Centre seeks detailed plan for slum-free urban development

Thiruvananthapuram, Jul 9 : The Centre has asked five City Corporations in Kerala to prepare a detailed plan for slum-free urban development and submit immediately, as part of implementing the ambitious Rajiv Awas Yojana (RAY) to address the problems of slum dwellers and urban poor.

This direction was given by Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation Aruna Sundarajan, after assessing the progress made by the state in rolling out the RAY in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Kochi, Thrissur and Kozhikode Corporations, official sources said today.

Kudumbashree Mission is the nodal agency for executing the project in the state. 

Surveying and mapping of the existing slums in the five Corporation areas, assessment of the growth of the cities with a 20-year perspective, necessary legislative and administrative changes required for urban land expansion, changes proposed in the town planning regulations, and actions to obtain commensurate lands or virtual lands will be part of the detailed action plans to be submitted to the Centre.

The Joint Secretary said the Centre had decided to spend Rs 5000 crore in the next two years under the Rajiv Awas Yojana across the country. 

The Centre would provide financial assistance to states to assign property rights to slum dwellers for provision of shelter and basic civic and social services for slum re-development and for creation of affordable housing stock under the RAY scheme.

Two hurt after jumping off a running autorickshaw

Kozhikode, Jul 9 : Two girls sustained serious injuries after they jumped out of a moving autorickshaw at Puthiyara in the city last night.

Police said three girls, one hailing from Kannur and the other from Manathawadi, working in a Mall here, had hired the autorickshaw from new bus stand to return home after work.

The two were admitted to a hospital, they said.

The driver of the autorickshaw, Shaji was arrested on a complaint from one of the girls, police added.

Opposition criticises budget decisions

Thiruvananthapuram, Jul 8 : Opposition leader in Kerala Assembly V S Achuthanandan today alleged that the budget could undermine the land reforms in the state.

Talking to newspersons here, he said the development of poor sections and social security of the state would be badly affected by various decisions in the budget.

CPI(M) State Secretary Pinarayi Vijayan alleged that the budget was lacking steps to strengthen agriculture sector and state-owned public undertakings. He alleged that the local self governments were kept away from the decentralisation process adding the formation of many new development authorities could minimise the role of local self governments in the development process. 

The budget was aimed at satisfying certain sections of the society based on their demographic importance, he said adding the budget ignored various sections including women and traditional industries.

Jus K K Narendran passes away

Kochi, Jul 8: Former Kerala High court Judge Justice K K Narendran died here at a private hospital following a brief illness.

He was 87.

He started is legalprofession and took charge as a High Court Judge in 1974 after his 23-year-long teaching profession and he retired from the service in 1985.

Before starting his legal profession, Narendran also worked as a journalist, associated with Dinabandu in 1974.

Born in 1949, he completed his LLB from the

Ernakulam law College from its first batch of LLB and

penned various legal books.

Narendran was the chairman of the commission, which enquired regarding the representation of backward communities in the government service.

He was also appointed as the chairman of creamy layer issue and his report had invited serious controversies.

Met you, became friends

Met you, became friends,
shared secrets, freaked out,
had fun, fought with you,
Laughed with you, Smiled with you,
Cried with u, Hurt you, Teased you,
And here i am, still thinking of u..
Long journey, huh!!?
And we shall never let it end, right?
Just wanted u to know
that my lovely friend, u r valued!!!

I miss my Friends

I miss my Friends,
When I see some other Gang sitting around, caring, slapping each other.
Their mischievous smiles switching to loud laughter’s,
Though stranger to me,
they represent a part of my life i lost somewhere,
I miss my friends.
I like you all, I love u all, Stay happy where ever you are

GOD is so wise that he never

GOD is so wise that he never created FRIENDS with pricetags, Because….. if He did, I can’t afford a precious FRIEND like YOU!!!

You’re a true friend,

You’re a true friend,
That i want you to know,
Our love for each other
Has helped us to grow.
We’ve been through some tough times,
But we’ve made it through,
The only one i ever trusted was you.

Never say ur happy when ur sad…

Never say ur happy when ur sad… never say ur fine when ur not ok… never say u feel good when u feel bad… and never say ur alone when I m still alive.

Time will always fly

Time will always fly, but our love will never die. Keep in touch and remeber me

I love all the stars in the sky,

I love all the stars in the sky, but they are nothing compared to the ones in your eyes!

If i were a tear in ur eye

If i were a tear in ur eye i wood roll down onto ur lips.But if u were a tear in my eye i wood never cry as i wood be afraid 2 lose u

Temple Trussure Valued Upto 1lakh crore

Thiruvananthapuram, Saturday, July 02, 2011: According to the recent reports the seven-member committee, appointed by the Supreme Court to take an inventory of the six vaults (kallaras) at the SreePadmanabhaswamy Temple here, have found stunning range of precious articles estimated to be worth Rs one lakh crore.

One of the amazing artifacts found on Saturday is a golden statue of Lord Vishnu studded with precious gems. Other articles found from the cellar opened on Saturday include emeralds, various types of golden chains and zodiac rings.

It turned out to be a virtual treasure trove of precious gold ornaments, jewels, stone-studded crowns, vessels, platters, lamps, solid gold objects and a wide range of other curios of immense heritage and intrinsic value.

The examination of four of the six inner chambers in the sprawling temple complex showed that they contained gold chains, gold, a large number of silver and brass platters, ornaments, a stone-studded crown and glittering gold coated parasols and may other objects of great intrinsic and antique value, temple sources said.

Kerala temple's elephants enjoy a break

Guruvayoor, July 2 : For 46 of the 63 elephants at the SreeKrishna Temple here in Kerala, it's time to sit back and enjoy a month-long break that comes with a rejuvenation therapy, an official said Saturday.

This famed temple inThrissur district is the single largest owner of around 900 captive elephants in the state.

A five-member team of elephant experts is overlooking the rejuvenation therapy which includes rest, feeding as per a diet chart and allopathic and ayurvedic medical treatment.

Speaking to IANS, temple secretary K.M. Reghuraman said the rejuvenation therapy started Friday.

"We do this every year where the animals are given rest and medically checked. They undergo blood tests and stomach examinations," he said. 

"Like human beings these animals also have to be routinely checked and this helps hugely because the heat at times becomes unbearable for themo. A break like this does a world of good to the elephants," said elephant expert K.C. Panicker.

The remaining 17 elephants of the temple would undergo the rejuvenation therapy after the first batch.

Most elephants do duty in various other temples during the festival season. The temples need to book them in advance with the Guruvayoor Devaswom, which oversees the day to day functioning of the temple.

Latest eye care technologies to lure medical tourists

hiruvananthapuram, Jul 2 : Eye care is all set to become a key revenue earner for the flourishing medical tourism with a hospital in central Kerala introducing totally blade-free Lasiksurgery.

The most advanced systems in eyesurgery were being installed to offer treatment at very cheap rates compared to other cities in India and abroad, Medical Director of the super speciality Mulamoottil Eye Hospital, Dr Ashley Jacob, said at Kozhencherry.

''It is the first time this surgical treatmentis being introduced in Kerala We are charging a very affordable fee as this is the second such facility in India after the one in Bangalore two months back,'' Dr Jacob said.

Presently, many hospitals perform the partially blade-free surgery in which a computerised metallic blade is used for cutting the flap of the cornea and correcting the lens power by re shaping the remaining cornea with laser treatment. In the blade free-flap free Lasik method, the surgery is being performed with laser beams flashed through a laser window.

Dr Jacob said, ''In conventional blade and laser method, there will be a tissue loss in cornea to the extent of 150 microns whereas in flap-free blade-free Lasik surgery, it comes down to 80 microns.

Internationally, it is the latest technology for treating myopia, long sight and astigmatism.''

Emirates flight lands safely: develops snag in hydraulic system

The pilot of the flight EK 532 who noticed some anomaly in the hydraulic system of the aircraft just before landing, informed the Air Traffic Control authorities at Kochi airport to make standby arrangements for landing. 

Following the message, the ATCswung into action and alerted various emergency agencies to take precautionary measures. Fire Engines were positioned immediately. Ambulance and medical services were alerted, and security and emergency agencies took up positions. 

However, the flight landed safely at 0305 hrs. 

Later, the aircraft was taken to a separate bay for technicians to undertake the repair. The flight which was scheduled to return as EK 533 to Dubai at 0420 hrs was cancelled temporarily. 

The flight was expected to take off to Dubai by this evening with 207 passengers, Emirates sources said.