Kerala

Crime

Following the incident, the Kochi Corporation which runs the destitute home in Palluruthy, has suspended the superintendent with immediate effect pending further inquiry.

TNM Staff

In a disturbing video that has surfaced from a destitute home in Kerala’s Palluruthy, a boorish staff member can be seen abusing and harassing an aged lady. He pushes and shoves her out of the room, while telling her to get out and proceeds to kick her. It doesn’t stop there. Later, the man can be seen trying to slap her and hit her with a water hose lying around. Amidst all this, the lady’s 38-year-old daughter can be seen trying to intervene and shield her mother. The video ends with the man snatching the old lady’s bag and walking away. The woman had come to meet her daughter who is one of the inmates lodged at the destitute home. The man seen in the video has been identified as Anwar Hussain, who is the superintendent of the destitute home. He has been arrested following the incident. Meanwhile, the Kochi Corporation which runs the destitute home, has suspended Anwar with immediate effect pending further inquiry. Earlier, police officials initiated a probe into the incident after the video came to the notice of Ernakulam District Collector S Suhas. The Collector on Monday directed the police officials to register a case and to submit a detailed report on what happened at the destitute home. The destitute home at Palluruthy Veli, under the charge of Kochi Corporation, is inhabited by people who are struggling financially and socially. The incident happened when 74-year-old Karthiyani amma, resident of Cherthala in Alappuzha district, had come to meet her daughter who has been admitted to the destitute home for being mentally ill, since the past one year. The Kerala Women’s Commission will be visiting the destitute home at 2 pm on Tuesday to collect statements. They have also registered a suo motu case on the incident. According to reports, the inmate says that about Rs 2 to 2.5 lakh was deposited in her account a year ago before she came to the destitute home. Karthiyani amma alleges that the superintendent took away part of the money from her daughter. As per reports, it is estimated that Rs 10,000 has gone missing from the daughter’s account. It is also alleged that the woman was taken to the superintendent’s house in Thiruvananthapuram and made to do household work for him. A complaint was filed by Karthiyani amma to officials of Kochi Corporation on September 16, for taking her daughter admitted at the destitute home to the superintendent’s house. But reportedly, no action was taken on that. The video, which was circulated on social media, was shot by another staff member from inside the destitute home. A case has been registered in Palluruthy police against Anwar under sections 323 (Punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), 324 (Voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means), 506 (Punishment for criminal intimidation), 354 (Assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) and 294 (b) (sings, recites or utters any obscene song, ballad or words, in or near any public place) of the Indian Penal Code. Meanwhile, Minister for Health, Social Justice and Woman and Child Development KK Shailaja, has ordered the Social Justice Department director to take immediate action in the case. Also read: How a Kerala student won the fight against restrictions on mobile use in hostel Kerala woman locked up for weeks by son, found in critical state with maggots in wounds

Body 2:

Roads

The warning comes after officials in charge of various roads in Kochi submitted ‘before and after’ photos of the roads to Collector S Suhas at a meeting on Monday.

TNM Staff

On September 4, the Ernakulam Collector, S Suhas, had given an ultimatum to officials from various departments to fix the notorious pothole-riddled roads of Kochi. As directed, the officials in charge of various roads submitted during a meeting on Monday the before and after pictures of the roads to the district chief to assess the maintenance work of 45 worst-hit roads. The Collector also gave a sterner warning to the officials at the meeting: “I will examine the development of the road repairs and if it is found that the present photos of the repaired roads are any different from the actual condition, I will charge you with a case.” While directing the Ernakulam Deputy Commissioner of Police to verify the images, Suhas said, “I will also personally check these roads. If you cannot do the road repair properly, I will get the work done and deduct that money from your salaries. We are drawing our salaries from the tax paid by the public. So, if we are not doing work for people, it is not right at all,” Suhas said hitting out at the officials. The traffic congestion in Kochi has been horrible in the last couple of months. The serpentine queues had hogged headlines on Malayalam news channels forcing the government to step in and do repair work as a knee jerk reaction. Despite this, many roads are in pathetic condition and have been ignored for years. The Collector gave the ultimatum to officials of Public Works Department, Greater Cochin Development Corporation, National Highways division, Kochi Corporation, Kochi Metro Rail Limited, Roads and Bridges Development Corporation of Kerala Ltd., Cochin Refineries Ltd., and National Highways Authority of India, to repair the pothole-filled stretches under them within two weeks. Suhas IAS who had become the Collector of Ernakulam in June this year had also invoked Criminal Procedure Code section 133 (conditional order for removal of nuisance) against the officials when he gave the ultimatum two weeks ago. On Monday, he said that on inspection, if it is found that the roads are still not repaired or not done properly, the section will be changed to 138 (procedure where official appears to show cause) of Code of Criminal Procedure, and case will be registered. Meanwhile, the officials concerned cited intermittent rains as a hindrance to complete the work on time. They said that in most of the places, it was difficult to carry out the work during day time as it would further worsen the traffic. According to an official release from the district administration, the officials concerned also promised the district chief that remaining maintenance work will be completed by Tuesday and Wednesday. Kaloor-Kathrikadavu road, Palarivattom Bypass junction road, Kakkanad-Palarivattom road, Vytilla-Kundanoor road and Maradu-Kundanoor road, are some of the stretches that were identified by the district administration as worst-hit, and ordered to be rectified. Also read: Kochi’s infamous pothole-ridden roads: A danger to citizens and vehicles Palarivattom flyover reconstruction: Traffic, environmental concerns ahead for Kochi

Body 2:

Law

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan last week had stated that the flyover built at a cost of Rs 48 crore two years ago, should be reconstructed.

TNM Staff

Midhun J

While hearing the bail applications of the four arrested persons in Palarivattom flyover scam case, including former Public Works Department secretary Soorej TO, the High Court on Tuesday stated that the investigation should not be interrupted. In a verbal direction, the court also asked the state government not to start the reconstruction work of Palarivattom flyover till October 10. The High Court on Tuesday considered multiple petitions in connection with the Palarivattom flyover that was closed after finding that the structure had developed serious cracks on it. Apart from the bail plea of the accused, there were two separate petitions asking the High Court to issue direction to state government to restrain demolition activities of the flyover. While considering the bail plea of the accused, court directed the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) which is probing the case to present the evidence against the accused in sealed envelopes and also to submit the case dairy. Meanwhile, the bail plea of the four accused - Sumeet Goyal, managing director of RDS Projects Ltd, the construction company; MT Thankachan, former assistant general manager of Roads and Bridges Development Corporation of Kerala Ltd. (RBDCK), a subsidiary of Kerala PWD; Benny Paul, joint general manager of KITCO which provided technical expertise, and Soorej TO, was rejected by the court. The case will be further heard on Friday. While considering separate petitions by two Ernakulam residents - Jaffer Khan and P Varghese Cherian - requesting the court to restrain government from carrying out demolition activities on the flyover, court stated that the flyover’s reconstruction should not commence before October 10. “Government can go forward with the reconstruction of the flyover, but it should not be initiated till October 10,” the court stated. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan last week had stated that the flyover will be reconstructed. Meanwhile Association of Structural and Geotechnical Consulting Engineers members had also recently come out stating that the flyover should not be demolished. Talking to media in Kochi on Monday, the members of the association stated that the flyover should only be demolished after load test is done on the structure. “There will be no issues for light vehicles like car and bike to pass through the flyover. According to the first study report on the flyover by IIT Madras, the structure was repaired at a cost of Rs 3 crore. It is not right to say that the flyover should be reconstructed. The second report prepared by experts of IIT has not come out yet. The government should put it out,” stated the officials of Association of Structural and Geotechnical Consulting Engineers. Read also: Palarivattom flyover scam: Why 4 including a former PWD secy have been remanded Palarivattom flyover reconstruction: Traffic, environmental concerns ahead for Kochi

Body 2:

Infrastructure

As per reports, the decision to issue notices to the KSEB and KWA was taken during an emergency review meeting called by Chief Secretary Tom Jose in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday.

TNM Staff

The Maradu municipality of Kerala’s Ernakulam district on Tuesday issued notices to the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) and Kerala Water Authority (KWA) to disconnect the power and water supply within three days, to the four apartment complexes in the Maradu area which have been ordered by the Supreme Court to be demolished for violating the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) norms. According to reports, the notice has been issued by the municipality to the KSEB assistant engineer and KWA assistant executive engineer and both the officials have said that they would go ahead with the notice after discussing the matter with their senior officials. A KWA official, according to a report by the Times of India (TOI) was quoted to have said that, “Normally we disconnect water connection after issuing notices to residents and giving them some time.” He went on to add that in emergency situations, they act without granting any time to the residents. According to a report by The New Indian Express (TNIE), the decision to issue notices to the KSEB and KWA was taken during an emergency review meeting called by Chief Secretary Tom Jose in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday. During the meeting, it was also decided to hand over the additional charge of demolishing the apartment complexes to Fort Kochi Sub-Collector Snehil Kumar Singh IAS. An order regarding this was issued by the Kerala government’s joint secretary Rajesh Kumar M. Arif Khan, the current secretary of the Maradu municipality, according to a report by TNIE, was quoted to have said, “The chief secretary convened the emergency meeting to discuss further actions to demolish the buildings. As per the decision, I’ve issued notices to both the KSEB and KWA to disconnect electricity and water connections with immediate effect. I’m yet to receive official order from the government.” The SC’s decision to demolish the four apartment complexes for violating the CRZ norms has pushed the residents living in these apartments to come out in protest against the order outside the Maradu Municipality.

Body 2:

Crime

The surrender and arrest of Mohammad Jasim, however, has been mired in controversy after the girl’s father, a Christian, accused Jasim of threatening his daughter to convert to Islam.

Sandeep Vellaram

The Kozhikode police on Tuesday arrested a 19-year-old who has been accused of sexually assaulting his 18-year-old classmate after drugging her. The surrender and arrest of Mohammad Jasim, however, has been mired in controversy after the young woman’s father, a Christian, accused Jasim of threatening his daughter to convert to Islam. According to a complaint by the woman’s father, Jasim met her at the Sarovaram Biopark in the city on July 25, drugged her, sexually assaulted her and captured this on video to threaten her. He also alleged that more girls could have been trapped by Jasim and others. The Kozhikode police had received flak for not registering an FIR till August 5 and not arresting the man till there was a hue and cry around the issue. It was only on Tuesday that Jasim finally surrendered. Kozhikode Police Commissioner, however, said that this was not a case of ‘love jihad’ as claimed by the father. “The two were in the same institute, she was a year junior. They had been in a relationship. The girl said that he gave her something to drink. The events following that are hazy in her mind. However, she has not converted to Islam. We are looking into the allegation that he threatened her to convert,” the Commissioner told TNM. Meanwhile, AK Jamaludheen, Deputy Commissioner of Police, told the media that according to the young woman's statement, Jasim insisted that he would marry her only if she converted to Islam. The father denied all these statements and told the media that the duo had never been in a relationship. “If that is so, why did she scream and run from there?” he asked. He told the National Commission for Women that this was not a ‘simple blackmailing case’. Meanwhile, for the first time, the Kerala Catholic Bishops Council’s (KCBC) Commission for Social Harmony and Vigilance has urged the government to probe the forcible conversion of Christian girls in the state. KCBC deputy secretary general and official spokesperson Father Varghese Vallikkatt alleged that the police failed to probe the Kozhikode sexual assault case in detail. Father Vallikkatt said in a statement, “Earlier there were allegations that some secret gangs were working in the state to do forcible conversions under the banner of love marriage. The government must probe any connection with the recent forcible conversion bid in Kozhikode.” “The police failed to conduct a detailed investigation into the forcible conversion issue. The lack of probe affects the credibility of the police force. The church is pained by the recent incidents. We suspect that some groups are targeting Christian girls,” he added. “We want the government to probe the forcible conversions in the state. In a mixed society, love marriage is a common thing. But forcible conversions is not a positive sign. The church is concerned about the forcible conversion of Christian girls in the state,” said a senior priest belonging to the Syro Malabar Church. Church sources said KCBC’s Social Harmony and Vigilance Commission plans to address the issue by conducting awareness campaigns about the forcible conversions. Meanwhile, George Kurian, vice-chairperson of the National Commission for Minorities (NCM), has written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah claiming that Christian girls are a “target” for Islamic terror recruiters in Kerala. In his letter, Kurian asked the union government to take serious action on the matter and order an investigation by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and bring in an effective law to curb such unlawful activities. “As per KCBC data, over 2,600 Christian girls converted to Islam in between 2006 and 2009. Reports said that out of 21 people who joined the IS from Kerala, five had converted to Islam from the Christian community. The KCBC magazine ‘Jagratha’ published by the church pointed out that around 4,000 girls have been subjected to religious conversion in the 2005-2012 period,” Kurian stated in the letter.

Body 2:

Controversy

The documentary ‘Oru Chayakkadakkarante Mann Ki Bath’ is about the plight of a septuagenarian tea vendor in Kollam, following demonetisation.

Cris

The screening of a Malayalam documentary called Oru Chayakkadakkarante Mann Ki Bath had to be cancelled at the Kerala Club in New Delhi, following threats by the right wing. It was later screened at a private gathering organised by the Delhi Union of Journalists (DUJ). The documentary is about the plight of a septuagenarian tea vendor in Kollam, following demonetisation. When demonetisation happened, Yahiya – the tea vendor -- shaved half his head and on the first anniversary, half his moustache too, as a sign of protest. “It was supposed to be screened on September 23, along with a speech by senior journalist Sukumar Muralidharan, on the financial crisis. The event was organised by the Clone Cinema Alternative, a group formed by Delhi Malayalis, in association with the Kerala Club. News about the event came on the media and workers of the RSS-BJP said that they would not allow the screening,” says Sanu Kammil, the director of the documentary, who is also a journalist from Kollam. “The Kerala Club which often screens Malayalam movies and holds discussions too had to cancel the screening of the film. When the story appeared on the media, A Sampath, Kerala’s special representative in New Delhi, extended support to hold the private screening,” Sanu adds. Sanu has seen Yahiya, the tea vendor in Kollam, adopting unique ways of protesting against the troubles he has been through. Once, after a policeman beat him up for not wearing his lungi loose while he was pushing his mobile thattukada, Yahiya switched to wearing nighties of women, so he didn’t have to tie it loose no matter who showed up, or however important that person was. Yahiya had to go to work in Saudi Arabia in slave-like conditions to get his daughters married off and when he came back to his homeland, began a thattukada (roadside shop). After being robbed one day, he began burying all his savings in little pits on the ground. About Rs.23,000 was buried like this when November 8, 2016 came and the note ban was announced. Yahiya quickly unburied his notes and went to stand in a queue before a bank. For two long days he stood. But at the end of the second day, he fainted. He was old and unwell. Dejected, he went with his money to the stove of his thattukada and burnt them all. He shaved half of his hair and declared it would be left like that till Narendra Modi’s government fell. On the first anniversary of demonetisation, he shaved half of his moustache too. Let Modi go, he’d say, and then he will grow them back. Read: Maxi Maman: Meet the Kerala man protesting injustices in a nightie with half shaved head

Body 2:

Healthcare

The service will be expanded to more districts by the end of October.

TNM Staff

In a move that is expected to make a big difference in the lives of ordinary people in the state, the Kerala Health Department has launched an emergency trauma care service. Named Kanivu (Kerala Ambulance Network for Indisposed Victims), the free ambulance will have trained people and modern facilities. The service can be accessed by dialling the number 108. The service, which was earlier inaugurated by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on September 17, became operational at 12 noon on Tuesday. In the first phase, the service has become operational in seven southern and central districts- Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alappuzha, Pathanamthitta , Ernakulam, Kottayam and Idukki. As many as 101 ambulances have been deployed across the seven districts. 315 ambulances in total are part of the scheme. The service will be expanded to more districts by the end of October."The extension of the service will be based on the feedback of the people as it's the first phase of the project," said Health Minister KK Shailaja. The public can make complaints and give suggestions on the toll free number - 18005992270. 28 ambulances have been deployed in Thiruvananthapuram, 10 in Kollam, 18 in Alappuzha, 15 each in Pathanamthitta and Ernakulam, eight in Kottayam and seven in Idukki. "People who come to the rescue of accident victims should not be victimised and the attitude of police personnel towards those who help accident victims should reflect the government's stand,” the Chief Minister said while launching the service in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday. Kanivu has been launched as a part of comprehensive trauma care in government-run hospitals in the state, considering the fact that the number of casualties in road accidents can be reduced if medical care is provided at the earliest. The ambulances will have a trained pilot and an emergency medical technician apart from having modern life saving equipment. A call centre with the required provisions has also been arranged to coordinate the functioning of the service. A nodal officer has been appointed at each hospital to ensure that the service is provided in a speedy manner and without any delay. The service of a doctor while transporting the patient will be provided through teleconference if needed. If a specialist doctor or a life supporting system is not available in a nearby hospital, the nodal officer will communicate with the call centre and make it available from other hospitals in the area in the shortest time possible. Kanivu replaces the previous ambulance service named ‘108’ which had been functioning in Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam districts only. Also read: Kerala Club in Delhi cancels documentary screening following right wing threats

Body 2:

Children's Welfare

The Divine Children’s Home in Thiruvananthapuram had received several notices from the Child Welfare Commission over alleged torture of children and was earlier closed down.

Cris

On a hilltop in a place called Mudavanmugal in Thiruvananthapuram lies the Divine Children’s Home. Functioning since 2002, the institute has been embroiled in a controversy in the last few years over allegations of children being tortured and made to work. In June 2018, it was officially closed, the children were shifted to other homes or else sent off with their guardians. A few weeks later, however, it started functioning again, and according to the director, as a hostel. Those who had flagged the alleged abuse at the institute believe that running an institution as a hostel was only to ensure that it will not come under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, and that the Child Welfare Commission (CWC) or the District Child Protection Unit (DCPU) cannot interfere in its working. There are at present 35 children at the institution. “Yes, it is running as a hostel now,” Alice Thomas, director of the institute, told TNM. However, TNM has found that though Alice Thomas states that the institute is only functioning as a hostel, it is still registered as an orphanage under the Orphanage Control Board. A source at the board told TNM that this means Divine Children’s Home can continue to take donations like any other orphanage. Alice’s claims of turning the home into a hostel has also been questioned by the DCPU. “If that is the case, why wouldn’t Alice Thomas show us the license (of it being a hostel) when a member visited for inspection? Why is the name still carrying the words ‘children’s home’ and not ‘hostel’?” asks a member from the DCPU, Thiruvananthapuram. The case In early 2018, the children’s home had received a notice from the CWC to close down after reports of children being tortured had emerged. “Children had given statements of being physically abused – beaten till the stick broke or hair being pulled or made to clean the chicken nest,” says a panel of the Child Welfare Commission headed by Chairperson and advocate N Sunanda. The children were hit on their faces and other parts of the body and such physical punishment was meted out even for trivial things. According to CWC, despite the complaints, the government had permitted the children’s home to continue functioning. Biju Prabhakar, Special Secretary in charge of the Department of Social Justice and Women & Child Development of Government of Kerala, had stayed the closure notice. He says that he went by Alice Thomas’s version that some individuals wanted to install a mobile tower near the institution. “Alice told me that she objected to it and thereafter a group of people started sending complaints against her to CWC,” says Biju. “I understood from her that she brought some tribal children from Kuttichal (Thiruvananthapuram) and was educating them here,” he adds. Alice also reportedly brought some parents along for the meeting. “They said that it is only because Alice was running the institution that their kids are studying. On that basis, I stayed the closure notice,” says Biju. He, however had nothing to say about statements by children about the abuse they faced. However, in a surprising move, on June 7, 2018, Alice informed the CWC that she is closing the Divine Children’s Home, and sending the children away with their parents or guardians. “The kids admitted by the CWC were rehabilitated in other children’s homes and others were allowed to go home to their parents or kin,” says the CWC. However, the Thiruvananthapuram District Child Protection Unit (DCPU) was informed that children were still seen at the home, much after the home was supposed to have closed. A team from the DCPU went for inspection on August 9, 2018. “They claimed they are running it as a hostel now, which meant it didn’t come under the Juvenile Justice Act, and so it was not up to us to check on them or send them notice. However, when we asked them to show us the proof that it is running as a hostel, they refused to do so. They said that the license was obtained from the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation and since the institution is being run by a trust, the latter’s permission would be needed before sharing any documents,” says a DCPU member. The DCPU informed the CWC about the visit. And the CWC panel called the authorities of the children’s home for a hearing, thrice. “Before the first hearing – scheduled on August 20, 2018 – they informed us that they were busy with flood relief work and asked for another date. In the second notice, they were asked to appear for a hearing on September 9 at 3 pm. The administrator then sent a letter requesting to move the hearing to another date. A third notice was sent, for a hearing on October 9, 2018. To that, we received a long letter from the administrator, Deepu Muraleedharan, telling us that neither the CWC nor the DCPU had any power to send them a notice, only the government did. “They wrote that we cannot question them, cannot give or take away their recognition under the JJ Act, because the powers are vested with the government. And to their knowledge, the government had not sub-delegated it to anyone. The CWC had informed the Child Rights Commission and the Police Assistant Commissioner about the letter,” says the panel. According to Biju, Alice had approached him in March 2019, stating that she is running the institution as a hostel. ‘CWC had good opinion about DCH before these issues’ Alice Thomas, director of DCH, tells TNM the same reasons she conveyed to Biju Prabhakar. “Some people wanted to install a mobile tower near the institution. The residents were opposed to this, and they cited the institution and the children staying there as a reason. During a roadside meeting regarding this, I too spoke against the installation of the tower, worried over the security of my children. Two people in charge of the mobile tower saw me speak and later began telling people that they'd have my institution closed. That is when I started getting notices from the Child Welfare Commission,” she says. The director says that before all these issues’ cropped up, even the CWC had a very good opinion about the children’s home. “They would send me children turned away by other institutions. I look after them well.” She however, repeated that the institution was now a hostel, which is incorrect. “I wanted the institution to be registered under the JJ Act. Now it is running as a hostel and we have 35 children here, from the age of six to 17, studying up to class 12.” Sources say that by claiming she was running a hostel and not a children’s home, Alice was ensuring that the regular checks she was subjected to would no longer persist. What remains crucial is the safety of children and what measures the government will take to ensure that the institution does not harass the kids again.

Body 2:

Health

It all began on February 28 when the 38-year-old sought treatment at the Medical College Hospital (MCH) in Kottayam.

Korah Abraham

Photo Courtesy - Deshabhimani

Months after a 38-year-old woman from Kerala’s Alappuzha district underwent chemotherapy based on a false medical report, the Kerala government during a cabinet meeting on Wednesday has decided to give an amount of Rs 3 lakhs as compensation to the woman. The incident came to light in June this year after Rajini, who had to undergo chemotherapy without suffering from cancer, filed a complaint with the state Health Minister KK Shylaja, following which the government ordered for a probe into the incident. It all began on February 28 when the 38-year-old sought treatment at the Medical College Hospital (MCH) in Kottayam regarding a growth on her right breast. However, a biopsy conducted in a private lab claimed that she is suffering from cancer following which she was subjected to chemotherapy by the Kottayam MCH officials. But the doctors soon recognised the mistake when she lost her hair completely after a single session of chemotherapy. Speaking to TNM on Wednesday following the cabinet decision, Rajini said, “I’m happy that the government has decided to help me with financial compensation but what I need the most now is a job.” She goes on to add that following the treatment, which had affected her physically and mentally, she had sent a petition to the Kerala Chief Minister and the state Health Minister requesting for a job. “They have not said anything about that yet,” said Rajini, who used to work at a textile shop before her treatment. Rajini was administered with the first round of chemotherapy on March 19, the results for which came out on March 27 - stating that the growth wasn’t malignant. According to reports, she had lodged a complaint with the MCH superintendent and an inquiry was conducted into the matter, which proved that she was not having any cancerous growth. The same was confirmed by the Regional Cancer Centre (RCC) in Thiruvananthapuram as well. Meanwhile, her growth was removed in May this year through surgery. Also read: Kerala woman who has no cancer given chemotherapy: Govt orders probe

Body 2:

Demolition case

However, some residents are insisting they won't leave, and say they have backup generators.

Neethu Joseph

“Without power and water, how can we live here? We will have to move out,” said an upset Paul, a resident of one of the four Kochi apartments that have been ordered to be demolished by the Supreme Court for violating the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) rules. This time, his eyes lacked the glimmer of hope with which the apartment residents usually spoke while responding to queries on the issue. The residents have finally started to feel the heat of the demolition order passed on May 8. With the deadline to demolish the apartment complexes in Maradu municipality by September 20, officials had issued residents notices to vacate their houses. On Monday, the Chief Secretary of Kerala appealed to extend the demolition deadline by three more months. The Kerala government, in the meantime, has initiated the eviction process on Tuesday. Initiating the eviction procedures, the local body on Tuesday directed Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) and Kerala Water Authority (KWA) to disconnect power and water supply to the 344 apartments. The KSEB officials, in turn, pasted a notice at the entrance of the apartment buildings on Wednesday, stating that power supply to the building will be disconnected on Thursday. Despite repeated criticisms from the Supreme Court for not following its demolition orders, and with support from major political parties, the residents of four apartment buildings – H2O Holy Faith, Alfa Serene, Golden Kayaloram and Jains Coral Cove – had been hopeful that they won’t be evicted from their homes. But with the threat of power and water supply being disconnected, many residents appear to have lost their last shred of hope. “We feel insecure now. How can we even move our furniture and other belongings out of our homes if the power is disconnected? Does that mean even the elevators won’t be available?” asks Issac Pattaniparambil, a resident of H2O Holy Faith. Meanwhile, a section of residents is still standing strong, saying that they won’t move out of their homes at any cost. The residents have even started storing water, fearing disconnection of water supply. “Whatever happens, we will not move out of our homes. We are storing water in case they will actually disconnect water. We also have generators as back-up and hope that we can meet the electricity need if the supply is disconnected,” said George Kovoor, s resident of Jains Coral Cove. Meanwhile, Fort Kochi Sub Collector Snehil Kumar Singh took charge as the secretary of Maradu Municipality on Wednesday, on the order of the Kerala government, to oversee the demolition of the four apartment buildings. Also read: Why demolishing Kochi apartments to safeguard environment can be counterproductive How 344 families in Kochi apartments got entangled in legal battle that began 10 yrs ago Consider me a human, not film star: Soubin seeks support on Kochi apartments demolition SC demolition order on Maradu: Will other buildings violating CRZ norms meet same fate? Why 344 apartments worth Rs 50 lakh to 1.5 crore each may be demolished in Kochi

Body 2:

Human Interest

TNM caught up with the Thrissur based cop who sought permission from her senior and tonsured her head.

Sreedevi Jayarajan

Senior civil police officer Aparna Lavakumar is clear that she does not care for feminine beauty ideals. But when the 46-year-old Kerala policewoman got her head tonsured on Tuesday, she wasn’t just challenging beauty standards, but lending her support and knee-length tresses to a noble cause. Aparna donated her hair to make wigs for cancer patients on Tuesday. “It can be unnerving when you lose your hair after chemotherapy. I wanted to show support by going bald and normalising it,” she tells TNM. A mother of two who works in the all women’s police station in Irinjalakuda in Thrissur, Aparna decided to donate her hair after she met a class-5 student who was battling cancer during an awareness drive in a local school. “These children go through a lot of bullying because they are bald. Apart from their illness and issues related to treatment, comments and stares from classmates can also add to their worries,” Aparna adds. Days after meeting the young student who was battling cancer, the 44-year visited a local parlour in Ollur to shave her hair. She added that she decided to go entirely bald on a whim. “I had earlier too donated my hair for the cause. But I retained shoulder length hair and donated the rest. This time, I wanted to go all out and do the maximum I can to help these patients. Besides, I have never much cared about appearances” she says. Though the officer chose not to announce her selfless act, the local parlour posted a picture of her on their Facebook page which was later picked up by the media. Apart from her making headlines, the officer was also appreciated by the Thrissur rural district police chief N Vijayakumar IPS, who granted her permission to get her hair shaved. “The Kerala police manual have some rules regard the uniform. You cannot grow beards or shave your head (both male and female officers) unless the reasons are convincing. Aparna’s was a positive action and I was more than willing to grant her permission to donate her hair. In fact, this is the first time I have seen an officer donate all their hair for a cause. It is commendable,” Thrissur rural police chief Vijayakumar IPS tells TNM. This is not the first time that the senior civil police officer has made news. Back in 2008, Aparna donated her gold bangles to get a dead body released from a private hospital as the family could not afford to pay the hospital bill. The officer was conducting an inquest in a murder case in Ollur, Irinjalakuda, and decided to help the victim’s family who was financially stressed. “With such acts, I believe the gap between police officers and the public reduces. Usually, the police are considered to be terrifying and don’t have a positive image among the public. I want to change this by being more human,” she tells TNM.

Body 2:

Parambikulam Aliyar Project

In a meeting between the Chief Ministers of the two states, it has been decided that a review committee would be formed.

TNM Staff

Sreekesh Raveendran Nair

In a historic gesture, Kerala and Tamil Nadu have decided to review the Parambikulam-Aliyar water sharing agreement, 60 years after the agreement was made. The decision was taken in a meeting between Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday. Addressing the media jointly after the meeting, both the Chief Ministers said that they had decided to review the water sharing agreement, which came into existence 60 years ago. “A 10-member committee will be formed compromising of five members each from both the states. Members of the committee and the venue of the meeting date will be decided in a week. The committee will decide further course of action and will finalise the decision. The Chief Secretaries of both the states will convene meetings and review the progress once in six months” Pinarayi Vijayan said. He also added that his Tamil Nadu counterpart Edappadi Palaniswami had initiated the move and thanked him for that. “It has been two decades since a meeting on the discussion has been held. We have discussed the issue in detail. Any issues should be resolved through discussions,” Pinarayi Vijayan said. “Kerala and Tamil Nadu see themselves as brothers and any problems should be solved through discussion,” Edappadi Palaniswami said. The Tamil Nadu minister for Rural Administration, SP Velumani, was also in attendance at Wednesday's meeting. The Parambikulam-Aliyar Project (PAP) is a symbol of co-operation between two neighbouring states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu in diverting the surplus water of the former to irrigate the dry lands of the latter. The agreement successfully accomplishes the diversion and integration of eight west-flowing rivers, six in the Anamalai hills - Anamalaiyar, Sholayar, Thunacadavu, Nirar, Peruvaripallam and Parambikulam - and two in the plains - Aliyar and Palar - for the benefit of the drought-prone areas in the Coimbatore and Erode districts of Tamil Nadu. When all the components of diversion and storage works contemplated in the agreement are completed, 30.5 TMC of water will be diverted to Tamil Nadu from Kerala annually. With disagreements between the two states on the deal in the past, this meeting aims to iron out differences.

Body 2:

Human Interest

A native of Kerala, Coomer’s original name was Chitter Venkat Narayan and he was a spy in the 1980s.

Harsha Raj Gatty

For decades, Edwin D’Souza lived an ordinary life in suburban Mangaluru, three kilometres away from NH66 (Nanthoor Junction). Things would have continued that way for the 76-year old real estate agent, if not for a phone call from Delhi police in December 2018. After verifying that Edwin was the son of Gerty Walder alias Geeta Narain, Shiv Dev, an SI with the Delhi police, turned up at Edwin’s home at Bikarnakatte. Edwin learnt that he was the stepson of the late Coomer Narain, convicted in 2002 in a high profile case of espionage for leaking classified information to foreign agents between 1977 and 1985. As if this wasn’t shocking enough, Shiv told Edwin that he stood to legally inherit Rs 10 crore worth property from Coomer Narain and his mother, Gerty. “I knew that my mother had remarried and settled elsewhere, but I didn’t know my stepfather’s name, didn’t know who he was. I also did not know that my mother, whom we called Gerty, had changed her name to Geeta Narain,” Edwin told TNM. What the policeman told Edwin Edwin’s son Prakash was, until a few years ago, employed as a cab driver in Dubai. “With the irregular job of a real estate agent, our father has struggled to raise and educate us three siblings,” he told TNM. “We are a hardworking middle-class family. Beyond the Lotto lottery in Dubai showering people with fortunes, we had neither heard of nor seen such a big amount in our life.” Prakash said that in the course of his investigation, SI Shiv Dev found that Edwin was Gerty’s son with her first husband, a man named Gilbert. Gerty Walder left Edwin at her mother Juliana Walder’s home in Mangaluru and went to Mumbai. “The investigator said that grandmother Gerty sought employment in SLM Maneklal Industries Ltd (SLMMIL), and it was there that she met Coomer. They eventually got married and moved to Delhi,” Prakash said. A few years later, Gerty changed her name to Geeta Narain. All this while, she maintained contact with her mother Juliana, and regularly transferred funds for Edwin. In fact, when he was around 15 years old, he even went to live with his mother in Delhi. “But I didn’t like it much over there, and returned to Mangaluru. But during my stay at Delhi, I never met Coomer,” Edwin recollected. Who was Coomer Narain? In the mid-1980s, when espionage was relatively unheard of in the mainstream, it was Coomer Narain who became the face of it with his arrest on January 17, 1985. A native of Kerala, Coomer’s original name was Chitter Venkat Narayan. After completing his education, Coomer joined government services and subsequently ended up in the Department of Economic Affairs. During his stint there, he developed a network across the business, bureaucracy and political domains. Eventually, Coomer left the job and joined as a regional representative manager for SLM Maneklal Industries Ltd (SLMMIL). It was here that Coomer apparently used his former ‘high profile’ contacts for soliciting ‘classified’ information on Indian business, economic and government policies. During the period between 1977 and 1985, a series of ‘high-value’ information related to defence, nuclear power, the business was accessed by Coomer through his contacts to reportedly be passed on to intelligence communities and those with vested interests in Western countries, including France. One of the accused in the spy-ring was the senior personal assistant to the late Dr PC Alexander, who was then the Principal Secretary to former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. In 2002, a Delhi court convicted 14 accused in what then was popularly known as the Coomer spy ring, under Section 120B of Indian Penal Code and under various provisions of the Official Secrets Act. The Managing Director of SLMMIL Yogesh T Maneklal was awarded 14 years rigorous imprisonment, and others were awarded 10 years rigorous imprisonment. However, Coomer had already passed away by then in March 2000 at E-152/A, Sainik Farms in Delhi, which he and Gerty had purchased in 1995. In 2002, Gerty was found strangulated to death in the same house, and the case saw no convictions. In October that year, while Edwin learnt of his mother’s death, the family did not see a point in going to Delhi – while he shares a son-like relationship with his grandmother Juliana, he did not have much of an emotional connect with Gerty. “It was not until last December when the SI told us that I learnt she was murdered,” Edwin said. Not the only claimant However, Edwin’s claim to the Delhi property will not be a cakewalk. Investigating officials revealed to the family that a woman named Radhika, who was last working for Gerty, is claiming that she had been adopted by Gerty and Coomer. In her statement, Radhika further said that in 2003, she had leased-out the property for Rs 30 lakh to a retired police inspector, Rann Singh, and later sold it to him. “The police official said that both individuals had given inconsistent testimonies. They strongly suspect that the former police official and Radhika are attempting an illegal takeover of the property. Subsequently, the Delhi police’s Vigilance Cell ordered a probe to trace the original heir of the property,” Prakash said. “Since their investigation hit a dead-end in Kerala where they were trying to find Coomer’s roots, the Delhi police reached out to us, to Gerty’s side of the family in Mangaluru,” he added. However, Prakash added that they are unclear on how to go about the case further. “While a property will definitely add to the well-being of our family, and we have appointed a Delhi-based lawyer to look into the matter, we are apprehensive of losing everything in the process of a legal fight. We have given grandmother’s birth certificate to the investigators and other documents to prove that we belong to her family line. But we wonder for how long the case will go on,” he said.

Body 2:

Arrack

According to excise officials, many distill arrack at houses for domestic purposes as they are unable to afford foreign liquor.

Haritha John

Courtesy: 'Hot Toddy' by Dunphasizer [CC BY-SA 2.0]

Until a few months ago, Chandran was a busy man. About six kilometres from a small village in Kasaragod district, along the Kerala-Karnataka border, stood a small shed where Chandran distilled arrack (country alcohol) from cashew apple, jaggery and other ingredients for taste. Locals, including those who owned rubber plantations in the area, would rush to his small shop in the evenings, to savour his drinks and to taste Chandran’s special wild boar meat fry (which made him even more popular). However, his shop was shut after he was arrested in an excise raid. Last February, another man was arrested after distilling arrack on an open jail property in broad daylight in Thiruvananthapuram. In January, a junior health inspector was also arrested for distillation. Kerala's drinking fantasies have always involved this local liquor, and it has prominently figured in popular culture with actor Mohanlal glorifying 'nadan vaattu charayam' (locally distilled arrack) in many of his hit movies. Though the state banned arrack in 1996 (AK Antony government), 23 years later, it is still a popular alcoholic drink in Kerala. In fact, the data by the Kerala Excise Department shows that over the years, there has been no decrease in the quantity of arrack and wash (a fermented solution used to make arrack) that they seize. Excise officials say that in most cases, distillation happens in a house. In 2016, 1,76,381 litres of wash and 4,105 litres of arrack were seized and destroyed by the department. In 2018, the department seized 2,38,811 litres of wash and 3,889 litres of arrack. In 2019, till the month of July, 1,19,949 litres of wash and 2,175 litres of wash were seized as part of raids. According to Sam Christy Daniel, Additional Excise Commissioner (Enforcement), there is a growing trend of arrack distillation on a small scale. “The trend of arrack distillation has increased because the techniques to prepare it are easily available on the internet these days. Earlier, distillation took place in remote areas, near forests, at a large scale. But these days, people do it at home for personal use. That is why it is difficult to locate such centres,” he said. Last week, in Palakkad, excise officials seized 800 litres of wash on the first floor of a house. The house had all the modern machinery to distill the arrack. One of the officers, who sought anonymity, told TNM that nobody would have thought that arrack distillation was happening in that house. "Since the price of foreign liquor has increased, some find distillation of arrack as an alternative. They are distilling arrack for domestic purpose,” VP Sulesh Kumar, Excise Deputy Commissioner, Palakkad, told TNM. An excise officer from the northern part of Kerala, on the condition of anonymity, said that they would find arrack distillation going on in many of the tribal colonies but that they wouldn't take any action against them. “They distill it for themselves at home, as they cannot afford foreign liquor. Moreover, they have to walk kilometres to reach a state beverages outlet. They prepare arrack using fruits, sugar or jaggery, coconut flower etc. We don't file any cases against them,” he said. Madhu, an Excise Circle Inspector from Hosdurg taluk in Kasaragod, said that large-scale distillation units in rubber plantations, too, are common, even after so many raids. "During the season of cashew apple, arrack distillation increases. During Onam, we had arrested a few for running distillation units in plantations,” he said. Arrack is a cheap and unrefined form of liquor, which can double the ill-effects caused due to refined liquor. Moreover, the fermented ingredients in arrack can be dangerous, too. Sam added that though arrack is harmful to health, drinking it will not end in a 'hooch tragedy’ unless it is spiked. He noted that arrack is generally not laced with spirits or other additives, but that arrack in its crude form - that is, a non-distilled version - can affect one’s health, including the liver. Dinesh (name changed), a planter and a specialist in distilling arrack using cashew apple, pineapple and some grains, said that the production quality and ingredients also matter. “Earlier, some used to add batteries and insects for an added buzz. These days, these liquors are being distilled using fruits and cardamom,” he shared. Main image courtesy: 'Hot Toddy' by Dunphasizer [CC BY-SA 2.0]

Body 2:

Cars

The meet was planned by the WhatsApp group ‘Ambassador car fans Kerala’ which has 250 members.

Haritha John

A status symbol, the preferred car of politicians, the first made-in-India car – yes, we’re talking about the iconic Ambassador. Though the manufacture of the car stopped in 2014, there are still many fans and fans’ associations for the ‘King of Indian Roads’. One such fan club organised a meeting in Kerala's Thrissur Thekkinkadu Maidan (Thrissur ground) on September 22, and the city got to witness 167 Ambassador cars of various models. After a rally around the ground, the cars were parked on the ground and thousands of people had a chance to see rare models of the Ambassador. The initial model Hindustan Landmaster, Ambassador MK1 to MK4, one with Isuzu engine, classic and grand model cars were at display in the event. The meet was planned by the WhatsApp group ‘Ambassador car fans Kerala’, which presently has 250 members. The group was formed in July 2018. Speaking to TNM, one of the organisers of the programme, Joy Chavakkad, says that most Ambassador car owners had emotional stories to tell. “The group was first formed in 2018 to find an Ambassador car that was used by my friend Jenil K Jaison’s father. The family had sold the car years ago and out of emotional attachment to it, he wanted it back,” Joy narrates the story of their beginning. Though Jenil couldn’t find the car, the group went from 17 members to 250 members in just one year. Joy recalls how his father, a taxi driver, provided for his family with the Ambassador he owned. “My father who owned this car was the lone breadwinner of my family. In that way, I also am attached to the vehicle as it provided for our family. Now I own three Ambassador cars,” he says proudly. He also says that even the younger generation is interested in Ambassador cars. CN Menon The meet-up saw participants from all districts of Kerala and a few from Tamil Nadu too. “Next we are planning for a south India based meet,” Joy says. He says that such meetings help others understand that Ambassador cars last longer than other new cars in the market. The Thrissur meeting also honoured CN Menon, who was an employee with Hindustan Motors Kolkata, the company that made Ambassadors until it closed down in 2014.

Body 2:

Crime

The KSEB disconnected the power supply while KWA disconnected the water connection to the four apartment buildings in Maradu municipality on Thursday morning.

TNM Staff

The builders of Kochi’s Maradu apartments that are ordered to be demolished by the Supreme Court, who have so far remained untouched by the legal proceedings and turmoil, have now begun to feel the heat with the city police registering a case against them. The builders of three apartment buildings – Jains Coral Cove, Alfa Serene, H2O Holy Faith — have been booked on the complaint of residents of the apartments rendering their bank accounts frozen, states a report of Deccan Chronicle. The three buildings were constructed by Jain Housing and Construction Ltd, Alfa Ventures Private Ltd and Holy Faith Builders and Developers Pvt Ltd, respectively. As per the report, no complaint was filed by the residents of the fourth apartment building Golden Kayaloram and hence no case has been registered against its builders. According to the report, the builders have been booked under sections 406 (Punishment for criminal breach of trust) and 420 (Cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property) of the Indian Penal Code. A total of 50 bank accounts of the three builders have been frozen following filing of case against them. The case against builder of H2O Holy Faith was registered by Maradu police, while Panangad police registered FIR against builders of Jains Coral Cove and Alfa Serene. Meanwhile, the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) disconnected the power supply to the four apartment buildings on Thursday morning. KSEB officials had served notice to the apartments on Wednesday on the direction of Maradu municipality that the power supply will be cut on Thursday. Officials of the KSEB came to the apartments early on Thursday morning with police protection to cut the power supply. According to sources in Kerala Water Authority (KWA), the water connection to these apartments has also been disconnected. On May 8, the apex court of the country has ordered that the buildings, built violating Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) rules, be demolished. The government has finally started procedures for eviction after being repeatedly criticised by the SC for not implementing the order. 1800 buildings face the threat of demolition Following the Supreme Court direction to the state government to submit a report on the buildings constructed in violation of CRZ rules in coastal areas, the government has identified around 1,800 buildings in the state to be demolished. According to a report of Mathrubhumi, Local Self Government Secretary TK Jose has been asked by the cabinet to prepare a list of such illegal buildings in the state. According to reports, the state government has also directed to take a criminal case against the builders of these apartments. A Cabinet meeting held on Wednesday also discussed to impose fines on the builders for constructing the apartments violating the CRZ norms, says a report of The New Indian Express. Also read: Why demolishing Kochi apartments to safeguard environment can be counterproductive How 344 families in Kochi apartments got entangled in legal battle that began 10 yrs ago Consider me a human, not film star: Soubin seeks support on Kochi apartments demolition SC demolition order on Maradu: Will other buildings violating CRZ norms meet same fate?

Body 2:

Church

The police were on a deadline imposed by the Kerala High Court to finally implement a judgment by the Supreme Court in 2017.

TNM Staff

Dramatic scenes played out at the historic St. Mary's Church in Piravom in Ernakulam as the Kerala police tried to open the gate of the church to allow the Orthodox faction to enter. The police were on a deadline imposed by the Kerala High Court to finally implement a judgment by the Supreme Court in 2017 which handed over control of the Malankara churches to the Orthodox faction, leaving the Jacobite faction fuming. On Thursday morning, hundreds of Jacobites stood inside the church compound, guarding the gate. The standoff that went on for more than an hour saw the Jacobites refusing to open the gate despite the police and District Collector asking them to. Finally, a large contingent of the state police and riot police had to use cutters to break the iron rods of the gate. The Kerala High Court that had come under fire from the Supreme Court for allowing Jacobites to conduct prayers inside the church, had in turn placed pressure on the government and asked them to submit a report by 1.45 pm on Thursday. The police contingent broke into the church just 20 minutes before this deadline to submit the report in the High Court ended. Things, however, remain tense as Jacobites have refused to let the Orthodox faction enter, and many are being arrested. The District Collector, Suhas S is holding talks with the leaders of the Jacobite faction. For half a century now, Kerala has been witnessing a fight between two factions of Malankara Christians - the Kerala Malankara Orthodox Church and Jacobite Syrian Christian church. In July 2017, the Supreme Court gave the Orthodox faction the legal mandate to administer 1,100 churches and parishes under the Malankara Church, as per the 1934 Malankara Church guidelines. The decades-old conflict, however, intensified after the verdict and turned uglier with even the burial of dead bodies being delayed for weeks and months. In the instances where the Jacobite faction members were not allowed to bury the bodies of their loved ones, the state human rights commission, district administration and the Kerala police intervened and allowed the burial to happen finally. Exasperated with the government’s inability to implement the judgement, in July 2019, the Supreme Court issued a warning that the Chief Secretary would be summoned and put behind bars if the Kerala government tries to invalidate the SC order. "Jacobite-Orthodox clash: Members of Jacobite faction refuse to leave church premises at Piravom Valiyapalli despite police warning. pic.twitter.com/OLYLCPa9Bo"— Mahir Haneef (@mahirhaneefTOI) September 26, 2019 This is a developing story. From 1599 to today: Tracing Kerala’s Jacobite vs Orthodox church battle

Body 2:

Environment

TNM has accessed the note where Prakash Javadekar has reiterated that the night ban cannot be lifted as the forests serve as a critical tiger habitat.

Soumya Chatterjee

Representational image/PTI

In a relief to environmentalists, the union government has reiterated that night traffic ban on the highway that passes through the Bandipur Tiger Reserve will not be allowed. The highway connects Wayanad and Mysuru and there were demands that the night traffic ban be relaxed. TNM has accessed a note written by Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Prakash Javadekar, who in a letter dated September 17 to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, where the minister stated the ban will stay in place. The Kerala government had been insisting that the existing night traffic ban be bypassed on a 25 km stretch of National Highway 212 by cutting through a core part of the forest with an elevated corridor. The Supreme Court had also upheld this night traffic ban, earlier in August. Currently, only a limited number of government-run buses and emergency vehicles are allowed to operate during the restricted period of 9 pm to 6 am on the stretch. During this period motorists take an alternative route via Hunsur-Gonikoppal-Kutta-Mananthavady Road, which is around 30 km longer. While the plan of the elevated corridor was suggested by the union government through the National Highway Authority for the Bharatmala project, it withdrew the proposal after inter-ministerial discussions and Supreme Court orders. The Kerala CM had written to Javadekar offering to fund half the project soon after the SC verdict on night traffic, stating that it will prove beneficial to residents of Wayanad, Kozhikode and Malappuram districts. A delegation from Kerala led by Transport Minister AK Saseendran was also set to meet the Karnataka CM BS Yediyurappa on the issue. In the letter dated September 17 and received by the Kerala CMO on September 21, Javadekar has said, “Your suggestion has already been discussed at length by a Committee of Secretaries chaired by the Cabinet Secretary to the Government of India, wherein, it was recommended to maintain status quo on restriction of nighttime traffic through Bandipur Tiger Reserve and strengthen the alternative route already available for nighttime traffic.” “Further, I take this opportunity to inform you that by following the Principle of Avoidance, Core/Critical Tiger Habitats (CTH) need to be kept in view for long-term sustenance of ecology of the area,” he added. Earlier in March 2018, the National Tiger Conservation Authority had advised the Centre against moving ahead with the project as it could have adverse effects on the forest habitat, where over a hundred tigers currently reside. The existing traffic ban on traffic flow after dark came into effect in 2009 while the Karnataka High Court was hearing a case pertaining to roadkill. At least 215 animals were killed by oncoming traffic between 2004 and 2007, according to the court. Recently when Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi had asked an easing of the restrictions, he attracted criticism of wildlife conservationists.

Body 2:

Housing

Action should also be taken to make the builders return money to the flat owners, CPI(M) state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said.

TNM Staff

The government should make alternative arrangements for temporary rehabilitation of people living in the four apartment complexes in Maradu in Kochi, which have been given demolition orders by the Supreme Court, CPI(M) state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said on Thursday. He said the government should do this on humanitarian grounds. “The stringent stand of the Supreme Court in the issue, to demolish the flats, has put the government in a crisis. There are several people who bought flats who didn't know about the facts. Action should be taken to ensure that the flat owners get their money back,” Kodiyeri said, “It's not possible for the state government to bring in legislation to bypass the court order. There are no other options for the government in the issue. The feeling of the society in general is to provide maximum assistance to the people.” While addressing media in Thiruvananthapuram on Thursday, he added that legal action should be taken if the builders don’t return the money. How the government reacts in this case will be crucial, since the Supreme Court on September 23 sought a report on all buildings that violate Coastal Regulation Zone rules in the state. Kodiyeri also hit out at the opposition, accusing them of double standards. “Former minister and Congress leader K Babu had in the past protested for the demolition of the flats – now, he opposes the demolition,” he said. Meanwhile the district administration of Ernakulam has said that arrangements have been made to house people who would be evicted from the flats in cooperation with the Maradu municipality. “There is no situation for anyone to be on the street, or be homeless. People should cooperate and shift elderly people and those who are sick immediately from the flats. Both the municipality and the district administration will provide all the help needed including medical assistance. Immediate action will be taken if those who need rehabilitation gave application to the Secretary of the Municipality,” the district administration said. Read: Case filed against builders of 3 apartments in Kochi’s Maradu, bank accounts frozen Committed to abide by SC directive on Maradu flats: Kerala govt submits affidavit

Body 2:

Politics

The LDF will be looking to get votes from community organisations like the SNDP and NSS, as the CPI (M) doesn't view them as outfits that oppose the Left.

TNM Staff

VK Prasanh (Left) and Manu Roy (Right)

The ruling Left Democratic Front in Kerala led by the CPI (M) has announced its candidates for the bye-elections for five Assembly constituencies to be held on October 21. As expected and as discussions had been indicating, Thiruvananthapuram Corporation Mayor VK Prasanth is the candidate for the Vattiyoorkavu constituency in Thiruvananthapuram. The young Prasanth is known as an able administrator and he had been in the news for reaching out to the flood-hit people in August for being one of the first to work tirelessly for collecting and providing relief material. The other constituencies that are going for bye-polls are Manjeswaram in Kasargode, Konni in Pathanamthitta, Ernakulam and Aroor in Alappuzha. While Sankar Ray has been picked for Manjeswaram, advocate Manu Roy is the candidate for Ernakulam, advocate Manu Pulikkal for Aroor and KU Janeesh Kumar will contest from Konni. Sankar Ray is the district committee member of the CPI(M) in Kasaragod and belongs to the linguistics minority (of a few people who speak a particular language) in the northernmost district. Both Jinesh Kumar and Manu C Pulikkan belong to the DYFI (Democratic Youth Federation of India) — the youth wing of the CPI (M). Manu Roy is the son of veteran journalist KM Roy. He is the only independent candidate backed by the CPI (M) in the list. "In Vattiyoorkavu, we are hopeful of giving a good fight this time as the party had been pushed to third place in 2016 Assembly elections," CPI(M) state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan has said. All elections are an assessment of the government, he said, while speaking to media in Thiruvananthapuram to announce the names of the candidates. He also said that the Left will be careful in gaining votes from community organisations like the SNDP and NSS, as the CPI(M) doesn't view them as outfits that oppose the Left. "The bye-elections verdict won't affect the stability of the incumbent Left government. Even the elections to school and colleges are the assessment of a ruling government. Whatever the verdict, it won't affect the SC verdict on allowing women of menstruating ages into Sabarimala temple," he said, when asked if Sabarimala would be an issue to be highlighted during the bye-elections. The bye-elections have been necessitated as legislators of the constituencies except Manjeswaram have been elected to the Lok Sabha. By declaring the list with all new faces, the CPI (M) stayed true to its pattern of announcing candidates ahead that of rival political fronts in elections.

Body 2:

Video: Head of Kochi destitute home abuses and beats woman inmate’s mother, arrested

Ernakulam Collector warns officials he will cut their salaries if roads are not repaired

Don’t start reconstruction of Palarivattom flyover till Oct 10, Kerala HC to govt

Notices sent to KSEB, KWA to cut power, water supply to four apartments in Maradu

Outrage as Kerala teen held for rape also accused of threatening victim to convert to Islam

Kerala Club in Delhi cancels documentary screening following right wing threats

Kerala govt launches free trauma care ambulances across 7 districts

Once accused of child abuse, Kerala children’s home rebrands itself as ‘hostel’

Kerala govt to pay Rs 3 lakh to woman who was given chemotherapy without cancer

Electricity board to cut power supply at Kochi apartments as govt starts eviction

Meet the Kerala cop who donated her hair for cancer patients

Kerala and TN to review Parambikkulam-Aliyar Water Sharing Agreement after 60 years

Unsuspecting Mangaluru man finds he’s heir to a convicted spy’s property in Delhi

Kerala's arrack love: How an alcoholic drink banned for 23 yrs is still being produced

How search for an Ambassador in Kerala ended up in a parade of 167 cars

Case filed against builders of 3 apartments in Kochi’s Maradu, bank accounts frozen

Jacobites vs Orthodox: Kerala cops enter St Mary’s church amidst dramatic scenes

Night traffic ban in Bandipur Tiger Reserve to stay: Centre to Pinarayi Vijayan

Govt should provide temporary rehabilitation to people living in Maradu flats: CPI(M)

VK Prasanth for Vattiyoorkavu, LDF announces candidates for Kerala bye-polls