KL This Week: Wild Gaur Kills 3 in Kottayam and Kollam Districts

NewsClick brings you a round-up of the crucial happenings in Kerala including the celebrations by the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government on the completion of two years in office, protest by the opposition parties against the government, and the ordinance on the protection of hospitals and health workers. 

LDF GOVT COMPLETES 2 YEARS

The LDF government held a massive public meeting in Thiruvananthapuram to celebrate its completion of two years in office. The government published a progress report of the works completed during the two years, as was promised by the LDF in its election manifesto in 2019.

The report included achievements in innovation including several firsts in the country – the establishment of SuperFab Lab, Graphene Centre, Digital University, Digital Science Park, and Water Metro. Other achievements pertained to the health sector, infrastructure development, social welfare including ensuring housing for all and eradicating extreme poverty, labour and industry, and government and service excellence. 

The LDF had held public meetings in all 140 Assembly constituencies to appraise the people of the government's activities till May 19. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan requested the people to rank the performance of the government despite the financial restrictions and neglect from the Union government. 

The opposition parties, including the United Democratic Front (UDF) constituents, and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) held protests in the city raising several allegations against the government. 

Responding to the allegations, the chief minister claimed that the opposition parties were manufacturing and propagating lies. He took a dig at the right-wing media and accused them of propagating lies manufactured by the opposition parties.

‘MENSTRUAL HYGIENE A FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT’

The LDF Government has announced the installation of Napkin Vending Machines in all the schools in the state to ensure menstrual hygiene. The government has recognised menstrual hygiene as a fundamental right. 

“This project aims to break taboos, foster health, and empower our girls to soar with confidence”, Pinarayi Vijayan wrote on Twitter. 

ORDINANCE PASSED ON PROTECTION OF HOSPITALS

After attacks on health workers, including the brutal killing of Dr Vandana Das in Kottarakara taluk hospital in Kollam district by a “drug addict”, the government has promulgated an ordinance to increase the punishment for perpetrators of violence on health workers. 

As per the Hospital Protection Act Amendment Ordinance, those found guilty of committing or inciting violence will be sentenced to jail for a minimum of five months and up to five years. The punishment for severe offences of harming health workers would be from a minimum of one year to a maximum of seven years. 

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) and other organisations of doctors and healthcare workers have welcomed the move by the government. 

3 MEN DIE IN BISON ATTACKS

In one of the worst human-animal conflicts in Kerala, three men succumbed to attacks by a wild gaur (Indian Bison) on May 19. Two men were gored to death by a gaur in Erumeli in the Kottayam district while another man died in Kollam of a similar incident. 

Chackochan, a 65-year-old from Erumeli, was gored to death by a raging bison while reading the newspaper at his doorstep. The same gaur killed another person in the same locality while he was tapping rubber trees. 

The residents of Erumeli blocked roads for several hours after the death, leading to a severe road blockade. The government has announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakhs to the three families. 

UDF OPPOSES DUMPING OF WASTE AT BRAHMAPURAM PLANT

The UDF councillors of Thrikkakara municipality blocked the vehicles carrying waste to the Brahmapuram dumpyard site managed by the Kochi Corporation. The Kochi Mayor stated that it was regrettable that the UDF councillors of the Thrikkakara municipality were causing obstructions to the vehicles.

The UDF has alleged waste mismanagement, which led to the massive outbreak of fire in the yard. 

The corporation said it has initiated multiple steps to implement waste management at source and decentralised waste management; however, the UDF accused the administration of allowing lapses.