Kerala Tourist Season Gearing Up

Down south in Kerala we are gearing up for the start of the high tourist season. Hotel fronts are sneakily painted in between cloudbursts that don't want to leave us, staff are sharpening up after the soporific atmosphere of monsoon and the politicians promise us that the road potholes will soon be filled. But will the tourists come this year and if so, why?

The answer is evident. Kerala has outclassed most other states with the sheer ingenuity of its tourism products. If you want to live with the drumbeat of nature, come to Vythiri and have yourself pulleyed up in a rope basket to your treehouse. You want to spend time on the water in the most serene surroundings of palm-fringed paddy fields, then come to Alleppey and spoil yourself with a houseboat cruise. For a glimpse at the past with top-notch modern comforts, stay in a heritage hotel. Fancy sea and sand? There's Kovalam and Varkala. Get to know a Malayalee family? Why not? They will invite you to their homestay. And we haven't even touched on north Kerala yet.

But for all the luscious green landscape, the sandy beaches and indeed the sharp marketing that wins several tourism awards both nationally and internationally, for me as a westerner, Kerala's crowning glory is something so 'normal' that locals pay no heed to it. In fact they have little awareness of it. Because it is themselves. The Malayalees. There is a sensitive gentleness, a willingness to help, unrivalled smiles and most significantly, little of the aggressive selling by unmonitored touts and taxi men that has invaded the magnificent tourism shrines of the north. Ok, so there's a whiff of it in Fort Cochin at times - I'm not wearing my rosy-tinted specs today - but let's keep it at whiff-level. No tourist minds a whiff of anything.

IT, ITES majors invited to invest in Kerala

Kerala Chief Minister V.S. Achutanandan on Sunday invited information technology (IT) and IT-enabled services majors to invest in his State, which had created a world-class infrastructure, an industry-friendly climate and free from labour unrest.

Addressing presspersons before launching the first-ever road show here and meeting with the representatives of the IT majors, Mr. Achutanandan said that the IT captains such as Infosys Chief Mentor N.R. Narayana Murthy, who had visited the Technopark and Infopark in his State, were impressed by the infrastructure and clean-green atmosphere there.

Mr. Achutanandan, who visited the Infosys Technologies campus at Electronics City, said that the corporate houses were happy with the progressive policies and low operational costs and were eager to shift their expansion programmes to Kerala.

He said that investments to the tune of about Rs. 6,000 crore had been made in these two parks and another Rs. 6,000 crore in Technocity and other areas was in the offing. An apex company had been created and project-specific special purpose vehicles would handle the new IT projects. There will be a uniform spread of IT development in all the districts, he said.

A 507-acre IT township — Technocity — would come up in Thiruvananthapuram and work on the smart city project at Kochi would commence by the end of October. Apart from this, IT parks were coming up in all the districts. He said that the State had the best IT/ITES trained manpower, 75 per cent savings on start-up and operational costs and a strong data backbone.

Kerala IT Secretary K.R. Jyothilal said his State had learnt lessons from Karnataka’s problems in handling the IT industry and that the IT majors would not find any problems in investing there. He said that the State had entered into collaboration with Infosys for starting Finishing Schools for the weaker sections. Shashi Tharoor, former Under Secretary of the United Nations, was also helping the state in establishing more finishing schools, he said.

Mr. Jyothilal said that it was the policy of the Government to introduce computer training and 38,000 students in 2,800 high schools had been getting training. Next year, the number would rise to two lakh.

LDF panel sets deadline for Kerala Congress(J)

The State committee of the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) has set October 12 as the deadline for the Kerala Congress (J) to come up with its Minister nominee.

The LDF leadership, which discussed the issue here on Monday, told the KC(J) leaders present at the meeting, including party chairman P.J. Joseph, that it could not allow the position allotted to the KC(J) in the Cabinet to remain vacant beyond October 12 as that would cause much embarrassment to the LDF and the government. The position has been remaining vacant for the last one month following the resignation of T.U. Kuruvilla as Public Works Minister. Mr. Kuruvilla himself had become Minister over a year ago when Mr. Joseph stepped down following allegations that he had misbehaved with a woman co-passenger while on a flight from Chennai to Kochi.

NRIs form group to make Kerala an IT hub

The Kerala Information Technology Alliance (KITA) has been launched here to make Kerala a premier global technology hub.

Ommen Chandy, a former chief minister of Kerala, inaugurated KITA at the Kerala Centre in the presence of over 150 IT professionals and community leaders.

Kerala Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan said in a message: "I hope KITA will provide a platform for IT professionals of Kerala origin to share best practices, ideas and thereby influence and accelerate the growth of Kerala in key industries."

A voluntary body, KITA hopes to provide the network and connections for Malayalees and IT professionals worldwide to tap their collective intelligence and to innovate.

Kerala HC stays eviction notice

The Kerala High Court today stayed the eviction notice issued against the occupants of Merchiston estate including Indian Institute of Space Science Technology.

Admitting a writ petition filed by the estate owner Xavie Mano Mathew and Indian Institute of Space Sciences Technology, challenging the notice, the division Bench, comprising Chief Justice H L Dattu and Justice K T Sankaran stayed eviction proceedings for a period of three weeks.

The Thiruvananthapuram District Forest Officer and Custodian of Ecologically Fragile Land had issued eviction notice to the petitioners.

Additional advocate general, appearing for the state said, eviction proceedings would not be carried out.

Recording this assurance, the bench stayed the eviction proceedings.

Meanwhile, two PILs seeking CBI investigation into the Merchiston estate land deal at Ponmudi near Thiruvanathapuram. was also admitted by the court.

ISRO had entered into the land deal with the estate owner for setting up its Space Institute. The court also directed the government to file counter-affidavit

Govt docs stage indefinite strike in Kerala

Government doctors across Kerala launched an indefinite ‘non-cooperation’ strike yesterday in protest against the state government’s failure to keep the promises made to them regarding their salary and other service conditions a year ago.

They boycotted all special tasks like immunisation programmes, pay ward functions, VIP duties, medical camps and works under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) as part of the strike launched under the aegis of Kerala Government Medical Officer Association (KGMOA).

KGMOA leaders said the promises given by Health Minister P.K. Sreemathy following a 150-day agitation last year were to be fulfilled by April 2007. They said that the doctors had given enough time before beginning the strike to consider the demands, which included an upward revision in the salary and filling of nearly 600 vacancies in hospitals.

The Indian Medical Association and Kerala Government Medical College Teachers’ Association have backed the strike.xMallu

Govt transfers Idukki distt collector

Idukki District Collector, Raju Narayanaswamy, who took on political heavyweights during his brief tenure, has been transferred to Pathanamthitta.

The state cabinet that met here yesterday has decided to post Pathanamthitta District Collector Ashok Kumar Sinha in his place.

Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan, who had picked up Swamy to assist the special task force constituted to end the encroachments in Idukki district, said he had received several complaints against the IAS topper.

He, however, refused to specify the complaints. He said the government had also felt the need for a strong officer in Idukki, where the evictions came to a standstill after task force chief Suresh Kumar and Inspector General Rishi Raj Singh were eased out following uproar from some of the ruling front constituents. Swamy’s transfer came a day after he ordered a probe into alleged encroachment of land by Kerala Congress (J) leader P.J. Joseph, who is preparing the ground for his return to the cabinet in place of T U Kuruvila, who resigned as Public Works Minister following the collector’s report about various violations in a land deal his children had with a Kuwait-based Non-Resident Keralite.

Interestingly, Joseph has welcomed the transfer and has demanded an inquiry into alleged violations of service rules by Swamy. Joseph said the IAS officer was not matured to hold responsible positions.

Swamy has refused to comment on the cabinet decision, which has evoked strong protests from various quarters. The Bharatiya Janata Party has called a shut down strike in Idukki district to protest against the transfer.

Idukki District Congress Committee president P.T. Thomas viewed it as a move to protect the corrupt and demanded the resignation of the chief minister. He told reporters that the transfer was under pressure from leaders of the LDF constituents, who had grabbed land in the hilly district.

Swamy, who had opted for the civil service leaving plum posts he got after passing out from Indian Institute of Technology saying he owed it to the poor, is an eye sour to parties of all hues because of his uncompromising stand against corrupt practices.

He had made his approach known in his post posting as sub-collector in Kottayam district when he took on his father-in-law, a contractor, who grabbed a public road to a poor neighbourhood while erecting a boundary wall to his property.

When his request not to misuse his position was turned down by the father-in-law, Swamy demolished the structure. In fact it was this fearless attitude that was considered by Achuthanandan to post him in Idukki during the eviction drive.

Robin Uthappa to get Rs 3 lakh from Kerala

Kerala government decided to award Rs 3 lakh to Robin Uthappa, member of the Indian cricket team that won the ICC Twenty20 World Cup, Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan said on Wednesday.

Talking to reporters after a cabinet briefing, Achuthanandan Rs 5 lakh had already been announced for S Sree Santh, who hails from Kerala.

Though Uthappa's family was settled in Bangalore, his mother hails from Kozhikode in Kerala.

ISRO moves Kerala High Court on IISST land deal

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has moved the Kerala High Court, contending that the land purchased by it in Merchiston Estate in Thiruvananthapuram to set up the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IISST) did not fall under the ecologically fragile land (EFL) category.

Filing an application seeking to implead itself in the case, IISST Director Dr B N Suresh submitted that the 81.50 acres purchased by the ISRO from Southern Field Ventures Ltd on July 20, 2007, for setting up the IISST campus fell outside the 24.40 hectares of land directed to be maintained as EFL by the custodian of lands appointed under the Kerala Forest (Vesting and Management of Ecologically Fragile Lands) Act, 2003.

Opposing the public interest litigation filed by the NGO 'Friends of Environment', seeking to declare the land purchased by ISRO as EFL, he said this would adversely affect the Institute as the sale deed would be rendered non est (non existing) and a substantial loss of Rs 3.26 crore plus registration and development charges amounting to about Rs one crore would be cost to the exchequer.

Dr Suresh said the IISST had been created by the Department of Space, Government of India, to establish a world-class educational institute of excellence with the unique aim of integrating education with high technology research. For that purpose, it was felt that the Institute must be set up in a green, eco-friendly and environmentally sustainable campus.

He contended that ISRO purchased the land from a private party only after the Kerala Government informed the Institute through the District Collector, Thiruvananthapuram, as per letters dated February five and 12 last, its inability to provide suitable land in Thiruvananthapuram for setting up the Institute.

The application would come up for hearing tomorrow along with the main petition.

22 school children injured in road mishap

Twenty two school children were injured when the van in which they were travelling collided with a bus at nearby Erave near here this morning, police said.

The accident occurred when the van, which was on its way to the Al-Az-Har English medium school, rammed into the bus.

Besides the children, the driver of the bus was also injured in the mishap. The bus was proceeding to Triprayar from Thrissur, according to police.

The injured had been admitted to different private hospitals and condition of three of them was said to be serious.

P.J. Thomas new Chief Secretary of Kerala

Senior civil servant P J Thomas has been appointed as Chief Secretary in Kerala, replacing Lizzie Jacob, who quit the post in the backdrop of the row over ISRO land deal at Ponmudi.

Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan today signed the orders appointing Thomas as the Chief Secretary, a spokesman in the Chief Minister's office said.

IAS officers' association on Sunday had expressed their strong reservations on the chief minister's decision to give the charge of the high-level post to K J Mathew, overlooking seniority of other officers, including Thomas.

A 1973 batch IAS officer, Thomas is presently Principal Secretary, Higher Education.

Lizzie Jacob had last week gone on three months' leave ahead of her plan to take voluntary retirement from service, apparently irked by Achuthanandan's open remark on her giving the nod for the construction of a helipad at Ponmudi without consulting him.

Community policing in all municipalities soon

Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan today said the Government's community-based policing initiative, Janamaithri Suraksha Project (JSP), will soon be implemented in at least one municipality in every district in Kerala.

Inaugurating the State-level Consultation meeting on community policing here on Tuesday, Mr. Kodiyeri said there was consensus across the political spectrum to check mafia activity in the State. The Legislative Assembly's unanimous approval of the Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act was indicative of this trend.

Nearly 1.5 lakh people are arrested in Kerala annually. Most of these arrests are made in connection with traffic offences, which are categorized as involuntary crimes. A significant number of persons are arrested in connection with crimes committed impulsively. Only a small section of people fit the definition of criminals.

Mr. Kodiyeri said that community policing does not mean that the police is divesting itself of its duties. It is aimed at giving the police a people friendly face. JSP would enable the police to better understand the problems of the community and devise location specific policing strategies with inputs from law abiding citizens.

Justice K. T. Thomas said police should use force only in a defensive mode. The police have no special right to resort to physical violence. Custodial torture is the worst form of crime. Police stations should not become sanctuaries for law breakers in uniform. Police should instill a sense of security and confidence in citizens. Community policing should not be confused with vigilante action. Recently, citizens in Bhagalpur had lynched 10 migrants on the suspicion of committing theft in Bhagalpur.

Community policing should help the police and public develop a mutually beneficial relationship based on trust and principles of law. Opposition Leader Oomen Chandy said credibility was the strength of the police and it should be preserved at all costs. Director General of Police Raman Sreevastava, Additional Director General of Police Jacob Punnoose and Inspector General of Police B. Sandhya spoke.

No official from Central will be send for CS post

Delhi, Monday, 17 September: The PMO informed the state government today that officers on Central deputation from Kerala cadre will not be send for the current vacant post of Chief Secretary in the state. The officials on deputation are Gopala Krishna Pillai, Sudha Pillai and Vinod Rai.

Yesterday, I A S Association members had met Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan at Cliff house to inform their protest for handing over the charge of Chief Secreatary to K J Mathew without considering seniority. They blamed that this appointment is against the rules and P J Thomas is senior than K J Mathew. Lizzie Jacob had sought government’s permission  to quit service in the backdrop of the Ponmudi helipad issue.

IAS officers in Kerala resent CM's decision

IAS officers in Kerala today came out against the state government's decision to appoint the Home Secretary as the acting Chief Secretary in place of Lizzie Jacob, who quit the post following a row over the construction of a helipad at the site for ISRO's Space Institute.

A delegation of the state IAS Officers' Association called on Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan at his official residence today to convey their "sentiments" at the selection of Home Secretary K J Mathew as acting Chief Secretary while overlooking the seniority of several officers.

The association complained that in the selection to the top-most official post, the seniority of other officers, some of them on Central deputation and some serving in the state, had been overlooked, sources said.

Jacob had gone on leave ahead of taking voluntary retirement from service after the chief minister criticised her for not consulting him before giving approval to build the helipad at an estate at Ponmudi, part of which was purchased by the Indian Space Research Organisation for its Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology.

Walkout in Kerala assembly

Thiruvananthapuram, Sept. 14 (PTI): The Opposition UDF today staged a walk-out in the Kerala assembly after Speaker K Radhakrishnan refused to allow debate on the issue of Chief Secretary Lizzie Jacob quitting the post following an adverse remark by Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan against her.

During a recent cabinet briefing, Achuthanandan had said that there was a lapse on Jacob's part in not informing him of the sanction given for construction of a helipad at Ponmudi where ISRO had purchased land for its Space Institute.

K Sudhakaran (Cong), who sought leave for an adjournment motion on the issue, said the Chief Minister's public criticism of the Chief Secretary would "destroy" the self confidence of civil servants. The Chief Secretary's decision to seek voluntary retirement had created an administrative impasse in the state.

He said it was for the first time that a Chief Secretary was stepping down owing to "distrust" expressed by the Chief Minister. The Chief Minister had no right to continue in office if he was not in the know of what was happening in the General Administration Department headed by him, Sudhakaran said.

Kerala takes steps to reclaim land from space agency

Thiruvananthapuram: The state government has taken steps to reclaim land that the opposition parties say was involved in a controversial deal involving the country's top space agency.

The land, which is part of Merchiston estate in the tourist spot of Ponmudi in Thiruvananthapuram district, was "bought" by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to set up a space technology institute.

The opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) has demanded a probe into the sale of the land by the estate owner Xavi Mano Mathew.

The forest department yesterday issued notice to the "owners" to leave the estate within 30 days.

Helipad

It is also learnt that the authorities have issued notice to ISRO for attempting to build a helipad on the controversial land.

The UDF had alleged that the land sale was dubious, arguing the land had been declared a vested forest and notified as ecologically fragile and therefore could not have been sold to the ISRO.

The opposition had also demanded that forest minister Binoy Viswom be removed from his post so that the investigation would not be influenced by him.