Taking the tussle between Tamil Nadu and Kerala over Koodankulam Atomic ower Plant project to the next level, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy has met Union Power Minister Veerappa Moily to demand an increased share from the project for Kerala.

Citing that Kerala is going through a severe power crisis due to the weak South-West monsoon, Chandy has requested the Power Minister to raise the state’s allocation of power to at least 500 MW instead of the expected 266 MW as per the Gadgil formula.

Former Forest Minister Benoy Viswam alleged that the UDF government is facilitating the encroachment of forest land. “The UDF is trying to override the Ecologically Fragile Land Act 2011,” said Viswam at a press conference here on Saturday. The CPI leader opined that the government should hire legal experts to safeguard the law.

“If the government is not going to put up a good fight, then the state will lose the ownership of the land leased out to private parties. The encroachers have ensured the services of eminent lawyers from outside the state,” said Viswam.

To protect the Periyar, the lifeline of the state, and maintain its strength and beauty, a river authority should be formed, said E P Yasodharan, chairman, Environment Cell, constituted by the Stan

Hoteliers in the state have taken a strong exception to the five conditions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, including the restriction on the chefs from wearing ornaments, as they are “not practical and feasible to the functioning of low and medium level hotels”.

The State Food Safety Commissioner had issued a circular the other day with 30 guidelines in the Act after the tragic incident of a youth’s death on July 10 after having ‘shawarma’ from Salwa Cafe in Thiruvananthapuram.