Thodupuzha.info

Investigation in the case relating to the recent attack on a private college lecturer is going in the right direction and police have gathered a “clear picture” of those behind the incident, a top police official said today. It would also be investigated if there was any lapse on the part of police, DGP Jacob Punnose told reporters after a high level meeting of police officers probing the case at nearby Muvattupuzha.

The lecturer, T J Joseph, head of the department of Malayalam at a private Christian college in Thodupuzha, had been attacked allegedly by activists belonging to Muslim fundamentalist outfit Popular Front while he was returning with his family after Sunday mass on July 4.

His right hand was chopped off for allegedly preparing a question paper with derogatory references to Prophet Mohammed.

Joseph was arrested in April last after the question paper set by him for the B Com II year internal exams sparked protests by Muslim outfits, which claimed it had hurt their religious sentiments.

The areas around Thodupuzha town and the neighbouring villages are fertile, although much of it is hilly and slopy . In this land, the hard working people of Thodupuzha sow their sweat along with the seeds. They raise a number of crops – rubber, coconuts, rice, pepper, coco, arecanuts, nutmeg, cashew, topioca, bananas, ginger, pineapple, turmeric, etc. Teak and mangium trees are found universally in all homesteads. since the irrigation facilities available in Thodupuzha area are scanty, the farmers find it  difficult to try other crops or to extend the present area under cultivation.

Colocasia esculenta, taro is a herbaceous plant from old world tropics,(commonly known as Chempu in Malayalam) with thick tuber (underground stem) containing much starch; cultivated for food for many centuries. Taro must be cooked to destroy the acrid crystals of calcium oxalate found in all parts of the plant. The colocasia is a crop of tropical and sub-tropical regions and requires a warm humid climate. Under rainfed conditions, it requires a fairly well distributed rainfall around 120-150 cm during the growth period. Well-drained soil is suitable for uniform development of tubers.. Inter-cultivation is essential in colocasia. Weeding, light hoeing and earthing up are required at 30-45 days and 60-75 days after planting. The leafy parts may be smothered about one month before harvest so as to enhance tuber development.

Colocasia becomes ready for harvest five to six months after planting. The mother corms and side tubers are separated after harvest. Ensure sufficient moisture in the soil at the time of planting. For uniform sprouting, irrigate just after planting and one week later. Subsequent irrigation may be given at 12-15 days intervals, depending on the moisture retention capacity of the soil.

The side tubers to be used as planting materials are usually separated from the mother corm and stored. Keep seed tuber in sand spread over the floor to avoid rotting.