Vigilance accuses 40 in Mookunnimala illegal quarry issue; Samithi to continue agitation

After a year long struggle, the Mookunnimala Samrakshana Samithi, which is spearheading the agitation against illegal quarries in the hill, has now hope to rejoice after the Vigilance and Anti Corruption Bureau exposed the illegal activities in the hills, accusing 40 persons for alleged fraud and irregularities in quarry operations.

Stating that it was a major setback to to Pallichal panchayat, quarry mafia, political parties and many others, Samrakshanan Samithi Joint convenor Surendra Kumar told express that they would take out a march and hold an agitation in front of Pallichal Panchayat on Monday, demanding the immediate arrest of the accused, including Pallichal panchayat president K Rakesh. Apart from arresting the accused, all their properties should also be seized, he added.

''After a year of agitation, the truth has at last come out through a government agency. We have been telling the government and all authorities concerned that the quarries were functioning illegally. The samithi has also pointed out that the quarry activities has led to environment destruction. But there was no one to hear us. But now the VACB has unearthed irregularities and we hope that the government will at least now take some steps to save the hill,'' he said.

Pointing out that the agitation will not end with the Vigilance filing an FIR in the vigilance court, Kumar said that they would continue the agitation till all the quarry activities were stopped in the hill. On strengthening the agitation, he said that in the second phase, protest marches will be taken to the house of all the 23 members of the Panchayat, demanding their cooperation in the agitation. ''The second phase of agitation has already started with a protest march to the house of Pallichal Panchayat President K Rakesh. In the first week of January, we will be marching to the houses of all members,'' he said.

Source: The New Indian Express

http://epaper.newindianexpress.com/405614/The-New-Indian-Express-Thiruvananthapuram/29-12-2014#page/15/1

No need for more Medical Colleges in Kerala: IMA

At a time when the state government has embarked on a mission to set up medical colleges in all the districts, the Indian Medical Association, which is the largest group of medical professionals, has affirmed that there was no need for new medical colleges in the public as well as private sector and that the Non Objection Certificates for starting new colleges should be immediately withdrawn. 

The IMA has called for a detailed study by the government to see if there was a need for another medical college. The new revelations have been concluded in the preliminary report of the IMA on medical education sector in the state. ''The preliminary report of the Committee on Medical Education has been submitted and we would come out with a detailed report in the coming days,'' IMA state president Sreejith N Kumar said. 

Noting that a need based assessment should be done, he said that the government has to think of improving the treatment facility rather than setting up medical colleges. 

Committee Convenor and Kerala Government Medical College Teachers Association state president Dr K Mohanan said ''we have stated that there was no need for any medical college in the public as well as private sector till the available resources are utilised for the upgradation of the existing medical colleges. Apart from this, we also demand that the NOC given for setting up new medical colleges should be withdrawn.''

Mohanan said that most of the private medical colleges do not have the necessary infrastructure and adequate staff. These colleges situated in remote regions with only a few patients normally import patients during times of MCI inspection. Moreover, there are no permanent teachers and most of them work on daily wages and are paraded during the time of MCI inspection for getting recognition. ''All these show where the medical education system in the state is heading for,'' he said.

The IMA also recommends developing district and taluk hospitals instead of pumping in money for the medical colleges. ''If the government wants to provide the best treatment facility, it should not think of Medical colleges but should have to concentrate in augmenting the facilities at the primary level of treatment,'' the convenor said. The Association also calls for upgrading the district hospitals to super specialty hospitals and for development specialty care in the block level.

Coordinator Dr Vasudevan said that there was no deficiency of undergraduates in the state and the need of the hour is more specialisation. ''The focus should be on improving whatever we have and develop at least some of the centres as excellence of treatment units,'' he said. Vasudevan also said that the committee will be holding meetings in different parts of the state before the report is finalised.

source: The Newindian express

http://epaper.newindianexpress.com/405614/The-New-Indian-Express-Thiruvananthapuram/29-12-2014#page/3/1

Revenue Adalats sitting on files to inflate plaint figures

In an effort to come out with inflated figures of complaint redressal in the revenue adalat scheduled for every district, revenue officials are allegedly asked to sit on files which have already been positively considered and redressed. It is alleged that instructions have been given to all the revenue offices across the state not to issue pattayams (title deeds) or provide relief measures to those whose applications/complaints have been cleared but only to disburse them at the forthcoming adalats.

The government has decided to conduct revenue adalats in all the 14 districts to sort out various complaints , including issues related to resurvey, pattayam, relief measures under National Family Benefit Scheme and Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund. Most of the complaints that have been settled are alleged to be kept in abeyance for its distribution only in the adalatas for ensuring more participation. 

Alleging that the officials in each district have been asked to make sure of about 20,000 to 25,000 participation  in the adalats,  Kerala Revenue Department Staff Association (KRDSA) president K Sreekantan Nair said ''directions have been issued during the various meetings convened by the district collector and other officials not to proceed on any of the applications which has been settled. But was asked to proceed them only at the adalats.'' The government was only conducting adalats as a forum to blow things out of proportion, he said and added that all the issues that come up in the adalats are normally dealt at the revenue offices itself.  

''There are instances where the files are delayed for years.  The adalats should focus on clearing these long pending files and applications and not for redressing the issues on which action has already been completed. It is absurd on the government to conduct such adalats,'' Nair said. 

Meanwhile, Revenue Minister Adoor Prakash said that there were some people who were out for scuttling a major event.  Stating that the adalat will give more focus on complaints that have been pending for a long time, he said that instructions  have been issued to settle all the issues except that is entangled in court cases. ''The adalat is being conducted for getting results. It has been directed that the applications received after the announcement of the adalat should be cleared at the event itself. We hope that a majority of the complaints and applications will be disposed off at the adalat,' he said.   

Source: The New Indian Express 

http://epaper.newindianexpress.com/400765/The-New-Indian-Express-Thiruvananthapuram/22-12-2014#page/6/1

Public Health initiatve; IMA to adopt 100 villages

Thousands of doctors across the state will move to the villages in the next one year, giving fresh impetus to public health and community based programmes for building a healthy Kerala. The doctors under the banner of Indian Medical Association (IMA), which is adopting 100 villages, will focus more on lifestyle diseases and health awareness.

With the adoption of 100 villages in the state, the IMA, Kerala, is gearing up for new initiatives in public health sector and community based programmes, according to IMA state president Sreejth N Kumar. ''We have envisaged a programme – Arogyamaithri --under which 100 villages are being adopted. The focus will be on life style diseases, especially cardiovascular  
problems. Under the adoption programme, the focus will be on tobacco/blood pressure control, which is a major threat in all cardiovascular problems. We would give importance to awareness, detection and treatment of cardiovascular diseases through Arogyamaithri,'' he said.  Moreover, 

cancer screening and its awareness, which is already part of IMA's programme, will continue, he added.

As a first step, medical camps and health awareness programmes will be conducted at these villages. The IMA branches, which comes to 103, will be focussing on each village that comes under its jurisdiction, Sreejith said. 

Talking to Express, IMA Public Health Assurance Committee convenor Dr A Althaf said that the focus of Arogyamathri will be identification of health problems of the locality, health check ups and awareness campaigns. With life style diseases showing an alarming rise in the state, the adoption programme will focus on creating awareness, screening and treatment

Pointing out that the Association had about 27,000 members, he said ''all the active members, including specialty doctors, will participate in the Arogyamaithri programme. Though life style diseases, especially cancer, will be taken up initially, we would be focussing on the requirement of an area.'' He also mentioned that there would be active participation of experts, ward members, local MLA, local politicians and others in the programme. Noting that IMA had earlier also addressed public health issues, he said that it was for the first time that the Association was taking such an initiative related to public health in village level. 

Source The New Indian Express 

http://epaper.newindianexpress.com/400765/The-New-Indian-Express-Thiruvananthapuram/22-12-2014#page/5/1

Massive Failure of Medicos in Kerala Raises Concern

The massive failure of medical students in the state, particularly in the private medical colleges, has raised serious concern among the medical fraternity, who point out quality erosion in the medical education sector, including shortage of faculty and lack of infrastructure for the failure.

With the results out for the first year MBBS, a majority of the self financing and private colleges showed a poor performance than the government medical colleges. As per the results, some colleges had 90 per cent failure and in total more than 30 per cent of the students have failed.

''The failure only shows that the medical education sector is distorted,'' said Dr B Eqbal, former Vice-chancellor of Kerala University and a public health activist. The Kerala University of Health Sciences should have to reassess the affiliation given to the medical colleges that has come out with such poor result.

It is alleged that the quality of medical education has come down with the uncontrolled proliferation of medical colleges in the state. There are not enough qualified faculty and also proper infrastructure for ensuring that the students are given the best education, it is alleged. It is also said that the faculty at the institutions are not given proper training.

Indian Medical Association (IMA) president Sreejith N Kumar said that the results were of serious concern and all the aspects that led to the failure should be analysed. ''The absence of dedicated faculty and lack of infrastructure are some of the reasons that the IMA sees as a cause,'' he said. Most of the medical colleges engage faculty during the time of MCI inspection, which has to be strictly monitored, he said. Kumar noted that a detailed analysis of the student intake was also needed. Noting that the KUHS also had a major role in ensuring quality of education, he said '' apart from the MCI inspections, the KUHS should also conduct random checks and ensure that a system is in place for improving quality of medical education.

source The Newindian Express

http://epaper.newindianexpress.com/398000/The-New-Indian-Express-Thiruvananthapuram/18-12-2014#page/6/1

Kerala stern on encroachers; to take back all lands in illegal possession of HML

At last the Kerala government has taken a stern step against encroachers in the state, especially with the Special Officer for Land Resumption M G Rajamanickam serving notice to Harrisons Malayalam Ltd to vacate 29,185 acres of land spread over Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Kottayam and Idukki districts. Apart from this, the government is also for recovering the other stretches of lands, illegally held by the company in the different parts of the state.

It is estimated that HML are in the illegal possession of about 60,000 acres of land. Though several probes have concluded that the HML was in the possession of lands that belonged to the government, no government had taken a firm step against the company until the High Court ruled that that the state government was vested with necessary powers under Kerala Conservancy Act to retrieve the land.

Revenue Minister Adoor Prakash said that all the lands that are to be taken back are government land and the company had fabricated documents. He made it clear that the special officer was appointed based on a High Court order. Before serving the eviction notice, the special office had inspected all the four districts and verified the documents.

The Minister also said that the company had sold 8,147 acres in the four districts from where the company has been asked to vacate. He also said that the company was misleading the people by placing advertisements, which amount to contempt of court. The advertisements have been given by HML Vice president (Legal) V Venugopal, against whom the vigilance had recommended a case after a preliminary inquiry found evidence of forgery of documents and survey maps with the Plantation Majors.

Row Over Govt Move to Extend DME Service

With the Director of Medical Education's tenure to end this month, the government's move to give extension for another two more years has led to wide criticism, with many see it as a prelude to the government's attempt to increase the retirement age of teachers in the Medical Education Service.

It is also alleged that the government that shows much enthusiasm in giving extension to the existing higher officials, it has not shown interest in making any new recruitment. Already a list of doctors, of which 900 have specialty qualification, is pending and is alleged that the PSC was ready to fill the posts within two weeks if the Directorate of Medical Education had notified the posts.

Pressure is alleged be mounting on the government as well as the health department for extending the period of the DME. However, sources said that if the extension was given, it would only create an unnecessary precedence. The move is also seen as a prelude to the government's intention to increase the retirement age in the Medical Education Service to 62.

Meanwhile Kerala Government Medical College Teachers Association (KGMCTA), which has always stood against increasing the pension age, said that they vehemently opposed any such move. ''The Association opposes the retirement age or extension of service of any individual or in general,'' KGMCTA general secretary Dr C P Vijayan said. Moreover, he also pointed out that the seven long years of the present DME was not fruitful.

However, officials in the health department said that there was no such pressure for extending the DME's tenure. They said that the DME can continue till the end of the academic year. But it is said that there was no superannuation as the post was only an administrative one and not academic. 

Source< The New Indian Express

http://epaper.newindianexpress.com/381029/The-New-Indian-Express-Thiruvananthapuram/24-11-2014#page/4/1

 

Kerala's moves for a Public Health Agency criticised

The government's move to establish a Public Health Protection Agency has evoked criticism from the medical Fraternity, which maintains that it will not be a substitute to Public Health Cadre and Public Health Department envisaged in the National Health Policy, which has been adopted by several states.

With the emerging/reemerging of many diseases and health indices pointing out that Kerala has not made any advancements for the last ten years, many of the doctors and health experts were for creating a separate Public health cadre and public health department. The government has mooted the Agency to guide the Health Department for improving and protecting public health, mainly focusing on prevention. But experts point out it will be a futile exercise and will not have any major impact.

While mooting the Agency, the government had pointed out that Public Health did not pertain to health department alone but involved the active involvement of other departments like water resources, social welfare, education and LSGD. As such a separate Agency will help in coordinating the works related to public health. Though the experts agree that coordination of departments was needed, they said that an Agency or any coordination unit/agency will not be a substitute to Public Health Department and Public Health Cadre. Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Orissa and Gujarat have already established public Health Departments.

Agreeing that inter departmental coordination is needed for improvement of public health, Indian Medical Association, Kerala, president Sreejith N Kumar said ''Coordination can be called by any name like Public Health Protection Agency or some other name. But an exclusive department for public health is inevitable in the raising threat of emerging/reemerging of many diseases.''

Source: The New Indian Express

http://epaper.newindianexpress.com/376154/The-New-Indian-Express-Thiruvananthapuram/17-11-2014#page/6/1

Govt says redeployment of MC Doctors based on DME report

Even as the Medical College teachers threaten to launch an agitation against redeploying doctors at the Medical Colleges to run the newly set up Medical colleges at Manjeri and Idukki, the government has stated that the decision to redeploy them was taken based on a report of the Director of Medical Education (DME).

The government has made it clear that the DME, who was asked for a report on the staff pattern, had given a report that there were more teachers as per the norms of the Medical Council of India in the existing medical colleges. ''When the file for creating posts at the new medical colleges was sent to the Finance Department, it had asked for a report of the staff pattern in the Medical Colleges. The DME was entrusted with the task and the director had reported that there were more teachers in the Medical Colleges as per the MCI Norms,'' Health Minister V S Sivakumar said.

On the notice served by the Kerala Government Medical College Teachers Association (KGMCTA) that they would go for a strike if Government issues an order with respect to redeployment, he said that the government has nothing to do in this. ''It is their head who said in the report that the medical colleges had more teachers than the prescribed MCI norms and the doctors can be redeployed. It was only after this report that the government had moved ahead in the issue,'' he said.

Source: The new Indian express 

http://epaper.newindianexpress.com/376154/The-New-Indian-Express-Thiruvananthapuram/17-11-2014#page/3/1

Tvm Residents call for protecting Orange lake

The new Central University campus to be set up at Kudappanakunnu has been well received by the residents, who have been agitating against rampant encroachment and destruction of the region, but stressed for an environment – friendly campus and protection of the nature, especially the Orange poika.

The district collector was directed on Wednesday to identify 5 acres of land in Kudappanakunnu for setting up the campus. For the last many months, the people of Kudappanakunnu have been agitating against the encroachment and the move to dump waste near the Orange poika, a landlocked natural water body in the hill, which is almost on the verge of extinction. The pond is a source of water to the many streams, ponds and wells in the surrounding areas.

Welcoming the decision, Sivan Kutty, a resident of Kudapanakunnu who is part of the agitation, said ''We welcome the campus here. But at the same time, the environment should be protected and the constructions should be eco-friendly.''

Stressing that they will not allow any more encroachment and destruction of the pond, he said that the agitation will be intensified if the government goes ahead with any programme that causes imbalance to the environment.

K Muraleedharan, who is the local MLA, also noted that the environment will be protected while setting up the Central University campus.

Source: http://epaper.newindianexpress.com/369887/The-New-Indian-Express-Thiruvananthapuram/07-11-2014#page/17/1

Kerala Govt for massive drive against excess land

With the charitable institutions, trusts, religious and caste based institutions and commercial establishments reportedly having excess land to the tune of about 1.5 lakh to 2 lakh acres of land across the state, the government is for launching a massive drive for identifying the excess land in their possession and to retrieve them.

In the case of land given to the Public Sector Units, the government has given directions to take steps to retrieve the land that has not be utilised by the concerned PSUs. It is learned that a meeting, which was chaired by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy last week, had directed the State Land Board to list out the lands that are in excess with the various charitable institutions, trusts, religious and caste based institutions and commercial establishments. The land Board was also asked to initiate ceiling cases against those who have violated the rules and to take steps to take back the land that is in excess.

Highly placed sources said that christian missionaries topped the list of excess land, which is estimated to come around 75,000 acres to 1 lakh acres. The Hindu organisations are said to have about 50,000 to 75,000 acres and the Muslim organisations to be having about 40,000 acres to 50,000 acres of excess land. They also said that the caste based organisations also have violated the rules and have excess land to the tune of about 75,000 acres. Apart from this, charitable institutions and trusts have also lands beyond their permissible possession, which is said to come to about 30,000 acres. However, it has to be noted that the government does not have a proper proper data regarding the land in possession with these organisations, institutions and trusts.

As per the KLR Act, exemption should be availed for the land that is in excess, which is being used for any public purpose. But the officials said that most of the charitable institutions, religious/caste based institutions and others have not yet availed such exemption and they continued to buy lands in different parts of the state.

As a first step, the officials are learned to have been asked to collect details of excess lands in the possession of charitable institutions, trusts, religious and caste based institutions and commercial establishments.

source: The New Indian Express

http://epaper.newindianexpress.com/369887/The-New-Indian-Express-Thiruvananthapuram/07-11-2014#page/4/1

Govt makes wrong diagnosis to strengthen health sector

Even as the government is moving ahead with setting up Medical Colleges in all the districts, the medical fraternity in the state points out lack of vision and plan on the part of government in strengthening the health sector of the state. Instead of medical colleges that bring out undergraduates, they call for strengthening the treatment facilities at secondary and primary level hospitals.

The government is thinking of new medical colleges even as the medical colleges at Palakkad, Manjeri and Idukki is likely to loss the Medical Council of India recognition. Kerala Government Medical College Teachers Association (KGMCTA) secretary Dr C P Vijayan opined that the state did not need more medical colleges for increasing the treatment facilities but the need of the hour was to increase the treatment facilities at the primary and secondary level of hospitals, including the district, taluk and general hospitals.

He also said that the government should only go for new Medical Colleges after conducting a proper study if these institutions that only produce undergraduates are needed. Even the allotment of Medical Colleges in the private sector should be looked into, he added.

There are already 30 medical colleges in the state recognised by the Medical Council of India with about 3350 seats available. As per records, about 55,000 doctors have registered with the State Medical Council. When the doctor patient ratio as per WHO is 1: 1000, the state has a ratio of 1:700, which is far better than the universal standards. It is at this juncture that the state government is setting up new colleges as per its policy. Moreover, it is also alleged that the existing medical colleges though having sufficient funds are lagging in academic, research and training activities as well as patient care.

Source: the newindian express

http://epaper.newindianexpress.com/364935/The-New-Indian-Express-Thiruvananthapuram/30-10-2014#page/5/1

Kerala Govt takes a revolutionary Land step

Despite pressures to pay compensation of about 20 to 25 crores for the 75 acres of land to be acquired for setting up the Sree Chitra Thirunal Institute of Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST) at Wayanad, the government at last decides to give Rs 1.9 crore as compensation for the value of improvements/structures the lessee had done in the said land.

The Wayanad district collector had reported to the government that a compensation of Rs 1.9 crore could be given to the lessee for the structures/improvements he had done in the said land at Mananthawadi. The revenue department had forwarded the proposal to the Health department, which has been entrusted to pay the compensation.

The compensation was fixed after the government resumed 75 acres of land in Mananthwadi. In the order that was issued in August, it has been clearly stated that the lessee M/s Glen Leven Estate was not entitled for the value of the land as the jenmom right was vested with the government. However, the lessee is entitled only for the value of improvements/structures it had done in the said land. Moreover, the land was declared as excess land by the Taluk land Board.

Before the government came up with an order to resume the land, there was much pressure for giving compensation for the 75 acres of land. Even the Advocate General had in his legal opinion favoured compensation to the estate owners. The Express had then exposed the move with the Opposition Leader V S Achuthanandan taking up the issue. The State Land Board and the Revenue Department had come out against providing compensation. The land Board in its report had said that the 75 acres of land to be acquired came under exempted category and was ''controlled land'' for which no compensation need be given.

Source: The New Indian Express

http://epaper.newindianexpress.com/357098/The-New-Indian-Express-Thiruvananthapuram/16-10-2014#page/5/1

Kerala faces shortage of H1N1 drugs

With the Central Government stopping the supply of drugs for H1N1, the government hospitals as well as private hospitals are facing scarcity of the drug. In many of the hospitals, the supply of Tamiflu, which is mainly used for H1N1 has been stopped. The Kerala Medical Services Corporation (KMSCL), which are the main suppliers have only released the medicines till August, which has resulted in the acute shortage.

Some of the hospitals have gone for local purchase and that too is becoming difficult with the scarcity of the drug in the market. When a few of the general hospitals in the state face dearth in the stock of drugs, only some of the hospitals have bought them from the local market. With the general hospitals itself finding it hard to meet the requirement, the taluk and other hospitals are having no stock at all.

Thiruvananthapuram General Hospital superintendent Dr Faseelath Beevi told express that they had no supply from the KMSCL. ''We have some stock of the drug through local purchase. It is the general hospital that supplies the drug to other hospitals in the district, which is not happening now. The supply can be done to the other hospitals only if the KMSCL makes available the drug,'' she said. This is just not an issue at Thiruvananthapuram general Hospital.

Most of the DMOs is learned to have written to the government for supply of the drug. ''It is better to have enough stock of the drug. In case of any outbreak of H1N1, it would be difficult if enough drug is not available. Most of the hospital superintendents have written to the government regarding this. However, the government is yet to take any action in this,'' sources said. 

source> The new indian exopress

http://epaper.newindianexpress.com/355188/The-New-Indian-Express-Thiruvananthapuram/13-10-2014#page/5/1