Kerala to get a Coastal shipping route soon
Published September 23, 2011 | 
The meandering waterways in the form of lakes, backwaters and rivers in Kerala puts it in the league of countries like the Netherlands, Denmark and Greece, where coastal shipping plays an important role in easing the traffic bottlenecks. With the proposed coastal shipping route that will be completed in 2012, Kerala will be making the best use of its long coast line like these European countries. In the initial stage, this channel will be used to ferry containers from Vallarpadam Container Transshipment Terminal, which will take off a substantial part of heavy traffic from the roads leading to Kochi.
Various shipping companies and industrial representatives have evinced keen interest in this project, which will be of immense benefit to the cashew industry in Kollam, the rubber units in Kottayam and Pathanamthitta and especially the construction industry. Coastal shipping has become the need of the hour as road transport network has proved insufficient in handling the smooth slow of traffic considering the exponential growth in the goods movement in recent times.
The Great Sea Shipping Pvt Ltd based in Cochin has confirmed its plans to launch river-sea vessels on both fixed schedules and charter basis to ensure container transportation services. The company plans to start its operations with two vessels each with a cargo capacity of 52 containers connecting Kollam port and Vallarpadam terminal, by April 2012.
The coastal shipping route will infuse a fresh lease of life to the limping cashew and coir industry. It is estimated that over 10,000 containers of cashew kernels are transported from Kollam for exports and around 35,000 containers of imported raw cashew is brought back to Kollam by road and the exporters have to shell out an exorbitant sum on transportation charges. However , once the coastal route gets ready, the transportation charges can be brought down by over 40 per cent of what it currently costs by road. In the second phase of the project, the non-coastal pockets will be integrated with the minor and major ports in the state, that would make a comprehensive network of inland waterways, rivers and backwater routes, which will be of tremendous use for the rubber industry mainly centred around Kottayam and Pathanamthitta areas.
Kerala is no longer the land of coconuts
Published December 13, 2010 | 
The name Kerala, literally translates into the land of coconuts in Malayalam. However, going by the present turn of events, it seems that his name has become a misnomer for our State thanks to the dwindling coconut plantations. The emerald green hue of the paddy fields and the swaying coconut palms dotting the fringes of the backwaters have all become part of the past . The death knell to these exceptional crops of Kerala came in the form of escalating costs of cultivation and the shortage of farm hands, which prompted the farmers to turn to less labour intensive crops like banana and rubber.
Coconut trees are considered Kalpa vriksha ( which literally means a divine tree where every part of it is useful) in Kerala. In the past Palm fronds were used to thatch the roofs of houses, coconut husks and shells kept the hearths burning while its trunk was used in the construction of furniture and homes. With urbanization and the change in life styles, Malayalees have conveniently forgotten the virtues of this tree. The city home dwellers too are chopping down the coconut trees in their small patch of land as they find it hard to get coconut pluckers in time. The criss crossing power lines, the luxury car parked outside and the kids pool of the neighbouring apartment could all be reasons of worry if coconuts are not harvested in time! At the end of it all, is it that the coconut tree has outlived its utility for Keralites? If yes, it is a shame for us.
Today, Kerala markets are deluged with coconuts from the neighbouring state of Tamilnadu, which is sold at exorbitant prices. So, the day is not far away when Kerala will cease to be the fabled land of coconuts. By offering subsidies and latest cropping tips, coconut and paddy cultivation can be made profitable for the farmers and this alone can save the traditional crops of Kerala and its breathtakingly beautiful landscape that has enamored many painters and poets since time immemorial!
Kerala voted as the best holiday destination in Asia
Published September 2, 2010 | 
Kerala has been voted as the best Asian holiday destination ahead of even the blue chip tourist destinations like Bali, Phuket and Maldives. Kerala’s enviable coastline , the tranquil stretches of emerald backwaters, misty mountains and diverse tropical fauna and flora has become a sure shot winning combo for Kerala in tourist circuits.
Kerala Tourism got a boost when a million strong users of the famous travel portal, SmartTravelAsia.com, placed the state as the best Asian holiday destination of their choice. The “Best in Travel poll 2010’ carried out by an independent online travel magazine Smart Travel Asia conducted between May and July in Asia (India, Singapore, Australia, Hong Kong, China, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, and the Middle East), Europe and North America, saw the emergence of Kerala as the best Asian tourist destination.
The poll was mainly based on on ‘aspirational” brands and travel trends in the region.Bali and Phuket were voted as second and third most favourite holiday destinations in Asia and the only other India tourist places that made their way to the top 10 list were Rajasthan and Goa at eighth and tenth spot respectively.
“This is phenomenal recognition for the state and the people who are in the tourism sector, delivering an inspirational experience. Keralites should feel very proud of their contribution to this fantastic international achievement”, says Secretary, Kerala Tourism, V. Venu. The awards are unique because they single out not just popular places but truly exceptional places that enthrall travellers and keep them coming back, he added.
Travelers voted Kerala based on their travel experience and information they sourced from ads and PR apart from word of mouth publicity. Voters also polled in 12 categories including Asia’s best business hotels, luxury resorts, spas, destinations, business cities, shopping spots, and the world’s best airlines and airports.
So, in case you have not been to God’s own country.’ pack your bags and get ready for an out of the world holiday experience.
Pearl spot becomes Kerala's state fish
Published August 27, 2010 | 
From being just a lip smacking item in Kerala cuisine, Karimeen or Pearl spot has become the official State fish. 2010-11 is being observed as ‘The Year of Karimeen.’ to boost the production of Karimeen (Etroplus suratensis). A bottom dweller that inhabits the fresh and brackish water habitats throughout Kerala, pearl spot is a delicacy that tops the menu at the restaurants and is extremely popular among foreign tourists and local population alike.
The Kuttanad region in Alappuzha district is considered the home of this fish species. It is a popular item in the menu served during camping and house boats and very often the boat crew procure the fish straight from men and women who collect it using gillnets from the waters.
It is cooked in various styles. Fried, cooked in spicy and tangy coconut gravy or slowly grilled in charcoal with spices, pearl spot is tasty and hence pricey as well, which is well beyond the reach of ordinary people. The signature dish of Kerala could well be the delicacy, ‘Karimeen Pollichathu”, fish sauteed with masala and cooked over low fire in coconut milk, wrapped in plantain leaves. Kerala produces 2,000 tonnes of Karimeen at present and efforts are on to step up its production to 5,000 tonnes in a year. Though the plight of the state animal, elephant and the state bird, hornbill is far from satisfactory, we can earnestly hope that Karimeen, the state fish of Kerala, thrives and flourishes in Kerala waters, bringing laurels and precious foreign exchange in the process.
Rail tourism all set for the big leap
Published January 21, 2010 | 
Soon on the trails of one of the biggest branding exercises of Kerala tourism which showcased the glimpses of Kerala on the exterior of the Thiruvananthapuram-bound Rajdhani Express on a huge canvas, the tourism ministry is planning to introduce atleast one coach in the lines of the luxurious ‘palace on wheels’ in all major trains. By associating itself to India’s busiest travel network, Kerala is trying to play the tourism card to lure more domestic tourists to Kerala in the coming years.
This specially designed luxury compartment dedicated to tourists will be introduced in all major trains and these luxury coaches will have tastefully done up interiors, better designed seats and toilets and wider sleeping berths. The wide windows will ensure a better view of the landscape for the visitors. Local tourists will have to pay the same fare as the foreign travelers in these coaches, which will be designed in the lines of luxury trains like Palace on Wheels, Deccan Odyssey, Royal Rajasthan on Wheels and the Fairy Queen.
Liquor will be served in these coaches though alcohol is banned on the other Indian trains. The coaches will have atendants to ensure personal attention and care. All Rajadhani trains are being modified immediately and the rest of the major trains in the next phase. With many innovative ideas on the anvil to promotre rail tourism, Kerala can hope to recive more visitors from other states of India, who drop in to explore the exceptional culture, backwaters, houseboats and cuisine of this tiny Southern State of Kerala, fondly referred to as ” God’s own country’.
Cholera in Kerala
Published June 1, 2009 | The arrival of the monsoon in May 2009 has brought with it some unwelcome visitors that the government is loathe to admit or even discuss – viral fever and cholera.
The scale of the epidemic is hard to quantify and assess and likely to be seriously understated. 10 cases have been acknowledged in the Kuttanad area around the backwaters of Alappuzha but with the monsoon flooding out the water supply, the scope of the epidemic is likely to take off.
That cholera exists in Kerala at all is shocking and reflects the woeful state of the water supply in the backwaters area and the continued poor investment in both infrastructure and education for the poor families who live on the backewaters. The people of the Kuttanad are familiar with monsoon illnesses which strike them every monsoon and are typically characterised as “viral illnesses”. Two years ago all India was gripped in fear of Dengue which especially affected the North and also Kerala. Kerala was especially impacted by chickunguniya which effected the tourism trade especially and was again handled with haphazard tactics by local officials.
Government response, typically, is denial in the hope that the problem will go away before anybody notices it. This year’s Cholera outbreak in Kerala is the most serious so far. First, it is the fact that Cholera which has been wiped out in most of the world by good infrastructure management can still break out in Kerala. It says everything about the state of water supplies and undermines government propaganda on the success of policies. Cholera is very much a 3rd world disease and this implies something about the backwaters which Kerala is loathe to admit.
What happens now will be interesting. Will the outbreak peter out and will it spread. What will/should the state authorities say.
Update 1:
about 1000 cases of viral illness have been reported, 260 cases of chickunguniya and a death from rat disease [sic]. Keralites will be relieved by Kerala Health Minister P.K. Sreemathy’s comments that the epidemics being reported from some parts of the State are now under ‘complete control.’ 11 cases of Cholera have been reported from one panchayat in Alappuzha district alone.
Opposition Leader Oommen Chandy descries the response of the state government and criticises them for not instating the Kuttanad scheme which was dropped, according to him, for narrow political reasons.
Poll:
[polldaddy poll=1668234]
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A comprehensive inland navigation route for Kerala
Published June 13, 2008 | 
Kannur: If the ambitious plans to develop the waterway from Neeleswaram to Kannur, are any indication, it won’t be long when people can reach every nook and corner of this state in boats. Forming part of the proposed inland navigation route from Kovalam to Neeleswaram, this proposal when completed, would allow people right from the northern end of Neeleswaram to the southern extremity of Kovalam to travel all over Kerala in boats.
The chief minister who inaugurated this stretch also cruised the 9-km waterway from Pazhayangadi in a boat, to asses the navigability of this sector. The canal constructed during the reign of Arakkal Raja, needs to be deepened to fully make use of it for passenger and cargo movement.
The proposed plan to develop the inland waterway from Kovalam to Neeleswaram, is being given top priority and the work on the first phase of the National Waterway from Kollam to Kottappuram has already started. Work would be taken up to develop the 38km stretch to make the waterway from Neeleswaram to Kannur navigable.
The benefits of the waterway such as easier and cheaper cargo movement and accident-free navigation would make it a futuristic option. A total budget outlay of Rs.500 crore is allocated for the project. The chief minister also encouraged the people to handover small stretches of land in their possession to make the waterway a reality.
Kerala should make maximum use of its umpteen water ways and canals to ensure smooth transport of goods and passengers. In addition to being more eco friendly it would take off the traffic load from the roads and rail sectors to a large extent.
Alleppey backwaters stirred up by the glitterati of the tinsel world
Published June 2, 2008 | 
Alleppey: The fabled backwaters of Kerala are in news once again. This time, it is for playing the gracious host for the shooting of Tamil film, “Kuselan”. Starring the Tamil superstar Rajnikant apart from an array of stars including Natyanthara, a song sequence of this block buster movie is being shot here these days. The best part is that it also happens to be a remake of an original Malayalam movie.
The shooting, which is taking place in the Punnamada backwaters in two snake-boats has attracted a huge fan following. Though a stringent security cordon has been thrown around the superstar, he was enthusiastically mingling with people, waving and talking to them. The die- hard aficionados of Rajnikant even boarded hired boats to catch a glimpse of their matinee idol from a close quarter. The fans shouted slogans for Rajnikant, who was all smiles as he waved to the surging crowd of fans. The film crew will spend the next two days here to complete the shooting of the song sequence.
Kerala Houseboats double up as corporate meeting venues
Published May 22, 2008 | 
Alappuzha: Companies looking out for five star hotels for carrying out their business meetings have long become cliché. More and more companies are opting for the piping hot option of sprawling and drop dead gorgeous houseboats, which are fully air conditioned to convene their business meetings. It goes without saying that not many options can match the charm of these unique floating palaces that skim along the enchanting Kerala backwaters.
Jala Samrat is the first of its kind in the league of floating convention centres. It is a double-storey, 150-foot long and 16-foot wide, fully air-conditioned houseboat with a seating capacity of over 160 executives on the first floor. Costing over 8 million, this houseboat is equipped with all the latest communication systems. Inaugurated a year ago, it is owned by Pulickattil Tourism Group. Within its short span of operation, it has been an instant hit as a popular business conventional centre of several commercial banks, public sector undertakings and even foreign companies. It is interesting to note that their customers have been their biggest brand ambassadors, who promote this boat by their word of mouth publicity.
Some of the celebrity meetings that were hosted in this houseboat include the official meetings of Parliamentary Affairs and Indian Overseas Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi and Steel, Chemicals and Fertilisers Minister Ram Vilas Paswan. Its laurels transcended the barriers of time and space when Bahraini Labour Minister Majeed Al Alawi preferred to held a meeting aboard Jala Samrat. In the coming days, more such boats might take the Kerala backwaters by storm.