Animal husbandry department to launch its first high-tech lab in state
Thiruvananthapuram :
The state animal husbandry department will launch its first laboratory complex which boasts of biosafety level 2 security systems at its chief disease investigation office campus at Palode on January 20. The lab will have the standards prescribed by the World Health Organization (WHO).
The inauguration of the referral diagnostic laboratory will be followed by a science conference led by scientists from central government institutions including National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD) in Bhopal and Southern Regional Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (SRDDL), Bangalore.
The high-tech security systems at the new laboratory will prevent pathogens in the test samples from getting transmitted outside the lab and protect staff from animal-borne diseases like rabbis, bird-flue, kyasanur forest disease or monkey fever and anthrax. The entire expenditure in establishing the laboratory has been borne by the state government.
The new laboratory complex will house a sericulture lab which will help in confirming viral diseases that occur more frequently in the recent times and in further research and studies on them, and a molecular biology lab with most-modern diagnostic equipment. Besides there will be a residue analytical lab which can diagnose the levels of chemicals in anti-biotics and pesticides, and a biomedical incinerator, which can treat laboratory waste. There will also be a VIP guesthouse to accommodate visiting scientists and doctors.
Chief minister Oommen Chandy will inaugurate the laboratory complex at the function to be attended by agriculture minister K P Mohanan and deputy speaker Palode Ravi.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Thiruvananthapuram / TNN / January 18th, 2016
Six children from Kerala State among bravery award winners
Eight children from the southern part of the country, including six from Kerala and two from Telangana, are among the 25 National Bravery award winners this year.
The winners will receive the award, a medal, a certificate and cash price from Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his residence on January 24. The award recipients will also participate in the Republic Day parade on January 26.
One of the six winners from Kerala is Aromal SM (12), who saved two children from drowning in a 14-feet deep pond. Aromal has been honoured with the Bapu Gaidhani award.
Another winner from Kerala is Nithin Philip Mathew (13), who braved fire to save his neighbour’s family after their house caught fire in a cylinder blast.
“When I saw that my neighbour’s family was stuck inside their house because of a fire, I broke open the door and entered with the help of others to save their family,” said Nithin, who wants to become an IAS officer.
Beedhovan (14), who saved a boy from electrocution, is also one of the six winners from Kerala. Other winners from the State are Anandu Dileep (14), Abhijith K.V. (15) and Muhammad Shamnad (14) who saved people drowning. The winners from Telangana are eight-year-old Shivampet Ruchitha and 14-year-old Sai Krishna Akhil Kilambi.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Kerala / by Staff Reporter / New Delhi – January 19th, 2016
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Kerala Photographer Wins Top Award
Kochi :
Thomas Vijayan bagged the ‘Wildlife Photographer of the Year – People’s Choice Award,’ constituted on the occasion of the 51st anniversary of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year Competition conducted by the Natural History Museum, London.
Thomas Vijayan is the first Malayali and the fourth Indian to win the award.
The award, which is regarded as the world’s most prestigious award in wildlife photography, is referred to the Oscar in Wildlife Photography.
The award winning photograph is that of a common langur hanging on the tails of two others and swinging naturally as humans do. It was short-listed by nine expert juries from over 42,000 entries from across 96 countries. “This image, captured at Kabini in Karnataka, is special in its own way as it was selected by the juries for the people to select,” said Vijayan.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Kerala / by Express News Service / January 13th, 2016