Cochin (Kochi) / Ernakulam Projects II

[ak.army]

Water more important than Metro, says HC

KOCHI: “The people of Kochi may be able to live without a Metro Rail project but they cannot live without drinking water,” the Kerala High Court on Thursday observed. Expressing concern over the delay in providing drinking water, Justice S Siri Jagan directed the state government and the Kerala Water Authority to make arrangements to distribute potable water to the people of Ernakulam District.
The court further observed that the Metro Rail may be a necessity for the city but at the same time, the state government should focus on drinking water projects also. The court passed the order while considering a petition filed by Manthra Home Residents Association of Kochi, against the illegal and purposeful delay in providing water connections.
“Drinking water facilities are essential to the residents of the district and the situation is very grave,” the court held. The citizens in various parts of the district have been affected by water shortage for over a decade.
Taking a serious view of the situation, the court said that, even earlier, the government and its agencies had been reminded about providing adequate supply of clean water to the citizens. But those directives have been repeatedly ignored.
“It is not as if there is a dearth of water in the district. Plenty of water flows through the Periyar� to the sea and the authorities should initiate steps to bring the water to the city and its suburbs,” the court said. For this, new and additional pipes with sufficient capacity have to be laid, to cater to the increasing demand for water in the district.
The suburbs have been experiencing water shortage for at least half a century, while the city has been suffering for the past two decades or so. But, neither the government nor the Kerala Water Authority has taken any steps to solve the problem, the court observed.
“It is the cardinal duty of the state and the KWA to provide water to every citizen. If they are unable to do so, they are failing in the constitutional duty vested in them,” the court said. The court also directed the state and the KWA to inform about the steps they propose to solve the issue, within two weeks.

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/water-mor...40-60-122.html

[ak.army]

del

[dinakar]

visiting my favorite city next month after a gap of 3 years. i am expecting massive changes.....

[Malayaali]

Originally Posted by dinakar

visiting my favorite city next month after a gap of 3 years. i am expecting massive changes.....

definitely dinakar, would love to see your feedback also

[thanseem]

Originally Posted by DileepKS

The Kerala Trade Centre, a 1.25L sqft, 14 floor trade centre built by the Kerala Chamber of Commerce, is likely to host a diplomatic office of Australia. Other countries also have expressed interest in opening their trade and commerce centres there.

The centre is planned to be inaugurated by the president in August this year.

need Gurudevans statue infront..SNDP HQ

[ak.army]

IBM to implement waste mgmt system in Kochi

KOCHI, INDIA: As a part of the Corporate Service Corps (CSC) program, IBM on Thursday announced four projects for Kochi. The projects will be implemented in partnership with India@75, Local Economic Development Society (LEDS), Kara Ventures and Navabharath Foundation.
A team comprising of 12 IBM employees from nine different countries (France, Canada, Sweden, Brazil, USA, Australia, Slovakia, Germany and Spain) will work on these projects over a six month period with one month being spent on location, said a press release.
The team will focus on developing sustainable solutions for the rapidly growing city, which is currently among the fastest growing urban centres in India. Specifically, the teams will work with NGOs on four key projects; including conceptualizing a solid waste management system and formulating new strategies for the handloom sector.
As part of the deployment, the IBM team will also focus on developing innovative youth empowerment programs and will work to promote the budding micro-enterprise sector.
“The 16th deployment of a CSC team to India demonstrates IBM's commitment to India and to the growth markets. Through the Corporate Service Corps program, we leverage some of IBM’s best talent and expertise to drive social innovation,” said Mamtha Sharma, Manager - Corporate Citizenship & Community Affairs, IBM India/South Asia.
“The projects at Cochin highlight our commitment to accelerate and enhance the operations of NGO’s and public agencies. Working closely with the community is also a great learning experience for the individual and provides a canvas for many innovations,” he conluded.

http://www.eai.in/360/news/pages/3770

[vjkrishn]

NGO to promote vegetable cultivation on terraces

If the plans of city- based NGO - Better Kochi Response Group (BKRG) become a reality, then Kochi will turn self-sufficient in vegetable production soon. BKRG grows pesticide-free vegetables on terraces of houses.

The project is being carried out with the support of residents' associations, the Kerala Hoticulture Mission (KHM) and Vegetable and Fruits Promotion Council of Kerala (VFPCK).

In the initial phase, 2 lakh vegetable saplings will be provided to 10,000 houses. The Centre has sanctioned Rs 12 crore for KHM and a portion of these funds will be utilized for vegetable cultivation in Kochi.

"A pilot project worth Rs 4 crore was carried out in Thiruvananthapuram. Following this we approached the mission who agreed to grant Rs 2 crore for Kochi project," said BKRG, president, S Gopakumar. The saplings in UV treated bags will be supplied through residents' associations. Each house will get 20 bags with saplings. Though this costs Rs 1,600, BKRG will provide these at a subsidised rate of Rs 800.

"As the vegetables need direct sunlight, the bags will have to be placed on the terrace and we will not allow people to keep it anywhere else," he added.

While the mission funds the project, VFPCK will give the seedlings. He also said that special care was given to ensure that the soil was mixed with bio-fertilizers.

The Ernakulam District Residents' Association Apex Council (EDRAAC) will educate homemakers in managing roof top vegetable gardens without the use of harmful pesticides. According to Gopakumar, though it is practically impossible to utilize the entire amount sanctioned, they will carry forward the project to the next financial year.

[vjkrishn]

Sorry if the pics are reposts







pics: kavalilt

[vjkrishn]

pics:kavalilt

[vjkrishn]

Model coir village to be set up in Ernakulam

The Directorate of Coir Development of the State government is planning to establish a model coir village in Ernakulam. The project will incorporate features of coir industry and tourism.

A village area extending over five acres has been selected at Palluruthy, bordering Munambam in the district. The village will have facilities to demonstrate various activities undertaken by the coir industry. There will also be units for display and sale of various products.

The picturesque location, on the banks of Vembanad lake, will have amenities for water transport. It will provide ample opportunities for tourists to have a backwater tour. The project is expected to boost tourism and sales of coir products. A detailed project report is to be prepared for the project, according to official sources.

EXHIBITION VENUE

The Coir Board is also engaged in presenting innovative ideas for expanding the market. It has plans to refurbish its showrooms. The Board is on the lookout for a permanent exhibition venue to display the products.

There has been increasing patronage for Bhoovastra, one of the coveted products of the Board. As a product to prevent soil erosion and a medium to assist cultivation, it has been widely used within and outside India. Novel applications of the biodegradable material are being tried in a variety of fields. One of the new suggestions is to make use of it in road repairs.

Value added products such as ornaments have the potential to attract international market. The Board is keen to explore the avenue. The research and development wing of the Board is keen on developing more innovative products. Coir clubs have also been planned to engage the attention of students in the eco-friendly product.

The export of coir is also expected to get a boost due to the multi-pronged strategy to brighten the future of the sector. Coir export earnings crossed Rs.800 crore during 2010-11. The effort is to enhance the export revenue while trying to expand the regional markets.

[Prasanth_KCV]

Originally Posted by vjkrishn

pics:kavalilt

Fabulous pics

[mohammedirshad06]

Land sale in Ernakulam beats recession blues

Property deals in the commercial capital of Kerala beat recession blues to cross the one-lakh-mark between April 2011 and January this year.

The pace of transactions has picked up this financial year compared to the previous year. Official records available with The Hindu show that 1,03,248 documents were registered across 25 offices of the sub-registrars in the district by the end of January. The total number of registrations between April 2010 and March 2011 were 1,02,356.

Kothamangalam, the bustling gateway to the High Ranges, emerged as the most sought-after destination for investments going by the number of registrations in the district.

During 2010-11, 7,645 documents were registered at the Kothamangalam sub-registrar's office. Transactions this fiscal have gone up with the authorities approving 7,069 deals between April, 2011 and January this year.

Puthencruz beat Ernakulam's record as one of the most popular investment spots in the district during the current year.

The Puthencruz sub-registrar's office saw 6,687 deals between April 2011 and January 2012. Ernakulam slipped from the second position in 2010-11 to the fifth in the number of transactions in 2011-12. Only 5,831 deals were struck this year compared to 6,346 transactions last year. Perumbavoor, a fast-growing town, seems to be attracting a lot of attraction in the realty sector.

The sub-registrar's office in the town recorded 6,457 deals between April, 2011 and January 12. Demand for property in Perumbavoor has recorded a steady growth in the last two years. In 2010-11, 5,666 documents were registered in the Perumbavoor office.

The number of property registrations in other areas in Ernakulam district between April, 2011 and January 2012 were: Muvattupuzha, 6,329; North Paravur, 5524; Alangad, 5438; Chengamanad 4,910; Kochi 4,889; and Edappally, 4,335.

Income from stamp duty and registration fee too have shown the increase in tandem with the number of registrations. Stamp duty realised during 2010-11 stood at Rs. 335.81 crore. This went up to Rs. 374.22 crore between April and January during the current financial year. Similarly, registration fee realised during 2010-11 was Rs. 109.80 crore. This went up to Rs. 125.82 crore till the end of January this year.

Meanwhile, the Department of Registration has served 2,427 notices on undervaluation of property between April 2010 and October 2011. The deficit in stamp duty on this count is Rs. 4.21 crore and the deficit in registration fee is Rs. 1.29 crore. A total of 21 cases have been settled on these notices during the period and nearly Rs. two lakh realised from the settlements.

[thanseem]

Wow! great infos!.anything abt other districts? may be we have to see the local pages..

[DileepKS]

Note the growth in Puthecruz, Muvattupuzha, Perumbavoor and Kothamangalam. I have told often that the city is bulging eastward, and we need a road system to fuel the growth. This is proof enough, despite that. Imagine the pace at which development will migrate if we had a pair of highways connecting Kakkanad to Muvattupuzha and Kothamangalam?

[Malayaali]

Originally Posted by vjkrishn

Sorry if the pics are reposts

Great snaps, thanks VJ for posting

[tonapz]

Here are few updates abt KOCHI........

1. After a long interval the SUBWAY fast food chain is back in Kochi. This time its at Panampilly Nagar, Kochi.
2. XIME (Xaviers' Institute of Management and Entrepreneurship) iss opening their second campus at Kochi after Bangalore. The campus would be operational by July/August 2012.
3. PARK Kochi to do their soft opening by May 2012.

Updates from Atkins(Architects for LULU International Shopping Mall)
4. The Lulu International Mall to feature IMAX theater. The IMAX theater is not part of the 9screens by PVR Cinemas.
5. The Lulu Conventional Centre at Bolgatty to feature HYATT as hospitality partner.

also Mainland China has opened its outlet in Kochi @ Dream Hotel

[Malayaali]

Wooooooaahh so that confirms much claims put here earlier. Hyatt, Subway, Park, XIME, IMAX...Brands galore

[vjkrishn]

Originally Posted by tonapz

Here are few updates abt KOCHI........

1. After a long interval the SUBWAY fast food chain is back in Kochi. This time its at Panampilly Nagar, Kochi.
2. XIME (Xaviers' Institute of Management and Entrepreneurship) iss opening their second campus at Kochi after Bangalore. The campus would be operational by July/August 2012.
3. PARK Kochi to do their soft opening by May 2012.

Updates from Atkins(Architects for LULU International Shopping Mall)
4. The Lulu International Mall to feature IMAX theater. The IMAX theater is not part of the 9screens by PVR Cinemas.
5. The Lulu Conventional Centre at Bolgatty to feature HYATT as hospitality partner.

wow......great updates kochi rockz

[vjkrishn]

Pics by Geyo John

[vjkrishn]

Pics : Geyo John