Here are the top news developments from Kerala to watch out for today.
Cinema set to have workplace harassment committee
In a first, the producers of director Senna Hegde's upcoming Malayalam cinema, 1744 White Alto, have constituted an internal panel to address possible complaints of sexual harassment at the workplace. The novel initiative comes when the Women in Cinema Collective is campaigning for the constitution of internal complaints committees as per the Protection of Women from Sexual Harassment at Workplace (PoSH) Act at film sets and production centres.
Virtual GST cadre
Finance Minister K. N. Balagopal will launch a virtual cadre of the State Goods and Services Tax Department enforcers. The tax enforcers will use their IT skills to detect tax evasion and make the online GST system more trader and business-friendly.
Checkpost to prevent cruel handling of animals
A special check post will come up in Walayar to crack down on the cruel handling of livestock when traders ferry them in trucks across the inter-State border to markets and slaughterhouses.
Legal aid for migrants
A legal service authority in Ernakulam will represent the 174 migrant labourers, mostly from the far-flung North Eastern States, who the local police had arrested on the charge of ambushing officers during a labour riot in the Kitex factory.
Demand to ban highrises in Wayanad
Environmental activists in the verdant and rugged Wayanad district will move the district administration to ban high-rises in the ecologically fragile region.
Cochin Port trust meeting
Cochin Port Trust Chairman Dr. M. Beena will meet trade unions and other stakeholders at the Cochin Fisheries Harbour (Thoppumpady) to seek a detente in a dispute regarding contracting a private agency to collect toll in the wharf area.