March 18, 2003 keralamonitor.com

Air India ready with evacuation plans

Thiruvananthapuram, Mar 18 Air India is ready with a contingency plan to evacuate the non-resident Indians working in the Middle-East in the event of the US launching a military action against Iraq, according to company local Manager R Ghosh.Saudi Arabian capital Riyadh would be the base for the airline's evacuation operation, he told newsmen here last night, while announcing the summer schedule with effect from March 30. Mr Ghosh said NRIs based in Kuwait and Iraq would have to cross over to Riyadh to board the special flights from there.

Replying to a question, he said Air India headquarters in Mumbai had already worked out the details of the flights to be operated from Riyadh, in case there was a need for it. Accordingly, it would be withdrawing some flights to carry out its operation. The flight to be identified for this purpose was the jumbo flight to Japan. Mr Ghosh pointed out that the fares to be charged from those boarding the special flights would be 20 per cent less than the current market fare from the Gulf destinations to India. Air India had decided to bear the discount offered.

He said a high-level meeting recently convened by the Non-Resident Keralites Affairs Department and attended by Chief Minister A K Antony and NORKA Minister M M Hassan asked Air India to respond with sympathy as Malayalees and their families formed a majority among the NRIs to be evacuated. Replying to a question, Mr Ghosh said Air India, which carried out the biggest evacuation of NRIs during the Iraq-Kuwait conflict over a decade ago, would not be caught unawares.

Kerala to set up AIDS testing centres in all districts

Thiruvananthapuram, Mar 17 Concerned over the alarming growth of HIV positive cases, the Kerala Government has decided to set up facilities of AIDS detection in all district hospitals. Replying to questions in the State Assembly, Health Minister P Sankaran said low-cost AIDS detection facility was available at five centres at present. The test was being conducted in the centres for a meagre Rs ten as against the actual cost of Rs 300.

Chief Minister A K Antony said he would take the initiative to organise an AIDS awareness programme for the MLAs and others as the disease was fast emerging as a major health problem in the State, which had a large number of migrant population. The Assembly was told that there were an estimated 70,000 to 100,000 HIV positive cases in the State. According to latest information, there were 1,154 full blown AIDS patients in the State, of which Thrissur district topped with 201 cases, followed by Thiruvananthapuram-149, Kozhikode-147, Kannur-123 and Kottayam-102.

HC upholds anti-corruption report on Karunakaran's wealth

Kochi, Mar 18 The Kerala High Court today upheld a special court order accepting the final report of the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau in a case against former Chief Minister K Karunkaran on the allegation of amassing wealth by misusing his official position.

Dismissing a revision petition, filed by 'Navab' Rajendran of Thrissur, seeking direction for further investigation into the case, Mr Justice G Sasidharan said there was no illegality or irregularity in the order of the Special Judge as the Vigilance Department had already conducted detailed investigation into the allegations.

In the original complaint before the Special Judge, Mr Rajendran alleged that Mr Karunkaran misused his official position as public servant in the capacity of Chief Minister, Leader of the Opposition, Union Minister and Member of Parliament and amassed wealth disproportionate to his known source of income. Following a direction by the Special Judge, the Vigilance Department conducted a probe and came to the conclusion that the case was a ''mistake of facts'' and accordingly sought the Court's permission to close the matter.Kochi, Mar 18 (UNI) The Kerala High Court today upheld a special court order accepting the final report of the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau in a case against former Chief Minister K Karunkaran on the allegation of amassing wealth by misusing his official position.

Dismissing a revision petition, filed by 'Navab' Rajendran of Thrissur, seeking direction for further investigation into the case, Mr Justice G Sasidharan said there was no illegality or irregularity in the order of the Special Judge as the Vigilance Department had already conducted detailed investigation into the allegations.In the original complaint before the Special Judge, Mr Rajendran alleged that Mr Karunkaran misused his official position as public servant in the capacity of Chief Minister, Leader of the Opposition, Union Minister and Member of Parliament and amassed wealth disproportionate to his known source of income.Following a direction by the Special Judge, the Vigilance Department conducted a probe and came to the conclusion that the case was a ''mistake of facts'' and accordingly sought the Court's permission to close the matter.