Dental clinic strike on July 23

Dental clinics will remain closed on 23rd July 2012, in protest against the 'wrong' policies of the State government towards the dental treatment sector, informed the State secretary of the Indian Dental Association Shibu Rajagopal in Kollam.

In-fact the strike is against granting permissions to new Dental Colleges in the State, which the Association says, will ruin the employment prospects of dentists in the State. The State already has more than 10,000 registered dentists, according to the Association. Over 90 percent of them run their own clinics. The number of dental colleges has touched 23. Total number of BDS seats is 1,180. Self-financing dental college managements are making attempts to double the number of seats. In addition to this, more than 1000 dentists are reaching the State every year after passing out from colleges outside the state, says the Association. 

Co-operative banks revised rates

The Co-operative registrar of Kerala, has revised interest rates for fixed deposits in co-operative banks and societies in the state. Elder citizens will get 0.5% extra interest on deposits.

More details in Malayalam: 

    നിക്ഷേപങ്ങളുടെ കാലാവധി സംസ്ഥാന സഹകരണ ബാങ്ക് പുതുക്കിയത്, നിലവിലുള്ളത് ബ്രാക്കറ്റിൽ.  15 ദിവസം മുതൽ 45 ദിവസം വരെ-ഏഴ് (ഏഴ്), 45 ദിവസം മുതൽ 90 ദിവസം വരെ-7.50 (7.50), 91 ദിവസം മുതൽ 179 ദിവസം വരെ-8.25 (8.25), 180 ദിവസം മുതൽ 364 ദിവസം വരെ-8.50 (9.00), ഒരുവർഷവും അതിന് മുകളിലും-9.10 (9.75).
    നിക്ഷേപങ്ങളുടെ കാലാവധി ജില്ലാ സഹകരണബാങ്ക് പുതുക്കിയത്, നിലവിലുള്ളത് ബ്രാക്കറ്റിൽ.  15 ദിവസം മുതൽ 45 ദിവസം വരെ-7.25 (7.25), 45 ദിവസം മുതൽ 90 ദിവസം വരെ-7.75 (7.75), 91 ദിവസം മുതൽ 179 ദിവസം വരെ-8.50 (8.50), 180 ദിവസം മുതൽ 364 ദിവസം വരെ-ഒമ്പത് (8.75), ഒരുവർഷവും അതിന് മുകളിലും-9.75 (9.25), മൂന്ന് വർഷവും, അതിനു മുകളിലും കാലാവധിയുള്ള അഞ്ച് ലക്ഷം രൂപ മുതൽ 10 ലക്ഷം രൂപ വരെയുള്ള നിക്ഷേപം-10.00 (9.25), മൂന്ന് വർഷവും അതിനു മുകളിലും കാലാവധിയുള്ള 10 ലക്ഷം രൂപയ്ക്ക് മുകളിലുള്ള നിക്ഷേപം-10.25 (9.25).
    നിക്ഷേപങ്ങളുടെ കാലാവധി പ്രാഥമിക വായ്പാ സഹകരണ സംഘങ്ങൾ/ബാങ്കുകൾ/സർവീസ് സഹകരണ ബാങ്കുകൾ പുതുക്കിയത്, നിലവിലുള്ളത് ബ്രാക്കറ്റിൽ.  15 ദിവസം മുതൽ 45 ദിവസം വരെ-7.50 (7.50), 45 ദിവസം മുതൽ 90 ദിവസം വരെ-8.00 (8.00), 91 ദിവസം മുതൽ 179 ദിവസം വരെ-8.75 (8.75), 180 ദിവസം മുതൽ 364 ദിവസം വരെ-9.25 (9.00), ഒരുവർഷവും അതിന് മുകളിലും-10.00 (9.50), മൂന്ന് വർഷവും, അതിനു മുകളിലും കാലാവധിയുള്ള അഞ്ച് ലക്ഷം രൂപ മുതൽ 10 ലക്ഷം രൂപ വരെയുള്ള നിക്ഷേപം-10.25 (9.50), മൂന്ന് വർഷവും അതിനു മുകളിലും കാലാവധിയുള്ള 10 ലക്ഷം രൂപയ്ക്ക് മുകളിലുള്ള നിക്ഷേപം-10.50(9.50).

Piravom opted for a young minister

The people of  Piravom has made it's selection wisely. They opted for a young minister instead of an MLA in the opposition. Anoop Jacob, son of late T.M. Jacob, has won the Piravom by election by a margin of 12,070 votes. He bagged 82,756 votes, whereas his immediate opponent M.J. Jacob (CPI-M) received 70,686 votes. BJP candidate K.R. Rajagopal could collect 3241  votes.

Anoop represents Kerala Congress (Jacob) in the United Democratic Front (UDF).

A victory in Piravom was a necessity for the  UDF  government, headed by Oommen Chandy, though a defeat could not topple it . The Chief Minister dared even to declare that the by election will be a verdict on the performance of the  government over the last nine months. The UDF started campaigning by putting the right card before the people of the constituency and it paid back: a young minister.

Leaders from both fronts had left no stone unturned in a fierce campaign which lasted several weeks. CPI(M) state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan and leader of the opposition V.S. Achuthanandan lead the LDF campaign while the UDF deputed a minister for each Grama Panchayat to lead its workers. People got surprised seeing top leaders on their courtyards and ministers in morning walk on the inroads of their villages.

The campaign started on developmental issues and took turns when the CPI(M) MLA from Neyyattinkara, R. Selvaraj resigned and when V.S. Achuthanandan put some "curry leaves" into the fray. V.S said that the Congress (I) threw out Sindhu Joy, ex-leader of SFI,  like used curry leaves. (His first remark insinuated a "fallen woman" imagery, and he later clarified it as "used curry leaves."}

Kerala homes go out of News papers

Kerala, the land of strikes and hartals , observes a novel one today, probably a unique one to boast of. News paper agents in the state have started indefinite strike by boycotting news papers. Mouth-pieces of political parties like Deshabhimani, Janayugam, Chandrika,  Janmabhumi and Veeskshanam are exempted.

Strikers demand 50% of the news paper - prize as commission, yearly bonus, provident fund etc and lot more. Now they get a commission of about 30%. Major news papers like Malayala Manorama, Mathrubhumi, Kerala kaumudi,  under the aegis of  Indian Newspaper Society (INS) are all opposing the demands. In their view, agents can not be considered as staff of a news paper, and the relation between a news paper and its agents is purely  product - discount based. Product discount means, a product, like a bath soap, is offered to the seller at a lower prize and he resells it at the cover prize (MRP).

The strikers say, they can not meet the cost of distribution from the meager commission. Usually, agents with more than 100 copies hire news paper - boys (probably  school - going children), on monthly remuneration basis,  for distribution. Even a hike in the prize of petrol shoots the cost of distribution, as motor bikes are used for distribution. (Bicycle is rarity in God's own country!). An agent's duty starts at 3 am by collecting news paper bundles from the road. They sort it, insert supplements and start distribution before dawn. They work almost 365 days a year and can't take a holiday even on the death of a beloved person, the strikers point out.



 The INS counters this by pointing out that, most of the agents do other jobs also, since their work end at 8 am.

Both parties are continuing argument. But what casts a shadow over the strikers, is the role of CITU, the trade unition of Communist Party of India (Marxist) in the strike and also the timing of the strike. The protest is under the aegis of News paper Agent's Association (CITU) and Deshabhimani is excluded. March is the month at which Audit Bureau of Circulation (ABC) gathers figures on circution of each news paper. CPI(M) think tanks found an opportunity to promote the circulation of Deshabhimani, by timing the strike in March. A higher figure in ABC books means higher revenue from advertisements. Another major intention behind the formation of the Association is to tame Malayala Manorama, a major hurdle in the activities of CPI(M).

Any way,  Malayalees are  now  forced to change their habit of starting the day with coffee on one hand and their beloved news paper on the other. 

Attukal ponkala tomorrow

Attukal ponkala is celebrated tomorrow, at Attukal Bhagavathy temple, Trivandrum. Three million women from Kerala and abroad are expected to participate in the festival, which starts in the morning at 10.15, by imparting fire to ovens (ponkala aduppu) laid  around the temple and most parts of the capital city.  Boiled rice or ponkala is prepared and offered to the goddess in erthern pots.

Chottanikkara Makam tomorrow

The famous Makam Thozhal is celebrated tomorrow at Chottanikkara Devi Temple in Ernakulam district. The Sanctum sanctorum of the temple will be opened at 2 pm for the devotees to offer worship.

Elaborate arrangements are done by the temple authorities and the district administration to ensure hassle free celebrations. Water and snacks will be provided for the devotees who wait on queue. Pandal is set up on nearby roads also to provide shade. 900 police officials and shadow police will be present to ensure law and order.

Italian Marines arrested in Kerala

Kerala police has arrested two Italian marine commandos, from Italian oil tanker Enrica Lexie  berthed in Kochi port, who shot dead two unarmed fishermen off coast Kerala. The arrested, Latore Massimiliano and Salvatore Girone,  were part of the six member commando team guarding the ship. They were brought to shore and handed over to Kollam city police in charge of investigation of the incident.

The fishermen, Ajesh Binki (25) and Jalastein (45), were killed on Feb. 15, off coast Kollam, when the guards of the ship fired at their boat, suspecting them pirates.

A case of murder has been registered in Kollam in connection with the incident.