Thiruvananthapuram: The state government has issued an order allowing the sale of liquor in IT parks across the state. Both government-owned and private IT parks are eligible to apply for a license. The sale of liquor will be restricted to official visitors and guests of IT companies.

Only one license will be granted per establishment, with an annual license fee of ₹10 lakh. Licensed companies must procure foreign liquor exclusively from FL-9 license holders. Liquor sales are prohibited on the 1st of every month and other dry days designated by the government. Operating hours are set from 12 PM to 12 AM.

Even if an IT park houses multiple establishments, only one license will be issued. Liquor outlets must be located adjacent to the companies but cannot be directly connected to office spaces. Separate pathways to these outlets are mandatory. The liquor will be available only to employees and visitors of the IT park’s companies, with sales to outsiders strictly prohibited.

The sale of substandard liquor is also banned. In case of complaints, an officer of the rank of Deputy Excise Commissioner can take action and impose fines, as per the government order. This move is seen as a significant change in the state’s IT sector regulations.

Kottayam: The arrest of the accused in the Thiruvathukkal double murder case has been recorded. The arrest of Assam native Amit Urang was recorded at around 3 pm. The accused was then taken to the Kottayam District Hospital for evidence collection.

The police arrested the accused from Mala in Thrissur district this morning. The police conducted an investigation focused on a mobile tower that paved the way for the arrest of the accused. The evidence of the investigation reveals that the police were able to arrest the heinous criminal less than 24 hours after the murder.

The accused Amit was caught after using the phone of the deceased Vijayakumar. The accused was caught from Thrissur during an investigation conducted by the police focused on the mobile phone. The accused was in possession of the phone of the deceased Vijayakumar. The accused had tried to remove the contacts from his Google account by turning on this phone.
The police were conducting an investigation focused on his mobile tower at night. In the meantime, Amit was caught after using the phone.

He was hiding in a chicken farm. It was confirmed that the fingerprint on the axe used to kill him was Amit’s. The fingerprint collected when Amit was arrested in the theft case also matched the fingerprint on the axe. Fingerprints were found in various places, including the door of the house and inside the house. This was confirmed after a detailed examination by fingerprint experts.

It is reported that Amit had been planning the murder for days. Amit had been staying in a lodge in the city since last Saturday. In the meantime, he visited Vijayakumar’s house several times and observed things. He checked the room from the lodge on Monday morning. In the evening, he reached the Kottayam railway station and got a platform ticket and went inside. He went to commit the murder at night. The police got CCTV footage of Amit coming out of the lodge and going to the railway station.

Thiruvananthapuram: Education Minister V. Sivankutty has announced that subject minimum will be implemented in classes 5,6,7 from next year. The minister was speaking after inaugurating the state-level distribution of textbooks.

The new decision was taken in the backdrop of the excellent response received from students, teachers and parents in the wake of the successful implementation of subject minimum and continuation classes in class 8. Public schools, which were once criticized as loss centers, have today become centers of pride for every citizen of Kerala.

Textbooks have been revised in line with the latest developments in the field of science and technology. Teachers are being trained by adopting innovative teaching methods, including the integration of AI and robotics.

In the academic year 2024–25, new textbooks were introduced for classes 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9. In 2025–26, this change was extended to classes 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10. In total, 443 new books have been developed and over three crore books are ready for distribution – a testament to the meticulous planning and commitment of the government and the education department. Students received their Class 10 textbooks just after the Class 9 exams and before the summer vacation. A comprehensive quality education plan has been launched to ensure that every child achieves the academic goals envisaged for their class. Drug addiction and violence are growing concerns. Schools should become places of joy, not anxiety. Minister V. Sivankutty also pointed out that the government has taken steps to address this by introducing attractive sports programmes and meaningful educational interventions. 

Health Minister Veena George announced that the e-Health system has been implemented in 752 health institutions across Kerala. This includes 18 medical college hospitals, 33 district/general hospitals, 88 taluk hospitals, 42 community health centers, 501 family health centers, 50 urban family health centers, 14 specialty hospitals, three public health laboratories, and several other healthcare facilities. The ultimate goal is to implement the e-Health system across all hospitals in the state.

The Minister also mentioned that systems like online payment, online OP ticket booking, the m-eHealth app, and the “Scan and Book” facility have recently been made available.

A large number of people in the state are using the e-Health service. Over 2.61 crore individuals have registered for a permanent Unique Health ID (UHID) through e-Health, while more than 8.51 crore treatments have been accessed via temporary registration. Around 13.98 lakh patients have been admitted and treated using the e-Health system. Additionally, the platform has facilitated over 3.39 crore pre-checkups, 8.16 crore diagnoses, 5.31 crore prescriptions, and 1.82 crore lab tests.

With e-Health, patients can book OP tickets in advance, avoiding long queues at hospitals. If follow-up treatment is required, advance tokens can also be booked directly from the hospital. Appointments can be booked via the e-Health portal (https://ehealth.kerala.gov.in) or through the m-eHealth app (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=in.gov.kerala.ehealth.mhealth), significantly reducing wait times.

How to Create a Unique Health ID (UHID)?

To access e-Health services, users must first create a UHID. Visit https://ehealth.kerala.gov.in and click on the registration link. Enter your Aadhaar number, and an OTP will be sent to your registered mobile number. Once you enter the OTP, your personal health ID will be generated, which can be downloaded from the portal.

Upon first login, a 16-digit UHID and a password will be sent to your mobile number. These credentials can be used to book appointments at hospitals for specific dates and times.

How to Book an Appointment?

Log in to the portal using your UHID and password. Click on “New Appointment.” If you have a referral, enter the details. Then select the hospital and department. Choose your preferred date, and available tokens for that day will be shown. You can select a convenient time slot and print the token. You’ll also receive the token details via SMS, which can be shown at the hospital. The portal also provides access to your treatment records, lab results, and prescriptions.

For queries, you can contact: DISHA Helpline at 104, 1056, 0471-2552056, or 0471-2551056.