The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has asked Chief Secretary K. Jayakumar to appear personally before it on June 11, if the State government fails to take action on the compensation recommended for endosulfan victims in Kasaragod district.

The Chief Secretary should file an action-taken report on the commission's recommendations before June 4, failing which he will have to appear before it. The commission has warned that it will approach the Supreme Court for enforcement of its recommendations if the government fails to pay the compensation.

The Health Department has approved programmes under the unified master plan package for relief and remediation of endosulfan victims in Kasaragod district.
The Rs. 136-crore package is funded by National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD)

Health Minister Adoor Prakash said in an official release here on Tuesday that 38 of the projects under the package approved by NABARD were to be taken up in the health sector.

Geraldine J. Fraser-Moleketi, Practice Director, Democratic Governance Group, United Nation’s Development Programme (UNDP) has expressed interest in visiting Kerala and learning about the government’s work in the area of democratic governance.

“We would be happy to explore areas of mutual collaboration in strengthening South-South learning initiatives and possible partnership with the government in the area of e-governance, anti-corruption, governance assessments and local governance,” the Director said in a letter to Chief Minister Oommen Chandy from New York.

The government has decided to go ahead with preparation of detailed project report for the High Speed Rail Corridor connecting Thiruvananthapuram to Kasaragod trains speeding more than 200 kilometres an hour.

Though there were apprehensions about the feasibility of the project, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, which conducted the feasibility study, has given a positive report.

Health Minister Adoor Prakash said here on Monday that government was ready to extend the comprehensive health plan to all districts of the State from January 15.

Addressing a press conference here, the Minister said that the first phase of the programme had been initiated in Alappuzha district. As the result was found good, preparations were done for extension of the plan to other districts.

Officials sources clarified here on Friday that Kerala's expression of willingness for joint control of the proposed new dam on the Mullaperiyar was about water regulation only.

The proposal placed before the Empowered Committee of the Supreme Court earlier was that the ownership, control and maintenance of the new dam would vest with Kerala. A joint water regulatory board could be in charge of water regulation.

The Cabinet on Wednesday proposed a comprehensive project to clean up the Karamana and Kill Rivers in Thiruvananthapuram city and prevent flooding of its banks. It also decided to form a sub committee to oversee medium term measures to prevent flooding of Thiruvananthapuram city.

The government is working towards achieving zero waste stage in residential habitats in urban and rural areas.

The Cabinet decision on Friday to provide subsidy to residential flats to set up waste treatment units is part of the strategy. However, waste treatment would become obligatory by law or guidelines in future.

Shops and trading establishments remained closed in Idukki, Ernakulam, Alappuzha and Kottayam districts on Tuesday in response to a call for hartal by Kerala Congress (Mani) and Kerala Congress (Jacob), Bharatiya Janata Party and others over the Mullaperiyar issue.

Transport services were affected in these districts as buses kept off the roads and protesters blocked roads at some places. Boat services did not operate in Alappuzha district. In Idukki district, the hartal is in place for the second day.

Hartal demanding decommissioning of reservoir total in Idukki district

Kerala saw widespread protests on the Mullaperiyar dam issue on Monday, with people agitating for its decommissioning in five districts and the State capital.