Daily Archives: December 25, 2014

Man who changed the course of a river

The statue of Chemban Kolumban, the Adivasi leader instrumental in the construction of Idukki dam, at Cheruthoni. Photo: Giji K Raman
The statue of Chemban Kolumban, the Adivasi leader instrumental in the construction of Idukki dam, at Cheruthoni. Photo: Giji K Raman

Memorial of Kolumban, who identified the ideal spot for a dam at Idukki, renovated.

Chemban Kolumban, the Adivasi leader who discovered the site of the Idukki dam, is finally being remembered by the authorities with the renovation of the Kolumban Park, close to the Cheruthoni dam of the Idukki Hydroelectric project here.

Kolumban had identified the ideal spot for a dam when he found the Periyar river flowing between the Kuravan and the Kurathi hills.

In 1922, Kolumban had joined a team of the Malankara Estate superintendent and his friend on a hunting trip in Idukki. They found it difficult to move as they reached Kuyilimala. It was while moving between the two hills that they found the spot. They thought of diverting the water to the low range of Malankara-Moolamattom for power generation. In 1932, the then superintendent of the Malankara Estate, W.J. John, submitted a project to the Travancore government regarding the possibility of constricting a dam connecting the two hills.

The Travancore government in 1947 entrusted Electrical engineer P. Joseph John with the task of conducting a feasibility study and a report was submitted to the Central Waterpower Commission which gave the nod for the construction of a dam in 1961. The construction was entrusted to a Canadian company in 1963 and it was commissioned by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on February 12, 1976.

A sculptor Kunnuvila Murali made a statue of Kolumban near the Cheruthoni dam then as a tribute to him. For long, it was a forgotten chapter in the history of the dam with weeds growing over the statue.

The park was renovated as part of a major project taken up by the Department of Culture to renovate the Kolumban memorial on the roadside near here, where his body was cremated.

His grandchildren are living at the Kolumban colony and are the carriers of a rich legacy. According to Roshy Augustine, MLA, visitors to the dam would be interested in the history of the dam, of which Kolumban is an integral part.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Kerala / by Giji K. Raman / Cheruthoni (Idukki) – December 24th, 2014

South India’s First Crematorium for Pets to Come up in State

Idukki  :

Efforts to set up South India’s maiden crematorium for dogs and similar animals are gaining steam.

According to reports from High Range Kennel Club, which is behind the project, there has been no crematorium in South India for such animals while North Indian states like Gujarat and Delhi already have.

Dr Babu K Nalakathu, secretary of the club, told ‘Express’ they are looking for a suitable site in Kochi to set up the first plant. Efforts will then be made to start one each at Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram.

The plant is estimated to cost `15 lakh, and raising the fund wouldn’t be a problem, said Babu, adding that such a project would make a new beginning in treating animals with honour once they are dead. Developed countries have very strict regulations in disposing of dogs after their death.

In Kochi and its suburbs, an estimated 50 dogs die each day, and almost all of them are disposed of in an unceremonious manner, he said. In most cases, they are being given a watery adieu, flinging them to rivers and other water bodies, which are used by people for drinking purposes. The responsibility of removing the carcass of dogs, cats and the like falls on local bodies, who change hands to certain agents. These agents dispose them of in rivers in the dead of the night, he said. It is a grave problem which the government has not taken any interest so far.

For every pet dog there are eight stray dogs in the state as per the figures by the SPC. While the pet dogs get a decent departure, the stray dogs are treated roughly, which is a trend to be stopped. The public should join hands to begin a new culture of giving respect to the animals. A number of associations already are willing to cooperate to make the dream come true.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Kerala / by P.B. Jayasankar / December 25th, 2014

From Kerala shores to mayoral robes in England

Manju Shahul-Hameed, a native of Thiruvananthapuram, is the Mayor of Croydon in London.
Manju Shahul-Hameed, a native of Thiruvananthapuram, is the Mayor of Croydon in London.

When she left for Britain to join her husband Raffi in 1996, little did Manju Shahul-Hameed, a native of Thiruvananthapuram, dream of becoming anything more than a homemaker over there. Today, she is the Mayor of London Borough Croydon in South London.

She had left Kerala after completing her degree studies at the Sree Narayana College, Chempazhanthy. Having studied in local Malayalam medium schools, she could not even speak in English. “It was through my involvement in the community and voluntary organisations and my desire to make a difference in people’s lives that I entered politics. So I came into politics not as a political leader but as a community leader,” she said.

Her mother did not want her to be a mere homemaker after marriage. So Ms. Shahul-Hameed enrolled for Masters in Scientific and Engineering Software Technology at the University of Greenwich and joined the Labour Party in 1998. In 2000, she started working as a software engineer but continued her involvement in community building and volunteering. Her appeal in the community led to her election as a councillor in 2006 and her recent election as a Mayor from among 70 councillors of the council.

As a Mayor, she seeks to “celebrate the diversity and culture of Croydon and make it a great place to raise a family.” She also supports two charities — Age UK and Macmillan Cancer Support as part of her Mayoral duties.

Talking about her plans to open a charity to encourage home makers to volunteer, she said the spirit of volunteering in business and community organisations, needed to pick up in Kerala which was a great way of gaining experience. On how she overcame the language barrier, she said all that one needed to make a positive change was to have faith in one self.”

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Kerala / by A Correspondent / Thiruvananthapuram – December 25th, 2014