President Pranab Mukherjee to arrive in Kochi on Thursday
Pranab Mukherjee will be accorded an official reception at the Naval air station, where he is scheduled to arrive at 3.35 pm.
Published: 27th February 2017 06:43 AM | Last Updated: 27th February 2017 06:43 AM | A+A A-
KOCHI: In what could perhaps be his last visit to Kerala as the country’s President, Pranab Mukherjee will arrive here on Thursday.
The President will be accorded an official reception at the Naval Base, where he is scheduled to arrive at 3.35 pm. He will inaugurate a seminar on the ‘Importance of Sustainable Culture Building,’ organised as part of the Kochi Muziris Biennale, at Cabral Yard, Fort Kochi, at 4 pm.
Later, the President will visit Aspinwall House, the main venue of the Kochi Muziris Biennale. In the evening, he will deliver the K S Rajamani Memorial Lecture at Le Meridien Convention Centre. He will leave for Chennai at 6.50 pm.
On Tuesday, Venu Rajamani, press secretary to the President, will inaugurate an exhibition of 111 caricatures of the President drawn by artists from different countries. The exhibition is part of the National Cartoon Caricature Festival to be held in the city from May 4 to 8.
Last week, a high-level meeting convened by the Chief Secretary had assessed the security arrangements for the President’s visit.
The District Collector inspected the security preparedness at Fort Kochi, where the President will be attending two programmes. The Collector also held discussions with Sub Collector Adheela Abdullah, Assistant Collector Renu Raj, Assistant Commissioner S Vijayan and Kochi Biennale Foundation president Bose Krishnamachari.
Prez to deliver talk on ‘ India@70’
Kochi: President Pranab Mukherjee will deliver the sixth K S Rajamony Memorial Lecture on ‘India@70’ at Le Meridien Convention Centre, here, on Thursday. Governor P Sathasivam will preside over the function. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Rajya Sabha deputy chairman P J Kurien, Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala, former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and Ernakulam MP K V Thomas will be present.
K S Rajamony (1928-2000) worked closely with Justice V R Krishna Iyer in pioneering the Lok Adalat movement in the state and providing free legal counsel to the poor. In recognition to his integrity, competence and experience, Rajamony was appointed member of the Kerala Public Men’s Corruption Commission (renamed later as the Kerala Lokayukta) with the rank of a High Court judge from 1992-1997. His autobiography in Malayalam ‘Olimangatha Ormakal’ (Memories that never fade away) was published in 1999. The legacy left behind by Rajamony is being carried forward by wife Seetha Rajamony, daughter Leela Ganesh (vice- president, Optima Insurance Brokers) and sons R Balachandran (Chairman Emeritus, Buimerc Core Investments) and Venu Rajamony (Indian Foreign Service/Press Secretary to the President of India) through the K S Rajamony Foundation.
‘Govt should protect jobs of toddy workers’
Kochi: It is the responsibility of the government to protect jobs in the toddy sector while implementing the Supreme Court order to remove liquor outlets from highways, said former MP Sebastian Paul here on Saturday. Sebastian Paul, who is a patron of the Toddy Shop Licensees Association, was speaking at a press meet convened by the Association. “Toddy is a farm produce, unlike the other forms of liquor which are factory-made. The government should consider the opinion of stakeholders in the toddy sector before preparing the new liquor policy, which is expected by April 1,” he said. “Shifting toddy shops in a thickly-populated state like Kerala is not practical, and the government should apprise the court about the difficulties it face. As per the Supreme Court order, around 1,300 Of the 4,500-odd toddy shops in Kerala will have to be relocated,” said Association president A B Unni.
