Kerala: Stories that mattered

Express News Service

There was no dearth of stories in 2021: Some good, some unhealthy. What remained constant was TNIE’s dedication to good journalism. As 2022 approaches, we kick off our year-ender collection with reviews that made an affect, that impressed all and that pressured a rethink on the highest degree. These are just some of 2021’s…

Left to fend for himself

1. Tortured by social gathering, denied pension, ex-IPS officer works as safety man2. Tears rolled as I walked out of CM’s workplace: Harassed ex-cop remembers assembly.

The report highlighted the plight of ex-IPS officer Okay Radhakrishnan, who was tortured mentally and bodily by the ruling CPM for refusing to just accept its narrative as probe officer within the Fazal homicide case in 2008. He was thrashed by goons, falsely implicated and suspended. He retired on April 30, 2021, however the authorities blocked his pension, forcing him to work as a safety officer in a neighbouring state. Upon studying his ordeal, many individuals contacted TNIE providing assist. An on-line portal launched a drive and raised Rs 60 lakh for him.

ILL-GOTTEN WEALTH

Rs 125 crore: What state govt earned by penalising Covid-hit folks — Shan AS 

The report described how the federal government used the lockdown to fill its coffers by permitting the police to indiscriminately penalise folks, who have been already reeling underneath the lockdown, for even the slightest Covid protocol violation. It revealed that the police collected minimal Rs 125 crore in fines because the first day of lockdown on May 8 to the introduction of relaxations on August 4. The report drew public consideration to police’s high-handedness. The Opposition too took potshots on the authorities for exploiting the pandemic to fill the treasury.

Touchwood: 100% disabled however 1% affected  — George Poikayil

Despite being paralysed from the neck down for 12 years, Shanavas T A refused to let his limitations outline him. He arrange a multi-crore timber enterprise from his hydraulic mattress. A monitor in his room displaying CCTV footage from his two timber shops, depot and his home, and an AirPod and cellphone that maintain him linked to clients assist him from a technological perspective. His spouse Rahmath and daughters Fida and Nida lend him emotional power and assist him in his enterprise.

Examination shocker

‘Regressive’ passage in CBSE examination irks Class X college students — Sovi Vidyadharan

Students who took CBSE’s Class X English Language and Literature examination on December 11 have been in for a shock after they noticed a regressive passage that promoted misogyny. Carrying a seize of the identical, TNIE revealed reactions of  college students, lecturers and fogeys who have been outraged at such regressive concepts discovering a spot within the examination. National media shops carried a follow-up story the subsequent day. Congress nationwide head Sonia Gandhi too raised the difficulty in Lok Sabha and demanded an inquiry. CBSE then admitted that the passage was not in tune with its tips. It dropped the controversial passage and awarded full marks to college students. 

The numbers don’t add up

Mask or minimal motion? Fatalities drop in pandemic yr — Unnikrishnan S

In what was the primary of many articles on the Covid demise toll of the state, the report described how Kerala noticed persistently decrease deaths within the nation regardless of being one of many worst-affected Indian states. The report was adopted by extra articles on consultants expressing doubts on the variety of deaths and the shortage of transparency in the complete course of. The Opposition took up the difficulty. The authorities later introduced in a clear mechanism and added beforehand unreported deaths to the toll. It wasn’t all. On April 1 and 6, reviews by Anuja Susan Varghese (Covid conundrum: First wave but to subside, second not far-off & Second Covid wave to unfold quicker: Experts) accurately predicted the course of the pandemic within the state. The reviews got here at a time when the meeting polls, rampant Covid protocol violations and lockdown relaxations toppled the state’s efforts to regulate the pandemic.

A sorry state of affairs

A multitude within the making  — B Sreejan

The story, which analysed the CAG report, described how mounting public debt and a steep enhance in income and financial deficits have been main Kerala in the direction of an unprecedented monetary disaster. It uncovered how the federal government erred by going for a pay revision in April, thereby deepening the monetary disaster. Borrowings too crossed 110% of funds estimate, which despatched alarm bells ringing.

Covering all facets

The story was adopted by a six-part collection on Kerala’s fragile financial system. It coated nearly each side ailing the state’s funds. Through their in-depth reviews, B Sreejan, M S Vidyanandan, Dhinesh Kallungal and Rajesh Abraham described how Kerala’s observe of availing loans mindlessly would result in a debt of Rs 3,27,000 crore by the top of this fiscal, the challenges it confronted in mobilising tax and non-tax income, the monetary affect of the return of emigrants, the pay hole between a talented labourer and a authorities worker, and the state’s lack of ability to draw big investments in addition to its failure to develop into a self-reliant powerhouse by selling native enterprise. The collection concluded with interviews of Finance Minister Okay N Balagopal and Opposition Leader V D Satheesan. Both of them agreed that there was a disaster and spoke about the way in which ahead.

August 1

WE LOST SOME GOOD SOULS

Hit onerous by lockdown cash crunch, 17 finish lives in 6 weeks — B Sreejan

The story and the detailed infographic (Pushed to brink, they gave up), dropped at fore the burden that the lockdowns of 2020 and 2021 placed on Keralites. TNIE carried the images and particulars of the 17 souls who, unable to bear monetary hardships, took the intense step between June 20 and July 31. The causes have been similar — lack of jobs and/or mounting money owed. The widely-discussed report was adopted by extra articles exposing the unscientific curbs deliberate. The Opposition took up the difficulty forcing the federal government to chill out the curbs on regular life. 

Rise of Kerala’s Phoenix

From verge of suicide, girl overcomes odds to develop into cop — Amiya Meethal

An abusive marriage pushed Noujisha, 31, a Muslim girl, to the brink of suicide. However, she pulled herself collectively and joined an entrance examination teaching. It bore fruit and Noujisha was chosen for not one however three PSC jobs. She determined to develop into a police officer and is now a trainee at Peruvannamuzhi station. The report prompted Kozhikode Rural Police SP to make Noujisha the mascot of the Rural Police’s Domestic Conflict Resolution Centre, a helpdesk for girls dealing with home violence.

No problem too huge

Battling illnesses and hardship, Shimi cracks legislation entrance at 41 — Anuja Susan Varghese

The report chronicled the battles and triumph of Shimi Shankar. The 41-year-old took care of her daughter Aiwanjali, a Class 5 scholar recognized with autoimmune illness Juvenile Dermatomyositis. Her husband, a personal firm worker, suffered two coronary heart assaults and couldn’t take care of the household correctly. Despite all odds, Shimi cracked the Kerala Law Entrance Exam. Her story and daughter’s medical state of affairs prompted many variety hearts to supply monetary assist.

A lesson in equality and selection

Forced to select between saree and job, lecturer chooses freedom — Lakshmi Priya

TNIE introduced consideration to the pressured imposition of the saree as a costume code on girl lecturers within the state. The report described how a younger and certified instructor stated no to a job in a better training institute after the administration stated she must put on a sari to work day-after-day, despite the fact that such a costume code didn’t apply to male professors. Two days after the report was revealed, the Kerala Higher Education Department issued a round clarifying that each instructor has the precise to decorate as per their selection and luxury.