LDF ready to construct new dam: VS

Wednesday, 30 November 2011: Opposition party leader VS Achuthanandan today said that if Government and Court gave permission, LDF was ready to build new dam in Mullaperiyar.
He was speaking to mediapersons prior to visiting the dam site with other LDF leaders. VS said the LDF will be able to come across money for that and once we get the permission will collect money from the public.
Former ministers AK Premachandran, C Divakaran, Mathew T Thomas, CPI state secretary C K Chandrappan, AK Sasindran, Ramachandran Kadannapilly, PC Thomas, LDF convener Vaikom Viswan are accompanying the opposition leader.

Kozhikode moral policing: Prime accused held

Wednesday, November 30, 2011: The prime accused in the Kozhikode moral policing incident has been arrested from the Nedumbassery airport on Wednesday. The case relates to lynching of a youth Shahid Bava, 27, by a mob at Kodiyathur. The first accused in the case, Kodiyathur Maaliyekal Fayas, was nabbed by the police.
With Fayas arrest, the total number of persons arrested is 13. The case relates to a group of persons beating up Shahid with sticks, after tying his hands and legs, on October 10 for allegedly having an affair with a married woman. The victim succumbed to his injuries at a private hospital in the city.
After the incident, Fayas left abroad and returned on Wednesday morning by the Jet Airways flight. Police arrested him immediately and will hand him over to the Mukkam police. Police are yet to arrest two more persons relating to the case.

NHRC to refer Mullaperiyar issue to full commission

Wednesday, November 30, 2011: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) today decided to refer the Mullaperiyar Dam issue to its full commission following a representation by Kerala MPs.
A senior NHRC official said Kerala MPs met the Commission this morning to raise the issue and request its intervention. Following the meeting, the official said, the Commission decided to refer the case to its full commission. Earlier, a single member was hearing the case.
The Mullaperiyar Dam in Kerala’s Idukki district has been a sparring point for the state with Tamil Nadu for quite some time now. While Tamil Nadu wants to increase the water-level in the reservoir, Kerala has been insisting that it be reduced from the current 136 feet to 120 feet.
Kerala is willing to construct a new dam for supplying water to Tamil Nadu, which is opposing the move concerned over losing control over the functionality of the dam.
Various groups in Kerala had been arguing that the dam cannot withstand higher magnitude earthquakes and posed a threat to lives and properties of over three million people in Idukki, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Alappuzha and Pathanamthitta districts of the state.

VS demands Centre’s intervention in Mullaperiyar issue

 Wednesday, November 30, 2011: Opposition leader and CPM stalwart VS Achuthanandan today expressed concern about present condition of 116-year-old Mullaperiyar dam.
Speaking to the reporters after visiting the Mullaperiyar dam here on Wednesday, Achuthanandan added that an out-of-Court settlement was required and the Centre must intervene in the issue. He also demanded for an immediate approval to construct a new dam citing the imminent danger posed by dam.
As many as 26 mild tremors and after-vibrations have occurred in parts of Idukki and adjoining Kottayam and Pathanamthitta districts since January this year, officials said.
Any such incident is of great concern for Kerala as Mullaperiyar dam, set to be in a vulnerable state is situated in the district.
Mullaperiyar dam was built when this part of Kerala was part of the Travancore princely state and Tamil Nadu under the Madras province under the British rule.
The dam has since then been a major source irrigation for the agricultural belt of central Tamil Nadu districts. For the past two decades however, the dam has been a subject of hot dispute between the neighbouring states.
While Kerala wants to decommission the structure and build a new one, that idea has not found favour with Tamil Nadu. Apart from local resistance groups, political parties on both sides have often taken aggressive postures on the issue.
In 2006, Kerala government passed the Kerala Irrigation and Water Conservation (Amendment) Act 2006, which prohibited the raising of water level beyond 136 ft in the Mulla Periyar Dam as it was placed under the Schedule of ‘Endangered Dams’.

Speaker G Karthikeyan to visit Mullaperiyar on Thursday

Wednesday, November 30, 2011: In the view of the ongoing concern over the safety of 116-year-old Mullaperiyar dam, Kerala Assembly Speaker G Karthikeyan will tomorrow visit the area.
Meantime keeping up the tempo over the Mullaperiyar issue, top leaders of Kerala’s ruling Congress-led UDF and opposition CPI(M)-led LDF visited the dam, pledging support to ongoing protests in the area demanding construction of a new dam in place of the structure.
Though the UDF and LDF teams visited the area separately, they told reporters that there was no difference between them on the core demand on the Mullaperiyar issue.
Opposition leader V S Achuthanandan, who led the LDF team, asked the Centre not to remain silent and take the initiative to facilitate talks between Kerala and Tamil Nadu, locked in a long-standing dispute over the dam’s safety.
Kerala PCC president Ramesh Chennithala, who led the UDF delegation, also expressed the hope of early central initiative on the issue.
Meanwhile, MPs from Kerala belonging to both the coalitions jointly submitted a memorandum to the National Human Rights Commission in New Delhi, seeking its urgent intervention in the matter considering the “dire threat” posed by the dam to over three million people in downstream areas.
Kerala and Tamil Nadu are locked in a dispute over the dam. While Kerala is arguing for construction of a new dam at Mullaperiyar in place of the existing one, Tamil Nadu is against this, saying it would deprive water for irrigation to five districts of the state.

Kerala MPs continue protest in Parliament

Wednesday, 30 November 2011: Cutting across party lines, MPs from Kerala continued their protest over the Mullaperiyar Dam issue in Parliament premises today, demanding that a new structure be built to replace the existing one.
Holding placards, various MPs from different political parties including the ruling Congress sat on a peaceful dharna before the statue of Mahatma Gandhi, claiming that the lives of 30 lakh people were endangered.
“All we are saying is lower the water level from 136 feet to 120 feet for safety of the dam and also to reduce anxiety. At the same time, all procedures should be done for constructing new dam.
We reiterate that the dam is exclusive for the purpose of Tamil Nadu… and not a drop of water will be reduced..,” said Congress MP from Kottayam Jose K Mani. He said the Kerala Water Resources Minister had met the Prime Minister yesterday and explained the situation to him.
Union Ministers from Kerala Vayalar Ravi, K V Thomas, K C Venugopal, Mullapally Ramachandran and E Ahamed had also met the Prime Minister seeking his intervention in ensuring the safety of the dam.
The Mullaperiyar Dam in Kerala’s Idukki district has been a sparring point for the state with Tamil Nadu for quite some time now.
While Tamil Nadu wants to increase the water-level in the reservoir, Kerala has been insisting that it be reduced from the current 136 feet to 120 feet. Kerala is willing to construct a new dam for supplying water to Tamil Nadu, which is opposing the move concerned over losing control over the functionality of the dam.
Various groups in Kerala had been arguing that the dam cannot withstand higher magnitude earthquakes and posed a threat to lives and properties of over three million people in Idukki, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Alappuzha and Pathanamthitta districts of the state.

Kerala to write to Jayalalitha on Mullaperiyar issue

Wednesday, November 30, 2011: The Government of Kerala has asserted that it would remain firm on its twin demands: decreasing the storage capacity of the Mullaperiyar dam to 120 feet with immediate effect and constructing a new dam within a stipulated time frame.
Speaking to the reporters after the cabinet briefing session here on Wednesday, Chandy added that the State Government cannot remain a mute spectator to the growing threat over the strength of the 116-year-old dam.
He informed that the UDF government would write a letter to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalitha in connection with the issue. Kerala demand for new dam at Mullaperiyar is genuine and the state cannot afford to soften its stand on the issue as it concerns the lives of nearly 35 lakh people, CM said.

Mullaperiyar row: VS to stage fast on December 7

Wednesday, November 30, 2011: Opposition leader and CPM stalwart VS Achuthanandan will stage a 24-hour mass hunger strike on December 7 in connection with the Mullaperiyar dam issue which has seen Kerala and Tamil Nadu at loggerheads.
Achuthanandan today expressed concern about present condition of 116-year-old Mullaperiyar dam. Speaking to the reporters after visiting the Mullaperiyar dam here on Wednesday, Achuthanandan added that an out-of-Court settlement was required and the Centre must intervene in the issue.
He also demanded for an immediate approval for constructing a new dam citing the imminent danger posed by dam.

HC expresses concern over Mullaperiyar dam safety

Wednesday, November 30, 2011: The Kerala High court today directed the state government to file a written statement within 48 hours on the disaster management steps being taken anticipating threat to the 116-year-old Mullaperiyar dam.
A Division bench directed Advocate General K P Dhandapani, to file a written statement in the court in this regard when three petitions with regard to the safety of the dam came up. The AG informed the bench that the state cabinet had met today and decided to ask Tamil Nadu to reduce the water level of Mullaiperiyar dam.

Jaya writes to PM on Mullaperiyar dam issue

Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Tuesday wrote to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the controversy surrounding the Mullaperiyar dam issue.
In her letter, the AIADMK chief requested the Prime Minister to advise the government of Kerala to ensure that miscreants refrained from disturbing public order and disrupting normal life.
She further wrote that the retrofitted Mullaperiyar dam was safe and was functioning as good as new."The government of Kerala should be advised to desist from the approach for building a new dam and not to escalate the issue," wrote the Tamil Nadu chief minister.
She pointed that the matter was sub-judice before the Supreme Court and the empowered committee.

Anna Hazare threatens another fast

NEW DELHI: Putting the government on notice on Lokpal issue, Anna Hazare on Tuesday threatened to go on an indefinite fast in Delhi from December 27 while terming that the draft report by parliamentary standing committee as a "betrayal" of countrymen.


Hazare said he did want the government to "make a fool of us" on the issue. Hazare also announced that he will sit on a one-day fast in Delhi's Jantar Mantar on December 11.


In a bid pressurise Congress, the activist also sought to corner the ruling party saying he will tour the five poll- bound states and tell electorate how the government was betraying them on the Lokpal Bill.

Asin Thottumkal sheds her shyness

Asin Thottumkal says that people in Bollywood initially found her to be aloof but that isn’t her true self.
On the Housefull 2 sets people found a completely different Asin. Says a source close to her, “She is very friendly by nature and likes to mix with the unit and sit and eat with them while shooting rather than sit in a corner or stick to her van.
She has even made her own set of friends in Mumbai and is seen enjoying their company especially over weekends. She feels when you are working with people you need to be friends, too.”

Mullaperiyar issue: MPs from Kerala, TN meet PM

Tueasday, November 29, 2011: With the Mullaperiyar Dam issue assuming centrestage, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday indicated that a meeting of chief ministers of Tamil Nadu and Kerala would be convened soon to discuss the contentious issue at length.
Meeting a delegation of Congress MPs from Tamil Nadu, Singh assured them that he would talk to Union Water Resources Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal with regard to the issue over which the two states have been at loggerheads for a long time.
“The Prime Minister heard us patiently. We submitted a memorandum to him in this regard. He listened to our views. He said he would talk to Water Resources Minister and ask him to work on a meeting of chief ministers of both states,” Manick Tagore, Virduhunagar MP, told after the meeting.
The MPs told PM that Kerala should not be allowed to construct a new dam near the 116-year-old existing structure. They also asked Singh to intervene personally in the issue, which is at the centrestage again in the wake of reports that the dam is weakening due to increaseing incidents of tremor in Idduki district in Kerala.

Mullaperiyar: Kerala to move Supreme Court

Tuesday, November 29, 2011: The Kerala Government would file a plea in Supreme Court seeking to immediately reduce the water level at Mullaperiyar dam.
The Govt is insisting to reduce the level to 120 feet. Senior Advocate Harish Salve will be appearing for the State.

Mullaperiyar issue: MPs from Kerala, TN meet PM

Tueasday, November 29, 2011: With the Mullaperiyar Dam issue assuming centrestage, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday indicated that a meeting of chief ministers of Tamil Nadu and Kerala would be convened soon to discuss the contentious issue at length.
Meeting a delegation of Congress MPs from Tamil Nadu, Singh assured them that he would talk to Union Water Resources Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal with regard to the issue over which the two states have been at loggerheads for a long time.
“The Prime Minister heard us patiently. We submitted a memorandum to him in this regard. He listened to our views. He said he would talk to Water Resources Minister and ask him to work on a meeting of chief ministers of both states,” Manick Tagore, Virduhunagar MP, told after the meeting.
The MPs told PM that Kerala should not be allowed to construct a new dam near the 116-year-old existing structure. They also asked Singh to intervene personally in the issue, which is at the centrestage again in the wake of reports that the dam is weakening due to increaseing incidents of tremor in Idduki district in Kerala.

Kerala parties misleading people on Mullaperiyar: TN

Tuesday, November 29, 2011: Accusing political parties in Kerala of misleading people on safety of Mullaperiyar Dam, DMK today sought Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s intervention to “desist” them from engaging in a “false propaganda” and await final orders of the Supreme Court on it.
In a memorandum submitted to the Prime Minister, DMK MPs said his intervention will help allay fears of the people of Kerala on the safety of the dam built in 1895 and “put an end to the animosity created among the people of Tamil Nadu and Kerala.”
The DMK delegation also sought an all-India ban on the screening of the multi-lingual film ‘Dam 999′. The film is a story of a dam built during colonial rule that is cracking.
” Kerala had been consistently making false propaganda about the safety of the dam through media and other means. The recent projection of a movie by name ‘Dam 999′ is part of such false propaganda,” the memorandum alleged.

Mullaperiyar: HC asks Kerala Govt about safety measures

Tuesday, November 29, 2011: The Kerala High Court on Tuesday asked the state government to inform it about the safety measures taken anticipating threat to the 116-year-old Mullaperiyar dam.
A division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Manjula Chellur and Justice PR Ramachandra Menon directed Advocate General KP Dhandapani to inform the court by Wednesday morning the immediate measures being taken by the government.
The direction was issued on a petition by advocate Rajamannar seeking for a direction to Idukki district collector to take immediate steps for draining water from the dam and three other nearby dams on a war footing. The petitioner also sought the construction of internal chambers and compartments in the four dams for safety.

CPM demands special Assembly session for Mullaperiyar

Tuesday, November 29, 2011: The CPM in Kerala today asked the Congress-led UDF government to convene a special session of the state Assembly to discuss the Mullaperiyar dispute and insisted that construction of a new dam is the only permanent solution to the issue.
The government should take immediate steps to get necessary permission from the Centre for construction of the new dam at Mullaperiyar, the party said, adding the issue should be discussed in detail as the existence of the 116-year old dam has become a “threat” to more than 30 lakh people.
A solution to the dispute should be evolved with the objective of providing water to Tamil Nadu and safety to the people of Kerala, CPM secretariat said in a statement.
No one in Kerala has any objection in supplying water to Tamil Nadu by ensuring the safety of people of the state, the party said.

Mullaperiyar: Hundreds on streets to draw Govt attention

Monday, November 28, 2011: The mild tremors that rocked the Idukki on Saturday and the rise in Mullaperiyar water level seem to have shaken the confidence of the people in the region.
Hundreds of people, including women and children, came out in the streets in different parts of the district in an attempt to draw the attention of both central and state governments on the question of the safety of the dam.
In some places, people blocked traffic and shouted slogans against the political leaders in Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
A large number of people came out into the streets in Vandiperiyar town on Sunday shouting slogans against Tamil Nadu chief minister Jayalalithaa, DMK leader Karunanidhi, Kerala 

Anoop Jacob injured in car accident

 Monday, 28 November 2011: Anoop Jacob, son of Late Minister T M Jacob, suffered minor injuries in an accident. The incident happened at Karukkunnil when he was proceeding to Kothamangalam from Moovattupuzha.
Anoop was admitted in Kozhencherry hospital. Johnny Nelloor KC (J) working chairman too was in the car.

Poojappura Central Prison chapathi @Thiruvananthapuram

Monday, 28 November 2011: Poojappura Central Prison was launched an innovative scheme today to supply chapathis to different institutions in the capital city.
Under the scheme chapathis prepared by jail inmates will be distributed in the city through a distribution system on commercial basis.
This facility was inaugurated by Tamil actor Cheran at Poojappura central jail. The cost of each chapatis was Rs 2 each, normally a chapati costs of Rs.6 each at eateries outside.
A brand new chapatti-maker has been installed in the jail at a cost of Rs.2.64 lakh, it can make chapatis around 20,000.

MPs, MLA stage fast over Mullaperiyar issue

Monday, November 28, 2011: MPs from Kerala are observing a fast in front of the Parliament demanding an immediate intervention of the centre for the construction of a new dam in Mullaperiyar.
Left MPs of the state led by CPM deputy leader of the Lok Sabha P Karunakaran, Congress MP P T Thomas and Jose K Mani MP of Kerala Congress (M) are staging different satyagrahas on the same issue.
Roshy Augustine, Idukki MLA and Kerala Congress (M) leader is observing a fast in front of the AG’s office demanding Centre’s intervention in the issue.

Widespread protest over Mullaperiyar dam issue

 Monday, November 28, 2011: A group of activists of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) took out a march to the residence of Union Minister of Defence A. K. Antony here protesting against his alleged inaction in resolving the Mullaperiyar issue.
The police stopped the protesters about a 100 metres from the house using barricades, and a few of the protesters tried to climb over the barricades.
The protesters said that Mr. Antony should show concern over the lives of people of Idukki district who faced serious risk from the 116-year-old dam.
Meanwhile the Kerala Congress (Mani) leader and Idukki MLA Roshy Augustine began a hunger strike in front of the office of the Accountant General here on Monday demanding construction of a new dam to replace the existing Mullaperiyar dam.
Augustine said that it was high time the Central Government intervened in the issue.“The Central Government should take serious notice of the concerns raised about the dam safety and find a permanent solution to the issue,” he said.

Panic in Kottayam as elephant runs amok

Monday, 28 November 2011: An elephant runs amok near Thiruvanchiyoor junction on Monday and creating panic in the area. The elephant Ashokan turned violent at Thiruvanchiyoor around 12 p.m.
Later, the mahouts managed to bring the elephant under control.

15 killed, 57 hurt as two buses collide in Maharashtra

Monday, November 28, 2011: At least 15 people were killed and 57 injured early on Monday when two private luxury buses collided in Maharashtra’s Buldana district, police said.
The accident took place around 3.30am on the Mehkar-Sultanpur stretch of the Aurangabad-Nagpur highway, around 300 km from here, when most passengers were sleeping.
“The vehicles caught fire after the collision and at least 12 passengers were burnt in their seats,” Mehkar Police Station head BI Suryawanshi said.
The injured, of whom 20 are reported to be serious, have been rushed to the Mehkar civil hospital.
“The buses belonged to Royal Travels and Soni Travels. One of them was coming from Nagpur and going to Pune while the other was going to Nagpur,” Suryawanshi said.
Locals rushed to assist and helped shift the injured to hospital. The identity of the victims is being ascertained.

Mullaperiyar: Director Ranjit to boycott film awards nite

Monday, 28 November 2011: Well-known Malayalam film director Ranjit today said he and two of his colleagues will stay away from the Kerala ‘Film Awards’ nite here later in the evening in protest against the Centre’s ”apathy” to resolve contentious Mullapperiyar dam issue.
Talking to newspersons here, he said ”my mind does not allow me to be part of the colourful event when thousands of people were living in fear” in Kerala’s three districts surrounding the dam, water level of which was rising gradually and which was in tremor prone area.
He said ”Bagging an award is a honour for me and the film as well. I will certainly receive it at some other venues, including the office of Kerala Chalachitra Academy,” the organisers of the event, he said.
Director Joy Mathew and ghazal singer Shabaz Aman, who were also present in the press meet, would also stay away from the function, he added.

Mullaperiyar: Director Ranjit to boycott film awards nite

Monday, 28 November 2011: Well-known Malayalam film director Ranjit today said he and two of his colleagues will stay away from the Kerala ‘Film Awards’ nite here later in the evening in protest against the Centre’s ”apathy” to resolve contentious Mullapperiyar dam issue.
Talking to newspersons here, he said ”my mind does not allow me to be part of the colourful event when thousands of people were living in fear” in Kerala’s three districts surrounding the dam, water level of which was rising gradually and which was in tremor prone area.
He said ”Bagging an award is a honour for me and the film as well. I will certainly receive it at some other venues, including the office of Kerala Chalachitra Academy,” the organisers of the event, he said.
Director Joy Mathew and ghazal singer Shabaz Aman, who were also present in the press meet, would also stay away from the function, he added.

Kanimozhi granted bail in 2G spectrum case

Monday, November 28, 2011: DMK MP Kanimozhi was on Monday granted bail by the Delhi high court in the 2G case. Apart from Kanimozhi, the other accused who have been granted bail include Cineyug founder Karim Morani, Kalaignar TV’s MD Sharath Kumar, Kusegaon directors Asif Balwa and Rajeev Agarwal.
However, former telecom sectretary Siddharth Behura was denied bail.
The apex court had earlier granted bail to five corporte honchos in the case. On Friday, the court had adjouorned the bail hearing to Monday.

CESS team expresses concern over Mullaperiyar dam

Sunday, November 27, 2011: A team of scientists from the Centre for Earth Science Studies (CESS) who visited Idukki to conduct a study on the mild tremors felt in Upputhura, Moolamattom, Valakode, Chapath and Vandiperiyar areas on Saturday, expressed concern about present condition of 116-year-old Mullaperiyar dam.
CESS director John Mathai informed this soon after visiting the tremor hit areas in Idukki district on Sunday. Meanwhile the water level in the Mullaperiyar reservoir touched 136 feet, the maximum level stipulated by the Central Water Commission, on Sunday morning and started overflowing into the Kerala side to the Idukki reservoir.
The overflow started on Sunday, three of the 13 shutters of the spillway were overflowing.
The district authorities issued the third warning to those living on the banks of the Periyar since there were chances of the water level rising as the overflow intensified in the coming days.
The district authorities issued the warning once the water level reached 135 feet. As the water level reached higher it has started overflowing into the spillway 1 and 2. Experts are visiting Idukki areas which was shaken by the mild tremor on Saturday.
The water level touched a peak following incessant rains. Locals from Ayappankovil, Uppathara, Kanchiaru villages are holding a hartal on Sunday to immediately resolve the Mullaperiyar issue.
Recurrence of mild tremors in Idukki district in Kerala is causing concern over the safety of the Mullaperiyar dam, located on the borders with Tamil Nadu.
As many as 26 mild tremors and after-vibrations have occurred in parts of Idukki and adjoining Kottayam and Pathanamthitta districts since January this year, officials said.
Any such incident is of great concern for Kerala as Mullaperiyar dam, set to be in a vulnerable state is situated in the district.
Mullaperiyar dam was built when this part of Kerala was part of the Travancore princely state and Tamil Nadu under the Madras province under the British rule.
The dam has since then been a major source irrigation for the agricultural belt of central Tamil Nadu districts. For the past two decades however, the dam has been a subject of hot dispute between the neighbouring states.
While Kerala wants to decommission the structure and build a new one, that idea has not found favour with Tamil Nadu. Apart from local resistance groups, political parties on both sides have often taken aggressive postures on the issue.
In 2006, Kerala government passed the Kerala Irrigation and Water Conservation (Amendment) Act 2006, which prohibited the raising of water level beyond 136 ft in the Mulla Periyar Dam as it was placed under the Schedule of ‘Endangered Dams’.

Muharram to be observed on Dec 6

Saturday, 26 November 2011: Muharram will be observed across the country on December 6.
This was announced on Saturday by Syed Ahmed Bukhari, President Markazi Royat-e-Hilal Committee, Jama Masjid here after the sighting of the new moon.
“The Moon of ‘Muharramul-Haram’ has become visible today on the 29th of Zilhijjah. Therefore, it is announced that 1st of Muharramul-Haram falls on November 27 and 10th Muharramul-Haram will be on December 6,” he said in a statement.
Muharram is the first month of the Islamic calendar. It is one of the four sacred months of the year in which fighting is prohibited.
Ashura refers to the tenth day of Muharram and is well-known because of historical significance and mourning for the martyrdom of Husain-ibn-Ali.

Heavy rain likely for two more days in Kerala

Sunday, November 27, 2011: Rains are likely to continue for the next two days with the low-pressure area that developed over Kanyakumari intensifying into a depression as it moved northwestwards and settled near the Thiruvananthapuram coast on Saturday.
The Regional Meteorological Centre has warned that squally weather with wind speeds reaching 60 km per hour was likely along the Kerala coast during the next 48 hours.
Rain or thundershowers will lash most places in Kerala, the forecast said. Isolated heavy or very heavy rainfall too has been forecast in the next 24 hours. The RMC says the sea conditions will remain ‘rough to very rough’.
“Fishermen are advised not to venture into open sea off Kerala coast and over Lakshadweep area,” the RMC warning says.
“The well marked low pressure area over Kanyakumari and neighbouring areas have now settled about 120 km southwest of Thiruvananthapuram and about 400 km east southeast of Lakshadweep Islands,” a top Met Department official said.
“The system is likely to move west northwestwards across Lakshadweep area and intensify into a deep depression during next 48 hours,” he added.
On Saturday, heavy rainfall was recorded on Saturday in Thiruvananthapuram, Munnar in Idukki, Kollengode in Palakkad, Enamackal in Thrissur and Haripad, Chengannur, Kayamkulam and Mavelikkara in Alappuzha.

Kerala MPs to observe satyagraha over Mullaperiyar row

 Sunday, November 27, 2011: MPs from Kerala PT Thomas and Jose K Mani, will hold a satyagraha in front of the Parliament House on Monday demanding Centre’s intervention in the Mullaperiyar issue.
Water Resources Minister PJ Joseph and Revenue Minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan will reach New Delhi on Monday to apprise Prime Minister Manmohan Singh about the state’s concern over the Mullaperiyar issue.
The team would meet Union Water Resources minister Pavan Kumar Bansal, Home Minister P Chidambaram, Defence Minister AK Antony and apprise them of Kerala’s concern.
Meanwhile, the water level at the Mullaperiyar dam touched 135.8 feet on Sunday morning as the water flow to the dam has increased following heavy rains in the region.

LDF hartal in Idukki on Monday

Sunday, November 27, 2011: The LDF has called for a 12 hour hartal tomorrow in Idukki seeking action on Mullaperiyar issue. The hartal will be observed from morning 6 till 6 in the evening.
Water Resources Minister PJ Joseph and Revenue Minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan will reach New Delhi on Monday to apprise Prime Minister Manmohan Singh about the state’s concern over the Mullaperiyar issue.
Meanwhile, the water level at the Mullaperiyar dam touched 135.8 feet on Sunday morning as the water flow to the dam has increased following heavy rains in the region.

Mullaperiyar water level touches 136 feet, alert issued

Sunday, November 27, 2011: The water level at the 116-year-old Mullaperiyar dam touched 136 feet on Sunday as the water flow to the dam has increased following heavy rains in the region.
If the water level reaches 136 feet, the maximum level stipulated by the Central Water Commission, the excess water would overflow to the Idukki dam and hence the district collector issued an alert to the people living in the surrounding areas.
Control rooms have been opened at the Collectorate, Peerumedu and Udubanchola taluq offices. The collector said that all have been set in place to deal with any kind of emergency.

Ferry service from Kochi to Maldives by February

November 26, 2011: The proposed Kochi-Male weekly ferry service is likely to commence by January-February next year.
The Expression of Interest will be floated by Shipping Corporation of India after receiving confirmation from Maldives, according to a Cochin port press release.
The service is commencing pursuant to the decision by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Maldives President Mohammed Nasheed at the SAARC Summit this year at Male.
A team of officers from Maldives Ports Ltd led by Hussain Naeem, Deputy CEO, Maldives Port held discussions with Cochin Port Trust yesterday and today to finalise the arrangements.
It was decided to structure the ferry service as a cargo-cum-passenger service with passenger capacity of 300 and also to carry about 15/20 containers and about 500 tonnes of break bulk cargo.
SCI has been mandated to invite Expression of Interest and identify an operator to take up the ferry service.
The Maldivian team also held discussions independently with representatives of Indian and Cochin Chambers of Commerce and Industry and met representatives of Shipping companies, Custom House Agents and Seafood Exporters Association.
In Cochin Port, the ferry will be berthed at BTP Jetty and will use the Cruise Terminal facility being developed at a cost of Rs 7 crore. Work on the terminal is expected to be completed by March, 2012.

New service road at Pampa to be inaugurated today

Saturday, November 26, 2011: Chief Minister, Oommen Chandy, will inaugurate the newly constructed service road linking Pampa- Triveni with the Njunangar banks at Pampa on the foothills of Sabarimala at a ceremonial function to be held at the Pampa Manalpuram today.
The Akhila Bharatha Ayyappa Seva Sanghom has constructed the new road as part of the Sabarimala Master Plan prepared by the Delhi-based Ecosmart India attached to IL & FS Limited.
The 1200-metre long road will be used for transportation of goods in vehicles to the devaswom store rooms situated at Pampa with out causing inconvenience to the pilgrims at the Pampa Manalpuram.
Earlier, the movement of vehicles through the pilgrims’ path cutting across the Pampa Manalpuram has been causing much inconvenience to the pilgrims, especially during the rush days of the festival season.

Court orders submission of Pillai’s phone call details

Saturday, November 26, 2011: The Thiruvananthapuram CJM Court has today directed for the submission of call details of former Minister and Kerala Congress (B) leader R Balakrishna Pillai after he was involved in conversations with a private channel reporter over the mobile phone while undergoing prison term.
The Court has directed to submit both the incoming as well as the out going call details of Pillai before December 30.
The conversations were made on September 29 when R. Krishnakumar, a teacher at a school under the management of Pillai, at Valakam near Kottarakkara, was attacked.
Pillai had spoken to the reporter on condition that he would not be quoted as he was not supposed to speak to the media over phone since he was undergoing imprisonment. The channel, however, aired the telephonic talk made from the hospital.

Two more held in Kodiyathur incident

Saturday, November 26, 2011: The police have arrested two more persons in connection with the incident in which a 29-year-old youth succumbed to injuries which he sustained after he was severely beaten up by a mob in Kozhikode.
The accused have been identified as Ayoob and Irshad, police told. In what appears to be a case of moral policing, Shahid Bava, from Cheruvadi, was grievously assaulted near Kodiyathur village office around 11.30 am on Wednesday, and succumbed to injuries at a private hospital.
According to police, Bava used to regularly visit a house occupied by women members of a family in the area during the night. He was apparently warned by the men folk in the locality to stay away but when he came on Wednesday they waylaid him, tied him to an electric post and beat him till he lost consciousness.
Bava, who sustained severe head injuries, was admitted to a private hospital in Kozhikode city. He died on around 3pm Sunday and an autopsy will be performed today.
The police filed a charge sheet against 17 people and arrested one. Kollalathil Abdurahiman aka Cheriyappu, who was nabbed by the police on Thursday, was later remanded in judicial custody.

Woman scribe held in J Dey murder case

Saturday, November 26, 2011: The Mumbai police on Friday arrested a woman journalist in connection with the murder of MiD-Day reporter J. Dey.
Jigna Jitendra Vora (37), Deputy Bureau Chief of The Asian Age, was held on charges of criminal conspiracy and murder. The police also slapped charges under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) on her. The special MCOCA court remanded her in police custody till December 1. This is the 11th arrest in the case.
“Arrest is not the indication of her guilt. We have to do custodial interrogation on the basis of prima facie evidence. The remand is to facilitate investigation,” Mumbai Commissioner of Police Arup Patnaik told.

Mullaperiyar: PM to hold talks with Chandy, Jayalalitha

Saturday, November 26, 2011: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will hold talks with the Chief Ministers of Kerala and Tamil Nadu regarding the construction of a new dam at Mullaperiyar. The assurance was given to the MPs of Kerala who met him seeking his intervention on the issue.
PM asked the MPs to solve the issue amicably and to remove the anxiety which is in the minds of the people of two states.
Talks were held at the Prime Minister’s Chamber at 12.45 pm. The MPs asked the centre to take the initiative to solve the issue taking into account the safety of the people. Revenue and Irrigation Ministers Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan and PJ Joseph will meet the Prime Minister on the same issue.

Gas leakage: 30 students hospitalized

Friday, 25 November 2011: As many as 30 students were hospitalised after they complained of chest distress following leakage of gas from Kerala Minerals and Metals Ltd (KMML), here today.
The students of Government Girls High School, near KMML, were admitted to various local hospitals here, police said.
However, they were not in serious condition. About 35 students have been admitted to the nearby Chavara Government Primary Health Centre and over 50 were being treated at the Karunagapally taluk Hospital. Police and Fire and Rescue Service Personnel have rushed to the scene to take control over the situation.
Meanwhile, the company denied any leakage from its plants.

‘Dam 999’ to hit big screens today

November 25, 2011: The 3D version of Dam 999, an international venture of marine engineer-turned-filmmaker Sohan Roy, will hit Indian screens in three regional languages Hindi, Tamil and Telugu along with English from today.
Roy said it was expecting that around 550 to 600 prints, including 65 prints in Kerala, would be released simulatenously on the inaugural day.
Slamming the Tamil Nadu government’s decision to ban his film Dam 999, director Roy said it was “totally unfortunate” as such action would “kill creative minds.”
Roy said he was planning to approach the Supreme Court against the ban as the film had already been passed by the censor board.
“This should not happen to any movie or creative work in India. Such actions will kill creative minds,” Roy, who is now in Dubai in connection with the film’s release in UAE, said.
The Tamil Nadu government banned the film with immediate effect today after the movie faced protests from various political parties which claim it is based on the Mullaperiyar dam, over which the state is locked in an escalating row with Kerala.

Mullaperiyar row: Kerala MPs to meet PM today

Friday, November 25, 2011: MPs from Kerala have decided to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today with the aim of amicably settling the issue of Mullaperiyar Dam.
They would meet Manmohan Singh in his chamber at 12.45 pm, sources said. The MPs will demand that Kerala should be allowed to construct a new dam in place of the existing structure which is weakened by the recent tremors, posing a threat to not only the livelihood but lives of millions of people.
Meanwhile the recurrence of mild tremors in Idukki district in Kerala is causing concern over the safety of the 116-year-old Mullaperiyar dam. The dam was built when this part of Kerala was part of the Travancore princely state and Tamil Nadu under the Madras province under the British rule.
The dam has since then been a major source irrigation for the agricultural belt of central Tamil Nadu districts. For the past two decades however, the dam has been a subject of hot dispute between the neighbouring states.
While Kerala wants to decommission the structure and build a new one, that idea has not found favour with Tamil Nadu. Apart from local resistance groups, political parties on both sides have often taken aggressive postures on the issue.
In 2006, Kerala government passed the Kerala Irrigation and Water Conservation (Amendment) Act 2006, which prohibited the raising of water level beyond 136 ft in the Mulla Periyar Dam as it was placed under the Schedule of ‘Endangered Dams’.

AK Balan cannot claim SC status, says Chief Whip

Thursday, November 24, 2011: Government Chief Whip P.C. George today opined that Former minister and CPM state committee member A.K. Balan, MLA, cannot claim to belong to the schedule caste category.
Speaking to the reporters while addressing a press meet here on Thursday, George also demanded that the Paravan community that got into the schedule caste list should be omitted from the category.
George alleged that Paravan community got into the list undeservedly and is claiming the job opportunities of other schedule caste communities.
Opposition LDF in Kerala has been demanding that George should be booked under Scheduled Caste Prevention of Atrocities Act for his alleged casteist remarks against Balan.
The Kerala Congress-M leader on October 27 had made an allegedly casteist remark against CPM A.K. Balan at a public meeting in Pathanapuram in Kollam district.

Katrina Kaif is the most dangerous celebrity

Katrina Kaif’s name has emerged on top among the most dangerous celebrity-related key words in the Indian cyber space that expose computers to malicious software, according to the report.
Actresses Deepika Padukone and Kareena Kapoor took the next two spots after Katrina.”This year’s study found movie stars top the most dangerous list, while sports stars and politicians are among the safest,” he said.
Commenting on the findings of the report, the senior director of McAfee India, Venkatasubrahmanyam Krishnapur said that in a celebrity crazy country such as India, cyber criminals find it very lucrative to use the names of popular figures as keywords to lure people to websites with malicious software.
“Searching for top celebrities continues to generate risky results,” said Paula Greve, director of web security research at McAfee.
Fans looking for results on search engines using strings such as “name of celebrity” combined with words like “free downloads”, “hot pictures”, “screen savers” and “videos” are at risk of running themselves into websites with malicious software and online threats designed to steal personal information.
“Consumers should be particularly aware of malicious content hiding in tiny places like shortened URLs (uniform resource locators) that can spread virally in social networking sites, or through e-mails and text messages from friends,” she added
The study for “Most Dangerous Celebrity” used the McAfee SiteAdvisor site ratings which indicated the sites that were risky to search for celebrity names on the web and calculated an overall risk percentage.
The other Indian celebrities who followed the three leading ladies were actors Saif Ali Khan, John Abraham, Amir Khan, Shah Rukh Khan and actresses Priyanka Chopra, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Bipasha Basu.

Sachin Tendulkar falls @ 94 Sachin Tendulkar's century of centuries

Friday, the 25th of November - for Sachin Tendulkar's century of centuries. There is a buzz in the ground as all Mumbai roads lead to the Wankhede Stadium in anticipation of the most distinguished landmark of India's favourite son.

The record - if and when it comes - though may not be of much significance in the context of the match as India are still 309 runs behind the West Indies with just two days left in the Test.

Death of 2 teenage girls in Kozhikode: Plea posted to Dec-21

Wednesday, 23 November 2011: The Kozhikode First Class Judicial Magistrate Court today posted the hearing of the plea filed by National Conference leader N.K Abdul azeez on the incident relating to death of two teenage girls close to a railway track in Kozhikode on October 26, 1996, the plea posted to December 21.
Earlier reports:-
Assistant Commissioner Jaison K Abraham investigating the sensational ice-cream parlour case has submitted a report on this incident.
The report submitted before the Kozhikode Chief judicial magistrate Court, points out that no further investigation has been conducted into the incident. The former Kozhikode AC Radhakrishna Pillai had earlier submitted a report ruling out the need for a further probe into the case.
Abdul Azeez, a resident of this city, had earlier filed the petition before a first class magistrate here and submitted an audio CD and other documents which linked the girls’ death to the ice cream parlour sex scandal.
Top Indian Union Muslim League leader and former Kerala Minister P.K. Kunhalikutty is among those facing the heat in the infamous sex scandal of the 1990s in which young girls were allegedly drugged, using ice creams laced with sedative, and sexually exploited.
Kunhalikutty faced the heat over the scandal early this year after his brother-in-law revealed that he (Kunhalikutty) allegedly influenced the judiciary and got away by evading being named an accused in the sex scandal.

Dam 999: There is no subtext, claims movie director

Wednesday, November 23, 2011: Even as political parties in Tamil Nadu are demanding that Dam 999 be banned, the movie’s debutant director Sohan Roy claimed that there was nothing parochial about its theme or the way it has been treated.
“I made this movie for a social cause and it is intended to create awareness among the public about the hazards big dams pose,” he said. “There are about 4000 dams in the world that are unsafe. For a Keralite, the reservoir shown in the movie can be Mullaperiyar dam and for a person in any other part of the world it can be a dam in a similar condition,” Roy said.
The Mullaperiyar dam bordering Kerala and Tamil Nadu is currently in the eye of a storm with Kerala demanding that the 100 year-old structure is unsafe, has to be dismantled and a new dam built at the same site. Tamil Nadu on its part has voiced reservations on this plan.
With Dam 999 scheduled to be released nationwide on Nov 25, political parties in Tamil Nadu have alleged that the movie has been funded by the Kerala government as a PR exercise. They point to the movie’s title which, they say, refers to legal rights held by Tamil Nadu over the Mullaiperiyar dam for 999 years.

Womens’ Commission registers case against P.C. George

Wednesday, 23 November 2011: National Womens’ Commission today registered a case against Kerala Government Chief Whip P.C. George.
The case is against his allegedly vulgar comment against a woman watch and ward in the State Assembly. George allegedly made the vulgar comment at a speech he made at Pathanapuram.

Accused in Paravur case dies in Thrissur

Wednesday, November 23, 2011: An accused in the Paravur sex scandal case, now jailed in the Viyoor central jail, died on Wednesday morning.
Somanath Pillai (54), who is the 122nd accused and hailing from Chenganoor died when undergoing treatment at the Thrissur Medical College Hospital.

Probe in ice cream case to be completed by Dec 22

Wednesday, November 23, 2011: The Government today informed the Kerala High Court that the probe in the Kozhikode ice cream parlour case will be completed by December 22.
Advocate General K Dandapani, who appeared for the government told the court that investigation in the case is progressing and so far 22 persons have been questioned.
The government said the probe will be completed by Dec 22 while considering the plea of opposition leader VS Achuthanandan seeking the progress of investigation in the case.
A division bench headed by Acting Chief Justice Manjula Chellur observed that the demand of VS seeking to examine the progress in the case is immature.

M’periyar: Kerala wants Tamil Nadu for talks

Wednesday, November 23, 2011: Stepping up its demand for a new dam at Mullaperiyar, Kerala today asked the Jayalalithaa government to come forward for talks urgently in view of heightened fears about the safety of the 116-year-old structure due to recent tremors.
He said that Kerala is ready to give water to Tamil Nadu and the government is ready to enter into an agreement with TN.

Needs to lower water level in Mullaperiyar: P.J.Joseph

Wednesday, 23 November 2011: Water resources minister PJ Joseph said that the water level in Mullaperiyar dam must be lowered as the situation is serious there.

The SC-appointed high power committee must hear the experts from Rourkee IIT who held a study on the dam. He was speaking at a press meet here on Wednesday. He said if Idukki dam too is damaged, disaster management activities are of no help. He said Kerala is ready to give water to Tamil Nadu and the government is ready to enter into an agreement with TN, minister added.

HC moves Special Court for Paravur sex scandal trial

Monday, 21 November 2011: The Crime Branch team investigating the sensational Paravur sex scandal case, The Kerala High Court today ruled to form a Special Court for the trial.
A division bench of the Kerala High Court directed to complete the trial by 31 May 2012. The order came after a plea was field by a women’s organization.
The case relates to the sexual exploitation of a minor girl many including her own father by promising her role in films. The parade would be held at Viyyoor Central jail. The identification parade would be held under the Perumbavoor Judicial Magistrate.
The accused identified as Dr. Hari Abdul Aziz, who has been absconding, was apprehended by the probe team from Nedumbassery Airport, sources said. The probe team had earlier issued a look-out notice against him.