Monday, July 17, 2006
Hyderabad City News July 18th, 2006
AP Maoists lord it over Chhattisgarh
Hyderabad, July 17: Maoist leaders from Andhra Pradesh reportedly masterminded the recent attack on the Salwa Judum camp in Erraboru village of Chhattisgarh. The Dandakaranya special zonal committee that includes Chhattisgarh is led by AP Maoists. They were afraid that they would lose their grip on Dandakaranya because of the activities of Salwa Judum. This is said to be the prime reason for the attack. The four executive committee members of the Dandakaranya committee, including its secretary Kosa alias K. Satyanarayana, are from AP.
Top Maoist leaders such as Mallojula Koteswara Rao are hiding in Dandakaranya and North Telangana Naxal leaders are also operating from Chhattisgarh. Police suspect that G. Ashok, second-in-command of Dandakaranya committee, and Saraiah, led the attack on Salwa Judum. Director-general of police Swaranjit Sen said that the Maoists had lost ground in AP and wanted to consolidate their position in Chhattisgarh. “They may be afraid of losing their hold in Dandakaranya because of the Salwa Judum movement,” Mr Sen said.
An official of the Special Intelligence Branch said that though AP Maoists were in the higher-level committees, the ground-level activists were from Chhattisgarh. Muppidi Sambaiah alias Jangu alias Sudharshan of Warangal, Gajjela Mutyam Reddy alias Gopanna of Nalgonda and R. Srinivas alias Raman of Cheryal in Warangal are other prominent leaders of Dandakaranya committee.
“It was People’s War Group founder Kondapalli Seetaramaiah who envisaged the idea of forming a guerrilla zone in Dandakaranya that covers Bastar, Dantewada and other districts,” said a police source. “AP has exported Naxalism to Chhattisgarh,” the source said. According to him, there were 70 local guerrilla squads and 30 military dalams in Dandakaranya. A majority of the Naxal cadre are tribals and they are not involved in crucial decision making.
Maoists are increasing their influence day by day in Chhattisgarh. At present, at least nine out of 16 districts of Chhattisgarh — Kanker, Dantewada, Bastar, Surguja, Balrampur, Rajnandgaon, Koriya, Kawardha and Jashpur — are affected by the Maoist movement.
Left parties keep TD away
Hyderabad, July 17: The CPI(M) and the CPI on Mo-nday came together in their fight against the unchecked price rise but kept the “friendly” Telugu Desam (TD) out of the agitation. Hundreds of activists of the CPI and the CPI(M) held demonstrations all over the State as part of their nation-wide campaign against inflation and skyrocketing of prices of essential commodities.
Incidentally, the Left parties did not allow the TD to join their agitation lest it would send “wrong signals” to the ruling Congress in the State. Sources said while the CPI(M) was willing to take the support of the TD, the CPI made it clear that it would stay away from the agitation if the TD was allowed to join. Consequently, the TD has decided to organise its own agitation against inflation on July 20.
Following polarisation of political forces just before the panchayat elections, which concluded on July 10, the CPI(M) had joined hands with the TD and in fact, both the parties jointly organised dharna to lodge their protest against hike in petroleum prices.
The CPI, which sailed with the Congress, decided to keep away in protest and organised its own agitation then. But now since the Left parties have coordinated their agitation at the national level, the CPI(M) could not say no to the CPI. Instead, it decided to keep the TD at bay.
Congress, YSR, talk differently on prices
Hyderabad, July 17: The Congress leadership in the State is still unsure on how to deal with the rise in prices of essential commodities. Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy, the Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) and the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) have come out with conflicting comments on the price situation in the last few days.
While the APCC argued that prices were under control, the Chief Minister said that the rise in prices of essential commodities had affected the Congress performance in the recent panchayat raj elections. However, on Monday, the CLP claimed that prices of essential commodities were under control.
If there was any increase in the prices, it could be attributed to “seasonal variations” and increase in the fuel prices, the CLP said. “The previous NDA government is responsible for the inflation,” said former minister and Congress MLA Gali Muddukrishnama Naidu.
“It had removed the oil pool and the administered price mechanism, and linked fuel prices to the international oil market,” the Congress leader said. Mr Muddukrishnama Naidu said that the Telugu Desam and the NDA should share the blame for the rise in prices.
MCH told to clear footpaths
Hyderabad July 17: The Andhra Pradesh High Court on Monday directed the Municipal Corporation of Hyderabad (MCH) to remo-ve all encroachers from foo-tpaths and pavements, using the police if necessary.A division bench comprising Chief Justice G.S. Singhvi and Justice G.V. Seethapathy also directed book vendors at Koti to shift to the alternative site within one month.
The MCH could use all the force permissible under law to remove those encroachers who refused to relocate to zones earmarked for them, the court said. Identity cards should be issued to the hawkers and dwellers of pavements within one month and they should be directed to shift to alternative sites.The bench asked the encroachers to apply for identity cards from MCH within seven days.
Police should provide necessary assistance to the MCH to remove the encroachers, the judges said in the orders.The bench also directed civil courts in the twin cities and Ranga Reddy district not to entertain any case pertaining to the removal of illegal encroachments.
Notice issued to junior docs
A division bench of the AP High Court on Monday ordered notices to the AP Junior Doctors association which failed to give an undertaking not to resort to strikes in the future.The bench was dealing with a public interest litigation (PIL) challenging the strike call given by the association.
The judges directed the State government to regularise the services of doctors who gave an undertaking that they would not strike work in the future. Doctors should abide by their words that they would not go on strike, said the court.
Don’t transfer director-general
A division bench asked the government not to transfer fire services director-general Alok Srivastava without seeking permission from the court, until the case concerning non-compliance of fire safety measures to multi-storied buildings is concluded.
The bench was dealing with a suo moto writ petition arising out of news items ab-out the violation of fire safety measures by the multiplexes and multi-storied buildings. The bench refused to permit any deviations in the construction of Minerva Complex.
The bench made it clear that the court was not inclined to permit any deviations. It directed the State government to deal strenuo-usly against the persons who deviate the sanction plan.
Officials to identify land for golf course evacuees
Hyderabad, July 17: The State government has asked the Ranga Reddy district administration to identify suitable land for alienating to evacuees of Hyderabad Golf Course being developed by Emar properties near Golconda.
Out of 106 acres of land required for the golf course, 26 acres is patta land belonging to 59 local farmers. The government has offered to pay compensation of Rs 80,000 per acre, but the evacuees refused the same and wanted the government to alienate alternative land in and around Hyderabad.
The issue came up for discussion at a meeting convened by information minister Muhammed Ali Shabber, also the incharge minister for Hyderabad, with farmers’ representatives, Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi and officials.
The officials said eight acres of government land had already been identified at Narsingi in Ranga Reddy for alienation among the evacuees of golf course land. The evacuees wanted another 15 acres to be alienated in a prime location on the city outskirts.
Interestingly, the evacuees also offered to surrender another 26 acres adjacent the golf course to the government in lieu of the land to be alienated in Ranga Reddy district. They brought to the notice of the minister that 26 acres of land was available at Jamalikunta on the city outskirts.
Hyderabad Collector R.V. Chandravadan said he had already written to Ranga Reddy collector Premchandra Reddy to alienate land to the golf course evacuees.
State advised to use Tops
Hyderabad, July 17: An AP-born research scientist at National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Ramakrishna R. Nemani, on Monday proposed the setting up of a Terrestrial Observation and Prediction System (TOPS) to accurately predict weather conditions.
Mr Ramakrishna gave a presentation on TOPS to Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy who promised to take it up with the Centre. Explaining about TOPS, Mr Ramakrishna, who is originally from East Godavari district, said it integrate data from satellite, aircraft, and ground sensors to produce operational ‘nowcasts’ and forecasts.
From individual vineyard blocks to global monthly assessments, the system can predict weather for a range of areas.Tops could develop nowcasts and forecasts for the ecosystem including surface and ground water, soils, agriculture and other natural resources. He said the cost-benefit ratio of such studies works out to $29 for $1 investment.
Thieves try to rob girl, held
Hyderabad, July 17: Cyberabad police chased thieves and arrested three of them after a girl, whose bag was stolen, raised an alarm at Raidurgam on Monday. The thieves allegedly snatched the hand bag of E. Vanishree, a student of Narayanamma Engineering College, while she was getting down from the bus, and tried to flee. The 20-year-old girl, daughter of E. Satayanarayana of DRDL Kanchanbagh, was reportedly carrying Rs 23,000 cash in her bag and was going to State Bank of Hyderabad to pay her fee.
Gurukul row hits plot owners
Hyderabad, July 17: The State government’s decision to takeover 627 acres of land worth more than Rs 3,000 crores from Gurukul Ghatkesar Trust has come as a blow to hundreds of residential plot owners in the area.
Of the total area, 140 acres is in the possession of Sri Swamy Ayyappa Cooperative Housing Society, which has 1,215 members, many of whom have already constructed houses.Incidentally, this is the only residential area in the entire Gurukul land, which the government wants to takeover. The government now wants to evict all the plot owners. Last week, the officials swooped on the colony and disconnected power supply to the houses and asked them to vacate their houses.
The Society purchased the land from Ghatkesar Gurukul Trust at Khanamet village way back in 1982 after duly verifying the resolution passed by the trust in 1981 for sale of lands and exemption given by the Urban Land Ceiling Authority. After following the due norms of the housing colony layout, the Society sold the plots. Before registration, the then joint registrar had even written to the special officer of the ULC and obtained clearance.
The trouble began when one of the trustees of Gurukul Ghatkesar land, Vandemataram Ramachandra Rao, complained to the endowments commissioner in 1989, saying the land was illegally sold by the president of the trust B. Kishanlal and appealed to the government to take ov-er the land. After an inqu-iry, endowments deputy commissioner passed orders on June 1, 2004 for the takeover the land.
In the meantime, the Society moved the High Court which in 2004 held that the sale as invalid. Ho-wever, the Court left the remedies to approach endowments commissioner and the government. The Society members approac-hed the endowments dep-artment for regularisation, but sources in the revenue department said the members would have to pay the present market value for regularisation.
Power panel slams Transco on Vemagiri
Hyderabad, July 17: The AP Electricity Regulatory Commission (APERC) on Monday grilled APTransco authorities on amending the power purchase agreement with 370 MW Vemagiri gas-based power project in East Godavari district.
APERC chairman Swam-inathan and members sou-ght to know the reason for dropping of the alternative fuel clause by APTransco as there was no guarantee that the price of natural gas would not be more than naptha in the coming years.
The panel also questioned the proposal to extend the validity of PPA from 15 years to 23 years and to pay O&M expenses of Rs 245 crores in the last two years of the PPA term. It also raised objections to APTra-nsco’s decision to permit Vemagiri promoters to sell additional power generation to a third party.
Rangam predicts good rainfall
Hyderabad, July 17: Rangam, the oracle of Ujjaini Mahankali temple, has predicted that the diseases haunting Telangana region would disappear soon. The oracle’s customary prediction for the future came at the concluding day of the Bonalu festival in Secunderabad.
Devotees would be protected from Chikungunya and other diseases by the Ujjaini Goddess if they offered her saakhalu for another week, the oracle said.
It would take a week of extensive pujas in the Ujjaini Mahankali temple to control the epidemic. Bonalu festival organising committee member Mandala Venkateswarulu also asked the oracle about the fickle monsoons.
“I know people are worried about rains but the Goddess will always look after her devotees,” said soothsayer Swarnalatha. “Rains will surely be widespread in Telangana this year,” she said. The temple was jampacked with devotees during the Rangam ritual which started at 9 am. Local MLAs Marri Shashidhar Reddy and P. Janardhan Reddy attended the ritual.
Devotees also asked the oracle about the rising price of essential commodities in the State
“Prices will come down with the advent of rains,” said the oracle, who also expressed satisfaction at the devotion shown by people during Bonalu.The Rangam ritual has been held regularly for 70 years. From this year, the oracle would be given a monthly salary.
Hyderabad, July 17: Maoist leaders from Andhra Pradesh reportedly masterminded the recent attack on the Salwa Judum camp in Erraboru village of Chhattisgarh. The Dandakaranya special zonal committee that includes Chhattisgarh is led by AP Maoists. They were afraid that they would lose their grip on Dandakaranya because of the activities of Salwa Judum. This is said to be the prime reason for the attack. The four executive committee members of the Dandakaranya committee, including its secretary Kosa alias K. Satyanarayana, are from AP.
Top Maoist leaders such as Mallojula Koteswara Rao are hiding in Dandakaranya and North Telangana Naxal leaders are also operating from Chhattisgarh. Police suspect that G. Ashok, second-in-command of Dandakaranya committee, and Saraiah, led the attack on Salwa Judum. Director-general of police Swaranjit Sen said that the Maoists had lost ground in AP and wanted to consolidate their position in Chhattisgarh. “They may be afraid of losing their hold in Dandakaranya because of the Salwa Judum movement,” Mr Sen said.
An official of the Special Intelligence Branch said that though AP Maoists were in the higher-level committees, the ground-level activists were from Chhattisgarh. Muppidi Sambaiah alias Jangu alias Sudharshan of Warangal, Gajjela Mutyam Reddy alias Gopanna of Nalgonda and R. Srinivas alias Raman of Cheryal in Warangal are other prominent leaders of Dandakaranya committee.
“It was People’s War Group founder Kondapalli Seetaramaiah who envisaged the idea of forming a guerrilla zone in Dandakaranya that covers Bastar, Dantewada and other districts,” said a police source. “AP has exported Naxalism to Chhattisgarh,” the source said. According to him, there were 70 local guerrilla squads and 30 military dalams in Dandakaranya. A majority of the Naxal cadre are tribals and they are not involved in crucial decision making.
Maoists are increasing their influence day by day in Chhattisgarh. At present, at least nine out of 16 districts of Chhattisgarh — Kanker, Dantewada, Bastar, Surguja, Balrampur, Rajnandgaon, Koriya, Kawardha and Jashpur — are affected by the Maoist movement.
Left parties keep TD away
Hyderabad, July 17: The CPI(M) and the CPI on Mo-nday came together in their fight against the unchecked price rise but kept the “friendly” Telugu Desam (TD) out of the agitation. Hundreds of activists of the CPI and the CPI(M) held demonstrations all over the State as part of their nation-wide campaign against inflation and skyrocketing of prices of essential commodities.
Incidentally, the Left parties did not allow the TD to join their agitation lest it would send “wrong signals” to the ruling Congress in the State. Sources said while the CPI(M) was willing to take the support of the TD, the CPI made it clear that it would stay away from the agitation if the TD was allowed to join. Consequently, the TD has decided to organise its own agitation against inflation on July 20.
Following polarisation of political forces just before the panchayat elections, which concluded on July 10, the CPI(M) had joined hands with the TD and in fact, both the parties jointly organised dharna to lodge their protest against hike in petroleum prices.
The CPI, which sailed with the Congress, decided to keep away in protest and organised its own agitation then. But now since the Left parties have coordinated their agitation at the national level, the CPI(M) could not say no to the CPI. Instead, it decided to keep the TD at bay.
Congress, YSR, talk differently on prices
Hyderabad, July 17: The Congress leadership in the State is still unsure on how to deal with the rise in prices of essential commodities. Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy, the Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) and the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) have come out with conflicting comments on the price situation in the last few days.
While the APCC argued that prices were under control, the Chief Minister said that the rise in prices of essential commodities had affected the Congress performance in the recent panchayat raj elections. However, on Monday, the CLP claimed that prices of essential commodities were under control.
If there was any increase in the prices, it could be attributed to “seasonal variations” and increase in the fuel prices, the CLP said. “The previous NDA government is responsible for the inflation,” said former minister and Congress MLA Gali Muddukrishnama Naidu.
“It had removed the oil pool and the administered price mechanism, and linked fuel prices to the international oil market,” the Congress leader said. Mr Muddukrishnama Naidu said that the Telugu Desam and the NDA should share the blame for the rise in prices.
MCH told to clear footpaths
Hyderabad July 17: The Andhra Pradesh High Court on Monday directed the Municipal Corporation of Hyderabad (MCH) to remo-ve all encroachers from foo-tpaths and pavements, using the police if necessary.A division bench comprising Chief Justice G.S. Singhvi and Justice G.V. Seethapathy also directed book vendors at Koti to shift to the alternative site within one month.
The MCH could use all the force permissible under law to remove those encroachers who refused to relocate to zones earmarked for them, the court said. Identity cards should be issued to the hawkers and dwellers of pavements within one month and they should be directed to shift to alternative sites.The bench asked the encroachers to apply for identity cards from MCH within seven days.
Police should provide necessary assistance to the MCH to remove the encroachers, the judges said in the orders.The bench also directed civil courts in the twin cities and Ranga Reddy district not to entertain any case pertaining to the removal of illegal encroachments.
Notice issued to junior docs
A division bench of the AP High Court on Monday ordered notices to the AP Junior Doctors association which failed to give an undertaking not to resort to strikes in the future.The bench was dealing with a public interest litigation (PIL) challenging the strike call given by the association.
The judges directed the State government to regularise the services of doctors who gave an undertaking that they would not strike work in the future. Doctors should abide by their words that they would not go on strike, said the court.
Don’t transfer director-general
A division bench asked the government not to transfer fire services director-general Alok Srivastava without seeking permission from the court, until the case concerning non-compliance of fire safety measures to multi-storied buildings is concluded.
The bench was dealing with a suo moto writ petition arising out of news items ab-out the violation of fire safety measures by the multiplexes and multi-storied buildings. The bench refused to permit any deviations in the construction of Minerva Complex.
The bench made it clear that the court was not inclined to permit any deviations. It directed the State government to deal strenuo-usly against the persons who deviate the sanction plan.
Officials to identify land for golf course evacuees
Hyderabad, July 17: The State government has asked the Ranga Reddy district administration to identify suitable land for alienating to evacuees of Hyderabad Golf Course being developed by Emar properties near Golconda.
Out of 106 acres of land required for the golf course, 26 acres is patta land belonging to 59 local farmers. The government has offered to pay compensation of Rs 80,000 per acre, but the evacuees refused the same and wanted the government to alienate alternative land in and around Hyderabad.
The issue came up for discussion at a meeting convened by information minister Muhammed Ali Shabber, also the incharge minister for Hyderabad, with farmers’ representatives, Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi and officials.
The officials said eight acres of government land had already been identified at Narsingi in Ranga Reddy for alienation among the evacuees of golf course land. The evacuees wanted another 15 acres to be alienated in a prime location on the city outskirts.
Interestingly, the evacuees also offered to surrender another 26 acres adjacent the golf course to the government in lieu of the land to be alienated in Ranga Reddy district. They brought to the notice of the minister that 26 acres of land was available at Jamalikunta on the city outskirts.
Hyderabad Collector R.V. Chandravadan said he had already written to Ranga Reddy collector Premchandra Reddy to alienate land to the golf course evacuees.
State advised to use Tops
Hyderabad, July 17: An AP-born research scientist at National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Ramakrishna R. Nemani, on Monday proposed the setting up of a Terrestrial Observation and Prediction System (TOPS) to accurately predict weather conditions.
Mr Ramakrishna gave a presentation on TOPS to Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy who promised to take it up with the Centre. Explaining about TOPS, Mr Ramakrishna, who is originally from East Godavari district, said it integrate data from satellite, aircraft, and ground sensors to produce operational ‘nowcasts’ and forecasts.
From individual vineyard blocks to global monthly assessments, the system can predict weather for a range of areas.Tops could develop nowcasts and forecasts for the ecosystem including surface and ground water, soils, agriculture and other natural resources. He said the cost-benefit ratio of such studies works out to $29 for $1 investment.
Thieves try to rob girl, held
Hyderabad, July 17: Cyberabad police chased thieves and arrested three of them after a girl, whose bag was stolen, raised an alarm at Raidurgam on Monday. The thieves allegedly snatched the hand bag of E. Vanishree, a student of Narayanamma Engineering College, while she was getting down from the bus, and tried to flee. The 20-year-old girl, daughter of E. Satayanarayana of DRDL Kanchanbagh, was reportedly carrying Rs 23,000 cash in her bag and was going to State Bank of Hyderabad to pay her fee.
Gurukul row hits plot owners
Hyderabad, July 17: The State government’s decision to takeover 627 acres of land worth more than Rs 3,000 crores from Gurukul Ghatkesar Trust has come as a blow to hundreds of residential plot owners in the area.
Of the total area, 140 acres is in the possession of Sri Swamy Ayyappa Cooperative Housing Society, which has 1,215 members, many of whom have already constructed houses.Incidentally, this is the only residential area in the entire Gurukul land, which the government wants to takeover. The government now wants to evict all the plot owners. Last week, the officials swooped on the colony and disconnected power supply to the houses and asked them to vacate their houses.
The Society purchased the land from Ghatkesar Gurukul Trust at Khanamet village way back in 1982 after duly verifying the resolution passed by the trust in 1981 for sale of lands and exemption given by the Urban Land Ceiling Authority. After following the due norms of the housing colony layout, the Society sold the plots. Before registration, the then joint registrar had even written to the special officer of the ULC and obtained clearance.
The trouble began when one of the trustees of Gurukul Ghatkesar land, Vandemataram Ramachandra Rao, complained to the endowments commissioner in 1989, saying the land was illegally sold by the president of the trust B. Kishanlal and appealed to the government to take ov-er the land. After an inqu-iry, endowments deputy commissioner passed orders on June 1, 2004 for the takeover the land.
In the meantime, the Society moved the High Court which in 2004 held that the sale as invalid. Ho-wever, the Court left the remedies to approach endowments commissioner and the government. The Society members approac-hed the endowments dep-artment for regularisation, but sources in the revenue department said the members would have to pay the present market value for regularisation.
Power panel slams Transco on Vemagiri
Hyderabad, July 17: The AP Electricity Regulatory Commission (APERC) on Monday grilled APTransco authorities on amending the power purchase agreement with 370 MW Vemagiri gas-based power project in East Godavari district.
APERC chairman Swam-inathan and members sou-ght to know the reason for dropping of the alternative fuel clause by APTransco as there was no guarantee that the price of natural gas would not be more than naptha in the coming years.
The panel also questioned the proposal to extend the validity of PPA from 15 years to 23 years and to pay O&M expenses of Rs 245 crores in the last two years of the PPA term. It also raised objections to APTra-nsco’s decision to permit Vemagiri promoters to sell additional power generation to a third party.
Rangam predicts good rainfall
Hyderabad, July 17: Rangam, the oracle of Ujjaini Mahankali temple, has predicted that the diseases haunting Telangana region would disappear soon. The oracle’s customary prediction for the future came at the concluding day of the Bonalu festival in Secunderabad.
Devotees would be protected from Chikungunya and other diseases by the Ujjaini Goddess if they offered her saakhalu for another week, the oracle said.
It would take a week of extensive pujas in the Ujjaini Mahankali temple to control the epidemic. Bonalu festival organising committee member Mandala Venkateswarulu also asked the oracle about the fickle monsoons.
“I know people are worried about rains but the Goddess will always look after her devotees,” said soothsayer Swarnalatha. “Rains will surely be widespread in Telangana this year,” she said. The temple was jampacked with devotees during the Rangam ritual which started at 9 am. Local MLAs Marri Shashidhar Reddy and P. Janardhan Reddy attended the ritual.
Devotees also asked the oracle about the rising price of essential commodities in the State
“Prices will come down with the advent of rains,” said the oracle, who also expressed satisfaction at the devotion shown by people during Bonalu.The Rangam ritual has been held regularly for 70 years. From this year, the oracle would be given a monthly salary.
