Below the line

“They do not know what they are getting into. Chilika Lake has a unique form of dolphins which are already under threat due to diesel motor boats spewing fumes. Kerala, with lakes galore, should be the ideal place for sea planes,” said an aviation expert.

Echoing similar thoughts were locals from Kerala also. These reactions were to the government’s in-principle approval for construction of water aerodromes in various States. To start with, the government has identified five States — Odisha, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Assam — for the development of water aerodromes. For the first phase of the project, Chilka Lake (Odisha), Sabarmati River Front and Sardar Sarovar Dam (Gujarat) have been identified.

This move is to promote tourism as well as connect places of religious importance.

But the question is who decided the destinations and why God’s own country is missing?

Fortis brothers — Malvinder and Shivinder Singh — maintained a quiet demeanour throughout the High Court (they were summoned for the first time) hearing. Younger brother Shivinder was seen meditating most of the time.

Outside the court though, he was seen chatting with the media, explaining their side of the story, convincing the media to carry points in the stories that go in their favour, ascertaining that Fortis was a national “asset”, but refused to come on record or issue a statement regarding the judge’s harsh stand against them.

However, Shivinder’s wife, dressed in a pretty floral sari, was seen getting livid with her legal counsel after the judge put their bank accounts under scrutiny and barred them from conducting any transactions.

It was a mission accomplished for Innocent, Malayalam actor-cum-Member of Parliament (Left Independent). Recently, Innocent, a cancer survivor, gifted an Italian translation of his autobiographical work, Cancer Wardile Chiri (Smile in a Cancer Ward), to UPA chairperson and fellow MP, Sonia Gandhi.

The Kerala MP has been championing the cause of cancer patients for a while. In one of his latest speeches in Parliament, he passionately spoke of the need for making expensive cancer drugs accessible for patients.

Earlier, when Innocent had shared his experience of cancer-affected days in Parliament, Sonai Gandhi wanted to know more. After learning that she had sought more details, he decided to get his book translated into Italian by philosophy researcher and writer Sabrina Lei, who is married to a Keralite settled in Italy.

A certain IT company which is trying to sell off two of its subsidiaries is learnt to have found itself in a rather difficult situation. Apparently, both the subsidiaries have turned profitable and their respective products are good enough to be licensed as well.

Then, what is making the company sell off these subsidiaries? Sources say that it is too toxic because of the bad publicity both have received so far and are being sold off at a discount.

For some companies, making a complete break from the past is perhaps the only way to move ahead.

Wary of disclosure

Sources tell us that a world-famous mobile phone brand is wary of recognising a manufacturing company from which it outsources its products. The management of the brand has apparently made it clear that the manufacturer should not mention its name under any conditions in spite of the fact that that is the only brand it makes.

The local industry department which has given permission for the outsources to set up its base in its State is quite amused, but we understand there is more to it than meets the eye.

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