SON RISE AGAIN

It’s the “SONS” who have taken the centre stage again. And it is not a surprise after all in the Congress…it was never and will never be… The poor party workers who have been working for years and even decades have got one more chance to show their loyalty to the SON regime.

Deciding to field former Speaker G Karthikeyan’s son Sabarinath in the Aruvikkara by election, the Congress has once again shown that if you are born to a father who is a leader in Congress, then what not you have.

The Congress always believes in family traditions, which history has shown us. From the time of Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Sonia, K Karunakaran, the Congress always respected ‘SONS and DAUGHTERS’. 

If K Muraleedharan could become an MLA and a minister under the shadow of his father late K Karunakaran, who knows one day Sabarinath will not become another Muraleedharan in politics.

And in congress, if you have a good father, you are the next MLA or MP. It is only because the Congress respects/worships their leaders.Unlike other parties, the Congress had always respected true leaders. And history has proved this. Its only respect and love to the departed soul that his or her wife or son or daughter is tipped to contest the elections. 

Parties and Public money

A new debate is now doing the rounds after the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) moved the Supreme Court seeking directions to the major political parties to disclose the complete details of their income as well as expenditure. The question here is should a court come forward and direct the political parties to reveal their income. Well, the political parties, which stand for the people and which belong to the people and which thrive because of the people’s money and which receives donations has a moral right to tell the people about its assets and also the money that has been collected and that is spent.

If a political party has got a donation from you, it is your right to know what has happened to your donation. Most of the political parties seek donations and funds but when asking how they spend the money, they are mostly arrogant. The local politicians just say that everything is accountable. Some of them even say that all the accounts are verified by upper levels of the party. But is it that the party should only know how much money has been collected and what has been done with the money collected. Well, according to all political parties, the people don’t have any right to question the donations but only has to give it. Nothing should be asked but only to be donated… the motto of all political parties.

Rather than waiting for any court to give directions, the political parties should have to show the courage to say they are ready to reveal everything. They should have the boldness to tell about all the money that they have collected from the people.

However, it is hardly that any political party would be revealing its source of income, financial transparency and accountability in their working. How can the name of the donors, who have pumped in black money into the parties, are revealed. How dare the parties reveal the lavish expenditure of its own leaders at the hands of the public? How come the party can talk about the extravaganza….

According to the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), Put together, the six political parties— Congress, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Communist Party of India (Marxist), Communist Party of India (CPI), and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP)—had total income of Rs.4,895.96 crore from 2004-05 to 2011-12. This was based on analysis of the income-tax returns and statements filed by the parties to the Election Commission.

Chandy’s fifth year and ‘S’ and ‘B’ factors

Into the fifth and final year of Oommen Chandy's rule, its ‘Saritha’ and ‘Bar’ that is going to stay with the people as the greatest contribution of the Chandy government.  Its the negatives that always becomes hot topics of discussion rather than all the positives. Well, the people cant be blamed also with Chandy and his team always in the helm of Saritha or bar or infighting with the congress or the UDF.

No metro, Vizhinjam port, smart city or any other development activities is going stay along with Chandy and his team but sure the ‘S’and ‘B’ factors.

Into the fifth year and the final year, Chandy has come out with some programmes of providing insurance to Asha workers, renovating fishermen colonies, digitalising text books and providing welfare pensions direct to the bank accounts. And Chandy also announced his priority of completing all the projects undertaken.  

Though full with projects, the government is raked with scandals, allegations of corruption and infighting, which no doubt will haunt chandy and his team down to the last days.

But one thing is there that Chandy will be facing the toughest fight within his Congress and his UDF. Even some young turks in the congress has come up saying that Chandy government, terming is under dark shadows of graft. But Chandy has a solace that he has no threat from the opposition. Even after all the scandals and allegations of corruption, the Opposition has let the chandy ship to sail safe to the shore. They do not even show the courage that some of the Congress leaders have. And with all the scandals and corruptions, Chandy still sails along…..   

Modiji; traveller of all times --- Bravo…

In the first 365 days of power, 52 days outside the country – no other prime minister will have the rare distinction of being outside ones own country after assuming power.  Narendra Modi when advancing to his first anniversary at office has visited almost 18 countries, a rare distinction.

In the history books, Modiji will be a rare species among Indian Prime Ministers who has spent more in foreign countries rather than in his own country. Though tipped to bring in fast development and investments, especially in FDI, all the foreign tours are in respect of appeasing the corporate both in the country and in the foreign lands.

The ‘Make in India’ tag which is added to all the visits is a bit ridiculing the Indian society. When in opposition and the ruling, the BJP shows its double face – in opposition opposing FDI and other anti-people, anti--farmer [policies, but when in ruling, its for FDI that they ‘Make in India’. 

When the farmers in the country and the unemployed in the country are in struggles, Modiji is traveling around the world to set a world record of having traveled the most of all the prime ministers in the world. Great Modiji….jeete raho Modiji. 

It was on May 26, 2014 Modi was sworn in as 15th Prime Minister of India. But less than a month, he flew to Bhutan – his first of many foreign trips that year. Later that year in July he was in Brazil for the BRICS summit and then in August to Nepal and then by September he flew to the US. From November to December, Modiji rarely flew over India as he was in Germany, France, Japan, Canada, Myanmar, Australia, Fiji and Nepal.

2015 has also started in much positive note with about ten countries already pinned to his record. In March he was in Seychelles, Maurituis, Sri lanka, Singapore, In April, France, Germany, Canadam China, Mongolia and South Korea.

In the coming months, Modiji has already reserved his air routes to Bangladesh, Russia, Tturkmenisthan and Turkey.

With al these foreign tours, modiji is undoubtfully great. Though he is not in his country and his government is at intervals increasing petro prices, moving towards ordinances for taking back land from farmers and changing forest laws and giving a free hold for all the Big wigs, he is selling ‘Make in India’. Bravo Modiji……

More than equal

Crime Committed: 2002

Verdict: 2015

Verdict announced: 11:15

Sentence delivered: 1:15 pm

High Court Moved for Bail: 3:15 pm

Bail hearing: 4:00 pm

Bail announced: 4:50 Pm

Later the High Court even suspends the sentence of the lower court.

   

See how fast the judiciary has acted for actor Salman Khan after the verdict was pronounced….the fastest bail announcement. If not for Salman, the people have raised doubts if this fastness could have been shown. The whole Khan episode is nothing but what shows how power and money rules. The common man still has to walk down the corridors of powers for justice, but for nothing.

The country also saw hundreds performing havan, poojaas and even coming out in the street for Khan who was sentenced for five years by the local court in a hit and run case. But who was there for the one who died and those who were injured. And no one ever remembered policeman Ravindra Patil, who was the prime witness in the case. Patil died suffering from a strain of TB, but no one was there to help him. Even his family members had deserted him and his body was also never claimed by his relatives.

The court’s decision was widely criticised and many of the people have expressed their displeasure at the decision in the social media. After a few criticism and displeasure, Khan Episode has drifted away just like all the many issues that have always found a grave.

When everyone has equal rights and should be considered equal, why then in India some are more equal. It is not that this is the first instance that the system is considering some as more equals… this has been going on for decades and will go on for decades to come…politics, money, power… the three words that has created more equals among us…    

Friction continues between Ayur and modern medicine Doctors over training

The friction between doctors of Ayurveda and Modern Medicine over training of Ayurveda doctors in modern medicine has escalated with the Ayurveda doctors approaching the High Court against keeping in abeyance the government's earlier order of allowing them to undergo training in modern medicine at government hospitals.

Even as the Ayurveda practitioners claim that the training was only meant to impart a comprehensive knowledge about the whole health system, the Indian Medical Association (IMA), which is all out against it, said that such an exercise will not do any good for the people. The Ayurveda doctors under the aegis of Ayurveda Medical Association of India (AMAI) on Saturday filed a petition before the High Court on Saturday.

AMAI General secretary Dr Rejith Anand said that it was unfortunate that the government had frozen its earlier order of allowing Ayur doctors to train in modern medicine just at the behest of a memorandum from the IMA. ''It is just one month training as part of a national policy and for observing the complications that could arise during a surgery or labour,'' he said.

Lashing out against IMA, Anand alleged that all these protest were only part of industrialisation of the health sector and the protest is only from a section of doctors who see health as a business. The same sentiment was shared by Private Ayurveda Medical Practitioners Association (PAMPA), which said that the BAMS students had all the right to get training as per the syllabus. PAMPA president Dr K Gopalakrishnan said that the syllabus of BAMS students was drawn in such a way that the students get knowledge of anatomy, physiology, medical jurisprudence, pathology, obstetrics and gynecology.

Meanwhile IMA state president Dr Sreejith N Kumar said that they had approached the government against the order pointing out that it violated the spirit of the Medical Council of India guidelines. ''The MCI, which is the highest authority of Modern Medicine, has in 2007 itself given strict directive that modern medicine people can only be trained in modern medicine institutions. And if this was violated, strict action could be taken,'' he said.

Source: The New Indian express

http://epaper.newindianexpress.com/492355/The-New-Indian-Express-Thiruvananthapuram/04-05-2015#page/4/1

Mookunnimala: reports yet to be finalised

The Neyyattinkara Tahalsidar is yet to file a detailed report, including a data bank, on the quarries and crusher units that are functioning in Mookunnimala even though the district administration had given time till April 25 to file the report.

District Collector Biju Prabhakar had on April 16 directed the Neyyattinkara tahsildar to create a data bank of quarry and crusher units at Mookkunnimala, including survey number of lands owned by the Fire and Rescue Services and Defence establishments in the hill.

Though the district administration has given strict directions that there should not be any delay in filing the data and report, it is ten days that the Taluk office is yet to gather all the data. When contacted, Tahalsidar Sam L Sone said that the data is only being collected. ''We are yet to collect and coordinate all the data. The work will be completed and mostly submitted by Tuesday,'' he said.

Apart from the data on total number of quarry and crusher units functioning in the region and also about the land of the Fire Force and Army, the district collector had also asked to furnish details of closed down quarries.

Meanwhile, Prabhakar said that they were for having a comprehensive data on all the land in that area. ''There are abandoned quarries of which data was not available. The entire area should be marked in Litho. It all will take some time,'' he said and added that the process was on.

Source: The New Indnian Express
http://epaper.newindianexpress.com/488448/The-New-Indian-Express-Thiruvananthapuram/28-04-2015#page/17/1

Land for tourism, Rules stresses on agriculture

Emphasis on agriculture and protecting the nature of the land has been stressed in the rules framed as part of allowing five per cent of the estate land for tourism purposes. According to the rules submitted by the Land Board to the government, it calls for using 90 per cent of the five per cent land for agriculture purpose.

Though the Kerala Land Reforms Act 1963 has been amended to ensure that five per cent of land in all plantations can be used for other purposes, the rules have not yet been framed. One of the important rules that has been framed and submitted for approval of the government is that only 5 per cent or 50 acres of the total land, which ever is minimal, should be only used for non – plantation purposes. And it has been said that only ten percent of the alienated 5 per cent land or 5 acres should be used for tourism purposes and the remaining for cultivating plants that has been specified in the amendment.

The rules specify that exemption on the land can be given only once, which the officials say would help in preventing more fragmentation of the land. In the rules, it has been said that the amendment will only be applicable to lands that are not involved in any court cases, highly placed sources said.

Another important rule as proposed is that fragmented lands should not be given the benefit of 5 per cent relaxation. It is learned that the Land Board has submitted about 40 rules to the government.

Source: The New Indian express

http://epaper.newindianexpress.com/488448/The-New-Indian-Express-Thiruvananthapuram/28-04-2015#page/5/1

Non setting up of Ayush department; Kerala loses big

Kerala is losing big money from the Centre as part of its allotment to the Ayush Department as the state is yet to set up the department. Though into the final stages and the health Minister announcing at regular intervals that the department would be set up at the earliest, official apathy is alleged to have led to the delay.

The latest announcement from Health Minister V S Sivakumar was that the department would be set up in the first week of April. It is alleged that some officials in the health department were creating certain impediments in the process of setting up the department. The sources said that it is highly critical that the department was not set up when the government had no financial burdens. There was no need for creating any additional posts and no money is needed from the state exchequer, they said.

With the delay in setting up Ayush Department, it has been estimated that the state was losing crores of central fund. The state is losing funds for the different schemes under Ayush. And it is also alleged that some of the funds that has been allotted could not be used effectively. If there was an independent department, then all the money could have been utilised in a fruitful manner, they said.

''There is immense scope once the department comes up. Now the state is using only minimal fund from the centre,'' said Ayurveda Medical Association of India (AMAI) General Secretary Dr Rejith Anand. He also noted that the state government only applied for minimal funds from the centre as part of Ayush when compared to the other states.

He said that a separate department would only help in modernising the hospitals, pushing up research activities, development of education, improving quality of drugs and availability of medicinal plants. All these could give an impetus to the growth of traditional medicines, he added.

Source: the New Indian express

http://epaper.newindianexpress.com/487748/The-New-Indian-Express-Thiruvananthapuram/undefined#page/5/2

IMA lauds kerala Govt's initiative against sound pollution

Welcoming the state government's decision to prohibit the use of air-horns in vehicles in the State, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) said that the state could become a model for the other states to follow.

''The cabinet on Thursday decided to take stringent steps against sound pollution. This is a welcome note that should be followeddd by other states, '' said IMA state president Dr Sreeejith N Kumar and secretary Dr A Jayakrishnan.

The government had also instructed the Motor Vehicles Department to check that the law is strictly adhered to in the State. While flagging off the all-Kerala cycle rally organised by Indian Medical Association, Kerala chapter, against sound pollution, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy had on Thursday said that steps will be taken at the earliest to see that vehicles of VIPs, including that of the ministers, do not violate sound pollution norms.

They said that the campaign , titled National Initiative for Safe Sound (NISS), will cover all the districts. The rally that will conclude at Kozhikode on April 28 will highlight the serious health and social effects of noise pollution. Seminars, street plays and other awareness campaigns are being organised as part of the campaign, Kumar and Jayakrishnan said.

Source: the new indian express

http://epaper.newindianexpress.com/481833/The-New-Indian-Express-Thiruvananthapuram/18-04-2015#page/2/1

Kendrathil News: Directions for detailed report on Mookunnimala qua...

Kendrathil News: Directions for detailed report on Mookunnimala qua...: T he Thiruivananthapuram district administration has directed the Neyyattinkara Tahalsidar to file a detailed report on the quarries and c...

Directions for detailed report on Mookunnimala quarries

The Thiruivananthapuram district administration has directed the Neyyattinkara Tahalsidar to file a detailed report on the quarries and crusher units that are functioning in Mookunnimala.

District Collector Biju Prabhakar directed the Tahalsidar on Thursday to file the report by April 25. He has asked to furnish the report regarding the total number of quarry and crusher units along with the survey numbers of the land where they are functioning. Even the details of closed down quarries should be included in the report, he said. Apart from this, the Tahalsidar has also been asked to provide details about government land, including that of the fire force and the Army.

The collector gave the direction after a high level meeting at the Collectorate, which was attended by officials of the Revenue department, Pollution Control Board and the Geology Department.

Prabhakar also stressed that all the vehicles and equipment of the quarry and crusher units that were functioning without proper license and documents will be confiscated. Meanwhile, the officials of the Pollution Control Board said that licenses have not been renewed for any of the units at Mookunnimala.

The above direction gains significance in the wake of allegations that the panchayat was going to renew the licenses of the various quarry and crusher units. It has been alleged that the Panchayat had recently renewed the Dangerous and Offensive Trade License to a private quarrying group defying the Collector's orders and directives from the National Green Tribunal.

The Mookunnimala issue has been boiling for the last many years with the Mookunnimala Samrakshana Samithi intensifying their agitation against all quarry activities in the hill. The samithi leaders have reiterated that they would continue the agitation till all the quarries are stopped in the hill. They have alleged that all the rules have been violated by the quarry owners for the last many years and the officials had only helped the quarry mafia. They allege that most of the quarry operators did not have the required licenses and papers.

Source: the New Indian Express

http://epaper.newindianexpress.com/481127/The-New-Indian-Express-Thiruvananthapuram/17-04-2015#page/17/1

Kerala for free recruitment of Nurses abroad

Labour Minister Shibu Baby John has said that the government will actively look into the feasibility of making recruitment of nurses, who seek employment in the Middle East, completely cost-free.

“The government aims to make such a situation where the recruitment is made completely free of cost,” he said after releasing the brochure and prospectus of NICE- Nursing Institute of Career Enhancement, a centre for excellence in nursing under the Kerala Academy of Skill Excellence (KASE), here. The academy will start functioning at Kinfra park here on May 20.

He also noted that during a preliminary round of discussions with the Kuwait government, it has been decided that the employers will bear the recruitment charge. NICE has also decided to sign an agreement with ODEPC and NORKA in the wake of the state government’s move making overseas recruitment of nurses only through government agencies.

NICE will start operations under the KASE with an aim to provide world-class training to nurses, which will help them to find jobs anywhere in the world. The Trivandrum Specialists Hospital of NMC Health Care Group will lead the training sessions and recruitments of the nursing academy.

NICE will provide certificates for subjects including the Basic Life Support, Advance Cardiac Life Support, Quality and Patient Safety, Infection Prevention and Control, Emergency and Critical Care Nursing and Work Ethics. It also provides training for various qualifying exams conducted by the Ministry of Health, Health Authority of Abudhabi, Dubai Health Authority and Qatar Ministry of Health. Apart from the selected section, it will also provide training in languages like English and Arabic.

Source: the New Indian Express

http://epaper.newindianexpress.com/481127/The-New-Indian-Express-Thiruvananthapuram/17-04-2015#page/2/1

Kerala to take steps against sound polution

Chief Minister Oommen Chandy has said that steps will be taken at the earliest to see that vehicles of VIPs, including that of the ministers, do not violate sound pollution norms. He said this while flagging off the all-Kerala cycle rally organised by Indian Medical Association, Kerala chapter, against sound pollution.

''Discussions have been held with Transport and Environment Minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan regarding sound pollution of vehicles, including that of Ministers,'' he said and added that a decision in this regard will be taken in the cabinet soon.

Meanwhile, Radhakrishnan said that it was a reality that sound pollution was beyond the permissible limits. Every one is responsible and at the same time a victim to sound pollution, he said and added that instructions have been given to his departments to take action against sound pollution.

Health Minister V S Sivakumar, who launched the logo, said that there was lack of awareness about sound pollution.

The campaign, titled National Initiative for Safe Sound (NISS), will cover all the districts. The rally will highlight the serious health and social effects of noise pollution. As part of the rally, they would also organise seminars, street plays and other awareness campaigns. The rally, the participants who will include doctors, will conclude in Kozhikode on April 28.

The NISS Award instituted by the IMA was presented to Thiruvananthapuram district collector Biju Prabhakar.

Source: The new indian express

http://epaper.newindianexpress.com/481127/The-New-Indian-Express-Thiruvananthapuram/17-04-2015#page/2/1

Hospitals to find hard to deal with ''ghost faculty'' with RFID coming

With the Medical Council of India stressing on Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) system to track the teaching staff, the medical colleges both in the government as well as private sector will find it hard to recruit ''ghost faculty'' (who actually do not exist and remain on paper only) for a day at the time of annual inspections. Many of the colleges resort to such practice so that they get approvals from MCI for increasing the number of seats.

Various Medical organisations such as the Indian Medical Association and the Kerala Government Medical College Teachers Association (KGMCTA) have welcomed the move to introduce biometric scanners. However, they also opined that apart from the new systems that the MCI is introducing, an overall revamp of the medical education system is the need of the hour.

The MCI has given instructions to all Medical colleges to immediately set up the RFID system. Through the system, The details of the attendance of doctors can be monitored even from Delhi, which will help in ensuring that that no impersonation is taking place during routine inspections.

The new instructions gain significance in the wake of concerns raised among the medical fraternity with respect to the redeployment of doctors to the two new medical colleges at Idukki and Manjeri.

Indian Medical Association national president A Marthanda Pillai said that IMA supported the move to make the system fool proof but this only cannot bring in any comprehensive change in the whole system. ''We have to see how far the system is going to be effective, he said but cautioned that problems could also crop up if more stringent measures are brought in.

Source: The new Indian express 

http://epaper.newindianexpress.com/478558/The-New-Indian-Express-Thiruvananthapuram/13-04-2015#page/1/1

Functioning of govt Hospitals likely to be affected

With mass retirement of doctors, especially specialists, in the government hospitals lastmonth and in the coming month, the patient care at these hospitals are going to be 

badly hit even as it is alleged that the government is showing no efforts in filling the 

vacant posts. Moreover, the medical fraternity is of the opinion that once the due 

promotions are affected, vacancies could be opened up in the lower levels, which could  fill the gap of  doctors. 

It has been said that despite the PSC rank list of about 3,500 candidates two years 

ago, advice memo had only been sent to as many as 1083 candidates till now.  It is also alleged that for the last two years promotions are due to specialist doctors in the 

health service. 

Both the Kerala Government Medical Officers Association (KGMOA) the Kerala 

Government Specialist Doctors Association (KGSDA) have come out against the delay in filling the vacancies. It is alleged that the government that was now only interested in building Medical Colleges was giving no importance to primary and tertiary health 

care. The associations said that patient care has already been affected and is going to 

be worse in the coming days. 

Stating that most of the vacancies have not been reported, KGSDA secretary Dr Sunjith Ravi said that about 120 specialists have retired in March and about 100 could go in May, which is going to create a void in the health service. He opined that vacancies could be filled up in the lower levels only if due promotions are affected. Its about two years that promotions are due in the health service, he said.

Source: The new Indian express 

http://epaper.newindianexpress.com/479851/The-New-Indian-Express-Thiruvananthapuram/15-04-2015#page/4/1

centre calls for relaxing norms of medical regulatory bodies

Stressing the need for a drastic change in medical education, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Jagat Prakash Nadda said that the government was for relaxing the norms of regulatory bodies to give an impetus to medical education.

''The regulatory measures need a fresh thinking, a rethinking. Discussions are on with Medical Council of India and the Indian Medical Association and we are trying to convince them that we should be pragmatic,'' he said here after laying the foundation stone for new women’s hostel building and Dental College additional block at the Medical College.

Noting that medical education was facing a double challenge, he said the first challenge was lack of resources, mainly man power and the second one was that of maintaining quality of education. He stressed the need for a balance between quantity and quality in medical education. ''As per the WHO standards the doctor- patient ratio is 1: 1000 but we have 1: 1674 now. When 14 lakh doctors are needed in the country, we have only 7 to 8 lakh doctors. There is a need to address the issue at the earliest,'' he said.

Moreover, there is also a regional imbalance with regard to Medical institutions. While 65 per cent of the medical institutes are in Southern and Western India, the northern and eastern parts are unaddressed, the minister said. ''Of the 6640 districts, 400 districts do not have medical institutions. We are now planning to upgrade 100 district hospitals to medical colleges so that all the regions get at least one medical institute. With 100 more seats in each of the colleges, we can have 10,000 more doctors,'' he said.

Source: The New Indian Express

http://epaper.newindianexpress.com/477312/The-New-Indian-Express-Thiruvananthapuram/11-04-2015#page/2/1

Kerala to get AIIMS: Minister

Dismissing concerns over delay in granting All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) to the state, Union Health Minister J P Nadda assured that the state will get AIIMS. ''The Centre is committed to start AIIMS in all the states. Kerala is one of the states where we are going to start it,'' he said.

Nadda made the assurance after laying the foundation stone for new women’s hostel building, dental College additional block at the Medical College here. The government had given a memorandum related to AIIMS, he said. ''We respect the sentiments of the state regarding AIIMS and assure that we will go forward with it,'' he said.

Nadda also said that the Centre has received representation of four locations that have been identified by the state government for setting up AIIMS. ''We have decided to go ahead with the proposal and a team will come here and decide on it,'' he said.

He said that though health is a state subject, the Centre would always suport the state's initiatives. '' I assure you that whatever needed here will be taken care of. The state will gets its due share to keep the pace of development,'' he said.

Sources: The new indian express

http://epaper.newindianexpress.com/477312/The-New-Indian-Express-Thiruvananthapuram/11-04-2015#page/2/1

IMA comes out with food policy document

Noting that scant attention is being paid to food safety in general and child nutrition in particular, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has called for reversing this alarming situation and suggested that good quality and affordability are the key requirements to an ideal food culture. The IMA, Kerala Chapter made the observation in its Food Policy Document 2015 that will be released by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and Health Minister V S Sivakumar on World Health Day, which falls on Tuesday.

The IMA has come out with a food policy document with the theme of World Health Day 2015 being 'food safety'. In its in its guidelines on Safe and Healthy Food, the IMA said that every one including the authorities, organisations and citizens have to be aware about safe and healthy food and that it should never be a reason for disease.

The IMA under 27 different heads has highlighted the importance of taking a wholesome food that provide adequate calories and nutrients. It stresses that good quality and affordability are the key requirements to an ideal food culture.

Source: The Newindian express 

http://epaper.newindianexpress.com/474173/The-New-Indian-Express-Thiruvananthapuram/07-04-2015#page/17/1

IMA Plans big on Organ Donation

With lack of awareness among the people on organ donation and a significant number of patients awaiting transplantation, the Indian Medical Association (IMA), Kerala Chapter, has stepped in to find donors for these patients with its various awareness campaigns across the state.

''The IMA has stepped in to help the patients find altruistic donors in accordance with its motto of the year “For the profession, for the people”. We aim at spreading awareness on brain death, voluntary organ donation and transplantation of various organs,'' said IMA Committee for Organ Donation state convenor Dr S Vasudevan.

With a number of voluntary organisations coming forward to join the IMA's initiative, he said that the association will be acting as an umbrella organisation. ''The Society for Organ Retrieval & Transplantation and others have come forward to associate with us,'' he said and added that it would give accelerate the efforts.

Vasudevan also said that a a registry with details of all those wiling to donate organs will be created. ''The association will accept consent forms from people who are willing to donate organs. They would be given donor cards and certificates and a registry will then be created. The first voluntary consent was given by Chairman of the Committee Dr Vinay Ranjan,'' he said.

Further, he said that the Association will reach the common man at various levels through its public meetings, workshops, awareness classes and other programmes. The association will be conducting various awareness programmes at educational institutions, residential colonies and other public places.

Source: The Newindian Express

http://epaper.newindianexpress.com/474173/The-New-Indian-Express-Thiruvananthapuram/07-04-2015#page/2/1

Political pressure lands survey official out

With political pressure mounting from various service organisations, a senior official in the survey department, who is second in command, has been shifted from the post, stating that she is not eligible for the post. It was the same government that gave E R Sobhana a provisional promotion in 2012 taking into consideration her administrative skills. 

And the strange thing is that the government, allegedly under pressure from the service organisations, had given charge of the additional director to a deputy director against whom the vigilance had recommended suspension and even demoting him on various allegations. 

It is alleged that Sobhana was removed from the post as she had been taking stern action against corrupt officials, especially joint/deputy directors and even district survey officials, which has now agitated the service organissations. She even transferred certain people who were siting idle for years at the directorate to other offices, which is alleged to have angered certain union leaders.

As per the government order dated April 4, 2015, it is said that ''some service organisations have represented to government requesting to review the appointment of Sobhana as additional director''. It said that there was no provision in the Special rules of Survey and land records department to promote a person directly to the post pf Additional Director from deputy director in the absence of qualified persons in the cadre of Joint Director. It also said that Sobhana was not eligible for provisional promotion as per rule 31 a (i) of Kerala State & Subordinate Service Rules and as such her appointment was cancelled.

It should be noted that the government in its order dated September 20, 2012, had given provisional promotion to her evoking rule 9 a (i) of the same Kerala State & Subordinate Service Rules. Apart from this, the 2012 order states that she was being given promotion as the two joint directors could not be given promotion as several vigilance inquires were pending against them and were facing action. It also said that one of the joint directors was facing criminal charges at the Peroorkada police station. Sobhana was given promotion as the post was lying vacant from 2000 and the activities of the department was affected. Moreover, the seniority and promotion list in some of the sections are pending for a long time that had led the government to take such a step.

Source: The New Indian express

http://epaper.newindianexpress.com/473534/The-New-Indian-Express-Thiruvananthapuram/06-04-2015#page/5/1

Uprighht Survey officials find the going tough

Despite attempts to bring in transparency in the survey department, many of the senior officials, including additional director who is second in command and who had taken severe steps against corrupt officials is being made a scapegoat under political pressure.

With pressure mounting from the various unions against some of the officials, especially additional director E R Sobhana, the revenue department is known to have decided to give the charge of the additional director to a joint director. It is alleged that the decision has been taken without looking into the complaints that have been raised against the additional director but only on certain political pressure. Apart from this, the sources said that the move was also alleged to scuttle the survey inspection of Karuna estate. Sobhana has been given the charge of the survey of the estate after the government constituted a team to trace the excess and illegally possessed land with the Karuna Estate at Nelliyampathy.

Moreover, sources said that the official who is now being given the charge had been involved in many controversies. The survey vigilance unit had earlier recommended for suspending and even demoting this official who is now being handed over the charge. As many as five cases are also pending with the survey vigilance unit against the official, highly placed sources said.

It is known that the Chief Minister had written in a file that was forwarded to the revenue department for taking necessary action on the complaint. This was also confirmed by Revenue Minister Adoor Prakash, who earlier said that the CM had asked to take necessary decision on the complaint that has been raised against the additional director. However, he did not divulge more on the issue.

As part of streamlining the survey department, the additional director had transferred certain people who were siting idle for years at the directorate to other offices, which is alleged to have led certain union leaders to come forward against the additional director.

Source: The New Indian Express

http://epaper.newindianexpress.com/459838/The-New-Indian-Express-Thiruvananthapuram/17-03-2015#page/5/1

Govt overlooking merit in appointments to DME

In the wake of the increasing number of Medical Colleges in the state, the appointment to the post of Director of Medical Education (DME) has raised serious concern with allegations that people without necessary qualifications are being tipped for the post.

Despite people having more experience in teaching and clinical care, administrative experience, management qualification and research papers, it is alleged that the government is considering those who have no such experience, which is alleged to be out of political and other pressures.

Stating that merit was never considered for appointments, Kerala Government Medical College Teachers Association (KGMCTA) secretary Dr C P Vijayan stressed that qualified academicians should only be made DMEs as they can only only bring in novel ideas for developing the medical education sector, which is already said to be deteriorating in the state.

It is reliably known that Kottayam Principal Dr A Remla Beevi and Cochin Medical College Principal Dr Praveen Lal have been considered for the post by the Departmental Promotion committee. It is learned that the government is considering Dr Beevi to the post as the other one is about to retire in a few months.

Generally seniority of principals are taken when making appointments for the post. Even if this criteria is considered, the sources said that there are several others who are more senior than the two who are now being considered. It is also alleged that Kottayam Principal does not have published papers and also falls short of the required 10 years of teaching experience. According to the Medical Council of India norms, ten years of teaching experience and ten published papers are needed for becoming principal or to get appointed to key posts, which are violated here.

Source: The newindian express 

http://epaper.newindianexpress.com/459104/The-New-Indian-Express-Thiruvananthapuram/16-03-2015#page/5/1

Appointment to Sate officers in Natinal health Mission flouting norms

All is not well with the National Health Mission (NHM) with apprehensions raised over the move to extend the service of the State Programme Manager SPM (Homeo), who is alleged to have been last year appointed out of the way.

Though hardly 2 months to complete the present term, it is learned that hectic pressure is on the government for giving him one more year. The files have been moved for extending the service of the present SPM (Homeo), whose appointment last year itself is alleged to be against all procedures and norms, according to highly placed sources.

Generally a deputation post, the SPM (Homeo) was last year appointed on contractual basis without following any procedures. For appointments to any post, a notification has to be issued and the vacancy is filled from a pool of candidates. In case of deputation, there is no need for any notification. In the case of the present SPM (Homeo), he was was appointed as SPM (Homeo) on deputation basis in 2012-13 period. But after his retirement from service on May 31, 2014, his period was extended for another year on contractual basis. The strangest thing is that he was appointed SPM the very next day (June 1, 2014) of his retirement, without even one day break of service, which is clear violation of all norms.

The State Programme officers in the NHM are all deputation posts, which was only altered last year with the appointment of SPM (Homeo). When contacted Director of Homeopathy Dr K Jamuna, she said that normally the SPMs are appointed on deputation basis. And if a person is appointed on deputation basis in the NHM, there is a chance for another official to get in his post, she added.

Though there is a move to appoint the SPM on a contractual basis, it is said that the government had not yet issued any notification that the post would be on contract basis. And if it is placed on contract, the sources said that a proper procedure has to be followed, which was not followed in the appointment of SPM (Homeo) last year and the same being pursued this year.

Sopurce: 

The New Indian express

http://epaper.newindianexpress.com/455016/The-New-Indian-Express-Thiruvananthapuram/10-03-2015#page/6/1