Workshop on waste material usage : KOZHIKODE: The Jan Sikshan Sansthan (JSS), Kozhikode in association with Association for Welfare of Handicapped (AWH), will conduct a workshop on uses from waste materials at the AWH Centre, Kallai, on March 27.

Experts will hold demonstrations on separating wastes into different categories, manufacture of bio fertilizers for use in medicinal plant, safed musli and vanila cultivation, setting up of bio gas plant using cow dung and chicken droppings. Panchayat members from Kozhikode, Malappuram and Wayanad Districts, NGOs, environmental groups Interested groups are requested to register with The Director, JSS, Chalappuram, Kozhikode, by March 25. Telephone: 2701322.
 
Updated 14/03/04

Consumer Rights Day to be observed: KOZHIKODE: The Kozhikode district Consumer Protection Forum will organise a seminar to commemorate the World Consumer Rights Day, at the Town Hall here on March 15. The Mayor, Thottathil Raveendran, will inaugurate the seminar. T M Rajashekaran, lawyer, and the Agmark district marketing officer, M N Ramachandran, will speak on the provisions of the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act and `Agmark products and consumers' respectively.

Postal adalat: KOZHIKODE:The Dak Adalat of the Calicut Postal Division will be held at the Calicut Head Post Office at 11 a m on March 29. Complaints may be sent to K P Vineetha, Inspector, Public Grievances Customer Care Centre, Kozhikode -673001, by March 22.

Updated 01/03/04

Telecom Adalat in March end : KOZHIKODE: Secondary Switching Area (SSA) will hold its next adalat during the last week of March to settle long pending complaints\grievances of telephone subscribers of Kozhikode Revenue District. Complainants should have exhausted all normal channels of communication towards redressal of their grievances before submitting complaints to the Adalat. Fresh complaints, complaints pending settlements in courts and complaints from Associations would not be entertained in the Adalat. Complaints with all details should be addressed to K.Balakrishnan, assistant general manager (OP), office of the general manager, telecom, BSNL, Kozhikode-673001 to reach him on or before March 5, 2004.

Updated 24/02/04

MRI indispensable:KGMCTA : KOZHIKODE: The Kerala Government Medical College Teachers Association (KGMCTA) has expressed concern over the reported review by the Calicut Medical College Hospital Development Committee (HDC) with regard to the setting up of a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) unit at the hospital here.

The KGMCTA State president, S Abdul Khader, said that the decision to set up the MRI unit had been taken following a unanimous decision by the College Committee of Management (CCM), comprising professors of all departments. The KGMCTA said that "vested interests were behind the review move to scuttle the venture". G Rajan, KGMCTA unit secretary, said that MRI was an indispensable diagnostic tool in super-speciality care and that the Calicut Medical College which catered to the needs of patients in the districts of North Kerala needed the facility badly.

Family festival inaugurated : KOZHIKODE: The District Judge, M N Krishnan, inaugurated a family festival organised under the aegis of the Court Complex Staff Recreation Club here recently. The chairman of the club, K Premnath, presided. The keynote address was delivered by P K Gopi, poet. The prizes to the winners in the contests organised on the occasion were presented by the Additional District Judge, B Kemal Pasha.

Expansion of DHH undertaken : KOZHIKODE: The Tourism Minister, P Sankaran, inaugurated the ground floor of the new building of the District Homeo Hospital at Eranhikkal here recently. The District Panchayat president, M K Nalini, presided. A C Shanmughadas, MLA, inaugurated the work of the first floor. The District Collector, T O Sooraj, inaugurated the 25-bed in-patient block and the Health Committee Standing Committee chairman, K Narayanankutty, the out-patient block.

Bishop dedicates pipe organ to church : KOZHIKODE: The Church of South India (CSI) North Kerala Diocese Bishop, George Isaac, dedicated a pipe organ to the CSI Cathedral at a thanksgiving service held there yesterday. In his sermon to an audience comprising devotees and connoisseurs of music, the bishop highlighted the relevance of music in a person's life - in happy and difficult times.

"The pitch and rhythm of music has a deep impact in an individual's life,'' he said. The noted organist from Chennai, Ebenezer Edwin, accompanied by the Cathedral choir rendered the Halleluiha chorus from Frederick Handel's classical composition `Messiah', as the inaugural piece. The composition `Glorious', by Mozart was another piece played by Edwin. The Cathedral is the first church in Kerala to have a pipe organ. The organ with nine octaves is a gift from the congregation of the St. Aidan's Church, Sheltenham, Gloucester, near London. Later, at a public meeting held at the Cathedral, the District Collector, T O Sooraj, and the City Police Commissioner, T K Vinod Kumar, offered felicitations.

Updated 19/02/04

Madapally college to underake national worshop: KOZHIKODE: Madappally Govt College and the Vatakara MCA Centre of Calicut University will jointly organise a national workshop on Applied Physics and Information Technology on the Madappally College Campus on February 20 and 21. The workshop is aimed at familiarising the common man with the new trends and developments in science and technology.

Noted research scholars from across the country will present papers on the occasion. The workshop will give emphasis on Mobile Communication Technology, Embedded System, Computer Hardware System, Speech and Image Processing, Optical Communication Technology, Quantum Computing and Artificial Neutral System, etc. Tourism Minister P Shankaran will inaugurate the workshop and District Collector T O Sooraj will be the chief guest. The official website of the College - www.madappallycollege.com - will be inaugurated by C K Nanu MLA.

Updated 09/02/04

Historians to meet on Feb 16 : KOZHIKODE: The 24-th session of the South History Congress will be held at the Calicut University from February 16 to 18. About 600 historians from Bihar, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Pondicherry, Goa and Kerala are expected to attend the three-day Congress, according to a release from the Calicut University History Department.

Updated 04/02/04

Thyagaraja festival from Feb 6th : KOZHIKODE: Saint Thyagaraja Aradhana Trust will organise `Thyagaraja Uthsavam-2004' here from February 6 to 10. Talking to media persons on Tuesday, the managing trustee, A. Ramanathan, the trustees, M D Rajamani and Bala Subramaniyan, said that the festival would be inaugurated by the noted musician Neyyattinkara Mohanachandran at the Tali Padmashree Kalyana Mandapam here on February 6. The industrialist and lover of music, Nalli Kuppuswamy Chetti, would be the chief guest on the occasion. The former Director of Doordarshan, A. Natarajan, would deliver the keynote address. A `Harikatha-Sangeetha Upanyasam' on `Thyagarajar Kanda Ramayanam' by Jayanti Raman and her group would be held after the inaugural function. Carnatic music concerts would be organised for five days from Friday.

Updated 04/02/04

Satyagraha by farmers : KOZHIKODE: Farmers would stage an indefinite satyagraha from February 16, including picketing of the Secretariat, State Nabard office, State Land Mortgage Bank and State Cooperative Bank, demanding waiver of agriculture loans. This decision was taken at a meeting held here recently.

Representatives of farmers' groups from Kozhikode, Kasaragod, Kannur, Palakkad, Wayanad and Malappuram districts participated in the meeting. They said that the protest had been necessitated following the steep fall in the prices of cash crops during the periods 1996-97 and 2002-03, and the inability of farmers in repaying the loans procured by them.

Updated 29/01/04

Science exhibition to showcase talent : KOZHIKODE: The Zamorin's Higher Secondary School at Tali here is being dressed up for the 18th Southern India Science Fair 2003-2004, which will be held from January 29 to February 2. Nearly 600 students would participate in the show, said the Mayor Thottathil Ravidran, chairman of the organising committee of the fair, the District Collector, T.O. Sooraj, and M.K. Raju, Deputy Director for Education, Kozhikode and programme general convener.

The fair would showcase science exhibits and projects that had been selected in State -level contests. The exhibits and projects would be from five southern States. Projects by teachers would also be among the exhibits. There would be trophies and scholarships for the best exhibits and projects. The event is a joint endeavour of the Viswesarayya Industrial and Technological Museum in Bangalore and the Education Department.

Updated 22/01/04

Science Fair to begin from Jan 29 : KOZHIKODE: The 18th Southern India Science Fair 2004, organised jointly by the Department of Education and the Vishwesharaiya Industrial and Technology Museum, Bangalore, will be held here at the Zamorin’s Higher Secondary School from January 29 to February 2.

Education Minister Nalakath Soopy will inaugurate the fair. Winners of the State-level science exhibition from the five states of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Pondicherry and Kerala will take part in the science fair. This is the first time that fair is being organised here.

Students can take part in the individual and group events. New discoveries will be given prominence in the fair. A science drama competition will also be held.

Updated 18/01/04

Dharna by Hindu Aikya Vedi on Jan 22: KOZHIKODE: The Marad Araya Samajam has extended its full support to the dharna being organized by the Hindu Aikya Vedi in front of the Secretariat on January 22, protesting against the delay in instituting CBI inquiry into the May 9 killings. Addressing a press conference here yesterday, Samajam secretary T Suresh flayed the government for its lackadaisical approach on the demand for CBI probe, which was an important component of the compromise formula.

Warning that the delay would invite serious consequences, Suresh wanted the Gandhians, who were the mediators in the discussions, to clarify their stand on the issue. Many organizations and cultural leaders have said that CBI inquiry would be the only way to bring out the conspiracy behind the murders. It is unbecoming of a democratic government to wreck the agreement at the instance of the police and Muslim extremists, he said. Chief Minister A K Antony, who had a secret discussion with the NDF, is implementing the agenda of the Muslim extremists. "The Samajam strongly protests Antony's actions which will harm the peaceful atmosphere prevailing here after the discussions between both communities", he said.

A meeting of various Hindu organizations to be held on February 14 will chalk out the future strategies, Suresh said. Marad Arya Samajam president K Dasan and Hindu Aikya Vedi district general secretary P K Sahadevan were also present.

Updated 10/01/04

KCBC media awards : KOZHIKODE: Paravur George, Perumbadavam Sreedharan, George Kurukoor, Rex Issacs and David Painadath had been selected for the Kerala Catholic Bishops Council's (KCBC) media awards for 2003, Fr Devassy Kollamkudiyil, secretary KCBC media Commission, said here today.

Updated 07/01/04

Work on international convention soon : KOZHIKODE: The Calicut Development Authority (CDA) will begin the initial work on the ambitious international convention centre in the city this year itself. Detailing CDA's plan for 2004, its chairman M C Mayin Haji stated that the Rs 100 million project, once completed, would change the face of the city.

''The CDA is planning to implement the project with the Rotary Club. The fund will be provided by the Club and the Union Ministry of Urban Development. The site for the project is yet to be identified though we have certain locations in mind,'' Mayin Haji said.

Kozhikode is slowly becoming the centre of convention tourism with many national organisations choosing the city for their seminars and conventions. One major hurdle before the organisers is the lack of infrastructure to conduct large conventions.''This problem will be solved once and for all after the completion of the convention centre,'' he said.

Konkani Parishad : KOZHIKODE: The 24-th All India Konkani Parishad will be held here from February 13 to 15. The Parishad will be a confluence of persons belonging to various religious communities who had Konkani as the mother tongue.

Tribute to C H Haridas : KOZHIKODE: Congress 'S' district committee will pay tributes to C H Haridas on his 19th death anniversary . Floral tributes will be paid on the day at 8 O'Clock at C H Haridas memorial at Mahe. A symposium will also be organized 3 pm at Kozhikode Town Hall. The symposium will be presided by Congress S district president Ramachandran Kadannapalli. KPCC president K Muraleedharan will inaugurate the symposium.

In the symposium T K Hamsa., Advocate P S Sreedharan Pillai and Panniyan Ravindran will participate. The rememberance meet at 5 pm will be inaugurated by V C Kabir MLA. Advocate Karakulam Krishna Pillai, Sulaiman Ravuthar, N P Pradeep Kumar, T M Sathar and Ajish Adalath will speak on the occasion.

Updated 03/01/04

Polio drops to be administered tomorrow : KOZHIKODE: Baradwaj Pallat DMO, told the media persons that as part of the polio eradication programme, all children below the age of five, numbering 2,64,134 would be given polio drops in 2,134 booths tomorrow. The administration of polio drops will be inaugurated by District Collector T O Suraj. The polio drops will be administered from 8 pm to 5 pm. In railway stations, bus stations and aerodrome, its administration would start from 5 pm. Also mobile services are also administering the drops.

It is hoped that by 2005, polio can be eradicated. In the press meet, C M Abubecker and P S Abdulla Koya participated.

District Hand book will released today : KOZHIKODE: Minister M M Hassan will release today the Hand book on Kozhikode district which is published by Information and Public Relations department. The function which is to be held at Press Club hall will be presided by T PM Sahir MLA. The book will be handed to Press Club president N P Rajendran.

Motor vehicle strike on Tuesday : KOZHIKODE: The Joint Action Council of motor vehicle employees has called for a State-wide strike on January 6 in protest against the hike in prices of petrol and diesel. The strike will be from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

CITU State secretary Elamaram Kareem said employees working in bus, autorickshaw, lorry, taxi car, jeep, trucker and mini lorry would participate in the strike. The vehicles of Sabarimala pilgrims, however, have been exempted. The action council has requested the owners of private vehicles also to join the strike.

The Council consists of CITU, INTUC, AITUC, BMS, STU, HMS, UTUC, TUCI and INLC. It said the hike was imposed at a time when the motor vehicle industry was facing a severe crisis and exhorted the people to protest against the decision.

Vanilla seminar to be conducted : KUROPPADA: A Vanilla cultivation seminar will be undertaken at Kuroppada Service Cooperative Bank on today At the seminar which will be conducted at 2 O' clock, classes will be conducted by experts on the subject.

Updated 29/12/03

Science fair in Kozhikode : KOZHIKODE: The South Indian School Sciences Fair will be held at the Zamorin's Higher Secondary School in Tali here from January 29 to Februray 2. A total of 600 students from the states of Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry will participate in the science fair with innovative science and technical concepts and devices development by them. The fair is being organized by the state gov ernment with the cooperation of the Viswharaya Museum, Bangalore.

There will be competitions in three categories-individual, group and teacher's presentation. A science drama from each participating state of the duration of 30 minutes will be part of the competitions. The state-level winners are participating in the fair. A meeting chaired by the district Panchayat president M K Nalini has formed an organizing committee with the Education Deputy Director M K Raju as convener for the successful conduct of the fair. The governor, chief minister, education minister, health minister, MPs and MLAs representing the district are patrons of the organizing committee. A total of Rs 1.5 million has been earmarked for the programme.

Workshop undertaken : THAMARASSERY: Assistant Director K Subaider inaugurated workshop for Vanilla farmers at Nightingale Echo Tourism Club. The workshop was presided over by Advocate Antony Sebastian. Mulleri Karunakaran Nair and P C Sreenivasan also spoke on the occasion. K M Prakash, Sebastian Valavananickal and Babu Alakkal took classes. T V Abraham welcomed the gathering and M S Thankachan said vote of thanks.

Updated 25/12/03

Kadalundi bridge opened to rail traffic : KOZHIKODE: The new Kadalundi bridge was opened to rail traffic after conducting a speed test yesterday morning. A special train was arranged for conducting the speed test from Kozhikode to Parappanangadi and vice-versa at around 10 am.

The Railway Safety Commissioner Pranab Kumar Sen, had given his assent yesterday after conducting a trial run across the bridge. The trial run was conducted from Vadakumbatt at Manoor to Heros Nagar at Vallikunnu. An engine was allowed to run from Feroke railway station to Kadalundi at a speed of 60 km per hour at 5 pm. Later the Mangalore-Chennai Mail passed across the bridge at 7-30 pm. However, three bogies had hit the side of the newly constructed platform of the Kadalundi railway station. The destruction of a few slabs of the platform had caused panic among the onlookers.

Updated 20/12/03

Army entrance results : Kozhikode, Dec 19:  The Kozhikode Branch Recruiting Office has published the results of the Army Common Entrance Examination held at the St. Mary’s College grounds at Sulthan Bathery in Wayanad, the Assistance Recruiting Officer, S K Sharma said in a press conference here today.

IIT team visits harbour site : Kozhikode, Dec 19:  An expert team from the Indian Institute of Technology, Chennai, visited the site of the estuarine-type mini-harbour proposed at Cheruvathur near here on Thursday.  The team comprised V Sunderan and Sensi Rajan from the IIT. 

The IIT has been entrusted the task of the studying the project proposals in detail and make a feasibility-cum-technical report on the proposal.  The proposed breakwater of the harbour could extend up to 300 metres from the bar mouth.  As many as six lakh cubic metres of sand and clay under the sea has to be dredged out to form the proposed 60-metrewide channel for the harbour.

Updated 12/12/03

NIT-C vacancies for lecturers : Kozhikode: A few posts of lecturers to be appointed on ad hoc basis are vacant at Computer Engineering Department of the National Institute of Technology – Calicut.  Qualification required is first class B.Tech or equivalent in Computer Science and Engineering.  The salary offered is Rs 10,560 (consolidated).  Those interested can appear for a walk-in interview with original certificates on December 16 at 9.30 a.m. at the office of the director, NIT-C.

Updated 10/12/03

Padmaprabha award presented : KOZHIKODE: The Padmaprabha Memorial Award for 2002 was presented to the poet, Akkitham by Vishnunarayanan Namboodiri at a function held at the Little Flower UP School at Manathavadi in Wayanad today. The prestigious award, instituted by the Padmaprabha Trust, carries a cash prize of Rs 55,000 and a citation.

Among the leading writers in Malayalam present at a function were Yusuf Ali Kecheri president, Kerala Sahithya Akademi, who presided C Radhakrishanan and short-writer Unnikrishanan Puthoor, who delivered the Padmaprabha Commemmorative lecture. The Mathrubhumi Managing Editor, P V Chandran, released a book on the life and times of Padmaprabha, who was a former member of the Madras Legislative Assembly.

Updated 09/12/03

Plane with first batch of Haj pilgrims to depart on 24th: KOZHIKODE: First plane with haj pilgrims availing benefit of State Haj Committee will depart on December 24th at 11 o'clock from Karipur Airport. The AirIndia 747 Boeing, will carry 410 haj pilgrims. On January 11th the last batch will depart.

The match between new GM R B Ramesh and GM Koneru Humpi as well as the match between Sandeepan Chanda and Abhijit Kunde ended in a draw. Anther match between GM Praveen Thipse and International Master T S Ravi.also ended in a draw.

Updated 29/11/03

Drivers union meet inaugurated : KOZHIKODE: The Kerala State Transport Drivers Union's state meet which started with great demonstrations was inaugurated by S U Janapal, MLA. Workers participation is needed in order to srengthen public enterprises, he said.

Updated 27/11/03

Catholic Syrian Bank gets a new logo : KOZHIKODE: The Catholic Syrian Bank Limited has launched its new logo at a function held here in connection with the Bank's 84th Foundation Day on Wednesday.

Mayor Thottathil Raveendran unveiled the new logo at the function presided over by Malabar Chamber of Commerce president J A Majeed. The new logo and colour scheme was launched simultaneously at all the five zonal offices in the State and at the zonal offices in Coimbatore, Chennai and Mumbai.

New library, research centre added to Govt Law College : KOZHIKODE: The new library and research centre of the Government Law College here is being given the final touches as it awaits inauguration on Friday. Abdussamad Samadhani MP, who is also an alumnus of the college, will inaugurate it.

''The new building will house the library and internet centre and is aimed at promoting the research activities. Apart from research scholars, even the students preparing for moot court competitions and other competitive exams can make use of the facilities at the centre,'' says principal Radha G Nair.

''We are planning to get the NAAC accreditation before December 2005. And the new library and research centre, complete with internet facility, would greatly advance our prospects for getting a good star grading,'' she adds. Rs 10 lakh for the works on the centre had come from the MP's fund of Abdussamad Samadhani while Rs 4 lakh was donated by the State Government.Along with the inauguration of the Centre, the official website of the college will also be launched on Friday.
 
Updated 04/11/03

IIMK seminar from Nov 15: KOZHIKODE: The Indian Institute of Management (Kozhikode) will organise its fourth Annual Management Seminar "Horizons: Exploring the Frontiers of Management" here on November 15 and 16. Priyesh Pandey, Team Horizon, IMK said Horizons 2003 will cover themes which had been chosen keeping in mind contemporary issues and emerging trends

'Thanal' inter-active meet on Dec 20th: KOZHIKODE: Medical college vice-principal Dr K Paravathy inaugurated the website WWW. THANAL FOUNDATION.ORG." which is part of the Indian Medical Association efforts to combat suicide among the population.
The concerned authorities informed that an interaction with the general public would be held on December 20th on the role of religions in combating suicide. Various religious leaders are expected to participate and the venue has been decided as Kozhikode Town hall.

The function on the occasion of third year of formation of "Thanal" was presided over by IMA senior vice-president Dr Abdulkader. Thanal Foundation Trust Chairman Dr M Vijayakumar, Thanal director Dr P N Suresh Kumar and others spoke on the occasion. The staff which has a strength of 50 will help individuals who are suffering from stress psychologically due to various factors. Trained staff will offer free service from 10 am to 7 pm. Strict confidentiality will be maintained of those who seek help.

Updated 01/11/03

Subicsha project takes off at Perambra : PERAMBRA: The ambitious multi-crore coconut-based project - Subicsha - of Perambra block panchayat, conceived by District Rural Development Agency (DRDA) under Swarn Jayanthi Gram Swarozgar Yojana and designed by experts at Indian Institute of Management - Kozhikode, was launched at a glittering function held at Government Higher Secondary School here this evening.

Rural Development Minister C F Thomas declared open the Rs 14.1-crore project, which would help empower women members of about 7,000 poor families, to the applause of the sea of humanity that thronged the school grounds.

The Minister expressed the hope that the innovative project, aimed at promoting entrepreneurship among rural women, will ensure overall growth to the otherwise backward Perambra area. He opined that Subicsha project (Sustainable Business Development of Innovative Coconut-based Micro Enterprises for Holistic Growth and Poverty Alleviation) would give a facelift for rural development schemes in the State.

Updated 27/10/03

Karipur Airport opens to night flights : KOZHIKODE: The night skies over the city are finally all set to come alive with the blinking lights of aircraft making their way to the Karipur Airport, with the airport finally getting installed with the light system to facilitate night operations here. Air-India flight AI 913, carrying 35 passengers on board, took off to Damam at 7.45 p.m. on Sunday thus signalling a new era in the aviation history of Malabar.

Today's flight is only an observational one meant to test the night landing and take off facilities that have been installed at the airport. "The same flight will come to Calicut as AI 914 from Damam on Monday morning at 5.30 a.m.," said Air-India airport manager Muthukoya." As our airport is situated on a hilly terrain we have not been able to introduce night operations here so far. But the lead-in-light system, introduced for the first time in the country, will do away with this constraint," said Airport Director M Suba Rao.Approach lighting for 150 metres, runway lighting, PAPI _ a cluster of four lights on the ground that gives the precise landing angle and obstacle lights on the nearby hills have all been set up to help guide the pilots in landing the aircraft during nights.

First cardamom auction centre starts : KOZHIKODE: The first auction centre for cardamom in North Kerala will start functioning at the agriculture wholesale market in Vengeri here from October 27. The Spices Board chairman, C J Jose, will inaugurate the auction centre at 11am tomorrow. A total of 50 traders, including spice merchants from the UAE, are expected to take part in the auction tomorrow. The auction at the new centre will be held on all Mondays.

The Green Agro Trade Links (P) Limited, Kalpetta, is setting up the centre. The main beneficiaries would be cardamom growers in the Malappuram, Palakkad, Kozhikode, Kannur and Wyanad districts and the Nilgris district of Tamil Nadu, who have to go all the way to either Kumili or Vandanmed now to participate in auctions.

Updated 21/10/03

"I" group to hold convention on 21st: KOZHIKODE: As part of the drumming up support for the ouster of the Chief Minister A K Antony, the Karanakaran faction of the Congress party will hold its Kozhikode convention at the Tagore Centenary Hall, rechristened as Dr K G Adiyodi Nagar at 11am today.

The minister for health and family welfare, P Sankaran, the senior Congress leader P C Chacko, the KPCC general secretaries Raj Mohan Unnithan, K P Kunhikrishnan and N Venugopal , the UDF chief whip in the Assembly PP George and the MLA's P P Thankachan and EM Augustie are also expected to participate in the district level convention. The District Congress Committee (DCC) president , M Veerankutty stated 3000 people would participate in the function.

Medical technologists' meet on 22nd: KOZHIKODE: The fifth annual South Indian Conference of Medical Technologists beginning here on October 22 will discuss the challenges faced by lab technologists in the region. Addressing newspersons here on Monday, A N Anoop, secretary, Students' Association of Medical Technologists (SAMT), said the meet would urge the governments concerned to help them meet the growing challenges in the field by redressing their grievances.

Over 1000 students from Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, besides Kerala, would participate in the conference to be inaugurated by Calicut University Vice-Chancellor Prof Syed Iqbal Hasnain, he said.

Updated 07/10/03

Sanskrit day celebrations : KOZHIKODE: The Sanskrit Day celebrations under the aegis of the Department of Sanskrit, Calicut University, will be held here from October 6th to 7th. A seminar on 'comparative poetics', will be conducted. A 'vakyarthasadas' in which more than 15 traditional scholars will take part, will be the highlight.

M P Veerandra Kumar felicitated : KOZHIKODE: 'Maathrubhoomi' managing director M P Veerendra Kumar who was elected simultaneously as President of Indian Newspaper Society as well as Chairman of Press Trust of India was accorded a warm reception by Kozhikode residents here. In a function which was held in Tagore Theatre on Sunday, people from all walks of life attended the event and felicitated Veerendra Kumar. Kozhikode Zamorin P KS Raja, who presented a memento to Veerandra Kumar from the people, inaugurated the function. Mayor Thottathil Raveendran presided over the function. UDF convener Ommen Chandy presented him with "ponnada'. Dr C K Ramachandran garlanded him.

Thangal for communal amity : KOZHIKODE: IUML State president Panakkad Syed Muhammedali Shihab Thangal yesterday urged all people to strive for establishing lasting peace and communal amity in Marad.In a release here, Thangal said people of Marad should realise that only a peaceful atmosphere would ensure the development of their village. Elders at the village have a greater responsibility for guaranteeing a prosperous future for the younger generation.``Marad people should forget the past and become good neighbours,'' he said.

Thangal lauded the open discussions between the organisations of the two communities to settle the issue.He said vigil should be maintained at the coast to thwart any attempt to ignite another bout of violence. The IUML would give wholehearted support to all peace initiatives, Thangal said.

Updated 15/08/03

Crude explosives hurled at IG's office
KOZHIKODE: Crude explosives were thrown at the office of the Inspector General (Northern Range) at Nadakkavu yesterday morning. According to the police, a liquor bottle suspected to be a petrol bomb was thrown into the compound of the office of IG (Northern Range), Venugopal K. Nair. It exploded but did not cause any impact. The Nadakkavu police has registered a case in this connection. The Nadakkavu police have also registered a case in connection with the throwing of stones and crude explosives at the Malayala Manorama office here yesterday.

RCA bans Coke, Pepsi
KOZHIKODE: The Indian Railway Caterers Association (RCA) has made it known that Coca Cola and Pepsi products will not be sold in the food stalls and pantry cars being run by private agencies. In a press release issued, Indian Railways Caterers Association president N B Krishna Kurup also requested the railway officials to discontinue selling these products in the food stalls and pantry cars run directly by the government.

Updated 09/08/03

Hartal in Kozhikode today
KOZHIKODE: The LDF has called a dawn to dusk hartals in Kozhikode Corporation limits and Koyilandy assembly constituency today. Vehicular traffic, essential services, medical shops and hospitals have been exempted from the hartal.

Updated 29/07/03

State drama awards presented
KOZHIKODE: The state professional drama Awards instituted by the Kerala Sangeeta Nataka Akademi was given away by the Akademi Chairman, Kavalam Narayana Panikker, at a colourful function at the Tagore Centenary Hall yesterday. The award for the best drama, Innalekalile Akasham, was presented to the Kayamkulam-based KPAC troupe. The award for the second best play, Ashtavakran, was presented to Vadakara Sabha, and the award for the third best play went to Pala Communications for Mannkolangal. Vasu Pradeep was presented the award for comprehensive contribution to the field of drama. The best director award went to Pramod Payyannur for Innalekalile Akasham. Kavalam commended the contribution of Kozhikode and the Malabar region to the cultural ethos of the state. "Looking back, I remember with appreciation the impact of K T Mohammed's Ithubhoomiyanu, when it was staged in Thiruvananthapuram many years back. The audience there was yet to see such professionalism in what K T said was amateur theatre.''

Updated 21/07/03

CI Tom bags award for best investigating officer
KOZHIKODE: Nadapuram circle inspector C T Tom has bagged last year's N Chandrasekharan Nair Memorial Endowment for the best investigating officer of Kerala Police. The award, constituted in memory of retired IG Chandrasekharan Nair, comprises a cash prize of Rs 5,000, a gold medal and a certificate. The judging committee, comprising DGP Hormis Tharakan and other senior officials, selected Tom for his performance as an investigating officer. Tom, while serving as Thamarassery CI, had solved the sensational case of murder of a school girl near Thiruvambadi, in 2000. Besides, he had successfully investigated several murder cases. A recipient of 60 awards, Tom had also been with the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau.

Updated 14/07/03

Muhammed Abdurahiman Award presented
KOZHIKODE: Lok Sabha deputy speaker P M Sayed presented the Muhammed Abdurahiman Award 2003, instituted by the Jidah India Cultural Congress, to veteran Congress leader N P Moideen at a function held at the Tagore Centenary Hall. Sayed said that Moideen has always been a symbol of value-based politics. "Throughout his 45-year long political career, N P has always been forthright in his comments and views and has stood by them whatever the situation turned out to be, he said.

Updated 12/07/03

Student organisations indefinite fast from July 29
KOZHIKODE: The joint agitation panel of pro-Left student organisations would start an indefinite fast before the Thiruvananthapuram Secretariat from July 29 to protest against the beating of the student agitators. All India Students Federation (AISF) state secretary, V P Unnikrishnan, demanded that the government stop its attempts to suppress students' agitations by beating up the protesters.

Updated 10/07/03

Drama awards to be presented on July 27
KOZHIKODE: The awards for winners of the professional drama contest, organised by the Kerala Sangeeta Nataka Akademi, will be presented at a programme at the Tagore Hall here on July 27. Cultural Affairs Minister, G. Karthikeyan, will give away the awards. The Akademi Chairman, Kavalam Narayana Panikker, besides people's representatives and cultural leaders will participate in the programme. This will be followed by a drama by the Kayamkulam-based KPAC troupe, which will stage `Innalekalile akasham'.

SKSYS to hold collectorate march
KOZHIKODE: The district committee of the Samastha Kerala Sunni Yuvajana Sangham (SKSYS) will take out a march to the Collectorate tomorrow and will stage a dharna demanding speedy rehabilitation of the displaced Muslim families of Marad, who fled the area after the violence on May 2. The district leaders of the Sangham will lead the march, which is to begin from Eranhipalam. SKSYS state secretary N Ali Abdulla will inaugurate the dharna, which will be organised after the march. The district leaders of the Sunni Yuvajana Sangham told mediapersons that just like the Marad carnage, blocking the rehabilitation of the innocent Muslim women and children was equally condemnable. ''The government has yielded to the recalcitrance of a particular community and has turned its back on the rehabilitation procedures,'' SKSYS district general secretary Majeed Kakkad said.

Updated 06/07/03

Vaikkom Muhammed Basheer remembered
KOZHIKODE: The Bank Men's Club organised a meeting in memory of renowned writer late Vaikkom Muhammed Basheer yesterday. Tamil writer and columnist Ashokamitran was the chief guest at the function. Poet Vijayalakshmi delivered the Basheer memorial lecture. Fabi Basheer and poet Manamboor Rajanbabu attended the function. The awards instituted by the club for college magazines were also distributed at the function. Club secretary Abdul Nazar welcomed the gathering. President Rajagopal presided.

Updated 19/06/03

Efforts to activate Kappad beach
KOZHIKODE: The Department of Tourism has started efforts to activate the Kappad beach resort, one of the major tourist attractions at the rock studded beach here, which was closed down about an year ago following failure of the private caretaker to repay the rent arrears. The new move is to lease out the resort to any leading hotel chain in private sector for a period of five years. Meanwhile, behind-the-scene operations have also begun in the department to entrust the responsibility to the same caretaker, against whom the government had earlier initiated actions including revenue recovery proceedings to get back the rental arrears. The resort, situated very close to the unspoiled beach, was built in 1993 by the Department of Tourism with a view to enhance the tourism potentials of the region. Built in 2.49 acres of public land, the resort has 16 cottages housed in four blocks. Each suit consists of two bedrooms, sit- out, dressing room and other necessary facilities for tourists. The department, which invited open tenders from private groups to run the resort, is planning to revive it by the end of August. The building complex lost most of its charm during the last one year due to utter negligence.

Malabar Travel Mart to begin on Aug 14
KOZHIKODE: As many as 200 tourism experts from the country and abroad are expected to take part in the 'Mystiques of Malabar Travel Mart,' which will be held at Kadavu Resort at Ramanattukara here from August 14 to 16. Addressing an organising committee meeting of the travel mart here, tourism director Alkesh Kumar Sarma informed that the delegates would comprise tour operators, travel agents, group travel organisers, industrialists in the field of tourism and travel journalists. As many as 75 exhibition stalls would be set up at the venue by resorts, hotels, handicraft manufacturers, textile groups, spice producers, art groups, Kalari trainers, architects, restaurants and manufactures of ayurvedic medicines. Special pavilions on heritage tourism, eco-tourism and pilgrim tourism also will be set up.
Malabar Chamber of Commerce president J A Majeed, Calicut Chamber of Commerce president M Muzamil, K T Raghunath, P M Uthup, K T Ajith, Tourism joint director Ourangaseeb and Public Relations deputy director Puthurmadom Chandran were among those who attended the meeting.

SM Street beautification to begin after Onam
KOZHIKODE: The construction works aimed at converting S M Street, into a 'heritage street' with enough tourism potentials will begin after this year's Onam, additional district magistrate P S Mohammed Sageer informed a meeting of shop owners and businessmen of the SM Street, held at the Collectorate. The meeting requested the district authorities to complete the construction works within a period of two months. Traders and shop owners have agreed to cooperate with the project almost wholeheartedly. The Mercantile Bank has agreed to extend financial assistance to shop owners for re-modelling the shops in the heritage way. The multi-crore project, visualised by the district administration with the assistance of the Tourism Department, aims to give a traditional touch to the Street by putting up arches, granite pillars and lamp posts. T Nasaruddin, K Hassan Koya, S D Shenoy, C P Abdurahman, Reji Chitendran, M K Iqbal, C V Balan, S K Syed Ummer, Anil C Mehta and Girish Babu represented the traders. Karad Kunhammed Haji, Dr. Asif, Prakash Gulani and Yunus represented the shop owners.

Updated 16/06/03

Pillai opens CALLS
KOZHIKODE: Transport Minister R Balakrishna Pillai inaugurated the Computerised Learners' Licence System (CALLS), as a prelude to complete computerisation of the RTO's office. The office here is the third in the state, after Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi, where CALLS has been introduced. Under the new system, first an applicant will be photographed using a web camera. Then the applicant should take the test online. The applicant can choose either English or Malayalam as his language and 20 questions will appear in succession on the computer screen. From three choices an applicant has to select the correct answer by clicking on it. In order to pass the test you should get twelve answers correct. Nine or more wrong answers would mean that you failed the test. The total time allowed for the test is 20 minutes. At the end of the test, the computer displays the result of the test. The C-DIT and the National Informatics Centre are carrying out the computerisation jointly.

Fire at Kinetic showroom
KOZHIKODE: A number of bikes and office stationery at the Kinetic Honda showroom in Nadakkavu here, were destroyed in a fire that broke out in the showroom yesterday morning. A short-circuit is believed to have caused the fire, though the actual cause is yet to be ascertained. The fire raged on for sometime before the Fire Force brought it under control. Fire tenders from nearby stations were pressed into service to contain the fire. An estimated loss of Rs 40 lakh has been incurred, according to shop owners.

Updated 11/06/03

KUWJ state office-bearers announced:
KOZHIKODE: The Kerala Union of Working Journalists (KUWJ) has announced its state office-bearers. Bobby Abraham of Malayala Manorama is the new president, while S Jayasankar, Kerala Kaumudi will continue as general secretary. Those elected to the state committee are Antony John, Jacob K Eapen, Rajendran Puthiyedath, Sunil Kumar C, C P Rajasekharan, V R Rajmohan, N Sreenath, A Sethumadhavan, T K Ramakrishnan, Padmanabha Venugopal, K Anil Kumar, V Reji Kumar, S Anil, M M Subair, K Premnath, V P Subair, S Anil Radhakrishnan, P K Phalgunan, Nijas Juel, V E Balakrishnan, S Harisankar, Biju Kurian, S Biju, Francis Thadathil and U Babu Gopinath.

Updated 10/06/03

Moidu Moulavi memorial awards presented:
KOZHIKODE: Secular and democratic forces in the country should incorporate more youngsters in their fold to prevent further deterioration of Indian politics, opined well known writer Dr Sukumar Azhikode. Speaking after presenting this year's E Moidu Moulavi Memorial Award for best social worker to wife of writer and social activist, late N P Mohammed here today, Azhikode exhorted political activists to return to the values maintained by the national leaders during the freedom struggle. Recalling the contributions of E Moidu Moulavi, Azhikode termed him as a national Muslim. He also advised people to desist from groups creating unrest in the society in the name of religion.

Updated 27/05/03

Passport staff strike begins: KOZHIKODE: Employees owing allegiance to the All India Passport Employees Association will go on an indefinite nationwide strike from today, the association joint secretary, K Madhusoodanan said. The association is going on strike demanding that the authorities implement the agreement reached between the organisation's representatives and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2001 and to withdraw all arbitrary transfer orders.

Vijayaraghavan appointed SMAC president: KOZHIKODE: The office bearers of State Municipal and Corporation (SMC) staff union were selected yesterday. Vijayaraghavan has been appointed as the president, Thiruvananthapuram and C J Thomas as the general secretary, Ponnani. The other members are K Jayadevan Nair, P T Vijayan and P G Mohankumar.

Updated 23/05/03

Hindu organisations to observe Marad Day on May 31
KOZHIKODE: The convention of various Hindu organisations held decided to observe May 31 as Marad Day, said a press release issued. Public functions will be organised at all district centres to pay respect to those killed on May 2. The urns containing the ashes of the dead will be kept at these functions. The urns will be taken to holy places for immersion on June 1. Ashes will be immersed at Thiruvallam, Thirumullavaram, Aranmula, Thrukkunnapuzha, Nagambadam, Nedungandam, Aluva, Thruprayar, Kalpathi, Thirunavaya, Varakkal, Thirunelli and Payyambalam. A people contact programme against religious terrorism will be held from May 25 to June 5. Pamphlet distribution, family meets and pada yatras will be organised as part of the programme.

Murali to open works on Pottekat Cultural Centre
KOZHIKODE: The second phase of expansion works of S K Pottekat Cultural Centre at Puthiyara will begin today evening. K Muraleedharan MP will formally inaugurate the resumption of works at a function to be held at the Centre complex at around 5.30 pm. Artist J R Prasad will inaugurate an exhibition of paintings by young artists at the SK Art Gallery. Cultural Centre president A Sujanapal MLA, secretary P M V Panicker and noted architect R K Ramesh claimed the second phase of construction works would convert the Centre, instituted in memory of accomplished Malayalam writer S K Pottekat, as one of the major institutes for art and literature in entire India. ''The expenses towards the Rs 14-lakh project would be met from the local area development funds of K Muraleedharan MP and A Sujanapal MLA. A new library, with an exclusive section for travelogues, will also come up at the Centre. A chess academy, music academy, garden, playground and fine arts school are also planned. The centre will also undertake art and literary workshops, socio-cultural interactions and an orchestra of children.

Updated 9/05/03

AI announces change in flight schedules
KOZHIKODE: Air India has announced a change in their flight schedules due to operational reasons. Flight IC-925, from Chennai to Calicut, operating on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday will arrive in Calicut at 16:45 hours. The Calicut-Muscat flight, IC-925, operating on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday will depart from Calicut at 17:30 hours. Flight IC-926 from Muscat to Calicut, on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday will arrive in Calicut at 07:15 hours. The Calicut-Chennai flight IC 926, operating on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday will leave Calicut at 08:00 hours.

Techno Management course
KOZHIKODE: The IBM center on the NIT campus is conducting a Techno Management course for commerce students. The course, designed by IIT-Kanpur, comprises web designing, office management, e-commerce, accounting software and communicative English. The minimum qualification for the applicants is pre-degree with commerce as the optional subject. The last date for receipt of application is April 23.

Hindu mela at Nellikode:
KOZHIKODE: Revered spiritual leaders would attend a two day convention to be held in the Chinmaya Mission School from April 19 under the auspices of the Hindu Seva Samiti of Nellikode. The convention would bring together families residing in Nellikode in the neighbourhood of the Kollongott Sree Ayyappa temple, the Nellikode Sree Vishnu Narasimha temple, the Azhathrikovil Sree Vishnu temple and the Narakathu Sree Durga Bhagavathi temple. The Hindu Seva Samiti in Nellikode, which is organizing the convention, hopes the programme would help strengthen family values and secularism, besides enabling the uplift of the socially and economically backward.

Anti war samithy meet:
KOZHIKODE: The Kerala Anti-War Samithy, a forum set up by the left and secular forces for the 'promotion of world peace', has decided to organise a meeting at Tagore Centenary Hall here tomorrow at 5.30 pm as part of the efforts to 'consolidate' anti-war moves in the state. Eminent journalist and human rights activist Kuldip Nayyar will speak on 'World after the war on Iraq' on the occasion. Retired justice V R Krishna Iyer will preside over the function. The new website of anti-war samithy, www.samadhanam.org, also will be launched on the occasion. In a statement, samithy convener Dr T M Thomas Issac, MLA urged the people to take part in the programme

  
Adivasi convention on April 12
KOZHIKODE: The Adivasi Samara Aikyadardya Samithi will hold a one-day convention at Koyilandy on April 12 to discuss in detail the core issues of tribal self-rule and the present agitation for land by the tribals. M T Vasudevan Nair will inaugurate it. Addressing a press conference, writer and social activist Kalpetta Narayanan, who will be presiding over the convention, said that by conducting such a discussion the Samithi hoped to bring the issues of the Adivasis to the notice of the society. High Court advocate K S Madhusoodanan will present a paper on 'Adivasis and their right to self-rule'. Civic Chandran and Sunny Kavikkad of Adivasi Gothra Sabha will take part in the discussion, which will have Dr M Gangadharan as moderator.

Mananthavady Bishop dead
KOZHIKODE: Bishop of Mananthavady Syro-Malabar Diocese Mar Emmanuel Pothanamuzhi aged 71 died at a private hospital at Mananthavady yesterday night. The Bishop, who has been undergoing treatment for kidney ailment, was admitted to the hospital two weeks back. Funeral will be held on Tuesday at St Joseph's Cathedral, Kaniyaram, near Mananthavady. Mar Emmanuel Pothanamuzhi, born at Nadukkara near Muvattupuzha was ordained as a CMI priest in 1964 in Mumbai. Before being consecrated as a Bishop, his name was Mani Giles. He joined S H College, Thevara, as a Botany lecturer in 1966.

Training in Swadeshi products on April 12
KOZHIKODE: The second phase in training in the manufacture of swadeshi products under the aegis of the Kerala University and the Centre for Gandhian Studies, will be launched on April 12. The director of the center, Jacob Pulickal, said that after the orientation in soap making and allied products, training in the manufacture of 13 food items from jackfruit is being taken up. In Kozhikode, the classes will be held at the Gandhi Griham, for a select number of 100 persons from Self Help Groups, Kudumbasree units, Neighbourhood Groups, mahila sanghoms etc. Those interested to participate in the training are requested to send a money order of Rs 200 towards food, course material etc to the Secretary, Gandhi Peace Foundation Trust, Gandhi Griham, Cherooty Road, Kozhikode.

CPI Janajagaran Yatra begins
KASARGOD: The Janajagaran Yatra, organised by the Communist Party of India to highlight the alleged anti-people and communal oriented policies of the central government was flagged off yesterday by party state secretary Veliyam Bhargavan. Addressing a press conference before flagging off the yatra Veliyam Bhargavan flayed the US for waging an unlawful war against Iraq.

Ammayodoppam on April 5
KOZHIKODE: Anti-war themes will be the main highlight of the programme Ammayodoppam being held on April 5. Songs, dance and skits on anti war themes would be the main programmes of the show. Ammayodoppam is being organized by the event management firm, Innovations to raise funds for Amma, the association of film artistes. Top actors and actresses of Malayalam cinema are in the district for the rehearsals since April 1. P V Gangadharan, film producer and chairman of the Kerala State Film Development Corporation (KFDC) said that the revenue from the Ammayodoppam would be used for the welfare scheme for senior film artistes.