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MPEDA begins supply of black tiger shrimp seeds from Vallarpadam

Agriculture, Business & Economy, Nature, Records, All

K.S. Srinivas, chairman of MPEDA, handing over black tiger shrimp seeds to Hormis Tharakan, former Police Chief of Kerala, in Kochi on Monday.  

The Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) started supplying high-health black tiger shrimp seeds from its new Multispecies Aquaculture Complex at Vallarpadam on Monday. The inaugural sale of the seeds was done by MPEDA chairman K.S. Srinivas, who handed over a lakh of them to former Kerala Director General of Police Hormis Tharakan, who is also a shrimp farmer.

The MPEDA is a statutory body under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and has developed the seeds with the help of its research wing Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Aquaculture, according to a press release here.

Mr. Srinivas said lessons from the international market had prompted the MPEDA to promote the production of black tiger shrimp in Kerala. He said black tiger was the dominant cultured shrimp in India till a decade ago. In 2009, the country began experiencing non-availability of disease-free seeds of the species, prompting aquaculture farmers to shift focus to exotic vannamei species.

The MPEDA has now decided to encourage and expand the production of black tiger shrimp endemic to South Asia. Production of black tiger could support shrimp exports much more in the long run, said Mr. Srinivas.

Of late, tiger shrimp’s higher price and increasing demand in the international market has led India’s farming community to restart farming of the variety. To meet that, the country needs more disease-free seeds of black tiger.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Kochi / by Special Correspondent / Kochi – February 19th, 2019

Sakthan Palace to get a facelift

Arts,Culture & Entertainment, Historical Links, Pre-Independence, Records, All, Travel, World Opinion

It was converted into a museum in 2005

The Sakthan Palace, situated in the heart of the Thrissur city, will soon get a facelift.

The palace was reconstructed in Kerala-Dutch style by Ramavarma Thampuran in 1795. Once the centre of power of the Sakthan Thampuran, it has been preserved by the Department of Archaeology. It was converted into a museum in 2005.

The palace was renovated with ₹1.75 crore recently. In addition to this, a joint Centre-State fund of ₹5 crore has also been allocated for the palace development now.

CCTV cameras

The amount will be utilised to make it one of the best museums in the State. The palace will be given a new coat of paint.

The garden will also get a facelift. Seats, toilet complex, and a walk-way will be constructed.

As part of the recent development project, 27 CCTV cameras were installed on the palace premises. A fire alarm has also been installed.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Kerala / by Special Correspondent / Thrissur – February 24th, 2019

Mattancherry’s 463-year-old synagogue now a cattle shed

Arts,Culture & Entertainment, Records, All, Travel, World Opinion

The stench of cow dung, unkempt surroundings and obscene graffiti on its shutters drive away curious visitors to the Kadavumbhagom synagogue. Photo: VIPIN CHANDRAN  

Prayers at synagogue stopped after most of its members left for Israel

The Paradesi synagogue at Mattancherry receives several thousand visitors every year from all over the world. People flock to Jew Street to catch a glimpse of the well-preserved 16 century synagogue and the descendants of the Paradesi Jews who still follow the old customs. Not many know, however, that a second synagogue older than the Paradesi synagogue still stands just a few metres from it. At the other end of Jew Street stands the Kadavumbhagom synagogue, a 463-year-old prayer hall of the Cochini Jews.

When the Moors attacked the Jewish settlements near Kodungalloor, known as Cranganore or Shingly in Jewish texts, the people fled to the port town of Mattancherry to seek refuge. There were at least four synagogues in Mattancherry in the old days, says historian P.M. Jussay in his book ‘The Jews of Kerala.’ These are the Kochangadi, Kadavumbhagom, Paradesi and Thekkumbhagom synagogues. (There are two other synagogues — the Kadavumbhagom and Thekkumbhagom synangogues on Market Road in Ernakulam — that are less known but are just as important.)

The Kochangadi synagogue in Mattancherry, says Mr. Jussay, was enlarged by a community leader named Baruk Levi in 1539. But the synagogue was abandoned in 1795 a few years after it was destroyed by Tippu Sultan’s soldiers. The Thekkumbhagom synagogue, on the other hand, was demolished in the 1950s after most of its congregants left for Israel. All that stands are the Paradesi and Kadavumbhagom synagogues. While the Paradesi synagogue remains popular as a tourist attraction, the Kadavumbhagom synagogue has almost faded from memory. A portion of the synagogue, which earlier stood right at the coastline, was removed to construct the road in front of it. The building passed into private hands after the Jewish residents sold it while they left for Israel.

The first owner used the place of worship to store prawns, a food item forbidden to Jews. The building was later used to store coir products. Today, this centuries-old archaeological monument is used as a cattle shed by its current owner. The stench of cow dung, unkempt surroundings, and obscene graffiti on its shutters drive away curious visitors. Only a small board at the entrance set up by ‘The Friends of Kerala Synagogues’ gives any indication of the historical significance of the building.

“Private persons have carted away whatever was inside the building. It’s an important monument. Shouldn’t the government protect this synagogue?” a local resident asks.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Kochi / by Nidhi Surendranath / Kochi – September 14th, 2013

‘Spandanam’ bags best health project award

Business & Economy, Nature, Records, All, Science & Technology, World Opinion

A dozen projects competed for the best public health project award in the meet, which was attended by leaders of various local self-governing bodies.

Thiruvananthapuram :

‘Spandanam’, an AYUSH-based public health project implemented by the Kozhikode district panchayat, was presented with the Best AYUSH Health Project award by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday.The project aims at treating autism and growth disabilities in kids.

The second prize was shared by Kattippara grama panchayat in Kozhikode for its ‘Harikiranam’ project for securing the health of tribals and Jyothirgamaya Balya, a project for kids’ health and safety by Nedumangad block panchayat.Also, the cancer awareness project named Vision 2019 by the Harippad block panchayat of Alappuzha district along with Santhwana Souhridham, a project implemented for the wellbeing of the tribal community in Meenangadi grama panchayat in Wayanad district, shared the consolation prizes.

A dozen projects competed for the best public health project award in the meet, which was attended by leaders of various local self-governing bodies.These projects were screened and selected from two zones each consisting of seven districts. Eight projects from Ayurveda and four projects from Homoeopathy were presented in the meet.

Sneha Sparsham, a palliative care project of Thrissur corporation, Navaneetham, a project meant for the school-going kids of Thiruvananthapuram district panchayat, Udayakiranam by the Idukki block panchayat and Snehadhara project were the eight projects that competed in the Ayurveda section.

Punarjani, a project seeking the possibilities of Homoeopathy in ailing cancer patients, women-friendly project Seethalayam by the Kannur district panchayat, Swasthyam project by the Kollam district panchayat were the different projects that competed in the Homeopathy section.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Thiruvananthapuram / by Express News Service / February 20th, 2019

Malabar gets a Startup Incubation Centre

Business & Economy, Records, All, World Opinion

Launch of ₹5-crore project at Mangattuparamba tomorrow

The Malabar Startup Incubation Centre (MSIC), the first such venture being started in Malabar, will be inaugurated at the Kerala Clays and Ceramic Products Ltd.’s (KCCPL) unit at Mangattuparamba here on February 22.

Announcing this at a press conference here on Wednesday, local MLA T.V. Rajesh and KCCPL chairman T.K. Govindan said the MSIC was being started as part of the launch of the diversification programme by the public sector company under the Industries Department.

The incubation centre would be inaugurated by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan at Mangattuparamba here at 6 p.m. Industries Minister E.P. Jayarajan and MPs P. Karunakaran and P.K. Sreemathy would participate in the function.

Mr. Rajesh said the State government had granted ₹5 crore for the MSIC project being started in collaboration with the Kerala Startup Mission.

There is no start-up incubation centre in parts of the State north of Ernakulam district. The State government has granted preliminary sanction for the ₹9.5-crore proposal submitted by the KCCPL for starting a dairy farm and coconut processing unit as part of the company’s diversification programme. Mr. Govindan said the diversification of the company into other areas was being considered in view of the shortage of raw material as two clay mining units of the company had been closed due to environmental issues.

The KCCPL and the Kerala Startup Mission envisage exploration of business opportunities and development by introducing achievements in the IT sector to start-up entrepreneurs.

In the first phase, 305 seats were arranged in 23,000 sq ft area for starting 50 start-up companies, he added.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Kerala / by Special Correspondent / Kannur – February 20th, 2019

A historical canvas at Kannur station

Arts,Culture & Entertainment, Historical Links, Pre-Independence, Records, All, Travel, World Opinion

Artists with their relief mural works at the Kannur railway station on Tuesday. S.K. MOHAN   | Photo Credit: S K Mohan N

Payyannur-based organisation offers a glimpse of Railways’ history

Railway passengers can now experience the local history of Kannur and railway history now etched on the parapets of the entry and exit approaches of the Kannur railway station’s main concourse under a beautification project initiated by a Payyannur-based organisation promoting cultural conservation.

The relief murals sculpted on the parapet walls by a group of 14 artists, headed by K.R. Babu and curated by V. Jayaraj of Folkland, an organisation promoting conservation, reflect the tradition of the region and offer a glimpse of the history of Railways as expressed artistically.

Art works

The art works done by the artists occupy an area of 5,000 square feet depicting cultural landmarks, village life, activities inside the railway station and evolution of trains.

“This artistic and cultural initiative is meant to serve as an art gallery that can be a cultural experience to people reaching the railway station,” Mr. Jayaraj told The Hindu. The work depicting the heritage was done in collaboration with the corporate social responsibility fund of the Mumbai-based Dorf Ketal company, he added.

The cultural history visually narrated by the relief murals captures the Theyyam, Kalaripayattu, circus and bakery traditions of the district, as also art forms such as Oppana and Margamkali.

The works that deck the walls also include rural activities such as weaving, pottery, oil expeller work, goldsmiths and blacksmiths at work, among others. Railway vendors and porters, railway platforms, steam engines, diesel engines and electric engines are among the mural relief images done on the walls of the entry approach to the station.

Work in six stages

“The relief mural works have been done in six stages, the first stage being drawing on paper the ideas prepared by artist K.K. Marar, Mr. Jayaraj and myself,” said Mr. Babu, who had also done relief mural works in the Kannur international airport.

Golden paint

Those drawings were converted into 3D forms on the walls using cement and they were finally coated with golden paint, he said.

The relief murals, completed in less than two months, were opened to the public by Southern Railway General Manager R.K. Kulshrestha during his visit to the Kannur railway station on Tuesday.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Kerala / by Mohamed Nazeer / Kannur – February 19th, 2019

Mrinal which powered space dreams turns 50 today

Records, All, Science & Technology, World Opinion

VSSC to felicitate surviving members of Propellant Engineering Division team

February 21 marks the 50th anniversary of a landmark development in the history of the Indian space programme.

It was on this day in 1969 that the first composite solid rocket propellant developed by the fledgling Indian space establishment was flight-tested from Thumba, near here. An interesting element in what was otherwise a purely scientific enterprise was this: The propellant was christened ‘Mrinal’, reportedly after Mrinalini Sarabhai, the noted classical dancer and wife of Vikram Sarabhai, the father of the Indian space programme.

Mrinal was developed by a team at the Propellant Engineering Division (PED) of the Space Science and Technology Centre (SSTC), a precursor to the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC). At the time, the PED was headed by Vasant Gowarikar.

The VSSC plans to felicitate the surviving members of the PED team at a function on February 27.

Mrinal was significant in that it marked the space agency’s first major step in developing solid propellants, which are still used today in ISRO launch vehicles.

On February 21, 1969 the propellant was used to fly a Rohini series RH-75 sounding rocket, which was the designated Dynamic Test Vehicle (DTV), from Thumba.

Former members of the PED team which developed Mrinal such as K.N. Ninan and V.N. Krishnamoorthi remember that the February 21, 1969 test was a huge success.

“’It’s significance is that composite propellants form a class of propellants that are ideal for space launch vehicles. Mrinal was the first totally indigenous composite propellant manufactured using locally available raw materials,” Mr. Ninan, who retired as Deputy Director, VSSC, said. What was till then available were mostly double-base propellants suitable for missiles, Mr. Krishnamoorthi said.

Altogether, the DTV was test-flown thrice, but no records are available as to whether subsequent tests were carried out. Anyhow, the propellant itself was short-lived.

Mrinal did not find extensive use with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in later years due to scaling-up issues.

ISRO chairman K. Sivan is also scheduled to attend the February 27 function.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Kerala / by Tiki Rajwi / Thiruvananthapuram – February 20th, 2019

Curtain goes up on Thunchan fete

Arts,Culture & Entertainment, Records, All

Bengali writer Manoranjan Byapari inaugurating the Thunchan Literary Festival at Thunchan Paramba, Tirur, on Friday.  

This year’s Thunchan Literary Festival began at Thunchan Paramba, Tirur, on Friday. Inaugurating the festival, well-known Bengali writer Manoranjan Byapari described his life’s journey from being a shepherd to accidentally meeting Jnanpith laureate Mahasweta Devi while riding an autorickshaw.

He said that he had entered into writing much later in life. It was his incarceration that helped him find an interest in reading books. His writings in Bengali are considered one of the strongest in Indian Dalit literature.

Thunchan Memorial Trust chairman and Jnanpith laureate M.T. Vasudevan Nair presided over the function.

Arts festival

Mr. Nair released the Thunchan history penned by K. Sreekumar by giving a copy to Artist Namboothiri. Mr. Namboothiri inaugurated a book festival being held as part of the literary festival.

Poet V. Madhusoodanan Nair delivered the Thunchan Memorial Lecture on poetry and tradition. Writers Chathanath Achuthanunni, Manambur Rajanbabu, and V. Appu Master spoke.

Actor V.K. Sreeraman inaugurated the Thunchan Arts Festival.

Poet Alankode Leelakrishnan spoke.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Kerala / by Staff Reporter / Malappuram – February 15th, 2019

Rare experiment with sand art greeted with loud cheers

Arts,Culture & Entertainment, Education

Sand art presented by students of Vidyodaya School, Thevakkal, at the Krithi International Book Festival in the city on Friday.  

Visual interpretation of poem on Jhansi Rani presented on sand

As it is, creating an image on sand is a tough task. Setting it to the tune of poetry can be even a bigger challenge.

Seven girls from Vidyodaya School, Thevakkal, managed just that when they presented a visual interpretation of Subhadra Kumari Chauhan’s poem on the life of Rani Lakshmi Bai at the Krithi International Book Festival here on Friday.

“We wanted to break the popular notion that women always need to strive to be men’s equal and instead drive home the message that what is more important is to realise and fulfil one’s own potential. It was the students themselves who came up with the idea of sand art to put across that message,” said Rema K. Nair, a teacher from the school.

The performing team was made up of Theerdha, Gaddha, Arundhathi, Varsha, Nidhi, Shwetha, and Ardra from Standards 6, 7, and 8 with the support of the school staff.

They felt that creating images on sand would infuse more life into characters rather than simply painting them on paper.

They first wrote the script, designed the scenes, and finally practised it in tune with the poetry.

Because of the enthusiastic response from the crowd, the students did an encore.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Kochi / by Staff Reporter / February 16th, 2019

Golden jubilee of Dinesh Beedi

Business & Economy, Records, All

Has diversified into sectors like apparel-making, food processing, IT

The Kerala  Dinesh Beedi Workers’ Central Cooperative Society (KDBWCCS), comprising a number of primary societies spread over Kannur, Kasaragod districts and Vadakara in Kozhikode, is celebrating its 50th anniversary with year-long functions.

Announcing this at a press conference here on Wednesday, organising committee chairman and trade union leader K.P. Sahadevan and society management representatives said that when the 50th anniversary of the industrial cooperative society was being celebrated, beedi making was one of the activities of the society as it had already branched off to non-beedi sectors such as apparel-making, umbrella production, food processing and IT sectors. Explaining the history of the cooperative society, which during its peak business period had employed 42,000 people, Mr. Sahadevan said the KDBWCCS was formed in 1969 in the aftermath of a major crisis that beedi workers in the northern Kerala had faced when major beedi manufacturing companies with headquarters in Mangalore closed down their units in the northern parts of Kerala in 1968 in response to workers’ agitation demanding implementation of the Beedi and Cigar Workers’ Conditions of Employment Act that guaranteed minimum wages.

The Left government that came to power in 1967 had committed to the implementation of the Central legislation.

The workers’ share had been fixed at ₹20, but the then State government had extended ₹19 as a share capital loan to each worker.

Today, the society employs nearly 6,000 workers, he said.

Founding day

On the founding day on February 15, workers, trade union leaders and local people’s representatives would hoist the society’s flag in all the offices and branches of the society.

On February 22, Industries Minister E.P. Jayarajan would inaugurate a function in Kannur to felicitate retired workers and director board members.

Similar function would be held at Kanhangad on February 23, the organisers said. The formal inauguration of the function would be done by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on March 9, they added.

Society chairman C. Rajan and secretary K. Prabhakaran said that the society’s total turnover in 2017-18 was ₹75 crore, around ₹55 crore of which was from sale of beedis.

₹18 crore as GST

The company is annually paying around ₹18 crore as GST.

The society had been bestowed awards by industries organisation for fair business practices.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Kerala / by Special Correspondent / Kannur – February 13th, 2019