Page 26 - Kerala

Kerala plans media campaign, bloggers' meet in Wayanad to attract tourists

The Kerala government is set to launch a "tremendous" promotional campaign along with a bloggers' meet in Wayanad in the run up to the Onam season to dispel tourists' concerns that the scenic district was no longer safe in the aftermath of the recent landslides. Kerala Tourism and Public Works minister P A Mohammed Riyas told PTI during an interview over the weekend that it was "sad" that the July 30 catastrophe in the northern district of the state was being called as "Wayanad disaster" while the fact was that it affected only one part of the picturesque destination. "Chooralmala is only a place in Wayanad but due to this news spreading that it is Wayanad disaster, everyone is searching this on Internet and thinking something was happening in Wayanad. This led to bookings at resorts being cancelled there. "The places that are best for tourism in Wayanad, and are about 50 km away from Chhoralmala, (even there) the bookings were cancelled. It is not right to say Wayanad disaster," he

Kerala CM announces high-level probe into allegations against top cops

The ruling CPI(M) in Kerala said on Monday that the party and the Left government will thoroughly examine all allegations made by LDF legislator P V Anvar against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's political secretary, P Sasi, and senior IPS officer M R Ajith Kumar, a close confidant of the CM. Reacting to the allegations levelled by businessman-turned-politician and two-time MLA P V Anvar, CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan told reporters that "all aspects of the allegations will be examined by the government and the party with necessary seriousness, and a stand will be taken accordingly." Nilambur MLA Anvar has accused Sasi and ADGP (Law and Order) Ajith Kumar of breaching trust and failing to deliver responsibilities honestly. Anvar alleged Kumar tapped ministers' phone conversations, had links with gold smuggling rackets, and was involved in serious crimes. The Left MLA's allegations against the key person in the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) and the top rank official had ...

UDF to hold protest in Kerala capital on Monday over Hema Committee report

Opposition Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) will hold a protest on Monday in front of the Secretariat, the administrative hub here, accusing the Left government of protecting culprits reportedly mentioned in the Justice K Hema Committee report. The opposition would also protest against the alleged protection given by the Pinarayi Vijayan government to those who had created and propagated the controversial "kafir" screenshot in Vadakara constituency during the time of the recent Lok Sabha polls. Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly, V D Satheesan, would inaugurate the agitation in front of the Secretariat on September 2 morning, a statement said on Sunday. UDF Convenor M M Hassan, KPCC president K Sudhakaran, other prominent front leaders including P K Kunhalikutty, P J Joseph, C P John, Anoop Jacob and Sibu Baby John would take part in the protest, it added. The opposition has been accusing the state government of protecting predators and ignoring the revelations of

Hema panel report: Film employees federation to not protect accused members

The Film Employees Federation of Kerala on Saturday said it won't protect members who were found to be facing allegations with regard to the Justice Hema Committee report and they would be suspended from it if arrested. Film Employees Federation of Kerala (FEFKA) itself would provide relevant information to police in this connection if it comes to know about any such complaints, it's general secretary B Unnikrishnan said here. FEFKA is the apex body of 21 trade unions working at various levels of the Malayalam film industry. Unnikrishnan admitted that some of the Association members were also facing allegations. "We won't take any immediate action if just FIR is lodged against any of our members. But, if the police later file any report, the court makes any mention against the person or he is arrested, the individual will be suspended from the Association," he said. The filmmaker also rejected allegations that the Association remained silent over the shocking revelations in the ex

RSS' three-day coordination meeting commences in Kerala's Palakkad

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh's (RSS) three-day long 'Akhil Bharatiya Samanvay Baithak' commenced here on Saturday in the presence of organisation chief Mohan Bhagwat and its six joint general secretaries. BJP President J P Nadda, its organising secretary B L Santosh, Vishwa Hindu Parishad chief Alok Kumar and Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh president Hiranmay Pandya were among the national level leaders of 32 'Sangh inspired organisations' who attended the meeting, a RSS release said. On the first day of the national-level coordination meeting, the leaders of the 32 Sangh inspired organisations and around 300 of their 'karyakartas', which included women, were informed about the recent landslide in Wayanad and the relief and service work done by the swayamsevak, the release said. Organising secretaries of the various organisations presented and exchanged information and experiences about their activities. "Apart from this, the meeting discussed the current scenario, recent important even

Hema Committee report: 'I am not part of any power group', says Mohanlal

Actor Mohanlal on Saturday said he was not part of any power group in the Malayalam film industry and he has no knowledge of the existence of any such group in the sector. He said Malayalam cinema is a huge industry where thousands of people work and the actors's association AMMA (Association of Malayalam Movie Artists) could not address issues that cropped up there. He said the executive panel of the Association headed by him resigned recently in the wake of allegations being raised against it after the release of the report by Justice Hema Committee. It was for the first time that Mohanlal, former president of AMMA, was addressing the media following the release of the expert panel report which shed light on the alleged harassment and exploitation of women professionals in the Malayalam film industry. "Wrongdoers should be punished if there is evidence against them," the "Kireedam" actor said while referring to the allegations of sexual misconduct and assaults that surfaced again

Three day RSS Akhil Bharatiya Samanvay Baithak begins in Kerala's Palakkad

32 national office-bearers of various organisations working for social transformation inspired by the RSS' ideology will participate in the meeting

Another case registered against director Ranjith for sexual assault

The case was filed in Kozhikode and is the latest development after the release of the recent Hema Committee report

Sexual assault: Row intensifies as Kerala govt accused of shielding accused

Protests raged in Kerala on Friday as outrage grew over shocking accounts from several female actors in the Malayalam film industry, with the Leader of the Opposition, V D Satheesan, accusing the CPI(M)-led government of shielding the culprits, including actor-politician Mukesh, who stands accused of sexual assault. Mahila Congress activists in Kochi and Kollam took to the streets, demanding the resignation of CPI(M) MLA Mukesh and a thorough investigation into the shocking allegations of sexual misconduct made by female actors in the Malayalam film industry to the Justice Hema Committee. In Kochi, demonstrators vented their anger by beating effigies of Mukesh, Sidhique, and Ranjith -- all accused of sexual assault -- with brooms. In Kollam, a protest march was held outside Mukesh's residence, with activists calling for his immediate resignation as MLA. Satheesan alleged that the accused in the Malayalam film industry scandal are being protected by a "power group" within the ruling

Chhattisgarh CM announces aid of Rs 15 crore each to Kerala, Tripura

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai has announced an assistance of Rs 15 crore each to Kerala and Tripura, where heavy rains and landslides have wreaked havoc, a government official here said on Friday. In a post on X, the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) stated that the chief minister has decided to provide Rs 15 crore assistance each from the Disaster Relief Fund to Tripura and Kerala. "In the last few days, we have received sad news about the loss of lives and property on a large scale due to natural calamities in Tripura and Kerala. My sympathies are with the disaster-affected people. The Chhattisgarh government is ready to help both states in this adverse situation," Sai said in the post.

Ceiling on net borrowing: SC to set up 5-judge bench to hear Kerala's plea

The Kerala government on Friday moved the Supreme Court seeking early setting up of a five-judge Constitution bench to hear its lawsuit against the Centre raising the issue of ceiling on net borrowing. The state government has raised a question whether a State has an enforceable right to raise its borrowing limits from the Union government and other sources. A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra was told by senior lawyer Kapil Sibal, appearing for the state government, that the matter was referred to a Constitution bench on April 1 and the apex court official was not sending an email for setting up of the bench. I will look into it, the CJI said. A bench of Justices Surya Kant and K V Viswanathan on April 1 had referred the matter to a five-judge Constitution bench and this can now be set up by the CJI by an administrative order. The apex court, however, had refused to grant any interim injunction to Kerala, saying the state has

Wayanad landslides: Police intensify patrols to stop thefts, selfie seekers

A post office littered with parcels of the dead and missing, a special police unit deployed to stop 'selfie tourists' and patrols to check thefts in abandoned houses is all that remains in the three Wayanad villages that were wiped off during the deadly landslides that occurred exactly a month ago. An eight-km radius of Punchirimattam, Chooralmala and Mundakkai villages in the district was devastated by at least two massive landslides that hurtled down with ferocious volumes of water and debris around 2 am on July 30 claiming more than 231 lives even as 218 different human body parts have been found, as per latest official data. The Kerala state highway no 39 leading to these picturesque villages of the hill district of Wayanad, over 470 kilometres from state capital Thiruvananthapuram, bear a testimony to the heart wrenching tragedy as police vehicles, heavy earth movers, ambulances and rescue teams line up the stretch in anticipation of any emergency in view of the continuing ...

Heavy rains hit parts of Kerala causing waterlogging, traffic snarls

Heavy rains lashed several districts of Kerala on Friday morning, leading to waterlogging of roads and traffic snarls in various parts of the state. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted thunderstorms with heavy rainfall and gusty winds close to 50 kilometers per hour (kmph) at one or two places in Kottayam and Ernakulam districts of the state. Additionally, it also predicted moderate rainfall and gusty winds of around 40 kmph in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Idukki, Thrissur and Palakkad districts. On Thursday, it had issued an orange alert in the districts of Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur and Kasaragod for August 30. It had also issued a yellow alert in the remaining districts of the state except for Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam and Alappuzha. An orange alert means very heavy rain (6 cm to 20 cm). A yellow alert means heavy rainfall between 6 and 11 cm.

Aspiring male actor files sexual assault complaint against director Ranjith

A new complaint has been filed against director Ranjith by an aspiring male actor, alleging that the director forced him to strip naked and sexually assaulted him

Kerala has invested Rs 1,000 cr to develop AYUSH infra in state, says CM

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday said the government has invested Rs 1,000 crore in the past three years to develop the Ayush infrastructure in the state, including an International Institute of Ayurveda Research and a new Ayurveda medical college in Idukki district. The CM inaugurated a two-day Global Ayurveda Summit and Kerala Healthcare Tourism here and set the tone for the deliberations by focusing on the policy initiatives of the state government to facilitate a holistic healthcare environment. The summit is spearheaded by the Confederation of Indian Industry with support from the Ministry of Ayush and Central and State governments. "Our strength lies in seamlessly blending traditional ayurvedic practice with cutting-edge modern medicine," Vijayan was quoted in a release issued by the organisers. The speakers at the summit called for promoting Kerala as God's own healing destination by focusing on the unique strengths of the state in modern medicine, ayurveda

Kerala's industrial landscape to undergo transformation with new city: CM

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday said the state's industrial landscape is set to be transformed with the Union Cabinet's clearance for a new industrial city in Palakkad. His statement came a day after the Union Government approved 12 new industrial cities in 10 states including Palakkad in Kerala on the lines of Greater Noida in Uttar Pradesh and Dholera in Gujarat to boost domestic manufacturing. In a post on 'X', Vijayan said Palakkad Industrial City which is expected to attract investments worth Rs 10,000 crore and create over 55,000 jobs will now become a reality. "The State government's swift land acquisition efforts and our persistence in securing the Union Government's approval have now paid off. Kerala's industrial landscape is set to be transformed with the Union Cabinet's clearance for this crucial component of the Kochi-Bengaluru Hi-Tech #IndustrialCorridor. #KeralaLeads," the Chief Minister said. The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Mod

LDF backs Mukesh, says Cong MLAs who face rape charges should resign first

The ruling LDF in Kerala on Thursday threw its weight behind CPI(M) MLA M Mukesh, booked in a rape case, saying that the two Congress legislators who are accused in sexual assault cases should resign first before the Malayalam actor's resignation is sought. At the same time, LDF convener E P Jayarajan also said that neither the CPI(M) nor the Left government will protect any wrongdoers in any of the cases registered on the allegations against various actors and directors. Jayarajan was responding to reporters' queries on whether Mukesh will resign or not. He said that earlier, much bigger sexual assault cases were lodged against two other MLAs who had not resigned. He was referring to Congress MLAs M Vincent and Eldhose Kunnappilly. "Had they resigned, then the third MLA (Mukesh) too would have to resign. The law is applicable equally to all legislators. By asking for Mukesh' resignation, you are protecting the other two," he said. On being told that some CPI leaders, including A

Hema Committee report: Opposition slams govt's inaction, asks 5 questions

In a scathing attack on the Left government in Kerala, the Congress-led opposition on Wednesday raised five pointed questions on the Hema committee report, alleging a blatant cover-up and accusing the Pinarayi Vijayan-headed dispensation of shielding key persons by glossing over crucial facts. Leader of Opposition in the State Assembly, V D Satheesan, alleged that the government is on the defensive regarding the Hema Committee report. "The government is trying to save some individuals by playing hide-and-seek. The government's actions are creating an impression among the public that everyone in the film industry is troublesome. "However, there are many good people in the film industry. The government is hiding the real culprits, which is why even innocents are being humiliated in Kerala. The government should resolve this issue," Satheesan told reporters at Puthanathani in Malappuram. The opposition leader accused the government of silence and evasion over the Hema Committee report

Hema committee report fallout: Actor Siddique, director Ranjith resign

Kerala govt forms special team to probe atrocities faced by women in film industry

Wayanad landslides instance of nature reacting to human greed: Kerala HC

The landslides that hit Wayanad district in Kerala claiming over 200 lives was just another instance of nature reacting to human "apathy and greed", the High Court here has said. The court said that the "warning signs" had appeared a long time ago but "we chose to ignore them in pursuit of a development agenda that would supposedly put our state on the high road to economic prosperity". It said that the natural disasters in 2018 and 2019, the pandemic that persisted for nearly two years and the recent landslides "have shown us the error of our ways". "If we do not mend our ways and take affirmative remedial action now, perhaps it will be too late," a bench of justices A K Jayasankaran Nambiar and Syam Kumar V M said while hearing a plea initiated on its own by the court following the July 30 landslides that completely wiped away three villages in Wayanad with 119 people still unaccounted for. The court suo motu initiated the PIL "to persuade the state government to introspect on it