The Hindu : Briefly

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Apr 01, 2004

Kerala

Kerala

Briefly

Gratuity revision begins

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM MARCH 31 . The office of the Accountant-General (A&E) has started work on the revision of gratuity for those who had retired from Government service or passed away between July 1, 2001 and January 1, 2002 in the context of the two instalments of DA sanctioned to Government employees from those dates. An official press note said today that the work was progressing apace and was expected to be completed by the end of April. Those who do not receive the authorisation copy of the gratuity arrears even after the first week of May should contact K.N. Narayanaswamy, Deputy Accountant General (Pension), Office of the Accountant General (Kerala), Thiruvananthapuram 39 with their PPO number and the AG's reference number.

Rank lists may be extended

The Government will recommend to the Public Service Commission (PSC) that rank lists expiring before April 30 this year should be extended. The Chief Minister, A.K. Antony, told presspersons after a Cabinet meeting that the PSC had earlier declined the Government's request for extension of rank list expiring before MARCH 31. The new recommendation was being made on the basis of talks the Chief Secretary, N. Chandrasekharan Nair, had with the PSC.

New Rs. 1,000 currency notes

The Reserve Bank of India has issued new currency notes in the Rs. 1,000 denomination. The notes are in the Mahatma Gandhi series without inset letter in the numbering panel and bear the signature of the RBI Governor, Y.V. Reddy. Except the signature, the design of the notes is similar in all respects to those issued in the Mahatma Gandhi series. All the notes in the denomination issued by the bank in the series since October 2000 will continue to be legal tender.

`Conserve natural resources'

The Vice-Chairman of the Planning Board, V. Ramachandran, has called for collective efforts of the Government, voluntary organisations and the people for the conservation of natural resources. He was inaugurating the Natural Resources Management Council initiated by the Centre for Gandhian Studies of the University of Kerala and coordinated by the Gandhi Centre for Rural Development (GCRD Swadeshi Trust) in Thiruvananthapuram today. C.P. John, Member, Planning Board, who presided said that Kerala, which had set a model in family planning, should be able to achieve discipline in the use of natural resources also.

KSRTC pension payment

The KSRTC will start distributing the pension for April from April 5. This was announced in an official press note issued by the KSRTC in Thiruvananthapuram today.

Cathy Peza joins Toonz

The veteran animation producer, Cathy Peza, has joined the Toonz Animation India as its Studio Manager. She will be instrumental in developing strategies to streamline all aspects of the studio's production process.

Award for Azhikode

The C. V. Kunhiraman award for the literary personality rendering outstanding contributions to Malayalam literature has been awarded to writer and critic, Sukumar Azhikode. Announcing this at a press conference here today, the chairman of the foundation, O. N. V. Kurup, said that the judging committee consisting of P. Govinda Pillai, T. N. Jayachandran, C. P. Nair and Zacharia decided to select Sukumar Azhikode on account of his contributions to the growth of Malayalam literature after considering the results of the opinion polls conducted by the foundation. The award instituted by the C. V. Kunhiraman Foundation in memory of the writer and social reformer, C. V. Kunhiraman, consists of a cash prize of Rs. 10,001, citation and a statuette.

Appointed

Executive Engineer at the Kerala Water Authority, K. P. Krishnakumar, has been appointed as the director of the Kerala State Nirmithi Kendra. A law graduate with an MBA, Mr. Krishnakumar joined the Kerala Water Authority as an Assistant Engineer in the year 1980.

Hooch tragedy: 2 sentenced

ALAPPUZHA MARCH 31. The Alappuzha Additional Assistant Sessions Judge V Muralee Sreedhar today sentenced two accused in the Kuttanad hooch tragedy case to 10 years rigorous imprisonment and five years imprisonment while letting free 13 others. While Haridas of Karukodichira house, Thiruvarppu, Kottayam, an accused, was sentenced to 10 years rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs one lakh, Gopidas, ofCherukara house, Kavalam another accused was sentenced to five years simple imprisonment and a fine of Rs one lakh. As many as nine persons were killed and several others were blinded in the Kuttanad hooch tragedy case which occurred in 1999. The dead were agricultural labourers. According to the case registered by the police, the death occurred following the intake of methanol sold by the accused to the labourers during the harvest.

Kuppana verdict today

KOLLAM MARCH 31. The Principal District and Sessions Judge, Kollam, K. Chenthamarakshan, will pronounce the judgment on the sensational Kuppana hooch tragedy case tomorrow. Seven persons had lost their lives and 12 others suffered vision impairment in the tragedy which took place on April 10 last year. Twelve persons have been listed as accused in the case. Of them two had lost their lives in the tragedy. Four among the accused have been charged with murder by the Prosecution comprising the Special Prosecutor, V. Sugathan, and Additional Prosecutor, G. Mohan Raj.

BSP announces list

The State unit of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) will be fielding candidates in all the 20 constituencies. The first list of 13 candidates was announced at a press conference here today by the BSP State president, P. Vishwanathan. As per the list, the candidates are Rajan P.D. from Chirayinkeezhu, S. Prahladan (Kollam), Achenkovil Rajan (Adoor), Saji K. Cheraman (Mavelikara), Jacob John (Kottayam), T.C. Thankappan (Idukki), E.A. Abubakker (Eranakulam), Manoj (Mukundapuram), Velayudhan Pattambi (Ottapalam), Munir (Manjeri), P. Bharathan (Kozhikode) and P.K. Sukumaran (Kasargod). Lt. Col. Vishwanathan said that from Thiruvananthapuram the name of Anil Kumar has been tentatively fixed as the candidate. The name is pending final approval from the BSP national president, Mayawati, he said.

CAT order

Kochi MARCH 31. The Central Administrative Tribunal, Ernakulam Bench, today directed the Secretary, Union Ministry of Justice, Company and Law and the Regional Director, Company Affairs to absorb as many nine persons working as Estate Clerk in the office of Official Liquidator, High Court as regular lower division clerks with effect from the date of their appointment as estate clerks. The Bench comprising vice-chairman, A.V. Haridasan, and administrative member, T. N. T. Nayar, issued the direction while disposing of a writ petition filed by P.P. Bridget and eight others.

Hindu meet

PATHANAMTHITTA March 31. The Pampa-Manimala Hindu religious meet will be held at Keecherival kadavu from April 7 to 11 near the confluence point of the Pampa and Manimala rivers. Swami Pranavananda Theertha will inaugurate the meet on April 7. Swami Kailasanathananda Theerthapadar will deliver the keynote address.

Federal Bank opens branch

The Federal Bank has opened its 440th branch in India at Mallappally today. Bishop Sam Mathew of the Church of South India inaugurated the branch at a simple function presided by the bank chairman, K.P. Padmakumar. The local MLA, Joseph M.Puthusserry, inaugurated the Automated Teller Machine on the occasion.

Uthra Sreebali

The annual Uthra Sreebali festival at the Thiruvalla Sree Vallabha Temple will be held on April 5 and 6, according to the Travancore Devaswom Board.

Mylapra church festival

The annual festival at the Mylapra St George Orthodox Church will be held from May 6 to 7, according to Fr P.T.Mathew Puthupparambil, the parish priest.

Annual ritual

KOLLAM March.31. The 182nd "andu nercha" of Assayid Mohammed Bafiki Kochukoya Thangal began at the Kollurvila Jammath Mosque near here today. The ritual, in which devotees from all religions take part, would conclude on April 4, the president of the Jamath, A. Yunus Kunju, said at a press conference here on Tuesday.

PCB workshop

KOTTAYAM March 31. The State Pollution Control Board (PCB) would hold a one-day workshop on solid waste management on April 2. The workshop that would be held at the DC Auditorium, would involve the four municipalities and 74 grama panchayats in the district, organisers said. The exercise would enable the local administration bodies to take up management of solid waste at their respective areas, they said.

Anti-Endosulfan convention

KASARAGOD March 31. The writers, M.T. Vasudevan Nair, Sukumar Azhikode and Sara Joseph, are likely to participate in the anti-Endosulfan-Plachimada convention to be held under the aegis of the People's Action Committee in Kanhanagad near here on April 8. Candidates of the LDF, UDF and BJP, contesting the Lok Sabha poll, have also been invited to attend the convention, the organisers said. The people's representatives from across the district would also participate in the convention to be held at Puthiyakotta.

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