Thiruvananthapuram: The Election Department has issued guidelines to make the Assembly elections eco-friendly. Candidates and political parties should not use PVC fluxes, banners, billboards, and plastic flagpoles for campaigning. Avoid the use of non-recyclable banners and boards with a plastic component or plastic coatings, such as Korean cloth, nylon, and polyester fabric mixed with PVC plastic.

Only banners or boards printed with recyclable materials such as cotton cloth, paper, and polyethylene should be used for campaign events. When printing, the logo of Recyclable and PVC Free, the expiration date, the name of the printing company, and the printing number must be included in the promotional materials. The District Election Officer should take appropriate legal action against the use of prohibited products.

After the use of campaign materials, the respective political parties should collect and hand them over to the Clean Kerala Company through the Haritha Karma Sena of the Local Self Government Institutions. Eco-friendly materials should be used to decorate the election offices of political parties. Officials should take special care to completely eliminate prohibited plastic items in polling booths. Awareness of the Green Protocol should be provided in the training programs of election officials. An order has been issued regarding the compliance of Covid norms in the election. Action should be taken as per the order regarding biomedical waste treatment. The order also said that the nodal officer for compliance with the Green Code would be the Executive Director of the Suchithwa Mission.

Kochi: The Enforcement Directorate will again send notices to KIIFB’s top officials in case of violations of the Foreign Currency Maintenance Act. ED received legal advice that KIIFB’s contention that officers would not be sent to appear for questioning did not stand because the model code of conduct existed. The Enforcement Directorate had issued summons to KIFB Deputy MD Vikramjit Singh and CEO KM Abraham to appear before it.

But the government and KIFB have taken a tough stance that officials will not be released for questioning. KIIFB responded to the ED’s summons by pointing out that officials could not be summoned because of the election code of conduct. However, the ED received legal advice that the code of conduct did not apply to officers appearing for questioning. Based on this, another notice will be sent to the ED officials. The government is of the view that the ED’s action is politically motivated in the context of the elections.

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kochi Palarivattom flyover will be reopened to traffic today. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the bridge would be opened to traffic at 4 pm without any official inauguration as there is a code of conduct for elections. The construction of the Palarivattom bridge was one of the biggest scams during the UDF government. The bridge, built at an estimated cost of Rs 47.70 crore, collapsed a year later. The LDF government has built a 100-year-old bridge at Palarivattom at Rs 22.86 crore.

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Coast Guard has seized three Sri Lankan boats that had crossed the maritime border. It is suspected that the boat was carrying a drug trafficking gang. There were 19 people on board. The seized boats will reach Vizhinjam port. They will be questioned by the Narcotics Control Unit, IB officials, and the Coast Guard. Today the Union Home Minister Amit Shah is staying here for the election works. Following this, the inspections along the coast in Thiruvananthapuram had intensified by the police.

Thiruvananthapuram: District Collector Dr. Navjot Khosa said that Covid vaccination will be given in 43 government centers and 25 private hospitals in the district. Vaccination will be given in 45 sessions at government centers. Arrangements have been made to vaccinate 200 people in general hospitals, district hospitals, and taluk hospitals. Vaccination will be given to 150 people in community health centers and 100 people in primary health centers.

All steps will be taken to make vaccination available to those over 60 years of age and those between 45 and 59 years of age with associated diseases. The Collector requested all to co-operate with the arrangements made to avoid congestion and to strictly follow the instructions given by the officials at the vaccination centers.

Those who have been selected by major hospitals for vaccination will be able to get vaccinated through spot registration from other nearby vaccination centers. The fee for vaccination in a private hospital is Rs.250.

Vaccination will be given at all the 18 training centers for polling officers. Besides, a 10-session special vaccination drive is being organized at Jimmy George Stadium. Govt. There will be no new vaccination registration till March 10 at Medical College Hospital, General Hospital, and Pangappara Family Health Center. However, vaccination will be given to those who have received the token and those who have registered earlier.