KOCHI: Periyar Tiger Reserve (PTR), the first wildlife sanctuary in Kerala, has turned 75. The year-long platinum jubilee celebrations of the sanctuary will begin with a two-day national seminar on ``People and Tigers - Shifting Trajectories of Ecology and Co-existence

The harvesting of organic paddy cultivated by the Vadakkencherry Padashekhara Samithi was performed here on Thursday.

The Vadakkencherry Padashekhara Samithi consisting of 40 farmers had grown paddy in a 75 acre area. This was the second harvest festival being held here. Last year organic paddy cultivation was experimented in the paddy fields here with the co-operation of the Vadakkencherry grama panchayat and the Department of Agriculture.

PALAKKAD: The Government will initiate steps to declare the Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary as the second tiger reserve in the State by the end of the current financial year, according to Forest Minister Benoy Viswom.

The Minister was speaking after flagging off the four safari buses to the Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary at a function held in Aanapady on Tuesday.

He said that the first reserve was the Periyar sanctuary.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The systematic and scientific disposal of plastic and biodegradable waste by the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation was the cream of all surprises gifted by the Corporation to Kochi Mayor Mercy Williams.

KOCHI: The Kerala High Court on Wednesday directed the state government to take appropriate action to stop quarrying operations in all forest areas in the state as expeditiously as possible, at any rate, within three months.

Radhakrishnan Kuttoor

ARANMULA: The dumping of huge quantity of waste generated at the Oottupura of Sree Parthasarathy Temple here on the banks of the Pampa and the liquid waste flowing directly into the river have been causing pollution of the river.

The pollution status of the river has gone up considerably with the beginning of the festival season of Vallasadya, ritualistic feast given to oarsmen of snakeboats, at the temple. An average of three Vallasadyas take place at the temple every day during the period, according to temple authorities.

T. Nandakumar

New system to promote group farming and protect water bodies
Law concerned will be amended soon
Irrigation canals in need of repair

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala government is planning to introduce a participatory system of irrigation management, under which farmers will be entrusted with the operation and maintenance of canals in the State.