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Friday, Feb 11, 2005

Kerala

Kerala

Briefly

Convocation

KOLLAM Feb. 10. The convocation ceremony of the MSN Institute of Management and Technology, Chavara, will be held on February 12. The Principal, C.J. Thomas, said that the programmed would be presided over by the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Kerala, M.K. Ramachandran Nair. Dr. Ramachandran would also distribute the certificates to the MBA students from the institute. The Secretary, Department of Ports, L. Radhakrishnan, would deliver the convocation address.

Exhibition

The exhibition and sales of handicraft and handloom products organised by the Gujarat State Handloom and Handicrafts Cooperative Federation at Jawahar Bal Bhavan here will conclude on February 12. According to the exhibition manager, K. Arunachalam, the show has been a big draw. A rebate of 20 per cent is offered on all purchases.

Release

PATHANAMTHITTA FEB. 10. The Department of Sacred Music and Communication attached to the Mar Thoma Church will release an album of 16 Christian prayer songs sung by K.J. Jesudas and Deepa Meriam in connection with the centenary celebrations of the Mar Thoma Sunday School Samajam. Addressing a press conference in Thiruvalla today, Joseph Mar Ireneus Saffragan Metropolitan said that the album would be released at the Children's Maramon meet on Saturday afternoon. Mar Ireneus would hand over the first copy to Jesudas at a function to be held at 3 p.m.

Temple ritual

The auspicious Pantheerayiram Vazhipadu, offering of 12,000 plantains, was held at the Sree Vallabha Temple in Thiruvalla today. The plantains were being brought to the temple in a procession from the Thukalasserry Mahadevar Temple in the morning. The annual temple festival at the Vaishnavite Temple will be from February 12 to 21.

Alumni meet

The first alumni meet of NSS College, Pandalam, will be held at the college auditorium on February 14.

Assumes charge at GSI

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM Feb. 10. M.M. Nair has taken charge as Deputy Director General, Geological Survey of India (GSI), in Chennai with jurisdiction over the States of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Pondicherry and Lakshadweep. He was earlier discharging duties relating to the above States in the capacity of Director (Selection Grade). Dr. Nair is a recipient of the National Mineral Award, 1995 instituted by the Government of India for outstanding mineral discovery of strategic importance.

Wages to be revised

The Government would opt for the `notification route' to revise the minimum wages of workers of rubber and cardamom plantations if the Plantation Labour Committee (PLC) meeting, slated for February 14, fails to arrive at a decision, the Labour Minister, Babu Divakaran, told the Assembly today. Responding to a call attention motion by P.J. Joy (Congress), the Minister said the Government has so far not opted for the `notification route' as it is hopeful that the PLC would be able to arrive at a decision on the long-pending demand for wage hike in rubber and cardamom plantations. The situation in these plantations has improved following improvement in the prices of rubber and cardamom, he said, but added that the same could not be said about tea estates.

Unions serve strike notice

The pro-Left Democratic Front (LDF) service organisations today served an indefinite strike notice to be launched by them on February 22 to the Chief Minister, Oommen Chandy, to press for among other things pay revision. They said that the additional burden of over Rs. 2,500 crores imposed on the people by the Government through several bus fare hikes, revision of power tariff, water charge and tuition and examination fee of students had wrought havoc to the fixed income group's family budget. The Government seemed to be oblivious of the steps taken by the Centre and the States like Andhra to mitigate the suffering of these sections. They urged the Government to initiate talks with the service organisation immediately instead of pushing them to a strike.

Steps to control jaundice

Directions have been given to the District Medical Officers (DMO) to take preventive measures on a war footing to combat the spread of malaria and jaundice, the director of Indian Systems of Medicine, R. Ramabhadran, has said. Ayurvedic medicines could effectively cure the disease if the diagnosis was made correctly and well on time. Required medicines have been made available at all Ayurveda dispensaries. The public should also take care to maintain their surroundings hygienically to prevent the contamination of food and water. A permanent medical camp has been arranged at the Government Sidha Hospital at Vallakkadavu.

`Streamline security at Guruvayur'

GURUVAYUR FEB. 10. Various organisations of employees of the Guruvayur Devaswom have alleged that the security measures enforced at the Sri Krishna Temple are causing severe hardships to the devotees. A resolution adopted at a joint meeting of the organisations demanded that the Devaswom put in place modern security systems at the temple. The resolution said vested interests were trying to exploit the devotees. The Devaswom should take action against agents of contractors of the cloakroom who were allegedly collecting huge amounts from devotees.

136 elected to S.N. Trust Board

ALAPPUZHA FEB. 10. As many as 136 persons from 10 regions were elected unopposed to the Sree Narayana Trust director board from category 3D (the category of members who have donated an amount ranging between Rs. 5,000 to less than Rs. 1 lakh to the trust) when the last date for withdrawing nominations ended today. This was announced by the returning officer of the elections, S.C. Sudhir, at Cherthala today.

BMS protest

THRISSUR FEB. 10. The Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) has decided to launch agitations against the new Patent Act and Seeds Act and the decision of the Central Government to raise the foreign investment ceiling in the telecom sector.

A press release said the decision was taken at the two-day State committee meeting of the BMS that concluded here today. The BMS activists will hold demonstrations and dharnas at all district headquarters in the State on March 14.

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