Kerala News Archive: April 2007

Heartbeats
Monday, April 30, 2007 | AY

'Heartbeats', being scripted and directed by Babu Janardhanan, is billed as the first Malayalam film set in a campus background sans a love theme. Although the director is tight-lipped about the story, he said that Indrajith and Manikuttan will play medical students in the campus drama. Apart from them, popular Malayalam television anchors - Govindan Kutty and Arun V. Natrayanan - are also roped in for important roles. Kajol has been finalised to play the lead heroine in the movie. If 'Hearbeats' shooting starts as scheduled, it will be Kajol's second film after marriage. Last year she made a comeback with 'Fanaa' along with Aamir Khan.

Survey of non-resident Keralites on in Kerala
Sunday, April 29, 2007 | AY

A survey covering 50 households each from 200 select villages is being conducted in Kerala to find out the number of the non-resident Keralites (NRKs). The Migration Research Unit funded by the overseas Indian affairs ministry and attached to the Centre for Development Studies (CDS) is conducting the survey. This is the third survey being undertaken by Irudayarajan and noted demographer K.C.Zachariah who conducted the first in 1998 and the second in 2003. In the last survey, it was found out that Kerala's total number of emigrants increased from 1.36 million in 1998 to 1.83 million in 2003 and, among them, close to 90 percent were in the Middle East. According to their earlier studies, remittances from non-resident Keralites were found to have shot up from Rs.136.52 billion (1998) to Rs.184.65 billion (2003). The study will be helpful to the state government to devise new polices for the welfare of NRKs.

Elephantine panic in Thrissur
Saturday, April 28, 2007 | AY

Two elephants ran amok and created panic at the Thekkinkkadu Maidan during the Thrissur Pooram festivities. Almost fifteen thousand people are said to be attending the two-day event, which began earlier this morning. The tuskers ~ Thiruvambady Unnikrishnan and Kayamkulam Rajashekeran ~ stepped out of the line-up towards the end of Elanjithara Melam, which involves rows of artistes playing drums, pipes and cymbals. According to Mr Venkitachalam of the Kerala Elephant Lovers’ Association, there have been close to 70 incidents of elephants turning violent in Kerala between January and April and reportedly elephants killed 41 mahouts last year.

Congress-backed TV channel plans July launch
Thursday, April 26, 2007 | AY

After two years of debates and discussions, the decks have finally been cleared for the Congress-supported Malayalam TV channel - Jai Hind TV - to go on air from July. 'The channel will be a joint venture between two companies, Bharath Broadcasting Network (BBN) and Jai Hind Communications (JHC), with an outside role for the Congress party in Kerala. The day-to-day administration of the channel will be run by a board of three non-resident Keralite businessmen, including two Dubai-based businessmen. On May 1, Defence Minister A.K. Antony is scheduled to lay the foundation stone of the proposed studio complex at a two-acre plot of land purchased by the channel in the Kinfra Film and Video Park on the outskirts of the capital city. The total project cost is pegged at Rs.500 million and, to begin with, we require Rs.100 million.

Kerala to witness Pooram festival
Wednesday, April 25, 2007 | AY

After prolonged legal battles and uncertainty the famed Thrissur Pooram, the festival of festivals, will be staged here on April 27 and 28 with all traditional fervour and scintillating firework displays. The Pooram, which attracts thousands of foreign tourists and lakhs of Malayalees around the world every year, is a major event with a grand spectacle of fireworks, parading of caparisoned elephants, colourful ''kudamattom'' (exchange of different types of parasols) and the famous ''elanjithara melam''. The legal tangles over parading of elephants and ban on fireworks display had disappointed ''Pooram'' enthusiasts. However, the High Court permitted conduct of the Pooram under certain conditions. To avoid incidents both the Paramekkavu and Thiruvambadi Devasoms had always taken precautions in selecting the elephants and restricting the number of elephants to 15 in each side.

Kerala tourism ministry launches scheme to woo tourists
Tuesday, April 24, 2007 | AY

To beat the lean season the tourism ministry of Kerala has launched 'Dream Season' to woo domestic travellers. Last year there was over 20 per cent growth in lean season occupancy and this year the plan was to increase it to 30 per cent. Dream Season will extend from April to September and will span through the summer, monsoon and festival seasons of Kerala. An exclusive site (www.keralatourist.org/dream) season has been launched which would have details of packages being offered by hoteliers and tour operators. This would help the travellers to make their pick. An SMS-based response system will also be introduced.

Sister Abhaya haunts kerala again
Monday, April 23, 2007 | AY

The mysterious death of Sister Abhaya 15 years ago has returned to haunt the state again with the emergence of fresh materials suggesting that she was raped and killed. The state police, which investigated the case initially, had dismissed it as a case of suicide. But the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) subsequently found that it was a homicide but sought to close the case without tracing the murderers. Sister Abhaya (21) was found dead in a well at the Pious-X convent hostel at Kottayam on March 27, 1992. Last week the Trivandrum Chief Judicial Magistrate court found that the chemical examination report in the case was tampered with and ordered its scientific examination in a forensic laboratory outside the State. Several crucial evidences in the case were destroyed during the initial phase of investigation by the state police. The destroyed evidences include a photograph of the nun’s body, which was required to substantiate a neck injury on the corpse. The CBI, which took over the investigation subsequently, also pointed out several lapses on the part of the local police. They included failures to preserve the internal organs of the deceased, to record the marks of injury on her body, to prepare the sketch of the spot on which the incident occurred, refusal to give the under garments of the deceased to the police surgeon for investigation.

Scheme for saving rivers in Kerala
Sunday, April 22, 2007 | AY

Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan yesterday said the project for saving the rivers in Kerala from degradation would be implemented in a time-bound manner. Speaking after the inauguration of the state-level River Banks Protection programme here, he said local bodies with the participation of the people had a major role to play in protecting the rivers. He said 41 rivers of the state had been included in the programme. Achuthanandan also laid the foundation for check dams to be constructed across the Bharathapuzha. The check dams would be built at Ottappalam, Shornur and Kuttippuram at a total cost of Rs two crore.

Saturday, April 21, 2007 | AY

Songs from films released during Vishu make it to this list, with 'Thala' from 'Chotta Mumbai' topping the charts. The top five Malyalam songs are, 'Thala' - Film: 'Chotta Mumbai', 'Kaiyetha' - Film: 'Vinodayathra', 'Sankathinu' - Film: 'Panthayakozhi', 'Mandarapoo mooli' - Film: 'Vinodayathra', 'Muttathe mulle' - Film: 'Maayavi'.

Plea to allow Yesudas in Kerala temple
Thursday, April 19, 2007 | AY

The issue of playback singer K J Yesudas being invited to sing in the Gururvayoor Shri Krishna Temple in Kerala had been making the headlines for all the wrong reasons. Devaswom Minister G Sudhakaran attempted to put an end to the controversy on Wednesday by asking Guruvayoor Devaswom officials to allow Yesudas to enter the temple. The minister's request will be tabled at a meeting between the Devaswom Board and the chief priest. Yesudas is Christian and according to Guruvayoor temple traditions, non-Hindus are forbidden entry into the temple. In the past however, he has sung several Hindu devotional songs, including at temples.

Kerala to acquire 2,000 acre for Kannur airport
Wednesday, April 18, 2007 | AY

The Kerala government today decided to acquire 2,000 acre for developing an airport at Kannur in north Kerala. Disclosing this during his weekly cabinet briefing, Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan said state infrastructure promotion agency KINFRA had been appointed as the nodal body to take the work forward. Efforts for securing the required central clearances for the project were also progressing well. The Kannur airport, the fourth in Kerala, is planned as a public-private participation project on the model of Cochin International Airport.

Farmers turn to tourism for livelihood
Tuesday, April 17, 2007 | AY

Farmers in Kerala's spicy Waynad and rubber-rich Kottayam districts are taking the tourism route for prospects. In the hilly district of Waynad, home to cardamom, coffee, tea and vanilla, farmers are opening their doors to tourists by renting out rooms to visitors. Kerala Wynad Tourism organisation has a programme to hone the skills of farmers in communication and hospitality and make them better equipped.

Kerala traders decides to stop selling cigarettes
Monday, April 16, 2007 | AY

Traders in Kerala have decided not to sell cigarettes from Monday in protest against a new Value Added Tax (VAT) of 12.5 per cent imposed by the state government. The state government has said the extra tax, which comes into force from the new fiscal, will have to be borne by traders, not the tobacco companies. A leading traders' body said if tobacco companies don't bear the burden of the additional tax, traders will end up incurring losses.

Kerala celebrates Vishu
Sunday, April 15, 2007 | AY

It’s the Malayalee New Year today and Kerala is celebrating the occasion by vishu-kani - offerings of rice, linen, betel leaves, vegetables and metal mirrors to the diety. The day is celebrated in God's Own Country and elsewhere as Vishu and the custom is to wake at dawn and ensure that the offerings are the first things one sees - a ceremony believed to bring good luck and prosperity. The Kanni-Konna, a flower that usually blooms only in April, is used extensively on this day. Like no celebration is complete without mandatory feasting, Vishu too is flavoured with sweets and a traditional spread called sadhya.

Northern Kerala to mark its presence
Saturday, April 14, 2007 | AY

The Department of Tourism plans to bring the northern part of Kerala in focus and develop tourism in the area. The northern part includes areas like Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kasargode and Kannur. A majority of the tourists who visit Kerala include people from countries like the UK. Kaul, director, Department of Tourism, Government of Kerala announced the launch of www.dreamseason.keralatourism.org, a micro website within the main website of Kerala Tourism aimed at building traffic especially between the period of April and September.

Vasan Eye Care to start four more hospitals
Thursday, April 12, 2007 | AY

Vasan Eye Care, a leading hospital in the State will be starting state-of-the-art hospitals in four more districts in Kerala in a couple of weeks. Dr A M Arun, Chairman, Vasan Health Care Group, said that the Vasan group had already two hospitals in Kochi and Kozhikode and would be opening eye care hospitals at Kannur, Kottayam, Thrissur and Thiruvananthapuram shortly. Vasan eye care has a happy family of 75,000 patients spread over the length and breadth of the State and more than 6000 successful surgeries have been performed over the last year.

Pepsi gets HC nod to reopen plant in Kerala
Wednesday, April 11, 2007 | AY

Kerala High Court on Tuesday set the stage for resumption of operations at soft drink major Pepsi's plant in Palakkad district, quashing the order of a local panchayat cancelling its license. Allowing the petition, the court said the plant was situated in an industrial area notified as integrated industrial township and hence did not fall within the purview of the panchayat. The Puthussery panchayat, it said, did not have the requisite jurisdiction under the Kerala Panchayat Act in the matter of issuing, renewing or cancelling licence in the area as the specified area had been exempt from the purview of the Act.

Two films with Mammootty
Tuesday, April 10, 2007 | AY

Kavya Madhavan has been teamed up with Mammootty not in one film, but two. The first film in which she will play Mammookka’s heroine is the Joshi-directed flick, titled ‘Nasrani’, depicting Christian life in a Kerala village. Then Kavya plays the wife of Mammootty in KK Rajeev’s debut film.

Farm Tourism in Kerala
Monday, April 9, 2007 | AY

After enticing tourists with its scenic backwaters and houseboats, Kerala, the most sought after tourist destination in India, is promoting its lush countryside to attract visitors through "Farm Tourism". One of the most sought after tourist destinations in the world, replete with scenic backwaters and breathtaking beauty, the 'God's own country' has a lush green countryside that it is promoting as the latest attraction to entice visitors. The State government as 'Responsible Tourism' in a measure to benefit the local community is adapting farm tourism. Many travel agencies are organizing farm tours to provide tourists with new experiences. One such tour was organised recently by New India Voyages, a local travel and tour agency in Mala, a hamlet near Thissur for a twenty-eight-member group comprising of French students. According to official estimates income from tourism sector in Kerala is expected to touch rupees 100-billion mark this year, from previous year's rupees 73 billion.

Crime Branch to probe Kozhikode fire
Saturday, April 7, 2007 | AY

Kerala Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan has entrusted the Crime Branch police with the probe amid fears that there was more to the initial blast than just crackers. The death toll mounted to seven yesterday, with another charred body being recovered from the debris. The detection of a concrete piece, with a wicker and a plastic thread, weighing 500 gm, some 400 metres from the blast site, has aroused the curiosity of investigators. But a more pertinent observation came from the Explosives Controller’s team, which found a concrete beam displaced by about 100 metres, belying the theory that the cracker blast had set off the blaze.

Kerala tourism drive wins recognition at Berlin fair
Thursday, April 5, 2007 | AY

Kerala Tourism’s new slice-of-life campaign won the Das Goldene Stadttor award for the best print campaign of the year at International Tourism Bourse (ITB) Berlin 2007. Created by Stark Communications, the campaign narrates real-life transformational experiences that travellers underwent during their holiday in ‘God’s Own Country’ – an approach not yet resorted to by any destination in the world. Home and Tourism Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan received the award at the ITB last week.

Kerala to get Rs.80 mn aqua technology park
Wednesday, April 4, 2007 | AY

An aqua technology park, billed as the first of its kind in India, will soon be set up near the Kochi international airport in Kerala at the cost of Rs.80 million. 'This will be a joint venture project and of the Rs.80 million, Rs.40 million would come from the Centre. The concept paper for the project, which aims to promote ornamental fisheries, and a global tender to identify a consultant have already been prepared. Apart from the park, the fisheries department plans to set up two satellite centres to this project - one in north Kerala and the other in south Kerala.

Mohanlal’s father passes away
Tuesday, April 3, 2007 | AY

Noted actor Mohanlal's father Viswanathan Nair died in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday evening following old age-related illness. He was 80 and is survived by wife Santhakumari and Mohanlal. Their another son Pyare Lal died earlier. Nair, a retired Law Special Secretary in state service, was ailing for sometimes now and the end came at a private hospital where he was undergoing treatment. Mohanlal has recently joined AIDS campaign in Kerala becoming the goodwill ambassador for the Kerala State Aids Control Society.

Ten-day Russian Festival
Monday, April 2, 2007 | AY

A ten-day Russian Cultural Festival comprising contemporary Russian film festival, cultural programmes, food festival and exhibitions will be organized here from April 4. A cultural procession involving artistes from Russia and India would be organized as part of the event. Several Russian films like Ostrov(island), Peregon-Transit, Old Women and Dreaming of Space would be screened on the occasion.

Defence Ministry clears Kerala’s fourth airport
Sunday, April 1, 2007 | AY

The Defence Ministry has given its nod to Kerala's fourth airport, proposed in the northern Kannur district, leaving the Civil Aviation Ministry to issue the final clearance for the project it had agreed to in principle. Balakrishnan later told reporters that the mode of funding for the project would be decided later. Kerala Government would provide 10 acres near the proposed airport for the Navy to set up its facilities since its major academy was located at nearby Ezhimala. Once cleared, it will be Kerala's second greenfield airport project, the first being the Cochin International Airport Ltd-run Nedumbassery airport.

News Archive: 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001