Shashi Tharoor raises sea erosion issue in Kerala

''There was severe damage and destruction of homes of fishermen. Sea was taking away kilometres of our land,'' he said during Zero Hour and urged the central government to provide funds as national priority.

The Thiruvananthapuram MP demanded the government should respond to the issues he has raised and some government departments should be held accountable on such an important matter.

Meenakshi Lekhi of the BJP raised the issue of Sabarimala temple in Kerala and said the the devotees of LordAyappa should be protected.

She demanded a bill to grant denominational status to Ayappa devotees and ended her speech with chants of Jai Ayappa.

Trying to suggest that drawing parallelism between Sabarimala issue and the Triple Talaq Bill would be erroneous, she said ''There was difference between religious practices and civil practices''.

Supriya Sule of the NCP raised the issue of drought and water crisis in Maharashtra and demanded help from the Centre.

VCK member Thirumaa Valavan Thol from Chidambaram raised the burning issue of water crisis in Tamil Nadu.

He said schools and IT companies have been closed, adding that ''This was challenge for Tamil Nadu and shame for the country''.

He sought central help and special package to tackle the issue prevailing in the state.

Shiv Sena member Shrikant Eknath Shinde raised the issue of violence inflicted on the medical fraternity.

''The attack on doctors were increasing, Recently two doctors were killed in West Bengal,'' he said, adding that healthcare in the country was affected because of this.

Condemning the attacks on doctors, Dr Shinde said problems included lack of infrastructure, shortage of doctors and long waiting queues.
Only 1.4 per cent of country's GDP was spent on healthcare which was very less, he said.

Shiv Sena member Vinayak Bhaurao Raut said ten Chinese vessels were granted shelter at Ratnagiri in Maharashtra and the people traveling had expired passports. He demanded probe into the matter.