As heavy rain continues in the state, 64 families have been shifted to 10 relief camps.  Taluk Control Rooms are manned 24 hours a day in every district.  So far, the state has received 397.2 mm of rain.

 As heavy rains continue in the state, 10 relief centers have been opened so far.  207 people from 64 families were relocated.  So far, 9 people have drowned, 5 people have died due to lightning, and one person each died in a boat accident and fell down a wall in various districts.  22 people died due to heavy rain and inclement weather, including 2 due to wild animal attacks, 1 due to fire, and 3 due to sunstroke and sunstroke.  19 people were injured.

 So far, 59 houses have completely collapsed and 533 houses have partially collapsed in the natural calamity.  The State Disaster Management Authority informed that the rains will continue in the coming days and Taluk Control Rooms are ready round the clock in all the districts.

 Thiruvananthapuram: One month welfare pension will be distributed in the state from Wednesday.  900 crores have been sanctioned by the Finance Department for this purpose.

 After completing the mustering, pension will be delivered to all the eligible.  Five months pension is arrears.  The government announced that it will be distributed in the respective month from April.

Thiruvananthapuram: Air India is considering giving compensation to the family of Thiruvananthapuram native Nambi Rajesh, who died of a heart attack in Muscat.  Air India Express has sent an email message to Nambi Rajesh’s family asking for some time for this.

 The message says that the matter requested by Rajesh’s family is being investigated.  Rajesh’s wife Amrita, who bought a ticket to visit her husband as soon as she got the news that he was undergoing treatment, was unable to see her husband for the last time due to the Air India Express strike.  The family had earlier sent a mail to Air India Express demanding compensation.  An e-mail message was sent in response to that.

 On the 7th of this month, Rajesh collapsed at work and was admitted to the hospital.  Later, his wife Amrita bought a flight ticket to leave for Oman at 8, but the journey was canceled due to the Air India Express flight employees’ strike.  Even though the ticket was taken again, that service was also canceled due to the strike.  With this, the trip was stopped again.  Meanwhile, on the morning of the 13th, Rajesh fell ill and died.  Nambi Rajesh was the IT Manager at the Indian School in Muscat.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Health Minister Veena George said that all the children under 12 years of age suffering from Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) have been given free medicine through a special scheme of the state government.  Further treatment and free medicines for the next stages will be given to them.  A total of 80 children up to 12 years of age were given free medicines worth Rs 6 lakh per dose.  Medicines worth Rs 20 lakh per month were also distributed free of cost to children suffering from lysosomal storage diseases.  Apart from this, the minister also said that medicines are being given to those suffering from other rare diseases with a treatment cost of Rs 50 lakhs through SAT Hospital which is a center of excellence for rare diseases.

 This is a crucial step in the treatment of rare diseases.  The minister pointed out that for the first time in India, a state has started providing free drugs for rare diseases at the government level.  The Minister also said that Hub and Spoke model was implemented for the first time in the country in the treatment of rare diseases.  First SMA Clinic started at SAT Hospital for treatment of rare diseases.  An innovative surgery to correct curvature of the spine in children with SMA has been successfully launched at Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Hospital for the first time in the government sector.  So far 5 surgeries have been done.  In private hospitals, surgeries costing around Rs 15 lakh are being done free of cost in medical colleges.

 Thiruvananthapuram: Senior clerk caught by vigilance while accepting bribe.  The vigilance arrested Anil Kumar, a senior clerk in the Tiruvallam zonal office of the municipality and a native of Poowar.

 He was picked up by hand while asking for a bribe of 1000 rupees for regularization of the building.  Vigilance has also recovered the bribe amount.  Manikandan, a native of Thiruvallam Punchakari, lodged a complaint with the Vigilance.  Municipal secretary forwarded the application to Thiruvallam zonal office for further action.

 However, this file was not completed and handed over to the concerned Assistant Engineer, causing delay.  Then Anil Kumar, the senior clerk, asked Manikandan to give 1000 to complete the process.  With this, Manikandan approached Vigilance with a complaint.

 New Delhi: A Delhi court found Narmada Bachao Andolan leader Medha Patkar guilty in a defamation case filed by Delhi Lt Governor VK Saxena.  The case was heard by Metropolitan Magistrate Raghav Sharma.  According to the existing law, Medha can be punished with two years imprisonment or fine or both.

 A case was filed against Saxena by Medha Patkar in 2000 against the Narmada Bachao Andolan and its advertisements against her.  At that time, he was the head of the National Council for Civil Liberties, an NGO based in Ahmedabad.

 Following this, Saxena filed two complaints against Medha Patkar for making defamatory remarks against her through channels and other media and issuing press statements.  The court has found Medha guilty in this case.