Kerala needs to work out tourism products in conjunction with private stake-holders and local communities to meet the challenges ahead, says Fiona Jeffrey, chairman of the World Travel Market (WTM), a

Coconut Development Board (CDB) will promote a new technology that controls pests in coconut trees.

The State government is ready with an action plan to prevent the recurrence of chikungunya and other epidemics, Health Minister P.K. Sreemathy told the Assembly on Monday.

The Health Department has put its entire machinery on alert in Kerala following reports of viral fever from Vadakara in Kozhikode district.

uncertainty continues in Chengara village in south Kerala's Pathanamthitta district where about 10,000 landless people forcibly settled in a rubber plantation in August 2007. The settlers, mostly

It was filed by a Kerala NGO

LIFESTYLE: It will house around 50 yachts and will be the world's only marina with a golf course. Ever wondered where Vijay Mallya, the proud owner of three luxury yachts, docks his boats? Not in India, for sure, as India does not yet have a marina for private yachts. But he may soon reconsider. The foundation stone for the country's first full-fledged marina, to house around 50 yachts, was laid at Bolgatty Island in Kochi on March 1 by Kerala Chief Minister VS Achuthanandan. It will also be the world's only marina with a golf course. Next in line seems to be the Mumbai-Goa coastline, which is 7,500 km long. Indian millionaires are fast buying luxury yachts. Sujay Chouhan, co-organiser of the recent Mumbai Boat Show says, "The market for boats and luxury yachts is just about taking off in India, and besides Kochi, we also expect Mumbai-Goa coastlines to get a marina each from the government soon.' The marina in Kochi would be spread over five acres and is expected to give a huge boost to tourism in the state because it will be a stopover for all yachts that sail from West Asia to the Far East and vice versa. The eco-friendly marina, between Kochi Marine Drive and Bolgatty Island, will accommodate close to 50 luxury yachts, and provide docking, storage, maintenance and other facilities for boats. The Kerala Tourism Development Corporation (KTDC) plans to develop the marina in two stages, with the first phase to be completed in less than 18 months at a cost Rs 8 crore, of which the central government has sanctioned Rs 4 crore. KTDC has appointed Kerala Industrial and Technical Consultancy Organisation (KITCO) as the consultant for the project. Gulu Lalvani, founder and chairman of Binatone Telecom Group, believes that the Indian coastline could soon have a world-class luxury marina, complete with villas overlooking the bay, luxury condos that would have their own yacht moorings, that too right in Mumbai. Lalvani, who is the developer of Royal Phuket Marina in Thailand, has ambitious plans for India. "At around $250 million investment, I can re-create Royal Phuket Marina's Aquaminium concept, which are condominiums featuring private boat-berths within the residence itself. The property comprises three buildings and offers investors varying unit types including triplex and duplex penthouses, and two and three bedroom condominiums, and offers one of the world's most unique investment opportunities.' He is obviously looking to woo the likes of Vijay Mallya and Gautam Singhania. "Yachting can bring high spending individuals to Indian coasts and port areas,' he enthuses. According to Lalvani, it could take up to three years to develop a new marina, as regulatory approvals from environmentalists, developers and government bodies have to be obtained before developing a marina. "We expect eight projects to develop marinas along the Indian coasts, which will serve as a very integral part of the infrastructure for cities along a coast. A marina can allow more ferry services for increasing water transport. Indians can be exposed to a new lifestyle,' Chouhan notes. With almost 200 boats and about 50 yachts owned by people in Mumbai and Goa, a marina seems to be a timely construction.

A special team of the Coimbatore City Police late on Saturday night arrested in Kerala three of a 10-member inter-State sandalwood smuggling gang that robbed two policemen of a pistol here on February 23. The pistol was not recovered. The city police had constituted special teams to probe the incident. The teams co-ordinated with the Coimbatore Rural Police and the Kerala police, sharing intelligence and seeking assistance, when required. During a vehicle check in the Naatukal police limits in Palakkad district of Kerala, one of the special teams intercepted a jeep and arrested H. Haris (33) of Mannarkad, B. Syed Alavi Kunjani (49) and F.M. Sharbudeen alias Sherief (23) of Palakkad. The jeep used by the gang for smuggling sandalwood logs was seized. The three were brought to Coimbatore along with the jeep. The hunt for the seven other gang members is continuing.

UN report predicts 55 per cent of Indians will live in cities by 2050 Half of the world's population is expected to turn urban by the end of this year. A UN report now estimates that cities in Africa and Asia will account for most of the growth in urban population by 2050. However, over 45 per cent of India's population may continue to live in villages, down from the 70 per cent now. In comparison, only 30 per cent of Chinese are expected to live in the countryside, against 60 per cent now. The growth in urban population is a historical trend and India can't be an exception. People have historically moved from rural areas to urban enclaves due to social and economic reasons and aspirational factors. Cities generate more jobs than villages, especially in the organised sector. They have good schools and hospitals, diverse markets, vibrant cultural spaces and are assumed to offer a better quality of life. People naturally prefer to migrate to cities when given the opportunity. The flip side of this trend is that cities can get overcrowded and stretch public utilities. Many Indian cities face this prospect. One way to address this problem is to incentivise reverse migration so that our overcrowded cities are decongested, besides, of course, upgrading the facilities in urban centres. Reverse migration is now a realistic proposition due to social and economic changes and emergence of new forms of technology. Our democratic institutions are now more representative and inclusive thanks to Panchayati Raj. Women and lower castes have a visible presence in local government. Social oppression that forced many people to flee villages to cities is on the decline in most parts of the country. The IT revolution is changing the concept of work and workplace. Many non-metros have benefited from these changes. As local economies grow in size markets too will diversify and more jobs will be created in and around these cities. More small towns could reap the benefits of the emerging economy if local governments pursue the right policies. The task before the government is to make policies to ensure that urban amenities presently available only in big cities reach small towns and even villages. States like Kerala and Tamil Nadu have demonstrated that this could be achieved. These two states have built a seamless network of small towns and villages well connected by roads and communication links. As the Budget has revealed India does not face shortage of capital. The task is to ensure that resources are deployed in the right manner. An urbanised population spread more evenly over a large number of cities would be a better option for the future than a handful of overcrowded mega cities.

State stands to gain from welfare schemes announced for minorities Roughly four lakh farmers in Kerala are expected to gain from the debt relief measures announced by Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram's farmer-friendly budget. Since the huge majority of farmers in debt in Kerala are marginal (holding below one hectare) and small (below two hectares), their debts could be totally waived. And a sizeable number of them will be from two districts, Wayanad and Idukki, and most of them will be the so-called