Thiruvananthapuram: The first round of discussions for a Twin City tie-up between Thiruvananthapuram and the Spanish city of Barcelona were held here on Thursday. Representatives of the Barcelona City Council and the Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation participated in the talks.
The discussions focussed on transport, medical research, water resource management, sports, IT, heritage conservation and urban planning.
A pressnote issued by the Corporation here said the two sides agreed to take the talks forward and identify the areas of cooperation.
Josep Roca, Director, International Relations, Barcelona City Council, and Gerardo Fueyo-Bros, councillor, Spanish Embassy in India, represented the Mediterranean city. Mayor C. Jayan Babu, Deputy Mayor V. Jayaprakash, standing committee chairmen, Corporation Secretary P.S. Mohammed Sageer, senior municipal officers, Knowledge Manager of the Corporation Kasthuri Rangan and officials from the office of the Minister for Local Self-Government Paloli Mohammed Kutty and the Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor were present.
The Mayor outlined the development works and welfare schemes taken up by the City Corporation as well as the administrative mechanism.
Barcelona offer
Mr. Roca, on his part, explained the social security measures, town planning schemes and sports development activities implemented by the Barcelona city council and the administrative set-up.
He expressed willingness to share the experiences of the Spanish city in hosting the 1992 Summer Olympics.
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan will inaugurate the Laurie Baker Centre (LBC) for Habitat Studies here on Saturday.
The centre, being set up to perpetuate the memory and ideals of visionary architect Laurie Baker, will promote appropriate technology, especially in construction and public works, including development of building materials and technology relevant to green architecture.
It will have special programmes on urban and spatial planning, natural resource management, eco restoration, environmental engineering and management and alternative sources of energy. The LBC is being set up at ‘Navayatra,’ a 3.42-acre plot at Nooliyode, Vilappilsala, on the outskirts of the capital city with assistance from the State government. The Centre will be managed by a governing council chaired by Elizabeth Baker, Laurie Baker’s wife.
Help on wheels: ‘Sanjeevani,’ C-DAC’s mobile telemedicine unit, will cover the northern districts
Thiruvananthapuram: A mobile telemedicine unit, equipped with advanced medical diagnostic and treatment facilities, including a mini-surgical unit and satellite communication facility, will soon begin plying across five northern districts of the State to facilitate early detection and follow-up consultations of cancers.
‘Sanjeevani’ is the brainchild of the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), Thiruvananthapuram, and is a convergence of its own telemedicine, medical data management and communication software. It is expected to go on the road next week. The Rs.2-crore project has been fully funded by the Union Department of Information and Technology.
Using video conferencing and digital data transfer software inside the mobile unit, all clinical information of patients, including scan images, can be made available to doctors sitting at the Regional Cancer Centre here for their expert opinion.
The networking will be on the platform of ONCONET, the telemedicine network of the RCC, which was a project commissioned by the C-DAC itself in 2004. C-DAC has tied up with an NGO, Malabar Cancer Society at Kannur, for implementing the project. Initially, two medical camps will be held every week.
“As part of the National Cancer Control Programme, the Union Health Ministry had proposed that 100 mobile units with telemedicine links be deployed places where cancer care is inaccessible to people. Kerala will be the first in the country to implement the project,” says R. Ravindrakumar, Senior Director, C-DAC.
All diagnostic tests and blood analysis can be done inside the van itself and the data digitally transferred using C-DAC’s software (‘e-Dhanwantari’). An electronic medical record of every patient can be created with a unique patient Id and sent to the specialists at the RCC.
Cervical cancer is one of the commonest cancers in the State, but one which can be easily detected in the early stages itself and fully cured. However, there is poor awareness among women about this and generally, women do not access gynaecological care till the problem becomes unbearable for them.
“After consultations with the RCC we decided to develop this unit specifically for cervical cancer care. If a patient is detected with primary stage cervical cancer, the medical team can remove the cancerous lesions within 15 minutes using the cryosurgery unit. Pap smear facility is also provided. Follow-up consultations can be planned and the patients will not have to go to the RCC,” says S. Sudhamony, Additional Director, Medical Informatics.
The mobile unit has back-up power generator, a powerful UPS system and a folding VSAT antenna on top.
Treatment will be free of cost for the poor while all tests and treatments will be offered at a subsidised rate to affordable categories.
The Grammy award-winning singer and lyricist Carrie Newcomer gave a new feeling to the music lovers of Trivandrum at her performance at the Daniel Pearl Memorial Concert at Kanakakkunnu Palace.
"I am a writer and I don't have words to describe this city and it's people."
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Come next ‘Chingam’ and farmers visiting the capital will have their own ‘bhavanam’ to stay in.
Using funds from the Agricultural Technological Management Agency of the Department of Agriculture a ‘Karshaka Bhavanam’ is taking shape inside the compound of the World Market at Anayara.
The construction of the Rs.2.74-crore building is being executed by COSTFORD (Centre of Science Technology For Rural Development), a press note issued here by the Farm Information Bureau said.
Work on the building began in August 2008.
The ‘bhavanam’ will have rooms for farmers to stay in, an agricultural museum, a training centre for farmers, a library and an information-cum-resource centre to clear farming-related doubts.
Thiruvananthapuram: The Valiyakulam pond at Chengal in the Neyyatinkara taluk is set to receive a new lease of life. Efforts to clean and restore the sprawling water body began on Saturday under the auspices of the taluk samithi of the Gandhi Mitra Mandalam.
Former Speaker V.M. Sudheeran inaugurated the 100-day campaign at a function held near the pond. Addressing a gathering on the occasion, he stressed the need to constitute vigilance committees to prevent pollution of rivers, canals and ponds.
Mr. Sudheeran said restoration and preservation of freshwater resources assumed great importance in the light of the acute water shortage in several parts of the world. He said many of the polluted water bodies in the State had turned into vector breeding grounds responsible for the outbreak of infectious diseases. He also reminded citizens of their responsibility to preserve water bodies and prevent their pollution.
Chairman of the Gandhi Smaraka Nidhi P. Gopinathan Nair presided over the function. Neyyatinkara Bishop Vincent Samuel, former MLA S.R. Thankaraj and general convenor of the restoration committee V.S. Harindranath also spoke. Thousands of volunteers participated in the first day’s campaign.
The Chengal pond restoration campaign involves de-silting and clearing of weeds and garbage.
The committee has drawn up plans to turn the pond into an aquatic sports centre and a possible venue for the 2011 National Games. It is also hoping to introduce water sports facilities to attract tourists.
The district panchayat and the Chengal grama panchayat are supporting the campaign.
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Thiruvananthapuram city will soon get 18 more transformers, which will go a long way in solving the voltage crunch, KSEB officials said.
Peroorkada will get five more transformers, Karamana, Thiruvallom, Vellayambalam and Poojappura two each, Manacaud one and Vattiyoorkkavu four. They will be commissioned shortly, a KSEB executive engineer said. In the present round, the KSEB had planned 25 new transformers. The transformers being installed are mostly 100 KvA and 160 KvA.
``Along with improving voltage, we can also bring down distribution loss to a considerable extent,’’ the KSEB official said.
The only problem facing the power utility is the scarcity of land to erect the transformers. You need around half-a-cent of land for one transformer.
The new transformer installed at the West Nada of the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple last month was the 1,151th in the capital. This transformer can cater to the rising power needs of the area for the next 25 years. The temple and the surroundings can be served from the three 110 KV sub-stations - Thirumala, Gas Insulated Sub-station (GIS) at Power House and Veli. With the completion of the second phase of the Accelerated Power Development and Reforms Programmes (APDRP), all these areas will be connected by 11 KV underground (UG) cable.
This month, the number of transformers is expected to go up by another five. ``The total number of transformers installed this year is more than double that was put up the preceding years,’’ the official said. The Electrical Division Thiruvananthapuram has so far put up 24 transformers in this financial year itself.
Works has started for extend the JBIC aided Water Supply Project Project to Technopark.This is being done by considering the future water demand for the Technopark.JBIC need to supply the water only upto the water tank in Technopark and the distribution will be directly done by Technopark.As of now the daily consumption in Technopark is 1000 Kilolitres.
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: If the mounting responsibilities of the Southern Air Command (SAC) can be compared to a cake, then this is the ample icing that tops it.
This November, ‘Sarang,’ the helicopter aerobatic display team of the Indian Air Force (IAF) will come under the SAC. The team will be based at Sulur Air Station near Coimbatore, a senior SAC official said.
Consisting of four ‘Dhruv’ helicopters built by the Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), Bangalore
, the ‘Sarang’ team is a big hit during IAF aeroshows where they thrill audiences, sometimes along with the Surya Kiran Aerobatic Team (SKAT). ‘Sarang’ - that’s Sanskrit for peacock - was formed in October, 2003, and has performed in aeroshows abroad.
‘Sarang’ will come under the SAC after November 1. Earlier the team was based at the Yelahanka Air Station which is under the IAF’s Training Command,’’ the official said.
‘Sarang’ comes at a ‘price’ of sorts. The Sulur Air Station will lose an Mi-8 helicopter unit to the Yelahanka Station as the Dhruvs fly in. The Dhruvs are not fitted with weapons, but they can be effectively used for surveillance, reconnaissance and other operations undertaken by the IAF.
Presence of strategic installations and proximity to the international shipping lanes have prompted the IAF to shift its gaze southwards. This has seen the SAC, the youngest Air Command headquartered in Thiruvananthapuram, gaining importance.
In April this year, responsibility for IAF’s Maritime Air Operations (MAO) in the southern peninsula was transferred to the SAC. MAO was earlier based in Mumbai.
The next stage of concreting for the Flyover @Bakery Junction will start by 1st week of November.Out of the 5 spans from Panavila Junction to Bakery Junction; concreting is pending only for one span.This may be completed in 25 days according to the officials.After that;the concreting work will start from Bakery Junction to Panjapura Junction.During this period traffic along the stretch may required to diverted.
Source : Kerala Kaumudi
Thiruvananthapuram in all probability will host the 45th annual convention of Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI). Southern India Hotel & Restaurant Association (SIHRA), which is the host region for this year’s annual convention, is believed to have finalised the destination. The dates and venue of the convention will be announced soon.
Confirming Thiruvananthapuram as the host city for the convention, Sudheesh Kumar, President, Kerala Hotel & Restaurant Association (KHRA), informed that they were keen to organise the convention in the last week of November. He said that they have identified a few hotels in Thiruvananthapuram and Kovalam for the same and the dates will be announced as per the availability of the hotels. Taj Residency, Thiruvananthapuram, Mascot Hotel, Thiruvananthapuram, and The Leela Kovalam are being considered by KHRA.
Work in progress at the Super Speciality Block @The Trivandrum Medical College
Quote:
Being built at a cost of Rs. 120 crores
Six floors with an area of 15,010 sq.m
To be equipped with the most modern medical equipments
Housing six medical and surgical specialties, 253 beds, eight operation theatres, six intensive care units, a renal transplant unit and a haemodialysis unit.
Inauguration expected in January 2010 by the Hon. Prime Minister of India.
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This is being done by considering the future water demand for the Technopark.JBIC need to supply the water only upto the water tank in Technopark and the distribution will be directly done by Technopark.As of now the daily consumption in Technopark is 1000 Kilolitres.
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