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Eco-friendly solution to mosquito menace

Arts,Culture & Entertainment, Green Initiatives & Environment, Inspiration/ Positive News and Features, Nature, Records, All, Science & Technology
Aravind Gopal engaged in research work at a mini-laboratory set up in his residential courtyard.

Researchers find insecticidal properties in extracts of plants

Now, an eco-friendly solution to mosquito menace. Aravind Gopal, a 40-year-old postgraduate in Biochemistry, and P.J. Benny, Professor of Zoology at Pala St. Thomas College, have found good insecticidal properties in the extracts of as many as 20 commonly found plants in Kerala.

Talking to The Hindu , they said extracts of two commonly found weeds,Merremia vitifolia or Manja kolambivalli or grape-leaf wood rose, and Mikania scandens, also known as climbing hemp weed, have shown very good insecticidal properties, with more than 90% insect repellent property.

Mr. Aravind has set up a mini-laboratory in his residential courtyard at Puthusserry-bhagom, near Adoor, to conduct field trials.

Dr. Benny said local bodies and government agencies could use even the crude extracts of these commonly found weeds as safe mosquito reduction agents in areas affected by mosquito-borne viral diseases. A present, various official agencies are learnt to be using hazardous chemical-based insecticides in mosquito eradication drives.

U.N. findings

Mr. Aravind said a report published by the United Nations in January, 2017 had put the average human casualty due to toxic exposure of pesticides across the world at 2,00,000 a year.

Reliance on hazardous pesticides is a short-term solution and the U.N. report lists an array of serious ailments such as cancer, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, hormone disruption, birth defects, etc., as having suspected links to pesticides.

Pesticide-poisoning exceeds even fatalities from infectious diseases in some countries, he said.

Mosquito destroyers

Mr. Aravind said backswimmers, dragonfly and its larvae, damselflies and its larvae, diving beetles, frog and tadpole, native fishes, etc., were natural enemies of mosquito. Terrestrial and aquatic plants can provide healthy air that nourishes life.

Hence a social forest-cum-pond like that of the sacred grove (sarpa-kavu) of yore can preserve the biodiversity, provide fresh air and shelter to the predators of these pests, he said.

Mr. Aravind said while controlling pests, which form less than 1% of the insects, pesticides destroy the biodiversity and environment by killing or adversely affecting various other life forms, including more than 99% of the insects which are more integral to maintenance of the ecosystem.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Kerala / by Radhakrishnan Kuttoor / June 13th, 2018

Kicking off a football anthem: Malayali band Orfeo is here with a Football anthem for this World Cup

Amazing Feats, Arts,Culture & Entertainment, Records, All, Sports, World Opinion

Who would not offer their right hand for a chance to visit Russia this season — to not just participate but to contribute to the World Cup frenzy as well? Musicians of Malayali music band Orfeo have done exactly that by going to Russia and bringing out an interesting music album that captures the mood and the memories. Called Davai Davai, it was released a few days ago and has become a topic of discussion among music lovers and football fans.

“Davai Davai means ‘Come on let’s go’,” says the violinist Carol George as he excitedly speaks about the album and its making, calling it the first music anthem created by Malayalis on the World Cup matching international standards and having visuals right from where the action is.

 

“It all started when we were discussing what next, after our covers such as Padakali and Veerapandi Kottayile became popular. We are all hardcore football fans and used to play the game during school and college days. And our cellist Maria Grigoreva is from Moscow. We had plans to visit her country and shoot a travelogue, so we thought why not a music video along with it,” Carol recollects.

While some were sceptical if they could compose a good number before they leave, Robin Thomas, the pianist, promised to come up with an interesting tune in two days. “The moment Robin played it for us, we were all motivated. The music is the pulse of Davai Davai. No matter how beautiful the visuals are, if the tune isn’t syncing, there is no point in making a video,’’ he says.

There was no stopping the Orfeo team afterwards. “We really worked hard. Obstacles were there, but we didn’t bother. We got our visas two days before our trip,” he says.

Once they reached Russia, they got sucked into the football craze. According to Carol, they reached at the right time. “There were football fans everywhere. We never thought we would be allowed to enter the premises of Luzhniki Stadium which hosted the opening match of the World Cup this year. We got a lot of visuals of people playing football there. Interestingly, the day we went was a special day for Russians and people were all out at The Red Square, including the military. There were tight security checks, but we were able to capture the feel of the World Cup. The initial visuals in the video too were shot near the Square,” he says. They were very careful about not getting entangled in legal issues, so they consciously avoided capturing official buildings.

The lyrics of Davai is by Shyam Muraleedharan and Don Thomas and it has been sung by Sayanora, Don Thomas, Abhimanyu and Isabella Chepeleva (a Russian). To bring in the celebratory mode, they have also added visuals of people dancing which they managed to shoot with the support of their friends at Russia.

“We have a few friends there via online and professionally. Russians do not speak much English but we were able to communicate musically,” he says.

Robin who composed Davai says all he had in his mind was the excitement of football and the crowds. “I wanted the thrill of the World Cup to reflect in the song. The challenge was to make it simple and interesting, which can be appreciated by everyone. That’s how the Davai portion came in,” he says.

The team is getting a lot of positive feedback. “We have no words to explain how happy we are when some tell us that Davai is better than even the official FIFA song. For us, going till the World Cup Football venue itself is a dream come true and we are overwhelmed!” he says.

Apart from Robin Thomas, Maria Grigoreva and Carol George, the team includes Chandlu Nerimbodath and Francis Xavier on violin and Herald Antony on Viola. The visuals were directed by Steev Benjamin and shot by Ajith Kumar PS

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> News> City News> Kochi News / by Anjana George / June 14th, 2018

Kerala’s Naveen Manoharan, the lad with the scorpion kick

Amazing Feats, Records, All, Sports, World Opinion

Alappuzha  :

Naveen Manoharan (24), who hails from Varanad in Cherthala is now known as René Higuita among his friends after his ‘scorpion kick’ video went viral on social media.

Higuita is a retired Colombian football goalkeeper who was nicknamed ‘El Loco’ for his high-risk ‘sweeper-keeper’ playing style and his flair for the dramatic. Naveen, who is a die-hard fan of the Colombian goalkeeper, has been practicing Higuita’s audacious save since his Plus Two days. He started to do scorpion kicks when he became the captain of their village football team Vasco Varanad in Cherthala three years ago.

“My home is near the playground of Vasco Club, which has been organizing all-Kerala football tournament for the past 33 years. I started to play at the ground when I was a first standard student. While I was pursuing Plus Two, we had a chapter in Malayalam on Higuita, who wowed the world with his scorpion kick  while playing for Colombia against England in 1995. Since then, I became curious, collected his details and watched YouTube video of his saves,” he said.

But, that special kick remained elusive for a while, he admitted. “I tried to do the scorpion kick and failed many times. But I was not ready to go back and I never gave up. Three years ago, I could do it perfectly. The video of my save, which went viral on social media, was shot on Sunday by one of my friends. He and my cousin Abhijith posted it on social media and now my friends call me Higuita,” he said.

Naveen, an ITI instrumentation holder, is from an ordinary family and his friends are confident that Argentina will win the World Cup this time.

In Video: This scorpion kick will leave you tizzy

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> News> City News> Kochi News / by Sajimon P S / TNN / June 14th, 2018

Short-film director Indira passes away

Arts,Culture & Entertainment

Thiruvananthapuram:

Short-film director Indira P (54), known for her work ‘Catharsis’ based on political violence in Kannur, breathed her last at Medical College Hospital here on Sunday. She was undergoing treatment for respiratory disease.

Hailing from Tirur in Malappuram district, Indira relocated to Thiruvananthapuram to pursue her interest in filmmaking around 30 years ago, after completing graduation in Malayalam literature and journalism. She ha d earned a diploma in photography from C-DIT and learned filmmaking from Southern Film Institute.

Indira had directed short films, government ads and did a feature film ‘Paathi Akaashathin Udamakal’ under the banner of KSFDC. She had also assisted noted directors P A Backer, A A Azeez and Lenin Rajendran.

Indira’s friends remember her as a fighter, who championed various social causes. “I remember the young Indira, who struggled to pursue her dreams. She had written scripts for a feature film and was planning to begin the work soon. It (her untimely departure) is a great loss. We are now trying to fulfill her last wish. She had said that she did not want to be left alone and wished her friends to be near her and asked to arrange fragrant flowers for her last rites,” said Anil Chilla.

The body has been kept at her house at Thiruvallom. Cremation will take place at Santhi Kavadam at 10am on Monday. tnn

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News> City News> Thiruvananthapuram News / TNN / June 10th, 2018

Thomas Antony, caricaturist, honoured

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

Caricaturist Thomas Antony, who innovatively draws striking abstract caricatures, was honoured at an event jointly organised by the Kerala Media Academy and the Kerala Lalitha Kala Akademi at Durbar Hall on Monday.

Self-taught, the media caricaturist devised his own style in which he deftly mixes visages of animals with those of the people he intends to portray.

Mr. Antony, who secured World Press Cartoon’s third prize in caricature for his unusual caricature of former president of Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe, said his cartoons had appeared in the book brought out by WPC nine times, but this was the first time he had won an award.

“Then there are abstractions, like the yesteryear Brazilian star Ronaldo, identified by certain prominent feature of theirs,” he points to a caricature on display at Durbar Hall Art Gallery. The exhibition, ending tomorrow, also has a section on soccer greats.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Kochi / by Special Correspondent / Kochi – June 12th, 2018

Story of a fiery, forest goddess

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

Dance drama exploring a famous myth of Palakkad to soon hit stage

Kalladikode Karineeli is Palakkad’s own goddess who evokes both devotion and fear in the people here. Legends surrounding her are spread across the district, though her permanent abode is deep inside the Siruvani forests in Muthikulam village.

Her myth has been subject of many tales and hearsays but probably for the first time in art history, the stories surrounding her are now turning the subject for a theatre experiment initiated by a set of artistes from Palakkad.

Scripted and directed by award-winning playwright Ravi Thycaud, the dance drama lasting for about two-and-a-half hours also contains chilling details of the life and times of Thevanasan, a celebrated sorcerer who invoked the ferocious deity.

“Going by the legends, the district had a number of black magicians who considered her as their preferred deity. However, the drama attempts to give a contemporary twist to the legend in a way freeing the myths from obscurantism and exploring the rich cultural traditions of Palakkad,’’ said Mr Thycaud.

In addition, the drama also tries to resurge Karineeliyattom, a traditional ritual dance that was performed across the district till a few decades ago to appease Karineeli and to exorcise evil spirits. Households in Palakkad would hold the ritual dance lasting for the whole night. The upcoming play hopes to bring in elements of Karineeliyattom by using the expertise of surviving exponent Kalamandalam Chandran to give background music to the dance drama.

The theatre interpretation also attempts to tell the history of Paraya community members, the traditional invokers of Karineeli. “It took a lot of research for scripting. The traditional worshippers of Karineeli continues to remain a neglected lot and their history remains unrecorded,” he said.

Drama activist K.A. Nandajan is controlling the light and sound of the dance drama. About 40 artists are appearing on the stage in the dance drama, which would be staged for the public on the occasion of Onam festival.

It was only two months ago, Mr. Thycaud and his team staged a drama on Pulikadu Ratnavelu Chettiar, the first assistant collector of Indian origin for Palakkad region, who committed suicide in protest against racial discrimination shown by his British bosses under the Madras Presidency.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Kerala / by Special Correspondent / Palakkad – June 12th, 2018

Fresh water fish seed farm opened at Neyyar

Agriculture, Business & Economy, Green Initiatives & Environment, Nature

Thiruvananthapuram:

The state will soon turn self-sufficient in freshwater fish seed production, said fisheries minister J Mercykutty Amma. She was speaking after inaugurating the freshwater fish seed farm and fish hatchery training centre near Neyyar dam on Friday.

“Having freshwater lakes in the state, Kerala has immense potential in freshwater fish farming,” minister opined. “The challenge is to produce quality juvenile fish. Against the demand for 12 crore juvenile fish, the state could produce only 2 crore,” the minister said.

The freshwater fish hatchery was constructed spending Rs 3.44 crore. Six concrete feeding tanks having 24.6m length and 9.6m width, a pool platform having 12m width and 7m length and an FRP tank platform which is 9m long and 8m wide are arranged at the hatchery, besides a 158 square metre hatchery office building.

A fisheries training centre of 1,008 square metres has been constructed using Rs 3.2 crore. This two-storey building can accommodate 32 persons and the training hall has the capacity to house 75 persons.

The fisheries minister said that administrative sanction for Rs 7.46 lakh has been given for the third phase of development of the Farm.

MLA C K Hareendran presided over the function which was attended by Perumkadavila block panchayat president Sujathakumar, Kallikkad

Grama panchayat vice-president Shyamlal, district panchayat member Ansajitha Russal, block panchayat member M K Kumar, grama panchayat member R Latha of and assistant director of fisheries department Sheeja attended the event.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> News> City News / Thiruvananthapuram – June 10th, 2018

The smallest sea cucumber in India

Agriculture, Green Initiatives & Environment, Nature, Records, All, World Opinion
The smallest sea cucumber Thyonina bijui

Vizhinjam Bay is home to the animal which grows to a size of just 2 cm

The Vizhinjam Bay, a busy fishing ground noted for its biodiversity-rich marine ecosystem, is home to the smallest sea cucumber in India, scientists have reported.

Biju Kumar of the Department of Aquatic Biology and Fisheries, University of Kerala, and his student Deepa Pillai stumbled upon the species while scouring the rocky coast during a biodiversity study in 2015.

The animal, which grows to a size of just 2 cm, is named Thyonina bijui, after Biju Kumar.

The specimen was identified as a new species by Professor Ahmed Thandar, School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, while describing several species of sea cucumbers from the Indian Ocean.

The news about the discovery has been published in the international journal Zootaxa.

According to Dr. Kumar, this is the first species of sea cucumber endemic to the Kerala coast and is known only from Vizhinjam.

The animal inhabits shallow waters and has a barrel-shaped body.

It is reddish brown in colour, with plenty of tube feet all over the dorsal surface.

Sea cucumbers and starfish belong to the group of marine invertebrates called echinoderms.

Of the 179 sea cucumbers reported from India, 37 species have been recorded from the Kerala coast.

Culinary delicacy

The larger species of sea cucumbers are overharvested for export as they are considered one of the culinary delicacies in China and many western countries.

The Government of India has listed all species of sea cucumbers (holothurians) under Schedule 1 of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, imposing a blanket ban on their harvesting from Indian waters.

Occurring only in marine ecosystems, the sea cucumber plays a critical role in ecosystem functioning by recycling nutrients and carbonates.

Often referred to as the earthworms of the sea, these animals are responsible for extensive shifting and mixing of substrate and recycling of sediments into animal tissue and nitrogenous waste which can be taken up by algae and sea grass.

Dr. Kumar feels that detailed investigations of the marine biodiversity of the Kerala coast, especially from the rocky shores and bays, would lead to the discovery of several new species.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Kerala / by T. Nandakumar / Thiruvananthapuram – June 07th, 2018