects of the fisheries sector, including its modernisation, quality upgradation to meet export requirements, adoption of scientific fishing methods and development of aquaculture. The committee would suggest short-term and long-term needs of the fisheries sector based on which policy decisions would be taken on a priority basis, Mr Antony said. - Our Bureau
Wednesday, August 29, 2001
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Clarification on power project
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. The K.P.P. Nambiar and Associates has clarified that the Kannur Power Project promoted by it would use only natural gas as primary fuel, since it would be available from the proposed LNG terminal in Kochi by the time the project generates power. In a rejoinder to the report `Move to surrender power from NTPC', published in these coloumns on August 24, the chairman of K.P.P. Nambiar and Associates, Mr. K.P.P. Nambiar, said the project had obtained approval from the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) for the use of both natural gas and naphtha as fuel. He said the company had already informed the Kerala Government and the KSEB that the project would be using only natural gas as the primary fuel and that it had signed the Memorandum of Understanding with the Petronet LNG Ltd., Bharat Petroleum Company Ltd., and the Gas Authority of India Ltd. (GAIL) for the supply of natural gas from the Kochi terminal by 2005. Due to the delay which had already occurred, the project could be completed only by that time-frame even if all the approvals from the State Government were received by June 2002, he said. Mr. Nambiar also said that GAIL would be laying the pipeline as a network, enabling both the Kannur Power Project and the Kayamkulam project of the NTPC to simultaneously get the benefit of the natural gas supply. Referring to the report that there was objection to the low level of investment the Indian promoters were ready to put into the project, he said the objection of the State Government that ``only 7.8 per cent of the project cost was being brought in'' was based on wrong assumptions on the Central Electricity Authority's (CEA's) clearance letter dated February 16, 2001. Mr. Nambiar further maintained that the Union Government had now sent a communication to the State Government clarifying that ``the contribution by the promoters to the tune of 11 per cent of the total outlay can be made by both domestic promoter and foreign co-promoter together since the Government of India resolution dated October 11, 1991, does not make any distinction between domestic and foreign co-promoter''
Wednesday, August 29, 2001
PATHANAMTHITTA: Hurriyat leaders' visit: call to observe 'black day'
The Vishwa Hindu Parishad State organising secretary, Mr. Kummanam Rajashekharan, has said that the Rashtra Raksha Vedi (RRV) would observe September 2 as ``black day'' when the Hurriyat leaders are expected to visit Kerala. Addressing a press conference here today, the he said the RRV, formed to check the reported attempts by certain quarters to ``convert Kerala into another Kashmir'', called for a hartal in Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram when the Hurriyat leaders visit these places. ``It is ironical that certain `pseudo' human rights activists and organisations here are very keen to extend a warm welcome to the `anti-national' Hurriyat leaders, ignoring the agonies and plight of scores of innocent people who lost their kin in terrorist attacks in Jammu and Kashmir in which the Hurriyat is directly or indirectly involved,'' Mr. Rajashekharan said. According to him, three Hurriyat workers had already reached Kerala to oversee the preliminary arrangements for their leaders' visit. He demanded that the State Government keep a close watch on their ``secret moves'' and activities. Mr. Rajashekharan alleged that of late, certain ruling party leaders were coming close to certain terrorist and extremist outfits. Call to prosecute Pillai Criticising the reported statement by the former Minister and the Kerala Congress(B) chairman, Mr. R. Balakrishna Pillai, that those who oppose the Hurriyat leaders' visit should be burnt to death, the VHP leader demanded that the Government initiate prosecution steps against Mr. Pillai for issuing such ``provocative as well as anti-national'' statements. ``Mr. Pillai, who once reportedly issued the controversial statement calling upon the people to launch a Punjab-model agitation in Kerala, is now preparing the ground for a Kashmir- model agitation and the Government should take immediate steps to prosecute such leaders who are trying to convert Kerala into another Kashmir,'' Mr. Rajashekharan said. He said it was alarming that Mr. Pillai and the UDF convener, Mr. Oommen Chandy, ``made a friendly visit in haste'' to Mr. Abdul Nazer Mahdhani at the Coimbatore jail. It was equally ironical that ``the UDF leaders could not see the plight of the family members of the 75 people who were killed in the Coimbatore blasts which was allegedly masterminded by Mr. Mahdhani,'' the VHP leader alleged. Mr. Rajashekharan said the situation in Kerala did not warrant a visit by the Hurriyat leaders and the State Government had enough grounds to check their proposed visit. The issue became more sensitive when it came to the point that the sponsors of the Hurriyat leaders in Kerala were the very same quarters who masterminded the latest violence in Nadapuram and Kasargod, the VHP leader alleged. Moreover, the State police have already identified over 150 places as sensitive areas, he added. The VHP leader said that the RRV would meet in the next two days to chalk out a ``direct action plan'' if the Government failed to check the entry of Hurriyat leaders into the State.
Wednesday, August 29, 2001
Malayattur Award presented
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, "I don't write for the lure of the buck. If money had fascinated me, I should have been writing on Saint Vatsyayana and not about E.M.S. Namboodiripad," said Mr. M. Mukundan, renowned Malayalam writer and the author of `Kesavante Vilapam', the novel with the late Communist leader as the central character, here today. The novelist was speaking after accepting the `Malayattur Award' for the same work of his, presented by the Malayattur Smaraka Samithi. "The allegation that I wrote this novel for monetary benefits pained me a lot. I don't need to create a controversy on my literary work to make it sell," he said. For the Malayali psyche, there is this dualism in political interpretation of anything and everything. If it is pro-Communist, it is anti- Congress and the vice versa. At least when it comes to reading a novel, this attitude must change, he suggested. He never meant to demean Communism or to project one of the greatest Communists of the present times in a poor light, Mr. Mukundan added. Mr. G. Karthikeyan, Minister for Cultural Affairs, who presented the award, carrying a purse of Rs. 15,000, a memento and a citation, said the Kerala society was missing EMS and feeling his absence, to a great extent. An award becomes all the more meaningful when it goes to the right person. A new dimension has been added to the Malayattur Award with Mr. Mukundan winning it, he observed. The Minister also gave away the other literary prizes instituted by the Malayattur Smaraka Samithi, to Mr. K.P. James, Mr. Madhu Alapadambu and Mr. C.M. Sudhish Kumar. Mr. P.S. Supal, MLA, presided over the function. Dr. V. Rajakrishnan, chairman of the jury that selected the winners, Ms. Chandramathi, its member, and Dr. Thevannur Maniraj, spoke. Dr. V.K. Jayakumar welcomed the gathering and Mr. S. Devarajan proposed a vote of thanks.
Tuesday, August 28, 2001
Work on Goshree project begins
Kochi: Kerala Chief Minister A K Antony today inaugurated the work on the first pile of the much-awaited Goshree bridges, connecting Ernakulam with the Vypeen islands, at a function here. He said the self-financing Goshree bridges project was the first such in the state and the work was expected to be completed in 30 months. The bridges had been a long-cherished dream of the people of the islands off mainland Ernakulam and would benefit about three lakhs of people of the islands, he added.
Tuesday, August 28, 2001
Special package for Kerala by Videocon
FOR Videocon, being `different' this Onam means offering a package of goods, especially designed for Kerala, that would satiate a customer's aspirational desires. Hence a festive package from the company, offering a free Ericsson cellphone with every Videocon Internet Television (ITV) at around 25 to 30 of its colour television outlets in Kerala. ``The Ericsson A2618 phone comes with a free SIM card from Ecotel making it a package worth Rs 7,500 with an Internet television worth Rs 18,000,'' said Mr Sunil Tandon. But why Kerala? ``Kerala is an important market for Videocon and around 30 per cent of the total sales in the State happen during the week leading up to Onam. ``This year we conducted a Kerala-specific study on what customers expect from an offer during Onam and found that the most aspirational item of possession for customers there was a mobile phone, with Internet access ranking second,'' said Mr Tandon. Riding on this package alone, the company expects to sell around a thousand ITV sets in the State during this one week. With other offers such as CTVs with a free computer game worth Rs 3,000 that can be played on TV and mixer grinders with refrigerators and washing machines, Videocon expects to gross around Rs 30 crore during this week or ten days from sales across product categories, Mr Tandon said. Meanwhile, the company also plans to target other regions with similar customised packages during the upcoming festival season - Bengal during Durga Pooja, the Northern states during Diwali and Gujarat during Navratri.
Tuesday, August 28, 2001
More Gulf carriers set to enter Kerala
ABU DHABI, Aug. 27: GULF carriers are set to enter Kerala skies in a big way in the coming months and expected to pose stiff competition, while at the same time offer wider choices for Kerala-bound expatriates. Following the Union Government's decision to grant operating rights to Gulf carriers to land at Kochi International Airport, Oman Air has already started operations to Kochi from Muscat, while Kuwait Airways and Qatar Airways plan to launch flights to Kochi in a few months time, airline sources told Business Line. An Emirates airline spokesperson confirming reports appearing in a section of the Indian press, also said that the airline had been granted traffic rights to operate to Kochi from September, 2002. ``We are very happy that we have been granted traffic rights by the Union Government to operate to Kochi. However, it is really too early to speak about the details of frequencies etc as the operations are to begin one year later. We will provide more details closer to the planned start of operations,'' she said. Oman Air recently launched four weekly flights from Muscat to Kochi. Passengers from the UAE have convenient connections from Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Al Ain to Muscat, to travel onward on the Muscat-Cochin flight. The frequency may be increased to six flights a week from January, an airline official said. Qatar Airways and Kuwait Airways are also finalising details for launching operations from Doha and Kuwait respectively to Kochi. While Qatar Airways is planning to operate by the end of the year, Kuwait Airways is expected to introduce twice or thrice weekly flights from Kuwait, starting January 2002, according to airline sources. Details of the frequencies would be made available at a later date, they added. Apart from Gulf Air, Qatar Airways and Kuwait Airways already operate daily flights to Thiruvananthapuram from Doha and Kuwait respectively with connections for passengers from the UAE. Reacting to plans by Gulf carriers to enter the Gulf- Kochi sector, an Air India official said the airline was ready to face the competition, as it already faces competition from international carriers in every point in the country. ``We are not scared of competition. We already operate from seven points in the Gulf to Kochi and are confident of passenger loyalty. Moreover, the market is large enough to take the entry of more carriers. We will review the situation in due course and increase frequencies if required. With regard to fares, they are always market-driven.'' Mr Y.A. Rahim, President of the Sharjah Indian Association, said the entry of more international carriers on the Gulf-Kochi sector will be good for expatriate Keralite passengers, who account for a large percentage of the Gulf-India air traffic. ``The entry of more airlines will help break the monopoly of Air India and Indian Airlines. Fares are sure to drop as competition stiffens and the passengers will have more options,'' he said. Keralites form around 45 per cent of the passenger traffic on the Gulf-India sector and the large market has led to airlines seeking a bigger slice of the cake in recent years.
Tuesday, August 28, 2001
70,000 HIV positive cases reported in Kerala
Thiruvananthapuram An estimated 70,000 persons have been tested HIV positive in Kerala so far, Kerala Health Minister P Sankaran said today. Talking to reporters on the eve of opening of the first Voluntary Counseling and Testing Centre at Public Health Laboratory here, Sankaran said there were 856 full blown AIDS patients in the state. The government would open eight more such centres in the state. It would be set up in the six medical colleges and in the two regional public health laboratories, he said. The centre was set by the Kerala State AIDS Control Society as part National AIDS Control programme.
Tuesday, August 28, 2001
Cell on WTO database in Kerala mooted
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: THE Chairman of the special Commission set up by the Kerala Government for sourcing expert advice on matters relating to WTO, Dr M. S. Swaminathan, has suggested the setting up of a WTO Database Cell to offer `proactive advice' to farmers and growers on various aspects of a globalised trade regime. Dr Swaminathan told newspersons here that, after two days of discussions with the State Government, it was felt that the WTO Cell could generate a comprehensive database of all information relevant to farmers. Available expertise from institutions and individuals could be sourced and put to use. The State WTO Commission would be expected to help consolidate Kerala's leadership in those areas of trade where such leadership already exists, add value to existing produce profile and identify and exploit emerging areas, Dr Swaminathan said. Task forces would be set up to recommend ways to improve trade practices for coconut, rubber, tea, coffee, cardamom, ginger, pepper and medicinal herbs. These task forces, which would comprise representatives of labour unions and media, among others, would assess the present trade scenario and identify possibilities of enhanced trade. ``Rather than try to reinvent the wheel, these task forces would seek to build on available expertise in their area of study to achieve their aims,'' Dr Swaminathan said. Under the guidance of the Commission, processing zones would be set up for organic food products which have a ready market in Western countries. The Department of Agriculture will identify such zones where food crops can be grown by using biofertilisers. The Commission has also identified a continuous tract of land from Silent Valley to Wayanad which can be a designated zone for medicinal plants and herbs. Along with this, Kerala also needs to set up its own certification mechanism for organic crops. What Kerala needs in the present day scenario is more foreign direct investment and strategic partnerships with foreign companies which can prove mutually beneficial. Possibilities for technical collaborations too should be examined. Adequate attention needs to be given to cost competitiveness and quality control. The Commission would also strive to ensure a remunerative price regime for the State's produce.
Monday, August 27, 2001
'Low-spirit' Onam stares at Keralites
BANGALORE: THE Kerala Distillers and Bottlers Federation is threatening to close down distilleries across Kerala. The move is against the State Government's imposition of 10 per cent turnover tax on local Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) manufacturers. A special sitting of all the members of the federation is scheduled on Monday at Thrissur and is expected to announce voluntary closure of distilleries and stopping supplies of IMFL to Kerala State Beverages Corporation (KSBC) which controls both wholesale and retail trade in the State. Kerala has 14 distilleries, which accounts for nearly 90 per cent of the State's liquor consumption of 8.5 lakh cases monthly. The stand off between the State Government and the liquor industry comes barely few days before Onam, which falls on August 31. It must be mentioned that Onam along with Christmas is the peak season for liquor sales in the State. The latest development puts the consumers in jeopardy as the local industry seems to have the backing of big companies such as McDowell & Co. It is left to be seen whether the Government and the industry would strike a last minute compromise formula to prevent a rare `dry' Onam in recent history. When contacted, Mr Paul Perinchery, Secretary, Kerala Distillers and Bottlers Federation said: ``We don't want confrontation with the Government, but the imposition of turnover tax is totally unjustified. The distilleries in Kerala won't be able to work as they already run on small margins.'' The new turnover tax requires local distilleries to pay 10 per cent of the ex-factory price on each case of IMFL to the treasury. This means local distilleries would have to cough up additional Rs 23 per case on the cheapest IMFL brand and close to Rs 40 on relatively high priced brands such as McDowell's whisky. ``The Government, which controls the wholesale trade here, has not allowed us to revise price in the last four years despite several requests on account of increasing prices of raw materials,'' Mr Perinchery said. The liquor business in Kerala has been in flux since the A.K. Antony Government began tapping the industry for resource mobilisation to tide over unprecedented treasury crisis. The IMFL retail price has already seen two hikes in the last four months on account of five per cent increase in sales tax and a six per cent hike in KSBC's wholesale margin.
Monday, August 27, 2001
Kerala aims to catch up as tech hub
TRIVANDRUM (Reuters) - Below the hilltop building with its red-tile-roof, the wind whispers through the branches of hundreds of coconut trees. Beyond them in the distance, the blue Arabian Sea sparkles. A swish new holiday resort? No, this is a software park which developers hope will lead Kerala into the fast lane of global high-tech business. India's most literate state, Kerala missed the 1990s boom when other south Indian states -- Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh -- built their technology parks. Now Kerala is trying to make up for lost time and is hoping to win business on the back of the state's reputation as an unspoilt tourist paradise. Sprawling in a suburb of state capital Trivandrum, Technopark, Kerala's ambitious state-run venture, is described in handouts as "the world's greenest electronics technopolis". Authorities hope it will help Trivandrum catch up with its south Indian rivals of Bangalore in Karnataka, Madras in Tamil Nadu and Hyderabad in Andhra Pradesh. Analysts and Technopark's chief say India is well positioned to weather the current global downturn that has particularly hit the technology sector. GROWTH DESPITE SLOWDOWN "If you look at the new business, it is outsourcing for saving on costs, particularly in the area of call centres," said Technopark's chief executive, Rajiv Vasudevan. Labour was cheaper in Kerala and so was bandwidth, because of close submarine cable links, he said. International research firm Gartner Dataquest said this month India's information technology and telecommunications industries were expected to grow 50 percent a year over the next five years despite the slowdown in the United States, India's biggest software export market. "A lot of American companies are under pressure to deliver results," Sujay Chohan, head of research for the Gartner Group in India, told Reuters. "If there is a lay-off in the U.S., it directly adds jobs in India." He said he expected new investment in India in the area of telecoms-linked, back-office services for big U.S. companies. "CRITICAL MASS" Vasudevan, who previously worked for chip-maker Motorola Inc and took over as Technopark's chief executive officer in April, says the park is ready for action. "This is the only IT-related estate in this state which has critical mass," he said. Two stretches of Technopark have 180 acres of land between them, with large buildings offering high-speed telecommunication links and conference facilities. There are 55 companies employing 5,500 people already in the park. One of them, Network Systems and Technologies Pvt Ltd, does high-end software embedded into chips. IBS software Services, a joint venture involving Atraxis, the information technology arm of the Swissair group, is another prized client. India's largest software exporter, the privately held Tata Consultancy Services, has a training centre at Technopark through which 3,000 people pass every year. Kerala laid the foundation for Technopark in 1992, before its neighbours plunged into the field, but the initiative fizzled out because of a lack of administrative will, officials say. In May, a ruling alliance of Communist parties was trounced in Kerala's state elections and a Congrees Party-led coalition took power. Among Indian states, Kerala has the highest percentage of adults who can read and write, 90.9 percent of its 29 million people, against a national average of 65.4 percent. But Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka have concentrated on higher education, and have forged ahead. Kerala produces about 5,000 graduate engineers a year while Karnataka produces six times that number. Firms in state-run technology parks account for 68 percent of India's software exports. While Bangalore's park accounted for $1.6 billion in exports in 2000/01 (April-March) and Hyderabad $424 million, Technopark's exports were about $42.5 million. Kerala is aiming to push that to about $106 million this year and is eyeing the emerging business of call centres, which need big tracts of land to expand. There are now call centres in Technopark. A strong tradition in arts and film making can also help Kerala stand out in specialist skills. Toonz Animation India is setting up an animation studio at Technopark. COST PULL The state is also hoping employers will be attracted by its low staff-turnover rates, compared with other centres where retaining staff can add to costs. Real estate, at roughly 12 rupees a month for one square foot, compared with three times that in Bangalore and salaries are at least 25 percent cheaper, Vasudevan said. "The whole cycle works out much cheaper in Kerala," he said. The state says growing Internet bandwidth is another plus. The Reliance group has a fibre optic cable project and by the end of the year, the state should be totally wired up.
Monday, August 27, 2001
WTO database cell to be set up in State
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, AUG. 26. The chairman of the State World Trade Organisation (WTO) Commission, Dr. M.S. Swaminathan, has said that a WTO Database Cell will be set up in the State to offer "proactive advice" to farmers and growers on various aspects and impacts of globalised trade. Addressing a press conference here today, after two days of discussions with the State Government on setting up of the Commission, Dr. Swaminathan said the WTO cell would generate a comprehensive database of all information relevant to farmers and growers. For this, the existing expertise of institutions and individuals would be networked and utilised. The prime concerns of the State WTO Commission would be to maintain Kerala's leadership in those areas of trade where such leadership already exists, bring about value addition to existing produces and to identify and exploit new areas of trade, he said. After the first sitting of the Commission, task forces would be set up to recommend ways to improve trade practices for such crops as coconut, rubber, tea, coffee, cardamom, ginger, pepper and medicinal herbs. These task forces--which consist of representatives of labour unions and media personnel, among others--would examine the present trade scenario of these crops, identify possibilities of enhanced trade and then would recommend ways of effecting the same. "The task forces would not try to reinvent the wheel, but would collect available expertise in their area of study to achieve their aims," Dr. Swaminathan said. Under the guidance of the Commission processing zones would be set up for organic food products for which there is great demand in Western countries. The Department of Agriculture would identify such zones where food crops could be grown in an organic fashion. The Commission has also identified a continuous tract of land from Silent Valley to Wayanad which could be a designated medicinal herbs and plant cultivation zone. The Western market for such herbs and plants too is very vast. Along with this, Kerala also needs to set up its own certification mechanism for organic crops. What Kerala needs in the present day scenario is more Foreign Direct Investment and strategic partnerships with foreign companies which would prove mutually beneficial. Possibilities for technical collaborations too should be examined. Adequate attention needs to be given to cost competitiveness and quality control. The Commission would also strive to ensure a fair share of the consumer price to farmers and growers who, at present, get only a small fraction of the market price for their crops and produces. Kerala has also great potential to develop "green tourism", he said. The bottomline for the operations of the State WTO Commission would be the well being and economic progress of the farming families of Kerala, he added.
Monday, August 27, 2001
HC order: CU Syndicate stands divided
KOZHIKODE. Members of the Calicut University Syndicate, which took the controversial decision to conduct their own parallel counselling and admissions to the newly - sanctioned engineering college, seem to be divided on their future course of action in the wake of the stay order of the Division Bench of the Kerala High Court. A joint press conference called by the members on the university campus today to explain the issue turned into a war of words between the nominees of the UDF and LDF. The LDF nominees Mr.Mathai Chacko and Mr.C.H.Ashiq said that the Syndicate would take an appropriate decision only after a final verdict following the hearing of the case in the Kerala High Court on September 4, while the IUML nominee, Mr. V.P.Abdul Hameed, pointed out that the stay order closed the chapter of the university going ahead with its own admission procedure. Mr. Mathai Chacko and Mr. C.H.Ashiq also trained their guns on the UDF Government for not responding to the request and reminders of the Syndicate to its proposal that it be allowed to have its own admission procedure. Nothing worth the salt came forth from the reminders and meetings between the syndicate delegation and the Commissioner of Entrance Examinations and parleys between the Vice Chancellor Dr K.K.N.Kurup and the Education Minister, Mr.Nalakath Soopy, held in the State capital, some two months ago, they said. They also blamed Mr.Soopy, who is also by virtue of his position, the Pro Vice Chancellor, for making comments against the officials of the university. But they maintained that the Syndicate members had no confrontation with the State Government on the issue of the parallel counselling to the engineering college . However, Mr.V.P.Abdul Hameed said that Mr.Soopy's comment was correct as he was speaking in his capacity as a part of the State Government. Besides he also revealed more facts relating to the meetings between the Syndicate delegation and the Commissioner for Entrance Examinations. `` The Commissioner for Entrance Examinations had told the syndicate delegation point blank that the university cannot proceed with its own admissions when they met in Thiruvananthapuram in July. But the Syndicate went ahead with its plans and invited applications for admissions to the B.Tech Course .It also conducted the parallel counselling even after the State-wide counselling was held, '' Mr. Hameed said. He also said that the Syndicate had passed a resolution to initiate a process for signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the State Government to enable the university follow the admission procedure adopted by the Regional Engineering College (REC) here. But the Syndicate did not wait for signing the MoU nor did it take follow- up action, he said. None of the Syndicate members gave satisfactory explanation for some questions such as what would become of the hundreds of the students the university had admitted during the last three days. They also parried queries from reporters regarding propriety of holding a parallel counselling. Members were unable to say how many candidates were admitted, how many from the Malabar Region, whether the candidates counselled in Thiruvananthapuram would be admitted and whose petition paved way for the interim order from the single bench of the high court to conduct the university's parallel counselling. The Vice Chancellor, Dr.K.K.N.Kurup, who is under fire for taking things to such an extent, stayed away from the press conference. Others members who attended the conference include Prof.P.Narayankutty, Ms.C.P.Chitra, Mr.M.Abdul Rasheed, Mr.K.V.Mani, Mr.Balakrishana Kidavu, Fr. Antony Purathoor and the university Registrar, Dr.M.Bavakutty.
Sunday, August 26, 2001
Kerala Left, Sangh Parivar make strange bedfellows
HUMAN rights activists in Kerala are baffled over the common ground reached by the Sangh Parivar and the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) in opposing the visit of the All Party Hurriyat Conference (APHC) delegation to the state in the first week of September to explain its stand on the Kashmir issue. The human rights activists feel that the two otherwise mutually acrimonious sides were against the visit because they want to woo the Hindu vote bank, after suffering serious setbacks in the Muslim and Christian belts in the Assembly elections held in the state in May this year. The CPI-M, which has been posing as the protector of minorities, has been antagonistic towards Muslims of late. Party activists engaged in bloody clashes with Muslims at Nadapuram in Kozhikode district for over a month after the elections. But human rights activists see no justification in the protests being mounted by the two sides against the visit of the APHC delegation. The Confederation of Human Rights Organisations secretary general Mukundan C Menon said human rights activists in several states had invited the APHC leaders as per a decision taken at a workshop convened by Amnesty International in Bangalore in 1999. The APHC leaders have already visited West Bengal and Tamil Nadu without inviting any protests from any quarters. The BJP and the CPI-M have been opposing the visit saying it would encourage extremists organisations operating in Kerala. Bharatiya Vichara Kendram director P Parameswaran, who is spearheading the campaign against the visit has submitted a memo to Kerala Chief Minister and Union Home Minister L K Advani demanding action to prevent the visits.
Sunday, August 26, 2001
HC notice on sandal smuggling
Kochi: The Kerala High Court today issued notices to the state government and the forest secretary on a petition seeking a direction to the CBI to conduct a detailed investigation with regard to the functioning of the sandalwood oil factories and smuggling of sandalwood by unregistered local dealers in the state. The petitioner, the Nature Lovers Movement, Thiruvamkulam, also wanted a direction to the state to take immediate steps to close down all the privately owned sandalwood oil manufacturing units in the state and establish a sandalwood oil manufacturing factory in the state. The petition came up before acting Chief Justice P K Balasubramaniyan and justice M Ramachandran.
Saturday, August 25, 2001
Mild tremors in several parts of Thrissur and Palakkad districts
THRISSUR: Several parts of Thrissur and Palakkad districts experienced tremors of mild intensity early this morning rattling doors and windows of houses and household utensils. Chelakkara, Vadakkancherry and Varavoor and Pattambi, Muthuthala, Pallippuram and Mathannur were the areas where the tremors occurred for three seconds between 0530 and 0600 hrs. Some of the residents in these areas reported that the tremors occurred with an alarming sound. District authorities said no damage to life and property had been reported from in any part of these districts due to the quake. Magnitude of the tremors could not be measured as no seismographs existed in those areas. The Thiruvananthapuram meteorological station and the seismograph at the Peechi station of the Centre for Earth Science Studies, Thiruvananthapuram, recorded the tremor at about 0554 hrs. Meteorologist in charge M R Ramachandran said as per the date collected by the seismograph the tremors had its epicenter at about 244 km north of Thiruvananthapuram. Dr Kusala Rajendran of CESS said the Peechi station recorded the tremors for about 25 seconds. However, since it was mild tremors, people might not have experienced it for that 25 seconds. The tremor had its experience at about 28 km east of Peechi. It appeared to have an intensity of about three on the Richter scale, though a conclusive finding of the severity could be made only after analysis of date from some other centres as well. The information from the CESS and the Meteorological station had been passed on to the Indian Meteorological Department.
Saturday, August 25, 2001
Controversy around Hurriyat visit to Kerala
Thiruvananthapuram: Although the proposed visit to Kerala by Hurriyat Conference is still over a week away, protests against it have begun in earnest. Across the state, the BJP and its allies have taken to the streets, demanding that the Congress-led Kerala government change its rather neutral stand and declare the Hurriyat leaders officially unwelcome. "Anti-national organisations which support and follow terrorists are active in Kerala. The Hurriyat visit will encourage them," maintained BJP National Council Member, K Raman Pillai. "Kerala is not the first state they are visiting. We will treat them exactly as the other states are treating them," observed chief minister A K Antony. The Hurriyat team is scheduled to visit Kerala's three major cities - Kozhikode, Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram - where they will speak on the Kashmir situation. The organisers, comprising several human rights groups, say that despite the protests, the tour will take place as planned. "Theirs is a politically motivated opposition. We are giving the reception and organising this tour strictly from human rights angle," insisted Mukundan C Menon, organiser of the Hurriyat trip. The BJP and its allies now say they will pressurise the state government to deny the Hurriyat team entry into Kerala. They have also called for a hartal on September 2 in Kozhikode, from where the Hurriyat leaders are scheduled to begin their tour of Kerala.
Saturday, August 25, 2001
UDF completes 100 days in office
Thiruvananthapuram: The eight-party UDF government in Kerala, led by A K Antony, completed 100 days in office today. The period has been marked by bold intitatives on the economic front, envisaging greater private participation. Having inherited depleted coffers from the LDF government led by CPI(M) veteran E K Nayanar, the first priority of the UDF government was to search for ways and means to put the state back to fast-track development with the ushering in of an investment-friendly climate. The first thing that the government did was to bring out a 'white paper' on finances, which revealed a bleak picture of the state's fiscal position while suggesting way-out options, including an immediate hike in charges of public services. Based on this, power tariffs have been incrased by 25 per cent. Antony, in his Independence Day address, had set out an investment target of Rs 50,000 crore in the next five years with IT, biotechnology and tourism being the thrust areas. The government had also identified professional education and infrastructure development as areas where growth could be ensured through private participation. However, these initiatives have drawn sharp criticism from the Opposition LDF, which has charged that the government is going all out for liberalisation at the cost of the public sector and imperiling achievements in the social sector, accrued over decades.
Saturday, August 25, 2001
ICICI Bank in talks with Vysya Bank, Federal Bank for merger
Mumbai: A new round of consolidation in the banking sector is round the corner with major private banks like ICICI Bank and HDFC Bank understood to be in advanced talks with different banks, both in the private sector and public sector, for mergers. According to sources, ICICI Bank is understood to have initiated talks with the Bangalore-based Vysya Bank for a possible merger. ICICI Bank has also initiated talks with the Kerala-based Federal Bank for similar purpose. Although a faxed query to these banks did not elicit any response, officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, maintained that due-diligence exercises to this effect have already been done. Another leading private bank, HDFC Bank is also learnt to be in talks with three other banks namely Bank of Punjab, Global Trust Bank, and UTI Bank for a possible merger. Top HDFC Bank officials said: "Merchant bankers appointed by various banks have approached us, but we are yet to firm up our plans." Sources also added that it makes eminent sense for HDFC Bank to look at acquisitions since it has cash at the moment and has always been open to the idea of growing inorganically. In this case too, due diligence with different parties is underway, said the sources. Likewise, IndusInd Bank is also on look-out for a strategic partner to divest 10-15 per cent of the promoter’s stake in the bank. This is also true in the case of UTI bank and IDBI bank. Analysts added that for banks like IndusInd Bank, UTI Bank and IDBI Bank, the entry of a strategic partner would also help in complying with the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) stipulation to reduce their respective promoters’ stake. Analysts added that following the failure of the proposed merger of Global Trust Bank and UTI bank, both of these banks make a good buy both in terms of infrastructure and operations. While HDFC bank is on the move for expansion of the branch network and operations, ICICI Bank is on an expansion spree and is looking for wide reach in the southern region. The two private sector banks’moves follow the reported plans of the financial institutions (FIs) to convert themselves into universal banks. ICICI Ltd is reported to be keen on converting itself into a bank within the next 18 months. To this effect, a sound capital base and wider network are significant, said analysts. Vysya Bank has a deposit base of Rs 8,141 crores, capital adequacy ratio of 12.05 per cent, and non-performing assets of Rs 444 crore as on March 31, 2001, which works out to 4.77 per cent of net advances. Federal Bank has a total deposit base of Rs 7,665 crore, capital adequacy ratio of 10.29 per cent. Global Trust Bank is seen as fundamentally strong in terms of operations and retailing strategy, and UTI Bank’s strength is in its technology. Analysts are of the view that the south has a proved to be a better ground for looking out for partner than the north. This is because, banking prospects in the north are not as lucrative as the south, said analysts.
Saturday, August 25, 2001
BPL Mobile signs up Mohanlal
KOCHI: As part of its new promotional initiative, BPL Mobile has signed up with Malayalam movie superstar, Mohanlal, as its brand ambassador to feature in the company's new media campaign in Kerala. The actor will star in BPL Mobile's new thematic TV campaign titled Swantham Desam Keralam (own place Kerala), which focuses generating a spirit of pride and confidence among Keralites. The media campaign would soon be aired in all popular TV channels across Kerala. Strengthening the alliance as a brand ambassador, both the actor and the company will be championing the spirit of resurgence of Kerala to achieve greater economic success and prosperity. Mohanlal will be involved in all multi-brand promotional activities of BPL Mobile in the State, Mr F.B. Cardoso, Executive Director and CEO, said.
Saturday, August 25, 2001
World Bank to Aid Kerala Eco-Tourism in India
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The World Bank has assured the Kerala government in the southern Indian state that it will extend financial aid for developing eco-tourism in the state, according to Tourism Minister K V Thomas. He told reporters he had held discussions with a World Bank official during the recently held Non-Resident Keralites meeting at Kochi. The meeting had decided to draft and implement tourism projects focussed on eco-tourism. A high-level central team would also visit Kerala to explore possibilities of tourism development. They would hold discussions with Chief Minister A K Antony and others concerned, he said. The federal government had sanctioned Rs 190 million ($US4 million) for tourism promotion in the current fiscal year. The civil aviation ministry had accorded sanctions to Singapore Airlines and Kuwait Airlines to operate services from Nedumbassery international airport at Kochi, he added.
Saturday, August 25, 2001
Gear up to face new challenges, Milma told
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The cooperative dairy sector, which has to protect the wide interests of dairy farmers as well as consumers, will have to adopt innovative strategies to meet new challenges in the market, the Agriculture Minister, Ms. K.R. Gouri, has said. Launching the new milk sachets of Kerala Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (Milma) with the mnemonic symbol of quality standard here on Friday, she pointed out that the cooperative dairy sector would have to strengthen itself to face stiff competition in the market from private dairy sector. While paying attention to increasing milk production and distribution, attention should also be given to forming more dairy cooperatives. The Minister also stressed the need for increasing the consumption of milk. As part of the White Revolution, the State Dairy Development Department had formulated a comprehensive scheme for dairy farming in all tribal panchayats. Milma had prepared a Rs. 136- crore project towards this, which includes plans for increasing milk storage and processing capacity and setting up more chilling plants throughout the State, Ms. Gouri said. The chairman of KCMMF, Mr. P.T. Gopala Kurup, presided. Mr. Prayar Gopalakrishnan, MLA, the Dairy Development Secretary, Mr. C.V. Ananda Bose, the NDDB Southern region director, Mr. T.K. Sen, among others, were present on the occasion.
Saturday, August 25, 2001
Coffee growers cut their trees in protest against import policy
Thiruvananthapuram: Coffee growers in Kerala have launched a costly agitation to protest against the neglect of their plight by the Centre and state government. Under the agitation called by the South Indian Coffee Growers Association, workers in Wayanad district, the coffee capital of Kerala, cut off their fruit-bearing trees. The agitation will culminate at Kattappana, Idukki district, on September 3. The association has also proposed to hold similar protests in other southern states. The association attributed the crisis they faced to the Centre’s import policy. They said that coffee prices had been plummeting continuously due to the policy’s adverse impact. The crisis has hit the district badly. Tribals, facing the prospect of starvation, are already on the warpath. A group of tribals in Sulthan Bathery recently robbed a mobile store of the Kerala State Civil Supplies Corporation to highlight their plight. Another group plans to set up a refugee camp before Chief Minister A K Antony’s residence in New Delhi from September 30, when people will celebrate the harvest festival of Onam. The Kerala government has been supplying free ration to the affected tribals for the past month. The government recently extended the relief to the next two months
Saturday, August 25, 2001
7 additions in Kerala theme park
Kochi: The ‘Dream world Water Park’, situated in Athirappilly waterfalls in Chalakkudy in Thrissur district, will add seven more attractions from September 5, to provide fun and entertainment to tourists. Addressing a press meet here today, N A Sunny, managing director and Simon, joint managing director of the park, said the seven attractions to be introduced included gokart, trampoline, catapult, computer games, rain dance, pirate ship and sky train. Claiming that the ‘sky train’ was the first such in the country, Simon said it consisted of five bogies and could accommodate 20 people and the 300 m track had been built on 58 pillars. This was the third stage of development work being carried out in the park which was inaugurated in September last, and has 47 various types of attractions including 28 water connected entertainment rides. He said they had plans to start one more park in Kozhikode with an initial investment of Rs 10 crore.
Saturday, August 25, 2001
Western Union begins roadshows in Kerala
KOCHI: WESTERN Union Financial Services Inc USA, one of the oldest and leading money transfer companies in the world, is organising relationship-building programme in Kerala as part of its strategy to develop a close understanding and relationship with the market in the State. Kerala is one of the high priority markets for the company in the Gulf South Asia region as it caters to more than 5 million NRIs in the Gulf region, a majority of them being Keralites. The roadshows would be conducted selected areas in the State to build close association with the families of both the NRIs and local residents in the State, Mr Harsh Lambah, Senior Area Manager, told newspersons. The roadshows will traverse Thiruvalla, Kottayam, Kochi, Thrissur, Chavakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Kannur, Payannur and Kasargod from August 24 to September 11 to coincide with the Onam festival season in the State. Western Union has been in India for the past six years in over 1,800 locations across 350 towns and cities. In Kerala, the company had presence at over 100 locations in 35 towns, he added. Regarding future plans, Mr Lambah said its network in the country would be expanded to 3,000 locations by 2002 and 25,000 by 2005. The company was actively pursuing plans to introduce domestic money transfer service in compliance with the regulatory authorities by the year-end. It had also plans to introduce direct-to-bank service in selected towns by 2002.
Saturday, August 25, 2001
WB aid for Kerala tourism devt
Thiruvananthapuram: The World Bank had assured the Kerala government that it would extend financial aid for developing eco-tourism in the state, Tourism Minister K V Thomas has said. Speaking to reporters here in connection with the Onam celebrations, Thomas said he had held discussions with a World Bank official during the recently held Non-Resident Keralites meet at Kochi. The meeting had decided to draft and implement tourism projects focussing on eco-tourism, he said, adding that the bank officials would come again to have detailed talks. A high-level central team would also arrive in Kerala to explore the possibilities of tourism development. They would hold discussions with Chief Minister A K Antony and other officials concerned, he said. The Centre had sanctioned Rs 19 crore for tourism promotion in the current fiscal. The projects included development of jetties in Kochi backwaters, construction of a Kerala Paryatan Bhavan at Fort Kochi, development of walkways along the shores of backwaters of Kochi and setting up of an eco-tourism development centre at Thenmala. The Civil Aviation Ministry had accorded sanction to Singapore Airlines and Kuwait Airlines to operate services from Nedumbassery international airport at Kochi, he added.
Saturday, August 25, 2001
Nambiar clarifies
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The K.P.P. Nambiar and Associates has maintained that the Kannur Power Project promoted by it would use only natural gas as the primary fuel, since natural gas would be available from the proposed LNG terminal in Kochi by the time the project starts generating power. In a rejoinder to the report titled `Move to surrender power from NTPC', published in The Hindu on August 24, the chairman of K.P.P. Nambiar and Associates, Mr. K.P.P. Nambiar, said the project had obtained approval from the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) for the use of both natural gas and naphtha as the fuel. He said the company had already informed the Kerala Government and the KSEB that the project would be using only natural gas as the primary fuel and that it had signed the necessary Memorandum of Understanding with Petronet LNG Ltd, the Bharat Petroleum Company Ltd., and the Gas Authority of India Ltd. (GAIL) for the supply of natural gas from the Kochi terminal by 2005. Due to the delay which had already occurred, the project could be completed only by that time frame even if all the approvals from the State Government were received by June, 2002, he said. Mr. Nambiar also said that GAIL would be laying the pipeline as a network, enabling both the Kannur Power Project and the Kayamkulam project of the NTPC to simultaneously get the benefit of the natural gas supply. Referring to the statement in the report that there was objection to the low level of investment the Indian promoters were ready to put into the project, he said the objection of the State Government that ``only 7.8 per cent of the project cost was being brought in'' was based on wrong assumptions on the Central Electricity Authority's (CEA's) clearance letter dated February 16, 2001. Mr. Nambiar further maintained that the Union Government had now sent a communication to the State Government clarifying that ``the contribution by the promoters to the tune of 11 per cent of the total outlay can be made by both domestic promoter and foreign co-promoter together since the Government of India resolution dated October 11, 1991, does not make any distinction between domestic and foreign co-promoter''.
Saturday, August 25, 2001
Kerala Sets Aside US$1.2 BLN for Port Development
KOLLAM: The Kerala government proposed to develop major ports in the state at an estimated cost of Rs 60 billion (IS$1.28 billion), Co-operation and Ports Minister M V Raghavan said on Thursday. Speaking at a meet-the-press programme here, he said the goernment planned to develop major ports, including Vizhijam, and Azhikode. Work on the wharf of Kozhikode port would also be undertaken, he said. The minister said the government was considering providing membership to all primary co-operative banks in district banks. However, a final decison in this regard would be taken later, he said. A decison to reduce the interest rate of co-operative banks also would also be taken soon, he added.
Saturday, August 25, 2001
More foreign flights to Kochi soon
KOCHI. With the landing of the Oman Air's first flight to Kochi on August 22, hopes in the minds of the expatriate Malayalis have soared. Now is the time to look forward to more direct flights from the Gulf region to Kerala and the Gulf settlers are in an upbeat mood what with two more foreign airlines expected to start operation to Kochi soon. It was a VVIP welcome for the 200-odd passengers who alighted on the maiden flight from Oman at Nedumbasserry on the wee hours of Wednesday. The Kerala Tourism Minister, Prof. K.V. Thomas was on hand to receive the passengers. Special cultural programmes including `Kaikottikali' was staged keeping up with the spirit of the Onam festival, when the flight landed at Muscat and the passengers were given Kerala food like `idiappam' and `kappa'. According to Mr. Abdul Rahman Al Busiady, general manager of Oman Air, the airlines has been given traffic rights to operate scheduled flights to Kochi. This follows bilateral discussions between the Union Civil Aviation Department and its counterpart in the Sultanate of Oman at Delhi this week. The understanding reached is for Oman Air to operate 600 weekly seats to Kochi. The airlines was also granted 400 additional seats to be deployed between Oman and each of Mumbai and Chennai per week. The designated Indian carriers have been granted reciprocal capacity increase and have been granted Salalah as an additional point of operation in the Sultanate of Oman. The airline is also arranging for local endorsement so that passengers can travel from Kochi to Muscat even if they were holding a ticket from Thiruvananthapuram, officials of the Oman airways told mediapersons here last night. Muscat would be the hub for the passengers in the Gulf proceeding to Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram. According to sources here, Oman Air will be operating three weekly flights on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays which will be increased to four weekly flights by adding Saturday also in the schedule with effect from September 1. Meanwhile, according to Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) sources here, the Civil Aviation Ministry has agreed to allow foreign airlines to operate to and from Cochin International Airport even without going for bilateral discussions, but subject to a commercial agreement reached with Air India. According to Mr. Babu C. Rajeev, CIAL Managing Director, Kuwait, Oman and Yemen Airways could operate to and from this airport once a commercial agreement was reached between them and Air India. However, other foreign airlines viz., the Singapore Airlines and a couple of European airlines which had been showing interest, would be allowed to operate to Nedumbassery after concluding the necessary bilateral agreements with the respective Governments. Mr. Rajeev said that CIAL was on the road to profit though the debt servicing was taking a toll on the margins. The current operational surplus works out to nearly Rs. 1.85 crores but this was being offset because of the monthly debt servicing to the tune of Rs. 2.85 crores. Among the expansion plans, the earliest to materialise may be the duty-free shop which has been a major demand of the tourists. The shop would become operational by October-end as the work on this was going on in full swing.
Saturday, August 25, 2001
TELK bags 1.5 cr order from Oman
Kochi, August 24: Transformers and Electricals Kerala Ltd (TELK) has bagged a Rs 1.5 crore order from Oman for supply of four 20 MVA transformers. This order is in addition to the six transformers ordered earlier by Oman costing Rs 2 crore, according to a TELK release here. The current order, placed by the Directorate General of Electricity for their Dhofar project in Salalah, Oman, has been secured against stiff global competition from leading manufacturers. TELK managing director, M Vijayakumaran, said the company had at present an order book of about Rs 80 crore, including the overseas orders. TELK was expecting further orders from L&T project, Salalah, Muscat and Petroleum Development, Oman, for several transformers in different ranges. Tenders had been submitted for some more projects quoted by ABB, Sweden and L&T, Syria and also for exporting transformers to United States, the release added.
Saturday, August 25, 2001
S.N trust budget presented
ALLAPUZHA: Allocation of six and half crore rupees for starting medical college, Rs 94 lakhs for development and purchase of laboratory equipments for the colleges under the trust, another three crores for expansion of higher secondary schools are some of the highlights of the S.N trust budget presented to the general body meeting by secretary Vellapally Natesan yesterday. Speaking after the presentation of the budget Natesan exhorted the trust members to fight for the causes of the community. Commenting on LDF’s devastating defeat in the recently held assembly elections in the state Natesan said that no political outfit could hope to reach power in the state by sidelining the community. He alleged that there were vested interests behind the student unrest in Kollam S N College and the desecration of Gurudevan’s statue at several places across the state. Trust executive member N Natarajan presided over the meeting. Treasurer D Prabha, Dr T K Balachandran and Adv R K Das spoke on the occasion.
Saturday, August 25, 2001
Kannanthanam trying to blackmail me: Minister
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Education Minister Nalakath Soopi alleged that Alphonse Kannanthanam is trying to blackmail him for replacing him as entrance commissioner. Minister’s statement comes close on the heels of Kannanthanam’s allegation that minister had vested interests behind his removal. Kannanthanam had also threatened that if he revealed the truth behind his removal the minister would be forced to resign. Defending his stance minister said that he had removed Kannanthanam with full knowledge of Chief Minister A K Antony. "I have nothing to hide. Kannanthanam’s statements are only meant to blackmail me" minister alleged. Asked if he would request chief minister to take legal action against Kannanthanam minister said that appropriate steps would be taken after making consultations with chief minister and other ministers.
Saturday, August 25, 2001
Two RCC doctors seek police protection
Trivandrum: Two doctors of the Regional Cancer Centre (RCC) in Trivandrum, who blew the lid on the controversial trial of an untested drug on 27 unsuspecting cancer patients, have sought police protection fearing attacks. V P Gangadharan and V M Bhattathiri said they have requested the police chief as well as the police station in the RCC neighbourhood to provide security to them at the hospital as they feared attacks by a section of the staff. A controversy has raged in Kerala for several months over the unethical trials at the RCC during 1999-2000 of a chemical M4N, which is a derivative of NDGA, a drug banned by the Food and Drug Administration department of the United States of America. Two separate inquiries have been ordered by the state and the central governments into the trials. A preliminary finding by the state's one-man inquiry commission has revealed that Baltimore-based John Hopkins University (JHU) had funded the clinical trials of M4N at the RCC. The world famous varsity had earlier denied any role in the controversy after it was alleged that it had sponsored the trial of M4N, which was developed by a team of JHU researchers headed by Ru Chi Huang. Bhattathiri was the first to lodge a formal complaint with the Kerala Human Rights Commission against the controversial tests, which he alleged were conducted in violation of all medical norms and ethics: neither was the nature of the drug explained to the patients nor their consent taken before they were injected with the drugs. Later, Gangadharan also came out in the open against the RCC for the surreptitious trials. "Some employees with the backing of top officials of the RCC have been trying to create problems for me at the hospital. On Thursday evening, I was able to escape a possible attack after work as I sneaked out of the hospital using an uncommon exit." "Later, I came to know that a few employees, who were suspected of warning me, were threatened," Gangadharan said on Friday. He said Bhattathiri has submitted a separate complaint to the police. The RCC Protection Action Forum, a group owing allegiance to beleaguered RCC director M Krishnan Nair, has demanded disciplinary action against the two doctors, alleging that they were members of a charitable society for cancer patients, in contravention of their employment rules. "They are trying to divert attention from the real issues. I joined the society so that I could continue my charitable work, which I have been doing for years," said Gangadharan. Meanwhile, opposition leader V S Achuthanandan has slammed Chief Minister A K Antony for his concern about the damage to RCC's reputation following the controversial trials. He said Antony should be more concerned about clearing the doubts over the RCC. His views have been echoed by a number of political parties and social organisations, and some have even demanded that the RCC director be kept out of office till the doubts are cleared.
Saturday, August 25, 2001
Lensman dies in bike-auto collision
ALUVA: In an auto-bike collision, a freelance photographer, Shyam Kumar, 26, died yesterday night near Aluva Settlement School. Shyam, hailing from Kottapuram Lekshmi Nivas is the son of Krishnankutty Menon.Shyam met with the accident on his way back home. Even though he was taken to the hospital his life could not be saved. Shyam, owner of Twin Studio, is survived by his brother Prem Kumar, who is also a photographer
Saturday, August 25, 2001
Youths hacked in Kannur
KANNUR: A gang from Tamil Nadu entered a hotel in Thekkibazar and hacked two persons. Sources said they are seriously injured. This was in retaliation to a clash, which happened on August 2 at Samajwadi Colony in which three were injured. A house was completely destroyed. Many Tamilians living in the colony have vacated the place due to fear. The incident happened today morning at 6 45 am. While Rajesh, 23 and K Navas, 27 were having tea inside the hotel, they were hacked. After hurling bombs, the gang rushed to the hotel and injured many. The condition of Rajesh is said to be serious. The people who came to the hotel fled from the scene. Two country bombs were hurled at the hotel. But, no damage has been reported. The injured were taken to the hospital by the locals and police. Later, the miscreants were seen going to the Swamymadom colony.The gang then frightened the Malayali families living in the colony. Joshi and K Sunil were also hacked. The injured later told the police that the people living in the colony itself are behind this gruesome incident.
Saturday, August 25, 2001
Chithra's husband pleads not to brand him HIV positive
KOCHI: A man with two kids pleaded before the media in Kochi, not to describe them as HIV positive. Anilkumar (30) of Kilimanur, husband of Chithra who reportedly died of AIDS on July-17 last, said his nine-year-old daughter Priyanka was finding it difficult to go to school as people look askance at her because of media coverage of her mother's death. The girl is a fourth standard student at the Government PVLP School, Kilimanur, Thiruvananthapuram district. Armed with photocopies of blood test results, he said he and his children had tested negative for HIV and appealed to the media not to cause them further agony. Anilkumar said his wife died of bone TB and not of HIV infection as reported in a section of the media. She had undergone mandatory blood tests for HIV before her two deliveries and both times tested negative, he said.
Thursday, August 23, 2001
Sree Mahaganapathy Temple at Pazhavangadi had entered
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Sree Mahaganapathy Temple at Pazhavangadi had entered the net and now the devotees can go online to offer poojas. Devotees of the temple can visit the website www.pazhavangadiganapath.org from today evening and propitiate Vigneswara by requesting special poojas online. The site also offer details about the temple's history and the regular pooja timings, apart from a host of other information. The site will be inaugurated today.
Thursday, August 23, 2001
Oman Air begins operation in Kochi-Gulf sector
KOCHI: Oman Air began its operation in the Kochi-Gulf sector with the arrival of an Oman Air flight with 200 passengers on board at the Nedumbassery airport easily this morning.Oman Air, the first foreign scheduled airline to operate from Nedumbassery, will operate three services a week on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays with a total of 600 seats. Oman Air general manager Abdulrahman Al Busaidy told reporteres here today that the weekly flights would be raised to four form next month. He said with the commencement of the service, passengers in the Gulf region would be able to fly on Oman Air and use the Muscat hub to travel to Kochi and Thriuvananthapuram in state and Mumbai and Chennai. They also planned to increase the Mumbai frequency from its current one flight a day schedule. Passengers could choose to travel from Kochi to Muscat even if they are holding ticket from Thiruvananthapurm after getting it endorsed.
Thursday, August 23, 2001
Centre to sponsor Atham celebrations in state
KOCHI: Union Tourism and Culture Minister Ananth Kumar today announced the centre's decision to henceforth sponsor the Athaghosham (Atham celebrations) organised as part of the Onam celebrations in the state.Opening the Atham celebrations at Tripunithura, the seat of the erstwhile Cochin Royal family, near here he said state's national festival Onam had been a tourist attraction in the state for long and the centre had decided to fund and sponsor the programme especially the Athaghosham, marking the commencement of the 10-day Onam celebrations in the state.This was for the first time the Athaghosham had been participated by a union minister. Ananth Kumar said he had specially come to attend the atham celebrations forgoing the Ganesh Chathurthy celebrations in the national capital, Delhi, realising the importance of the function here. State Civil Supplies and Culture Minister G Karthikeyan hoisted the flag to mark the commencement of the annual cultural programmes in connection with the athaghosham. Tourism and Fisheries Minister K V Thomas and Irrigation and Museum Minister T M Jacob also addressed the function.
Thursday, August 23, 2001
Milma to adopt new symbol from Aug 24
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: About 1.3 million sachets of milk sold everyday by the state Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation Ltd (Milma) will adopt a new symbol from August 24, as part of the national diary development board's endeavour to foster uniform identity in liquid milk sold across the country through cooperatives.A bench mark for quality certification, the NDDB has agreed to include Milma to be the first federation in the country to use the symbol throughout the state, Milma chairman P T Gopala Kurup told reporters here today. Kurup said as part of the campaign, Milma would improve the quality of milk in a phased manner within three years. The NDDB had set apart a sum of Rs 9 crore for the mega campaign. Under the scheme, milk sold by cooperatives all over the country would have a uniform symbol--device of drop. However, the brand name of all the cooperaties would be retained. Established in 1981, Milma has emerged as one of the biggest organisations in the cooperative diary sector. The name Milma now represents an apex federation, three regional milk unions, 2,315 primary milk cooperative societies encompassing 6.37 dairy farmers, nine dairy plants capapble of handling 7.27 litres of milk per day, 14 milk chilling plants, 4,200 distribution outlets and over 20,000 people employed directly and indirectly. Milma has registered a turn over of Rs 453 crore during the fiscal 2000-01.
Thursday, August 23, 2001
Govt to make Tripunithura palace a tourist centre
KOCHI: Irrigation Minister T M Jacob today said the state government had prepared a Rs 25 crore project aimed at the overall development of the Tripunithura hill palace, the seat of the erstwhile Cochin Royal family, near here, to make it a main tourist attraction in this part of the state. The project, to be implemented on a build, operate and transfer (BOT) basis, included setting up of a Rs 20 crore I-Max, three dimensional theatre, the type of which was available in the country only at Mumbai and a general archaeological gallery involving an expenditure of Rs 3 crore.The project was later submitted to Union Tourism and Culture Minister Ananth Kumar at a function held in connection with declaring open the royal jewellery museum, including the priceless golden royal crown, to the public. He told reporters at the palace that the jewellery museum, containing costly royal ornaments, would be open to the public for three days a week from Friday to Sunday. Jacob said preliminary works of the project had already been commenced and the state would go ahead with the project even if the central assistance were not forthcoming.The project, proposed to be implemented in two years, would convert the hill palace into an ideal tourist centre where daylong programme including a light and sound show would be introduced. The 19 existing fountains in the palace area would be repaired for this purpose, Jacob added.
Thursday, August 23, 2001
Free ration to Adivasis
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister A K Antony said the government has decided to extend free ration facility to adivasis for another one more month.Talking to reporters in Thiruvananthapuram after cabinet meeting, Antony said free ration would be given to workers of closed plantations for one week. The adivasis were getting free ration for the last one month. The government decision to provide free ration to adivasis came in the wake of agitational threat given by various organisations representing adivasis demanding better living conditions to them. The organisations even threatened that they would stage dharna before chief minister's residence during the Onam celebrations day.
Wednesday, August 22, 2001
Employment officer sentenced to 75 years of imprisonment
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The vigilance court in Thiruvananthapuram today sentenced an employment officer to three years imprisonment each on 25 cases on charges of isappropriation of unemployment dole totaling Rs 59,000 by forging documents.Enquiry commissioner and special judge, N K Balakrishanan. However, ordered the convict K Vijayakumar to undergo punishment concurrently.The prosecution case was that Vijayakumar while working as employment officer in Cherthala in Alappuzha district forged documents and pocketed unemployment dole to be disburse to 74 youths.The judge had found Vijayakumar guilty and convicted him last week and had reserved the sentences.
Wednesday, August 22, 2001
Samavayam: KSIDC signs MOU with MAPCA
KOCHI: A Memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed today, on the concluding day of the global meet of non-resident Keralites (NRK), between the Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC) and the Malayali Pravasi Cultural Association (MAPCA) to set up a Rs 300 crore center of excellence in Kerala's northern district of Kannur. The MAPCA, a Saudi Arabia based cultural organization, proposes to set up an engineering college, institute for tele-medicine, fashion institute, dental college at the center of excellence, MAPCA sources said.The center is expected to come up in three to five years. KSIDC managing director, Jiji Thomson, who is also the secretary NORKA (Non Resident Keralites Association) told reporters that the other modalities of the agreement had to be worked out. The two-day global meet of non resident Keralites (NRK), which unveiled the innumerable business possibilities in God's Own Country, concluded today with the state govt promising to formulate an investor friendly labour policy an to impellent several welfare measures for NRKS. Talking to reporters at the conclusion for the global meet, called "Samavayam" (consensus), parliamentary affairs minister and minister in charge of NORKA, M M Hassan, outlined the action plan for welfare an venture for the NRKs drawn up corporation (KSIDC) and NORKA (non resident Keralites association).The minister said that a high-level delegation led by state chief minister, A K Antony, and some state ministers would meet the prime minister at Delhi in November to apprise him of the difficulties faced by the NRKs and efforts would be made to work out some solutions.
Wednesday, August 22, 2001
T Padmanabhan gets Vallathol Prize
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Well-known short story writer, P Padmanabhan has been named for this year's prestigious Vallathol prize.Prize, constituting a cash of Rs 1,11,111 and a citation instituted by Vallathol Sahitya Samathi, has been given to Padmanabhan in recognition of his outstanding contribution ot Malayalam language and literature . The Samithi president, R Ramachandran Nair said in a statement in Thiruvananthapuram today. The jury consisting of R Ramachndran nair, Vishnunarayana Nambuthiri, Prof. K. Kuamran Nair, Prof. C G Rajagoplan and Dr. S Sridevi selected Padamnabhan for the ward, statement said.The award would be presented to Padamnabhjan on October 16, at a function organized on connection with the 123-bitrhday celebration of Mahakavi Vallathol.
Tuesday, August 21, 2001
CBI resumes Sister Abhaya case investigation
KOTTAYAM: The CBI had started the reinvestigation of sister Abhaya murder case. The senior DIG of CBI Nandakumar is investigating the case. The reinvestigation had been ordered by the High Court on the petition filed by the Abhaya action council. They pleaded that CBI had ended the investigation under the conclusion that Abhaya was committed suicide. The reinvestigation is ordered on the basis of the findings of CBI Dy. S P Varghese P Thomas, that Abhaya was killed. Varghese left the service due to continues pressure on him to make Abhaya case as suicide. After the resignation of Varghese CBI investigated the case again and they were about to stop the investigation, saying that Abhaya was committed suicide. The Abhaya action council then filed a case at HC to order a reinvestigation.
Tuesday, August 21, 2001
Karunakaran flays planning board appointments
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Senior congress leader K Karunakaran on Monday flayed the appointments in state planning board. The board had reconstituted months back and till now no progress is there, he alleged. The development of Kerala should not be kept under the financial crisis. There is no problem in giving more time to evaluate governments working, he added. Karunakaran was talking on the birth anniversary of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, organised by district congress committee.
Tuesday, August 21, 2001
Youth serious after police torture in Pala
PALA: Due to the severe torturing of the police, a youth is admitted in Pala taluk hospital.Jobish Thomas of Meenachil Vallichira Edanattukara, was severely beaten up by the police. His body is swollen completely. After being admitted to the hospital, police are trying to take him back to the station for a statement. A cop from the superintendent's office has asked the youth to reach the police station to give a statement this morning. Jobish had already given a complaint to the SP and the Human Rights Commission.On the night of August 17, a team led by inspector arrested and handcuffed him from his house.
Tuesday, August 21, 2001
'Samavayam 2001' begins
KOCHI: The two-day global Non-Resident Kerala (NRK) meet, 'Samavayam 2001', began here today. Chief Minister A K Antony opened the meet. It will discuss and try to evolve solutions to the knotty problems faced by overseas Malayalees including passport, visa and emigration issues, lackadaisical functioning of Indian embassies in the Gulf and hardships the NRKs encounter at airports. The meeting felicitated some prominent NRKs like Dr Vinod Thomas, a World Bank official, Javed Hassan, chairman of IT firm NeST, Mohammed Ali, promoter of Gulfar group, Dr Raji Menon, chairman of Asianet among others. Some of the other issues which will be discussed at the meeting are education problems faced by NRKs children in Kerala, hardships faced by their families here and the uncertainty Keralites face in securing jobs outside the country. Leader of Opposition V S Achuthanandan, Chairman, High Level Committee on Indian Diaspora Dr L M Singhvi, Minister for Industries and IT P K Kunhalikutty, Minister for Tourism K V Thomas, Minister for Revenue K M Mani, Minister for Co-operation M V Raghavan, Minister for Electricity Kadavoor Sivadasan and other ministers participated in the event.
Tuesday, August 21, 2001
Antony promises a new investment climate
KOCHI: Chief Minister A.K.Antony said that government would take all possible steps to create a 'investor friendly climate' in the state. Inaugurating two-day global meet of Non-Resident Keralities (NRK) meet titled 'Samavayam-2001' (consensus), Antony minced no words to drive home the point that the need of the hour was modernization and "it was time for change. The old mindset and ideologies have to be case aside". Antony said his government was confident of achieving the investment target of Rs.50,000-crore for the state in the next five years. Since the government was facing a severe financial crunch, the only option was to forge partnerships in various thrust areas like Information Technology, Bio-Technology (BT), education and infrastructure development. Several Public Sector Units (PSUs) were sick and 'white elephants' and government was unable to bear the losses. It was also against liquidation, he pointed out. Promising the NRKs a new "investment climate", Antony said it would not be a "one-way traffic" for the investors. Government would also ensure that the NRKs problems, like voting rights and more direct flights from foreign countries to Kerala were addressed. Antony said he would be meeting the Prime Minister in this regard at Delhi later this year. Antony said his Govt was opposed to the liquidation of Public Sector undertakings (PSUs), but it would not allow loss-incurring PSUs to continue. He called for a anew partnership between the NRKs and the state govt to usher in a new industrial climate in the State. A new chapter had to be opened in the State's development for which he sought the unstinted support and cooperation of the NRKs. Antony told the conclave that an office of the Non-Resident Keralite Affairs Department (NOFKA) would be opened at the Kerala House in New Delhi to liaison with the various departments of the Union Govt with regard to problems of the NRKs. He said the question of exorbitant farers being realized by Air India in Kerala-Gulf sector would be taken up with the concerned ministry at the Center. The issue of ending Air India monopoly in the sector and permitting foreign airliners to operate from Kerala airports would also be taken up with the Centre in right earnest. He said Oman air Air operates services from the Kochi International Airport, Nedumbassery, from Wednesday next. Kuwait Airways is expected to operate its services from airport shortly. Antony said passenger shipping services from Kochi and various Gulf ports would be promoted considering the convenience of the poorly-paid Gulf Malayalees.
Tuesday, August 21, 2001
UDF will revive district corruption enquiry council: Mani
Thrissur: Kerala Revenue Minister K.M. Mani said on Sunday the UDF would revive the district level peoples corruption enquiry council through out the state. He said complaint boxes would be set up at the council members in the presence of district collectors and legal action would be taken in deserving cases. Mani said district level workshops intended to clear pending files would be conducted after Onam Festival.
Tuesday, August 21, 2001
Compensation for Malayalees suffered losses in the Gulf War
Thiruvananthapuram: There is an opportunity for those people who failed to apply for losses suffered during Gulf war. The centre has accepted in principle the demand of Kerala government to give one more chance to claim compensation for those Malayalees who suffered losses during Kwait war. An official release on Sunday said that External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh had informed Non-Resident Keralites Minister M.M.Hassan that the issue was being discussed with the United Nations.
Tuesday, August 21, 2001
Kerala signs power sector reform with centre
New Delhi: Kerala sate government Monday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the centre to undertake milestone linked power sector reforms in the state including desegregation of state electricity board. As per MoU, Kerala State Electricity Board would be functionally desegregated and made accountable in respect of each of its principal functions of generation, transmission and distribution with a view to create independent profit centres in April 2002. Besides Kerala would constitute an independent state electricity regulatory commission by October 2001 and file tariff petitions by March 2002. Tariff orders issued by the SERCC would be implemented fully, the MoU said. Mattering to all 11 kv and above feeders would be completed by October 2001 while energy audit at 11kv level would be operational by March 2002, sources said. The MoU was signed by A.K. Basu, Secretory, power, Government of India and V. Krishnamoorthy, Chief secretory, Kerala .
Monday, August 20, 2001
Padmaja's appointment cause differences in Congress
Padmaja's appointment cause differences in Congress THIRUVANATHAPURAM: The youth wing of Congress (I) Karunakaran faction has demanded the resignation of minister G Kartikeyan as the latter had criticised the appointment of Padmaja as the KTDC chair person. But, Chief Minister A K Antony, commented that, this matter need not be made an issue. Antony at the meet the press program in Kochi justified the appointment of Padmaja. He said the contribution of K Karunakaran is enormous and his family cannot be forgotten. The KTDC chairman during the earlier government was C K Chandrappan who did not have any expertise in the Tourism sector. During each government they appoint persons whom they thing are qualified for the post and it need not be made an issue, Antony added. Meanwhile, the youth wing of Congress (I), K Karunakaran faction, demanded the resignation of Kartikeyan as they said the minister insulted the ruling of tourism minister Prof. K V Thomas who is his colleague. Karthikeyan had earlier alleged that KPCC president, K Muraleedharan is making the Congress his homely affair. The youth wing said the Congress cadres should be happy for Karunakaran and his family who are being respected, V S Sivakumar MP said.
Monday, August 20, 2001
Memorandum of Understanding on electricity to be signed today
Memorandum of Understanding on electricity to be signed today THIRUVANATHAPURAM: The State government will today with the Central government will sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on electricity for setting up electricity tariff regulatory commission, dividing the board into profitable sectors and for the overall development of the board. Chief Secretary V Krishnamurty and KSEB chairman N V Madhavan who have reached Delhi will sign the MOU with the central government. Left wing unionist allege that the move is to transfer the board to private sector but, electricity minister Kadavoor Sivadasan said the board will not be laid in private hands at any cost. He said to this site's paper that it is the usual work of the left wing to criticise each new move. Besides setting up tariff regulation commission the board will be divided into three profit sectors i.e. generation, transmission and distribution. The three distribution centres would be at Thiruvanathapuram, Ernakulam and Kozhikode. These reforms will be in lieu with the Electricity Bill 2001.
Monday, August 20, 2001
Spirit seized at Amaravila
Spirit seized at Amaravila THIRUVANATHAPURAM: The sales tax authorities captured 7000 lts of spirit form a lorry that was en route to Kerala, at the state's border. The lorry owner has been arrested. In a routine check at the Amaravilla border 213 barrels of spirit amounting to 7000 lts of spirit was apprehended. The lorry had a fake receipt to a fictitious paper company in Thiruvananthapuram. The driver and the cleaner evaded police and search has been ordered to apprehend the culprits.
Monday, August 20, 2001
Gulf war compensation
Gulf war compensation THIRUVANATHAPURAM: The Centre has accepted in principle the demand of the Kerala Government to give one more chance to claim compensation for those Malayalees who suffered losses during the Gulf war. An official release said in Thiruvananthapuram today that External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh had informed Non-Resident Keralites Affairs Minister M.M Hassan that the issue was being discussed with the United nations. It may be recalled that several people, who failed to apply on time, were denied compensation for the losses suffered during the Kuwait war.
Monday, August 20, 2001
Pension scheme for NRKs
Pension scheme for NRKs THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister A K Antony will unveil a pension scheme for Kerala's expatriates when he inaugurates the maiden conclave of the government, the industry and the nonresident Keralites NRKs) in Kochi today, an official said. The announcement of the pension scheme will be the United Democratic Front (UDF) government's gift to the 1.6 million NRKs as well as the affirmation of its intent that it cares for the state's expatriate population, the official told reporters. He, however, refused to divulge the details of the scheme. "I am sorry that I cannot give any more details of the scheme, please wait for one more day," said the official, who preferred to remain unidentified. He only said that the new scheme would be quite different from the one proposed by the previous Left Democratic Front (LDF), adding the NRKs have been demanding a retirement-cum-pension scheme for a long time. The two-day meet of the NRKs, called Samavayam-2001, brings together for the first time the government, the industry and the representatives of the NRKs to discuss threadbare the problems of the expatriate population who remit close to Rs 40 billion to the state every year. Gigi Thompson, secretary of Non-Resident Keralites Affairs Department (NORKA), said NRK representatives from the US, Britain other European countries and the Middle East will be among nearly 700 delegates expected to attend the meet that would be inaugurated by Antony today.
Monday, August 20, 2001
Toddy cooperatives will be deposed: CM
Toddy cooperatives will be deposed: CM
KOCHI: Chief Minister A K Antony said the toddy cooperatives set up during the LDF rule will be disbanded. Antony told a meet-the-press programme, organized by the Ernakulam Press Club in Kochi. According to UDF governments liquor policy gradual liquor ban would be implemented and arrack ban will continue. The decision to implement UDF's liqor policy will be made at a ministerial meeting in September, he said. A.K.Antony dismissed opposition misgivings about the Rs.50,000 crore investment proposals envisaged by the United Democratic Front (UDF) Government in the next five years for the state and expressed confidence that his government would succeed in exceeding its investment target. The government was preparing a new investment policy in six sectors, including Agriculture, Information Technology (IT) and Bio-Technology (BT) and discussions are on with the World Bank, Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Non-Resident Keralities Within three months a new Kerala model development scheme would be given shape to, he said. Replying to a question, he said the CPI (M)-led Left Democratic Front (UDF), which had expressed doubts about the new investment proposals with the help of private sector participation, had no hesitation in giving the nods to similar projects in West Bengal. "It is time we change our mindset to put the state on the road to development", he said. Various efforts are being taken by the government to create the favorable atmosphere for investments to flow in.
Monday, August 20, 2001
Antony upbeat on Delhi response
Antony upbeat on Delhi response
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala chief minister A K Antony on Sunday said that the Centre had assured him of favourable consideration of many matters vital to the state and hoped that the financial position of the state would improve in another three months. He told reporters on arrival from Delhi that the state's problems had been discussed during his meeting with Prime Minister A B Vajpayee and other central ministers. The Centre had favourably responded to the requests made by him on these problems, he added. The Government was seeking a solution to the financial crisis. "Three months have passed since we took over. I am asking for a minimum six months time to improve the situation," he said. On the Plan size of Rs 3015 crore approved by the Centre, he said it was fixed taking into consideration the real situation of the state. There is no point in preparing a big plan size and not achieving the target, he added.
Monday, August 20, 2001
PDP denie links with extremists
PDP denie links with extremists
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The People's Democratic Party on Sunday termed as baseless the allegation made by the Kerala unit of the CPM that the PDP had links with the Kashmiri extremist groups. "We don't have any tie-up with extremists or any other organisations in Jammu and Kashmir,'' PDP state secretary Poonthura Siraj said in a statement here. The CPM's charge that the PDP was giving a reception to the All Party Hurriyat Conference leaders in Kerala was only aimed at sabotaging the release of PDP chief Abdul Nazer Mahdani from jail, he claimed. It could be seen as a conspiracy against Mahdani as his bail application was now before the Supreme Court, he added. The CPM and the BJP had strongly opposed the proposed visit of the Hurriyat leaders to the state to muster support for their ``human rights campaign'' in Jammu and Kashmir.
Monday, August 20, 2001
CPM, BJP slam Hurriyat visit plan
CPM, BJP slam Hurriyat visit plan
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The plan of a human rights body in Kerala to arrange a visit for the All Party Hurriyat Conference (APHC) leaders to the state next month has triggered a controversy with the CPI-M and BJP condemning it as a move "fraught with serious consequences." Decrying the move by the Confederation of Human Rights Organizations (CHRO) to arrange a forum for the Hurriyat leaders" to explain their position on Kashmir issue", the CPI-M state sectretariat asked the United Democratic Front government to make clear its stand on the matter. Expressing similar sentiments, the state BJP unit said that the visit of the APHC leaders would encourage exremist outfits already active in some pockets of the state.
Monday, August 20, 2001
Kerala state devt loan notified
Thiruvananthapuram, August 18: The Kerala government today notified the ‘Kerala State Development Loan 2001’, bearing 9.56 per cent interest, as part of the drive to mobilise resources to finance its plan schemes. The minimum subscription to the loan would be Rs 1,000 and its multiples issued at Rs 100 at par, the notification said. Commencing on August 23, the loan could be subscribed through the Reserve Bank. The interest would be paid half yearly on August 23 and February 23 each year.
