Shipwreck spill hits ‘Malinya Muktham' campaign in Kerala
Highlighting the severity of the situation, social activist Magline Peter said that the entire shoreline of the capital is now covered in nurdles. She expressed concern that the local communities remain unaware of the hazardous situation, lacking information about necessary precautions and the actions being taken to address the crisis. 'There is no transparent communication to resolve this issue. A week has passed, but little action has been taken to clean the nurdles up,' she said.
Since its launch, the Malinya Muktham Nava Keralam campaign has focused on reducing plastic use, implementing door-to-door collection of non-biodegradable waste, and ensuring proper waste management. The nurdle spill represents a significant setback to these efforts.
LSG Minister M B Rajesh said that the government has begun efforts to remove the nurdles. 'While the Local Self-Government Department is not directly involved, the Environment Department is coordinating cleanup activities,' Rajesh said.
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Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Hindustan Times
105-year-old man eldest among digital literates
A 105-year-old former iman from Kerala's Ernakulam district is the eldest among over 2.1 million people who have been adjudged 'digitally literate' as part of an ongoing campaign in the state. 105-year-old man eldest among digital literates MA Abdullah Moulavi Baqafi hails from Odakkali in Asamannoor panchayat. He is nearly blind in one eye, can barely walk around his home, and suffers from kidney-related ailments. However, his curiosity and desire to embrace and understand technology like smartphones remain undaunted by these obstacles. Impressed by his resolve, Jaya, the panchayat's literacy educator (or 'prerak') spent a few days last year educating him, as part of the local self-government (LSG) department's 'Digi Keralam' campaign, a plan to help those struggling with smartphones achieve digital literacy. Sure enough, Baqafi proved a quick learner and passed the three-part module with flying colours. On Thursday, he will be in online attendance from home as chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan declares the state fully digitally literate, at an event scheduled to be held in Thiruvananthapuram. In an interview conducted over the phone, Faisal Ali, Baqali's son, said, 'Today, LSG minister MB Rajesh visited our home and congratulated my father on becoming digitally literate. The minister also gifted him a brand-new Samsung smartphone. He was extremely happy, and even demonstrated to the minister how to log into apps like YouTube and do video calls.' Faisal added that his father, who used a keypad phone earlier, expressed interest in handling a smartphone for the first time during the COVID-19 pandemic. 'During the lockdown, newspapers were hard to come by and he missed reading them. So my daughter showed him how he could watch the news on YouTube. That's how his interest grew,' he said. Jaya, the 'prerak' who trained Baqafi, said that his advanced age, health issues and adherence to religious duties presented some challenges during the training, even as she lauded the old man's desire to learn. 'He was very cooperative and showed interest to learn. I taught him how to use apps like Google Search and YouTube and do video-calls. He loved to do video-calls with his grand-daughter in Sharjah,' she said. The digital literacy educator added that the Union government has prescribed a three-part module for attaining digital literacy— including learning how to switch the smartphone on and off, save contacts and call people, use voice messages on WhatsApp, use apps like YouTube, conduct Google searches and make online payments for utilities such as LPG and electricity. Though the age limit designated by the Centre was between 14 and 65, she said the department opted to survey even those above 65. Kerala has one of the highest elderly populations in the country. According to a statement from the LSG department, over 257,000 volunteers, including literacy 'preraks', Kudumbashree and MGNREGA workers, NSS and Library Council members participated in the survey and subsequent digital literacy programme. Over 8 million households were surveyed across the state to identify 'digitally illiterate' persons, the statement added. In the survey, 21,88,298 persons were thus identified, 99.98% of whom have been trained and passed the evaluations, the statement said, adding that over 15,000 of those trained were over the age of 90.
News18
2 days ago
- News18
Kerala LSGD Minister visits centenarian digital literate
Kochi, Aug 18 (PTI) Kerala Local Self Government Department (LSGD) minister M B Rajesh on Monday visited M A Abdullah Moulavi, a 104-year-old man who achieved digital literacy through a government programme, and said he is the 'hero of the real Kerala story". He said Moulavi, a native of Asamannoor panchayat in Ernakulam district, has proved that age is not a barrier for learning. 'Maulavi is Kerala's pride. He is the hero of the real Kerala story," he told reporters here. Stating that Kerala is becoming the first digitally literate state in the country, the minister said Maulavi is the protagonist in the history of that change. He also said achieving digital literacy at this advanced age is proof of his willpower and determination. 'Age is not a barrier for anything," Rajesh said, pointing out Maulavi's rare achievement. This centenarian is one among nearly 22 lakh persons in the state who have become digitally literate in Kerala through the path-breaking 'Digi Keralam" programme rolled out by the state government, which eventually paved the way for a digital revolution in the southern state. Maulavi"s son Faizal said recently that his father chooses his favourite social media reels and watches important news on YouTube without anyone's help after receiving training under the initiative. With the passing of 99.98 per cent of total learners who achieved basic digital skills through the massive initiative, Kerala is now all set to be declared as the 'first digital literate state" in the country. Launched on September 22, 2022, by the Local Self-Government Department (LSGD), Digi Keralam is the drive to attain complete digital literacy in the state on the lines of the total literacy campaign mode in 1991, according to authorities. As part of the drive, digitally illiterate people in the society were identified through a survey, and they were given training from switching on and off a smartphone to using various digital tools and accessing government services online. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will officially declare the state as totally digitally literate in a function to be held at the Central Stadium here on August 21, official sources said. PTI LGK ADB view comments First Published: August 18, 2025, 15:45 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
New Indian Express
3 days ago
- New Indian Express
At 104, Kerala man becomes symbol of state's digital literacy revolution
THIRUVANTHAPURAM: At the age of 104, M A Abdullah Moulavi from Asamannoor in Ernakulam district is incredibly self-reliant in choosing his favourite social media reels and watching important news on YouTube. While searching prayer songs swiftly on his son's smartphone with his fragile fingers and pressing the video call button to talk to his grandchild abroad, Moulavi's wrinkled face beams with pride and happiness. He is one of about 22 lakh persons in Kerala who have become digitally literate through the path-breaking "Digi Keralam" programme rolled out by the state government, which eventually paved the way for a digital revolution. 79-year-old Sarasu, a daily wage earner, was initially averse to digital learning. Later, she became a YouTube channel owner, and 80-year-old Sulochana in Moovattupuzha started to access government services on her mobile without anyone's help. With 99.98 per cent of learners achieving basic digital skills and passing out, Kerala is now all set to be declared as the "first digital literate state" in the country. Launched on 22 September 2022 by the Local Self-Government Department (LSGD), Digi Keralam aimed to attain complete digital literacy in the state in line with the total literacy campaign in 1991, authorities said. As part of the drive, digitally illiterate people were identified and trained in tasks ranging from turning a smartphone on/off to using digital tools and accessing government services online.
