Achuthanandan turns 90; says will continue his struggles

Kerala's iconic Marxist and former Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan turned 90 on Sunday. A leader whose life has been a relentless struggle not only against injustices and indignities of a class and caste riven society, but also "revisionist" trends in his own movement, his 90th birthday was devoid of any colourful celebrations. But this time round, under gentle persuasion from and close aides and well wishers, the Communist Party of India-Marxist stalwart agreed to cut a birthday cake before joining lunch with his wife Vasumathi and other family members at his official residence Cantonment House in Thiruvananthapuram. "As in the past, I will continue my struggle against corruption and anti-people policies...", Achuthanandan said in a brief birthday message and went on to blast the United Democratic Front government headed by Ommen Chandy over the solar scam. A founder leader of CPI-M after the split in undivided CPI in 1964, he is no stranger to controversies. He was in the news even on the eve of his 90th birthday for critical comments against the party's state leadership controlled by his bete noire Pinarayi Vijayan. The central party has openly voiced its displeasure at the damning comments he made against the state leadership. Velikkakath Sankaran Achuthanandan was born on October 20, 1923 in a working class family at Punnapra in Alappuzha district.

Compelled to end formal education at the primary stage, he was soon attracted to the fledgling trade union movement in Alapuzha, a bustling commercial town in the early decades of last century. His life since then has been inseparably linked with the history of the Communist movement in the state through all its vital moments like the Punnapra-Vayalar uprising, nationwide ban on the party following the 'Calcutta thesis", split in the movement, arrest of CPI-M leaders during the India-China war and the internal emergency and faction feuds in the party. An astute campaigner and shrewd strategist, Achuthanandan has played a vital role along with late E M S Namboodiripad, A K Gopalan and E K Nayanar in building the CPI-M as the biggest Communist group in the state after the 1964 split. He became a CPI-M politbureau member in 1996 but was dropped from the top organisational body a few years back for speaking against the party's official line on a corruption case involving Pinarayi Vijayan. Achuthanandan headed the LDF ministry in 2006-11, defeating designs by his rivals in the party to sideline him. Though he has lost much of his hold in the organisation, he continues to be the most popular Left leader in the state, acceptable to even large sections who are not directly part of the CPI-M. Instead of narrowly confining to party politics, in recent times he has taken up larger human concerns like threat to the environment and women's rights. Dubbed by critics as a doctrinaire Marxist in the past, Achuthanandan has also in the last several years tapped the potential of legal processes in his fight against corruption.

A stickler to strict routine in personal life, he is free from any physical or mental debilities associated with advanced years and the loud and clear message he gave out at 90 is he will be around as a political warrior. © Copyright 2013 PTI. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of PTI content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent. Related News: Velikkakath Sankaran Achuthanandan, CPI-M, Communist Party of India-Marxist, Pinarayi Vijayan, LDF

High Court forms five-member panel to study feasibility of bench in Thiruvananthapuram

The decades-long demand for setting up a High Court Bench in Thiruvananthapuram is once again in focus with the HC constituting a committee comprising five senior-most judges to conduct a feasibility study for the same. As per the order issued by Kerala High Court Chief Justice Manjula Chellur, a committee headed by Justice K M Joseph and comprising Justice Thottathil B Radhakrishnan, Justice K T Sankaran, Justice S Siri Jagan and Justice T R Ramchandran Nair will consider the request to set up a High Court Bench in Thiruvananthapuram. According to highly-placed sources, the panel will examine all aspects relating to the matter and hear the pleas of the Advocates' associations. Welcoming the decision, Union Minister Shashi Tharoor said it was unusual for a state capital not to have a High Court Bench. Given the large number of cases in which the state is a litigant, the government spends close to `3 crore a year in TA/DA for sending officials to depose in Kochi, leaving their work in Thiruvananthapuram unattended. "In other words, it leads to waste and inefficiency. A Bench in the capital would prove beneficial for the people of the southern districts of the state," Tharoor told 'Express'. Tharoor said he had taken several steps since 2009, including speaking to three successive Chief Justices of Kerala and four successive Union Law Ministers. He had also introduced a Private Member's Bill to push the issue before Parliament. "But nothing can be done without the state judiciary coming on board," he noted. "The Central Government has been sympathetic but feels that a final decision requires the concurrence of the Chief Justice of Kerala. When Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and I met Union Minister Kapil Sibal on October 4, he promised to press the Chief Justice for a decision that has been long delayed," he said.

When asked what are the difficulties in implementing the proposal he said, "there seem to be several issues, since the problem is as old as I am! But I would prefer not to ascribe motives to those who have so far opposed this proposal." Thiruvananthapuram Bar Association president and High Court Bench Action Council chairman K P Jayachandran also appreciated the HC decision. "Thiruvananthapuram had been the seat of the erstwhile Travancore High Court, but after the re-organisation of the states, it was shifted to Ernakulam. So we are demanding reconstitution of the Bench," Jayachandran said. However, Kerala High Court Advocates' Association president Babu Paul said they will strongly object any move regarding the constitution of an HC bench. "We will submit our grievances before the committee when we there is an opportunity. A bench in the state capital will not serve any purpose," Paul said.

Cyclone Phailin set to hit Odisha, A P at a wind speed of 205 kmph today

Odisha and Andhra Pradesh on Friday braced for the "very severe" cyclone that is expected to hit the east coast with winds gusting up to 220 kmph on Saturday evening, as lakhs of people were being evacuated to safer places and the military kept on standby. Cyclone Phailin – the biggest cyclone in years to hit Odisha – is expected to make landfall near Gopalpur in Ganjam district in the eastern state after crossing an area between Paradip in Odisha and Kalingapatnam in AP. Five districts were in the eye of the storm with IMD Chief Dr L S Rathore identifying Ganjam, Khurda, Puri and Jagatsinghpur districts in Odisha and Srikakalum in AP as those that is likely to be worst hit. Rathore said the cyclone storm over east central Bay of Bengal currently lay 450 km southeast of Gopalpur and warned that it will be accompanied by a storm surge of up to three metres in the districts that will bear the brunt. "Cyclone Phailin is a very severe cyclone," Rathore said in Delhi. Rathore said the storm, which will hit the coast at 6 pm, is unlikely to develop into a super cyclone. Phailin was named by Thailand and it means sapphire in Thai.

"The US Navy has also forecast that the wind speed will be above 240 kmph. Therefore, the cyclone is not less than any super cyclone for us," Special Relief Commissioner P K Mohapatra told reporters in Bhubaneshwar. Mohapatra said the IMD had declared the 1999 calamity as a super cyclone as the wind speed had crossed 220 kmph. An estimated 9,885 persons were killed in the super cyclone that pummelled Odisha. "This time around, the wind speed is not much different than the previous super cyclone," he said. Squalls with a wind speed of 45-55 kmph to 65 kmph have already started along Odisha coast since morning under the impact of Phailin. About 25 cm of rain has been predicted in 24 hours in the affected districts due to the cyclone. The Odisha health department cancelled holidays and leave of all doctors in view of the impending situation even as the state government set a target of "zero casualty" and ordered speedy evacuation of people in seven coastal districts.

East Coast Railway planned to regulate and cancel about 24 passenger trains between Visakhapatnam and Bhadrak on the Howrah-Chennai Main Line route on Saturday. Authorities began evacuating 64,000 people from the low-lying areas of three vulnerable districts in Andhra Pradesh, state Revenue Minister N. Raghuveera Reddy said. Emergency food supplies and shelters for people expected to flee the heavy winds and rains were also being readied in the vulnerable districts. Disaster management teams were also kept in readiness. Odisha government set a target of "zero casualty" and ordered speedy evacuation of people in low-lying areas in seven coastal districts which is home to lakhs of people.

Defence Minister A K Antony ordered the Armed Forces to be ready to move in to Odisha and Andhra Pradesh. Two IAF IL-76 aircraft have already airlifted NDRF teams and equipment to Bhubaneshwar. IAF assets have been kept on standby at various bases including at Raipur, Nagpur, Jagdalpur, Barrackpore, Ranchi and Gwalior. It has also kept two C130J aircraft, 18 helicopters, 2 AN-32s aircraft on a standby to move at a short notice besides asking its Eastern Air Command to coordinate relief operation with the task force positioned at Barrackpore. The Navy, Airforce, NDRF, ODRF were ready for relief and rescue operation as soon as the cyclone hits the coast, Mohapatra said in Bhubaneswar. An anxious Odisha government held meetings and evaluated the developing situation. "At least 28 teams of the National Disaster Response Forces are at the disposal of the Odisha government for evacuation and relief operations," a senior official said after one such meeting.

So far eight teams of NDRF, reaching having 20 personnel, have been deployed in Puri district, the official said. Revenue and Disaster Management Minister S N Patro said district collectors have been told to complete evacuation of people by Friday evening. "We do not want to take any chance," Patro said adding that shelters were ready. "The Collectors of all seven districts like Ganjam, Gajapati, Puri, Jagatsingpur, Kendrapara, Nayagarh and Khurda have been directed to start evacuation and ensure 100 per cent evacuation of people to cyclone and flood shelters and other safe places by today evening," said Patro. The Collectors of Bhadrak and Balasore districts have also been alerted, the minister said. Appealing to the people not to panic, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik asked them to cooperate with the government in relief and rescue operations.

The IMD forecast a storm surge of 2.5 to 3 metres in Ganjam, Khurda, Puri, Jagatsinghpur and Srikakulam districts. A storm surge is a rise of the sea as a result of atmospheric pressure changes and winds associated with a storm. Gales with a speed of 205-215 kmph are expected when the cyclone crosses the coast, according to A P Revenue Minister N Raghuveera Reddy "Sometimes the gale speed may even touch 235 kmph while heavy to very heavy rainfall of up to 25 cm is also likely under the impact," he told reporters in Hyderabad.

The Minister said he spoke to Collectors of coastal districts and put them on high alert. Army, Navy and National Disaster Response Force personnel have already been positioned in vulnerable coastal districts while IGP (north-coastal zone) Ch Dwaraka Tirumala Rao has been asked to coordinate with other departments to ensure effective communications in case of emergency. "In 1996, we had a super cyclone and Phailin is expected to be of the same intensity," Reddy said.