BRAND KERALA SEPTEMBER 2018

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AUTO BIZ - THE REIGNING OCTAVIA | 60

BRAND KERALA September 2018 | VOL. 8 | ISSUE. 9 | RS 60/-

B R A N DI NG K E R A L A G L OBA L LY

RECOUP RETHINK REBUILD THE LESSONS FROM THE DELUGE POINT TO THE NEED TO FOCUS ON AN ECO-FRIENDLY REBUILDING PLAN THAT COULD STAND THE FURY OF NATURE

ISSN 2249244-5

PLUS

MAJIZIYA LIFTS A SPORTING REVOLUTION | 56

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TIME FOR THOUGHTFUL REBUILDING

T Focus shall be on to devise a fool proof mechanism to monitor the rebuilding process by giving stress to environmentfriendly projects which could stand the fury of the nature.

he destructive waters have receded and we are resurrecting from the debris of the worst ever deluge in the history of the State. Years might not be enough for us to cover up the losses triggered by the unforeseen catastrophe. The enviable unity , camaraderie and compassion shown by our folks barring all the sectarian divisions of religion, caste and creed has set an example before the world as to how a State could unite for the cause of its inhabitants at the time of a calamity. Though the State forces like the Police, Fire and Rescue Departments waged a relentless battle to rescue as many people as possible in the initial days, we were forced to rope in the services of the Defence forces when the volume of destruction and causalities escalated to alarming levels.

This calamity saw the rise of a civilian force in the form of fishermen, who voluntarily plunged into rescue operations by risking their lives and saved thousands of people who got marooned in the gushing flood. Another heroic uprising was from the young brigade of the State. The youth, who were categorically dumped as a `gadget addicted’ group cut off from the civilian social responsibilities, literally blew off the prevailing notions by showcasing an unprecedented act of sacrifice and compassion. We could see students and youngsters toiling at relief camps, collection centers and rescue sites even in wee hours. A heartfelt salute is due to all the good souls who rose above the situation and stood with the suffering lot.

The volume of losses we had to incur has been enormous with the majority of the State coming to a standstill. The industrial as well as the manufacturing sector, tourism industry and innumerable commercial establishments bore

the brunt of the devastation. Since the onset of the south west Monsoon, on May last, the State witnessed a trail of destruction and damages with 493 people losing lives and around 14 lakh people getting displaced from their homes. The livelihood and savings of lakhs of people were submerged in the engulfing waters with almost eighty percent of the State’s population getting directly affected. Adding to this, thousands of hectares of crops were destroyed and loss in cash crops will continue to affect the State for a while.

Rather than lamenting over the worst ever crisis we are in, it’s time for us to showcase the spirit of resurgence and work hard towards rebuilding a new Kerala by adopting thoughtful policies and nature friendly initiatives. Focus shall be on to devise a fool proof mechanism to monitor the rebuilding process by giving stress to environment-friendly projects which could stand the fury of the nature. A comprehensive disaster management mechanism which will ensure swift and scientific interventions at the time of a natural disaster should be put in place with utmost priority. The services of professionals and experts who are well versed in dam management and rescue operations from across the globe should be roped in for this.

If the resilience, brotherhood and compassion shown by the Malayali Diaspora in recouping from a colossal disaster are kept intact and carried on in the rebuilding process also, it could pave the way for the emergence of an all new God’s Own country which would set an enviable model before the world.

J.S Indukumar

Editor-in-Chief

BRAND KERALA September 2018 VOL 8 ISSUE 9

EDITORIAL MANAGING EDITOR EDITOR IN CHIEF EXECUTIVE EDITOR ASSOCIATE EDITOR DIRECTOR, MARKETING CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER BUSINESS HEAD

Ravisankar K V J S Indukumar Balachandran B Rajani A Mujeeb Shamsudeen Shyam Kumar P V Uday Kumar

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COVER STORY

FLOOD MANAGEMENT: PRIORITIES & CHALLENGES Over the last few years, the adverse impacts of floods have increased because of climate change and changes in the rain patterns, unscientific development, encroachment into flood plains, deforestation in catchment areas and upper reaches, consequent soil erosion and silting of rivers.

BRAND KERALA MEDIA HOUSE ASSOCIATES SRL A 32, SANKAR ROAD, SASTHAMANGALAM P.O., THIRUVANANTHAPURAM 695010 KERALA, INDIA TELE : +91 471 231 1377/231 2377 Internet edition www.brandkerala.biz Digital edition www.issuu.com/brandkerala www.facebook.com/brandkerala RNI NO. KERENG 2010/36920 ISSN 2249244-5 No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher of BRAND KERALA All rights reserved. Copyright @2018 Owned, Edited, Printed and Published by Ravisankar K.V., Brand Kerala Media House Pvt. Ltd., SRL A - 32, Sankar Road, Sasthamangalam P.O., Thiruvananthapuram 695010 Kerala, India at Orange Printers PVT LTD., Thiruvananthapuram for Arsha Offset Graphix, Janvilla Lane, Vellayamabalam, Thiruvananthapuram – 695010 Editor: Ravisankar K V

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HEROIC EFFORTS

BY DEFENCE FORCES

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ROLE OF VISUAL ARTISTS IN BRAND NEW KERALA

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September 2018 | VOL. 8 | ISSUE. 9 | rS 60/-

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TECHNOBIZ AMRITA’S DISASTER MANAGEMENT APP

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COLUMN THE SHAPE OF WATER: FROM CLARA’S EYELASHES TO SURGING PERIYAR?

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REBUILDING KERALA: BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE

AUtO bIZ - tHe reIGNING OCtAVIA | 60

BRAND KERALA B R A N DI NG K E R A L A G L OBA L LY

RECOUP RETHINK REBUILD

THE LESSONS FROM THE DELUGE POINT TO THE NEED TO FOCUS ON AN ECO-FRIENDLY REBUILDING PLAN THAT COULD STAND THE FURY OF NATURE

ISSN 2249244-5

PLUS

MAJIZIYA LIFTS A SPORTING REVELUTION | 56

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40 KTM TO

TOURISM

We cannot demarcate a specific type of tourism especially when we talk about Kerala.

We have all kind of geographical features like hills, mountains, beaches, lakes etc.

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SHOWCASE RESILIENT KERALA

SUCCESS STORY TRACO ON SUCCESS TRACK

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H E A LT H SURGING CANCER RATE IN KERALA

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LEISURE ARMENIA, AN UNKNOWN ENTITY

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FOOD ON A HIGH @ HYCINTH

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WOMAN POWER MAJIZIYA LIFTS A SPORTING REVOLUTION

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AUTO BIZ THE REIGNING OCTAVIA

SHOWCASES 44 ITM ‘INCREDIBLE INDIA’

TRENDS Pinarayi Vijayan

It is heartening to know that Team India have dedicated the victory in Trent Bridge test for the flood affected people of Kerala. Thank you @imVKohli and Team India for this kind gesture. Thanks for standing with Kerala.

Shashi Tharoor @ShashiTharoor

So good to see people from all over India coming together to help victims of the #KeralaFloods. And thanks to my colleagues & Fellows of @ProfCong for doing so much to collect and despatch relief materials.

biz news R E S U LT S

COCHIN SHIPYARD PAYS DIVIDEND TO THE GOVERNMENT FOR THE TENTH CONSECUTIVE YEAR

T AWARDS

UDAY SAMUDRA WINS SOUTH ASIAN TRAVEL AWARDS -2018 U

day Samudra Leisure Beach Hotel & Spa, was awarded the South Asian Travel Awards (SATA) – for the best Leading Beach Hotel & the best Leading F&B Hotel for the year 2017-18 at the award ceremony held at Mumbai. The award was received by the UDS group CMD Mr. Rajasekharan Nair and Managing Director Mrs. Radha Nair at the prestigious ceremony held at, Taj Palace, Mumbai.

he Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) under the Ministry of Shipping has paid a dividend of Rs.122.34 crores to Government of India on August 21, 2018. After the Initial Public Offer of equity shares of CSL, the Govt. of India holds 75% in the equity share capital of CSL and the balance 25% is held by the general public. The Company is paying dividend for the tenth consecutive year.

Cochin Shipyard achieved an all time high turnover of Rs. 2355.12crores for the year 201718 as compared to Rs. 2058.87 crores in the year 2016-17 and also recorded an all time high profit after tax of Rs. 396.75 crores as compared to Rs. 321.55 crores for the previous year.

RESCUE

AMRITA HELPLINE COMES TO THE RESCUE OF THOUSANDS OF LIVES DURING KERALA FLOODS

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mrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham’s Amritapuri campus volunteers set up a 24-hour call-in rescue helpline. Within five days, the team had fielded more than 25,000 calls, connecting more than 100,000 flood victims across the state with appropriate relief services, including government officials, the Navy, NDRF, Kerala State Police, local fishermen and other volunteering agencies. The helpline services also ensured that rescued victims were provided with

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food and clothing and other basic necessities. The Amrita Help Line was set up at Amritapuri Campus at 1:00 pm on August 16 in association with Amrita Yuva Dharma Dhara (AYUDH), the international youth movement of Mata Amritanandamayi Math. More than 400 Amrita students and staff worked in three shifts for five days straight, with 20 phone lines in parallel servicing the Help Line number in order to ensure that every single call was answered.

LAUNCH

MAHINDRA MARAZZO LAUNCHED

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he carmaker Mahindra launched its all new MPV called Marazzo on 3rd September, 2018. Mahindra Marazzo MPV comes with a single diesel engine option, but at the launch event, company officials confirmed that a petrol version is in the works. Marazzo is the world’s first automobile to use the combination of a body on frame chassis with a front wheel drive system and a transversely mounted engine and the same has been patented by Mahindra.

The Mahindra Marazzo is powered by an all-new, four-

cylinder 1.5-litre diesel engine that produces 122PS and 300Nm of torque. The engine produces peak torque at 1,750rpm, but has been tuned to offer upwards of 170Nm of torque incrementally between 1,000rpm and 1,750rpm for better acceleration at low speeds.

The Mahindra Marazzo is available in four trims- M2, M4, M6 and M8. Prices start at Rs 9.99 lakh, exshowroom, and pan-India for the M2 and go up to Rs 13.90 lakh for the M8.

OFFER

ISUZU LAUNCHES SPECIAL SCHEME ‘D-SERVE’ FOR D-MAX REGULAR CAB MODEL

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he Isuzu Motors India presents a ‘D-Serve’ - a ‘3 years Free Periodic Maintenance’ scheme for its D-MAX Regular Cab model in India. It is available at no additional cost and the ‘D-Serve’ scheme will be an invincible value proposition offered to the customers who purchase the vehicle during the period September - October 2018. The scheme includes benefits such as, Free Periodic Maintenance for 3 years per 100,000 kms with PMS parts, lubricants, related labour costs and certain wear & tear items.

The scheme will not accept accidental damage related repairs. The scheme is valid till 31st October 2018. Applicable Terms & Conditions can be checked at the dealerships of ISUZU across the country.

OPERATIONS

GOAIR TO BEGIN INTERNATIONAL OPERATIONS FROM OCTOBER

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ndia’s one of the fastest growing airlines, GoAir is ready to begin its international flight operations. This is India’s first ever direct service to Phuket, Thailand effective October 11, 2018 from Delhi and Mumbai. Nearly the second international service connecting Mumbai and Delhi with Male, Maldives will start on October 14, 2018. In future these destinations will also be connected from

Bengaluru. Tickets for the new flights can be booked through the company website www.GoAir.in and through the online travel portals, GoAir Call Centre, airport ticketing offices, Go Air GSA offices overseas, travel agents etc. The GoAir mobile app is also available on both Apple iOS and Google Android.

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PRODUCT

DETTOL LAUNCHES NEW ‘GERMS KA FILTER’

D TAKE

ettol, the leader in antiseptic soap category launched ‘Germs ka Filter’, Dettol Aloe Vera soap, enriched with soothing Aloe Vera that keeps skin protected from germs. External environmental elements like pollution and dust carry various germs and results in skin problems. The new Dettol with soothing Aloe Vera soap promises to provide protection from 99.9% germs.

Dettol Aloe Vera soap is suitable for all skin types that come in single pack

OVER

TIME MAGAZINE SOLD FOR $190M

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early eight months after Meredith Corp. completed its purchase of Time Inc., the publisher has agreed to sell Time magazine for $190 million (1368 crores INR) to Marc Benioff, cofounder of Salesforce.com and his wife Lynne Benioff.

Meredith completed the purchase of Time along with other publications of Time Inc earlier this year.

The proposed sale is expected to close within 30 days. The Benioffs are buying Time as individuals; the agreement is unrelated to Salesforce.com, where Mr. Benioff also serves as chairman and co-chief executive.

The Benioffs are the latest wealthy people from the tech world to buy a traditional news publication. Salesforce, a cloud software company whose products are for businesses, competes with such rivals as Oracle Corp. and MicrosoftCorp.

The company recently promoted President and Chief Operating Officer Keith Block to serve as co-chief executive alongside Benioff.

Meredith had put four Time publications up for sale in March. Negotiations for the sale of the three other publications – Fortune, Money and Sports Illustrated – are continuing.

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of 100 gm at INR Rs. 39 and 100 gm multipack of 3; at INR 112. It is available across, grocery stores departmental stores, pharmacists in India and leading e-commerce websites.

PRE-LAUNCH

ALL NEW NISSAN KICKS’ SKETCHES ARE OUT

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he first sketches of the India model of the All-New Nissan KICKS were revealed showcasing the evocative flow of its impressive, robust exteriors. With a bold, daring and dynamic design, the new KICKS stands to offer what India’s new consumer wants – agile movement on urban roads with the freedom to explore new terrains. Nissan KICKS’ progressive SUV exterior is engaging and provocative. The new V-motion grille, a

SEPTEMBER 2018

signature motif in Nissan’s new global design language further adds to KICKS’ distinctive presence. The Indian version of the KICKS is bigger, more evolved, more intelligent and caters to the brand’s core audience, who are adventurous, look for bold and intelligent choices in life.

Nissan is all set to introduce the KICKS into the market with design language and features that are intrinsic to SUV enthusiasts in India

cover story

FLOOD MANAGEMENT

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PRIORITIES & CHALLENGES Over the last few years, the adverse impacts of floods have increased because of climate change and changes in the rain patterns, unscientific development, encroachment into flood plains, deforestation in catchment areas and upper reaches, consequent soil erosion and silting of rivers.

Dr. Thara K.G

I

ndia is host to a number of disasters; over 40 million hectares i.e., 12 % of its land (National Disaster Management Plan, 2016) is estimated to be vulnerable to floods and river erosion. Kerala’s status is equally alarming with 14.8 per cent of its land falling under the flood risk zone (BMTPC, 2006). India is one of the highest flood prone countries in the world and the UN estimates put the figure at 32 million per annum.

While all the other countries in the world reduced casualties from 68 to 34 per cent, India showed a steady increase from 13,360 to 15, 860 in the annual rate of flood related casualties (UNISDR, 2015). Over the last few years, the adverse impacts of floods have increased because of climate change and resultant changes in the rain patterns, unscientific development, and encroachment into the flood plains, indiscriminate deforestation in catchment areas and upper reaches, consequent soil erosion and silting of rivers.

The Union Home Ministry, based on data since 1950 of areas flooded, areas vulnerable to flood and location of metropolitan and large cities in flood

prone areas, had prepared a Flood Vulnerability Index in a scale of 10, which identifies ten states as having high flood hazard risk, with Punjab leading the list and Kerala in the 7th position.

How useful are the existing Maps?

Though the Central Water Commission had initiated preparation of flood risk maps in a scale of 1:15,000, with a contour interval of 25 cm in the year 1993, it is far from complete. The Building and Technology Promotion Council (under the Ministry of Urban Affairs, Govt. of India) also had brought out a statewise hazard vulnerability Atlas in 2006, in 1: 2 million scale. The State Disaster Management Authority too had generated a flood hazard map based on secondary data, in 1: 500,000 scale.

Both the 1:2 million and 1: 500,000 maps are unsuitable for local planning or for reconstruction purposes, as the former condenses 20,000 metres into 1 cm and the latter, ground details of 5000 metres into 1 cm! The scientific community maintains an uncomfortable silence about such lacunae and the administration as well as the people’s representatives remain woefully

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ignorant in related scientific matters.

What needs to be done?

Assessment of vulnerabilities Understanding the natural, social and economic vulnerabilities is an integral tool for policy and decision makers for deciding corrective actions for mitigating floods. Vulnerability is the extent of harm which can be expected in a region to disasters under given conditions of exposure, susceptibility and resilience. This is done through detailed mapping of goods, infrastructure, cultural heritage, agricultural fields and collection of sex-segregated data of vulnerable groups such as women, children, the aged, handicapped, pregnant and lactating mothers, invalids etc living in the disaster prone areas. Susceptibility is measured on the basis of awareness and preparedness of people, capability of institutions that are involved in mitigating and reducing the effects of the hazards and the existence of possible measures, like evacuation routes to be used during the floods.

On the other hand, Resilience is the inherent capacity of a system to endure any perturbation, like floods. As per the Flood Probability Index of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Kerala falls in the 7th position. The state is preceded

by Punjab, West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Haryana.

But, no flood mapping has ever been undertaken in Kerala in a scale suitable for local planning.

Flood Plain Management & Zoning The basic concept is to regulate the land use in flood plains in order to reduce the damage potential of floods.

Central Water Commission had prepared guidelines for flood plain zoning and also a model bill in 1975, which was circulated to all the states advising them for enactment

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of suitable legislation. Barring Bihar and Odisha, no other state has done this.

Flood plain zoning This involves demarcation of areas liable to floods through preparation of contour maps preferably in 1:15,000 scale, at suitable intervals (10 m to 25 m, depending upon the intensity of flood risk). Areas likely to be flooded for different flood frequencies such as 1 in 25 years, 50 years and 100 years and different frequencies of rainfall such as one in 5,10, 25 and 50 years also need to be prepared.

The idea of demarcating flood zones and controlling indiscriminate developmental activities and human settlements, was mooted in the year 1957 by the Central Flood

VULNERABILITY IS THE EXTENT OF HARM WHICH CAN BE EXPECTED IN A REGION TO DISASTERS UNDER GIVEN CONDITIONS.

Control Board. In 1975, the central government had also circulated a model bill for setting up of flood zoning authorities in all the states to take up surveys and demarcation of flood zones or plains. It recommended legislative support to prohibit the use of flood plains and removal of unauthorised constructions.

But, most states had hitherto chosen to ignore such directives under the palpable influence of the real estate mafias, builders and developers.

Policy interventions still rely heavily on the post-disaster, relief -centric

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measures which are tailor made to tap the financial provisions of the central government.

Land-use policy Qualitative and quantitative planning and control of land use is emerging as an important tool in disaster risk reduction. It is alarming that an ecologically fragile state like Kerala has still not brought out a comprehensive land-use policy. For regulating land use in different flood zones, the CWC envisages building of defence installations, industries, public utilities such as railway stations, aerodromes

etc. only in 1 in 100 -year flood areas.

It also stipulates that the plinth levels of all buildings should be at least 0.75 m to one metre above the drainage / flood submersion levels. And to imagine that while all these regulations existed, the Nedumbasserry airport which is built on the flood plain of Periyar river, might not have taken even 30 year flood data for its construction!

Soil Conservation Measures In India, major thrust in flood management so far, has been on structural measures such as construction of embankments, bunds

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etc. However, watershed management and soil conservation methods had invariably proved to be more effective as they reduce the silting rates. Silting reduces water holding capacity of reservoirs, thus reducing their efficiency in absorbing the overflow of flood water. According to a study tabled in the Parliament, India is losing 5,334 million tonnes of soil every year due to soil erosion and the rate of sedimentation of reservoirs is three times the rate estimated when they were built. Situation in Kerala is also not different as it loses around 16.4 tons of soil per hectare. Extensive soil conservation measures, upstream of the reservoir and around it, will not only prevent accumulation of silt in reservoirs but also considerably reduce flooding in the upstream regions.

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INDIA IS LOSING 5,334 MILLION TONNES OF SOIL EVERY YEAR DUE TO SOIL EROSION

Flood Forecasting and Warning The abysmal state of affairs in flood control and flood forecasting in India has been brought out by the report of the Controller and Auditor General of India in the year 2017. The report reveals that out of 375 telemetry stations, 222 number of Telemetry stations were non-functional! The report further points out that despite

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the fact that flood forecasting was to be done only after comparing the telemetry data with the manual data, the CWC did not depend on telemetry data even 20 years after the installation of modern telemetry equipment. Out of the 4,862 large Dams, Emergency Action Plans or Disaster Management Plans of only 349 dams had been prepared (as on March 2016) and only 5 per cent of large dams had prepared Standard Operating Procedures. It is very unfortunate that Kerala is no exception. The state needs to send a formal request to CWC to establish telemetry stations as well as in flow and out flow gauges and preparation of flood inundation maps.

Comprehensive Disaster Insurance Scheme Notwithstanding the advantages of

Insurance in modifying the loss burden of disasters, such non-structural disaster mitigation options had not been widely adopted in India. Considering the proneness of the state to multiple disasters, a draft Comprehensive Disaster Insurance Scheme was formulated a few years ago, which envisages insurance coverage of 35 lakh extremely vulnerable families across the state. A very low premium was suggested for the BPL families and a complementary high premium for the rich. This scheme is still pending government approval.

INVOLVING LOCAL COMMUNITIES IN REHABILITATION AND RECONSTRUCTION PLAN OF HOUSES WILL ALSO ENHANCE COMMUNITY OWNERSHIP.

People Centric Disaster Management The Panchayati Raj Institution (PRI), is the most appropriate institution for disaster preparedness, prevention, mitigation and rebuilding processes at the community level, as it has proximity to the local community and the wherewithal to ensure people’s participation, from village to the district level. Involving local communities in rehabilitation and reconstruction plan of houses and other local infrastructures will also enhance community ownership.

The National Disaster Management Authority’s Policy Guidelines on Community-based Disaster Management also recognises the role of the community members in disaster planning, response, and recovery (DPRR). It is all the more surprising that Kerala, a state which had a successful history of decentralised planning, the local communities are neither consulted nor involved in the planning for rebuilding and reconstruction processes. Tapping the traditional wisdom of the local communities also leaves much to be desired.

Writer is Former Head, Disaster Management Centre, Government of Kerala SEPTEMBER 2018

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flood fury

HEROIC EFFORTS B This is third HADR operation in the state by the defence forces in the past one year.

When cyclone Ockhi devastated the coastal kerala and during the rescue operations for the Latvian medical tourist Liga was in progress the state government requested the help of the forces and extensive and intensive HADR operation were carried out for the same.

Dhanya Sanal K, IIS Defence PRO

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n 9th Aug, based on the request from the state government and as per the direction from the Ministry of Defence one column of army dispatched from Pangode Military Station to the flood hit districts of Idukki,thus the news went out and media started reporting about the involvement of soldiers in the disaster

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management and rescue operations.

This is third HADR operation in the state by the defence forces in the past one year. When cyclone Ockhi devastated the coastal kerala and during the rescue operations for the Latvian medical tourist Liga was in progress the state government requested the help of the forces

Y DEFENCE FORCES to the flood affected areas of Kannur, Wayanad, Kozhikode, Malappuram and Idukki districts. Meanwhile, Station Commander, Pangode Military Station Brigadier CG Arun deployed various regiments stationed in the 91 Infantry brigade to rescue the marooned victims.

Army deployed 19 columns of soldiers across Kerala which includes 4 Military Engineering Task Force columns mobilized from different parts

ARMY DEPLOYED 19 COLUMNS OF SOLDIERS ACROSS KERALA WHICH INCLUDES 4 MILITARY ENGINEERING TASK FORCE COLUMNS.

and extensive and intensive HADR operation were carried out for the same.

‘Operation Sahyog’ Indian Army

The entire control of the army movements were vested with the Kerala & Karnataka (K&K) Sub Area situated

in Bangalore. GOC, K&K Sub Area Major General Sanjeev Narain give direction to Defence Security Corps (DSC), Kannur and Pangode Military Station to takeimmediate action.

On August 9th morning Defence Security Corps (DSC), Kannur headed

by Commandant Col Ajay Sharma sent 5 columns of army, one column each SEPTEMBER 2018

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of India and one Para Regiment flown in from Bangalore. In addition to that army medical team also brought in to action to take care of the immediate medical exigencies.

Army operated with life jackets, BAUT (Boat Assault Universal Test), poles, generators, search lights, motor boats (Out Boat Motor) and safely rescued more than 15000 people to the various relief camps across Kerala.

Domestic animals and the valuables of the people were brought in to safely as part of Operation Sahyog.

In addition to rescue, Army Soldiers carried ration for the victims in case of exigency in addition to emergency medical kits, repaired the broken roads and made it commutable, cleared

OPERATION KARUNA WAS CONTROLLED AND COORDINATED FROM THE HEADQUARTERS OF SOUTHERN AIR COMMAND.

debris, constructed temporary wooden bridges and even redirected the course of the overflowing rivers to direct the flood waters.

‘Operation Karuna’ Indian Air Force

Operation Karuna was controlled and coordinated from the Headquarters of Southern Air Command located at Akkulam in Thiruvananthapuram Dist. Air Officer Commanding-inChief of Southern Air Command Air Marshal B Suresh commanded the entire air operations. Air operations started on August 9th from Air Force

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Station Technical Area, Shangumugom, Thiruvananthapuram, Air Force Station Sulur, Coimbatore, INS Garuda, Kochi.

In addition to that, Air Force helicopters operated from helipads located at various flood affected districts like Wayanad, Chengannur, Varkala, Palakkad. Helicopters and transport aircrafts of Air Force operated from Karippur and Nedumbasseri as well.

During the initial week of Operation Karuna, Air Force was doing a supportive role for the Army, NDRF, BSF etc. Indian Air Force transport aircrafts AN-32, C-17 Globemaster, C-130J mobilized personnel and equipments of Army, NDRF, BSF, Fire Force from various parts of India and transported them to the flood affected areas through helicopters. During the initial days of the flood, all the VVIP movements were also felicitated by the IAF assets. Tons of equipments, supplies, relief materials and food were transported by IAF transport aircrafts and distributed using helicopters.

By 15th of August when the torrential rain inundated the state, IAF started the intensive rescue operations by winching from the helicopters and enhanced the food distribution through air dropping.

A total of 26 helicopters, both ALH and Mi17V5 were pushed in to action and an additional 5 helicopters were kept stand by. Despite inclement weather, closely placed high rise buildings and

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INDIAN NAVY AND INDIAN COAST GUARD COORDINATED ITS HADR OPERATIONS FROM KOCHI.

thick tall vegetation created challenges for the helicopters, IAF rescued more than 600 people by winching from the deluged areas.

On Thiruvonam day,on behalf of IAF, AOC-in-C Southern Air Command Air Marshal B Suresh handed over a cheque of 20 Crore to the Honourable CM of Kerala Shri Pinarayi Vijayan at CM’s office.

All officers, airmen, non combatant enrolled and civilians of Indian Air Force across the country contributed their one day salary and that’s how this huge sum has been mobilised.

‘Operation Madad’ Indian Navy

Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard coordinated its HADR operations from Kochi. Southern Naval Command headed by Flag Officer Commandingin-Chief Vice Admiral Anil Chawla.

The HADR ooperations of Indian Navy

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started well before Army and IAF, when the torrential rain submerged the Kuttanad area in the month of July. MARCOS, diving team, Gemini boats and helicopters were used in a considerably large scale to cover the sizeable area affected by the flood. Rescue operation were carried using both boats and by winching from helicopters. The winching of a pregnant lady by navy helicopter was one among the most riskiest rescue mission ever happened in Kerala.

In addition to rescue operation, camps were organized at Kochi Naval Base and Aluva. ALH & Seaking helicopters that took off from INS Garuda went for sorties over districts like Thrissur, Ernakulam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha winched people and safely dropped them in the

relief camps. In addition to that navy contributed Rs.8.9 Crore to the CM’s relief fund. Admiral Sunil Lanba, Chief of the Navy Staff directly handed over the amount to CM of Kerala.

Indian Coast Guard The HADR Operations of Indian Coast Guard was headed by Shri.Sanaton Jana, DIG, Indian Coast Guard. Similar as that of the tri-services, men and machinery of the Coast Guard were mobilized from all across India for the operational easiness.

Defence forces worked in close coordination with the state machinery.

The palpable cohesion between the various centre and state forces and civilians helped to address the doom at various levels, saved lives and averted the terrible fate to a considerable extent.

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flood fury

`THINGS ARE GETTING BACK TO LIFE’ God’s Own Country, which bore the brunt of the worst ever flood in its history is on the rebuilding mode. The tourism industry, which is reeling under the aftermath of the devastating deluge, is recovering from the impact of floods. The sector which accounts for 12 percent of the state’s economy, has chalked out a variety of damage control initiatives to bounce back to life.

Priyanka Prakash

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aby Mathew Somatheeram, Chairman & Managing Director of Somatheeram Ayurveda Group and President of Kerala Travel Mart Society, talks to Brand Kerala on the repercussions in the tourism industry of the State in the post flood scenario. KTM is the only mart in the country focusing on a single destination and is organised by the various tourism stakeholders in partnership with the Dept. of Tourism, Govt. of Kerala.

How do you assess the effects of the flood in the tourism sector of the state?

The flood has affected the tourism in Kerala vigorously. It mainly affected the domestic tourism sector with many of the guests showing reluctance to visit the State at this juncture. But we foresee a change in the situation within three months since there are several places in Kerala which were not affected by the flood. For example, the destination Munnar is not at all affected by flood and is intact. But the roads to Munnar were destroyed.

The government had taken immediate actions to reconstruct the roads and make them travelable. So tourists can reach Munnar now. Another destination which is not affected by flood is Thekkady but the roads to that place were also destroyed and they have already been repaired.

Both Munnar - Thekkady and Kochi – Thekkady roads are now safe. In Wayanad, the areas where tourist resorts are situated were not affected

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by flood but the roads are still under renovation. Kumarakom and its surrounding areas were under water for many days but not severely affected.

Kuttanad is the destination where almost all areas where affected by flood twice but we are confident enough to rebuild Kuttanad within no time.

What are the immediate steps being taken to put the tourism industry back to life?

There are many factors. Let me discuss from the destination point of view. Destinations can be rebuilt within one month except the roads leading to them. The majority o roads to major destinations got partially or completely destroyed. We have discussed this issue with the Minister for the immediate

KUTTANAD IS THE DESTINATION WHERE ALMOST ALL AREAS WHERE AFFECTED BY FLOOD TWICE.

action from the Government. The Tourism industry has limitations in the reconstruction of roads and hence the State should be taken care of the issue. Though we are going through a tough phase, half of the issues can be solved if the roads to the major spots become travelable. Fortunately,

meetings with the Tourism advisory board, other tourism associations and various government bodies. We plan to devise a propaganda for informing the world that Kerala is ready to welcome tourists through Social, Visual and Print Media.

Kerala Travel Mart (KTM), which is scheduled for 27th of September, will be an ideal platform for this. We have decided not to postpone KTM and we have around 500 buyers already from different countries and I think this year we have the maximum number of buyers from foreign countries. Domestic buyers are from other states of India and around 800 domestic buyers have booked for the KTM. That means in total, we have around 1300 buyers this time. This is a good sign. Cochin Airport has opened and has resumed its operations.

So now we are confident enough and for the KTM, the sellers are from our State itself.. The main purpose of this edition of KTM is to announce that Kerala is ready to receive tourists.

After the KTM is over, there will be Post Mart Tours happening.

Different groups of buyers are going to visit different destinations like Munnar, Thekkady, Kovalam, Wayanad, Kumarakom,

Fort Cochin was not affected by flood.

The central part of Cochin too was not affected. The tourists from across the world were actually misled to an extend that something drastic has happened in Kerala and is not advisable for them to visit the State. To overcome this situation, KTM (Kerala Travel Mart) has conducted a series of discussions and

The main purpose of this edition of KTM is to announce that Kerala is ready to receive tourists.

Baby Mathew Somatheeram

The prestigious Neelakurinji season has arrived. How do you assess the tourist flow in the post flood scenario?

Yes. The number of visitors to Munnar has decreased after the flood.

The main destination, for domestic tourists in Kerala is Munnar and its attraction is the Neelakurinji flowers.

In the post flood scenario, a certain percentage of visitors have shown reluctance to visit Munnar. But after one month people will forget everything and come to visit our places. We are restoring all the destinations in a war footing to attract SEPTEMBER 2018

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National Award: Best Sanskrit Film Priyamanasam 2015, receving the award from the President of India

the visitors. Also the facilities for accommodating the visitors are also getting ready.

KTM was actively involved in the flood relief activities also.

Please comment on that.

KTM was very much involved in various flood relief activities from the first day itself. Not only KTM, all Tourism bodies in Kerala were involved in the initiatives. After being involved in the rescue operations, all of us became part of the rehabilitation processes. We have formed a Kerala Tourism Task Force for cleaning the affected places.

I personally was in Munnar and actively took part in the cleaning activities with 2000 volunteers. We have been to the most affected places like Aranmula and Chengannur with a team of 200 people.

Our people are working for the affected ones all over the state. In the initial days, we took the initiative to collect food,

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National Tourism Award 2015: Best wellness Centre for Somatheeram Ayurveda Hospital and Research Center, receiving the award from the Tourism Minister of India

clothes and other necessary items for the affected people. KTM separately opened a collection centre for collecting and sending materials to the relief camps.

Now it’s time to think seriously on the tourism policy of the State. What kind of tourism, in your opinion, is ideal for Kerala?

We cannot demarcate a specific type of tourism especially when we talk about Kerala. We have all kind of geographical features like hills, mountains, beaches, lakes etc. So we have the potential for all kinds of tourism in our State. But what happened now should be a lesson for us to focus more on responsible tourism which should become the slogan of Kerala Tourism. Everyone is a part of that. We should be responsible about the land, society, indigenous products and everything around us. We should give opportunity to the local people too. 70% of my employees are local people. That is

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how Responsible tourism should be.

The Vizhinjam Port project is being projected as a major landmark for the development prospects of Thiruvananthapuram. As a tourism expert, do you think this will adversely affect the KovalamVizhinjam tourism belt?

I had attended certain group discussions with the scientists who are technically aware of the geographic changes that can happen when a port comes. These are not my words but I am saying what I learned from the experts in Seashore management. When Vizhinjam Port becomes a reality, the shores of the western side like Kovalam, Shanghumukham etc. will not have beach area anymore. Shanghumukham road will be destroyed completely, already three meters of road has gone; so within five years, that whole road will be destroyed. It will affect the buildings,

roads, beaches etc.On the eastern side the beach areas will be widened in places like Chovvara, Adimalathura, Poovar etc.

If the situation is going like this and if the port comes, tourism will not happen in those affected areas in future.

Somatheeram was a pioneering effort from your side in ayurveda tourism and has been accredited by the NABH. How do you recollect your achievements in this sector?

I and my brother together started Somatheeram with the concept of including an Ayurveda hospital or treatment centre inside the resort which will have all kind of facilities. We started this thirty years before, at that time we were the first to introduce such an idea by including Ayurveda in tourism sector.

Now many people follow the same idea all over Kerala.There are many Ayurveda hospitals all around the world, so while the tourism sector in Kerala was growing, we actually increased the popularity of Ayurveda too. Ayurveda hospitals, selling and exporting of Ayurveda products including medicines, food items, employment opportunities for those who work in the Ayurveda stream field has increased immensely over the years. Somatheeram got the NABH accreditation, another hospital called Manaltheeram is undergoing the final process of NABH accreditation. At the same time, we started a herbal garden for manufacturing Ayurveda medicines. Also we give importance to Yoga too which has got acceptance across the world.

How do you manage your personal life while being a socially active person?

Basically, I have a positive mind and approach things with a positive perspective. Though I am part of various organisations other than those in the tourism sector, I make it a point to devise and execute different plans for each assignment I get involved with. I work

Though I am part of various organisations other than those in the tourism sector, I make it a point to devise and execute different plans for each assignment I get involved with.

hard for my objectives and get immense support from my office, committee members and family.

Baby Mathew Somatheeram

And your family..?

I am married to Sarah, who is from Trivandrum and is an Engineer by profession. We have a daughter, Sana Maya. She is five years old and studying in UKG, here in Trivandrum itself.

What are the future plans for Somatheeram?

We are building another 5-star rated infrastructure for Ayurveda. The facilities on offer there will be of a very high standard. That project will be completed in another six to eight months.

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point of view

ROLE OF VISUAL ARTISTS IN BRAND NEW KERALA Kerala now could boast a pre-deluge and a post-deluge existence for itself, metaphorically at least. Each individual, in one way or the other has contributed to the rebuilding of Kerala which is currently underway vigorously.

Johny M L

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ach time a calamity happens we tend to mark the time ‘before’ and ‘after’ it. Temporal categories created in such a fashion often do not stand for long owing mainly to the callousness of human brains that consign tragedies to oblivion. Centuries are always marked by massive tragedies and ironically despite the brain’s affinity for forgetfulness, tragedies mark histories and the literatures that are created around them. The fact is that while the common man forgets the tragedy, people who are frantically creative register these tragedies in their creative works of art.

In that sense Kerala today is a work of art, initially vandalized by an unexpected deluge and recreated by the indomitable willpower of the Malayalees all over the world.

Kerala now could boast a pre-deluge and a post-deluge existence for itself, metaphorically at least. Each individual, in one way or the other has contributed to the rebuilding of Kerala which is currently underway vigorously. A brand

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new Kerala is in the offing. As we know each one teach one, even the humblest of acts towards the alleviation of pain caused by the floods come to have been hailed as heroic acts. In such a situation it is impossible for any to segregate people in terms of caste or profession, however insignificant their economic contribution may be otherwise in the general economic growth of the state. In God’s Own Country, ideally speaking everyone should be making contributions as per his/her capacity.

Visual artists are never a cohesive category in Kerala; they do not have a constituency of their own and also they do not constitute any power lobby. Still they have done their bit towards the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund which is meant for giving relief to the affected people and also towards rebuilding the future Kerala.

When it comes to the general cultural life of Kerala, visual artists do not play a very significant role though vignettes of visual art in one or the other way make their presence felt in our daily lives. In the

form of posters, magazine illustrations, graffiti, truck and bus art and so on visual art remains as an integral part of our daily lives. However, hardly we recognize their role in the cultural make up of our state. We recognize names such as Raja Ravi Varma, KCS Panicker, M V Devan, Namboothiri and Kanai Kunhiraman but

MANY WHO LIVE IN KERALA PERHAPS DO NOT KNOW THAT THE REPUTATION OF KERALA IS HELD HIGH ELSEWHERE IN INDIA OR ABROAD

BY THE VISUAL ARTISTS HAILING FROM KERALA.

rest remains in limited pockets. In Kerala, art buyers are next to nil.

Many who live in Kerala perhaps do not know that the reputation of Kerala is held high elsewhere in India or abroad by the visual artists hailing from Kerala. In Paris, we have Viswanathan and Akkitham Narayanan. In Santiniketan we had KG Subranmanyan and currently we have R.Sivakumar who is one of the world renowned art historians. In Delhi we have A.Ramachandran and KS Radhakrishnan besides many other vibrant Malayalee artists. In Mumbai we have Bose Krishnamachari, RiyasKomu, JitishKallat and so on. Go and ask how many people in those places know a politician from Kerala? They may not even know the so called silver screen celebrities of Kerala beyond the state limits. But they do know the artists.

Somehow, in the cultural psyche of Kerala, buying works of art from the artists directly or via a gallery has not been etched as a socio-cultural need.

Anand Coomaraswamy, one of the early SEPTEMBER 2018

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scholars of Indian art and a staunch nationalist of a different worth had underlined the need for the presence of artists in the healthy growth of a nation.

Kerala, however, has failed to heed to that piece of wisdom. With all due respect to the artists who have stayed back in Kerala to work and eke out a living through art or by other means I would like to say that Kerala has been cruel to the visual artists by forcing most of them to live in exile.

Foreign shores do offer opportunities, fame and riches but had all those been available in Kerala, many wouldn’t have been living elsewhere. One may say that such exile is not for the artists alone.

While one could accept that exile is also a part of gaining individualistic autonomy back home and elsewhere, artists often find the rejection too harsh to reconcile with.

Still it is very heartening to see that Malayalee artists living all over the world making sincere efforts to raise some funds towards the relief and rehabilitation of the flood affected and also towards rebuilding the future Kerala. The resident

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HAVEN’T YOU NOTICED THAT WHILE ALL THE CREATIVE EXPRESSIONS HAVE A REALITY SHOW IN TELEVISION, ART DOESN’T HAVE ONE?

Malayalee artists too have come forward to do works, a sort of live performances of art making so that people could buy works not only as a contribution towards the artists’ effort to raise funds but also as a souvenir of the historical deluge. While appreciating their efforts and contributions I would like to pose a question before the builders of the new Kerala: What role are you going to assign to the artists in the whole process of rebuilding Kerala? What would be the role/status of the artists in a brand new Kerala thus built on people’s participation and contribution?

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The English poet, John Milton had said, ‘those also serve who stand and stare’.

Milton is too right to be disproved when it comes to the general affairs of Kerala.

Everyone serves just by standing and staring. But the unfortunate thing is that despite having agencies like Lalitha Kala Academy, artists are still left to struggle if not for money but for recognition. What is the use of money for an artist if his art is not getting him due recognition? In the brand new Kerala, the artists are to be recognized and treated as makers of our visual culture. A society flourishes only when it recognizes and lauds its creative talents. Haven’t you noticed that while all the creative expressions have a reality show in television, art doesn’t have one?

It means nobody cares. It is high time that the people of Kerala care for their artists.

The builders of a brand new Kerala should incorporate the artists and their contributions and they should also goad people to do so in their lives.

The Writer is a Delhi based Art historian, Curator and writer.

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technobiz

AMRITA’S DISASTER MANAGEMENT APP An app designed by researchers of Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham for disaster management has helped locate, rescue and provide relief to more than 12,000 people stranded in floods all over Kerala, potentially saving dozens of lives.

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esearchers at the Amrita Center for Wireless Networks & Applications (AmritaWNA) customized the app, called AmritaKripa, to specifically cater to the recent Kerala floods once news hit of the devastating situation in Kuttanad in Alappuzha District. Within a few days of the app’s launch, over 3,000 entries were recorded in real-time, which helped to locate, rescue and provide relief to more than 12,000 people in all districts of the state.

There were also more than 500 entries from people willing to provide reliefand-rescue services. The app was used in tandem with the “Amrita Help Line” set up by students and faculty volunteers at the university’s Amritapuri campus.

AmritaKripa is a high-performance, multilingual, user-friendly mobile and Web application for the effective and timely management of rescue, relief and rehabilitation efforts towards the management of any kind of disaster such as earthquakes, floods, hurricanes

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and tsunamis. It is available for free at Google Play Store. According to Amrita officials, the app was developed keeping in mind the various needs of the end users, including disaster survivors, relief providers, relief-camp coordinators, rescue teams and administrators. Once registered, app users can select options such as “rescue me now,” “request medical,” “request supplies” and “offer supplies.”

Currently the app works in Malayalam and English, but AmritaWNA will continue to add languages, with the goal of making AmritaKripa an app that can be used by anyone, anywhere in the world.

Dr. Maneesha Sudheer, Director of the Amrita Center for Wireless Networks & Applications (AmritaWNA), said: “Under the guidance of our Chancellor, Sri Mata Amritanandamayi Devi, researchers at Amrita are focussed on delivering solutions that directly benefit the people.

This is yet another testimony to that commitment. By directly linking the helpseekers and providers in a post-disaster environment using smartphones and the Internet, we are helping expedite the relief-and-rescue operations and improve their effectiveness by making them targeted at the individual level. We want this to be a worldwide app. The Kerala floods were its first deployment, but it is ready to be used in future disasters as well.”

During rescue scenarios, Amrita researchers found that people who required help were not always able to reach helpline numbers due to the limited number of parallel calls that helplines

could handle. This was impacting rescue efforts and their timeliness. To address this gap, researchers at AmritaWNA developed the app to connect survivors and rescuers in dynamic and volatile disaster situations.

Professor Sethuraman Rao, Team Leader of Amrita Center for Wireless Networks & Applications (AmritaWNA) said: “The use of smartphones with data services is widespread, even in rural areas. Even though mobile networks may get disrupted during a disaster, they also get restored quickly. Phone lines may get busy but the data network stays resilient.

In disaster situations, pinpointing locations of survivors is the key. In the AmritaKripa app, location data is picked up automatically based on user location using real-time GPS data. Users can also enter data to the nearest landmark location, and the app has the capability to automatically identify the user’s location.

By building a robust, durable suite of applications that can be readily deployed in these situations, Amrita seeks to improve the effectiveness, traceability and scalability of such efforts.”

Key features Ability to request for rescue, medical help, supplies such as food, clothing,

medicines, shelter, and services such as water, electricity, telephone services, etc. This feature can be used by disaster survivors and relief-camp coordinators.

Ability to offer rescue, medical help, supplies such as food, clothing, medicines, services and shelter. This can be used by the relief providers — individuals, organizations and the government.

Ability to report people missing, people found orphaned, either conscious or unconscious, or dead.

“Within a few hours after the launch, we started to see a lot of activity,” said Mr. Ramesh Guntha, Group Lead, Amrita WNA. “App users were able to log in and enter their information, which resulted in the ability for call centres, including our own 24x7 Compassionate Kerala

call centre at the Amritapuri campus, to coordinate the rescue-and-relief efforts in the state. This app is useful in coordinating efforts for large-scaledistributed operations by collating and processing multiple requests from multiple geographical locations in realtime. The app provides a platform for survivors, volunteers, rescue workers and administrators to collaboratively work in an effective and timely manner to achieve optimal response.”

Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham and its parent organisation, the Mata Amritanandamayi Math, have been in the forefront of early disaster warning, disaster management and disaster relief.

During and after the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, Amrita demonstrated exemplary work in rescue, relief and rehabilitation efforts, such as building more than 6,000 homes, providing vocational training through haptic technologies, providing free medical care through telemedicine units, and providing trauma therapy to hundreds of children. Amrita is also conducting research on the use of computer vision algorithms to estimate depth of flood waters based on photos taken from the field.

AmritaKripa, is now available for free download at Google Play Store.

INFO AMRITA VISHWA VIDYAPEETHAM Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham is a multicampus, multi-disciplinary research institution that has been ranked among the best universities in India by NIRF, Times Higher Education, QS, etc. The 2018 NIRF Ranking has judged it the eighth best university in India. Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham is spread across six campuses in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Haryana (coming soon) with headquarters at Coimbatore. It has more than 18,000 students, more than 1,800 faculty, more than 200 academic programmes, 5200+ Scopus-

indexed publications, 33,000 citations and Rs. 250 crores in research funding.

World-renowned humanitarian and spiritual leader Sri Mata Amritanandamayi Devi is the founder and Chancellor, who has encouraged the university’s R&D departments to focus on developing technologies for uplifting the poor and the needy. In the past few years, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham has become known for its work in gender equality, disaster management and sanitation outreach. For more information: www. amrita.edu/

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column GOOD WORD Sabin Iqbal sabin.iqbal@gmail.com

It was a nightmare. The worst floods we have had for a long while.

I mean, not in 100 years!

THE SHAPE OF WATER: FROM CLARA’S EYELASHES TO SURGING PERIYAR?

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or me, personally, a significant bubble has burst. The bubble of Kerala being insulated from any form of devastating natural calamity, making it a unique place to live, which in the long bargain makes its people a tad lazy, cosy, potbellied rice-eaters of good-weather fellows.

Rains and Malayalis always have a romantic relationship—be it the monsoon showers keeping its date with the reopening of the schools after the summer break or with Clara, with slender beauty with dark, dreamy eyes dripping raindrops, Padmarajan’s creative contribution to augment Malayali’s hidden notions of amorous fantasy.

We have never looked at the rains as a monster, forget the floods in 1924 or the mighty deluge in the 14th century which is believed to have wiped out Muziris and caused Kochi to emerge.

For us, the rains are part of our being alive. The rains, in a way, are our whipping boys. We blame them for everything—we have always found

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fault with either too much of it or too little of it.

We have long stopped our habit of cultivation. We have found better, albeit more menacing, use for our agricultural tools. We have contributed willingly to the long line of migrant workers—a

THE RAINS, IN A WAY, ARE OUR WHIPPING BOYS. WE BLAME THEM FOR EVERYTHING.

unique set of labour force who turn their blood into sweat once they cross their borders but seldom work at home.

Let’s blame it on the rains—for making us a luxuriant people, a temporary people, an incorrigibly argumentative, politically hyperactive, conservatively

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progressive people, who love any degree of pointless discussion, debates and deliberations of party politics.

The rains have also made us imbeciles and wool-gatherers who have been hoodwinked by the unscrupulous for their habitual acts of looting.

In fact, what’s Kerala, especially in comparison with other states beyond the Ghatts? A sliver of fragile land, tucked between the Sahyadri range and the coast of the Arabian Sea. Do we matter, if not for our globetrotting adventures? It has to be assumed that when the Yavanas and the Chinese travellers came more than 3000 years ago, our geographical shape would have been different. We as a people would have been different in our behavioural patterns and cultural moorings. As some one wrote, we are more of water than of land. We are a patina of people on the water.

One of the books which have fascinated me recently is Deepak Unnikrishnan’s Temporary People, a spellbinding account of the lives of non-

resident Malayalis in the Gulf. The book won many awards for its diction and daring attempt to redefine novel as a form. Having lived in the Gulf for more 15 years, I have always held Malayalis in the Gulf as a unique set of people.

Nowhere in the world will you find such a community of selfless people who are neither there nor here. Truly, temporary people.

The floods have proved that we are ‘temporary people’ even in our own land. It takes just a couple of weeks of nonstop rains, and we are a goner! No home, no food, not even drinking water.

And, not even a ‘national disaster’ recognition. We’re just persona non

WE HAVE PUSHED OURSELVES TO THE EDGE OF THE PRECIPICE. WE HAVE FILLED THE AIR WITH THE HOLLOW DECIBELS OF VAINGLORY AND PUFFED UP PRIDE.

grata in our own land.

As we say, it is crises that bring forth character. In the wake of the worst natural calamity to wreak havoc in the state, we have stood together, lending a helping hand. Not to forget, the

millions of Indians across the country and the globe, including the Indian cricket team, who have shown that even though man has fallen on many counts, there is still a place in his heart where the light of the divine is preserved. Never to miss, the hundreds of fishermen who came in with their boats and rescued hundreds, if not thousands. It’s a story worth global publication.

It is not easy months that lie ahead.

For the government and for the people, there are manifold challenges. A general election is looming large, and let’s see how the cunning turn the situations around for their benefit.

Or, should we run an introspection?

Isn’t right that we have gone too far in our games of hatred and polarisation?

Haven’t we stretched ourselves in our affronts to common good, to harmony.

Haven’t we begun to celebrate hate, violence and murder? Haven’t we, somehow, begun to judge our neighbour, and hate him or her? Beef killing, honour killing, party killing, freedom killing…?

Yes, we have. Yes, yes.

We have pushed ourselves to the edge of the precipice. We have filled the air with the hollow decibels of vainglory and puffed up pride.

Sorry. It took only a couple of weeks of torrential rains to make us realise that the distance between Clara’s desirous eyelashes and the surging waters of Periyar is just a blink.

But we will come back. We have shown the resolve and resilience to fight the odds, and kill the snakes that creep in after the floods. We will wipe our houses clean. The only wish is, in the process can we scrub our hearts clean of all hatred?

Say, yes!

Sabin Iqbal is a Thiruvananthapurambased senior journalist. He writes on culture, sports and business.

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column BUSINESS ECONOMICS Dr. Kochurani Joseph drkochurani@gmail.com

Business is a market driven phenomenon and when consumption is reduced it will adversely affect the production.

A

REBUILDING KERALA: BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE

fter the devastation caused by incessant rains and flood waters, Kerala is gearing up to clear the debris and rebuild everything that was ravaged by the waters. Now the need of the hour is to rebuild Kerala to meet the challenging needs of the society because the pillars like plantation, tourism and real estate in have been badly affected. Public health facilities too face a crisis as the floods recede. The major risks the State faces include water-borne and mosquitoborne diseases.

We need to rebuild the state wholesale into a New Kerala. There is also the need for more immediate issue of funds. The government has asked industrialists and business organisations to provide whatever help they feel is appropriate to facing a “humanitarian crisis”.

Recovery efforts in various areas are about funds, inclusiveness and sustainability.

In the business sector the greatest problem is reduction in consumption.

Business is a market driven phenomenon and when consumption is reduced it will adversely affect the production. Eventually when

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production is less, it means decline in employment and hence the income generation will be hampered.

So to boost up consumption is the immediate need. Follow a ‘‘new deal” plan as formulated by President Roosevelt to revive the economic depression that the American economy

KERALA NEEDS A NEW WORK CULTURE WITH THE STATE AS A CATALYST. GETTING THE FINANCIAL RESOURCES, EQUIPMENT AND MACHINERY IS NOT THE MOST DIFFICULT PART.

during the 1930’s. It was the application of Keynesian Economics, tackling macro problems at micro level. The money will be spent to repair and build roads and bridges, houses and business establishments, creating new jobs for carpenters, electricians, and engineers, which

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will trigger a consumption boom. The following areas need to be focussed for a revival.

Infrastructure The incessant rains and floods led to widespread destruction of property and displacement, the extent of which is yet to unravel fully. An assessment of the destruction, the economic costs and impact of reconstruction is a challenge given the scale and extent of the damages.

Among the various fields of renovation the construction sector is of prime importance. Especially the transport system because all other industries like tourism depends heavily on transport system. Kerala, an economy underpinned by construction, plantations and tourism is likely to face labour shortage owing to the sudden outflow of migrant labourers from the North East. Thousands have lost their jobs in construction, plantations, rice mills, factories and fish processing units. Kerala needs a new work culture with the State as a catalyst. Getting the financial resources, equipment and machinery is not the most difficult part.

But getting people with the right skills

could be a challenge. The State needs people with skills to repair, refurbish, rehabilitate as well as build anew.

Tourism Tourism is an important contributor to the State’s economy and is estimated to account for about 10 per cent of the Gross State Domestic Product and provides direct and indirect employment to millions. We hope that tourism will soon bounce back from the floodrelated damage with the State government giving priority to this sector. The major challenge faced by the tourism sector is damage suffered by roads connecting tourism destinations.

The tourism trade has played a commendable role in the rescue and rehabilitation operations.

Tourists flocked to the state not just from various parts of the country but from several overseas

locations. Most of the 10.92 lakh overseas tourists who visited Kerala last year came from the US, UK, Saudi Arabia, France and Germany. State needs to bring back tourists quickly even when its primary focus will be on rebuilding. It may also help if the State manages to attract business tourists, particularly get companies to hold their board meetings and off sites for employees.

Banking and finance Kerala’s financial position has been strained over the years. While expenditure towards flood relief and reconstruction would increase, the government income could see some moderation. The state debt too is likely to increase and may have to resort to increased market borrowings.

From a stock market perspective, investors will be worried about the listed companies having significant exposure to the Kerala. The NonResident Keralites have been reluctant to invest in productive activities. The devastating floods have pulled back the prospects of real estate markets.

Architects believe that the demand for water-front properties, favoured by the rich will diminish.

Savings in the banks are reduced, but at the same time institutions like SBI, LIC, are providing loans for reconstruction of houses. Consumer purchase loans need to be boosted to purchase home appliances and office equipments. We expect a jump in the production of these goods.

So a combined effort in the business sector can help Kerala to come out of the tyranny within a short span of time.

Remember every journey begins with a single step.

Dr. Kochurani Joseph is the Director of Institute of Public Speaking and Placements in Kochi.

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success story

TRACO ON SUCCESS TRACK This State owned company has recently procured an order for Weasel Conductor worth Rs 50 crores from Rajasthan Power Distribution Board.

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raco cable company limited alias ‘TRACO’, a state owned public sector undertaking has reached the heights of success in its business operations when the company is celebrating its 55thanniversary.

Though the company was started in 1962, its commercial operations began only by 1964. Traco has three units at Irimpanam, Thiruvalla and Pinarayi with its corporate office located at Panampilly Nagar, Ernakulam. The major products of Traco are AAAC, ACSR conductor, LT/HT AB cables, XLPE UG cables, Weather Proof cables and control cables.

Traco was running its show for all the above mentioned products in single market .ie. Electricity Boards till 2011. During 2011 company had entered into customer oriented market by starting its house wiring unit at Pinarayi. Now, after seven years, company could capture this high stiff

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competition market from other major players and Santhosh Koshy Thomas, Managing Director can be honoured for this strategic achievement. As of now, Traco has a wide range of coils varying from1sqmm to 10sqmm.

This State owned company has recently procured an order for Weasel Conductor worth Rs 50 crores from Rajasthan Power Distribution Board.

“This is the biggest order company has ever achieved in its life time so far. This order for 20,000 Weasel Conductor was procured after Traco competed with

RECENTLY, TRACO HAD INCREASED ITS PRODUCTION CAPACITY FROM 6000 TONNES TO 9000 TONNES

28 major producers and by winning this company’s goodwill, says Santhosh Koshy Thomas, Managing Director of Traco Cables. Besides, this major order Traco has orders worth 3.71 crores and 1.2 crores from Punjab State Power Corporation and Jodhpur Electricity Board respectively. The company is already having 46 crores worth order for underground and aerial bunched cables from the State Electricity Board.

Recently, Traco had increased its production capacity from 6000 tonnes to 9000 tonnes by inducting new machinery at its production plants at Irimpanam, Thiruvalla and Pinarayi.

Traco is expecting to have a meteoric increase in its sales with enhanced level in production.

At Pinarayi, company is planning to produce 30,000 coils per month by the second stage, instead of present production capacity of 20,000 coils

The company and its employees took part in the relief operations during the recent floods in Kerala by contributing Rs 18.5 lakhs.

Santhosh Koshy Thomas

per month.

Apart from the manufacturing sector, Traco has been playing a vital role in CSR activities also. The company as well as its employees had played a major role in the relief operations during the recent floods in Kerala by contributing Rs 18.5 lakhs to CM’s relief fund as an initial donation. This amount was handed over to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan

by Managing Director Santhosh Koshy Thomas in the presence of Industries Minister E.P. Jayarajan.

Traco expects to increase its annual sales turnover to Rs 200 crores this financial year from last years’ Rs 125 crores. Santosh Koshy attributes the success of Traco Cables to the wholehearted cooperation between the Management, employees and trade unions and the support from the Government.

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tourism

KTM TO SHOWCASE RESILIENT KERALA The promotion of Malabar Tourism will be the focal theme of the 10th edition of Kerala Travel Mart (KTM), which will be a platform for extensive businessto-business meetings and chalking out measures to make the money-spinning tourism sector of the state a sustainable enterprise.

K

erala Travel Mart (KTM), India’s largest tourism sector business conclave is scheduled to be held in Kochi from September 27 to 30, 2018, which will also showcase the endurance and resilient nature of Kerala Tourism and send out a strong message that tourism in the floodbattered Kerala will be back on the rails in double-quick time, The four-day KTM will be inaugurated by Mr. Pinarayi Vijayan, Chief Minister of Kerala on September 27 at 6pm at Grand Hyatt, Bolgatty, Kochi, coinciding with World Tourism Day in the presence of Mr. K.J. Alphonse, Union Minister of State for Tourism, Government of India and Mr. Kadakampally Surendran, Minister for Tourism, Kerala and the leaders of the tourism industry in Kerala and outside.

KTM is organized by KTM Society in partnership with Kerala Tourism department; the event will conduct its business-to-business meetings at Samudrika and Sagara Convention

Centre, Willingdon Island, Kochi, from September 28 to 30, 2018 The promotion of Malabar Tourism will be the focal theme of the 10th edition of Kerala Travel Mart (KTM), which will be a platform for extensive business-to-business meetings and chalking out measures to make the money-spinning tourism sector of the state a sustainable enterprise.

Being held in the wake of the devastating floods that rampaged through large swathes of the coastal State, the 10th edition of KTM will focus on the Promotion of Malabar and measures that will lead to a strong resurgence of tourism, which is a mainstay of Kerala’s economy.

The four-day KTM will be inaugurated by Mr. Pinarayi Vijayan, Chief Minister of Kerala on September 27 at 6pm at Grand Hyatt, Bolgatty, Kochi, coinciding with World Tourism Day in the presence of K.J. Alphonse, Union Minister of State for Tourism, Government of India and Mr.

Mr. Kadakampally Surendran, Minister for Tourism , Kerala addresses the media during the announcement of the theme and venue of Kerala Travel Mart (KTM) in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday July 18, 2018.

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Kadakampally Surendran, Minister for Tourism, Kerala and the leaders of the tourism industry in Kerala.

KTM is organized by KTM Society in partnership with Kerala Tourism department, the event will conduct its business-to-business meetings at Samudrika and Sagara Convention Centre, Willingdon Island, Kochi, from September 28 to 30.

According to Kadakampally Surendran, Minister for Tourism, Kerala, This year, KTM will also help the world to discover a new Kerala, the Kerala that overcame the odds and rose above the floods. The floods may have destroyed homes and lives, but it left the spirit of the people untouched. And as thousands stood shoulder to shoulder to save the land, I am sure the world also got a fresh glimpse of Kerala’s age-old tradition of religious tolerance and harmony.

He also added that, today along with restoring lives, our focus is also on restoring the land to its original glory. Cleaning up of the destinations are over and the road connectivity to major tourist locations in the state is

This year, KTM will also help the world to discover a new Kerala, the Kerala that overcame the odds and rose above the floods. The floods may have destroyed homes and lives, but it left the spirit of the people untouched.

And as thousands stood shoulder to shoulder to save the land, I am sure the world also got a fresh glimpse of Kerala’s ageold tradition of religious tolerance and harmony.

Kadakampally Surendran Minister for Tourism

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being re-established. Kerala is back an ready to receive our guests.

KTM will offer a spectrum of opportunities to key players in the sector to forge business linkages and spur the growth of entire tourism industry. Experts will participate in four seminars as part of the event. The opening of Kannur airport this year would give a boost to tourism in the Malabar region in north Kerala.

“With the inauguration of Kannur airport this year, the influx of tourists to Malabar region will increase. The implementation of the Malabar River Cruise project, covering nine rivers, has already begun. The government has sanctioned Rs 53.5 crore for this scheme in the first phase,” Mr. Surendran said.

He exuded confidence that the first phase of the river cruise project would be completed soon.

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KTM WILL SERVE AS A STRONG PLATFORM TO SHOWCASE ITS TIMETESTED AS WELL AS NEW PRODUCTS OF KERALA AND ESTABLISH FIRM BUSINESS LINKS BY BRINGING TOGETHER INTERNATIONALLY REPUTED BUYERS AND SELLERS AND TOUR OPERATORS UNDER ONE ROOF.

Mrs. Rani George, Secretary, Tourism Department, said the most striking feature of the KTM is that the event is a collaboration between the state government and tourism trade.

“Tourism industry people, including hoteliers and tour operators and Kerala Tourism join hands for this big event.

Kerala Tourism wants more investors to come to Malabar region,” she added.

The upcoming KTM will focus on measures that would lead to a strong resurgence of tourism in the state. “The response to this edition of KTM has been overwhelming with 593 international buyers from 395 companies from 73 countries and 1,095 domestic buyers having registered as participants, apart from 411 strong Kerala tourism industry stake holders as sellers,” said Mr. Baby Mathew Somatheeram, President of KTM Society.

As in its previous editions, KTM will serve as a strong platform to showcase its time-tested as well as new products of Kerala and establish firm business links by bringing together internationally reputed buyers and sellers and tour operators under one roof. The new products launched by the state government like the Malabar river cruise project, focusing on nine rivers in north Kerala, will be showcased before the delegates, Mathew said.

The new products launched by the State government, such as the Malabar river cruise project, focusing on nine rivers in north Kerala, will be showcased before the delegates.

Tourism in Kerala has started recovering fast from the grim blow dealt by the calamitous floods. Traffic to major destinations across the State has resumed and bookings ahead of the peak season have picked up.

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tourism

ITM SHOWCASES ‘INCREDIBLE INDIA’ Piyush Goyal, the Union Minister for Railways and Coal, said that unless the infrastructure/ fundamentals are set up, India can’t come up as a well sought after destination

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he Union Minister for Railways and Coal, Piyush Goyal inaugurated the ‘first ever’ India Tourism Mart (ITM 2018) in the presence of Union Tourism Minister, K J Alphons and the Tourism Minister of Morocco, Mr. Mohamed Sajid, in New Delhi. The India Tourism Mart is being organized by the Ministry of Tourism from 16thto 18th September 2018, in partnership with the Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism and Hospitality (FAITH) and with support of State /UT Governments. The function was held in presence of the Secretary, other senior officials of Tourism Ministry and Chairman/members of FAITH and also delegates from India and across the world.

Inaugurating the event, Piyush Goyal wished the best to the Tourism Ministry to reach the ambitious goal of

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US$100 billion FTA receipts/year within 5 years. The Minister said that unless the infrastructure/fundamentals are set up, India can’t come up as a well sought after destination and he said that the present government has been developing these like ensuring 24 hour power supply, promoting renewable energy forms, and improving connectivity by effectively connecting the remotest destinations. The Minister also added that the most important element that will help promote Tourism in a complete way is the Government’s cleanliness drive, the Swachhta Abhiyan, which will ensure India becoming a preferred destination for all international tourists.

Mentioning the income multiplier effect in the Tourism sector, the Minister said that Tourism generates a number of employment opportunities in formal and informal sectors and can change

INFO

RS 80 CR MALABAR TOURISM PROJECT GETS LIFE

I

n a major boost to tourism potential of the Malabar region, Minister of State for Tourism K.J. Alphons has announced the sanctioning of the project “Development of Rural Circuit: Malanad Malabar Cruise Tourism Project’ in Kerala under Swadesh Darshan Scheme for Rs. 80.37 Crores.

Under the project, the Ministry has sanctioned funds for development of basic infrastructure facilities like passenger terminals, boat terminals, jetties, boat race gallery, restaurants, food courts, performance areas, open air theatres, Angling Yards, Parking, Cycle tracks, Handicraft Kiosks, Bio

the destiny of the country. The Railway Minister added that the youth of the country can be entrepreneurs, service providers, interpreters etc in the sector and ascertained that India with its varied features has tremendous potential and we just need to leverage from it.

Speaking at the event, the Tourism Minister announced that ITM will be an annual event hereafter in line with other International Tourism Marts and it will be held in the month of September. The Minister said that India is so vast that there will be something new for everyone to see and experience in this country with its varied geography, culture, traditions, architectural marvels, religions. Alphons also added that visiting the country has become easier with the new e-visa regime which is now open to 166 countries.

India Tourism Mart (ITM) is being held for the first time and the Tourism industry stakeholders are coming together for such a large scale event with Ministry’s support. FAITH is the apex organization of all the important trade and hospitality associations of the country with all the 10 major Tourist organizations like FHRAI,

Toilets, Wi-Fi facilities, Drinking Water Facilities, Floating Markets for local produce, Solar Lamps, Watch Towers, Solid Waste Management, CCTV, Signage etc.

The cruises under the project will be operated under the PPP mode.

Waterways have been an important mode of transport in Kerala from the time immemorial with its forty four rivers and seven backwater regions. The total length of the navigation route in the Kerala is 1900 km. This is tune with the water based tourism which is getting prominence all over the world.

AROUND 225 STALLS HAVE BEEN PROVIDED TO THE SELLERS TO ENABLE THEM TO INTERACT WITH THE BUYERS.

HAI, IATO being involved in this mega event and India Convention Promotion Board (ICPB) is coordinating the whole event. This is a Business to Business Event. The objective of the event is to create an annual Global Tourism Mart for India in line with major international travel marts being held in countries across the world. The Mart provides a platform for all stakeholders in the tourism and hospitality industries to interact and transact business opportunities.

The ITM 2018 has a participation of around 225 hosted international buyers and Media personnel across the world

THEMATIC CRUISES UNDER THE PROJECT a) Malabari Cuisine and Culinary Cruise in Valapattanam River (Muthappan Cruise) - Cruise starts from Valapattanam to Munambu Kadavu in Valapattanam River with an effective Cruise Length of 40 km. b) Yam Cruise in Valapattanam River - Cruise starts from Valapattanam to Pazhayangadi in Valapattanam River with an effective length of 16 km. c) Mangrove Cruise in Kuppam River - Cruise starts from Pazhayangadi to Kuppam in Kuppam River with an effective Cruise length of 16 km.

such as North America, West Europe, East Asia, Latin America, CIS countries etc. The international delegates from overseas markets will interact with Indian seller delegates and the buyers will include current buyers who are already marketing India as a tourist destination as well as potential buyers who are not marketing India as a tourist destination at present but have shown interest in the country. The event also provides an opportunity to the buyers to see the world class tourism facilities available in our country such as Airports, Hotels, Tourist destinations, upcoming facilities, MICE facilities, possibility in the field of adventure tourism and other niche products.

Around 225 stalls have been provided to the sellers to enable them to interact with the buyers. These include pavilion for States & Union Territories to showcase their unique tourism destinations and products. The B2B meetings between buyer and seller delegates are being held during these 3 days.

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health

SURGING CANCER RATE IN KERALA In 2016, Kerala has the maximum crude cancer rate in the country apart from Mizoram and Delhi.

In these regions the cancer incidence is more than 105 per 1 lakh, which is highest in the country

Dr Chandramohan K

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n September 15th famous medical journal published a shocking article about, cancer incidence in India. This article, which was published by Prof Lalit Dandona, Public Health Foundation of India, carried a lots of bad news for India in general and Kerala in particular. The study was funded by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Indian Council of Medical Research, Department of Health Research, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. The researchers collected data from multiple sources, including 42 population-based cancer registries and the nationwide Sample Registration System. They found out that 8.3% of total deaths and 5% of disability in India are due to cancer, and it was double in 2016, compared to 1990. There was an increase in age adjusted incidence rates of 40.7% for breast cancers between these two time periods. But there is more alarming information in store for Kerala. In 2016, Kerala has the maximum crude cancer rate in the country apart from Mizoram and Delhi. In these regions the cancer incidence is more than 105 per 1 lakh, which is highest in the country (see figure).

This Kerala is supposed to be best among Indian states in health care. The maternal mortality rate which is an important index of the strength of health care services of a particular country or region is very low in Kerala is similar to the rate which you see in the most developed nations like Sweden or UK. But unfortunately this is no longer the scenario in many other branches of

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Medicine. For example, if you look into the survival of a cancer patient, you will see the figures are frustratingly low in Kerala. In most developed nations, the cancer treatment is so advanced that the cure rate has touched 90% marks in many cancers. For example the SEER data base in US shows that the breast cancer survival for all stages in US is something like 90%. But a study which came from India showed that only 50% patients are surviving breast cancer in India. Apart from those patients who

IN MOST DEVELOPED NATIONS, THE CANCER TREATMENT IS SO ADVANCED THAT THE CURE RATE HAS TOUCHED 90% MARKS IN MANY CANCERS.

receiving treatment in reputed institutes like RCC (Regional Cancer Centre, Trivandrum), a large number of patients are getting treated elsewhere in not so scientific manner. So the survival of those patients is miserably low compared to the international or these national standards.

Why this is happening in India and Kerala in particular?

The reason is that even though Kerala is having half million new cancers diagnosed every year and huge population of 35 million. Dedicated cancer hospitals are less than ten in the

state of Kerala. So if each cancer hospital can take 500 cancer patients, the total number of patients can be treated as in-house patient are something like 5000 which is much less. So the majority of the patients are treated elsewhere in Kerala. Now, let us see what the difference between a modern cancer hospital/unit and the conventional old treatment of cancer is. In any of the modern cancer hospitals, for example like RCC, the treatment is decided by a multi disciplinary team which includes all specialists in cancer. The MDT (Multi Disciplinary Team) is the part and parcel of cancer treatment in the modern era. This group thinking will eliminate individual bias, achieve best results and may avoid many complications. So if we have a significant number of patients whose treatment are decided by MDT, of course with the support of the latest developments and technology and trained manpower, the cancer becomes a curable disease.

If you compare the number of cancer hospitals in the district of Trivandrum with districts in other states, we will find that other than RCC there is only one hospital which can give the comprehensive cancer care including radio therapy. This is not the scenario even in most of the semi urban or rural towns in India. So because of this sheer work load, hospitals like RCC are unable to implement the latest facilities in cancer for each individual cancer victims. For example if you think about breast cancer, the part of the treatment include removal of the lymph nodes in axilla which may results in swelling of the arms and many other complications in long term. Similarly the breast cancer treatment option includes removal of the entire breast which creates a huge dent in the personal and social quality of life. To circumvent these two issues, there are procedures called Sentinel Node Biopsy in which instead of removing the entire lymph node, with the help of a SEPTEMBER 2018

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invasive surgery in our part of the world.

This also shows the inadequacy of cancer care. Similarly robotic surgery is important new modality which has lots of advantages and the number of robots in Kerala is much less, compared to other states. None of the cancer hospitals in Kerala is having robot which is a striking contrast compared to any big cancer hospitals like Tata Memorial Hospital Mumbai, Kidwai Hospital Bengaluru and all major National Cancer Institutes.

So, may be because of this many of the patients who needs robotic surgery are

cavity cancers minimally invasive surgery is the new accepted standard of care. The advantage of minimal invasive surgery is that it won’t be having big incisions.

So patient will have less discomfort, less pain and less complication related to the wound after surgery. Moreover the long term complications like incisional hernia and weakness of abdominal wall are much less in the minimally invasive surgery. But the majority, I will say that more than 90% of patients getting cancer treatment for abdominal and thoracic malignancy are not offered minimally

radioisotope dye selected only selected nodes are removed from axilla, which won’t create the complications like axillary dissection. Similarly in case of difficult tumour locations of breast instead of doing a mastectomy, a combined use of chemotherapy radiation and surgery with the help of latest developments in plastic surgery techniques like mammoplasty or mastopexy, the breasts can be salvaged.

Even a negligible percentage of patients with early breast cancer in Kerala are fortunate enough to get these procedures.

In case of Abdominal and thoracic

INFO CANCER IN INDIA

Jammu and Kashmir 69.1/79.2

Comparitive study of cancer incidents in various states during 1990 and 2016.

Himachal Pradesh

Assam

69.8/91.6

1990 2016

68.7/90.2

Uttarakhand 69.3/91.0

Punjab

58.0/85.5

Haryana

75.9/78.5

69.0/81.4

64.6/102.9

Uttar Pradesh

71.0/103.3

Arunachal Pradesh

Meghalaya

Delhi

72.0/79.0

Nagaland

Sikkim

63.1/70.3

67.8/74.4

Bihar

44.9/53.9

Rajasthan

58.8/72.6

Madhya Pradesh

Manipur

69.4/83.1

48.1/64.3

Tripura

Gujarat

52.9/69.0

55.5/75.8

West Bengal 63.9/85.4

Jharkhand

Maharashtra

62.0/80.2

Odisha

68.6/83.6

Goa

52.5/97.0

Karnataka

Chhattisgarh 58.8/82.0

Telangana 54.9/72.6

76.2/101.6

Andhra Pradesh

58.1/76.6

Kerala

74.1/135.3

Tamil Nadu 58.9/82.9

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58.0/64.3

Mizoram

89.1/121.7

forced to go to other states and other countries to get the treatment done. So those who can’t afford the treatment elsewhere will have to be contended with the open surgery which is getting obsolete day by day.

Another index so far the betterment of cancer care is the ratio of the cancer patient to the oncologist. In most developed nations it is 100:1 that means one cancer specialist of each specialty will available for hundred cancer patients.

But this figure is something like one in two thousand in Kerala. So nailing cancer menace in Kerala need huge manpower and the specialized cancer training is an important aspect for improvements in cancer care. The trained man power is lacking in Kerala. The main reason is that we never had training institutes in Kerala to train doctors in various disciples of oncology till recent past.

In order to care the increasing burden of cancer patients in Kerala in a proper way, we should prepare ourselves by creating enough manpower and enough cancer hospitals with multi disciplinary care where this manpower can be deployed.

Patients undergoing treatment in major cancer centers need to be followed regularly for recurrence of symptoms

TODAY THERE IS NO WAY WE CAN CALCULATE THE SURVIVAL OF A CANCER PATIENT IN KERALA.

and treatment related side effects for long period and some of them also need to have medications continued for more than 10 years. So such patients need not crowd again in cancer hospitals. They can have their consultation arranged at their own places of residence, provided an NGO or a local authority can set up a cancer care follow up clinics at their locality. For patients getting treatment at RCC, such clinics are regularly taking place in places like Kannur, Kozhencheri as well as Neendakara on a regular basis.

Another thing needed is improvement of the cancer registry programme. Unless we know the incidence and prevalence of cancer we may not be able to shape up measures to tackle it. Unfortunately RCC, Trivandrum and Malabar Cancer Centre are the only two institutions actively involved in the cancer registry programme. So some of the southern as

well as some of the northern districts are only covered. This has to be extended to all districts so that the precise number of cancer patients can be recorded. Today there is no way we can calculate the survival of a cancer patient in Kerala.

We should collect more data, including treatment and survival and should devise a data bank, so we will know what the survival of each cancer in Kerala is.

In nutshell, cancer control programme in Kerala needs lots of improvement.

First of all we need to have more cancer hospitals which provide multi disciplinary cancer care. We also need to have many of supporting hospitals who will be able to help in diagnosis of cancer, follow up of cancer patients and to support the palliative care programmes. We also need to strengthen our cancer prevention strategies with the involvement of local groups, NGO’s and other associations Last but not least we should strengthen the cancer registry programme so that the entire cancer statistics in Kerala can be captured and the information can be used for planning further strategies for cancer control.

Writer is Additional Professor, Department of Surgical Oncology, Regional Cancer Centre, Thiruvananthapuram.

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leisure

ARMENIA, AN UNKNOWN ENTITY 50

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M Armenia is a Christian country where the people are Orthodox driven, but happy go lucky. They love Hindi music, favourite being Raj Kapoor, Amitabh Bachan and Mithun Chakraborthy.

Sarosh P Abraham

ohan Varghese, a retired Chief Engineer is passionate about travelling. We share a childlike excitement whenever a new destination is found, where few have trodden. Even a new breath off fresh air or pristine waters in an alien land pours so much of unimaginable bewilderment to all the senses. One day we got talking and Armenia came up. Never heard much about it since childhood, except once when someone wrote somewhere could be a historian, that Jesus was Armenian. The fact of the matter was also that it was one of the first countries which embraced X’anity outside its birth place. I was very curious to look into the first structure of X’anity and how it evolved there. This country was devastated by the Romans, Arabs and

THE BIGGEST THRILL WE HAD WHEN WE LANDED AT YEREVAN, CAPITAL OF ARMENIA WAS THAT THE ARMENIAN DRAM = 0.15 INR.

later the Ottoman Empire. There are many other attractions there. So we both took off for a six day sojourn in July, to look at few.

The biggest thrill we had when we landed at Yerevan, capital of Armenia was that the Armenian Dram = 0.15 INR. It was cheaper than going to Sri Lanka. This place as you know is only technically in Asia but almost Europe with all its lifestyle (part of former USSR).

This is a fully Christian country where the people are Orthodox driven, but happy go lucky. They love Hindi music, favourite being Raj Kapoor, Amitabh Bachan and Mithun Chakraborthy.

The weather in July was pleasant 23oC during day time and chilly 19 oC at night, in July. Yeravan was not actually a bustling Metropolitan City, but lay back and leisurely. The Republica Hotel, a 4-star facility was more than welcoming, warm as we arrived.

The wine breweries there were so popular that for promo the hotel gave free wine all night on every Fridays.

The housekeeping and breakfast (Complimentary of course!) was truly

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world class menu changed every day! When your INR 1500 = 10,000 AD, for once you tend to enjoy more freedom seldom experienced in other western countries.

In spite of the cost factor I began to wonder why this is not a popular destination for globetrotting Indians.

The answer being 1. Promotion of limited proportions is happening about Armenia.

2. There are no direct flights to that country from any of our Indian Airports which would be around 3.5 hrs of flying time from Bombay to Yerevan direct.

Today we have to travel to Dubai, wait there for the next flight to Yerevan for almost 5 hrs and Dubai to Yerevan takes 2.15 hrs.

Temple of Garni Even before Christianity came into Armenia, the population was Nature worshippers. King Trdat I built a huge temple to pray and to present offerings to their deity. The temple of Garni is such a huge structure built alongside the palace ruins of Queen Katranide in the 7th Century. The temple is a grand structure alongside two huge canyons. Palace and monastery ruins are visible all around. The scenic beauty is really breathtaking as you feel a huge civilization lived amidst that teeming wilderness. Alongside the temple road, local woman folk sold some homemade fruit brewed alcohol be it wild berries, peach, apricot, plume and what not.

Lake Sevan This is one of the largest fresh water lakes in the former Soviet Union. Since ages population before and now are closely dependent on this water source where fishing and agriculture are the main source of income. This slowly develops into a major tourist attraction.

The salmon from the lake is a great food for thought. This lake is kilometers and kilometers long and wide, but I found

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INFO ARMENIA Armenia is a country in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia.

Located in Western Asia on the Armenian Highlands, it is bordered by Turkey to the west, Georgia to the north, the de facto independent Republic of Artsakh and Azerbaijan to the east, and Iran and Azerbaijan’s exclave of Nakhchivan to the south.

The Republic of Armenia has a territorial area of 29,743 square kilometres (11,484 sq mi). The terrain is mostly mountainous, with fast flowing rivers, and few forests. The land rises to 4,090 metres (13,419 feet) above sea level at Mount Aragats, and no point is below 390 metres (1,280 ft) above sea level. Average elevation of the country area is 10th highest in the world.

it to be a very peaceful and quiet water body.

Geghard Monastry This is perhaps one of the most ancient locations where Christianity began in the outside world. Most of the churches are rock carved inside mountain sides. This is where the Christian monks practiced their religion. The first Catholic’s St. Gregory started this monastery in 4th century AD. This is the place where the spear that pierced Jesus on the cross was kept. Many caves constitute residential mansions for the monks, along the river Azat. Though safe in the hills it was invaded and plundered by the Arabs in the medieval times.

There are many more unique historical sites in this friendly peace loving country where I feel police has nothing much

RARELY COULD I FIND HOSTILITY OR CYNICISM ON THE STREETS OF YEREVAN. FOR THE YOUNG THE NIGHT LIFE IS BUSTLING WITH CLUB AND CASINOS. to do. The people look after their own business and welcome visitors with open arms. Rarely could I find hostility or cynicism on the streets of Yerevan. For the young the night life is bustling with club and casinos. Shopping is cheap and affordable. Generally it could be a breath taking tour without punching a hole in your pocket.

Thanks to Mohan Varghese the destination seeker, I would love to fly their again.

The writer is CEO, St Mary’s group of Institutions.

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food

ON A HIGH @ HYCINTH Hycinth by Sparsa, a premium boutique hotel at the heart of Trivandrum, offers a distinct and refined hospitality experience. The hotel aims to revolutionize conventional notions of hospitality with contemporary sensibilities and innovative design choices. The artistic touches that are an essential component of the hotel’s personality combine loud colors and soft shades, immersing the guest in a playful environment that aims to excite and engage.

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H

ycinth is a branded 5-star hotel. The USP (Unique Selling Proposition) of Hycinth is the location, the beautiful lawn and garden; comparing other hotels in the Trivandrum city, the rooms in Hycinth are very spacious. Hycinth consists of a swimming pool which is opened to the roof having the sky view. The food and beverages, the USP is the Night Bytes, which is successfully going on. Many people who work in the night shifts in the city cannot find a place to have food after 11pm in the night. They want a calm, safe, hygienic place to have food and that is why Hycinth started the concept called Night Bytes which is open from night 11pm to morning 6am every day. They have designed a combo meal as well as sandwiches, burgers having reasonable price according to the tastes and demand of the customers.

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Prasar Das, Sous Chef of Hycinth has acquired his Diploma in Hotel Management from Indian Institute of Science and Management, Ranchi.

He has eleven years of extensive experience in reputed organizations like Taj Lands End- Mumbai, Ramee Baisan Hotel- Bahrain, Radisson Blu HotelBahrain, Jaypee Greens Hotel- Noida.

Prior to joining Hycinth by Sparsa, he was associated with Taj Holiday VillageGoa as the Senior Chef de Partie. He strongly believes gathering and sharing ideas are more ideal and thrive on innovation.

He is married to Devasree Das, who is a house maker and has a kid named Pradyun. He is from Tripura, India. He is passionate about being a chef when he was very young itself.

Prasar Das showcases a speciality dish which is his own recipe.

CRISPY FRIED CHICKEN BREAST WITH BRAISED RED CABBAGE AND REMOULADE SAUCE

BRAISED CABBAGE

Ingredients Vinegar/ White vine 1 tbsp Red cabbages cut as wedges 1 small Butter 1 tbsp Olive Oil 1 tbsp Fresh Chives ½ bunch Salt, sugar and freshly ground pepper To taste

FRIED CHICKEN Ingredients All Purpose flour divided 1tbsp Mustard paste 1tsp Salt ¼ tsp Crushed pepper, divided ¼ tsp Egg 1 Chicken breast 180gms Bread crumbs 1 cup Oil 1 litre

Method Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook red cabbage and chives in the butter until they are translucent for six to seven minutes.

Pour water and add vinegar, salt, sugar and freshly ground pepper. Reduce heat to low and cook for twenty to twenty five minutes until cabbage becomes tender.

Method Marinate the chicken breast with salt, pepper and mustard paste and keep for three to four hours. Dip the marinated chicken breast into the all-purpose flour, then in beaten egg and bread crumbs respectively. Fry the chicken breast in oil until golden brown.

REMOULADE SAUCE

Prasar Das, Sous Chef, Hycinth

Ingredients Mayonnaise Mustard paste Sweet paprika Prepared horse radish Chopped celery Chpped garlics Cocktail onion

½ cup 1 tsp ½ tbsp 1 ½ tbsp ½ tbsp ½

Method Mix all the ingredients in a bowl. Keep refrigerated and serve cold.

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woman power

MAJIZIYA LIFTS A SPORTING REVOLUTION Majiziya Bhanu was just a normal BDS second year student two years before but things started to change when she decided to pursue her burning passion for the “not so popular” sports items Power lifting, Fitness and Physique and Arm wrestling.

Aparna Sreevalsan

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“E

nthusiasm is one of the most powerful engines of success. When you do a thing, do it with all your might. Put your whole soul into it. Stamp it with your own personality. Be active, be energetic and faithful, and you will accomplish your object. Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.” The above words by renowned 19th Century American philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson is what made MajiziyaBhanu, the 23-year old Muslim girl from Vatakara, Calicut scale the heights of success to win the title `strongest woman of the State’ bestowed on her three times by the Kerala State Power lifting Association.

Majiziya Bhanu was just a normal BDS (Bachelor of Dental Surgery) second year student two years before but things started to change when she decided to pursue her burning passion for the “not so popular” sports items Power lifting, Fitness and Physique and Arm wrestling. Even though Majiziya had a crush on the largely male dominated sports like power lifting even as a kid itself, she got entangled in the taboos of religion and society since she belongs to a conservative Muslim family in north Malabar. For a Muslim girl who wears Hijab (head scarf), going for routine training sessions to Calicut to pursue her passion was a distant dream. But she overcame the obstacles on her path with sheer will power and determination to win a handful of medals for the country she represented. Today, though Majiziya is

SEPTEMBER 2018

being respected and acknowledged by the social spectrum, she still encounters certain challenges in the pursuance of her dream career.

Majiziya unravels her success story and shares the concerns in her journey ahead to Brand Kerala.

“First of all, I am not a body builder.

I won the contest called Model Fitness and Physique which comes under the body building category. I was the gold medal winner and emerged Miss.

Kerala in that contest. I have seen many people referring to me as a body builder. That is a misunderstanding.

Basically I am a power lifter. I have participated in two Asian games which happened in Indonesia and Kerala respectively. In both games, I won silver medal. Also I do Arm wrestling.

So in total I concentrate on these three categories of sports; Fitness and Physique, Power lifting and Arm Wrestling. This year, I won gold medal in National games for Arm wrestling.

In October, I am going to Turkey for participating in World Arm Wrestling Championship representing India. I think in the open category I am the only woman who is participating,” says Majiziya.

Lack of proper equipment and a recognizing institute in Kerala is one of the major reasons that these categories in sports are still the “not so popular” ones for the people in Kerala. Majiziya is an ideal example of those who are passionate about sports but can’t get trained properly.

She adds, “I was very much interested

in power lifting and arm wrestling. The only way I could get trained was to go to Calicut town. But during school days it was impossible for me. I was not matured enough to do that. Also I didn’t get enough support too. I had to face many challenges and issues for being a Muslim girl. Now I am a final year BDS student studying in Mahe Dental College. During the second year of BDS, which was in 2016, we had a vacation in between the academic year and many friends went to learn Spoken English, Typing, Computer etc. but I

WHILE I WAS LEARNING BOXING, MY COACH SUGGESTED THAT POWER LIFTING WILL BE MORE SUITABLE FOR ME.

went to learn Boxing. I started with boxing. While I was learning boxing, my coach suggested me that Power lifting will be more suitable for me and I decided to learn Power lifting.

In December 2016, I began learning Power lifting at Calicut. Jayadas sir is my coach for Power lifting and within two weeks after joining, I got the chance to participate in district championship and I won. I won gold medals in district, state and national level championships.”

Majiziya had to face many issues from the society, because she is the only woman who participate in Arm wrestling and Power lifting and she is waiting for another woman wearing hijab to participate.

She explains. “Issues happen when we come into the limelight. Many people support me as a person who won medal for our country. But certain elements try to cash in on the `hijab factor’ and communalize my success story by adding negative connotations.

They simply ignore the achievements I have won for our country. I am facing a lot of issues like social media criticisms, cyber-attacks and I have already filed cases against these. This even affected the sponsorship for my trip to Turkey next month. In our country, we have many women in the field of sports but it’s the first time a girl wearing hijab is representing our country, so the people who agreed to sponsor me were also worried about the `implications’ and withdrew from the sponsorship. I was mentally down because I got selected for the World Championship. So I arranged a press meet and from there some organizations agreed to donate an amount. Also, one of my friend’s brother and his company agreed to sponsor me. With that money I have to go and participate in the Championship and come back. Somehow I can make this event happen but what about the upcoming events!”

Her parents are very supportive even if many among their community still stand against her. Many asked her to stay at home and do the household works and get married soon. Every day SEPTEMBER 2018

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after her dental classes, she used to travel 60 km by train to Kozhikode to a gymnasium.

“My parents support me very much.

They also had to face issues from society but they never kept any sort of restrictions on my interests in sports.

There are many girls and women who are interested in going to gym and other sports. They have started coming to me to seek advice on what needs to be done since they were inspired by my success story. It’s a big relief for me now that, we have a gymnasium opened in our village. I think I have done a great job by being an example for them. If a Muslim girl called Majiziya Bhanu from this village can achieve something like this, many girls can achieve bigger.

Situation has changed. There is a special time for ladies in gyms and many women of different ages come there. They started being conscious about their health and body. It’s a great change.” She says.

Many Muslim girls wanted to join in these sports items but they are afraid whether they have to remove their hijab and that might turn out to be a big issue. But the International rules never asked anyone to remove Hijab

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If I can do power lifting, I am confident enough to do weight lifting too and I hope to participate in the next Olympics.

Majiziya Bhanu

SEPTEMBER 2018

before participating in an event. They respect and welcome all religions and all cultures.

“We are allowed to wear hijab and participate and many people doesn’t know about this. They restrict their children following the local rules in our places. I follow the International rules. The people in our area have a very narrow concept on sports which focuses on either Cricket or Football.

They might have seen other sports items on television but they are not ready to accept them. Till this moment we don’t have a recognized institution which gives training in other sports items. It is not possible for school or college students to go to Calicut daily and practice Power lifting. Like how there are institutes and other facilities to learn dance and music along with studies, we should provide the facility in our place to learn these sports also.

It is my dream.” She adds.

“After completing my course, I can start earning and work to accomplish my dream. After completing my BDS, I will explore my own ways to make my dreams come true. I have huge support from my college management because I never miss any classes. I take leaves when I have events to participate. I can invest for my games and events.

Government support is limited because I have never been to Olympics. So soon after my next event, I will concentrate on Weight lifting. If I can do power lifting, I am confident enough to do weight lifting too and I hope to participate in the next Olympics. Other than all these I am interested in music and travelling. My brother is a dancer and he is into choreography. He is now doing his Degree first year in Qatar.

He is working in Kalakshetra Qatar. He is a swimmer and through him only I got interested in sports,” Majiziya concludes with a thankful smile before getting back to her pressing routine.

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auto biz

THE REIGNING

OCTAVIA

Octavia has changed significantly; not only to maximize its own potential but also to make space for another car in Skoda’s line-up.

T

his is the brand’s biggest-selling model – Skoda has sold 3.7 million globally since 1996 – but more than that, its evolution is a three-generation account of Skoda’s triumphant rise from former Eastern Bloc hulk to Volkswagen Group darling. In India too Skoda Octavia laid a firm foundation for other Skoda cars.

Now, this model has changed significantly; not only to maximize its own potential but also to make space for another car in the firm’s line-up.

For 2017, the third generation Octavia was given a facelift, albeit a slightly controversial one. Changes weren’t merely cosmetic, although the most

Jiji Varghese

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SEPTEMBER 2018

poignant ones were, which included a more streamlined bonnet, redesigned rear and tail lights, and the decision to split the headlight cluster into two sections.

German all the way If the letters ‘MQB’ aren’t already part of your automotive lexicon, the Skoda Octavia is yet another reminder why they should be.

The Volkswagen Group’s modular platform underpins a large number of models across the various brands.

The key to that breadth of application is flexibility, evidenced here by the fact that the Octavia’s wheelbase is a

performance vRS versions get more dramatic power outputs from the 2.0 TSI and TDI engines, as well as the more sophisticated multi-link rear suspension that the regular models are denied.

Modern yet Functional

108mm longer than its predecessors.

Despite also growing in height and width, the repercussions for the styling are deftly handled. This remains a well-proportioned car; it’s anonymous, and cursed with a huge tailgate to manhandle, but it never appears ungainly or oversized.

The effect is a dramatic enhancement of rear legroom, far-flung C-pillars and a 90mm addition to the previous car’s total length (18mm is concealed in a shorter front overhang).

What the bigger body doesn’t do, impressively, is add to the secondgeneration car’s kerb weight. Better selection of materials – not least the greater use of high-tensile steel in the

THE REAR SEATS ARE SIMILARLY ACCOMMODATING, AND EVEN LARGE OCCUPANTS WILL BE ABLE TO GET COMFORTABLE.

platform – and lighter components mean that Skoda claims as much as a 102kg weight saving over the previous Octavia.

Under the fluff, the Octavia gets a new suspension set-up — albeit one still made up of MacPherson struts at the and a torsion beam rear axle. High-

Inside the Octavia got more clever touches including a new bottle holder, an integrated torch in the boot, similar to the latest Superb, and updated infotainment systems.

Skoda’s have traditionally been simple, straightforward, no-nonsense cars, and they are themes that are largely continued inside the latest Skoda Octavia.

The driver’s and front passenger’s seats are large and flat but remain comfortable over distances, while generous storage cubbies abound, including places that will take a 1.5-litre water bottle.

The rear seats are similarly accommodating, and even large occupants will be able to get comfortable. Wide door openings, a broad seat base and generous headroom are all present and correct.

The rear seatbacks fold (although they don’t leave a flat floor, which is only a mild disappointment) in front of a large boot.

With those rear seats in place, the load space amounts to 590 liters, rising to 1590 liters with the seats folded. The big, heavy tailgate takes a bit of lifting,

ACHUTH KRISHNAN

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but at least it means there’s a large opening.

The luxurious and range-topping Laurin&Klement trim gives the Octavia 16in alloy wheels, cornering front fog lights, LED rear lights, heated front seats, an electrically adjustable driver’s seat, LED ambient interior lighting, adaptive cruise control, keyless entry and start, numerous safety technologies, an auto-dimming and folding wing mirrors. If that wasn’t enough you also get a 9.2in infotainment touchscreen display and a Canton audio system as standard too.

The cabin’s design, meanwhile, is relatively clean and simple. The dials are crisp and additional display systems easy to read, backed up by large buttons. The recent facelift has also done wonders to lift the appeal of the cabin to give an added plushness and moderness to an already ergonomically pleasing cabin.

Those after a few more thrills from their Octavia can opt for the vRS, which is available with a 227bhp 2.0TSI unit which powered the pre-facelifted vRS 230 in International markets.

Regardless of the powertrain the equipment level is the same - 18in alloy wheels, adaptive full LED headlights, vRS-specific fog lights, an aggressive vRSbody kit, red brake calipers, sports seats, an advanced traction control system, auto wipers and lights and Skoda’s Amundsen infotainment system.

PRICE Rs. 15.99 – 22.69 (Petrol) Rs. 17.99 – 25.25 (Diesel) Rs. 26.78 (RS) ENGINE In-line 4 cylinder Turbocharged petrol engine, direct injection system/ diesel engine with common rail system RATED OUTPUT (hp) @ rpm 148at 6000, 178 at 6200 (P) 140 at 4000 (D) 232 at 6200 (RS) DISPLACEMENT 1.4L (1,395cc), 1.8 L (1798cc) (P) 2.0 L (1,968cc) (D) 2.0 L (1,984cc) (RS) TRANSMISSION 6–Speed Manual/ 7-Speed AutomaticDSG (P, D) 6–Speed Automatic DSG(RS) TORQUE 250 at 1250 (P), 320 at 3000 (D) 350 at 4500 (RS) LENGTH 4.670m (P and D) 4.689m (RS) WEIGHT 1,825 Kg (P) 1,860 Kg (D) 1,907 Kg (RS) FUEL Petrol / Diesel WHEELS/TIRES 205/55 R16 (P and D) 225/45 R17 (RS)

Sure Footed The Skoda Octavia features a range of familiar VW Group engine and transmission options. Four power plants are a 148bhp 1.4-litre petrol, 178bhp 1.8-litre petrol a range-topping 148bhp 2.0-litre diesel and a 227bhp 2.0TSI in vRS. TSI petrol and 2.0-litre diesel models get a six-speed manual gearbox, but the vRS only gets DSG for the sportier

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moniker.

Dual-clutch automatic gearboxes are available as well; whether you prefer the automatic or the alternative (and cheaper) manual option will primarily be a matter of personal preference. The DSG gearbox works very well in the Octavia, and goes about its job quietly and unobtrusively.

SEPTEMBER 2018

If you’re set on a diesel option, it’s probably best to go for the 2.0-litre diesel. While it may be a little harsh at higher speeds, it’ll return good economy and may prove even more frugal than the harder-worked 1.4-litre TSiunit. Don’t entirely discount the petrol options though: they’re quiet, smooth and willing and, if you’re not

steers with only modest briskness, but also with utterly predictable weight and respectable accuracy.

It holds a straight line with ease, and although a touch more positivity around the straight ahead wouldn’t hurt, the best thing you can say about the steering is that it doesn’t really enter your consciousness.

Ditto the rest of the driving experience. Seldom is there a jolt over a rough surface or a serious cabin intrusion from a motorway expansion joint. In fact, the Octavia is a perfectly acceptable A-road and motorway companion. Noise levels are low at idle and, thanks to the lengthy gearing, stay low at higher speeds.

It all contributes to making the Skoda a pretty tireless thing to pilot for mile after mile.

Simply Clever

THE CAR’S PRACTICALITY IS OUTSTANDING, WHILE MATERIAL QUALITY AND EQUIPMENT ARE AS GOOD AS ANYTHING AT THE PRICE.

covering starship mileages each year, the running costs won’t be excessive.

The vRS models come inpetrol and is obviously the purist’s choice and regardless of whether you opt for the standard car of the vRSyou are getting a free-revving turbocharged unit that puts on the same footing as the big three German’s for character, power

output and flexibility.

There are things Skoda Octavia drivers want and there are things they don’t want. And one of the things they don’t want, by all accounts, is a handling package honed at the Nürburgring and a teeth-jarring ride as a result.

Instead, they want a car that steers with ease, rides with aplomb and leaves you feeling rested having driven it. True to form, that’s what they’ve got here.

At 2.7 turns lock to lock, the Octavia

The Skoda Octavia makes a decent case for itself with adequate kit levels, a high degree of practicality, low running costs and a comfortable and refined interior.

Besides offering more kit and being easier to live with, it’ll prove easier to sell on and potentially hold its value better.

All of the engines are frugal but, predictably, many buyers will make a beeline for diesel variants which will further help prop up the residual values of the models in question.

The car’s practicality is outstanding, while material quality and equipment are as good as anything at the price. Factor in the Octavia’s range of decent engines and low running costs, and the overall package is an appealing and sensible one, even despite its questionable post-facelift face.

Consequently, those looking for comfortable, robust, well-appointed family transport could do no better; ultimately, that’s what earns the Skoda Octavia its five full road test star.

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horoscope SEP 21 TO OCT 20 2018 Suresh kumar + 91 9496795629, vishnushangu@gmail.com

ARIES

The finances of your partner, which was on a down trend, suddenly spike up and are wonderful during this period. Your health will be wonderful throughout this period.

GEMINI During this period emphasis will be on career and outwardly ambitions as planets are getting crowded in the northern sector of the horoscope. Your career growth will happen at its own speed and you have to be tolerant enough to allow it to happen. You should try to be a witness and should not try to force things. Regarding the Finance, monetary success comes from your social connections after the 26th of the month. Your career will be a major source of income. Regarding the Relationships, your social life will be active during this period. Singles will succeed in getting their romantic partners. Your Health will be excellent till the 26th and after that it will be problematic. Proper diet, good rest and sound emotional health will improve your well being.

TAURUS

LEO Family affairs and psychological health will be in focus this month. Regarding the Career, you should support careers of others as your own career is going nowhere. You will get the returns in future when you will get their support to further your career. Regarding the Finance, the presence of Planet Mars in the Money House will make you more reckless.

You may invest money in speculative projects during this period. You have the support of your friends in financial ventures and they will provide you with new openings for earning money. You will spend money on making your financial methods more sophisticated with the introduction of new technology. Your Health will be excellent during this period.

CANCER Your progress depends on others as the planetary power is excessive in the western sector of the horoscope. Your new career prospects are coming your way because of your social connections and activities. Your financial confidence is not excellent and you are unable to take correct and fast decisions regarding investments. You can use this slack period to have your financial acumen, and to improve your products and services.

Speculations will be dangerous after the 24th.

However your financial prosperity is boosted by the finances of your spouse or partner.

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with your partner on a financial problem.

Money comes from family contacts, family ventures and property transactions. You will be spending on equipment to enhance technology. Domestic projects will require money. Your Health will be superb till the 24th , after that , you require more breaks and rest.

Your family and emotional aspects of life take precedence over professional matters and outward success. Regarding the Career, you will have the support of your family members in the growth of your career.

As your career is on the back burner this month, you can help others to further their career prospects. If you are in search of a job, you will succeed in getting a job of your liking during this period. Your financial prosperity is good until the 25th of the month. This period will be auspicious for large investments and purchases. This financial impasse will give you enough time to analyze your financial strategies and to work out a more viable monetary future.

Your Health will be wonderful during this period.

VIRGO Your social life become powerful this month and your success depends on others. Your career will not be on the radar during this period. You can plan the future of your career by visualizing and be ready with a course of action to be executed in the future. Regarding the Finance, you will earn money by investing in sales and marketing ventures. You have to find a solution

SEPTEMBER 2018

You will be happy to others achieve professional growth with your encouragement. Your own career is not that important this month. Regarding the

Finance, Power in the Money House will give you very good financial prospects and there will be overall help from others towards your financial ventures. On the other hand, retrograde of Mercury in the Money House introduces an element of restraint and your financial intelligence will be muddled. After the 25th, all procurements and investments should be postponed to the next month till the clarity emerges.

Your Health will be extraordinary and energy levels will be outstanding during this period.

improvement. Money making will be harder till the 27th and requires more effort. As you are blessed with excessive energy, this should not be problem.

Financial prosperity will be enhanced by your intuition and by spiritual guidance after the 27th. Your health will be wonderful this period and can be improved further by resorting to a good dietary regime.

shooting up. Regarding the Relationships, love matters are not that important this month and you can allow it to take its own course. Your Health will be superb during this period.

AQUARIUS

SAGITTARIUS

LIBRA

Family interests and emotional security will be vital this month. Your career goals are based on the welfare of your family and your social contacts, and you are out of the picture. Your monetary position will improve after the 27th of the month.

Overall earnings are good during this period. Monetary skills of your spouse are excellent and you are being supported by your partner financially. Regarding the Relationships, singles will be able to attract romantic partners easily with their allure.

You have to be careful in taking important decisions regarding family affairs. Your health prospects are much better this month. You should not get in to unnecessary controversies and fights.

Career and outer success will dominate over family and emotional issues this month.

Your professional growth will be good during this period. There is divergence in your career interests, personal desires and family obligations. Your success depends on balancing these various activities. You can expect improvement of rank in your official position coupled with financial rewards. Your financial prosperity will be good over a long period.

Presently your financial expectations are too high and in relation to that your earnings look small. Be tolerant and wait for money to flow. You should try to balance your budget by cutting down your expenses. Your health will be delicate till the 24th of the month.

CAPRICORN

SCORPIO

Your emphasis will be on family matters and psychological security. Regarding the Career, you have to put your best foot forward to succeed in your profession.

Involvement in philanthropic organizations will enhance your career prospects.

Association with social contacts and professional groups will help your career, Your finances are showing gradual

Career and outer accomplishments will rule over family interests and emotional matters this month. Regarding the Career, this is a very good period for career development and your growth will be outstanding. There will be improvement of status in your current job. Your financial earnings show no marked progress. This is a good month for procurement or investments. Your spouse or partner is doing extremely well and his/her earnings are

Your focus during this month will be on career and worldly success. You will reach a peak in your profession this month.

You are helped by the forward movement of Pluto, your career planet on the 24th.

This will give you clarity regarding your professional ambitions and will remove old obstructions. Career will see many significant changes during this period and it is necessary that you maintain harmonious relationship with your seniors and elders. Your earnings will be sufficient if you keep a strict watch on your expenses.

Until the 28th, you will have no problem in raising money for your monetary projects.

Your health will be excellent during this period.

PISCES

Your career interests and worldly success will be in focus this month. There will be changes in your job due to the unfavorable aspects of Uranus and Pluto.

There will be turmoil at the office and you should try to maintain peace with your colleagues. Your personal finances are not of prime importance this month. Hence, you can use your skills and efforts to encourage others to succeed financially.

You will progress your financial life if you share your money with the finances of others. This month should cut down all unnecessary expenses and keep your budget to your basic necessities. Your Health will be delicate till the 24th of the month. You regain your energy levels after that and health improves.

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BRAND KERALA

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HYCINTH BY SPARSA Hycinth BY Sparsa, Trivandrum is a premium boutique hotel that offers a distinct and refined hospitality experience in the heart of Trivandrum. The hotel aims to revolutionise conventional notions of hospitality with contemporary sensibilities and innovative design choices. The artistic touches that are an essential component of the hotel's personality combines loud colours and soft shades, immersing the guests in a playful environment that aims to excite and engage.

ACCOMMODATION The rooms at Hycinth are classified into: Deluxe Room Club Room Accessible Room

Eva Room Suite

DINING

Alfresco MEETINGS, EVENTS & OTHER FACILITIES Connect Hall

Board Room

Grove-Lawn

Swimming Pool

Fitness Center

For reservations, call: Arun: +91 94000 00747 | Santosh: +91 94000 00736 | Rajesh: +91 94000 00734 HYCINTH by Sparsa Manorama Road, Thampanoor, Trivandrum 695001 T: 0471 666 2999 E: fbm@hycinthhotels.com

www.hycinthhotels.com

BRAND KERALA

VOL 8 ISSUE 9

September 2018

Rs 60/-

RNI No. KERENG 2010/36920

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