We shall continue safeguarding nurses’ interests: Nurses’ association

A day after the State Government gave nod to the demands of the private sector nurses who had been on strike for the past one month, leaders of the Indian Nurses Association (INA) said the victory is shared among all the nurses working in the country and the association will always be there to save the nursing community from any sort of exploitation. Hundreds of nurses working at various private hospitals in Kasargod and Kannur districts had been on strike since June 28 after the hospital managements declined to comply the Supreme Court (SC) order directing the State Governments to ensure a minimum of Rs 20,000 as monthly remuneration for a registered nurse working in the private hospital. With the association calling off the strike, the nurses have rejoined work at the respective hospitals on Friday.

The nurses have been facing severe exploitation by the hospital managements in various forms including meagre wages, unhygienic work environment and heavy workload. With the Government agreeing to the demands of the agitating nurses, Kerala has become the first State to implement the SC’s direction.

The nurses’ agitation in the State was spearheaded by the Indian Nurses Association which was formed in 2012. “This is a great achievement for all nurses and INA in particular. We have always been working for the welfare of each and every nurse and have been raising our concern regarding the wages, stipend and training in private hospitals. Most of the private hospitals in Kerala give training for newly-joined registered nurses for a period of around one year or more. The hospitals are totally on the wrong side in this matter. Nurses are skilled professionals just like an engineer or a doctor and it is unethical for the hospitals to train them for another year. The INA has always opposed this and will continue to fight against it,” said Mohammed Shihab E. A., state general secretary, INA.

Law, Life, People, Politics

By Greeshma Neelakandan

July 20, 2017

Organ Trade: ‘State has a responsibility to protect people from exploitation’, observes High Court

By Greeshma Neelakandan and Raghul Sudheesh

A determined septuagenarian’s fight against improper brain death certification by the private hospitals in Kerala has culminated in the State Government temporarily cancelling the licence awarded to Lourdes Hospital in Kochi for organ transplantation.

Dr. S. Ganapthy after being concerned about premature brain death certifications involving poor and young patients, had filed a writ petition (a copy of the petition has been accessed by The Kochi Post) before the High Court of Kerala against the organ trade carried out by the private hospitals in the State. Dr. Ganapathy, a Family Physician and a medical practitioner with 45 years of standing in the profession had appeared before the Court and argued the case on his own.

Corruption, Health, Law, Life, People

By The Kochi Post Staff

July 19, 2017

Legal experts in Kochi take different stances as HC set to hear Dileep’s bail plea

At a time when the debate on actor Dileep’s arrest in the conspiracy case has turned intense with the news channels reporting each and every moment of the probe, actor’s life after the arrest as well as the public’s responses, barristers in and around the city express different opinions. The High Court on July 17 had accepted Dileep’s bail application and the hearing on the same was postponed to July 20. The bail application filed before the Angamaly magisterial court was rejected last week.

While some of the advocates based in Kochi foresee chances for the HC to grant bail, some others find no such possibility for the Court to act so. A few others said that it was nonsensical to comment on a case that is highly sensitive and currently under trial.

Advocate Ranjith Marar, who has often raised his voice against the one-sided media debates and public outcries in the case, opined that it would not be logical to say anything at this point regarding the outcome of the Court procedure to be held on July 20. “I think it is neither mine nor the reporter’s job to ponder over the issue at this juncture. Anyway the HC is going to hear the accused actor’s bail plea. I believe the judge who presides over this case and the prosecution as well as the lawyer of the accused are all highly capable and experienced fellows. As a responsible citizen, it is everybody’s duty to keep quiet at this time instead of passing some amateur comments. Let the law take over. However for the sake of answering the question, I guess there is equal chance for the HC to grant bail,” he said.

Entertainment, Law, Movies, Politics

By Greeshma Neelakandan

July 18, 2017

Air India SATS employee fights a lonely battle against sexual harassment at workplace

It was in September last year, Elisa Francis (name has been changed) filed a police complaint against Binoy Jacob, the Vice-President (VP) of Air India SATS, an Air India subsidiary exclusively for ground handling activities, alleging the latter’s abusive behaviour and misconduct towards the complainant. Nearly one year on, the police investigation has reached nowhere as the influential accused tries whatever possible to topple the investigation.

It has been a regular affair for Elisa Francis, a single mother of two, to meet the police after the day’s work either to enquire about the status of the investigation or to give an explanation for the unforeseen events which are evidently being created by the accused.

“The police has summoned me to question regarding a recent complaint launched by a cab driver at Air India SATS against the Assistant Vice President (AVP) who is one of my strong supporters in the case. The driver in his complaint says that the AVP persuaded him for unnatural sex. Those who know AVP Gerald Lim, can figure it out that the man is a gem of a person. This is nothing but one among a sequence of such incidents evidently cooked up by the accused and his team to derail the investigation,” says Elisa.

Law, Life, People

By The Kochi Post Staff

July 15, 2017

Invoking ESMA will only empower us: Nurses

The High Court’s direction to invoke ESMA (Essential Services Maintenanace Act), against the striking nurses in the State, has only helped the nurses strengthen their strike, says Indian Nurses Association which leads the strike in the State. “ESMA is a barbaric Act and has very rarely been invoked. To invoke such a law against the nurses who have long been suffering is nothing but a sheer act of cruely,” they said.

Nurses working in private hospitals have been striking under the aegis of the association since June last demanding implementation of Supreme Court Order, issued in September, 2016, which directs the State governments to ensure minimum wage of Rs. 20, 000 for a qualified nurse working in private sector. The order came as a respite to the nursing community who have long been underpaid all across India. It is the first time in the history of the State the nursing community engage in such a massive strike demanding wage increment.

The association leaders allege that the Court order clearly signaled that the Government tried to safeguard the interests of the management instead of taking steps to resolve the nurses’ issues. INA leaders had met the Minister of Labour and Excise T P Ramakrishnan at his cabin on July 4, and the Minister had assured helpful action from the part of the Government regarding their demands. The Government had asked the nurses to wait until July 10. An Industrial Relations Committee meeting for the private sector hospitals was held on the day and the association allege that nothing positive for the nurses came out of the meeting.

Health, Law, People, Politics

By Greeshma Neelakandan

July 12, 2017

SBI account holder incurs loss of INR 50,000 in multiple fraudulent transactions

In an unprecedented and stunning case of e-transaction fraud, a State Bank of India (SBI) account holder lost money amounting to around Rs 50,000 in multiple transactions. Jayakrishnan S, an advocate practising in the Kerala High Court, owns an account at the Kaloor branch of SBI.

The complainer received a message from the bank’s SMS alert system indicating his balance from which he came to know that a huge amount of money had been lost from the account without his knowledge. Jayakrishnan blocked the debit card immediately and filed a formal complaint with the bank on Monday morning. A police complaint has also been lodged on the same day against the fraudulent transactions believed to have taken place on Friday and Saturday last week.

“On Friday night, I received some messages on my mobile in Hindi from some unknown site. It was not mentioned that a particular amount have been deducted from my account. On Saturday night I received an SMS alert from SBI showing my balance and when I crosschecked it was noted that Rs.49,909 has been deducted from the account through multiple transactions (around 800 transactions). It was also noticed that in each of these transactions, an amount of Rs 64.95 was deducted,” Jayakrishnan said.

Economy, Law, Life, Technology

By Greeshma Neelakandan

July 11, 2017

Arrest casts shadow over Dileep’s business ventures

With the arrest of actor Dileep in the conspiracy case against noted South Indian actress, various business ventures of the former have also been put under public scanner. Last day in Kozhikode, public rage has almost demolished ‘Dhe Puttu’, a restaurant unit which is a joint business venture of the actor with his long-time associate Nadirshah. People in huge numbers had staged a protest march in front of his restaurant with the same name at Edappally, in Kochi, last evening.

This is the first time in the recent history of the state a film celebrity with such a mass appeal and influence is being caught following a serious allegation. Dileep, being one of a few film stars who have forayed into almost all domains of movie business, apart from acting and directing, has also grown big as an entrepreneur over the course of time.

Dileep who kicked off his acting career in 1992, entered into film production in the year 2003 following the huge success of the movie ‘Meesamadhavan’. His first production venture ‘CID Moosa’, had the actor in the lead role. The movie was a big box office hit. Since then the actor has produced around eight movies and almost all of them gave him great returns.

Law, Movies, People

By Greeshma Neelakandan

July 6, 2017

Biju Ramesh refuses to open his Bars

Biju Ramesh, one of the tycoons in the State’s liquor industry, whose bribery allegations made veteran politician K. M. Mani resign from the last UDF cabinet, said the government should take steps to reopen bars based on facilities and standard instead of looking into the classification.

“Reopening of bars based on classification is an unwise decision. There are many smaller outlets in Kerala where liquor was served for commoners. These bars may not be categorised as three-star or four-star but were decent and standard in terms of service and other facilities. They should be allowed to reopen,” he said.

Three-star and four-star bars in the State have recently been reopened following the CPI(M)-led LDF Government clearing way for them in a path-breaking announcement of its liquor policy last month. More than 700 bars were closed during the UDF regime as part of its liquor prohibition policy. Apart from the tipplers and bar staff, the closure have caused damage to the State’s tourism and hospitality industry.

Law, Politics

By Greeshma Neelakandan

July 3, 2017

Co-operative Societies’ Association to challenge CBI raid on banks

Kerala Primary Co-operative Societies Association, a state-level organisation of service co-operative banks in Kerala, condemned the CBI raid on six service co-operative banks in Kollam district.

Varkala MLA V Joy, who heads the association in the state, alleged the CBI raid was a planned move to demolish the state’s co-operative institutes which have been serving the common men for decades since their inception.

The CBI had arrested secretaries of Kadakkal service co-operative bank, Puthiyakavu service co-operative bank, Mayyanad service co-operative bank, Kulasekharapuram service co-operative bank, Panmana service co-operative bank and Chathannoor service co-operative bank in a surprise raid held last week alleging corruption in exchange of currency notes on the days following the Central Government’s demonetisation drive.

Law, Politics

By Greeshma Neelakandan

June 30, 2017

OPINION: When AMMA carefully shields its ‘children’

With the latest developments in the abduction case involving a prominent actress making the rounds, the press conference of the Association of Malayalam Movie Actors (AMMA) on Thursday in Kochi showcased high voltage drama with most pathetic scenes and the lowest depth into which a whole fraternity can stoop down. Some of the key members of AMMA were visibly annoyed by the questions raised by reporters. How much more male chauvinistic can an industry become?

Addressing an eagerly-awaiting audience of media, AMMA’s president Innocent MP and other office-bearers (including two MLAs) explained the decisions taken at the Annual General Body Meeting. After the explanations, the floor was open to questions and that was when the atmosphere became tensed. Questions regarding the abduction and alleged sexual assault against the actress; one of AMMA’s ‘daughters’ (as the outfit wants to address her) came up and Innocent made the cliché reply that the case is under court jurisdiction and the police have handled it well.

Actors Dileep and Nadirsha who were questioned the other day by the police for 13 hours about their connection with the case also were present for the general body meeting as well as press meet. At one time Dileep apologised for the dreadful remarks he had made against the actress.

Law, Movies, Opinion

By Amala Shafeek

June 24, 2017

Kerala High Court terms order of the human rights body as grossest violation of principles of natural justice

A Division Bench of the Kerala High Court comprising of the Chief Justice Navaniti Prasad Singh and Justice Raja Vijayaraghavan came down heavily against a verdict passed by the State Human Rights Commission based on newspaper reports alone and without even a complaint from the persons concerned.

Three government doctors had filed a writ petition challenging the Human Rights Commission’s suo-motu proceedings where these doctors were found guilty of medical negligence. The Commission’s order also imposed an exemplary fine of Rs 50,000 to be paid by the government to the patient and to be recovered from the petitioners.

The Court opined that after careful examination of the facts noted by the Commission, it disagrees there was any medical negligence. After the patient had undergone complete Hysterectomy operation, it was found at the time of closure of the surgical wound that a part of the surgical towel clip was missing. Though a frantic search was made, it could not be located inside or outside the body. The incision was closed to facilitate an X-ray to detect the clip. The patient was then moved to the Medical College Hospital and the clip was removed. The Court confirms that all these actions show there was no medical negligence and all due care was taken. The patient’s wards were properly informed and the records duly maintained.

Health, Law, Politics

By Amala Shafeek