My-Kerala News

Defence Ministry given green signal for Vizhinjam port

2008-08-07T02:43:00.001+05:30

AJ: Defence Ministry had given the green signal for the proposed croresVizhinjam Deep sea Transshipment Terminal. Defence Minister A K Antony handed a letter to the state government approving the deal along with two conditions forwarded by the centre. The Defence Ministry's conditions are, the Naval vessels should be berthed at the port and a Naval representative be on the Vizhinjam Port Board. A major advantage of Vizhinjam port will be that with a natural depth of 24 metres - among the deepest in the world - it would not require any dredging. Its other advantage is that it lies very close to a busy international shipping route.

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No talks held with NCP: say Chennithala

2008-08-07T02:24:00.001+05:30

AJ: KPCC President Ramesh Chennithala said, no talks have been held with the NCP to admit it into the UDF. There was no need for the UDF to take into its fold parties that have been rejected by LDF. He said there was no pressure on the UDF to accommodate all allies of the Congress in the UPA government. Political alliances in States could be different from those at the national level. Meanwile senior Congress leader K. Karunakaran said it was his wish that the NCP should join Congress. He said 'I feel if the NCP joins the UDF, it will be good for the UDF'.

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HC cancelled entrance test by college consortium

2008-08-07T01:44:00.001+05:30

AJ: The Kerala High Court cancelled the entrance test conducted by six self-financing medical colleges on last month. The six colleges had entered into an agreement with the state government on seat sharing and fees structure. The order is issued by Justice S Sirijagan on a petition by a student Fathima Haseena. Education Minister M A Baby said the necessary steps will be taken after studying the details of the court verdict.

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ESI starts nursing colleges

2008-08-05T03:04:00.001+05:30

AJ: Labour Minister P K Gurudasan said ESI Corporation would start four nursing colleges in the state. The colleges would come up in at Eazhukon, Udyagamandl, Peroorkada and Farooke. The minister said that the corporation had decided to permit the employees under ESI to get treatment in private hospitals and pay the treatment expenses directly to the hospitals.

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Petrol pumps remain closed on Sundays

2008-08-05T02:39:00.001+05:30

AJ: The All Kerala Federation of Petroleum Dealers announced that Petrol pumps in Kerala will remain closed on Sundays with effect from August 18. Federation President M S Mathew says the other days the pumps has been open from 6am and close to 8pm. The current timings is 6am to 10pm. Meanwhile Civil supplies minister C.Divakaran said that government will provide all security to those petrol pumps which will remain opened on Sunday. The bus and lorry operators have opposed the decision.

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UDF to launch vehicle campaign

2008-08-02T00:07:00.001+05:30

AJ: Ernakulam DCC president K P Dhanapalan, said UDF will launch a vehicle campaign rally in Ernakulam district from August 3 to 8. He said the campaign was aimed at creating awareness among the people on the various welfare projects implemented by the Congress-led UPA Government at the Centre.KPCC President Ramesh Chennithala will inaugurate the programme on tommorrow. Union minister Oscar Fernandes, Congress leader Veerappa Moily and Janardhana Poojari are also take part in the campaign.

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Heavy rain in Kerala

2008-07-30T01:08:00.001+05:30

AJ: Many places in Kerala receiving heavy rains in the last 24 hours. The Metro dept.officals say that heavy rains continues in most places in Kerala during next 48 hours.Heavy rainfalls continues in Kochi, Idukki, Ottappalam, Peerrumedu, Manjari, Alapuzha, Thalasseri, Kozhikode, Thrissur, Punalur, Kasaragod and Kannur. The metro.dept say that 45 to 55 km ph wind would lash along Kerala coast and over Lakshadweep during the next 48 hours.

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Terror threat: Security tightened in the state

2008-07-28T02:27:00.001+05:30

AJ: A high alert has been declared across the state after a Bangalore-based television channel (TV 9) received a message saying there will be at least two blasts in the state. Major commercial centres, IT parks, important places of worship, bus stands, railway stations and airports are under close observation of security and intelligence personnel. Bomb squads will carry out thorough checks in lodges and hotels. Police had instructed movie houses in major cities to cancel night shows in view of the alert. DGP Raman Sreevastava urged the people to inform the police if they come across any thing suspicious.

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Center Govt. approved Kuttanadu package

2008-07-28T01:31:00.001+05:30

AJ: The Manmohan Singh government approved the Rs.18.4-billion Kuttanad package. Rs.50 crore will be given to the State immediately, the remaining amount will be over the next three years of the Eleventh Five Year Plan. Kuttanad, which has some 25,000 hectares of paddy cultivable area, is the only area under paddy cultivation in the state which is situated below sea level and this causes a lot of difficulties for the farmers. Union Minister Vayalar Ravi said no change has been made in the recommendations submitted by Swaminathan.

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Thattekkatu boat tragedy: Driver gets five yrs in prison

2008-07-27T00:18:00.001+05:30

AJ: The Ernakulam Special court given five year jail term for the owner-cum-driver of the boat, Raju for the Thattekkatu boat tragedy. Fifteen school children and three teachers died on February last year. The boat 'Shivaranjini' had a permit to carry only six persons. But at least 61 students and teachers were allowed to board the boat. The court also imposed a fine Rs 100,000 on Raju.

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25 per. power cut for industries

2008-07-27T00:00:00.001+05:30

AJ: The Kerala State Electricity Board has imposed a 25 percent power cut for high tension and extra high tension industries. As per the decision, High Tension and Extra High Tension consumers would be able to draw 75 per cent of power at the existing rate of tariff but would have to pay the actual cost of purchase for consumption above that limit. The Kerala Chamber of Commerce and Industry said the SERT decision to impose restrictions on power consumption to industry would have an adverse impact on the state's industries.

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Govt. would set up three more check posts

2008-07-26T23:37:00.001+05:30

AJ:Finance Minister Thomas Isaac said the government would take effective and stringent measures to check the rampant corruption in check posts in the state. Government would set up three more check posts. Amaravila, Aryamkavu and Muthanga are providing new check post areas. Government was expecting a 30 per cent increase in sales tax collections. The government had registered 17,246 cases of tax evasion at check posts in this financial year.

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Congress to win confidence vote, says Antony

2008-07-21T02:27:00.001+05:30

AJ: Defence Minister A K Antony said the Congress is sure to win the confidence vote to be held on tuesday. Antony talking to reporters in the state capital, said the nuke deal is essential for the development of the country. The congress and the government will not do anything by compromising the sovereignty of the nation. He said a majority of Muslim leaders in Parliament had supported the deal, which would help resolve the energy crisis of the country. Antony told that, the left parties have adopted a stand that they are ready to join hands with any devil to bring the UPA government down. They will have to repent for this in the future. He said the CPM had no right to preach...

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Agitation against textbook claims teacher's life

2008-07-21T01:23:00.001+05:30

AJ: Valillapuzha-aided Lower Primary School Headmaster James Augustine, who was on his way to attend a re-orientation programme, fainted and later died in a hospital. He had reportedly sustained injuries during a protest demonstration by Youth League activists demanding withdrawal of the controversial text book at Kizhisseri town in Malappuram district.The opposition youth organizations, the Muslim Youth League (MYL) and the Youth Congress had been holding protest against the controversial Class 7 textbook. The agitators disrupted the teachers training programme that was being conducted state-wide at various places. The left front is observing hartal in Malappuram and Kozhikode...

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Curriculam committee supports expert panel suggestions

2008-07-18T01:09:00.001+05:30

AJ: The state curriculam committee endorsed recommendations for certain modification in the disputed portion of the controversial class seven social sciences textbook made by the expert committee set up the government. Education Minister M A Baby said the curriculam committee had not suggested for complete withdrawl of the textbook.The committe recommended some deletions and additions in the controversial segment titled `mathamillatha jeevan' and this has been accepted by the curriculam committee. According to the committee sources, the title of the disputed portion would be changed as 'Freedom of belief". Concept of securalism would be given more importance by inducting a...

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State mulls running buses on electricity, alternative fuels

2008-07-18T00:44:00.001+05:30

AJ: Transport Minister Mathew T Thomas informed the state assembly that the government is exploring the possibilities of running the state-owned transport corporation buses using electricity.The minister said a project report for Rs 12.8 billion had been submitted before the XIII Finance Commission in this regard. He said the government was seriously considering operating KSRTC buses on LNG in the wake of steep hike in the prices of diesel. Thomas claimed if the state-owned buses were operated on LPG, the KSRTC could save 60 per cent of fuel cost as it required only Rs 1.72 billion against Rs 4.3 billion for diesel.

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YC march turns violent; Siddique shifted to Hospital

2008-07-16T16:45:00.001+05:30

AJ: Youth Congress state president T. Siddique was shifted to hospital by police today in the midst of stiff resistance from workers. The police had to arrest T Siddique in order to take him to hospital as his health was deteriorating; the indefinite fast by him over the withdrawal of the controversial standard-VII textbook and the cancellation of appointment of Kerala University assistants was entering the eighth day. Later the workers who were shouting slogans supporting T Siddique pelted stones at police and vehicles. Police had to use water canon in order to disperse the angry workers. Youth congress activists and some media men were injured in the scuffle.

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Karunakaran advised rest for two days

2008-07-16T16:39:00.001+05:30

AJ: Former Chief Minister and Senior Congress leader, K Karunakaran was examined by doctors advised rest for two days, this morning after he complained of pain in his knees. The car in which Karunakaran was travelling had met with an accident yesterday at Puthangadi in Malappuram while he was on his way to Guruvayur from Kozhikode. He continued the journey to the temple town in another car. This morning he complained of some pain in the knees. Karunakaran offered prayers at the Sri Krishna temple at Guruvayur this morning on the first day of the Malayalam month 'Karkidakam'.

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State to urge Centre to reduce air fare to Gulf countries

2008-07-16T16:29:00.001+05:30

AJ: Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan told the assembly that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's intervention would be sought to reduce the air fare to Gulf destinations. Replying to a submission by A P Anilkumar of the Congress, he said the hike in the airfare during peak season affected thousands of Keralites who travelled to their home state. He also pointed out that the fares of the Air India Express were comparatively less. The CM said he would convene a meeting of airline companies to discuss the issue. Anilkumar said various airlines had hiked the tariff by 50 per cent from today and it would go up by 100 per cent from August 15.

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CBI directed to produce CDs on Narco analysis

2008-07-15T16:24:00.001+05:30

AJ: The Kerala High court directed the CBI to produce by July 24 the compact disc (CD)s which were handed over by experts of the forensic science laboratory at Bangalore after conducting Narco Analysis test on three suspects in the Sister Abaya case. The direction was issued by justice V Ramkumar on a petition filed by M Thomas, father of sister Abaya, seeking "efficient" investigation in the case relating to the death of abaya, who was a nun in the St Pius convent at Kottayam. Her body was recovered from the well of hte convent in suspicious circumstances in 1992. The court had earlier directed CBI to produce the investigation report in a sealed cover.

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Govt to implement semester system from next year

2008-07-15T16:13:00.001+05:30

AJ: Education Minister M A Baby said semester system will be implemented to degree courses from next academic year. The government has not thought of implementing it in the higher secondary and vocational higher secondary levels. Action will be taken against those teachers who asked the students to tear the sensational pages of the controversial class seven textbook. The minister told the assembly that five school students have been detected of HIV positive.

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Uproar in assembly over remarks on Abdul Kalam

2008-07-15T16:07:00.001+05:30

AJ: The state assembly witnessed chaotic scenes as opposition leaders strongly criticised Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan's remarks "belittling" former president A P J Abdul Kalam. Achuthanandan had at a press conference Friday shown Kalam in poor light, while defending the CPI(M) opposition to the India-US nuclear deal. When told that the deal had even got the green signal from Kalam, VS said "See, Kalam along with Madhavan Nair (Indian Space Research Organisation chairman) and Kasturirangan (former ISRO chairman) have just sent 'vanam'. Congress leader G Karthikeyan raised this issue in the assembly, saying that it had become a habit of CPI-M...

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Bus fare hike unfair, says Chennithala

2008-07-12T23:42:00.001+05:30

AJ: The KPCC chief Ramesh Chennithala said the bus fare hike in the state is unfair. The decision taken by the state government in the name of increase of petrol price cannot be justified. Chennithala said, "If that was the case, then the other states should also have hiked. Tamil Nadu has not hiked the bus fare for so many years and the minimum charge is only Rs 2." Youth Congress activists seized a KSRTC bus in Kottayam district in protest against the hike in bus fare. Transportation came to a standstill as the activists squatted on the road. They later hoisted their flag atop the bus and said that if the hike is not withdrawn, agitations will be strengthened in...

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Govt to change name of pension for ailing artists

2008-07-12T23:19:00.001+05:30

AJ: Cultural Affairs Minister M A Baby said the government is planning to change the name of pension for ailing artists. The minister said the government is considering changing the name as pension for eligible artists or artists' pension. Vanchipattu artists will also be included in this scheme. Rs 2000 to Rs 10,000 willbe given as medical expenses to those artists above aged 60 and having an annual income below Rs 1500.Scholarship for artists children will be increased. Steps are being taken with the labour department to implement welfare scheme for artists, informed Baby.

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Assembly adopts resolution against Nuke deal

2008-07-12T23:01:00.001+05:30

AJ: The state asembly adopted a resolution asking the Centre to drop the Indo-US nuclear deal, amidst uproar. The 240-member House adopted the private resolution moved by V N Vasavan asking the UPA Government not to go ahead with the deal, with only the ruling LDF members taking part in the voting. In all, 79 members voted in favour of the resolution while the Congress-led UDF members abstained from voting. Chief Minister V S Achuthandnan, who wound up the debate which lasted barely 15 minutes, said the nuclear deal would seriously harm the country's interests and its signing would amount to abject surrender of India's sovereignty to 'American imperialism'. Members from...

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