Kochi:  Center announces assistance to Kerala in deep sea fishing. The assistance is for the purchase of two ships with facilities for fish processing. Union Minister Amit Shah, who is also in charge of the Cooperative Department, has instructed Matsyafed to prepare and submit a plan for this purpose.

Amit Shah assured that assistance would be granted if some project proposals were given while visiting the Valanirmana factory under Matsyafed. The proposal is to submit a plan to purchase two ships with facilities for fish processing. Ten fishing vessels worth one and a half crores have already been sanctioned under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Akhtar Yojana.

At the same time, the Union Minister has also promised financial assistance for setting up three new fish net factories. A decision will also be taken on reducing the interest on loans granted by NCDC for the purchase of fishing equipment. Amit Shah informed that assistance will also be given to the project for tourism development in Matsyafed farms.

Thiruvananthapuram: Change in rain warnings in the state. Yellow alert in five districts. Yellow alert today in Pathanamthitta, Ernakulam, Idukki, Malappuram, and Wayanad districts.
The Central Meteorological Department has warned that there is a possibility of widespread rain in Kerala for the next 5 days due to the presence of a cyclonic vortex over the region. Isolated heavy rain, thunder, and lightning are likely during these days. The Central Meteorological Department has informed us that very heavy rains are also likely at isolated places in Kerala from September 6 to 8.

Aluva:  Deadly drug MDMA seized from tourist bus passengers in Aluva. The police arrested the passengers from Bengaluru at Aluva.
The police seized the deadly drug MDMA from the passengers of the tourist bus which was going from Bengaluru to Kollam. Police seized 51 grams of MDMA from three persons who were traveling on the bus from Aluva.

After receiving confidential information, the police stopped the vehicle waiting at the Paravur intersection on the national highway and searched. He tried to smuggle drugs hidden in his underwear. Amal Babu, Jitin Joseph, and Vishnu Karthikeyan, natives of Aluva Muppathadam, were taken into custody by the Aluva police.

Malappuram:  Auto driver arrested for molesting passenger at Malappuram crossing. Babu alias Thorappa Jalish Babu, an auto driver of Maruta Ayyappan Poti, was arrested. The woman was diverted by the auto driver and taken to a forest called Mamankara Irulkunn and tortured. The incident took place on Thursday.

Thiruvananthapuram: Heavy rain is likely to continue in the state. The Meteorological Center has assessed that the state is receiving heavy rains due to the formation of a cyclone near Lakshadweep and the Arabian Sea. A low-pressure belt is present up to Maharashtra and another minority belt is extending over the East Bay of Bengal. As a result of this pressure, the state is likely to receive thundershowers for the next five days.

Alert has been issued in four districts in the state today. A yellow alert has been issued in Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Idukki, and Malappuram districts. As easterly winds become favorable, more rain is likely over hilly areas in the afternoon.

Authorities have advised fishermen not to go out to sea as there is a possibility of strong winds along with heavy rains in the coastal area. Wind gusts of up to 60km/h and bad weather are likely today. The Meteorological Center has predicted that wind speed of 40 to 50 kmph is likely in South Kerala, South East Arabian Sea near Lakshadweep and Karnataka coast.

Thiruvananthapuram: Governor accepted MV Govindan Master’s resignation. The resignation was accepted late at night. MV Govindan took over as Master Secretary after Kodiyeri Balakrishnan resigned as CPIM State Secretary due to ill health.

Meanwhile, CPIM has decided to bring Speaker MB Rajesh to the post of Minister and A N Shamsir to the post of speaker. The decision was taken at the CPIM state secretariat which met yesterday.