Crabs being deposited in the Ashtamudi lake near Kollam
Kollam :
With the Ashtamudi lake facing depletion of crabs owing to indiscriminate fishing in the area, the government on Thursday began a programme of crab breeding in the lake near Kollam.
Under the programme, high quality crabs are brought from the Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Aquaculture Centre at Nagapattinam in Tamil Nadu and deposited in a special protective enclosure in the lake.
The mission is to prevent serious environmental problems.
The programme is being implemented by the Fisheries Department under the marine life protection programme.
Special nets have been set up in the lake to protect the crabs in the enclosure. A total of 3,657 crabs
have been deposited in the lake.
Each crab grows to have a weight of 8 kg with each kg costing `1,200.
The programme was inaugurated by district panchayat secretary K Anil Kumar. Fisheries Deputy Director Suresh was also present
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Kannada / by Express News Service / April 01st, 2016
Members of the Cholanaikkan community from Nilambur watch a water-rocket launch demonstration at the Regional Science Centre and Planetarium in Kozhikode on Thursday.Photo: K. Ragesh
A 40-member team from Cholanaikkan community gets a first-hand feel of planetarium; experts look forward to learning a thing or two from the tribals’ knowledge of astronomy
For most of them, it was the first time venturing out of their natural habitat, the forest. Yet, it was wonder, curiosity and enthusiasm rather than discomfort that reflected on the faces of Cholanaikkans who visited the Regional Science Centre in Kozhikode on Thursday.
Cholanaikkans, who live in the deciduous forests of Nilambur, are the only surviving hunter gatherer tribe in the country and the only tribal community in Asia that lives in rock-cave shelters. Except for a few who have ventured out on their own in pursuit of education and jobs, most members of the tribe live 10 km into the forest from Nilambur and do not even accept accommodation provided by the government.
These people from the tribal colonies of Mancheeri, Poochappara, Mannala, Karimpuzha and Kuppam Mala still live on fruits, berries and meat and do not engage in farming.
For the expedition on Thursday, the 40-member team had to leave their hamlets early in the morning and walk up to 5 km to catch a vehicle. The Calicut International Airport was their first stop and later, the Regional Science Centre and Planetarium. At the science centre, a water-rocket launch demonstration welcomed them. After lunch, they had a good time exploring the exhibits at the science centre. They were later treated to a magic show by Pradeep Hudinho. This was followed by cultural programmes.
Interestingly, officials at the Science Centre had an “ulterior motive” in inviting Cholanaikkans to Kozhikode: they wanted to record the tribals’ knowledge about astronomy. In fact, Mayank Vahia from the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bangalore, was here with the purpose of extending the horizon of his research on tribal astronomy by partaking in astronomical discussions with Cholanaikkans.
“I have studied the astronomy of tribals in central India. It is very different from our understanding of space. I guess Cholanaikkans have an entirely different understanding of it,” Mr. Vahia said, adding that he planned to record what they had to say when they were shown the constellations in the planetarium.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Kozhikode / by Aabha Anoop / Kozhikode – March 04th, 2016
Chief Minister Oommen Chandy will inaugurate Coir Kerala 2016, the sixth edition of the annual trade event on coir and natural fibres, at EMS stadium in Alappuzha on February 1.
The five-day fair will be launched at 5 p.m. on Monday.
Over 150 international buyers from 54 countries in addition to domestic buyers will participate in the event. The foreign participants include those from African and Latin American nations.
The international pavilion will have 125 stalls while the national pavilion will feature 135 stalls. The event’s buyer-seller meet will be inaugurated by Rajya Sabha deputy chairman P.J. Kurian on February 3. Union Minister for MSME Kalraj Mishra will deliver the inaugural address at a national seminar on February 4.
Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala will preside over the valedictory function on February 5.
Minister for Revenue and Coir Adoor Prakash said here on Sunday that the government had decided to accelerate coir husk procurement. Production of husk rose from 25,000 tonnes to 60,000 tonnes.
The government is targeting 75,000 tonnes by the end of the current fiscal year.
The Union government has provided Rs.2 crore to the Coir Kerala 2016 corpus.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Kerala / by Special Correspondent / February 01st, 2016
A view of the seed festival being organised by the Fair Trade Alliance Kerala at Karuvanchal in Kannur on Sunday.
An exhibition of indigenous seeds and a collection of carefully preserved agrarian items at Kuruvanchal here is drawing farmers from the region.
The fifth Vithulsavam (seed festival) being held under the auspices of the Fair Trade Alliance Kerala (FTAK), an organisation of small holder farmers drawn from the hill areas of the State, has exhibited a large collection of seeds of agrarian crops.
The organisers of the exhibition said that 20 stalls of the FTAK displays the seeds and agrarian items. Among the seeds on display include those of 600 varieties of rice as also dozens of vegetable types and pepper.
The exhibition was inaugurated by Andy Good, founder of Equal Exchange, United Kingdom, on January 22. The exhibition will conclude on January 26. The organisers said that delegates from France, Italy, Switzerland, U.K., Peru, Mexico and Australia participated in the round table programme held on Sunday. The small farmer logo on FTAK products was also released on the occasion. A career guidance workshop and a farm quiz will be conducted on January 25, they informed.
FTAK representatives said that around 5,000 farming families in Kasaragod, Kannur, Wayanad and Kozhikode are involved in its indigenous seed preservation effort and various promotional programmes.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Kerala / by Special Correspondent / Kannur – January 15th, 2016
Thomas Vijayan bagged the ‘Wildlife Photographer of the Year – People’s Choice Award,’ constituted on the occasion of the 51st anniversary of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year Competition conducted by the Natural History Museum, London.
Thomas Vijayan is the first Malayali and the fourth Indian to win the award.
The award, which is regarded as the world’s most prestigious award in wildlife photography, is referred to the Oscar in Wildlife Photography.
The award winning photograph is that of a common langur hanging on the tails of two others and swinging naturally as humans do. It was short-listed by nine expert juries from over 42,000 entries from across 96 countries. “This image, captured at Kabini in Karnataka, is special in its own way as it was selected by the juries for the people to select,” said Vijayan.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Kerala / by Express News Service / January 13th, 2016
Mayor V. Rajendrababu inaugurating the harvest of banana crops cultivated under the ATMA scheme at Uliyakovil in Kollam city on Monday.— Photo: C. Suresh Kumar
A two-acre plot at Uliyakovil in Kollam city, which was lying idle for years with overgrown shrubbery and infested with rodents, is now a rich plantation with 1,000 banana plants ready for harvest
The harvest was formally inaugurated by Mayor V. Rajendrababu in the evening on Monday.
Owner of the plot Binoy Abraham says about 200 plants are ready for harvest and the remaining will season in the coming few days and get ready for being harvested. The entire crop is being sold locally.
But Mr. Binoy gives the credit of converting his idle plot into a farm to his employees at the printing press run by him. The idea sprouted in the mind of Pramod, a native of Neyyattinkara, who comes from a family of traditional farmers.
Kuwait-based Mr. Binoy, who nursed a deep interest in farming, agreed to the idea and assured the required financial support. Technical help came from the Agriculture Department through the Kollam Krishi Bhavan, and the plot that was earmarked for banana crop was soon included as a scheme the Agriculture Technology Management Agency (ATMA).
Soon the plot was cleared, the land made ready, and a year ago the banana saplings were planted.
Pramod and his colleagues turned farmers during their free time, and tended to the saplings and experimented with some inter crops like tapioca and vegetables.
Assistant Agricultural Officer Shaji D., who supervised the activities, says that plot soon turned out to be the biggest banana plantation in the city.
Only organic farming methods have been used and what is being harvested from there is pure organic, he says. After the harvest, the land will be made ready for the next banana crop.
A small function was held at the plot to herald the harvest and the main reason for that is to encourage people to use idle land for farming.
“It contributes towards food security,” says Mr. Binoy. The function was presided over by Principal Agricultural Officer (Kollam) Stanley Chacko.
Bishop of the Kollam diocese of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, Zachariah Mar Anthonios, former Deputy Mayor, M. Noushad, Assistant Director (Agriculture) S. Venu and, agriculture field officer R. Babu spoke.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Kerala / by Ignatius Pereira / Kollam – January 12th, 2016
India has a powerful opportunity to develop its global ambitions through cooperation with the United Nations, said Kiran Mehra Kerpelman, director of United Nations Information Centre for India and Bhutan. She was inaugurating an international conference conducted to commemorate the 70th anniversary of United Nations here on Saturday.
Quoting United Nations secretary general Ban Ki-moon, Kiran said, “These are the reflections of India’s increasing influence on the international stage. At this moment of time and space, India has a powerful opportunity to develop its global ambitions through cooperation with the UN.”
The conference on ‘Global Partnership towards Peace, Development and Human Rights: India and the UN’ organized by United Nations Information Centre, India and Bhutan in association with department of political science, University of Kerala and V K Krishna Menon Study Centre for International Relations was held at senate chamber.
“Indian and the UN have a long standing and far reaching relationships from the early days of leadership, on racial discrimination and decolonisation. As the successful initiatives like institutionalising equality, end poverty and fighting hunger the world over, we must fight together the threat of terrorism. The incessant rain at Chennai, floods in Uttarakhand and unseasonal heat waves at Andhra Pradesh and at rest of the country all are climate related. It is high time we realized the effects of climate change,” said Kiran.
Mentioning the COP 21 (Paris Climate Conference), an international political response to climate change, to be held Paris from Monday, she said that the 70th anniversary of the UN entails a certain amount of reflection in the past and plan for the future, which will decided at COP21.
Kerala University vice-chancellor P K Radhakrishnan, who presided over the event, spoke about the need for more focus in the conservation of environment and also on the need for peace and tolerance, while Rajiv Chandran, national information officer at United Nations Information Centre for India and Bhutan urged the students to join the district organization of United Nations Associations and update themselves about the decisions of the UN and also share their ideas.
A book on ‘The Changing Dimensions of Security: India’s Security Policy Options’ edited by Suresh R, director of V K Krishna Menon Study Centre for International Relations, was also released by Kiran Mehra Kerpelman by handing over the first copy to P K Radhakrishnan.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Thiruvananthapuram / TNN / December 06th, 2015
Paddy farmers harvesting the traditional rice variety cultivated in the brackish water fields at Vellikkeel Chera in Kannur on Sunday.
Traditional paddy farmers who have revived the paddy-cum-shrimp cultivation in the tidal marshes near Anthur here, by cultivating a rare salinity-resistant rice seed, are planning to market the organically grown rice.
Ketharam, a self-help group of paddy farmers of Vellikkeel Chera in the Anthur municipality, has been cultivating the Kuttoosan variety of rice that was once popular in the kaipad fields (traditional brackish water paddy fields). The variant had almost become extinct after a large extent of tidal marshes was left fallow for years. It is for the fourth successive year that the group is harvesting produce on its 16-acre field, which includes the land owned by each member and cultivable land on lease.
“We have been harvesting 1,500 kg rice per acre after the revival of the kaipad cultivation under the rice-cum-shrimp scheme of under the Agency for Aquaculture Development, Kerala (ADAK),” said M. Sureshan, secretary of the group.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Kerala / by Mohamed Nazeer / Kannur – October 26th, 2015
Madayippara is not just a photographer’s delight or a treasure trove of biodiversity. The laterite plateau, which changes its moods and colours according to seasons, is also a specimen as to how indiscriminate industrial activities could spell doom for a place and damage its ecology and biodiversity.
The exhibition of photographs of Madayippara and the news clippings about the place, makes a difference because it captivates not only the beauty of the place but also its history, heritage and the environmental threats it faces.
“When we hear about the place, the first picture that we get is of the bed of grass and flowers, as also the migratory birds that visit here on transit,” said P K Krishnan Master, chairman of Environmental Conservation Group (ECG), Madayi, which organized the show.
“But the real picture comes to the fore when you visit the place, because the biodiversity there is facing serious threat from the China Clay factory as well as the indiscriminate vehicular traffic there.”
This exhibition is expected to sensitize people about the importance of protecting the place, said the organizers, because it is not just the beauty of the place which is covered in the show.
“When I embarked on this mission, my aim was to bring to life not just a few picture postcard images, because it has everything ranging from history, like the remains of the Jewish pond, and also the biodiversity that attracts many migratory birds,” said photojournalist Rojith Ravindran.
However, if some strict measures are not taken to prevent the environmental degradation of the place, the biodiversity and the migratory birds that visit the place would be a thing of the past, warn the environmental activists.
The exhibition, which would be on till Tuesday, was inaugurated by K M Shaji, MLA.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Kozhikode / by P. Sudhakaran, TNN / September 28th, 2015
The national level Homeopathy convention organizing by Global Homeopathy Foundation in association with the Department of Ayush in Kozhikode on September 13 will witness eminent scientists and experts presenting various topics ranging from homeopathy medicines to treat HIV, Hepatitis B and Ebola.
Dr A R Khuda Bukhsh, an eminent molecular biologist who have demonstrated anti-cancer effects of homeopathy in cell line studies will present his recent studies related to his field and homeopathy.
Dr S Praveen Kumar of JSPS Government Homeo Medical College will present papers on research work he has done on action of Crotalus Horridus in Homeopathic dilution of 30 potency on reverse transcriptase enzyme involved in multiplication of HIV, Ebola and Hepatitis B viruses .
Dr E S Rajendran, Director, Vinayaka Mission’s Homeopathic Medical college, Salem will present paper on nano-studies of new drugs and the basics of nanoscience and also incorporate ideas regarding the biological action of drug potencies.
Dr Rajesh Shah, eminent homeopathic doctor and researcher, will present his latest research on HIV and Hepatitis C infections.
Dr. Upama Bagai, Immunologist will deliver a talk on efficacy of homeopathic medicines on chloroquine resistant and CQ sensitive strain of human malaria parasite, their cytotoxic studies on human cell lines and results in in-vitro antileishmanial activity against human.
Dr Eswara Das, consultant advisor in homeopathy to Government of India will deliver a lecture on schemes by the AYUSH Department which can be used by potential professionals to develop homeopathy.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Kozhikode / by Sreedevi Chithranjan, TNN / September 12th, 2015
