A2Z
From Brahmapuram fire to Kalamassery blasts, Palestine solidarity rallies to Mammootty’s standout performances, a lot unfolded in 2023. TNIE lists, alphabetically, things that delighted, appalled & shook Keralites this year
AI Cameras
700 AI cameras went live across the state to rein in traffic violations. The government caught heat for the move, as the Opposition alleged corruption over the project’s D232-crore price tag and Keltron’s involvement. The HC too stepped in. The government maintained that the cameras helped bring down violations and accidents. Some were fined whopping amounts, while some were terrified after images showed a mysterious woman travelling with them.
Brahmapuram
Air quality in Kochi went for a toss after a major fire broke out at Brahmapuram dumpyard on March 2. The nightmare continued for two weeks, leaving people gasping for air. While firefighters, the Navy and Air Force banded together to douse the flames, the corporation faced the heat, and was fined D1.80 crore for lapses. The aftermath saw radical changes in waste collection and handling in Kochi and other districts.
Cusat stampede
A night of revelry at Cusat turned grim on November 25 after four people were killed and over 50 injured in a stampede moments before a music concert by Nikitha Gandhi. The principal of Cusat’s School of Engineering was removed for inaction even as he denied the charges.
Drugs: In India’s biggest drug haul, the NCB and Navy seized over 2,500 kg of methamphetamine worth over D15,000 crore off the Kochi coast in May. Meanwhile, the drug menace continued to pose a headache in the state, with narcotic substances being seized every other day.
Elephants
Oh, Arikomban, how art thou! Elephant lovers were left asking the question after the rice-loving jumbo that kept Chinnakanal on its toes for months was finally captured and translocated to the forest near Tirunelveli in Tamil Nadu. It kicked up a storm there too, running rampant in the town. Back home, people’s troubles with jumbos and other wild animals continued to make news all year long.
Fraud
Cooperative banks came under ED’s scanner after a D300-cr loan fraud was unearthed at the CPM-controlled Karuvannur bank. The D250-cr China-linked crypto fraud and more made news too. Cybercriminals levelled up, using modern tech like AI to dupe people. As of Oct, a whopping 2,478 cyber fraud cases have been reported.
Gaza: The plight of civilians due to the war in Gaza found resonance in Kerala. Political parties seized the opportunity to build bridges with Muslim community. The ruling CPM and Opposition Congress, besides the Muslim League, took out rallies and protests against Israel’s ‘highhandedness’. Though the electoral dividend was the target, the opportunistic action by parties ended up creating unrest.
Highways
9 districts, 643.29km, 1 highway. The widening of NH-66 stretch from Kasaragod to Thiruvananthapuram made good progress this year despite hiccups. The target is to widen the NH by 45m. The entire stretch has been divided i nto 24 sections, and work on a few is already over.
International seaport
2023 was a better year than the protest-filled 2022 for the Vizhinjam project as the first ship docked at the international seaport in Thiruvananthapuram. It was a momentous occasion for the state and a significant milestone for the D20,000-crore project that has been in the works for over three decades.
JN.1
Another Covid variant, JN.1, hit India late in 2023, and once again, it was Kerala that reported its first case in the country. Over the days, the numbers spiked. Kerala reported the most daily cases and had the highest active cases in India. However, the state government, one might say rightly, attributed the rise to aggressive testing and reporting of cases. As the year ends, the variant remains a concern, albeit a mild one.
Kalamassery blasts
Blasts erupted on a calm Sunday morning on October 29 in Kalamassery, during a Jehovah’s Witnesses prayer meet. The attack sparked numerous theories about the group(s) responsible. In the end, Dominic Martin, a spurned member of the group, confessed to perpetrating the attack. Over the days, 8 people succumbed to injuries.
League
UDF ally Muslim League created ripples in political circles for its soft stance towards the LDF. Its decision not to protest against the Nava Kerala Sadas in Malappuram made many believe the party would jump ship. However, League state chief Panakkad Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal put the rumours to rest, categorically stating that the party aimed to strengthen UDF in Kerala.
Mammootty
2023 was an extraordinary year for Mammootty. His performances in Nanpakal Nerathu Mayakkam, Kannur Squad, and the recent Kaathal earned him critical acclaim. Cinephiles were delighted to see the 72-year-old taking up roles that many actors would not be comfortable with. As the icing on the cake, the actor won the state award for best actor, while his production firm Mammootty Kampany, backed several good films.
Night life
In Thiruvananthapuram, the launch of Manaveeyam Veedhi ushered in nightlife. However in Kochi, eateries were banned from operating at night. Even Marine Drive became off-limits after sunset to ‘tackle drug menace.’ People made their displeasure known, forcing the powers that be to drop the plan.
Oommen Jr
Chandy Oommen, son of Congress veteran Oommen Chandy, entered the assembly in style by winning the Puthuppally seat, which fell vacant after his father’s death. The 37-year-old scripted history by winning the constituency by over 36,000 votes, surpassing his father’s record margin of 33,255 votes.
Pocso
Kerala celebrated on Nov 14, when the Ernakulam Pocso court sentenced Asafak Alam to death in the rape-murder of a five-year-old girl in Aluva. However, heartbreak followed in December, when a Pocso court in Vandiperiyar acquitted the accused in the rape-murder of a six-year-old girl in 2021 for want of clinching evidence.
Queer
The LGBTQIA+ community in Kerala had a relatively good year. For one, transgender couple Zahhad and Ziya Paval gave birth to their biological baby, a first in the country. Then, Padma Lakshmi broke the glass ceiling to become the first transgender woman to enter the advocate community in Kerala. All in all, a good 2023.
Review bombing
Review bombing, the alleged act of influencing the rating system via a semi-organised campaign of online negative reviews received a thumbs-down from the Malayalam film industry. They claimed the act was affecting the box-office prospects of several films. Even the High Court stepped in. Meanwhile, actors Shane Nigam and Sreenath Bhasi faced bans for alleged misconduct. The curbs were later lifted.
Sadas
Nava Kerala Sadas courted a row with the Opposition targeting the CM and ministers for travelling in a D1-crore luxury bus and bringing administration to a standstill. Protesters showed black flags to the bus along its route. As the Sadas neared the end, the protests saw brutal reactions with police, SFI-DYFI workers and even the CM’s security personnel using force against the agitators.
Tanur boat tragedy
Tragedy struck on May 7 when Atlantic, a recreational boat, capsized near Tanur beach in Malappuram killing 22 people, including 15 children. It emerged that overcrowding and insufficient life jackets aggravated the tragedy. The boat lacked a safety certificate too. Two senior port officials were arrested for lapses.
Universities
Universities in Kerala remained headless as the government and governor failed to reach consensus on appointing VCs. The government was dealt a blow after the SC cancelled the reappointment of Gopinath Ravindran as Kannur University VC. The governor flexed his muscles and began the VC appointment process. However, it has been delayed as the state is yet to nominate a representative to the search panel.
Vande Bharat
The Centre gifted two Vande Bharat trains to Kerala. BJP turned the launch into a festival, irking CPM and Congress. The trains connected Kasaragod and Thiruvananthapuram, a distance of 574km, in 8 hours 5 mins. However, complaints cropped up that other trains were being held up to allow passage to Vande Bharat services. The railways refuted this.
Water Metro
Kochi Water Metro, Asia’s first integrated water transport system of its size that aims to connect 10 island communities to the mainland, became a reality on April 26. The facility hit a major milestone — serving 1 million passengers — within six months of launch. There are now proposals to start water metros in Kollam and Alappuzha too.
Xpress Dialogues
TNIE’s Express Dialogue series continued to create ripples this year too, as it set the tone for public discourse. Interactions with actor Sreenivasan, Cardinal George Alencherry, scriptwriter and director Ranjith, poet K Satchidanandan, and IUML’s P M A Salam were among the interactions that sparked wide discussions.
Youth Congress
For better or for worse, 2023 was Youth Congress’ year. While it courted row over the alleged use of forged ID cards in its state elections, it also won praise from people opposed to the government for waving black flags at the Nava Kerala Sadas bus.
Zoho
Kerala villages caught the fancy of global firms after multi-billion-dollar Zoho Corp set up its R&D centre in Kottarakkara, Kollam. Soon, GR8 Affinity, an American MNC, set up shop in Kulakkada, also in Kollam, marking international firms’ foray into rural Kerala to create jobs.