Kerala misses Rs.17 crore from tourism Ministry

After tightening the monitoring norms, tourism ministry has axed funding of projects worth over Rs 17 crore. This was after finding that the projects approved for Kerala on 2003 are still in execution state.

Doormat made in Kerala may go into Guinness Book of World Records

The CEO of the Cherthala-based Travancore Cocotuft (P) Ltd, P. Mahadevan is very happy that his doormat may find a place in Guinness Book of World Records. The Doormat made of 470,000 coir tuffs measures 101.6 metres in length, 1.2 meters width and 30mm thick. This doormat cost around Rs.4 lakhs and weighs 999kg.

'Thrissur Pooram Pandal' enters Limca Book of World Records

The 'Thrissur Pooram Pandal' has entered the Limca Book of Records for being the biggest 'Pandal' in the world.

The 90-foot-high 'Pandal' weighing 3.5 tonne, was built by the Thiruvambady Group, one of the main participants in the world famous 'Thrissur Pooram.' The 'pandal,' made mainly of bamboo, was built under the aegis of UAE-based Sun Group Director T A Sunder Menon and adorned with thousands of LEDs imported from different countries.

Talking to reporters here today, Thiruvambady Devaswom President M C S Menon said the speciality of the 'Pandal' was explained to the officials of the 'Limca Book of World Records'.
The record would find a place in the 2010 edition of the book.

The 'Pandal' entered the record books on the basis of its height, number of stairs and exceptional ornamental decoration, he added.

Kerala to get additional 0.4 tmcft water from PAP

As per todays news report, we understand that Tamil Nadu has agreed to release an additional quantity of 0.4 tmcft (thousand million cubic feet) water from the PAP(Parambikulam-Aliyar Project) for the Chitturpuzha irrigation scheme for the second crop paddy cultivation during this water year ending June next. This is in addition to the annual share of 7.25 tmcft water to Kerala for use in the Chitturpuzha scheme as per the PAP agreement.

To Kochi with love from US: rotten food and garbage

Bobby Jindal’s victory could be a gift for the Indian community there but Kochi could have done without a gift from the US. Three containers of waste from New York meant for a paper making company have been revealed to be nothing more than garbage.

Rotten food, glass and metal waste, computer remains, and even human faeces from New York were shipped halfway across the world to India. The three containers, containing 60 tons of waste, arrived at the Kochi port two weeks ago.

A local paper manufacturing company, Cochin Cadalas, had entered into a deal with the New York municipality to import waste paper. But when the state government heard about the kind of waste being shipped, it decided to step in.

Ernakulam District Collector, Mohammed Haneesh says, “As soon as we came to know about this we went in for a thorough examination of all the three containers and we found it to be filled with waste. The pollution control board and customs have taken serious note of this and we have decided to send this back.”

The government says it will take action against Cochin Cadalas for importing the waste without confirming its nature. Ecologists say such consignments could seriously damage the environment.

Activist Paulose Malari says, “This paper factory which has imported this waste is located very close to Kadampariyar river. Already that place is under stress due to the arrival of smart city. Now if such incidents continue, the eco-system of the place will collapse in no time.”

Sources at the Kochi port say the incident isn't new, and 15 similar containers were sent back from Kochi last year.