Kochi needs to revive its canals

In olden days canals were considered as the most reliable form of transportation for the people of Kochi. But then came urbanization and industrialization, which resulted in people turning to roads instead of water ways and all the canals across the city turned into a garbage pit which is now filled with non degradable waste, human waste and a lot more.

Thevara-Perandoor canal, a 10.58 km long canal is one of the arterial canals of Kochi city. This canal is not manmade, but now it is filled with manmade wastes and other garbage and became a breeding ground for mosquitoes. Dark water, disgusting smell and the only life that they produce is that of mosquitoes. Even at the time, when contagious diseases are spreading across the city, people close their eyes and throw all the waste into it.

It is the same with canals like, Kalvathy canal, Edapally canal and the rest. All of these canals have been encroached to the edge and at times a bit more. And people who lives besides these canals throw their garbage into these canal. Restaurants, household wastes and to make matters even worse, even the sewage ends up in these canals without being treated, filled with human excreta.

Environment, People

May 25, 2017

SpiceJet’s Hand Baggage only Policy forces Customers to Check-In Baggage

In June 2015, SpiceJet had announced its hand baggage only fares, which gave discount for passengers travelling with hand baggage alone for domestic flights. It was meant to encourage travelers to travel light so that it will reduce fuel consumption, emission and thus helping the environment.

According to the SpiceJet guidelines, Cabin baggage of maximum 7 kg (which would include laptop and duty free shopping bags) having maximum overall dimensions of 115 cms. (L+W+H) on Boeing flights and 108 cms. (L+W+H) on Bombardier flights, is allowed to be carried per passenger, free of cost. Passengers with infants are allowed to carry an additional piece of hand baggage of maximum 7 kg., not exceeding the size dimensions, due to airport security regulations.If the luggage exceeds this limit, and travellers will have to pay additional fines.

This guideline was meant to help people but if you ask Shanmugham D. Jayan, Lawyer from Kochi, he’d say just the opposite. He was travelling from Kochi to Chennai on 24^th of May under ‘Friends and Family’ scheme with his family. It was a ‘Hand Baggage’ only ticket. It was mentioned in the ticket that, if there was check in baggage they will have to pay Rs.400 in addition to the ticket price.

Economy, People, Travel

May 20, 2017

Kochi Gears Up for Metro Rail

Kochi Metro has been declared fit for service by Chief Metro Rail Commissioner on May 10. Even though the Rs. 5,180 crore project was meant to run 25 km from Aluva to Petta, the opening, which could happen in a month or so would see the train service operating at a distance of 13.4 km from Aluva to Palarivattom.

Yesterday,Chief Minister, Pinarayi Vijayan on his official Facebook account announced that, state government has not fixed a date for the inauguration of the Metro Rail Services and has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his convenient date.

Former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh laid the foundation stone for this project back on 13^th September, 2012. It took another nine months for the construction work to begin, on 7^th June 2013. After much controversy over the role of Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), Kochi metro is about to roll out into the real world.

Architecture, Daily, Life, Technology, Travel, Uncategorized

May 17, 2017

Save Periyar: Kochi’s Drinking Water Highly Polluted, presence of Hazardous Elements at High Levels

Save Kochi, Save Periyar Campaign has been initiated by The Kochi Post to highlight the deploring situation of the Periyar river and its impact on the drinking water system in Kochi. This is the second story under the series. You can read the first story here.

The lifeline for Kochi dwellers and the longest river in Kerala, the Periyar originates from Sundaragiri hills in Tamil Nadu and travels 244 km to reach Vembanad Lake. But what if the same river that is supposed to give life to the people and ecology is actually taking life away from them?

The alarmingly rising pollution levels in river Periyar have been a constant cause of concern for decades now. However, according to Researcher G. D. Martin, people who rely on this river and the concerned authorities fail to understand the gravity of the situation.

Environment, Health, Life, People

February 24, 2017

Moral Policing Gone Too Far?

Two police officials accosted a couple at the park in Napier museum, Trivandrum for sitting with their arms around each other. When approached by the cops, the couple Vishnu and Arathy, took to Facebook live to call them out on moral policing.

First accused of being vulgar by putting their arms around each other, the cops went on a limb to say that the couple were allegedly kissing. When the couple questioned as to how can a couple putting arms around each other be termed vulgar and a public nuisance, the cops replied saying they would call their parents and then think of whether to marry them off or not, and that ‘such acts’ were not allowed in public places.

They later took Vishnu and Arathy into police custody and fined them INR 200. The cops later maintained that they ‘questioned’ the couple on the basis of a complaint received at the police station, not suo-motto and termed it as a cultural issue.

Life, Politics, Uncategorized

February 18, 2017

Humanity for Animals Organises a Pet Adoption Drive in Kochi

This Sunday, dedicate some time for a furry little friend. Humanity for Animals, a non-profit pet service organization along with Daya, an animal welfare centre and Pedigree are organizing a pet adoption drive at the Kaloor stadium this Sunday, 19^th February.

The drive offers free anti-rabies vaccine for all pet dogs brought to the location by the Cochin Pet Hospital. They also offer free Pedigree samples for families who adopt or vaccinate. Free saplings will be given to those who adopt and there will be information pamphlets on how to tackle street dogs and rabies scientifically.

“We are putting up motherless and abandoned puppies for adoption. There are dogs from 1-3 three months and up who have been thrown out or relocated by families living in the neighbourhood,” explains Ashwini Prem, a volunteer and animal welfare officer at Humanity for Animals. This is done purely out of fear, she explains. When there’s a new littler and a mom nearby, people usually don’t know how to handle it. “They fear that the mother might turn violent and hence relocate the puppies.”

Environment, Life

February 6, 2017

Family Wrongly Evicted by Bank from their Home

Blunders do come in all sizes. When a loan issued by the Central Bank of India wasn’t repaid, the bank evicted the family of five including three children. In this case however, it was the younger sibling paying price for his brother’s discrepancy.

In Chilavanoor, Kochi on the 1^st of February, a family of five was evicted from their home and had to spend three days outside bearing the elements. In this case however, it is Roby and his wife Jincy who find themselves paying for Roby’s brother Roy’s discrepancy. The bank evicted the family from their house wrongly. It was in fact Roy who had taken a loan from the Perumanoor branch, Central Bank of India, pledging both the houses as collateral.

Roy had taken a loan of a few lakhs from the bank and failed to repay. The collated house comes under Maradu village survey number 3, 1082. However the officials sealed the brother’s house at Kadavanthara and rendered them homeless for three days. According to the advocate commissioner on this case, Arun Renjith, “The media has shown only part of the video. It was only when I felt like I was being manhandled, I shouted at them,” he clarifies.

Daily, Hot, People

January 28, 2017

Clowning around in Kochi with Rajat Kapoor

Clowning this weekend, well, coming this weekend is Rajat Kapoor with a band of talented actors to present us with adaptations of Shakespeare’s works. The brilliant actor-director known his mainstream roles in movies like Corporate and Bheja Fry will be accompanied by actors like Kalki Koechlin, Neil Bhoopalam, Vinay Phatak and Ranvir Shorey. The group will be entertaining us with English plays like Nothing like Lear and Hamlet at JTPAC (Jose Thomas Performing Arts Center), Thrippunithura on 29th January.

“Both the plays will have clowns as main characters. Using clowns to me is a classical way of bringing something new to what can otherwise be boring,” Rajat Kapoor says. Kapoor says his love for clowns and comedy came from Charlie Chaplin and all his works. Admitting comedy to be a tough genre to write, he says, it is all about identifying limitations and finding a way to work around them.

Choosing favourites
Having worked on the Bard’s plays before, he confesses that it is difficult to choose a favourite. But from among his latest productions, he says it would be. “I also like Habib Tanveer’s adaptation of A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Sleep No More by Punchdrunk, an adaptation of Macbeth.” As for the actors he has chosen to play the various characters, he feels, “It is up to them to interpret it the best way they want to.”

Culture, Entertainment

January 23, 2017

Meet Lakshmi. The Nurse Who Has Become Kochi’s Saree Expert.

Saree is probably the most sought-after attire for Indian women. The intricate designs on the aanchal, the rich colours, and the many ways of draping it attracts thousands of people across the globe. Then again, have you ever met a person who gleams at the mere thought of sarees?

Meet Lakshmi. A native of Kancheepuram, Tamil Nadu. She made Kochi her home and has been living here for over 17 years.

Family and the past

Economy, Fashion

December 31, 2016

Azeezia Foods – The Outcome Of A Man’s Love For Food And Organic Produce

With the current, fast paced life finding clean, healthy food is a rarity. Even when you are successful in finding a place that serves one, there is no guarantee that the vegetables used would be pesticide free, organic ones. Because of this, when you find one such place that promises you best quality food using farm fresh, local produce devoid of any pesticides, it is absolute joy.

Situated in a sprawling one acre land well within the city, Azeezia Food Outlet in Padivattom is one such place. As you enter the property, to your left side is a vegetable outlet, Azeezia Farm Outlet, where you can buy farm fresh, organic fruits and vegetables, and while there, one can’t help but notice the pumpkin patch and the potted cauliflower plants around it.

The restaurant is semi open, providing ample fresh air and a relaxed ambience. Next to it is a kids’ play area with a couple of slides and swings for the children to play while waiting for the food to be served. The glass covered kitchen with an open counter as well, is built right next to the restaurant, visible for all and calling out to you to check out how neatly maintained it is and proudly showing off the clean and hygienic interiors. You can see the soft, fluffy appams and the crispy dosas being made, the general hustles and bustles in the kitchen, and the food being plated up for the hungry souls outside.

Food

November 12, 2016

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Paragon Restaurant Is a Must-Visit for Food Lovers in Kochi

The first time I stepped into Paragon, I was excited. It was at their Calicut restaurant and I had heard rave reviews about the food and I was just too thrilled to try out their dishes. That day, I had the famous Paragon Chicken Biryani, Fish Mango Curry, Kallumakkai Roast, and Kozhi Porichathu. Each and every item I tasted that day stayed in my heart and every time I thought of the food, I was drooling.

That experience stayed with me and now whenever we have a talk about the best food we have had, this is on the top of my list. Years later, I heard Paragon was opening its branch in Cochin and I was jumping with joy.

On my first visit to Paragon, Cochin, I was way too eager to grab a seat and place my order without any delay to relive that Paragon experience I had years ago. This place is three floors huge and always full. The waiters are friendly and eager to help you out and give you suggestions on the menu. They keep coming every now and then, enquiring about the food and checking if you require anything more. I was a bit apprehensive, because in most cases the food in the branches is never as good as the food at the centre. However, as soon as I took the first mouthful, I knew I was reliving my Calicut Paragon experience.

Food

November 6, 2016

Sarah Jane John Makes Artisan Soaps for a Better Tomorrow

Artisan soapmaking is a skill where science meets art. The soap-maker plays around with various patterns and textures and ingredients to come up with unique creations that are good for the body.

Handmade soapmaking has caught on in India over the last decade or so. Soap-makers have been creating these bright, bold, and wonderful-smelling products and displaying them at local fairs and neighbourhood flea markets. Today, many soap-makers also utilise the soaring popularity of social media to give visibility to their products.

Sarah Jane John is one of the first few people in Kochi to venture into the art of soapmaking. Operating from her small studio, she makes a batch of at least 50 soaps in a day under the label ‘FIG’.

Beauty