Jazeera takes her struggle against sand mafia to Delhi

October 5, 2013

Jazeera_takes
Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 5: With her two-month-long dharna outside the state secretariat agianst sand mafia failing to yield results, 31-year-old mother of three minor children Jazeera has now shifted her struggle to the national capital.

Jazeera and her children, who also sat with her in the sit-in, left for New Delhi from here by train yesterday to continue her struggle before parliament.

While leaving the state capital, Jazeera regretted that the Kerala government did not give due attention to her campaign for a crack down on illegal sand mining by a network of "mafia with high connections".

Jazeera said mining of sand, mainly for construction purposes, especially for big projects of real estate sharks, has been causing severe damage to the environment, especially to the fragile coastal ecosystem across Kerala.

Though she and her children--one of them just two years old and others of primary school age-- were alone in the sit-in here, her campaign had received support from environmental groups, socio-cultural groups and media.

Speaking at a gathering of her supporters before catching the train, Jazeera regretted that mainstream political parties had ignored her agitation.

Jazeera, who hails from Madayi village in Kannur in north Kerala, started her struggle a year ago by staging a protest against extraction of sand from Neerozhukkumchal beach near her native village.

She said though she had approached the government seeking stern action against sand miners, authorities refused to effectively intervene. Before taking her struggle to the state capital in early August, she also staged a sit-in before the Kannur Collectorate.

During the sit-in, the authorites had attempted to shift her children from the pavement in front of the secretariat to a children's home, but the move triggered widespread protests from activists, forcing them to give up the idea.

People from different walks of life, including actor Suresh Gopi, had come out in support of Jazeera and offered to meet the educational expenses of her children--Shifana, Rizwana and Muhammad.

Before leaving for New Delhi, Jazeera said she was ready to suffer "any consequence" in her struggle for the cause.

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News Network
December 2,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 2: Mangaluru International Airport responded to a medical emergency late on Monday night. Air India Express flight IX 522, travelling from Riyadh to Thiruvananthapuram, was diverted to Mangaluru Airport after a passenger in his late 30s experienced a medical emergency on board.

The Airport’s Operations Control Centre received an alert regarding the passenger’s health condition. The airport activated its emergency response protocol, mobilising the airport medical team and coordinating with stakeholders including CISF, immigration, and customs. 

Upon landing, airport medical personnel attended to the passenger, assessed his condition, and arranged to shift him to a local tertiary-care hospital for further treatment. The passenger’s relatives accompanied the passenger, who incidentally received necessary medical care on board, which helped stabilise the situation.

Following the handling of the emergency, the flight departed for Thiruvananthapuram at 2:05 am on Tuesday.

"We appreciate the cooperation of all parties involved, and this incident reaffirms our ongoing commitment to prioritising passenger safety and readiness to respond to unforeseen emergencies with professionalism and care," the Airport spokesperson said. 

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News Network
December 7,2025

SHRIMP.jpg

Mangaluru, Dec 7: A rare bamboo shrimp has been rediscovered on mainland India more than 70 years after it was last reported, confirming for the first time the presence of Atyopsis spinipes in the country. The find was made by researchers from the Centre for Climate Change Studies at Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, during surveys in Karnataka and Odisha.

The team — shrimp expert Dr S Prakash, PhD scholar K Kunjulakshmi, and Mangaluru-based researcher Maclean Antony Santos — combined field surveys, ecological assessments and DNA analysis to identify the elusive species. Their findings, published in Zootaxa, resolve decades of taxonomic confusion stemming from a 1951 report that misidentified the species as Atyopsis moluccensis without strong evidence.

The shrimp has now been confirmed at two locations: the Mulki–Pavanje estuary near Mangaluru and the Kuakhai River in Bhubaneswar. Historical specimens from the Andaman Islands, previously labelled as A. moluccensis, were also found to be misidentified and actually belong to A. spinipes.

The rediscovery began after an aquarium hobbyist in Odisha spotted a shrimp in 2022, prompting systematic surveys across Udupi, Karwar and Mangaluru. Four female specimens were collected in Mulki and one in Odisha, all genetically matching.

Researchers warn the species may exist in very small, vulnerable populations as freshwater habitats face increasing pressure from pollution, sand mining and infrastructure development. All verified specimens have been deposited with the Zoological Survey of India for future reference.

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News Network
December 2,2025

Puttur: The long-cherished dream of a government medical college in Puttur has moved a decisive step closer to reality, with the Karnataka State Finance Department granting its official approval for the construction of a new 300-bed hospital.

Puttur MLA Ashok Kumar Rai announced the crucial development to reporters on Monday, confirming that the official communication from the finance department was issued on November 27. This 300-bed facility is intended to be the cornerstone for the establishment of the government medical college, a project announced in the state budget.

Fast-Track Implementation

The MLA outlined an aggressive timeline for the project:

•    A Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the hospital is expected to be ready within 45 days.

•    The tender process for the construction will be completed within two months.

Following the completion of the tender process, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is scheduled to lay the foundation stone for the project.

"Setting up a medical college in Puttur is a historical decision by the Congress government in Karnataka," Rai stated. The project has an estimated budget allocation of Rs 1,000 crore for the medical college.

Focus on Medical Education Department

The MLA highlighted a key strategic move: requesting the government to implement the hospital construction through the Medical Education Department instead of the Health and Family Welfare Department. This is intended to streamline the entire process of establishing the full medical college, ensuring the facilities—including labs, operation theatres, and other necessary infrastructure—adhere to the strict guidelines set by the Medical Council of India (MCI). The proposed site for the project is in Bannur.

Rai also took the opportunity to address political criticism, stating that the government has fulfilled its promise despite "apprehensions" and "mocking and criticising" from opposition parties who had failed to take similar initiatives when they were in power. "Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has kept his word," he added.

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