Kerala - Kochi
Preparations for second phase of polling nearing completion

Staff Reporter

List of sensitive booths in district likely to be ready today

KOCHI: Preparations for the second phase of the Assembly elections are nearing completion. On Saturday, the district election authorities made final arrangements for the despatch of postal ballot papers even as electronic voting machines (EVMs) and ballots to be used in it have been readied and distributed to the 14 Returning Officers.

The EVMs will be set on Tuesday and Wednesday, it is learnt. With this, preparations will reach the final phase and have moved smoothly so far.

Training for some more polling officials, especially those who could not attend the training last week, will be held on Monday at the Maharaja's College Centenary Hall.

Meanwhile, the list of sensitive and vulnerable booths in Ernakulam district are being prepared ahead of the elections to the Assembly in the second phase on April 29.

The list is likely to be ready by Sunday, it is learnt.

A meeting of the election observers with the Superintendent of Police, City Police Commissioner and other officials as well as with the district administration had reviewed the security arrangements and the law and order situation on Friday.

General observers
Gautam Chatterjee is observer for Ernakulam and Mattancherry constituencies; Vinod Agrawal is observer for Paravoor and Njarakkal; Chadrashekhar Chattopadhyay is observer for Angamaly and Vadakkekara; Mandeep Singh Sandhu is observer for Aluva and Perumbavoor; Ashok Kumar Yadav is observer for Palluruthy and Thripunithura; Balraj Singh is observer for Piravom and Kothamangalam; and Vivek Kumar Singh is observer for Kunnathunad and Moovattupuzha.

Expenditure observers
C.S. Bakshi is observer for Mattancherry, Palluruthy, Thripunithura, Aluva and Perumbavoor. Virender Kumar is observer for Angamaly, Vadakkekkara, Paravoor, Njarakkal and Ernakulam.

Kusum Gopal Ingle is observer for Kunnanthunadu, Piravom, Moovattupuzha and Kothamangalam.
(The Hindu - 23/04/06)

Kerala - Kochi
Poll observers review security measures

Staff Reporter

KOCHI: Election observers reviewed the security arrangements in Ernakulam district for the Assembly elections.

At the review meeting, held at the District Collector's Camp Office on Friday, top police officials of the district were present. During the meeting presentations were made on the general law and order situation and police deployments for the elections in the 14 Assembly constituencies in the district.

Meanwhile, it is learnt that a large number of sensitive booths had been identified in the district. These included areas in the city and rural areas. Special arrangements are expected to be made for booths that are identified as sensitive.

The list of the sensitive booths is likely to be ready by Saturday.

Training
Those who have been appointed presiding officers and first polling officers for the elections and those who could not attend the training classes held on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday should attend the training class being held next Monday at 10 and 2 p. m. at the Maharaja's College Centenary Auditorium, says a communication from the District Collector's office.
(The Hindu - 22/04/06)

Kerala - Kochi
Training classes held for polling officials

Staff Reporter

KOCHI: Training classes were held for polling officials in Ernakulam district.

District Collector A.P.M. Mohammed Hanish, who is also the District Election Officer, said that training was conducted on Wednesday for polling officials .

Action would be taken against absentees, the Collector said. Arrest warrants are likely to be issued against absentees on.

Meanwhile, a communication from the Election Commission has informed that that those who do not possess electoral identity cards can use instruments of identification like driving licences, passports, PAN cards, service identity cards issued by State or Union Governments, PSUs, local bodies or public limited companies and passbooks of accounts in nationalised banks or post offices of accounts opened till February 28, 2006, and that contain the photograph of the account holder.
(The Hindu - 20/04/06)

Kerala - Kochi

39 auxiliary booths in the district

Staff Reporter

KOCHI: The Election Commission has issued orders to set up 39 auxiliary booths in the district for the Assembly polls. These booths will be set up by dividing the booths that have more than 1,450 voters.

In case no buildings are available for setting up separate auxiliary booths, special arrangements will be made in the same compound where the original booth functions.

The highest number of 13 auxiliary booths will be set up in the Thripunithura Assembly constituency. Angamaly will have only one additional booth. Polling booth 105 in Angamaly will be divided into a second booth with 1,461 voters.

There will be five additional booths in Vadakkekara, four each in Palluruthy and Aluva and three each in Paravur, Ernakulam, Mattancherry and Piravom.

Polling Booth 29 in Mattancherry has the highest number of voters among the auxiliary booths - 1,763 voters. There are two booths with 1,451 voters in the district, they are booth 89 at St. Philomena HSS, Koonammavu, in Paravur and booth 81 at Sree Narayana UPS at Kangarappady in Aluva.

(The Hindu - 18/04/06)

Kerala - Kochi
No politics this time

The election time has been proving to be God-sent to the residents' associations, offering a valuable opportunity to bring up the local issues to the attention of the political parties and candidates. During the local body polls, many residents' associations in the city had organised 'meet-the-candidates' programmes. Meetings were held at different parts of the city.

But, during the Assembly polls, many of the residents' associations that have been active all along seems to have toned down considerably. The Council of Residents Associations, an apex body of the residents associations at Vyttila, which had organised a 'meet-the-candidate' programme last time, has decided not to organise anything this time.

The reason is said to be criticism raised by the candidates last time about lack of time for discussing all the issues and demands put up by the council.

However, the Confederation of Maradu Residents Association had convened a meeting of candidates of Palluruthy constituency on Monday. According to the organisers, the event was successful even though the LDF candidate C.M. Dinesh Mani was absent.
Renu Ramanath
(The Hindu - 18/04/06)

Kerala - Kochi
Marauding jumbo tranquillised

Staff Reporter

After killing a man, it ran amok

KOCHI : An elephant that ran amok after killing a man in Parvaur town on Sunday night was tranquillised early on Monday morning.

Ramesan, 36, son of Ramagovinda Kamath, of Pandikkudi in Fort Kochi, was killed by the elephant while he was trying to offer it bananas. The incident occurred near the Kannankulangara temple.

The elephant was being taken to Muppathadam after attending a festival in a temple near Paravur. Ramesan was assisting the senior mahout, Thampi, of the pachyderm.

Mr. Thampi, 47, of Onakkoor, was seriously injured by the elephant and has been admitted to the Government hospital at Paravur.

The elephant also turned its ire against a bus carrying pilgrims from Alappuzha to Palani. The bus driver ran away on seeing the elephant carrying the body of Ramesan on its tusks. The elephant pushed the bus against a wall, which collapsed. The passengers were saved as people diverted its attention by making noise using tin sheets.

An expert team, led by Abraham Tharakan, veterinarian, brought the elephant under control with a tranquillizer shot by around 1 a.m.

The elephant has been secured on the Kannankulangara temple grounds.
(The Hindu - 18/04/06)

Kerala - Kochi
Swati Tirunal's statue unveiled

Staff Reporter

KOCHI: Swati Tirunal was a musical genius who was neglected even by Malayalis, said Kavalam Narayana Panikker, noted theatreperson and vice-chairman of Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi.

Talking after unveiling a statue of Maharaja Swati Tirunal on the Kerala Fine Arts Hall premises on Sunday in connection with the Golden Jubilee celebrations of the Kerala Fine Arts Society, Mr. Panikker said the leading singers of Carnatic music are reluctant to sing the kritis of Swati Tirunal even now. He pointed out that even those who sing the Swati kritis are not able to preserve the originality of the songs. Most of them sing the kritis in a modified manner, he said.

Mr. Panikker said it was unfortunate that even Malayalis had failed to recognise the original music of Kerala found in the kritis of Swati Tirunal, especially in the background that Jayadeva's 'Gita Govinda,' which originates in Bihar, became the most important element in the temple worship of Kerala in the form of 'Ashtapadi.'

The former judge of Supreme Court and patron of Kerala Fine Arts Society V.R. Krishna Iyer accepted the statue of Swati Tirunal from Brigadier R.B. Nayar, who sponsored the statue. Brig. Nayar also presented a memento to the sculptor Avin Thattassery. Vocalist Mavelikara R. Prabhakara Varma offered felicitations. Kerala Fine Arts Society president V.N. Venugopal welcomed the audience and secretary T.P. Ramesh offered the vote of thanks.

The meeting also marked the beginning of the three-day long Swati Festival, organised by the Society to mark its Golden Jubilee. A Carnatic music concert by Mathangy Sathyamoorthy was held after the meeting.

On Monday, Gopika Varma will present a recital of Mohiniyattam, followed by Kuchipudi by Anupama Mohan on Tuesday.
(The Hindu - 17/04/06)

Kerala - Kochi
Maradu residents prepare charter of demands

Staff Reporter

Interaction with candidates today

KOCHI: The Confederation of Maradu Residents' Associations (COMRA) will organise a platform to bring together the candidates contesting in Palluruthy Assembly constituency. The meeting will be held on Monday evening on Mankayil School premises. The COMRA is the apex body of nine residents' associations in Maradu. The programme aims to inform the candidates about the basic issues faced by the residents of Maradu and obtain their response on these issues.

S. Balakrishnan, confederation general convener, said the event would help the voters to make a decision on the candidates based on their response to the basic problems. The apex body has drafted an 18-point questionnaire for the candidates.

They point out that Kundannur, and Maradu in general, suffers from a great degree of uncertainty in matters relating to land, as the area forms the intersection of two National Highways, NH-47 and NH-49. The alignment of NH-49 and the related acquisition of land are still undecided. Another major issue is the traffic congestion at Kundannur Junction and along the NH-Bypass. Though a flyover had been proposed at Kundannur Junction to solve the traffic problem, no further step was taken in that direction.

Another major issue is the introduction of KRSTC bus services to West Kochi and Wellingdon Island along NH-49.

The commuters from Maradu now have to take the circuitous route via M.G. Road. Poor tarring in the Kundannur-Thevara bridge, which causes accidents is another issue.

Other demands include the construction of Kundannur-Nettoor Bridge and Kundannur-Chilavannur Bridge. The citizens also demand clear-cut steps to solve the water-logging in this area as well as steps to end the low-voltage crisis.

Drafting a master plan for the comprehensive development of this area is also demanded of the candidates.

The meet-the-candidates will begin at 6 p.m. on Monday.
(The Hindu - 17/04/06)

Kerala - Kochi
Election Department directive to parties and candidates

Staff Reporter

KOCHI: The Election Department has asked political parties and candidates to give advance intimation to police authorities regarding their election meetings and processions.

According to the election wing of the District Administration, the police would be able to take necessary steps once political parties provided them with details of meetings to be held in the district. The police would initiate steps to maintain law and order based on the information given by the parties and candidates.

Returning Officers of various Assembly constituencies in Ernakulam district have informed the candidates that they should ascertain in advance whether there are any restrictions or prohibitory orders in force at the place proposed for the meeting. If such orders exist, they should be followed strictly.

The parties should apply to the authority concerned if permission or licence is to be obtained for use of loudspeakers. Organisers of the meeting should seek the assistance of the police personnel on duty for handling persons trying to create problems at the meeting.

Directions and advice given by police officials during processions should be complied with. Action will be taken against those found violating the code of conduct prescribed by the Election Commission.

Training for personnel
The Returning Officers have completed meetings with representatives of candidates and political parties. The service ballots (ballots for the members of the Armed Forces) have already been despatched.

Training for over 10,000 polling personnel in the district will be held on April 19, 20 and 21. Polling personnel will be intimated by appointment letters issued by the District Collector. They will be selected from Central and State Government offices.

Preparations for setting up of the electronic voting machine will begin after due notification in the presence of representatives of candidates and political parties.

Returning Officers have said that no untoward incident has been reported in the district during the election campaigning so far.
(The Hindu - 16/04/06)

Kerala - Kochi
Fire and Rescue Services ill-equipped to tackle emergency

Staff Reporter

Lacks basic facilities to perform tasks assigned to it

KOCHI: As one more Fire Service Day is being observed on April 14, the staff of the Kerala Fire and Rescue Services Department continues to languish without the basic facilities for performing the duties assigned to them.

The Kerala Fire and Rescue Services Department, which is vested with the responsibility of saving lives of people and protecting the properties of the State from fire, accidents and other natural calamities, however, continues to be the most ill equipped for any kind of rescue operations. The inadequacies and shortages of equipment and human resources affecting the functioning of the department had been revealed before the public many times before, but the authorities seems to be turning a blind eye to the issue.

Even in the light of major fire disasters taking place in different parts of the country, the Government has hardly taken any steps to update and modernise the department.

Basic-level problems
The problems begin from the basic level. Though the force was formed in 1962 separating it from the Police Force by the Kerala Fire Force Act of 1962, no rules had been formulated under the Act even after decades.

The Fire Force was renamed Kerala Fire and Rescue Services Department in 2002 for broadening its field of activity.

Even then, no attempt was made to frame a manual in the model of the Kerala Police Manual, which acts as the basic code for the State's police.

The result is that, the duties or even the routine activities of the Fire and Rescue Services are not defined till now.

This gives rise to an odd situation where even the routine activities are defined according to the whims and fancies of individual officers. In the absence of defined manual of duties, the Fire and Rescue Services personnel are often forced to do any kind of activity on public demand, including cutting away trees and removing bodies.

Removal of bodies by the Fire Service personnel before the police arrive on the scene often leads to destruction of valuable evidence, it is pointed out.

The training syllabus for Fire and Rescue Service personnel does not include swimming or rescue operations in water.

The personnel usually engage in rescue work in water armed with their personal training in swimming, as one of the staffers confessed.

And often they have to face embarrassing situations facing the public in case of boat capsize or drowning, or wait till the experts from the Navy arrive on the scene.

Moreover, there is absolutely no training in case of a chemical hazard, which is more alarming in the case of a city like Kochi where chemical disaster management should be regarded as a priority area.

The two-month training for the Leading Fireman post includes mainly parade only.

Poor equipment
More dismal is the condition of equipment. The department has antiquated vehicles, without even power steering.

Most of the fire engines are of the same standard size and are not topographically compatible. In the absence of smaller fire engines reaching spots through narrow roads becomes impossible. The equipment is also obsolete.

The hoses are heavy and unmanageable. There have been no steps to provide new, lightweight hoses and equipment, even after continuous demands.

The department personnel are not given even the basic facilities at stations.

Even though they have 24-hour duty, not even a ground sheet or resting facilities are provided at the station. Even their uniform is not well defined.

However, the authorities continue to observe Fire Services Day on April 14, dedicated in memory of 66 firemen belonging to the Bombay Fire Brigade, who died in an explosion at the Victoria Dock in Mumbai in 1944, on the same day.
(The Hindu - 15/04/06)

Kerala - Kochi
Posters being removed for defacing public places

Staff Reporter

KOCHI: Posters, banners, cut-outs and other election campaign material defacing public places are being removed in many places in Ernakulam district.

Taluk-level squads and staff of returning officers have been engaged in removing the material, with the assistance of the police, in many places, such as Vathuruthy in Mattancherry constituency, Njarakkal, Paravur and Kunnathunad.

Complaints have been lodged with the police in this regard.

The expense for removing the defacement will be added to the expenditure account of the candidates.

The initial work for polling in the district has been completed, according to District Collector A.P.M. Mohammed Hanish.

The Election Department of the district administration will continue to function during festival days. Officials involved in election-related duties will not be allowed leave. Training for the more than 10,000 polling personnel will be held from April 19 to 21.
(The Hindu - 13/04/06)

Kerala - Kochi
'Bus owners denying wage hike to workers'

Staff Reporter

KOCHI: The Private Bus Thozhilali Federation (AITUC) has accused bus owners of misleading the public and bus workers on the fare wage practice of the bus workers.

In a statement issued here on Wednesday, federation general secretary Joy Joseph alleged that bus owners were trying to deny the increase in wages promised to the employees following the agitation held this month.

According to the agreement arrived at the conciliation meeting convened by the District Labour Officer in the presence of the District Collector on April 2, the employees in each bus with three workers would get a total hike of Rs.115.

This would result in the driver and conductor getting a raise of Rs.40 each per day, with the door checker/second conductor getting a wage hike of Rs.35 per day.

The agreement had specified that in the case of buses with more than three employees, the owner would have to pay increased wages according to the posts of the employees, Mr. Joseph pointed out.

The new wage structure was to have come into effect from April 5.
(The Hindu - 13/04/06)

Kerala - Kochi
Cochin Film Society to screen Kim Ki-Duk's film

South Korean director Kim Ki-Duk is one of the most celebrated directors in the international film circuit.

His films focus on 'marginal people,' who occupy the edges of the mainstream society.

Kim's films had always been sources of controversy, especially his portrayal of women inviting the antagonism of feminist critics.

His 2004-film, '3-iron,' which will be screened at Kochi on April 20, also tells of two characters who live an extraordinary life.

It tells of Tae-suk, a young man who breaks into others' houses. But he is no thief. He enjoys fixing broken things, watering their plants and cleaning up the place.

Once, during one of such adventures, he chances upon Sun-hwa, a beautiful model who suffers a violent husband.

The woman runs away with him and they start wandering through houses. The film has almost no dialogue and no plot twists, yet it is fascinating and spellbinding. It is both a contemplative love story between two souls, as well as a metaphysical journey for the protagonist.

Kim had won the Best Director Award at the Venice International Film Festival in 2004, as well as the FIPRESCI Best Film Award in the same year.

The film had also won the Golden Spike Award for Best Film at Valladolid Film Festival in 2004.

Kim had written the screenplay of the movie in one month; it was filmed in just 16 days and the film was edited within 10 days.

The screening will be organised by the Cochin Film Society. The venue will be IMA Hall at Warriam Road. The screening will start at 6.15 p.m. and will be followed by a discussion on the film.
Renu Ramanath
(The Hindu - 13/04/06)

Kerala - Kochi
Squads to remove graffiti, posters

Staff Reporter

KOCHI: The election observers for the Assembly polls in the district have issued directives to the authorities concerned to take stringent action against defacement of walls by political parties during the campaign.

The observers gave instructions to the returning officers and candidates regarding the removal of graffiti, posters and banners on walls. In case the parties fail to remove their graffiti, posters and banners by Wednesday, the squads formed at taluk and district level will take over the task of cleaning the spaces.

Seven squads comprising police and revenue officials have been formed at every taluk. All the 14 returning officers have also formed 14 squads at the constituency level.
(The Hindu - 12/04/06)

Kerala - Kochi
'Illegal posters, banners should be removed before tomorrow morning'

Staff Reporter

Collector issues directives on enforcement of poll code

* Campaign vehicles should sport passes issued by returning officers
* Prior permission needed for using loudspeakers
* Government guest houses should not be used by Ministers and other political leaders

KOCHI: As part of the enforcement of the model code of conduct for the Assembly elections, District Collector A.P.M. Mohammed Hanish, who is the District Election Officer, on Monday, issued directives to election observers, candidates and representatives of political parties.

It is the prime responsibility of returning officers to ensure that the model code of conduct is implemented, said A.P.M. Mohammed Hanish, District Collector, who presided over a meeting attended by political leaders, election observers and returning officers.

All posters and banners put up in violation of the rules should be removed before Wednesday morning, a directive said. A case each would be registered for every such poster exhibited and separate first information reports (FIRs) filed for each of them.

Another directive was that vehicles used for election campaign should have passes issued by the respective returning officers, and these should be displayed on them. The vehicles of candidates should not be accompanied by more than three other vehicles.

Prior permission should be obtained from deputy superintendents of police or assistant commissioners of police concerned for using loudspeakers, which should not be operated after 10 p.m.

Government guest houses and rest houses should not be used by the Chief Minister or other members of the Cabinet or any other political leader for resting and holding discussions during the period of election campaign. Officials were also not supposed to receive ministers during the campaign. Action would be initiated against those resorting to burning of persons in effigies during election campaigns. Officials have been appointed in all the 14 constituencies in the district to evaluate the expenditure incurred by the candidates during the elections. These officials will be reporting to election observers.

City Police Commissioner P. Vijayan; Superintendent of Police (Ernakulam Rural) M. Wahab; Abdul Muthulib (Congress); T.K. Rameshan and N. Gopalan (Democratic Indira Congress-Karunkaran); Samuel George (Kerala Congress-Mani); V.G. Ravindran (Nationalist Congress Party); M.K. Manoj Kumar and P.S. Karunakaran (Bahujan Samaj Party); and Kumbalam Rajappan (Communist Party of India) attended the meeting.
(The Hindu - 11/04/06)

Kerala - Kochi
92 remain in fray in Ernakulam district

Staff Reporter

Deadline for withdrawal of nominations was 3 p.m. on Monday

KOCHI: After the last day for withdrawal of nomination papers on Monday, 92 candidates are in the fray in 14 Assembly constituencies in Ernakulam district, making clear how the battle lines have been drawn for the coming elections.

The deadline for withdrawal of nominations was 3 p.m. on Monday.

The Thripunithura constituency has the highest number of 10 contestants.

The Kunnathunad and Mattancherry constituencies have the lowest of four candidates each.

As many as 117 candidates had filed their nomination papers in the 14 constituencies. Two nominations were rejected following scrutiny.

Apart from dummy candidates, 95 were in the fray after that.

Similar names
With three withdrawing their nominations, the number reached 92.

In 11 constituencies, major candidates have opponents with names similar to them. The Returning Officer, after examining the arguments presented by both V.D. Satheesan, United Democratic Front candidate, and V.T. Satheesan, Independent candidate, in Piravom, allowed the latter to use his initials. However, the initials will be given after the name, as Satheesan V.T. Candidates have also been allotted symbols by the returning officers.

List of candidates

The list of candidates in the district is as follows:

Angamaly: P.J. Joy (United Democratic Front, UDF), Jose Thettayil (Left Democratic Front, LDF), A.K. Nazeer (Bharatiya Janata Party, BJP), Jayan, P.D. Joy and Sathyadevan (Independents).

Vadakkekara: M.A. Chandrasekharan (UDF), S. Sarma (LDF), M.A. Brahmaraj (BJP), C.K. Ramesan (Bahujan Samaj Party, BSP), Abdul Rahman, Purushothaman, Chandrasekharan and Sasikala (Independents).

Paravur: V.D. Satheesan (UDF), K.M. Dinakaran (LDF), V.N. Sunilkumar (BJP), P.S. Kaladharan (BSP), Satheesan V.T. and Vijayan M.K. (Independents).

Njarakkal: M.K. Purushothaman (LDF), P.V. Sreenijan (UDF), V.R. Jijesh (BJP), N.V. Nandanan (BSP), K.D. Viswanathan, C.A. Kumari, Prasad K.C. and Purushothaman (Independents).

Ernakulam: M.M. Lawrence (LDF), K.V. Thomas (UDF), Nedumbassery Ravi (BJP), P.S. Karunakaran (BSP), Panjimala Balakrishnan (Independent).

Mattancherry: V.K. Ebrahim Kunju (UDF), M.C. Josephine (LDF), Mathew Pailey (BJP), Josephine (Independent).
Palluruthy: Dominic Presentation (UDF), C.M. Dinesh Mani (LDF), K.N. Unni (BJP), Purushan (BSP), Dominic Joseph and Banny Joseph (Independents).

Thripunithura: K.Babu (UDF), K.N. Raveendranath (LDF), Vasu (BSP), Sankaranarayanan (BJP), Ramachandran P.J., Ayyappan, Paulose P.T., Babu Krishnan, Raveendranath A.K. and Raveendranath C.D. (Independents).

Aluva: K. Mohammedali (UDF), M.M. Yousef (LDF), P.M. Velayudhan (BJP), Padmakumar (BSP), Jacob Peter (LJP), Edappallly Basheer and A.A. Mohammed Ali Suhasam (Independents).

Perumbavoor: Saju Paul (LDF), Shanimol Usman (UDF), C.V. Radhakrisnnan (BJP), M.K. Manoj Kumar (BSP) and K.A. Jayan (Independent).

Kunnathunad: P.P. Thankachan (UDF), M.M. Monayi (LDF), K.R. Rajagopal (BJP), K. Jaffar Khan (Independent).
Piravom: T.M. Jacob (UDF), M.J. Jacob (LDF), Sabu Verghese (BJP), Usha, Geetha, Jacob Sheemon and Saju Cherian (Independents).

Muvattupuzha: Johny Nelloor (UDF), Babu Paul (LDF), P.R. Vijayakumar (BJP), Johny Thomas Kallan, Tom Jose, Yogacharya Neelanaven, Shiju Kuriakose and V.D. Cyriac (Independents).

Kothamangalam: V.J. Paulose (UDF), T.U. Kuruvila (LDF), M. Ramachandran Master (BJP), Appukuttan, Kuruvila Verghese, Paulose Joseph and Shaji Cherian Peechakkara (Independents).
(The Hindu - 11/04/06)

Kerala - Kochi
Poll observers begin tour of district

Staff Reporter

KOCHI: The 10 election observers appointed by the Election Commission to observe the Assembly poll process in the district and give directions to the returning officers, candidates and political parties have started touring the district.

The public as well as the political parties can contact the poll observers on any issue regarding the poll proceedings or about observing the model code of conduct. The observers will camp at the Ernakulam Guest House, Aluva Palace Guest House and Cochin Port Guest House.

The details of the election observers, including the name, constituencies they are in charge of, camp and phone numbers are given below:

Gautam Chatterjee - Ernakulam and Mattancherry constituencies, camp at Cochin Port Guest House, Wellingdon Island (ph: 2667788, 92494 80098).

Vinod Agarwal - Paravur and Njarakkal constituencies, camp at Cochin Port Guest House, Wellingdon Island (ph: 2666699, 92492 80093).

Ashok Kumar Yadav - Palluruthy and Thripunithura constituencies, camp at Cochin Port Guest House (ph: 2668877, 92492 80096).

Vivek Kumar Singh - Kunnathunadu and Muvattupuzha constituencies, camp at Aluva Palace Guest House (ph: 2629194, 92494 80092).

Balraj Singh - Piravom and Kothamangalam constituencies, camp at Aluva Palace Guest House (ph: 2629195, 92494 80094).

Chandrashekhar Chattopadhyaya - Angamaly and Vadakkekkara constituencies, camp at Aluva Palace Guest House (ph: 2629192, 92494 80090).

Mandeep Singh Sandu - Aluva and Perumbavoor constituencies, camp at Aluva Palace Guest House (ph: 2629192, 92494 80090).

Expenditure observers
Kusum Gopal Ingle - Kunnathunadu, Perumbavoor, Muvattupuzha and Kothamangalam, camp at Ernakulam Guest House (ph: 2368390, 92494 80091).

Veerendrakumar - Angamaly, Njarakkal, Vadakkekkara, Paravur and Ernakulam constituencies, camp at Ernakulam Guest House (ph: 2320582, 92984 90338).

C.S. Bakshi - Mattancherry, Palluruthy, Aluva, Perumbavoor and Thripunithura constituencies, camp at Ernakulam Guest House (ph: 2368389, 92494 80097).
(The Hindu - 10/04/06)

Kerala - Kochi
Exploring language of sculpture

"Art should work towards evoking a shared experience of the self, linked with the history of art, literature, or culture in general," says noted artist N.N. Rimzon. The Thiruvananthapuram-based artist, whose works have received international acclaim, points out that the survival of the shared experience or the secular stance that he has maintained during the past 20 years or so an artist is important in the present context.

He believes that art has the potential to transform. A work of art can transform an individual, working at an unconscious level. And for Mr. Rimzon, this has always been true. Since, as he points out, his own life was transformed by the power of art.

Born in a sleepy village, Kakkoor, in Ernakulam district, Mr. Rimzon realised the vastness of the world of art as he stepped into the College of Fine Arts in Thiruvananthapuram. He had joined the college in 1976, a significant time in the history of Kerala. The college itself was in its early days, after being upgraded from the status of an institute. They were the first batch of the college. "It was like entering a new world," he remembers. "Till then, I had only seen the calendar pictures, had read something about Ravi Varma and Picasso and heard about Van Gogh. But, the idea that art is a big world, something vast, occurred after entering the College of Fine Arts."
Renu Ramanath
(The Hindu - 09/04/06)

Kerala - Kochi
Parties told to remove poll posters from Government property

Staff Reporter

Meeting held to review preparation for Assembly polls

KOCHI: Additional District Magistrate (ADM) Johnson K. George has directed that those who have put up election posters and writings on compound walls of Government offices and public sector units shall remove them immediately.

He was addressing a meeting of the representatives of political parties at the Collectorate, convened as part of the preparations for the Assembly polls.

The directive was issued in the wake of complaints at the meeting that certain political parties were trying to misuse compound walls of Government offices and public sector units.

The ADM said that if parties failed to obey the directive, the Government would do the cleaning at the Government's expense and recover the amount from the respective candidate.

CD of voters' list
"Each recognised political party will be given a CD of the voters' list free of cost. The CD copy will contain no photographs. Others can also purchase the CD at a cost of Rs.100."

He said the district administration would hold talks with the representatives of political parties for solving problems that might arise during the poll process.

The names and details of representatives of each recognised political party for this purpose should be intimated at the Election Department.

Election Deputy Collector P.K. Nalan and representatives of political parties including P.M. Ismail, Abdul Muthalib, Kumbalam Rajappan, Dominic Kavungal, Kumbalam Ravi and Manoj Kumar participated in the meeting.
(The Hindu - 26/03/06)

Kerala - Kochi
Water shortage likely to become poll issue

Renu Ramanath

Action groups have launched campaigns highlighting the issue

* KWA officials put blame on political leaders
* Say the shortage is fallout of increased supply to certain areas
* Demand to complete pending schemes

KOCHI: One more Water Day has gone by, with due deliberations and complaints on the perennial shortage of drinking water in the city.

With the Assembly elections nearing, the issue of drinking water shortage has started to occupy centre stage. Many of the local people, including residents' associations and action groups have begun campaigns to ensure that water remains an important agenda in the election manifesto of major political parties.

Interestingly, while the public ire is often directed at the Kerala Water Authority (KWA) for its failure to solve the water crisis with expediency, the KWA officials on the other hand, blame the intervention of political leaders for the stalling of many projects.

The Ernakulam District Residents' Associations Apex Council, which had held a dharna in front of the KWA office demanding a solution to the water crisis, will put forward its demands to the parties that approach the people during the poll campaign. P.K. Gopalakrishnan, apex council general secretary, said the KWA officials had clearly stated that the authority had no funds to replace the rusted GI pipes, which were causing heavy loss of water along the distribution network. The authorities were of the opinion that if residents' associations and local people came forward to sponsor the replacing of the GI pipes, the KWA will be ready to cooperate.

The apex council has demanded that the schemes to bring water to the city from Muvattupuzhayar at Pazhoor, Ramamangalam and Muvattupuzha, the Chowara expansion scheme, the HUDCO and DFID projects as well as the Bhoothathankettu project be completed immediately. According to Mr. Gopalakrishnan, water from Bhoothathankettu was already reaching Ambalamedu for FACT. It could be collected at a sump at Ambalamedu and supplied to the surrounding areas, he said.

Residents of Edakochi, who had staged a protest in front of the KWA office recently, have also decided to make political parties set water shortage as an agenda in the manifestoes.

Meanwhile, KWA officials point out that the interference of political leaders with an eye on the mileage to be garnered from the completion of water supply schemes has always been a major impediment as far as project implementation is concerned. Political leaders, especially MLAs want to take credit for the water supply schemes being implemented in their constituencies, they said.

Recently, there was a row between K. Babu, MLA, and T.M. Jacob, MLA, regarding the venue for the inauguration of the Thripunithura Water Supply Scheme, with Mr. Jacob accusing Mr. Babu of having manipulated to have the inaugural function at Thripunithura, instead of Piravom.

But, a senior engineer of the KWA pointed out that the venue ideally should have been at Choondy, from where the water was taken from Muvattupuzhayar. Choondy is located in Kunnathunadu constituency, represented by T.H. Musthafah, MLA.

Another senior official had pointed out that the recent shortage of water experienced in Edakochi and Palluruthy areas was a direct fallout of the increase in supply given to certain areas of Fort Kochi and Mattancherry on the recently held partial commissioning of the DFID-assisted Water Supply Augmentation Scheme.

Meanwhile, water supply in the city and suburbs will continue to be affected on Friday as well, following a shutdown of the distribution network owing to maintenance work at Aluva Headworks.

The inter-connection work of 1,200-mm line and 1,050-mm line being done at Karanakodam Junction as part of the Ad hoc Augmentation Scheme (formerly HUDCO scheme), is another reason for the shutdown.

Though the authorities say that the supply will be normalised by Friday noon, it is expected to take a couple of days for the supply to get back to normal.
(The Hindu - 24/03/06)

Kerala - Kochi
Concern at depleting water sources

Staff Reporter

KOCHI: Seminars, poetry-reading and dharnas marked the World Water Day observance in the city on Wednesday. Various organisations came forward to raise the issue of depleting water sources.

Maharaja's College observed the day with a seminar, which was organised by the Department of Economics, in association with Eureka Forbes Institute of Environment. A painting competition on the theme "water and health" was also held as part of the function.

The competition was inaugurated by G. Ambika, vice principal, and M.R. Anil Kumar, scientist, Eureka Forbes Institute of Environment, delivered the World Water Day message.

Deputy Mayor of Kochi Corporation C.K. Manisankar inaugurated a dharna organised by Vishala Kochi Kudivella Samrakshana Samiti in front of the HUDCO water tank at Palluruthy.

The Corporation has urged the State Government to allow it to frame a special scheme for water distribution, said Mr. Manisankar.

Jaladhara Jala-Saksharatha Mission observed the day with poetry-reading and a talk on the Mullaperiyar dam issue. Talking on the occasion, C.A. Vijayachandran, executive director of the Mission, noted that a mass movement should be organised to pressurise the Government to create a new agreement and also a new dam.

Mr. Vijayachandran also inaugurated the explanatory meeting organised by Association for Environmental Protection at Aluva railway grounds. The State committee of Gandhiji Cultural Centre also convened a meeting to mark the day, which was inaugurated by environmentalist Edayadi Rajagopal.

Moozhikulam Sala marked the day with a reading of poems on rivers and water and also by taking water pledge.

The Greater Cochin Development Committee observed the Water Day as a Black Day, protesting against the authorities' disregard towards ensuring supply of potable water to everybody in the city.

A convention organised by the committee at Menaka Junction in the evening demanded that the political fronts getting ready to face the coming Assembly polls give a promise regarding a solution to the drinking water crisis.Noted social and environmental activist C.R. Neelakantan inaugurated the convention.

The Lawyers Environmental Awareness Forum (LEAF) observed World Forestry Day and World Water Day. Kerala High Court Advocates' Association president G. Sreekumar inaugurated the meeting. Rainwater harvesting expert Anto spoke about spreading awareness about the Rainwater Harvesting. LEAF president A.K. Said Mohammed presided.
(The Hindu - 23/03/06)

Kerala - Kochi
Back to the basics

With one of the signal posts at the busy Vyttila Junction being smashed down by a speeding vehicle recently, the traffic regulation at the junction is back to the basics.

A lone traffic police constable is left with the responsibility of manning the heavy traffic at this junction. With the Sahodaran Ayyappan Road crossing the NH-47 bypass leading onto Tripunithura, the intersection sees a torrential flow of traffic day and night. Speeding vehicles coming down the overbridge have caused many a tragic accident in this area.

So, it is a tricky situation with the traffic lights gone and the policeman left with regulating the traffic. Given the history of maintenance work, it remains to be seen when the traffic lights will start working again.

R.R.
(The Hindu - 22/03/06)

Kerala - Kochi
Residents picket train demanding development of Kalamassery station

Staff Reporter

KOCHI: The residents of Kalamassery picketed the Thiruvananthapuram-Shoranur Venad Express on Tuesday morning demanding development of the Kalamasery Railway Station.

The protest, organied by the Kalamassery Pourasmithi, was inaugurated by K. Mohammedali, MLA.

Kalamassery Municipal chairperson V.M. Aripha, Eloor Panchayat president C.P. Usha, residents' association leader K.C. Mathew, Kerala Kettida Nirmana Thozhilali Union leader M.M. Aliyar, Pourasamithi leader Alupuram Zakker and leaders of political parties were among those who addressed the gathering. The picketing started with a march from Premier Junction, Kalamasery, at 10 a.m. The train arrived at 10.35 a.m. The train was picketed for 15 minutes and the traffic was blocked for about 30 minutes afterwards. The police later removed the protestors.

The Pourasamithi is demanding that all major trains be allotted stops at Kalamassery and the railway station developed further so that the town will become the outer hub of Kochi.
(The Hindu - 22/03/06)

Kerala - Kochi
Edakochi residents seek steps to end water crisis

Staff Reporter

Stage dharna before water authority office

KOCHI: The residents of Edakochi, including a large number of women and children, staged a dharna in front of the Kerala Water Authority office on Hospital Road on Tuesday, demanding an immediate solution to the drinking water shortage in the area.

The dharna was inaugurated by the former Mayor C.M. Dinesh Mani. K.J. Basil, councillor and chairman of the Edakochi Janakeeya Kudivella Samrakshana Samithi, presided. Melly Joy, councillor and convener of the samithi, and CPI (M) Palluruthy Area Committee secretary Valsan also spoke.

The traffic along Hospital Road was disrupted due to the agitation which started around 10.30 a.m. and lasted till 2 p.m. The people marched to the KWA office from near the Ernakulam Siva Temple. The KWA officials promised them that a meeting would be held on Saturday to find a way to solve the drinking water shortage in the area.

Ms. Joy said that the KWA officials promised to bring temporary relief by "adjusting" the water supply to other areas, but the Edakochi residents were of the opinion that they wanted a permanent solution, which did not cause problems in other areas.

Ms. Joy said that Edakochi, flanked by water on three sides, used to get controlled but regular water supply till September 2005. The supply used to come between 4 and 9 in the morning and again between 4 and 9 in the evening, which was adequate to meet their needs for potable water. Even taps at homes used to get water at that time.

But, the supply suddenly started dwindling after September. They had approached various authorities including the District Collector and the KWA authorities but to no avail.

The Corporation started supplying drinking water in tankers as the supply continued to be feeble and irregular. At present, four water tankers supply drinking water to the area daily.

"Supply comes at odd hours like between 12.30 or 1 at night till 4 in the morning. Housewives have to queue up before the public taps after the children are asleep for collecting water for household needs," said Ms. Joy.
(The Hindu - 22/03/06)

Kerala - Kochi
Kalamandalam to stage Koodiyattam



The Bank Employees Arts Movement Ernakulam (BEAME) is bringing to town 'Bhagavadajjukam' Koodiyattam, an interesting play from the repertory of the classical Sanskrit theatre of Kerala performed by the troupe of Kerala Kalamandalam, Cheruthuruthy.

The play, believed to be written sometime between A.D. 5th and A.D. 6th centuries by poet Bodhayana, is a 'prahasanam' or farce. It deals with the hilarious situations arising out of a yogi's decision to trans-place his mind into the body of a courtesan who died of snakebite. The yogi, accompanied by his disciple Shandilyan, happened to visit a garden for resting in the midst of a journey. Shandilyan, who has no real interest in the ascetic way of life, is distracted by the presence of the courtesan and her maid. Suddenly, the God of Death sends his messenger to take away the courtesan's life. The messenger arrives in the form of a snake and bites her. As the courtesan falls dead, the maid runs away to get help.

At this juncture, Shandilyan prevails upon his guru to revive the beautiful girl at any cost. The guru, who maintains a disinterested air at first, has to take the step in order to convince the disciple of his prowess. With yogic powers, he lets his own soul enter the lifeless body of Vasanthasena, the courtesan.

By the time the maid returns with her mother, Vasanthasena is sitting up as if nothing happens. But she behaves oddly. It is in fact the soul of the guru who is speaking through the courtesan's words. The stunned mother and maid try to bring a physician, but even the physician is ridiculed away by the yogi speaking through the courtesan.

By this time, the messenger of Death returns to the scene. He has committed a mistake. It was another Vasanthasena who was destined to die that day. He is trying to replace the soul into the body of the courtesan, but instead, sees her sitting up and talking like an acetic. Perplexed, he puts the soul into the nearest available body, that of the guru lying inert nearby.

Immediately, he sits up and starts behaving like a courtesan. People are further perplexed, especially Vasanthasena's lover Ramilakan who is astounded with the guru making amorous moves at him. Finally, the Messenger of Death appears again. Understanding his earlier mistakes, he replaces all the souls to their correct places.

This farce, poking fun at the ways of the world in an unapologetic manner, had been performed within 35 days earlier. Painkulam Rama Chakyar, the master performer who led the revival and modernisation of Koodiyattam in the Sixties, had reduced the performance to three hours, without losing out the essence.

The performers include Kalamandalam Sivan Namboothiri (yogi), Kalamandalam Rama Chakyar (Shandilyan), Kalamandalam Girija (Vasanthasena), Kalamandalam Sailaja (Parabhrithika, the maid), Kalamandalam Sajitha (Vasanthasena's mother), Kalamandalam Sangeeth (Yamadoota) and others. Kalamandalam Easwaranunni, Kalamandalam Achuthanandan, Kalamandalam Sajith and Kalamandalam Vijayan will provide accompaniment on mizhavu, with Kalamandalam Balasundaran on Edakka. Kalamandalam (Margi) Sathi, Kalamandalam Prasanna and Divya will provide thalam.

The performance will be held on March 25 at Kerala Fine Arts Hall in the evening.
Renu Ramanath