Covid-19, natural disasters, fatal plane crash, and loss of many a doyen — 2020 was tough on Kerala. As the resilient state readies to welcome 2021, TNIE takes a look at the year that went by
WORLD AT A STANDSTILL JUNE 10
The novel coronavirus, which first emerged in Wuhan, China, left havoc in its wake as it swept across the world in 2020. On January 30, the country’s first case of Covid-19 was reported in Thrissur. The dreaded virus has claimed 2,951 lives in the state so far.
APRIL30
Salomi Mathew, a former health inspector, is testament to how health workers have been at the vanguard of the country’s battle against Covid. Salomi, who had taken long leave ahead of retirement, chose to forgo her break and instead serve those in need.
MAY 02
As migrant workers across the nation, in a desperate bid to return home, embarked on long and perilous journeys on foot, Kerala urged the Centre to arrange special non-stop trains to take them home. The first such train left from Aluva for Bhubaneshwar on May 1 (Labour Day).
YEAR OF HORRORS
Aug 07
In one of the worst aviation disasters in Indian history, an Air India Express flight from Dubai crashed after overshooting the runway at the Kozhikode airport on August 7, killing 21 people on board, including both the pilots, and leaving many others severely injured.
Aug 06
On the night of August 6, torrential rain triggered a fatal landslide that struck Pettimudi in Idukki, reducing several workers’ settlements in the area to rubble and killing over 80 people.
Life reimagined
JULY 26
Animals reclaimed the streets amid lockdown, reaching areas they rarely venture to as they searched for food.
APRIL 09 oct 30
Covid, however, failed to dampen the festive spirit of Malayalis, as every other celebration
— from the Onam pulikali (right) to the Holy Mass on Maundy Thursday (left) —went online.
SHADES OF RESISTANCE
Jan 03
Before the pandemic took centre stage, Kerala was at the forefront of protests against the controversial anti-Citizenship (Amendment) Act. The state was the first to pass a resolution demanding the scrapping of the law, and also the first to move the Supreme Court against CAA.
Aug 09
Heavy floods have become an annual occurrence in Kerala since 2018, and 2020 was no different. The floods have left the state reeling under the pressure of huge damage to property, death of people, livestock and heavy loss to agriculture.
JAN 12 ... AND IT GOEs BOOM!
Over 13 years after the Maradu panchayat first issued showcause notices to builders for violaing CRZ norms, five towering buildings were demolished using controlled implosion on January 11 and 12.
EYE OF THE STORM
JULY 13 -OCT 28
Allegations of shady deals, money laundering & kickbacks running into crores — the gold seizure from a diplomatic bag at the T’Puram airport opened a can of worms for the LDF. Ex-principal secy M Sivasankar fell from grace after his alleged links with key accused Swapna came to light.
MAR 14
The trial in the actor abduction case, in which actor Dileep is the eighth accused, saw a series of twists and turns. The prosecution moved the SC alleging bias and seeking a transfer of trial. The plea, however, was dismissed.
Political theatre
Feb 29
Controversies notwithstanding, Pinarayi Vijayan has emerged stronger than ever.
OCT 12
Internal squabbles ensued after the UDF suffered a humiliating defeat in the civic polls.
FeB 22
BJP made inroads in Kerala, but is far from making the impact it had claimed to make during the polls.
Polls in age of Covid
DEC 02
Despite the pandemic, the spirit of democracy survived. Kerala conducted its local body polls in December.
SHADES OF RESISTANCE
JAN 29
UDF MLAs heckled Governor Arif Mohammed Khan for his pro-CAA stance, when the assembly met on January 29. The governor later read out the state’s stand against the CAA in his policy address, but clarified that he did not agree with the view.
NOV 04
Kannammal, mother of Maoist Velmurugan who was shot dead by the police on November 3, moved court alleging that he was killed in a fake encounter.