THIRUVANANTHAPURAM l monday l april 01, 2024 l `9.00 l PAGES 14 l LATE city EDITION Pope appeals for immediate ceasefire in Israel-hamas war speech sympathetic to rohingya Muslims He called for ‘prompt’ release of prisoners taken from Israel on October 7 so that humanitarian access can reach Palestinians. “Let us not allow the current hostilities to continue to have grave repercussions on the civil population, by now at the limit of its endurance and above all on the children,” he said. His speech was sympathetic towards Haitians, Rohingya Pope Francis in his Easter message said his thoughts went particularly to the people in Ukraine and Gaza, and all those facing war Pope skips good friday, attends easter ■ ■ Francis presided over Easter mass on Sunday in a flower-decked St. Peter’s Square. Earlier on Saturday night, he participated in the Easter Vigil service delivering a homily and baptising eight persons The Pope has no major foreign trip scheduled for the next several months, giving him time to recover from respiratory problems | P11 30,000 people attended the easter mass in vatican CHENNAI ■ MADURAI ■ VIJAYAWADA ■ BENGALURU ■ KOCHI ■ HYDERABAD ■ VISAKHAPATNAM ■ COIMBATORE ■ KOZHIKODE ■ THIRUVANANTHAPURAM ■ BELAGAVI ■ BHUBANESWAR ■ SHIVAMOgGA ■ MANGALURU ■ TIRUPATI ■ TIRUCHY ■ TIRUNELVELI ■ SAMBALPUR ■ HUBBALLI ■ DHARMAPURI ■ KOTTAYAM ■ KANNUR ■ VILLUPURAM ■ KOLLAM ■ TADEPALLIGUDEM ■ NAGAPATTINAM ■ THRISSUR ■ KALABURAGI Kochi village’s struggle for air draws NGT’s attention READSHAREFOLLOW newindianexpress.com Mail us: cityexpresskoc@newindianexpress.com 23 � 02 � 2024 FRIDAY DAY ’S D I A RY HISTORY ISO begins On this day in 1947, International Organization for Standardization, responsible for setting industrial and technical standards, came into being MEMBERS STANDARDS The ISO was founded in 1947 and is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. Earlier, it functioned as International Federation of the National Standardizing Associations The independent non-profit body has 167 member countries. Members are the foremost standards organisations in their respective countries Some examples of ISO standards include the calibration of thermometers, food safety regulations, manufacturing of wine glasses, shoe sizes, etc M a h i m a Ann a J a c o b @Kochi Opposition leaders at the Loktantra Bachao (save democracy) joint rally at Ramlila Maidan in New Delhi on Sunday | Parveen Negi INDIA bloc leaders flex muscles, rally behind Kejriwal and Soren Cong asks Election Commission to ensure level-playing field in Lok Sabha polls P R EE T HA N AI R @ New Delhi in the first joint rally held nearly a year after its formation in Patna, several prominent leaders of the opposition INDIA bloc came together at Delhi’s Ramlila grounds on Sunday to protest against the arrest of Opposition chief ministers and the BJP government’s targeting of political rivals using central agencies. The show of strength ahead of the Lok Sabha elections saw the presence of Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and Priyanka Gandhi, along with Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, NCP chief Sharad Pawar, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, and Left leaders Sitaram Yechury and D Raja, among others. While the arrest of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal has brought parties such as Trinamool Congress and Congress on the same platform despite seat-sharing hiccups, the leaders said the Loktantra Bachao Rally is a mark of INDIA bloc’s commitment to saving democracy . Addressing the gathering, former Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray said it is time for a change. “We are not here for the election campaign; we are here to p r o t e c t d e m o c r a c y. B J P ‘washed’ the people who they once called corrupt. How can a party full of corrupt people run government?” he said. In a searing attack on the Sunita Kejriwal debuts Arvind Kejriwal’s wife Sunita struck an emotional chord by reading out a letter by the CM from jail. In her maiden speech at a political rally, she asked people whether Kejriwal should resign as CM. “BJP is demanding the resignation of CM Kejriwal. Should he resign? Is his arrest justified? He is a lion so they won’t be able to keep him behind bars for long,” she said. government, Rahul Gandhi said it is a clarion call for people to help save democracy Ac. cusing the Modi government of ‘fixing’ elections, he said: “This is not an ordinary election. This election is to save the country and protect our constitution. If the BJP wins this election and changes the Constitution, it will light the country on fire,” said Rahul. RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav said there is an “undeclared emergency” in the country . Echoing similar views, Akhilesh said Kejriwal’s arrest has been questioned even by foreign countries. TMC leaders Derek O’Brien and Sagarika Ghose reaffirmed their party’s support to INDIA bloc and asserted it’s a fight between BJP and democracy . pollscape Smriti to join Surendran for filing nomination Kalpetta: Union Minister for Women and Child Development and Minority Affairs Smriti Irani will visit Wayanad to accompany NDA candidate K Surendran when he files his nomination at the Kalpetta collectorate on April 4 | P5 Candidates go on ‘chambikko’ mode Film posters, book covers and cinema dialogue memes are the latest mediums used by social media wings of parties to attract voters. The trend of adding creativity to election posters probably started in 1984, writes Anna Jose | P4 Not intimidated by Oppn barbs, will continue fight against corruption: Modi N AMI TA BAJPAI @ Lucknow Hours after the INDIA bloc leaders held a mega rally in Delhi pledging support to jailed Opposition leaders Arvind Kejriwal and Hemant Soren, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said his ‘fight against corruption’ will continue unabated. “Modi will not be stopped. Action will be taken against every corrupt person,” he said while addressing an election rally in Uttar Pradesh’s Meerut on Sunday. Modi said ‘corrupt’ politicians have come on a single platform thinking they can intimidate him. “They thought Modi will be scared. But it only strengthened my resolve to go against the corrupt more than before,” he said. In a veiled reference to Delhi CM and AAP leader Kejriwal, currently under the custody of the ED for his alleged role in the Delhi excise policy scam, Modi said the cor ruption charges against some are so serious that they are not even gett i n g b a i l f ro m c o u r t s. Launching a direct attack on the Congress, he said during the grand old party’s regime, thousands of crores of rupees belonging to the poor, small investors, and banks were wrongfully confiscated. In contrast, the BJP government targeted corrupt people and attached their ill-gotten properties worth `17,000 crore, he claimed. He said his government has been relentlessly waging a war on corruption and has removed as many as 10 crore illegal beneficiaries of various government welfare schemes, in the process saving `2.45 lakh crore. Blockbuster Sunday Chennai Super Kings face first loss of season as Delhi Capitals open account after Gujarat Titans beat Sunrisers Hyderabad by seven wickets. A look... Miller, Sai Sudharsan deliver Shaw, Pant shine While Mohit Sharma took three wickets to restrict SRH to 162/8, the chase was not easy. Titans lost three early wickets, but B Sai Sudharsan (45 from 36 balls) and David Miller (44 n.o off 27) kept their cool. They took time to settle before accelerating and helped Titans get across the line In the second match of the day, Prithvi Shaw (43 off 27) along with David Warner (52 off 35) set up the innings before captain Rishabh Pant provided the final push (51 off 32) as Delhi Capitals posted 191/5 against CSK | P13 dhoni turns back clock, but capitals have last laugh Chennai were 120/6 in 16.1 overs. The required run rate was almost 18. And yet, MS Dhoni walked out to the biggest cheer of the season. He went berserk smashing unbeaten 37 of 16 balls, bringing back some vintage shots of his. However, Mukesh Kumar held his nerve in the 19th over, handing DC a 20-run victory BJP targets Cong over islet, GOP asks why now SRILANKA INDIA Katchatheevu Island Mannar Island Rameswaram Gulf of Mannar katchatheevu is spread over 1.9 square km of land In 1974, Indira Gandhi government decided to relinquish India’s claim over over Katchatheevu Another agreement was signed in 1976 to define maritime boundaries, economic zones for both countries R a j e s h k u m a r T H a k u r @ New Delhi Prime Narendra Modi on Sunday blamed the Congress for giving away Katchatheevu, an island near India, to Sri Lanka. This ‘callous’ decision by the grand old party “has angered every Indian” and convinced people that Congress is not a party that can be trusted, Modi wrote on social media platform X. Sharping his attack further, Modi said, “Weakening India’s unity integrity and interest has , been Congress’ way of working for 75 years and counting.” Dismissing Modi’s charges, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said it’s typical of the BJP to rake up issues settled long back during the election season. “You have suddenly woken up to the issues of territorial integrity and national security in your 10th year of misrule. Perhaps, elections are the trigger. Your desperation is palpable,” Kharge wrote on X, questioning the timing of raising the issue. The island was given to Sri Lanka as part of a friendly agreement in 1974, Kharge said. He also reminded Modi that his own government had undertaken a similar friendly gesture towards Bangladesh when it transferred 111 enclaves to the neighbouring country, while 55 enclaves came to India. DMK spokesperson S Manuraj said it is strange that the BJP is raking up an issue that is nearly 50 years old. A house located near the BPCL refinery Ambalamugal | PICS: T P SOORAJ Varun, Janhvi in Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari PG 4 BEGGING FOR BREATH Taking cognisance suo motu on the report published by TNIE on February 23 (Begging for Breath: Trapped between industries Kochi residents “M gasp for fresh air), the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Kerala State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) and Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to submit Grab of the TNIE report published on Feb 23 reports on April 4. The order, issued on March 13, said ala & Lakshwadeep) said they have the matter will be listed before the submitted a report before the NGT NGT at Faridkot House, Copernicus based on the cases filed by residents Marg in New Delhi on the said date. ‘Festival of Thought’ BPCL in 2022. against begins today The TNIE report highlighted the “We have submitted a preliminary plight of residents of Ayyankuzhi report. The board will be able to take village in Ambalamugal, a strip of any action once it is passed to the land sandwiched bes o u t h e r n b e n ch o f tween the walls of the NGT,” he said. press Kochi refinery of Bharat KSPCB chief engineer impact Petroleum Corporation (Ernakulam) Babu Raj Ltd (BPCL) and Hindussaid they are yet to file tan Organic Chemicals Ltd (HOCL). their findings. “We cannot disclose Of the 41 families that inhabited the more about the report. We haven’t village, only 29 remain while the rest conducted any surveys following the have left mainly owing to pollution. issuance of the notice. The report to The residents also claim the indus- be filed will mention details of our trial units encroached on 9.5 acres of previous inspections. Any further land in the village, action will be taken only after NGT’s ● More on P6 Deepesh V CPCB coordinator (Ker- directive,” he said. , TNIE spends a day with residents of Ambalamugal’s Ayyankuzhi village, which is ‘trapped’ between the walls of two industrial units MAHIMA ANNA JACOB Then & now Y eight-year-old g randchild has been dependent on an inhaler for some years now. We have been striving for a solution for years, now our concern is about the children. We don’t want their lives to be doomed,” says Molly Varghese, a resident of Adoorkara located in the Ambalamedu industrial area. As she whimpers on, one can hear a low, ominous roar of a burner stack at the Kochi refinery of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL). Its scarlet glow is just a couple of kilometres away . Molly continues that the battle is for the third generation living in Ayyankuzhi, Adoorkara, Ambalamugal, and Ettikara of ward 16 in Puthencruz panchayat. She is among the residents holding on, unlike several other families that deserted their homes and relocated to ‘safer’ areas, unable to bear the “distress” caused by BPCL and Hindustan Organic Chemicals Limited (HOCL) nearby . M K Pankajakshan, the leader of an action council of the residents, takes me to Ayyankuzhi, a strip of land sandwiched between the boundary walls of BPCL and HOCL. “This is the worst-affected area,” he says, pointing to the towering granite walls on both sides. “These industrial units left Ayyankuzhi’s 9.5 acres, where 41 families lived once, trapped. Now only 29 families remain; the rest left.” Pankajakshan adds that the residents have been instructed to “run against the wind” in case of a gas leak or other mishap. “That’s very reassuring, right? We are trapped here,” he reiterates. Some residents still clearly remember the “1984 incident”, when an aviation tank blew up at the Cochin Refineries in Ambalamugal. It was one of the worst fires in the history of the Indian oil industry Though there were no fa. talities, many houses in the area suffered heavy damage. “It was a thunderous blast,” recalls Pramod Lukose, a resident of Adoorkara. “We scampered for our lives and escaped by crossing the nearby wetland, which has also been taken over by the BPCL. I remember one family breaking a portion of the HOCL wall to Ambalamedu, a village located a few kilometres from the city was , once home to lush paddy fields and waterbodies. Farming was the primary source of livelihood in the region. The industrial units reportedly found Ambalamedu to be an ideal location as there were no educational institutions, hospitals, or government offices. “Most of us are financially backward and we own just 5-6 cents each,” says Surendran. “The only benefit we receive from the companies is water supply for about two hours a day .” Action council leader M K Pankajaskshan shows abandoned houses in Ayyankuzhi impact on health Residents of Adoorkara share their concerns regarding air pollution in the area seek refuge on its premises.” Pankajakshan adds the quaint hinterland was quickly converted into an industrial belt, but the local communities were neglected. “Many families abandoned their houses, as air pollution took a toll on their health,” he says, trembling in frustration. “My parents, who built the house in which I currently live in, had to relocate to another area due to health concerns. They now pay a hefty rent despite owning a house,” Similarly, V K Surendran and his family also relocated from Ayyankuzhi to Chottanikkara, as his 12-year-old daughter, Avani, had suffered “recurring health issues because of pollution”. “Respiratory illness is the most common issue among the residents. Some get skin allergies, too. My daughter is yet to fully recover,” says Surendran. “We come to Ayyankuzhi often to check on our house. Whenever we stay here, our daughter has to be rushed to the hospital the very next day as her respiratory aller, gies get triggered.” Surendran adds that he had to A PA R N A M A R Y B I L I N A WHEN the Festival of Thought first sprang to life in 2023, it was to mark the silver jubilee of Kottakkakam Residents’ Association (KRA) in Tripunithura. Now, in its second year, it is one of the most talked about events in the city, an oasis of thought and introspection on a plethora of topics that range from cinema, technology art, literature , and more. What’s perhaps unique to KRA’s Festival of Thought (KRAFT) is that its inspiration was derived from the many wonders that Tripunithura, a prominent cultural hub of the city, is home to. In fact, the very venue of this festival, i.e. the Kalikotta Palace, was a secret armoury built by the Dutch which was later transformed into an educational hub for members of the royal family . take heft loans to build a new house in Chottanikkara. “This is not just my story. Most families that moved out from Ambalamugal have debts,” he says. Varghese P M, a local resident, says people abandon their houses as there are few takers for property here. “Resale value is low,” he says. “Banks refuse to offer home loans, as our land is located within the industrial holdings. Due to the pollution, renting out the houses also does not work. We get only migrant labourers as tenants, and at low rents.” Ayyankuzhi residents, who are mostly daily wagers, have been urging BPCL and HOCL to come up with a rehabilitation package. “When we raise the demand to buy our land, the companies allege that we are creating a false narrative due to greed,” says Pramod. “They had also informed the state government of their inability to acquire the land as no specific projects were in place to use the land. HOCL cited ‘lack of finance’ as the reason preventing them from taking over the land here.” In 2023, following the High Court’s intervention, a medical camp was organised here by the Ernakulam District Medical Office. As per data, 85 persons (44 females and 41 males) par ticipated in the screening. Dyspnea on exertion (40%), cough (23%), nasal allergy (13%), recurrent respiratory infections (11%), chest heaviness/discomfort (9%), and fatigue (4%) were common ailments found. At least seven people – all aged over 55 – were found to be suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. In the observation report, the medical team clearly stated that atmospheric pollution was one of the main causes of chronic lung diseases. Sheena Mohanan, 52, is one of the residents who suffers from “breathing issues”. “Last year, thick fumes from HOCL blanketed the air. I have been suffering breathing issues. When the medical camp was held, the doctors informed me that some amount of smoke residue was seen in my lungs. I had to do an advanced check-up,” she says. “Whatever is happening to us is a violation of basic human rights. We don’t understand why we have to beg for decent air to breathe.” Another resident, Sindhu Aby, echoes the same concern. “The air is pungent at night and in the mornings. I often feel nauseous and get a headache because of it,” she says. I represent the area in the Lok Sabha. The High Court has intervened and asked the government or the industries to draw a conclusion to the misery of the local residents. The state government is making it as the responsibility of the industries, while the units say they don’t have any new projects to acquire the land. I have witnessed the struggles of the residents. It is quite sad to see the life they are leading. As per my observation, both the companies are making profits. However, the question is: Who will take over the land and rehabilitate the people? Benny Behanan, MP “See, the industries haven’t followed the basic guidel i n e s , ” s ay s P r a m o d . “There’s no green belt and buffer zone. This leaves us vulnerable to pollutants. We are not against development, but it should not be at the cost of human lives.” What do the authorities say? A BPCL spokesperson maintains that the unit has been functioning as per the rules laid by the pollution control board. “As a responsible corporation, we have put in place world-class systems,” he adds. “Be it the effluent emission or atmospheric pollution, so far, no monitoring agency has found any fault on our side.” When asked about the mandatory ‘green belt’, he says the refinery has 34% green cover. An HOCL spokesperson says real-time data is sent to the state as well as Central pollution control boards. “We function as per the norms,” he adds. “Fumes are likely to come out of an operating industry Resi. dents fear it’s toxic pollutants, that’s not the case.” Babu Raj, Ernakulam chief engineer of the Pollution Control Board, empathises with the residents. However, he maintains the situations is not alarming. “We agree that residents are sandwiched between the walls of the units,” he says. “As per the district collector’s order, we went to monitor the area recently but the residents of Ayy, ankuzhi blocked us. As per our observations, both the industrial units have complied with most of the mandatory norms. Readings from the real-time Govt to appeal Maulavi murder case verdict pollution monitors haven’t exceeded the limit as per our findings. The units have adequate green belt coverage. Moreover, newly planted greenery will take some time to grow.” The residents argue that they fear officials might fudge data. “We don’t trust the equipment used by the board. Earlier, some officers agreed that they didn’t have advanced equipment. We want the Central board to conduct a thorough study ,” says Pramod. Last hope The residents have been pinning their hopes on the state government’s plan to acquire the sandwiched strip of land in Ayyankuzhi to set up an e-waste recycling plant. A recent site assessment by the the State Pollution Control Board, Kerala Solid Waste Management Project and Suchitwa Mission found that the area was ideal for a waste plant as it’s an industrial zone, with no schools or hospitals nearby . “However, the government has not come up with any proposal to rehabilitate the residents. Despite being prodded by the High Court, the government keeps delaying the decision,” says Pankajakshan. ‘Not against development’ Even as they rail against being neglected, the residents chorus that they are not anti-development. “Despite this rich cultural heritage, Tripunithura has never hosted a literary event. KRAFT aims to fill this void,” says K Pradeep, a veteran journalist and Tripunithura resident. While last year’s event saw talks primarily for children, this year, the focus is on the youth. The organisers aim to establish this as an annual event, with plans to explore more venues for future editions. The festival will take place on February 23 and 24. Noted writer N S Madhavan will inaugurate the event in the presence of Padma Shri Sathyanarayanan Mundayoor at 9.30am. This will be followed by sessions involving socio-cultural figures such as Ramesh Varma, Sneha Sreekumar, M N Karassery K C Narayanan, Sasikala Me, non, Sangeetha Varma, Priya Varma, and M Parthasarathy . Medical camp’s findings: In 2023, following the Kerala HC’s intervention, the Ernakulam district medical office organised a medical camp in Ayyankuzhi. As per its data, 85 persons (44 females and 41 males) were examined. Dyspnea on exertion, cough, nasal allergy, recurrent respiratory infections, chest heaviness and fatigue were the common ailments detected. At least seven people were found to be suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Express News Service @Kozhikode In a deft move to blunt the opposition’s efforts to exploit the resentment among the Muslim community over the acquittal of all three accused in the Riyas Maulavi murder case, the state government has instructed the law department to expedite the procedures to approach the Kerala High Court in appeal. T he Ko zhikode district court’s order acquitting the trio came at a time when CPM is projecting itself as the protector of Muslims and is vigorously campaigning against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA). Various Muslim organisations, including the Samastha Kerala Sunni Students Federation and Jama’at-e-Islami, had strongly come out against the verdict. Advocate C Shukkur, who handled the case initially, told TNIE that the appeal will be filed in a few days. “UDF is trying to derive political mileage from the issue. There is no merit in the allegation that the prosecution and police helped the accused,” he said. ● More on P6
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