Page 31 - Kerala

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

'Code names for women': Hema committee report shakes Malayalam cinema

The Hema committee, appointed by the Kerala government, highlighted issues faced by women in the Malayalam film industry, including unwanted physical advances even before commencing work

Kerala orders space audit in medical colleges to ensure employee safety

In the wake of protests by healthcare professionals against the rape and murder of a resident doctor at a hospital in Kolkata, the Kerala government has ordered a space audit to ensure safety of the employees in medical colleges in the state. State Health Minister Veena George has directed the Director of Medical Education to carry out the audit, the government said in a statement on Tuesday. The direction was issued by the minister in a high-level meeting of medical colleges called by her, the statement said. The conduct of the space audits has to be ensured at the institution-level by the principals and at the state-level by the Director of Medical Education, it said. The additional measures ordered by the minister to ensure safety in medical colleges in Kerala, include organising mock drills, installing public address systems, CCTVs and alarms, using walkie talkies, intensifying security monitoring and not allowing unauthorised persons to stay inside the hospitals at night, the

No duty relief for import of goods to help Wayanad landslide victims

Prefabricated buildings fall under the tariff heading 9406. Modular building units of steel fall under the tariff line 94062000. All the items under the heading 9406 can be imported freely

Kerala CM urges banks to write off loans of victims of Wayanad landslides

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday urged various banks to write off the loans availed by landslide victims and survivors in Kerala's Wayanad. He said waiving loans would not impose any unbearable burden upon the banks and so it should be written off completely. While addressing a meeting of the State Level Bankers' Committee (SLBC) here, the CM said relaxation in interest amounts or extension of time for remitting monthly installments would not at all be a solution in the landslide-hit regions. Many of those who had availed the loans are dead, and their land became unusable after the disaster, he pointed out. "The only thing we can do is write off the entire loans taken by people in these affected areas," Vijayan said. He expressed the government's strong displeasure with the act of banks continuing to take monthly installments from the landslide survivors and urged the SLBC to take a favourable decision in this regard. Vijayan's reaction came amidst intense protest