Mookunnimala: Blasts again resounds

Mookunnimala , which was silent for the last some days, has once again started reverberating 

with the sounds of blasts from the quarries and crusher units with some of the quarries 

resuming activities in the wake of a High Court order. Moreover, the Vigilance that was to 

probe the quantum of loss incurred due to illegal quarrying activities has also backtracked 

from its investigation, stating inconvenience for Total Station Survey (TSS) due to quarry 

activities in the region. 

It was on February 9 that the district administration had banned all the quarry activities at 

Mookunnimala with the mining permits got by the quarry units expiring.  The District Collector had given strict instructions that licenses should only be given adhering to the Green Tribunal order, which observed that the Pollution Control Board should not issue licenses without the 

clearance of the Environment Impact Assessment Committee. 

With the resumption of quarry activities, the Mookunnimala Samrakshana Samithi, which is already in the agitation for complete stopping of all quarries, has decided to intensify the 

agitation in the coming days. They have decided to take out a protest march to the Mining and Geology Department on March 2.   

Stating that all quarry activities in the region were illegal, Samithi Joint Convenor Surendra 

Kumar alleged that the quarry owners who did not have any documents when the collector 

called for producing such papers have now told the court that they posses the necessary 

papers. He also asked from where these quarry owners had got the necessary papers now. 

Even the Panchayat Deputy Director's report had pointed out the closure of all the quarries in Mookunnimala. The report  had said that all the licenses and papers that the quarry owners 

were in possession were illegal, Surendra Kumar said. It should also be noted that the Green 

Tribunal had banned all quarry activities in the region  and had instructed the Pollution Control Board of not giving license for quarry activities in the region, he said.  

Source: the New Indian Express 

http://epaper.newindianexpress.com/448724/The-New-Indian-Express-Thiruvananthapuram/28-02-2015#page/17/1

Knives out over Surgery training to Ayur Drs

The question of allowing Ayurveda doctors to undergo training in modern medicine such as surgery and Labour, and allowing them to prescribe certain modern medicines has now created a drift between the two systems of medicines. While Allopathy doctors state that the move would only create semi qualified doctors, the Ayurveda Doctors said that the training was only meant to impart a comprehensive knowledge about the whole health system.

Though the government wants Ayurveda and Allopathy systems of medicines to join hands, the Allopathy doctors maintain that it would only create anarchy in the state. When the Ayurveda Medical Association of India (AMAI) states that training was imparted as part of a national policy, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) said that there was no such policy and it would only lead to a rivalry between the two systems of medicine.

Stating that the move was a violation of Medical Council of India’s guidelines that only those who are going to prrcatise modern medicine should be trained in modern medicine, IMA, Kerala Chapter, president Dr Sreejith N Kumar said ''Ayruveda doctors say that they want to observe autopsy, labour and surgery. But our question is why do they want to observe? Surgery, Labour and autopsy are not exhibitions for any one to observe. And any one who observes such things should have a definite purpose.''

Meanwhile, AMAI General secretary Dr Rejith Anand said that it was just one month training that was being given and was only meant for observing the complications that could arise during a surgery or labour. ''We do not know if any harm would come if Ayurveda doctors and students are given one month training or if they observe surgery, labour or autopsy. Just like Allopathy doctors, Ayurveda doctors also study anatomy and physiology,'' he said.

However, Kumar said ''one does not decide if a patient should be given Ayurveda or Allopathy treatment after seeing surgery or labour. If Any Ayurveda doctor wants to practise modern medicine, let him complete MBBS, which is the basic qualification for practising modern medicine.''

Noting that lot of allegations have come out against alternative practitioners, he said that a state like Kerala did not need such practioners. ''There are lots of modern practioners who can prescribe modern medicine,'' he said. Moreover, he also questioned the rational behind incorporating modern medicine in Ayurveda Syllabus.

Source: The newindian express 

http://epaper.newindianexpress.com/445068/The-New-Indian-Express-Thiruvananthapuram/23-02-2015#page/4/1

First Liver transplant in Public Sector Hosp hangs in balance

Despite government's claim that the first cadaver liver transplantation unit in the public sector will be done last December at Thiruvananthapuram Medical College hospital, it is still a non starter with undue delay in providing sufficient infrastructure and imparting proper training to the doctors. 

Even though the liver transplant programme was charted out two years ago, the unit is still at halfway point. An expert team that visited Medical College has noted that about 50 per cent of the facilities are yet to be provided.   

Training is yet to imparted to the surgeons, anaesthesiologists, radiodiagnosists, pathologists, nursing and other para medical staff, highly placed sources said. Though there was an agreement with a private hospital in Chennai to train the doctors, the sources said that there was much delay in giving training. The earlier decision was to give training of six months to specialists in a private hospital in Chennai and later it was cut short to six days, which was also hardly given,  the sources alleged. 

They point out that a dedicated ICU and recovery room has not be set up for Transplant. Apart from this, the unit is yet to  get proper high end equipment for conducting the transplant.  The infighting between surgical and medical units is said to be one of the reasons for the delay.  Apart from this, they also said that there were no willing patients. 

Though agreeing to some extent that the unit was not completely set up, Trivandrum Medical College Vice Principal and head of the Liver Transplant Unit Dr K R Vinayakumar said that high end equipment was yet to reach. ''But this is not a major thing as such equipment could be borrowed from KIMS as per an agreement with them,'' he said. Apart from this, he also noted taht the expert team that inspected the facility at the unit had suggested some modificatiuons in the ICU and the Recovery room, whiuch was now being done. 

source> The New Indian express 

http://epaper.newindianexpress.com/445068/The-New-Indian-Express-Thiruvananthapuram/23-02-2015#page/4/1
http://epaper.newindianexpress.com/445134/The-New-Indian-Express-Kochi/23022015#page/4/1

Kovalam Land: govt to seek report from Collector

With controversies raised over public land worth about Rs 400 crore in Kovalam being encroached by a major private hotel group, the government has decided to seek a report from the district collector on the issue.

''The district collector will be asked to look into the controvesries and file a report,'' Revenue Minister Adoor Praklash told express. When pointed out that the land adjacent to the famed Kovalam beach was worth crores, he said that any decison on the issue can only be taken after the report is got.

The Express had earlier reported about the allegations raised over the land that has not been claimed by the ITDC. Despite having documentary evidence of its ownership, the government is alleged to have no access to the land and no steps have been taken to take over the land. Apart from this, tension is also brewing in Kovalam over a land related to a more than 200 year old temple adjacent to this land with the temple authorities alleging that the private major hotel group was trying to encroach on its property and the adjacent land that belongs to the government.

The Village records, a copy of which is with Express, clearly show that an extent of 18.176 acres is still in the name of ITDC even after after 40.72 acres of land was sold. The ITDC is yet to respond to the land thagt belongs to it. As per the records the temple has about 1.50 acres of land, which has now been challenged by the Hotel group. The hotel group even got a stay for the a stretch of land that belongs to the Keezhathil Sree Mahaganapathy Temple. The Temple authorioties have already come out against the alleged move to the encroach upon thier property.

Source: The newindian Express

http://epaper.newindianexpress.com/436352/The-New-Indian-Express-Thiruvananthapuram/11-02-2015#page/17/1

NCDs: Planning board for financial risk protection

With Kerala spending the highest ''out of pocket'' expenditure on health and the spectrum of disease in the state changing from communicable to non-communicable disease, the Kerala State Planning Board has called for ensuring financial risk protection mechanism and to give emphasis to prevention of non-communicable diseases.

With the spectrum of diseases changing to chronic diseases, especially Cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer and hypertension, the finances of the common man have come under stress, according to a report of the Planning Board Expert Committee on Health that has been circulated to Ministers, MLAs and MPs. The committee was formed to deliberate on the various challenges faced by the State’s Health System and the strategies to be adopted during 12th Five Year Plan.

The expert committee has recommended ensuring financial risk protection to the people, strengthening primary care service delivery and strengthening service delivery of public hospitals through innovative finance mechanisms for bringing down the health expenditure and preventing the risk of various non-communicable disease.

According to the report, the health expenditure in Kerala is highest in terms of both public (Rs 287) and private health expenditure (Rs 2663) in India. It also quotes the latest study conducted by KSSP that shows that on an average, a person spends almost Rs 6,000 an year out of his own pocket. The study said that the main reason for the high expenditure was due to the increase in the number of people suffering with chronic diseases and recurrent expenses of treating these diseases.

KOvalam Land: tension brews up

Tension brews up in Kovalam over a land related to a more than 200 year old temple with the temple authorities alleging that a private major hotel group was trying to encroach on its property  and the adjacent land that belongs to the government.  The temple authorities allege that the recent developments will only lead to a divide in the society.   

As per the documents, the temple has about 1.50 acres of land, which has now been challenged by the Hotel group. The hotel group even managed to get a stay for the majority of the land that belongs to the Keezhathil Sree Mahaganapathy Temple.  ''The issue is related to a property that belongs to the temple for more than 200 years. All the documents show the temple has about 1.5 acres acres of land,'' temple secretary Ramachandran said.

Stating that it was a serious issue, he claimed that the hotel group does not have any right over the property as only an extent of 40. 72 acres of land, which also includes the Kovalam palace, was sold to them. ''As per the records with the Vizhinjam village office,  there are only two subdivisions in resurvey number 7 in block 14. The land of the ITDC comes in subdivision 1 and that of the temple comes in subdivision 2. ''

Apart from this, Ramachandran said that the Advocate Commission appointed by the Neyyattinkara Court had given a false report. ''In the report, the land of the temple is shown to be in resurvey 29/1. But the documents and records in the village office show that the temple and the land is in resurvey 7/2 and has about 1.50 acres. The resurvey number that is indicated by the commission is about a kilometre away from where the temple is situated,'' he said.  

Moreover, it is alleged that the ITDC was keeping silence on the remaining 20 acres of land that belongs to it after 40.72 acres of land was sold.  It is estimated that the land would cost about Rs 400 crore as per the latest market rates.  The village records clearly show that an extent of 18.176 acres is still in the name of ITDC even after a portion of the land was sold. 

Source: The Newindian Express 

http://epaper.newindianexpress.com/434811/The-New-Indian-Express-Thiruvananthapuram/09-02-2015#page/15/1

Plan Board moots Public health Cadre

The Kerala State Planning Board has called for formulating a comprehensive State Act - The Kerala State Public Health Act – and establishing Public Health Cadre for improving the quality of health services in the state. The two existing Public Health Acts – The Madras Public Health Act 1939 and the TC Public Health Act 1955 – need to be unified for formulating the comprehensive State Act, according to a report of the Planning Board Expert Committee on Health.

The report has come out at a time when the government's move to establish a Public Health Protection Agency has evoked criticism from the medical Fraternity. The government is for an Agency rather than establishing a Public Heath Cadre and Public Health Department, whcih has been widely crirticised. The experts have stated that the Agency would not be a substitute to Public Health Cadre and Public Health Department, which has already been envisaged in the National Health Policy and adopted by several states.

The Expert committee was formed to deliberate on the various challenges faced by the State’s Health System and the strategies to be adopted during 12th Five Year Plan. The report of the expert committee has been circulated to Ministers, MLAs and MPs. It has recommended that steps should be taken to bring in the unified Act in the legislature at the earliest.

Source: The New Indian express

http://epaper.newindianexpress.com/432664/The-New-Indian-Express-Thiruvananthapuram/06-02-2015#page/4/1

Kendrathil News: Misuse of power: Govt mum on survey officials

Kendrathil News: Misuse of power: Govt mum on survey officials: D espite reports of large-scale misappropriation in survey measurement, providing titles deeds and guarding public land, especially in the ...

Misuse of power: Govt mum on survey officials

Despite reports of large-scale misappropriation in survey measurement, providing titles deeds and guarding public land, especially in the Idukki district, the government is maintaining silence, alleged to political and other pressures. Even the Deputy Director's report on the issue is learned to have gone missing from the Directorate of Survey and Land Records. 

The deputy Survey directors in various districts have been sending reports pertaining to the misuse of  powers by the various survey officials, especially the district superintendents. However, no action has yet been taken on the reports that has led to widespread corruption.

In the reports, a few of which are with Express, widespread irregularities are noticed. A report of the Deputy Director with regard to the Survey Superintendentof Idukki K Jayakumar, it has been pointed out that the official had misused his powers. Most of the irregularities were found in the files dealing with conversion of land, title deeds and measurements of the land. After inspecting the files from two Taluks of Udumbanchola and Devikulam, the Deputy Director has reported on widespread irregularities, which the government is yet to act upon. 

It is also alleged that most of the reports of the Deputy Directors go missing when reaching the Directorate's office. It is only after months that the respective reports reach the respective official, which is aimed at delaying the whole process. However,  Survey and Land Records Department director Mitra T refuted all these allegations, stating that no reports have gone missing. ''With respect to the recent report on the Idukki Survey Superintendent and reports from other districts, an inquiry will be conducted.  We have taken the issue very seriously and action will be taken once the inquiry is over,'' she said. 

Source: The newindian Express 

http://epaper.newindianexpress.com/429705/The-New-Indian-Express-Thiruvananthapuram/02-02-2015#page/4/1