THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, 3 December 2006 — Hit hard by an indefinite strike by tanker operators, the state government yesterday warned that it would forcibly take over the trucks to ensure that people do not suffer without fuel including cooking gas. “We have given out a clear message that the strike would be sternly dealt with. If the strike threatens normal life, trucks would be commandeered to maintain services,” Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said. The truckers demand immediate withdrawal of the law making speed-governors mandatory for heavy vehicles. “They should not push the unorganized people into starvation,” he added. Talks initiated by the government Friday produced no results as truckowners stuck to their stand. According to industry sources, the fuel situation would worsen if the strike continued. Kerala depends on the neighboring states for 85 percent of consumer needs.
Security Strengthened for By-Election
A galaxy of leaders, including Defense Minister A.K. Antony, Minister of State for External Affairs E. Ahamed and Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan descended on the Thiruvambady constituency as the high-voltage campaign for the Dec. 4 by-election came to an end yesterday evening. Though the outcome would not affect the stability of the Left Democratic Front government, both the LDF and the Congress-led United Democratic Front have left no stone unturned as it would be the first litmus test on the popularity of the six-month-old government. V.M. Ummer Master, the UDF candidate of the Indian Union Muslim League is pitted against George Thomas of Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M). Nationalist Congress Party leader K. Karunakaran also campaigned for the LDF candidate. The Election Commission said sufficient paramilitary force has been sought to ensure free and fair election and five companies of Central Reserve Police Force have already been deployed. Machinery has been set up to verify the ID cards with cameras installed in the booths. All the 155 polling stations have been declared sensitive. Voting will begin at 7 a.m. and conclude at 5 p.m.
Choppers to Ferry Tourists
Tourists can now fly from airports straight into their favorite beaches, hill stations or backwater resorts thanks to helicopter tourism launched here yesterday. There are packages like Capital by Air, Backwaters by Air, Fly the Hills and Shoreline Flights. The Air Travel Enterprises, the promoter, has hired Chetak helicopters that have a capacity to carry six passengers besides the pilot. Kerala is one of the top 50 tourist destinations in the world but the potholed roads are seen as a bane. “Traveling by road takes a lot of time. A helicopter would therefore be of great help,” the ATE chairman E.M. Najeeb said. For an hour’s flight, tourists will have to pay Rs. 70,000.
NRIs Want to Promote Health Tourism
Kerala should appoint a brand ambassador to boost its health tourism industry in the US, says the Federation of Kerala Associations in North America (Fokana), which has members in North America and Canada. “The brand ambassador should attract the attention of the entire USA. If Kerala does it, there will be an unending stream of US citizens arriving in the state for their medical needs,” Fokana President Sasidharan Nair told reporters here. “An open heart surgery in the US costs nine million rupees whereas it can be done at less than half a million rupees in Kerala. Dental treatment is another sector that has huge potential here,” said Fokana General Secretary Aniyan George. Fokana also plans to bring out a directory of Kerala-based hospitals and doctors in the US. “We have decided to construct 100 houses for the poor across the state and the first check (towards the project) was handed over last week,” said Nair.
Kerala Group Opens School in the US
A Kerala group has launched an international school in the US integrating the ancient Indian system of learning with modern technology. The Labor India International Gurukulam, established in Bluefield with 50 students in the first batch, prepares students to compete at national competitions and win educational qualifications, the school’s president George Kulangara said. The school charges an annual fee of $14,500 that includes all expenses and boarding. Admissions for the next batch are open. “Learning by doing is our motto and we will offer a variety of courses that meet the goals and objectives of the multicultural community,” Kulangara told a news conference here. The school is authorized to issue the I-20 form which will enable students from foreign countries to come and study in the US. The school that claims excellent infrastructure on its 162-acre campus, hopes to attract students from the Gulf.
DSF Holds Road Show in Kochi
The Dubai Shopping Festival held its Indian road show in the Kerala port city of Kochi on Friday evening. Law Minister M. Vijayakumar launched DSF’s website in Malayalam www.entedsf.com while Kerala Tourism Development Corporation Chairman Cheriyan Philip released the Malayalam tabloid Ente DSF Times. Chief Marketing Officer Laila Suhail introduced the DSF to the audience followed by a cultural extravaganza representing both the worlds. Suhal said they decided to conduct the show this time in Kerala considering the huge presence of Keralites at the DSF, who account for 49 percent of the gold purchases. The 45-day combined 11th and 12th editions of DSF, which has “World of Festivals” as its theme this time, begins on Dec. 20.
Carl Lewis to Promote Lottery
Legendary sprinter Carl Lewis is flying down to Kerala to promote Kerala Sports Lottery on a weeklong visit on Dec. 15, according to the state’s Sports Minister M. Vijaya Kumar. The lottery was launched Nov. 17 aimed at generating Rs. 2 billion to promote sports in the cash-strapped state. “We’ll finalize his itinerary in a couple of days. He will go all around the state to promote the lottery and spread a sports culture among people. We will make it a mass movement aimed at securing a medal in next Olympics,” Vijaya Kumar claimed. But he refused to divulge the details of the deal the government reached with the 10-time Olympic medal winner, nine of them gold. “Not only Carl Lewis, we are also planning to rope in footballer Pele and many other international sports figures to promote the sports lottery,” the minister said. The tickets are priced at Rs.100 each. The draw for the first prize of Rs.20 million will be on Jan. 26, 2007.
E-Accessibility to Physically Challenged
Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) in Kochi has installed computers accessible to the physically challenged at a special school run by the Adarsh Charitable Trust in the city. TCS designed the software after studying the requirement of each child and they procured the hardware too. A head mouse costs 63,000 rupees while a track ball costs about 1,200 rupees. Educational software and hardware are available for the physically challenged including the visually impaired.
