Top Kerala News developments today

Here are the important developments in Kerala to watch out for today

1. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will inaugurate the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government’s public outreach programme titled “Nava Kerala Sadassu”, at Manjeswaram in Kasargode. 

SPECIAL STORIES 

1. There has been a noticeable increase in instances of violence against doctors in Kerala in recent years, according to a study conducted by a group of doctors from Kozhikode. Around 2,000 doctors across 14 districts in the State participated in it. Among the 1,948 respondents, 65.6% experienced violence, predominantly verbal abuse (89.9%), and intimidation by gestures (32.7%). It was published in Cureus, an open-access, peer-review journal.
2. A study conducted by the Kerala Highway Research Institute (KHRI) finds a high level of acidity in the rock samples collected from the state for the construction of roads. This is one of the main reasons that leads to severe pavement distress and damage immediately after a heavy spell of rain, the study says.

Sunday/ Weekend special

1. FIA QD10, an agriculture drone developed by a start-up run by a brother-sister duo from Alappuzha, receives certification from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation. Integrated with indigenous NaviC technology, the drone enables precision application and reduces the use of fertilizers and pesticides by 50 per cent.
2. Singukandam, a small village in Chinnakanal panchayat, Idukki, with about 250 resident families, derives its name from Teja Singh, who was born as Ramankutty and embraced Sikhism in the early 1940s. Now, his descendants are staging protest to get a title deed for their land. The people from Singukandam were also in the frontline of the agitation demanding relocation of wild tusker Arikomban.
3. While mushroom farming has evolved into a lucrative business across the state, there is a village community on the Kerala- Karnataka border that collects mushrooms growing on arecanut husks that are discarded after removing the nut. The mushroom, which grows only between a few hours in the evening and looks like a flower bud, is collected and consumed by the community. The Central Plantation Crops Research Institute in Kasaragod is studying the variety, which is consumed by about 50 families in the village and is still not grown on a commercial basis.
4. In a bold response to the Taliban’s restrictions on girls and women’s education in Afghanistan, a group of Afghan refugee scholars from various countries has united to establish the Roshan Afghanistan Online University. This innovative initiative aims to provide education to women who were compelled to halt their studies under the Taliban regime. According to Gulab Mir Rahmany, the vice chancellor of the university, courses are offered online, and numerous individuals have enthusiastically joined to pursue their education, highlighting the resilience and determination of Afghan women to access knowledge and opportunities.
5. Uncontrolled proliferation of mangroves causes the disappearance of mud flats in Kadalundi estuary. Mud flats are the primary foraging ground for the thousands of migrant birds reaching the West Coast of India. Mangroves and mud flats are two entirely separate ecosystems. Studies express serious concern at the degradation of mudflats and the proliferation of mangroves.

OTHER STORIES

1. The Karumaloor public library’s novel project to inculcate the habit of reading among the residents in panchayat by distributing book kits using 50 Kudumbashree volunteers hit a landmark of 500 new members. The library science department has made the project a subject of study and is now conducting a survey among the readers.
2. Only two churches in Ernakulam have received the certification under the BHOG (Blissful Hygienic Offering to God) initiative by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). Other places of worship, including temples under the Devaswom boards seem reluctant in undertaking the certification process citing various reasons, according to the Department of Food Safety. The programme aims at encouraging places of worship to adopt and maintain food safety and hygiene.
3. The fleet of 71 e-cars leased from ANERT by Motor Vehicle Department have range issues that hamper their round the clock deployment and daily operation beyond 140 kms. An RTI query revealed how ₹29 lakh from Road Safety Funds would have to be spent as the lease amount over eight years for each such car.
4. Renovated rural roads on the verge of ruin following the overloaded plying of tipper lorries for granite quarries.  No sufficient weighing bridge facilities to support the enforcement activities by Geology and Revenue department squads.
5. Three suspects remanded in judicial custody in connection with a petrol pump attack case.
6. The South Central Railway will operate two special trains in Narsapur – Kottayam – Narsapur and Secunderabad – Kollam – Secunderabad sectors to clear extra rush of passengers during Sabarimala festival.