This Week Kerala

Coke battle enters next generation

Tribal crusader Mylamma had been the face of an agitation against Cokes soft drink bottling plant at Palakkad. A worker at the plant,she had given up the job to agitate against the company after she realised that the plant had been depleting the ground water reserve in her village. The prolonged agitation forced Coke to close the plant in 2004. Mylamma died three years later. Now,her sons,daughter-in law and grandchildren are taking the agitation ahead. The government had passed the Plachimada Tribunal Bill that fixes Rs 200 crore as compensation to be claimed by villagers from Coke. They demonstrated in front of the state secretariat to demand clearance of the bill,which is pending with the Centre.

TV cameraman films man in death throes

A Malayalam TV channel has come under fire after airing live visuals of a labourer,a migrant from Orissa,in his dying moments in a Kerala hospital. The cameraman who filmed the scene has earned criticism for not trying to help. The footage shows another labourer administering oxygen to his injured colleague at the medical college in Kottayam,and then falling asleep hourslater,leaving the worker gasping. The cameraman was with another patient when he noticed and filmed the entire sequence. Asked why he did not help,the channels spokesperson said he did inform doctors about the mans condition. Minister K B Ganesh Kumar termed the filming unethical.

Exit of Tuskers dashes Kochi dreams

The removal of Kochi Tuskers from the IPL has quashed many dreams that had hinged on the event. The Kerala Cricket Association had planned an international cricket stadium; the project had met with opposition from the Union Environment Ministry as it would have involved cutting through wetlands and mangroves. The Greater Cochin Development Authority and the KCA then renovated the existing stadium at a cost of Rs 25 crore. The tourism and hotel industry had been hoping for a windfall. Apart from Sreesanth,three players of Kerala had found a place in the team,raising aspirations of local talent being groomed.

Cong minister attacks ally,praises rival

Electricity Minister Aryadan Muhammed of the Congress never misses a chance to take on the Indian Union Muslim League,an ally of his party. In fact,the Congress heavyweight from Malappuram,the heartland of the Muslim League,owes much of his support to his anti-League bashing. In the latest such incident,Muhammed played down the contributions of League leader and former MoS for Railways E Ahammed for railway development in Kerala. The Congress leader,in a seminar,hailed BJP leader O Rajagopal,who had been Railway Minister in the previous NDA regime. The IUML protested against this.