Food Safety officials continued raids of hotels in cities and towns across Kerala State on the second day on Wednesday for detection of low quality food items. Altogether 11 hotels were ordered to be closed and 150 hotels were served notices seeking improvement in quality and standards. The raids covered 211 hotels on Tuesday and 60 hotels on Wednesday (till evening).

The raids come in the wake of the death of a youth in Bangalore allegedly after he consumed ‘shawarma’ from a hotel in Thiruvananthapuram.

Minister for Forests, Sports and Cinema K. B. Ganesh Kumar told the Assembly on Tuesday that the government proposed to take up programmes to regenerate forest cover.

Replying to the debate on the demand for grants for forest, the Minister said that the Department was undertaking regeneration of natural vegetation even in cities under the ‘Vana Deepti’ programme. One such scheme was being taken up in Thrissur town.

The Chief Minister blames the Corporation for "serious default", especially in implementing scheme for decentralised waste management

The row between the government and the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation over solid waste management intensified on Wednesday with Chief Minister Oommen Chandy blaming the Corporation for “serious default”, especially in implementing scheme for decentralised waste management.

Kerala Cabinet on Monday decided to set up an expert committee to suggest alternatives to recommendations of the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel.

The committee will have representatives of the Water Resources, Power, Forests, Fisheries and Environment departments and institutions studying subjects such as environment and biodiversity. Announcing the decision after a special meeting of the Cabinet, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said that the government was cognizant of the need to protect environment.

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has asked Chief Secretary K. Jayakumar to appear personally before it on June 11, if the State government fails to take action on the compensation recommended for endosulfan victims in Kasaragod district.

The Chief Secretary should file an action-taken report on the commission's recommendations before June 4, failing which he will have to appear before it. The commission has warned that it will approach the Supreme Court for enforcement of its recommendations if the government fails to pay the compensation.

The Health Department has approved programmes under the unified master plan package for relief and remediation of endosulfan victims in Kasaragod district.
The Rs. 136-crore package is funded by National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD)

Health Minister Adoor Prakash said in an official release here on Tuesday that 38 of the projects under the package approved by NABARD were to be taken up in the health sector.

Geraldine J.

The government has decided to go ahead with preparation of detailed project report for the High Speed Rail Corridor connecting Thiruvananthapuram to Kasaragod trains speeding more than 200 kilometres an hour.

Though there were apprehensions about the feasibility of the project, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, which conducted the feasibility study, has given a positive report.

Health Minister Adoor Prakash said here on Monday that government was ready to extend the comprehensive health plan to all districts of the State from January 15.

Addressing a press conference here, the Minister said that the first phase of the programme had been initiated in Alappuzha district. As the result was found good, preparations were done for extension of the plan to other districts.

Officials sources clarified here on Friday that Kerala's expression of willingness for joint control of the proposed new dam on the Mullaperiyar was about water regulation only.

The proposal placed before the Empowered Committee of the Supreme Court earlier was that the ownership, control and maintenance of the new dam would vest with Kerala. A joint water regulatory board could be in charge of water regulation.