Promoting inland navigation in Kochi
Published September 17, 2010 | 
The ferry services of Kochi is all set to get an impetus with the introduction of 40 new boats under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) scheme. In addition, an amount of Rs 5 crore was provided to the Kerala State Water Transport Department for the purchase of new boats and ` 6 crore was earmarked for the renovation of barges and jetties. These proposals on the anvil will improve the utilization of the untapped potential of waterways in the city.
Kochi is blessed with an expansive maze of water bodies that virtually link the various places and suburbs of the city and probably there are not many cities in India that can match these exceptional credentials of the ‘Queen of Arabian Sea’. Currently 12 of the 16 local bodies, including the Kochi Corporation within the urban agglomeration area of the city, have licensed ferry services and operate 30 different ferry services connecting various places to the city centre.
For the improvement of inland navigation, the existing ferry system needs to be modernised and executed to be an integrated public transport system. Boat building yards need t be set up and the boats should be incorporated with all the modern facilities to ensure an enjoyable transport option for the travelers. Experts in the field said the boats on the route have to be standardized and should be equipped with modern facilities so as to make traveling a new experience for passengers. It can also be integrated with the national highways to make up a comprehensive transport network. The NH-47 Kochi Bypass that starts at Aroor has a rail head and if the national waterway also touches Aroor, it will offer the ultimate convenience of three major means of transport to the commuters.
The ferry system comprises of country craft carriers, junkar services and motor boats. Water transport is cheap, ecofriendly and most importantly can play an important role in unclogging the choked road networks of Kochi. The journey through the beautiful waterways will be a delightful experience not only for the tourists but also for the regular travelers.
Kerala Tourism – It’s KeralaTravel Mart time again!
Published September 14, 2010 | 
Kerala being Asia’s new age tourist destination and India’s tourism super-brand is expecting the biennial event Kerala Travel Mart (KTM) which is starting from Sep 23rd to 26th. Expected to be attended by a record of 2000 delegates from India and Abroad, it is conducted in Bolgatty Palace Hotel at the Bolgatty Island in Cochin.
Known to be the only tourism event in the sub continent, KTM brings together entrepreneurs and business travellers who are involved in the tourism products and various other services in Kerala. This is the largest gathering that is designed, planned and scheduled to facilitate meetings involving Buyers, Sellers, Media, Government agencies and others, it is likely to see a record participation of 382 sellers, 551 international buyers and 1,621 domestic buyers this year.
With the theme ‘Athithi devo bhava’, this event will focus more on homestays this year. Declared as a platform for the buyers to interact with the sellers, it is one of the largest of its kind. It is also seen to introduce a new concept ‘Speed Networking’ that intends to give maximum opportunity to both buyers and the sellers.
Riaz Ahmed, KTM president is seen to have said to the reporters that the highest numbers of participants are from UK and others from Poland, Finland, Mexico and South Africa, clearly indicating their global interest in Kerala’s tourism products and services.
The programme that is conducted once in two years will be open to the public on the last day – Sep 26th.
Programme schedule for KTM 2010
- 23rd Sep’10 (Thu)
6.30 p.m. – Inaugural Ceremony
- 24th Sep’10 (Fri)
9.30 a.m. -Inauguration of the Venue
10.00 a.m. – 6.00 p.m. -Business hours
- 25th Sep’10 (Sat)
10.00 a.m. – 6.00 p.m. -Business hours
- 26th Sep’10 (Sun)
10.00 a.m. – 6.00 p.m. -Business hours
10.00 a.m – 6.00 p.m. -Open to visitors
4.30 p.m. -Valedictory function
6.00 p.m -Mart closes
Drinking Kerala-Dying Kerala!
Published September 9, 2010 | “Drinking is a disease in Kerala“, we all know it! One loses one’s kin, respect and money chasing alcohol. Everyone and everything encourages one to have a drink – including friends and even the Government!
With the latest tragic deaths of 25 people in Kerala’s Malappuram district, after consuming poisonous toddy, the state has marked it’s presence in the global level for drinking deaths. (Toddy is a traditional liquor made from either coconut or palm flowers) The reason for the liquor tragedy is said to have happened because it was mixed with chemicals and herbs to give an “extra” kick.
- Kerala in India has the highest number of drinkers and has the highest per capita consumption of over eight litres (1.76 gallons) per person a year.
- These figures overtake traditionally hard-drinking states like Punjab and Haryana.
- Also, in a strange twist of taste, rum and brandy are the preferred drink in Kerala in a country where whisky outsells every other liquor.
Despite all the liquor tragedies happening in Kerala, the people as well as the Government never learn. If one becomes an alocoholic, it is very difficult to lead a normal life. However, Kerala Government is also not ready to stop selling liquor in the state, because the State makes high revenue from this business.
- Shockingly, more than 40% of revenue for its annual budget comes from booze.
- The state-run monopoly, named Kerala State Beverages Corporation (KSBC) runs 337 liquor shops, open seven days a week.
- Each shop caters on average to an astonishing 80,000 clients.
- Similarly, there are over 5,000 toddy shops in the state.
The latest death incidents after consuming the natural wine made from coconut palms is contaminated adding chemicals like Methyl Alcohol and other herbs to give the toddy drinker an extra kick. It is usually the poor section of the state’s population fall prey to such tragic incidents.
- The main reason is that toddy is available at a lesser price compared to beer and other costly drinks, which is otherwise is not affordable to a daily-wage earner.
Alcohol consumption causes numerous social evil in Kerala.
- It kills lots of people exacting a heavy social cost.
- Rising numbers of divorces in Kerala are linked to alcohol abuse.
- The majority of road deaths are due to drink driving.
- Hospitals and rehab centres are packed with patients suffering from alcohol-related diseases.
The thriving black market in liquor trade sometimes transforms into liquor tragedies like this recent one.
A few solutions:
- Prohibition is not the answer but closing the various ways of bringing in illicit liquor into the state could actually work.
- The Government should make sure that the alcohol is distributed reducing high alcoholic contents to lighten the effect.
- Also laws should be made to restrict the amount one can consume a day.
It is high time we Malayalees do some serious re-thinking on our drinking habits. Not only for our own sakes, but also for the sake of our children!
Kerala – the land of unfortunate absurdities
Published September 8, 2010 | 
Not many states in India can match the diverse manpower pool and professional wealth of Kerala that takes credit to some of the best qualified and talented professionals in the country. Kerala could well be the land of civil and mechanical engineers, but it has no world class roads or flyovers! The paradox is that while these professionals who pass out from Kerala colleges are engaged in the construction activities of roads and bridges to ensure a facelift to other cities all over the world, Kerala awaits for quality roads and flyovers!
Keralites are destined to live in appalling conditions with no proper roads and sewage system. Bridges and buildings that collapse within a few months of their construction and the potholed roads and streets with no lighting or parking facilities – the list of woes is virtually endless!
However it is intriguing to note that the average malayalees who live in Kerala seemed to have taken everything in their stride! They are resigned to their fate and have almost accepted the fact that world class over bridges and roads will never come to their State. Even as they dream of the swankiest cars and SUVs on planet earth , they seldom complain about the roads. Is it that they have perfected the art of adventure driving in the potholed riddled roads and bumpy highways or is it that they have left everything to destiny as there is nothing else they can do? Many still manage to scurry back home with only a few dents on their priced vehicles or rashes and cuts on their foreheads while others pay for the official apathy with their lives. The red-tapism and the snail paced developmental activities that seem to reach no where, still go on and crores of rupees are being spent in the name of bridges and roads that never exist!
Even as the average Keralite dreams to add on more vehicles to his personal fleet and buy bigger and flashier homes, he prefers to turn a blind eye at the trash and stink around him, the broken slabs and the overflowing drains as he rolls over the dark glasses of his latest car and drives by with a smile on his lips and a dream in his eyes fired by his NRI status!
Just curious to risk a guess at the plight of affairs, if these professionals decide to come back home and work for their state. Will there be any respectable job opportunities for them? Even if they do manage to find some job, will the bureaucracy and the corrupt politicians give them free hand in discharging their duties honestly. The answer will be a big and bold NO! So, once again things are back to square one. Let the qualified hands make money and earn respect by doing their job in another country. When the call of their motherland becomes too tempting let them come back only to be mute spectators and part of this mayhem. After all what else can they do?
Welcome to Kerala, but not on a Bandh day!
Published September 7, 2010 | Much has been said and written about hartals and bandhs, the two most popular forms of strike that hits normal life in Kerala on and off. So let’s not dwell more on the topic. Rather let these pictures speak up. Yesterday it was a ‘Bharath Bandh’, a nationwide general strike that was announced much much earlier by certain parties and trade organisations. Issues of course sounded genuine though it’s wise to keep mum on the genuineness of intentions. The strike didn’t affect normal life in most parts of the country. But in Kerala the ‘bandh’ was near total and life was almost paralysed. Here we go, with a couple of pics that vouch for Kerala attaining the status of ‘Bandh’s own country’ (Remember, this happens in a state where the court has already banned bandhs!):
I posted a new photo to Facebo…
Published September 7, 2010 | I posted a new photo to Facebook http://fb.me/zj7P8FEd
I posted a new photo to Facebo…
Published September 7, 2010 | I posted a new photo to Facebook http://fb.me/IPq0sljL
I posted a new photo to Facebo…
Published September 7, 2010 | I posted a new photo to Facebook http://fb.me/HtI7TmTR