Monsoon camp at Kalapeetom

Kerala - Kochi
Water ways of artistic impulse

Renu Ramanath

KOCHI: It was a day for nature at T. Kaladharan's Orthic Creative Centre at Karikkamuri Cross Road. Nature through water, it could be said, since it was a watercolour camp. A fitting concept to the monsoon. Kaladharan has titled the camp 'Monsoon.'

A total of 15 artists participated in the camp, which began in the morning. The camp had senior established artists, as well as youngsters and new entrants. C.N. Karunakaran, K.K. Rajappan, T. Kaladharan, Rajan M. Krishnan, P.V. Nandan, Anil Dayanand, Venkitaraman, Asanthan, Sunil Vallarpadam, Jayendran, Suresh Koothuparambu, Prasanth Olivilam, Eldo Joseph, Thomas Kurisinkal and Minna Philips worked with watercolour.

K.K. Rajappan was the camp director and P.V. Nandan the convener. "The camps provide a space for the artists to spent time together," said Mr. Rajappan, former head of the department of Painting at Government College of Fine Arts.

The camp was conceived by Mr. Kaladharan as part of making the Orthic Creative Centre a gathering place for the artists.

Almost all the participating artists choose to work on various facets of nature.

The works selected from the camp will be exhibited at the Orthic Creative Centre on July 15.
(The Hindu, Sunday, July 9, 2006)

Fort Kochi lighting

Kerala
Project to illuminate historical monuments in Fort Kochi

Staff Reporter

Project estimated to cost Rs.1 crore submitted to the Department of Tourism

KOCHI: The historical monuments and buildings at the heritage zone in Fort Kochi will soon be lit up during night.

A project estimated to cost Rs.1 crore has been submitted by District Collector A.P.M. Mohammed Hanish to the Department of Tourism. The project will be implemented with the assistance of the India Tourism, said the Collector, who is also the secretary of Fort Kochi Heritage Development Society.

Government nod awaited
Now, the approval of the State Government is awaited.

The historical monuments, including St. Francis Church, Dutch Cemetery, Cochin Club, Parade Ground, Santa Cruz Basilica and Bastion Bungalow will be lit up with soft lighting. The maintenance cost of the lighting has also been included in the project.

The iron lamps and the other traditional lamps in the heritage zone will be maintained, said the Collector.

A total number of 60 cast iron lamp posts have already been readied for this purpose.

It is expected that the work of the illumination could be started during this season itself, he said.

The heritage zone in Fort Kochi contains a number of monuments and buildings dating back to the Dutch and Portuguese colonisers.

The Bastion Bungalow, which houses the Fort Kochi RDO Office, was declared a protected monument by the Department of Archaeology a few years ago.
(The Hindu, Friday, July 7, 2007)

Pokkali cultivation

Kerala
Collector issues directive to ensure cultivation of Pokkali fields

Staff Reporter

Demand to restore incentives and bonus given to Pokkali farmers

KOCHI: A district-level meeting of the various agencies and groups involved in Pokkali cultivation, held at Paravur on Thursday, has decided to take stringent measures against the practice of leaving pokkali paddy fields fallow.

District Collector A.P.M. Mohammed Hanish has directed the panchayat committees in the district where Pokkali paddy fields exist to convene meetings of farmers and agricultural workers' union before July 15 to make available paddy fields for pokkali cultivation.

The pokkali fields, low-lying paddy fields beneath the sea level, are usually used for prawn cultivation after the paddy harvesting.

However, as the farmers are complaining of a shortage of workers to harvest the paddy, many Pokkali farmers are now choosing either to leave the land fallow or use for year-round prawn cultivation.

The agricultural workers, in turn, are complaining that this practice is robbing them of their livelihood.

The row between the farmers and workers' unions has often led to tense situations in the region.

The issue of restoring the incentives and bonus given to Pokkali farmers and agricultural workers will be brought to the attention of Agriculture Minister Mullakkara Rathnakaran, who is scheduled to visit Aluva on July 8.

The incentives and bonuses for the farmers and workers are not being paid for the last couple of years.

Plea to raise bonus
The farmers had requested that the amount of the bonus be increased to at least Rs.1,000 from Rs.300 per hectare.

This demand will also be brought before the Agriculture Minister.

The Pokkali Land Development Agency (PLDA) is ready to fund mechanisation needs of the various padasekhara samithis. Funds would be given for purchasing harvesters, winnowing machines and threshers.

The Pokkali rice from Ezhikkara region has already obtained the European Union's organic certification.

GI Registration
The process for obtaining the Geographical Indication Registration for Pokkali rice is also progressing. The GI Registration is required so as to avoid duplication and prevent the possibility of products in the market in the name of Pokkali, according to Zeenath Akbar, member-secretary, PLDA.

Discussions are on with experts from the Kerala Agricultural University (KAU) for value-addition and diversification of Pokkali rice.

Various means, including the production and marketing of rice powder, aval (rice flakes) and rice bran (`thavidu'), will be explored. Government assistance would be available for the schemes.

The cooperation of self-help groups such as Kudumbasree would be sought for cultivation of Pokkali farms in the panchayats where the padasekhara samitis do not exist.

Ms. Akbar said the change in the pattern of rain this year, with heavy downpour in the last week of May followed by a dry spell and again a bout of heavy rain in recent days, had affected the planting in Pokkali fields. A total amount of 77 tonnes of seed had been distributed to the farmers this year.

The seeds were procured by the agency from the farmers last year.

The farmers who are ready to cultivate after laying the fields fallow for two - three years will be given an incentive of Rs.5,000 per hectare.

District panchayat president P.S. Shyla, M.K. Purushothaman, MLA, district panchayat and grama panchayat members, representatives of padasekhara samithis, farmers, agricultural workers' union representatives, Principal Agricultural Officer and other officials participated in the meeting.
(The Hindu, Thursday, July 7, 2006)

DFID Scheme

Kerala - Kochi
Water scheme to be completed this month

Staff Reporter

KOCHI: The third zone of the DFID-assisted Water Supply Improvement Scheme for West Kochi, is expected to be completed by this month end or early next month.

Some of the interconnections of the pipeline along the Beach Road are remaining in the third zone, which is expected to be ready for commissioning by July end. The third zone covers four or five divisions of Fort Kochi, including the newly built water tank.

The incessant rain is posing problem for continuing the work as the area is heavily waterlogged, according to the Kerala Water Authority (KWA) sources. All the ditches dug by the authority this season tend to get filled with water immediately.

The laying of the main pipeline has been completed. About 50 small interconnections are yet to be completed. Once the interconnections are completed, water could be charged in the lines.

The project, assisted by the U.K. Department for International Development, is expected to provide an additional quantity of 5 MLD (million litres per day) of water to West Kochi by reducing the loss of water supply and improving the existing distribution system. The project costs Rs.17 crores.

The work of the second and fourth zone of the DFID-scheme is being delayed due to a Vigilance inquiry into the project pending at the Vigilance Court, Thrissur. As all the documents relating to the works are under the possession of the court, the work cannot be taken forward, KWA sources said. The KWA has sought the court permission to get the copies of the relevant documents needed for continuing the work.
(The Hindu, Wednesday, July 5, 2006)

Bloggers' Meet

Kerala - Kochi
Bloggers to meet in Kochi

Blogging has already become the new age rage for netizens. An electronic community created through the inter-acting blogs posted by bloggers from all over the world is already thriving. A shortened form of 'weblog,' the term 'blog' was coined by Peter Merholz in 1999. 'Weblog,' in its turn, had been coined by John Barger on December 17, 1997. 'Blog,' soon came to be recognised both as a noun and a verb ('to blog,' 'blogging').

Basically a webpage in which entries can be made like an ordinary diary or journal and presented in the reverse chronological order, blogs evolved from the online diary that people kept for running an account of their personal lives.

The range of subjects handled in blogs is just unlimited. At many times of strife, like during the Mumbai floods of 2005, blogs have acted as saviours and provided a faithful recording of the events as and when they unfolded.

As the virtual community of bloggers publishing their ideas thrived, the Malayalis were not to fall behind.

With the large numbers of Malayali software professionals spread all over the world, the Malayalam blogs were quick to appear. Now, it is estimated that at least 200 Malayalam blogs exist and get regularly updated.

A group of dedicated software engineers who cherish the love for their mother tongue has evolved a set of tools for blogging in Malayalam. Using 'Varamozhi,' a set of software programmes, the computer can be enabled to read and write Malayalam. This transliteration based text editor helps to writing through transliteration, typing in Manglish, which will appear in Malayalam. The Malayalam Unicode Font, 'Anjali Old Lipi,' is needed to view the Malayalam Unicode texts. The Mozhi Keymap, is also essential for working with Varamozhi.

So, boosted up by the success of their online communication, the Malayalam bloggers have decided to leave their virtual abodes and come together in the real space. The event will take place at 10 a.m. on Saturday at Bharat Tourist Home.

The meeting will be preceded by a get-together of the Malayalam bloggers in the United Arab Emirates at 5 p.m. in Sharjah on Friday.

Most of the bloggers are looking up with excitement at seeing the persons they know only through a webpage, mostly under a pseudonym.

But, there are at least a few who are in doubt whether the virtual communities would be better off staying that way — on a virtual level.
Renu Ramanath
(The Hindu, Wednesday, July 5, 2006)

Collectorate Renovation

Kerala - Kochi
Renovated Civil Station at Kakkanad to be inaugurated this month

Staff Reporter

Collectorate, other offices to be shifted from tomorrow

KOCHI: Revenue Department offices and the Collectorate, now functioning in the Thrikkakara Panchayat Community Hall, will be shifted to the renovated Civil Station at Kakkanad from Wednesday. The renovation was taken up under the Modernising Governing Programme of the State Government.

Inauguration of the renovated premises is expected around July 20, according to the convenience of Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan, District Collector A.P.M. Mohammed Hanish said here on Monday.

Minister for Revenue K.P. Rajendran; Minister for Fisheries S. Sarma, who is from the district; Minister for Public Works Department P.J. Joseph; and Minister for Local Administration Paloli Mohammed Kutty will participate in the inaugural function.

The renovated air-conditioned conference hall of the District Rural Development Agency will be inaugurated by Mr. Mohammed Kutty on the occasion. The hall was renovated at a cost of around Rs. 4 lakhs from the National Savings Scheme funds.

Mr. Hanish said finishing touches were being given to the renovated Civil Station. Computers were being installed. Sprucing up of the premises had been completed.

He said old furniture of the Collectorate would be given to village and taluk offices in the district.

Steps would be taken to solve furniture shortage in all the 125 village offices and seven taluk offices, he added.

Library being set up
He said a library was being set up in the recreation room of the renovated premises, utilising the Modernising Government Programme funds. The library, which would have general books and those of service rules and official volumes, would be a new experiment.

He said work on the videoconferencing hall had been completed. The Kerala State IT Mission had been requested to place the videoconferencing unit, installed temporarily at the Infopark, at the Collectorate.

Work on a 250-seat conference hall in the western wing of the Civil Station, with all modern facilities, would begin only after the inauguration. A media room would also be included on the new premises.

Sprucing up of the Assistant Development Commissioner's office would be completed in a month, he added.
(The Hindu, Tuesday, July 4, 2006)

French Film Fest

Kerala
French film fete to be held

The Alliance Francaise de Trivandrum and French Embassy of India are together bringing a package of French short, fiction films to Kochi in a two-day festival. Titled 'Les Lutins do court-métrage,' the festival will be held on July 9 and 10, at IMA Hall, Ernakulam.

The festival is being organised in association with Chavara Cultural Centre, Cochin Film Society and Chetana Media Institute, Thrissur. The package has 24 films, including 'Black Seeds,' (Pépins noirs), 'One Fine Morning,' (Un beau matin), 'The Corridor,' (Le Couloir), 'Bhai-Bhai,' (Bhaï-bhaï), 'From Under My Bed,' (Sous mon lit), 'The Time of Cherries,' (Le Temps des cerises), 'Nicole and Daniel,' (Nicole et Daniel), 'On The Other Side,' (De l'autre côté), 'A Woman Alone,' (La Femme seule), 'The Headless Sailor,' (Le Marin acéphale), 'Painting the Town Red,' (Les Princesses de la piste), 'Chahut Din,' 'Kitchen,' 'Le Régulateur,' 'Free Market,' (Libre échange), 'Céleste,' The screenings will be held at IMA Hall from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday (July 9) and from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Monday (July 10).
Renu Ramanath
(The Hindu, Tuesday, July 4, 2006)

Chowara project

Kerala - Kochi
Consumers in Paravur to get water connections

Renu Ramanath

16,000 consumers to get drinking water in a phased manner

KOCHI: Consumers in Paravur Municipality and the adjoining panchayats will be given house connections of drinking water after a ban lasting nine years.

About 16,000 consumers who had been waiting for nine years for house connections will be given drinking water in a phased manner in the coming months as the municipality and the adjoining panchayats are now getting water supply from the Chowara Water Supply Scheme. The scheme had been successfully completed with water flowing into Paravur and the nearby panchayats from April 7, according to V.D. Satheesan MLA.

The ban on installing public taps will also be lifted in this area. Public taps will be provided according to local demand, with financial assistance from various schemes under the MLA fund, MP fund and other grants.

Though the project has been completed, the distribution system to Paravur and Vadakkekara and Chittattukara panchayats needed to be enhanced to ensure trouble-free supply of water. For this purpose, a transformer and pump set has been ordered from the Transformers and Electricals Kerala Limited (TELK). This work is expected to be completed by July 30th.

Mr. Satheesan said the Chowara Project, with an estimate of Rs.60 crores could be completed without causing much escalation in the initial estimate.
(The Hindu, Monday, July 3, 2006)

Book on Jayan

Kerala - Kochi
Reminiscing about Jayan and his ways

Decades after his untimely death in a freak helicopter accident during the shooting of a film in 1980, the image of Jayan, the action hero of Malayalam cinema, continues to remain popular.But the image that gained popularity during the past few years was not that of a heartthrob of the masses. It was one that mocked the late action hero. Students mimicked Jayan at the mimicry competitions and dressed to imitate the actor at fancy dress competitions. Jokes about the actor's stylised dialogues were circulated on the Internet and through SMSs.

And now, the actor's biography, 'Jayante Katha,' written by Joshi George, has been brought out in the form of a magazine. "The format was chosen to attract the people," says Mr. George.

The story of Jayan was first serialised in a Malayalam cinema magazine in 2001. Mr. George has managed to reconstruct the life of Jayan, whose real name was Krishnan Nair.

As the book is targeted at the masses, the language and presentation have been made to appeal to them.

Many photographs and stills from the films in which Jayan had acted have been included in the magazine.
Renu Ramanath
(The Hindu, Sunday, July 1, 2006)

HUDCO project

Kerala - Kochi
Work on HUDCO-aided water supply scheme to be expedited

Staff Reporter

Committee constituted to ensure timely completion of project

Kochi: Minister for Water Resources N.K. Premachandran said on Saturday that steps had been taken to expedite work on the HUDCO-aided water supply scheme in the city.

Addressing a press conference here, the Minister said a committee consisting of the District Collector, MLAs and Kerala Water Authority officials had been constituted to monitor the progress of the work and ensure timely implementation of the scheme. The committee would meet every month and review the progress of the work. The committee would also take steps to remove any hindrance, if any, in the way of the implementation of the project. The main impediment in the work was caused due to certain cases filed by persons residing on the stretch between Pukattupadi and Palarivattam bypass. Now that the cases had been dismissed, the way was clear for starting work on this stretch, he said.

The tender for allotting the work had been sent to the Finance Department. The Government had already given administrative sanction. Once the financial sanction was obtained, the work would begin. It would be completed within six months. The Minister said one of the major bottlenecks in the HUDCO-aided water supply scheme implementation was over the dispute relating to the escalation cost demanded by the FACT Engineering Works (FEW) for laying 6-km-long pipes from Elamkulam to Konthuruthi. The tender had been cancelled as the FEW demanded escalation in prices due to delay in the execution of the work.

He said the laying of pipelines through tunnels under the National Highway on the Edappally to Palarivattom stretch would be completed soon. The Minister said the dispute would be solved at a meeting with the FACT Managing Director to be held on July 6. He said the High Court had already directed the Government to implement the HUDCO scheme by next month.
(The Hindu, Sunday, July 1, 2006)

AIR CDs

Kerala - Kochi
AIR told to release CDs with credits

Staff Reporter

KOCHI: R.K. Damodaran, poet and lyricist, has protested against absence of names of lyricists and music composers in Ormikkan, Omanikkan, CDs of old light music pieces released by All India Radio from its archival collection. In a statement here on Thursday, Mr. Damodaran said no credit was given to the lyricists and the composers of the 26 songs in the collection. Only the names of the singers were given. He cited the song 'Dwaparayugathinte ... ', sung by Radhika Tilak. The song was written by him and composed by Perumbavoor G. Raveendranath as a State Schools Youth Festival entry for Ms. Thilak in 1989. But neither his name nor that of Mr. Raveedranath was given.

He demanded that the AIR re-release the album giving credits to the lyricists and the composers. Otherwise, steps would be taken after holding consultations with other lyricists and composers regarding the copyrights of the songs, he added.
(The Hindu, Friday, June 30, 2006)

Law College

Kerala - Kochi
Rs.50 lakhs for renovating Government Law College

Staff Reporter

Building gets heritage status; phase one of works to be completed soon

KOCHI: A fund of Rs.50 lakhs has been allotted for the conservation and renovation of the building of Government Law College, Ernakulam, which had been declared a heritage building by the Government.

The first phase of the development activities at the college will be completed soon, with the renovation of the Men's Hostel and the construction of the Women's Hostel having already been completed, according to Collector A.P.M. Mohammed Hanish, chairman of the College Development Committee.

Work reviewed
The CDC, which met on Thursday, reviewed the renovation and construction works. The inauguration of the hostels is expected to take place in the last week of July or the first week of August.

The Education Minister and the Law Minister will participate, said the Collector.

The building will be renovated taking care to maintain its heritage status. Since top quality timber will have to be used for renovating the main structure, the CDC has requested the Government to allot the timber free of cost.

The old students of the college are also expected to pitch in for the developmental activities. The new classrooms, compound wall and gate of the college will be constructed preserving the basic characters of the heritage building.

Only the first floor of the Women's Hostel which is located on the campus has been completed.

The work of the second and third floors has been handed over to the Nirmithi Kendra.

Government Law College never had a women's hostel and the men's hostel, located in Market Road, had been lying in a dilapidated condition for a long time.
(The Hindu, Friday, June 30, 2006)

Vallarpadam Rail

Kerala
Vallarpadam rail-road work reviewed

Staff Reporter

KOCHI: A meeting of the committee in charge of establishing rail and road connectivity from the mainland to the International Container Transhipment Terminal at Vallarpadam was held on Thursday at the Collectorate.

The progress of the work was reviewed.

Environmental clearance
District Collector A.P.M. Mohammed Hanish, who presided over the meeting, said that a major constraint for the construction of the four-lane highway connecting Kalamassery with Vallarpadam was the obtaining of environmental clearance from the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF).

A team of officials from the MoEF had recently inspected the project area.

The Cochin Port Trust will hand over the amount of Rs.30 crores needed to pay compensation to people whose land will be taken over.

The work of the railway line has been put on hold following the Government's directive to go slow on the alignment of the railway line, following complaints from local residents.

The fieldwork for land acquisition has been stopped according to the direction of the Revenue Minister. The Cochin Port Trust is of the opinion that the work should start immediately, whatever be the alignment.

Though the Railways have already called for tenders for the construction of the railway track via Vaduthala, they have been asked to go slow in deference to the directive of the State Government.

Further decisions will be taken after holding discussions with the Revenue Minister.

Port Trust chief engineer J.Karthikeyan, Railways Deputy Chief Engineer Radhakrishnan Nair, Rail Vikas Nigam Limited DGM Kesav Chandran and Deputy Collector (Land Acquisition) Remadevi participated in the meeting.
(The Hindu, Friday, June 30, 2006)

Film Copyrights

Kerala
Producers to get copyright for films

Staff Reporter

An attempt to resist video piracy

KOCHI: The Kerala Film Producers' Association has decided to get copyright registration for films to resist video piracy and related problems. With this, the producers will become copyright owners of their films.

The decision was taken at a general body meeting of the association here on Thursday. President of the association K.L. Jaleel, known as Milan Jaleel, presided over the meeting.

A delegation representing all sections of the Malayalam film industry will meet authorities in the Government on July 5, demanding stringent action to curb video piracy.

Representatives of the producers' association; the Kerala Film Chamber of Commerce and Industry; the Kerala Film Distributors' Association; the Kerala Film Exhibitors' Association; the Kerala Cine Exhibitors' Federation; the Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes; and the Malayalam Cine Technicians Association will be in the delegation.

They will inform the new Government of the issues faced by the industry owing to video piracy and demand that a special wing be formed to deal with the issue.

Producers honoured
The association honoured six veteran producers for their contributions to Malayalam cinema.

K.J. Joseph, Cherupushpam Films; N.P. Abu, Priya Films; V. Rajan, Girish Pictures; Premprakash, Prakash Movie Tone; J.J. Kuttikkadu; and Sherief Kottarakkara were presented ponnadas and mementoes.

Mr. Jaleel presided over the function.

N. Krishnakumar, also known as Kireedom Unni, secretary of the association, welcomed the audience.

Siyad Kokker, Sasi Ayyanchira, Kalliyur Sasi, Murali Madavan Nair, Ramachandra Menon and P.P. Satheesh Kumar offered felicitations.

Children of the members of the association who had performed well in CBSE/SSLC public examinations were felicitated. Roopesh D. Panikker, Ankitha Ann Antony, Silpa M.V., Sainu Elizabeth and Sarada S. were presented cash awards and gold medals by the veteran producers who were honoured.

Yousefali Kecheri, who was also to be honoured, was not present.
(The Hindu, Friday, June 30, 2006)

Lokadharmi

Kerala - Kochi

Remembering a poet

Of late, the Stage and Screen programmes of the theatre group, Lokadharmi, had been limited to the screenings alone. The group is rather busy these days preparing for their next major production to be staged in July — the Malayalam adaptation of the French play written by Alfred Jarry, Ubu Roi, (the King Ubu). The team of Lokadharmi has Arjith Babu and Nandini R. Nair in the lead roles. The play is expected to be staged by the second week of July, according to its director, Chandradasan.

Meanwhile, the Stage & Screen programmes are being continued with screenings alone. On Wednesday, a documentary on poet Changampuzha Krishna Pillai, Ormayil Changamppuzha, will be screened. The documentary, directed by Unnikrishnan, tries to explore the poetry and personality of the late legendary poet who belonged to Edappally. It is made in the format of a documentary-fiction. The poet's daughter and grandson share their memories.

Actors are used to recreate moments from the poet's life. Members of Lokadharmi and the children's theatre group, Mazhavillu, have acted in the film. Sebastian, a young actor from Lokadharmi, plays the role of Changampuzha Krishna Pillai. Lakshmi, Govind Nambiar and others also act in the film.

The film is of 25 minutes duration. The screening will be held at 6.30 p.m. at Changampuzha Park, Edapally. It will be followed by the screening of Subarnarekha, the much-celebrated movie directed by Ritwik Ghatak.

The 1965 classic film by Ghatak explores the strife-torn lives of the people during the partition of Bengal.
Renu Ramanath

(The Hindu, Wednesday, June 28, 2006)

KWA employees

Kerala
KWA employees oppose private participation

Staff Reporter

KOCHI: The Kerala Water Authority Staff Association, affiliated to the INTUC, has requested the Government to ensure that the supply of drinking water be kept in the public sector.

In a statement issued here, P.D. Sarath Chandran, State secretary of the association, has urged the Government to prevent private agencies from entering the drinking water distribution.

He pointed out that the Kerala Water Authority was functioning with very limited means. The problems faced by the Authority were complicated further due to external factors, including litigations and protests against the implementation of major projects.

The re-directing of water supply to areas which are not originally included in the projects under political pressure as well as the mushrooming of the apartments owing to the real estate boom, which increase the consumption of water, add to the problems. He said that whatever are the shortcomings of the Kerala Water Authority, the entry of private agencies would create long-term repercussions, affecting the availability of drinking water to the majority of the public.
(The Hindu, Wednesday, June 28, 2006)

FM Rainbow

Kerala - Kochi
AIR launches FM Rainbow

Staff Reporter

Channel to focus on contemporary music

KOCHI: FM Rainbow, a new channel from the Kochi FM (frequency modulated) Station of All India Radio (AIR), was launched by Brijeshwar Singh, AIR Director-General, at a function here on Monday. The channel will be available at 107.5 MHz from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. every day.

Sebastian Paul, MP, who was the chief guest at the inaugural function, and M.K. Sanoo, critic, offered felicitations.

Ormikkan Omanikkan, an album containing a collection of old Malayalam light songs from AIR archives, was released by Mr. Singh by handing over the first copy to the actor Kaviyoor Ponnamma. J. Kamalanathan, Station Director, AIR, Thiruvananthapuram, proposed a vote of thanks.

After the inaugural ceremony, Mr. Singh told presspersons that AIR was planning to launch three more FM Rainbow channels this year. These would be aired from Kanpur, Kohima and Itanagar stations.

The channel was now being aired from seven stations, including Kochi, Mr. Singh said. Aligarh in Uttar Pradesh, Bhatinda in Punjab, Hyderabad, Vijayawada and Visakhapatanam in Andhra Pradesh and Goa were the others.

Mr. Singh said the channel was aimed at the younger generation, focussing mainly on contemporary music.

The channel will be multi-language, aiming at metros where more than one language was commonly spoken.
(The Hindu, Tuesday, June 27, 2006)

MACTA poll

Kerala - Kochi
MACTA poll postponed to August

Staff Reporter

KOCHI: The general body meeting of the Malayalam Cine Technicians Association (MACTA) held here on Sunday decided to hold the election proceedings of the association all over again.

The decision was taken following the stalemate created in the elections with an Ernakulam Munsif Court ruling staying the poll proceedings of MACTA.

The election was scheduled to be held on Sunday, but was stayed by the Court following a petition filed by Salim Cherthala and Venu B. Nair, two members of MACTA.

The two panels, one headed by K.G. George and the other led by K. Ramachandrababu, which were in the fray withdrew their nominations following a request made to them by MACTA chairman Sibi Malayil at the general body meeting.

As both the panels withdrew their nominations, it was agreed to withdraw the suit filed at the court..

The case had been posted for Monday for further hearing.

With this, the poll proceedings can be started afresh, said Mr. Malayil.

Initially, three panels had submitted nominations for the polls, but the panel headed by Rajan P.Dev was rejected after scrutiny citing the reason that Mr. Dev was not yet qualified to the status of 'active member.' The delay in paying membership dues was also cited as reason for disqualifying some of the members.

Only two panels remained in the fray.

One had Mr. George as chairman candidate and Kamal as general secretary.

The other had Mr. Ramachandrababu as chairman and K. Madhu as general secretary. Both panels withdrew from the contest on Sunday.

In the suit filed at the Munsif Court, Mr. Salim and Mr. Venu had challenged the notice given by the MACTA disqualifying their membership.

According to a decision taken at the general body meeting, all members would be given time till July 15 to pay their membership dues.

A fresh notice for elections will be issued on July 16. The elections will be conducted in the last week of August, after the mandatory 45 days.

Mr. Malayil presided over the meeting. General secretary Mr. Kamal and others spoke.
(The Hindu, Monday, June 26, 2006)

AMMA office bearers

Kerala - Kochi
AMMA office-bearers assume charge

Staff Reporter

General body meeting decides to give `kainettam' to 18 more members

KOCHI: The new office-bearers of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA) assumed charge at a general body meeting of the Association held here on Sunday. Innocent is the president of AMMA and Mohanlal, general secretary. The other office-bearers are Nedumudi Venu and Dileep (vice-presidents), Edavela Babu (joint secretary) and Mukesh (treasurer).

Nedumudi Venu told reporters at a press conference that the office-bearers were elected unanimously.

The new executive committee includes Rajan P. Dev, Vijayaraghavan, Sreeraman, Siddique, Maniyanpillai Raju, Kunchakko Boban, Bindu Panicker, Cuckoo Parameswaran, Harisree Asokan and Cochin Haneefa.

The general body meeting decided to give 'Kainettam' to 18 more veteran members of AMMA. At present, 33 actors are receiving Rs.2,000 per month as a token allowance of'`Kainettam' from the association. Actor Dileep said the association wanted to extend 'Kainettam,' to all its members. There was also plans to raise the amount given every month. Siddique said AMMA was planning to bring out a publication, which would act as the official voice of the association. In the beginning, it will be an annual edition, which will later be made a monthly publication.

Dileep extended full support to a film proposed to be produced by AMMA.

The shooting of the film will begin in December, he said.

The proposed film will be directed by Joshi. All members of AMMA who act in the film will take part in the venture without any remuneration.

Dileep said the film will have a cast that will include all the superstars of Malayalam cinema, including Mammootty, Mohanlal, Suresh Gopi, Jayaram and others. Innocent has been elected president of AMMA for the third consecutive time.

Though a couple of other nominations were filed for various posts of office- bearers, the other nominations were withdrawn following rounds of negotiations and compromise.
(The Hindu, Monday, June 26, 2006)

AMMA office bearers

Kerala - Kochi
AMMA office-bearers assume charge

Staff Reporter

General body meeting decides to give `kainettam' to 18 more members

KOCHI: The new office-bearers of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA) assumed charge at a general body meeting of the Association held here on Sunday. Innocent is the president of AMMA and Mohanlal, general secretary. The other office-bearers are Nedumudi Venu and Dileep (vice-presidents), Edavela Babu (joint secretary) and Mukesh (treasurer).

Nedumudi Venu told reporters at a press conference that the office-bearers were elected unanimously.

The new executive committee includes Rajan P. Dev, Vijayaraghavan, Sreeraman, Siddique, Maniyanpillai Raju, Kunchakko Boban, Bindu Panicker, Cuckoo Parameswaran, Harisree Asokan and Cochin Haneefa.

The general body meeting decided to give 'Kainettam' to 18 more veteran members of AMMA. At present, 33 actors are receiving Rs.2,000 per month as a token allowance of'`Kainettam' from the association. Actor Dileep said the association wanted to extend 'Kainettam,' to all its members. There was also plans to raise the amount given every month. Siddique said AMMA was planning to bring out a publication, which would act as the official voice of the association. In the beginning, it will be an annual edition, which will later be made a monthly publication.

Dileep extended full support to a film proposed to be produced by AMMA.

The shooting of the film will begin in December, he said.

The proposed film will be directed by Joshi. All members of AMMA who act in the film will take part in the venture without any remuneration.

Dileep said the film will have a cast that will include all the superstars of Malayalam cinema, including Mammootty, Mohanlal, Suresh Gopi, Jayaram and others. Innocent has been elected president of AMMA for the third consecutive time.

Though a couple of other nominations were filed for various posts of office- bearers, the other nominations were withdrawn following rounds of negotiations and compromise.
(The Hindu, Monday, June 26, 2006)

Biolarvicide

Kerala - Kochi
Irregularities alleged in purchase of bio-larvicide

Staff Reporter

Council to seek report from official

KOCHI: The Kochi Corporation will seek a report from the Corporation Secretary on the allegations relating to the purchase of bio-larvicide for mosquito eradication in the city.

Mayor Mercy Williams told a Council meeting on Saturday that the Corporation would also request the Government to conduct an inquiry in the issue.

Complaints had risen regarding the purchase of 5,000 litres of bio-larvicide at a cost of Rs.35 lakhs for mosquito eradication. There were allegations that the decision was taken before obtaining the permission of the Corporation Council or the Health Standing Committee.

Councillor A.B. Sabu, giving the details of the corruption charges, pointed out that out of the four firms which presented quotations for the bio-larvicide, the lowest rate was quoted by a Chennai-based firm Revathy Agencies. However, the contract was awarded to a firm whose quotation was the second lowest based on a statement given by its own representative that Revathy Agencies had not obtained the certification of the Central Insecticide Board.

A quantity of 5,000 litres of the larvicide was purchased, which is said to be in surplus of the demand in the Corporation.

Health Standing Committee chairperson K.J. Maxi refuted the charges. He pointed out that the allegations were part of attempts to malign the Corporation and the standing committee.

Role of officials
Senior member K.M. Hamsakunju said that the Health Standing Committee chairperson could not be held wholly responsible for the corruption charges as he was mislead by the Corporation officers.

Councillor Sabu George also alleged that such complaints were being raised against the Health Standing Committee purposefully.
(The Hindu - Sunday, June 25, 2006)

Collectorate renovation

Kerala - Kochi
Renovation of collectorate nearing completion

Staff Reporter

KOCHI: The Ernakulam District Collectorate, which has been functioning at the Thrikkakara panchayat community hall for the last few months, will return to the renovated Civil Station at Kakkanad in the first week of July.

District Collector A.P.M. Mohammed Hanish said Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan was expected inaugurate the building. The date of inauguration would be decided later.

The renovation of the Collectorate premises was carried out under the Modernising Government Programme (MGP) of the State Government. The work began in January.

The District Planning Office would be the first to shift back to the renovated premises, by June 25. The Election Wing will follow. All modern facilities, including communication systems, would be installed by June 30.

A special meeting of the MGP held at the Collectorate on Monday assessed the progress of the work. All civil, electrical, electronic and interior designing works have been completed, with only some minor works remaining.

The offices, including Collector's Chamber, Enquiry counter, Postal Section, Establishment section, Additional District Magistrate's Office, Magisterial section, offices of the Deputy Collectors and the officers under them, Finance section, Record Room, Fair Copy section and Land Acquisition (National Highways) will now be housed on the renovated premises.

An area of 40,000 sq. ft. has been renovated at an expenditure of Rs.4.34 crores under the scheme.

A total number of 175 works stations have been set up. A conference hall with capacity of 250 persons, separate video conferencing hall and plush lobbies have been built. It also has a separate training centre for the staff and a data centre of the National Informatics Centre.
(The Hindu, Wednesday, June 21, 2006)

Nepathya

Kerala
A house for koodiyattom

'Nepathyam' means green room or 'aniyara' in Malayalam.

"It denotes the backstage, where all the real work for a performing art takes place," says Margi Madhu, well-known koodiyattom artiste.

The backstage is quite an important place for performing arts. What you see on stage is the completed product, finished to perfection with the meticulous work that has taken place backstage.

So, 'Nepathya' was chosen as the name of the performance space created by Madhu and his wife Indu G., a koodiyattom artiste herself, at Moozhikkulam.

Nepathya is located on the first floor of their house near Moozhikkulam Lakshmana Temple.

Though rather small, the space is well-equipped and suited for an intimate audience.

"Nepathya was started with a view to conducting classes in koodiyattom acting and percussion as well as for regular performances," says Madhu.

The classes started a couple of years back and the monthly programme a few months back. The formal inauguration was held last Sunday.

Parakkadavu panchayat president Jisha Sreedharan inaugurated the programme with Guru Moozhikkulam Kochukuttan Chakyar, veteran koodiyattom artiste and Madhu's father, lighting the traditional lamp.

After the meeting, the performance of 'Ugrasena Bandhanam' Nangiarkoothu was presented by Indu. Kalamandalam Ratheesh Bhas and Kalamandalam Anoop provided accompaniment on mizhavu with Harikrishnan on edakka and Krishnapriya on talam.

Monthly programmes
Madhu and Indu are now planning to conduct regular monthly programmes at Moozhikkulam, apart from the regular classes.

The classes are being held during mornings and evenings. Training is being given in koodiyattom acting as well as the performance of mizhavu.

One major project is the performance of the complete package of 'Manthrankam,' koodiyattom, with visual documentation.

Such performance spaces help in the preservation and evolution of classical art forms. More koodiyattom artistes are now thinking of creating their own spaces for training and performance.
Renu Ramanath
(The Hindu, Tuesday, June 20, 2006)

Day for Reading

Kerala - Kochi
A day for reading aloud
Is the city-bred new generation Malayali becoming less proficient in articulating his mother tongue? Is correct pronunciation of Malayalam a tough task even for the college students these days?

The doubts were caused by the Short Story Reading Competition organised by the Ernakulam Public Library on Sunday. The Public Library started conducting the competition in Malayalam and English for promoting Malayalam literature among the young generation.

A short story in English or Malayalam should be read out in ten minutes, with good pronunciation, accent and the right level of emotion and sound modulation.

The judges of the English competition expressed doubt whether these youngsters have heard of writers like Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Borges or any of the new-generation writers.

They have reached only up to Oscar Wilde, it seems, said one of them. Chekhov was the second, and a rare, choice. There was one story from Maupassant.

Oscar Wilde's 'Happy Prince' was repeatedly heard and even Wilde's 'Selfish Giant' was included, though participants ranged from plus one level to B.A. students.

Among the Chekhov stories, 'Inspector' and 'The Motel' were preferred. Among Indian writers, R.K. Narayan was the limit.

There were 23 participants for English and 35 for Malayalam. Most of them girls with just three or four boys.

Nandini R. Nair, who has just joined Sacred Heart College, Thevara, for graduation, came first in both English and Malayalam. In English, she read a Chekhov story, while in Malayalam it was T. Padmanabhan's 'Mujjanmathile Shathru.'

The second prize in English section was won by Jayanthi Natarajan, degree student of St. Teresa's College. She read the story by a Sri Lankan writer. Savitha Vijay came third.

In Malayalam, Meera U. Menon, Chinmaya Vidyalaya, Thripuniuthra, won the second prize by reading V.R. Sudheesh's story. Kukku Ellisabeth, plus-one student at S.H. School, Thevara, won the third prize reading S.K. Pottekkatt's 'Rahasyam.'

The judges pointed out that except for the prizewinners, most of the others had very low standard of pronunciation. Many could not even pronounce words like 'bharya' or 'vidyarthi' with the correct diction.

Among Malayalam writers, T. Padmanabhan was the most popular. Ponkunnam Varkey's 'Shabdikkunna Kalapppa', Padmanabhan's 'Vanavasam,' 'Anthyavelicham,' 'Makan' and 'Prakasham Parathunna Penkutty,' Lalithambika Antharjjanam's 'Manushyaputhri' and 'Gramabalika' and Cherukadu's 'Chakkusanji' were also read.

Interestingly, there were no takers for M.T. Vasudevan Nair. From the new generation, stories of C.V. Balakrishnan, G.R. Indugopan and K.R. Meera were read.

Collector A.P.M. Mohammed Hanish will distribute prizes at a function at the Public Library Hall on Monday evening.

Sunil P. Elayidam will speak on the 'Cultural Politics of Reading'.
Renu Ramanath
(The Hindu, Monday, June 19, 2006)

Land Acquisition for SA Road

Kerala - Kochi
Land for widening S.A. Road to be handed over in July

Staff Reporter

Infopark shows interest in land identified for Smart City

KOCHI: Acquisition of land for completing the widening of Sahodaran Ayyappan (S.A.) Road will be completed by July 15.

District Collector A.P.M. Mohammed Hanish said here on Saturday that the land, except portions belonging to Devi Temple, Valanjabalam; St. Patrick's Church, Vyttila; and Brethren Church, Manorama Junction, could be handed over for the work by that date.

Separate negotiations were being held with religious leaders for acquiring the properties of the temple and churches, he added. A land acquisition conference held at Kakkanad on Saturday evaluated the progress of the proceedings for the takeover.

The Collector said 13 landowners were not willing to cooperate with the authorities concerned in the acquisition. The issue related to their land would have to be submitted to the court.

Infopark seeks land
The Collector said the Infopark had expressed readiness to take over 54.4 hectares of land at Kakkanad which was to be acquired for the Smart City Project. Girishbabu, chief executive officer of Infopark, Kakkanad, who participated in the meeting, expressed the Infopark's interest in the land for its future development, whether the project would be implemented or not, Mr. Hanish said.

Proceedings for acquiring land for the project were in the last stage when the Left Democratic Front Government came to power.

The land comprised a site of 46.4 hectares and another of 8 hectares. The compensation for their owners was left to be fixed. The Collector said the land could be handed over within a week once the Infopark made a request.

He said the land for a four-lane highway from Airport-Seaport Road to Infopark would be handed over by July 31. This highway was a main requirement for information technology companies at the park.

The meeting also assessed the progress of the proceedings for acquiring land for a four-lane road from Kalamassery to Vallarpadam, where an international container transshipment terminal is set to come up. Almost all proceedings of this had been completed, the Collector added.
(The Hindu, Sunday, June 18, 2006)

German film

Kerala - Kochi
Film buffs in for a treat

The Cochin Film Society is screening a film each from Poland and Germany. The screening will begin at 6 p.m. at IMA Hall on June 22.

The Cochin Film Society is screening a film each from Poland and Germany.

The Polish film Days of Mathew, made in 1968 by Witold Luszczynski, is a sympathetic study of loneliness experienced by a grown-up man having the mind of a child. Mathew, living with his sister Olga, in a house by the edge of a lake, is dependent on her care and guidance.

But Olga falls in love with a woodcutter, whom Mathew brings home. Terrified of his sister leaving him, Mathew decides to kill himself.

The film, part of the monthly archive screening programme of the society, held in association with the National Film Archives of India, Pune, will be screened at Savitha Theatre from 9.30 a.m. on Sunday.

The German film 'Sophie Scholl: The Final Days', made in 2005 by Marc Rothemund, has won many awards. The film tells the story of Sophie Scholl, who was active in the anti-Nazi movement during the last days of Hitler's regime. The White Rose, a resistance movement aiming for the fall of the Third Reich, was formed in Munich in 1943 by a group of young people, most of them university students. Sophie becomes the only woman in the group.

On February 18, 1942, she and her brother Hans are arrested after getting caught while distributing leaflets at the university. They are interrogated by the Gestapo officer Robert Mohr. The interrogation develops into an intense psychological duel in which Sophie tries to outwit her opponent. However, the evidence against them mounts up, though Sophie tries hard to save her brother and other members of White Rose. Mohr, impressed by Sophie's uncommon bravery, offers her a way out, at the price of betraying her ideals. She refuses to take the offer. Sophie, her brother Hans Scholl and their aide Christoph Probe were guillotined a few hours after the death sentence was delivered. The film shows the last days of her life. The film was nominated for the Academy Awards for best foreign language film and won Silver Bears for the best director and best actress at the Berlin International Film Festival, 2005.

The screening will begin at 6 p.m. at IMA Hall, Warriam Road, on June 22.
R.R.
(The Hindu, Wednesday, June 14, 2006)

Students vicdeo fest

Kerala - Kochi
A 'travelling festival' of video films from the campus

Staff Reporter

KOCHI: Short films can serve as a bridge for students aspiring to enter the world of cinema, said film director Anwar Rasheed.

Rasheed was speaking after inaugurating the National Students' Video Film Festival organised by Jehangirabad Media Institute, Lucknow, Chetana Media Institute, Thrissur and Chavara Cultural Centre at Sacred Heart College, Thevara, on Monday.

He said students interested in cinema were now being offered far more opportunities and facilities than earlier. Several colleges were conducting courses on filmmaking and corresponding technologies. Likewise, institutions offering courses in filmmaking had also sprung up.

Rasheed presented the award to Albert Kurien, who made 'Xeno,' one of the award-winning short films included in the package.

The festival package included 15 short films that had won various awards at the National Students' Video Festival organised by Jehangirabad Media Institute, Lucknow, in April. The films are being taken around the country as a travelling festival.

A five-minute short film titled, 'Use Me,' made by the students of S.H. College, along with a couple of students from the Rajagiri College of Social Sciences, was also screened at the festival. The film deals with environmental issues.
S.H. College manager Cheriyan Kuniyanthodathu presided over the function. Chetana Media Institute director Benny Benedict also spoke.

Nearly 30 students spoke at the Open Forum held in the afternoon discussing issues, including social reality and Indian reality.

(The Hindu, Tuesday, June 13, 2006)

MGP

Kerala - Kochi
Modernising Government Programme to continue

Staff Reporter

No lapse of funds in MGP, says District Collector

Rs.20.5 crores allotted to district
Renovation of Collectorate almost complete
Distribution of free ration for monsoon-hit begins

KOCHI: Contrary to reports that the Modernising Government Programme (MGP) would be wound up in the light of the change in Government, the MGP has been given the go-ahead by the LDF Government.

A meeting of the MGP held at the Collectorate, Kakkanad, was told about the Government's decision, said District Collector A.P.M. Mohammed Hanish. The Government has ordered to revive the account for the MGP, which had been closed on March 31. It was also decided to give last year's allocations to the different departments during this financial year to implement the modernising programmes.

The decision has been conveyed to all eight departments in the district. The Collector said there was no lapse of funds in the MGP.

A total amount of Rs.20.5 crores has been allocated for the district for the MGP, out of which Rs.7.5 crores has been sanctioned for the Revenue Department alone. The Revenue Department had already been allocated Rs.5.12 crores out of this amount. The remaining amount was to be given soon.

The Collector said the renovation of the Collectorate as part of the MGP was 99 per cent completed. The district administration was now awaiting the formal nod from the Government to shift back the functioning of the Collectorate to the renovated premises.

The Collectorate is now functioning at a makeshift premises at the Thrikkakara Panchayat Community Hall.

The distribution of free ration for the economically weak families who were affected by the monsoon rains and storm in May started on Monday. A total number of 22,000 families belonging to tribal colonies and coastal areas will get the free rations.

The distribution of compensation to the families of persons who had died during the natural calamity in the district has been completed, said the Collector.

The District Administration at present has a fund of Rs.10 lakhs for distribution of food materials. Request for Rs. 10 lakhs more has been made to the Government.

The Collector said that if any low quality item is detected in the free ration distribution, stringent action would be taken against the ration dealers.

The distribution of financial assistance to the owners of fully damaged houses will also start soon.

The money has already been disbursed to seven taluks. The financial assistance will be Rs. 15,000 a house.

There are a total number of 50 such houses in the district. A sum of Rs.7.5 lakhs will be needed for the entire district
for this purpose.

The assessment of the partially damaged houses for distributing financial relief is being conducted in different taluks.
(The Hindu, Tuesday, June 13, 2006)

Kathakali appreciation

Kerala - Kochi
Deciphering the nuances of a classical art form

Renu Ramanath

KOCHI: Every art form needs its own set of specialised viewers or listeners. The sustaining, development and evolution of the art form is made possible only through the active interaction and cooperation between its practitioners and these well-informed aficionados. The form receives energy for its development through the critical intervention of these connoisseurs.

However, such well-tuned viewers will never rise out of the blue. They need to be cultivated and educated. The responsibility of any individual or group working for the betterment of any art form does not end with offering platforms for the performers. Creating generations of intelligent viewers is also an important part of their functioning.

Taking upon this responsibility, the Ernakulam Kathakali Club has been organising Kathakali Appreciation Courses. So far, the club had organised three such courses and the fourth one is on at the Kerala Fine Arts Hall.

The course, organised by the Kathakali Club in association with the Kerala Fine Arts Society, began on Saturday with a simple inaugural function. V.N. Venugopal, president of the Kerala Fine Arts Society lighted the traditional lamp marking the beginning of the course. Kathakali Club president A.D. Krishnan Asan honoured Kalamandalam Kesavan with a 'ponnada.'

The directors of the seven-day course are C.P. Unnikrishnan and Kalamandalam Kesavan. Between them, Mr. Unnikrishnan and Mr. Kesavan have designed a compact package offering a comprehensive introduction and overview of the fundamental aspects of Kathakali.

Mr. Unnikrishnan, in his introductory speech, dwelled on the need for such appreciation courses to ensure the sustenance of the art form. He said that considering the opinions that have come up following the earlier courses, this time they were planning to include more information on the musical aspects of Kathakali.

Since no speaking is involved in Kathakali unlike in Kudiyattam, its 'vaachika abhinaya,' is made up of the accompanying music, both vocal and percussion. However, Mr. Unnikrishnan said they were not intending to refer any of the contentious points regarding Kathakali music. The course began with an introduction to the 24 mudras used in Kathakali, as stipulated in the classical treatise, 'Hasthalakshanadeepika,' that forms the basis of the classical art forms of Kerala. The mudras will be demonstrated by an actor accompanied by the corresponding body movements.
(The Hindu, Monday, June 12, 2006)

Horticulture Mission

Kerala - Kochi
Financial assistance to farmers from Horticulture Mission

Staff Reporter

KOCHI: The District Horticulture Mission has invited applications from farmers in the district who need financial assistance for different projects including cultivation and for improving infrastructural facilities.

Pine apple farmers will get an assistance of Rs.15,000 per hecatre for starting new cultivation. An assistance of Rs.30,000 per unit will be available for producing organic manure using earthworms.

Farmers who are eligible can also get an assistance of Rs.11,250 per hectare for cultivating turmeric. Farmers cultivating nutmeg can avail Rs.35,000 per hectare. The farmers who are engaged in cultivating flowers like orchid and anthurium can get an assistance of Rs.35,000 per hectare.

Assistance will be available for setting up infrastructure, including the construction of green houses and installing shade nets. Financial assistance of Rs.325 per square meter will be given to the construction of green houses, while Rs. Seven per square meter will be allotted for making shade nets.

Farmers interested in the organic cultivation of pineapple can also avail of the assistance of Rs. 10,000 per hectare. Those who are interested in availing of the assistance should give applications at the respective Krishii Bhavans, according to the Horticulture Mission Member Secretary. The applications should reach the respective Krishi Bhavans on or before June 15.
(The Hindu, Sunday, June 11, 2006)