Page 11 - Kerala Govt

Kerala Minister estimates around Rs 8 cr loss in Kollam drug warehouse fire

Kerala Health Minister Veena George on Thursday said medicines and materials, worth around Rs 8 crore, were destroyed during a fire that gutted a warehouse of the state-run Kerala Medical Services Corporation Limited (KMSCL) in Kollam district last night. The district drug warehouse of KMSCL in Kollam was engulfed in fire on Wednesday night. It was a major supply source for medicines at state-run hospitals and PHCs in the district. There were no casualties in the incident. "The total loss due to the fire is estimated at Rs 8 crore. But the corporation need not suffer this much loss as the medicines are insured," she said. A comprehensive probe would be conducted into the reasons that led to the massive fire, she told reporters here. A scientific investigation report at various levels should be carried out to know how the blaze started, George said.

Will make 'The Kerala Story' tax-free if we there's a proposal: UP dy CM

Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak on Sunday said if there is a proposal, the state government will make the film 'The Kerala Story' tax-free. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on May 5 credited the movie for bringing out terror conspiracies and used it to attack the Congress during an election rally in poll-bound Karnataka. Asked by reporters if the Uttar Pradesh government will make the film tax-free, Pathak, who was campaigning here for the ongoing urban body polls, said, "If a proposal comes, we will do it." "Everyone should see 'The Kerala Story'. I would appeal to all my sisters that they should watch (the film) and understand how atrocities are committed on sisters in a state," he added. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Saturday announced to give tax-free status to 'The Kerala Story' in the state. UP BJP secretary Abhijat Mishra on Saturday organised the screening of the controversial film for around 80 college girls in the city. The BJP

Why has the upcoming movie 'The Kerala Story' courted controversy?

After the trailer of the movie, which showed a burqa-clad woman with the tagline 'Uncovering the truth that was kept hidden' was released, protests erupted in many parts of Kerala

Kerala calls for national consensus on law regarding human-animal conflict

The Kerala government has sought a national level consensus on bringing a legislation to deal with human-animal conflicts, which have been reported across the country. This comes in the wake of increase in cases of man-animal conflict in the state over the past few months. One such case involved a rogue elephant, notorious for breaking into ration shops to steal rice, which earned him the moniker 'Arikomban', and causing damage to human settlements in some areas of Idukki district in Kerala. The tusker was tranquilised on Saturday after months of uncertainty and confusion and was translocated to deep forest inside Periyar Tiger Reserve. Speaking to PTI about the operation, state Forest Minister A K Saseendran said the man-animal conflict is not new to the country and we need a national consensus to deal with the issue. "The man-animal conflict is a rising issue in the country and we need to develop a consensus at national level to formulate a law to deal with such conflicts," ...

Kerala forest dept receives 1st radio collar signal from 'Arikkomban'

The elephant, which is around 37 years old, was darted by a team of forest officials led by Chief Veterinary surgeon of Kerala forest department, Dr. Arun Zachariah on Saturday

Vijayan meets envoys of UAE, Vietnam at Kerala House in Delhi

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Friday met the Ambassadors of UAE and Vietnam to India and held discussions with them in New Delhi. The CM met Abdulnasser Alshaali and Nguyen Thanh Hai respectively at Kerala House in the national capital, a CMO statement here said. The discussions were held with regard to improving the foreign countries' relationship with the southern state, it said. Chief Secretary V P Joy and Officer on Special Duty Venu Rajamony were present during the meeting, it said. Vijayan had also met Ambassador of Argentina in India, Hugo Javier Gobbi on Thursday. During the meeting, the envoy had presented the Kerala CM with an Argentinian football jersey in the presence of well-known footballer from the state I M Vijayan, a CMO statement added.

PM Modi holds roadshow in Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram during 2-day visit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a roadshow as he arrived in Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday to launch the state's first Vande Bharat Express

Kerala will become a global healthcare hub with improved services: Vijayan

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday said that the State would be transformed into a healthcare hub by providing better medical services and tourism opportunities in the sector. Vijayan said the government would take advantage of the area by exploring the global potential in the healthcare sector. An amount of Rs 30 crore has been allocated for the initial work to formulate and implement the "care policy" and prepare facilities for the same, the Chief Minister said. He was speaking after inaugurating the newly built Academic Block of the Government Medical College Hospital, Konni, near here. The Chief Minister said Kerala is a place that the world is paying attention to when it comes to advancements in the field of health. "We are a model for the world in terms of universal access to public health services. Our achievements in terms of low infant mortality rate, maternal mortality rate, and life expectancy are on par with those of developed countries," he said. Vijaya

PM Modi to dedicate nation's first water metro during Kerala visit

Water Metro is a unique urban mass transit system with the same experience and ease of travel as that of the conventional metro system. It is very useful in cities like Kochi

PM to visit 4 states next week, to launch projects worth Rs 27,000 cr

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Madhya Pradesh, Kerala and the Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu on April 24 and 25 to inaugurate and lay foundation stones of projects worth more than Rs 27,000 crore. During his visit, Modi will participate in the National Panchayati Raj Day celebrations at Rewa in Madhya Pradesh, inaugurate the integrated eGramSwaraj and the GeM portal for public procurement at the panchayat level and hand over around 35 lakh "SVAMITVA" property cards to the owners on Monday, according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO). He will also participate in a programme marking the "Griha Pravesh" of more than four lakh beneficiaries of the Centre's housing scheme for the rural poor, the statement said. The prime minister will flag off Kerala's first Vande Bharat Express train, inaugurate the Kochi Water Metro and dedicate to the nation the NAMO Medical Education and Research Institute at Silvassa in the Union Territo

Coca-Cola Company offers to return 35 acres of land to Kerala govt

Multinational beverage firm Coca Cola Company has offered to return 35 acres of land that it possesses at Plachimada in Palakkad district to the Kerala government. Juan Pablo Rodriguez Trovato, Chief Executive Officer of the Hindustan Coca Cola Beverages Private Limited, sent a letter to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan informing him the company's decision to hand over the property and the building there to the state, a CMO statement has said. The ruling Left front has already begun negotiations to release the land for a proposed farmer producer organisation (FPO) to be launched soon under the leadership of farmers. The beverage manufacturer was finally ready to transfer the land at the outset of the negotiations held under Power Minister K Krishnankutty, it said. The company also offered to provide technical assistance for the construction of a demo farm for the farmers there, the CMO added in a late evening release on Thursday. Coca-Cola closed down its unit at Plachimada in Marc

4 Indians including a couple from Kerala among 16 dead in Dubai fire

At least four Indians, including a couple from Kerala, were among the 16 people dead after a massive fire broke out in a residential building in Dubai that also injured nine people, a media report said on Sunday. The Dubai Civil Defence Operations Room was notified about the fire at a building in Dubai's old neighbourhood of Al Ras at 12.35 pm on Saturday, Gulf News reported. The massive fire broke out on the fourth floor of the building and began spreading to other areas, the paper said. A team from the Dubai Civil Defence headquarters arrived at the site of the blaze and began evacuating residents in the building. Teams from the Port Saeed Fire Station and the Hamriyah Fire Station were also summoned. The flames were doused by 2:42 pm (local time), the paper said. Quoting Naseer Vatanappally, an Indian social worker who was at the Dubai Police mortuary, the paper reported that four Indians, including a couple from Kerala, have been identified among the victims. So far, we have

Kerala approves new industrial policy to become hub of developed industries

The Kerala government on Wednesday approved its new industrial policy which is aimed at a quantum leap in the key production sector for making the State a hub of most developed industries. Kerala Industries Minister P Rajeev said that the Cabinet approved the new policy which would be focusing on Environmental Social Governance (ESG) investments. "One of the new significant features of Kerala's new industrial policy is, we are focusing on Environmental Social Governance (ESG) investments. We have already constituted a committee consisting of experts from Oxford and representatives of industries to frame an industry framework for Kerala," Rajeev said. He said the intention of the government is to make Kerala the leading State in attracting ESG investments. As part of the new policy various academic, cooperative and private industrial parks focusing on 22 key production sectors would be set up, the Minister said. The new policy, as part of the Industrial Revolution 4.0, has provisio

Spreading false propaganda against women's safety is not good: Vijayan

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday said that some people are spreading false propaganda against women's safety across the state and promoting such things is not a good tendency

Fire at Brahmapuram waste plant in Kochi set deliberately: UDF in assembly

The still smouldering fire at the Brahmapuram waste plant in Kochi was set "deliberately" to avoid inspection of the site where several years worth of garbage was lying accumulated, Congress-led UDF opposition alleged in the Kerala assembly on Monday. The government, on the other hand, said the fire appeared to have been caused due to the high temperatures in the state, but it was investigating the matter to find out the actual reasons for it. Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the state assembly V D Satheesan claimed in the House that the fire has not yet been extinguished or even brought under control and alleged that neither the local administration nor the state government was doing anything to address the serious situation. The poisonous smoke generated from there, which has even entered homes of the areas neighbouring the waste plant, will cause both short and long term health problems for the people there, he contended in his submission in the House. The LoP, also an MLA from Nor

Kerala govt to set up more courts for speedy disposal of vigilance cases

The Kerala government has decided to increase the number of courts handling vigilance matters for speedy disposal of such cases. The decision was taken in a meeting chaired by Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan for evaluating vigilance activities in the state, a government statement said. Besides deciding to set up more courts, the meeting also came out with a slew of fresh directions for improving the probe in vigilance cases, the statement issued by the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said. Among the fresh directions, one was with regard to appointment of vigilance officers. It was directed in the meeting that before appointing officers in the internal vigilance cell, an intelligence inquiry has to be conducted and a report of the same be prepared, the statement said. For appointment of police officers to the vigilance department, it was directed that an examination has to be conducted and a list of eligible candidates prepared, it said. The eligible candidates would be train

Kerala HC rejects plea claiming arrest, detention for waving black flags

The Kerala High Court on Tuesday dismissed a plea seeking a declaration that arrest and detention for waving black flags in protest is 'illegal' and 'unconstitutional.' The petition, which also sought compensation for those booked for waving black flags at Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in protest last year, was rejected by a bench of Chief Justice S Manikumar and Justice Murali Purushothaman. The detailed order giving reasons for dismissing the plea is not yet available, advocate Rajesh Vijayan, who appeared for the petitioner, said. The matter assumes significance as many Youth Congress workers were arrested or put in preventive detention in the last few days for waving black flags at the Kerala CM, or allegedly planning to do so, while he was in Kozhikode and other districts of the state. The plea, by one Sam Joseph, had also sought an inquiry into the alleged professional misconduct by the officers concerned who had on June 11 last year taken into preventive custody two ...

Food Safety Dept to undergo performance audits district-wise in Kerala

The Food Safety Department would undergo a performance audit district-wise in the state to evaluate its enforcement activities, the Kerala government has said. As the number of people eating from outside is increasing, food safety cannot be compromised and therefore, the department should strengthen its enforcement activities, Health Minister Veena George said. Speaking at a meeting of the Assistant Commissioners of the Food Safety Department, the minister also said that the government would not allow corruption in the department as it was a bigger offense than adulteration of food. She said that food safety officials should take action in accordance with law, but not wrong ones. Strict action would be taken against food safety officials who are corrupt, the minister added, according to the release. George said that performance audits would be carried out on a district basis in the Food Safety Department and the districts would be ranked based on the outcome. Performance of all .

Cooperation between neighbours vital to prevent spread of disease: Kerala

As various infectious diseases are throwing up unprecedented challenges across the world, the Kerala government has emphasised upon cooperation between its health department and those of the neighbouring states to prevent spread of communicable ailments. State Health Minister Veena George said it was necessary for the health departments of the bordering states to work in cooperation with each other to prevent spread of infectious diseases effectively. The minister was speaking at an inter-state meeting of various states inaugurated by her on Monday, a government release said. At the meeting, George said that health workers in border districts, when required, should coordinate with each other in the areas of data sharing, early warning, preparation of strategic action plans, development of local awareness materials, implementation of containment and quarantine guidelines. She said that climate change, antimicrobial resistance, and pesticide resistance have all contributed to disease

Protection of coastal areas from erosion of utmost importance: Kerala govt

The protection of the state's coastal areas, facing erosion due to strong sea waves, is of the utmost importance and Rs 1,500 crore has been allocated for the same, the Kerala government has said. Kerala Water Resources Minister Roshy Augustine said that around Rs 5,400 crore would have to be spent for protecting the coastal areas from erosion. Of that Rs 1,500 crore has been allocated under a KIIFB project, he said on Sunday after inaugurating the reconstructed seawalls in Azhikkal coastal area of Azhikode constituency in Kannur district of the state. Augustine, at the event, said the major problem being faced by the people in coastal areas was sea water entering their homes and disrupting their living conditions. He said the reconstruction of the seawalls in Azhikkal in a time-bound manner was an example of the government's tireless efforts to resolve the problem faced by people living in coastal areas. Similarly, construction of seawalls, using tetrapods, was 80 per cent comple