A simple initiative to recharge the open wells using rainwater harvesting techniques seems to be yielding dividends in enhancing ground water levels in several parts of Thrissur district.

About 8,110 wells of households and institutions have been recharged under the project, with the support of the government, ever since it was launched in 2008. But another nearly 10,000 private wells have also been recharged by their owners using the same methodology, but without government aid.

81 people under treatment for dengue fever in various government hospitals

Pre-monsoon showers have heightened the dengue fever threat in Pathanamthitta, especially in the hilly tracts of the district. District Medical Officer Gracy Ithaq told The Hindu that as on Thursday, 81 people were undergoing treatment for dengue fever in various government hospitals in the district.

Draft identifies it as a major health problem in State

The draft nutrition policy being finalised by the State government identifies anaemia as a major health problem in the State, especially among women and children. More women and children have anaemia in 2005-06 than in 1999-99, the draft compares figures from the National Family Health Surveys held those years.

High incidence of Hepatitis A in two grama panchayats

A study conducted by the district unit of the Integrated Disease Surveillance Project into the reported high incidence of Hepatitis A infection in Thrikovilvattam and Mayyanad grama panchayats on the outskirts of Kollam city found that the disease spread from a common source-contaminated pipeline water supplied by the Kerala Water Authority. Ninety-two persons of Thrikovilvattam and 27 of Mayyanad were diagnosed with the disease last week.

KOTTAYAM: Around 50 cases of dengue fever were reported at the Medical College Hospital here on Tuesday.

Kerala has dominated the National Plant Genome Saviour Awards for the second successive year by grabbing the community award as well as the newly-introduced individual awards.

While the Plant Genome saviour Community Award for 2012 was bagged by Palakkad Rice Farming Community, Ciby Kallingal of Pattikkad, Thrissur, and N Vasavan of Pachapoika in Kannur, have won the individual awards for plant genome conservation.

Focus On Zone And Unit-Based Programmes For Sector

The state planning board is about to push for a basic change of approach in agriculture in Kerala’s annual plan for 2013-14. The draft plan report prepared by the board proposes to foster strategies and action plan based on the scientific division of the state into Agro Ecological Zones (AEZ) and Agro Ecological Units (AEU).

Vyttila, North Paravoor & Parakkadavu Blocks Most Affected

Kochi: A study conducted by the groundwater department has detected high presence of metals and chemicals in the wells in the district.
Lead, cadmium, sodium and nitrate were found in the observation wells of the department. The study stated that the depletion of water table might have resulted in increasing groundwater contamination in the district.

Civic body does not have a prompt action plan, say residents

The mnsoon, for the people of the city, is no more a time to rejoice but to fret and fear. Their worries about what the season has in store are heaping up much like the waste that is getting accumulated by the roadside.

The government has initiated steps to conserve Kanichan thura, a prominent naturally-formed oxbow lake in the state, of Vynthala near Mala here.