Sunday, July 30, 2006
Hyderabad City News july29,2006
IIIT gets 900 crore land gift
Hyderabad, July 29: Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy on Saturday decided to make the International Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) in Gachibowli the owner of its 62 acre campus land costing around Rs 900 crore.
Dr Rajasekhar Reddy, addressing the fifth convocation gathering of the IIIT, said that there has been a request from the IIIT for giving away land to it as land prices have been rising. “They told me that if you do not do this now, it cannot perhaps be done ever. In principle the State government has decided to give you the land. The matter will come up before the Cabinet soon. Within a month you will own the land,” the Chief Minister said to loud cheers from hundreds of students and staff in the audience.
Dr Rajiv Sangal, director of IIIT, told this correspondent that the State government leased the campus land for 25 years in 1998. “As we wanted to build conference halls etc. we approached various banks which said they could not provide loans for construction activity on leased lands. We informed the government about the situation and the Chief Minister has agreed to give the land to the IIIT. We are thankful to him,” he said.
The Chief Minister praised the good work being carried out at IIIT and said that the presence of the institute has played a key role in getting the multi-million dollar Fab City project to Hyderabad. He asked the institute to prepare software for the small and marginal farmers in the State.
Dr Raj Reddy, the brain behind the setting up of IIIT, said as has been the case with the automobile industry about 50 years ago, IT has now entered a golden age. “The boom and bust period is over. The IT industry has entered its golden times,” Dr Raj Reddy said. At IIIT, he said, there are plans to produce 100 PhDs every year.
Expert stresses on computer based education
Hyderabad, July 29: The education system in India is in crisis at all levels, declared Fakir Chand Kohli, who is considered the ‘father of software technology in the country,’ and recommended radical measures in making society completely literate.
Delivering the keynote address at the fifth convocation of the International Institute of Information Technology Mr Kohli said that education is the foundation for the well-being of the country and society. “It is education and kno-wledge of science and technology that makes economic growth sustainable. But, today education in this country is in crisis at all levels,” he said.
Mr Kohli said the increase in literacy rate in India is about 1.5 per cent at which rate it would take 20 years for the country to achieve 95 per cent literacy. He said that if India adopted the Computer Based Functional Literacy system of education the period now required for making the entire country literate could be reduced to mere five years.
Experiments in this system in six languages have produced 90,000 literates so far, he said.Mr Kohli compared the situation in India with that in China. The literacy rate in India, he said, is 67 per cent and 300 million people live below the poverty line (BPL).
Of the total BPL population, 150 million are adult illiterates. China, on the other hand, with 90 per cent literacy rate, has been producing six lakh graduates in science and engineering and 13,000 Ph.Ds.
He said the annual production of science and engineering graduates in India stands at 3.5 lakhs with about 1,000 PhDs. “China has been producing 18 million personal computers every year as against India’s 4 million,” Mr Kohi said.
YSR talks of amendment
Hyderabad, July 29: Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy on Saturday said the State government would seek an amendment to the Constitution to ensure that five per cent reservation is provided to Muslims.
“Though the AP High Court has turned down the Muslim quota, we hope justice will be done to the community in Supreme Court. Even if the case goes against the government in the apex court, we will try to bring in a legislation in Parliament,” Dr Reddy said. He took the audience by surprise when he spoke in Urdu for some time. Dr Reddy was addressing a meeting at the swearing-in ceremony of Mu-hammad Sirajuddin as chairman of minorities cell, APCC.
CPRO is press secretary
Hyderabad, July 29: The State government on Saturday redesignated A. Chandrasekhar Reddy, chief public relations officer to Chief Minister, as press secretary to Chief Minister.
This is for the first time that the Chief Minister will have a press secretary, on the lines of press secretary to Prime Minister. Mr Red-dy will now hold the secretary rank in the government.
Mr Reddy has been elevated for his contribution to the Chief Minister’s Office in building the image of the government in various sectors, according to an official release.
FOBs faulty, say MLAs
Hyderabad, July 29: MLAs M. Shashidhar Reddy and P. Janardhan Reddy said on Saturday that the Skywalks or Foot Over Bridges (FOBs) in the city were being constructed without proper planning.
The duo personally inspected the FOB near Hyderabad Public School, Begumpet, where rain water had stagnated causing a severe traffic jam a couple of days ago. Later, speaking to this correspondent, the two legislators said that that the skywalks were being raised in haste and despite seeking information from the concerned officer, they were yet to receive a detailed project report on the FOBs.
Consequently, Mr Shashidhar Reddy has shot off a letter to MCH Commissioner Sanjay Jaju seeking an explanation on the FOB project. “The purpose of widening the SP Road has been defeated with the construction of the FOB. The staircase and a portion of FOB occupies not only the footpath but also extends to the road, thereby narrowing down the road at that particular point,” Shashidhar Reddy said.
Meanwhile, the management of Hyderabad Public School has also expressed concern over the proposal to establish commercial ventures at the FOB. According to Hyderabad Public School management, the proposal to set up public furniture, food courts, kiosks, stationery shops and ATMs would defeat the very purpose of High Court order against footpath encroachments The Hyderabad Public School. management has also written a letter on the issue to the MCH Commissioner.
They graduate in crime
Hyderabad, July 29: Cases of graduate and post graduate youth involved in thefts and robberies are on rise in the city. Out of the 10 thieves arrested in different parts of the city and Cyberabad in the past one month, six turned out to be degree holders.
Easy money and lavish lifestyle seem to be the factors that lure youth into the crime web.“Huge differences in pay pack between IT professionals and other employees results in disparity in the spending abilities within a group of friends. To lead a lavish lifestyle like their rich friends, young men resort to thefts,” Chilkalaguda Inspector of Police G. P. Vinod Kumar said.
Sanjeev Reddy Nagar police on Thursday had arrested two graduates, Phanindra and Kishore, who had stolen 46 bikes from different parts of the city. Phanindra, a graduate from Rajahmundry, came to the city in search of job and worked as data entry operator at BHEL where he met Kishore. Avez Ahmed, another arrested graduate, who completed his B.Sc from Madurai Kamraj University and trained in hardware technology, said that he resorted to burglaries to lead a luxurious life.
Another graduate, J. Rajashekar, arrested by Banjara Hills police, was cheating public in the name of providing houses for rent. S. R. Nagar Inspector A. Venkatratnam said that youth resort to such acts of crime mainly to make quick money. They should be reformed in jails,” he added.
Polluting school buses out, CNG station in city
Hyderabad, July 29: Polluting school buses in twin cities have come under the scanner of the Transport Department. As part of its drive to phase out 15-year-old government vehicles, the department has identified 739 school buses out of the 2,356 plying on the roads and phased them out.
While the Government has decided not to touch 15-year old private vehicles now, it has intensified the drive against other commercial vehicles over 15 years old following court orders. Towards this, the first CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) filling station will be opened at Nagole on August 15. Initially, public transport vehicles including autorickshaws will be considered, Mr C.L.N. Gandhi, Joint Transport Commissioner told this correspondent.
So far, the transport department has phased out 8,000 lorries, 90 APSRTC buses, 75 SETWIN buses and 739 schools buses. Similarly, 126 government cars and jeeps 15-year-old have been sent to districts.
Supreme Court had observed that among other cities like Delhi, Ahmedabad and Mumbai, ‘Respirable Suspended Particulate Matter’ (RSPM) levels in Hyderabad too have been posing health hazards and directed the State government to draw a plan to bring down the levels.
As per the direction of Supreme Court, the department had convened a meeting in 2003 and drawn an action plan to check air pollution in Hyderabad city. Mr Gandhi added that Hyderabad had been identified as the most pollutant city in the State.
CM picks tough babu
Hyderabad, July 29: The appointment of senior IAS officer Jandhyala Harinara-yana as the new chief secretary following the retirement of T.K. Dewan has ruffled a few feathers in the Secretariat.
Though Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy has picked Mr Harinarayana, who has hitherto been on Central deputation as secretary in the Union ministry of water resources, to complete the gigantic task of Jalayagnam without further hurdles, his return to the home State is understood to have embarrassed those calling shots in the Chief Minister’s Office.
Secretariat sources told this correspondent that certain officials in the CMO made desperate attempts to stall the appointment of Mr Harinarayana as he wanted a tough official. They preferred Raghottam Rao as he was less controversial and easily accessible. “Ho-wever, Dr Reddy was firm on appointing Mr Harinarayana,” sources said.
It is Mr Harinarayana’s straightforwardness and ‘no-nonsense’ attitude that keeps him apart from the other IAS officers. “He is sincere and honest in his duties and does not allow any lapses in the administration,” a senior official, who worked with him in the irrigation department during the Chandrababu Naidu regime, said.
A chain smoker and computer savvy, Mr Harinar-ayana does not change his style of functioning even for the Chief Minister. When Mr Harinarayana was principal secretary, irrigation during the Chandrababu Naidu regime, he was a tough nut to crack. During the leisure times, he used to play Solitaire on his computer.
One day, a few TD leaders went to his chamber to make a representation over an irrigation scheme. Mr Harinarayana was then playing Solitaire. While continuing with his game and smoking, he heard their problem without even looking at them. The TD leaders felt hurt and complained to the Chief Minister.
When Mr Naidu asked him why he was playing games, Mr Harinarayana told him: “Sir, it is a very good game that improves one’s concentration. You should also learn to play the game.” Mr Naidu had no answer.
Leather park at Tada by next year: Jairam
Hyderabad, July 29: Leather park in the Special Economic Zone (SEZ) at Tada being set-up by APIIC, Consortium of Shoe Manufacturers and Tatas will become operational by the end of 2007, said Union minister for State Jairam Ramesh.
Mr Ramesh met Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy and discussed a number of projects for export promotion in the State on Saturday.Tatas will make initial investment of Rs 100 crore in the 600 acre leather park, where three shoe majors Tata International, AV Thomas and India Shoes Ltd have decided to set-up shop, Mr Ramesh revealed.
“The leather park is likely to generate exports to the tune of Rs 2,200 crores in the period of three years and would create 15,000 jobs,” he said. He said there would be no environmental hazards since no tanning units would be located in the SEZ. “The leather park will be a boon for Andhra Pradesh since exports from this State is zero. India ex-ports leather goods worth $2.3 billion and Tamil Nadu alone accounts for 50 per cent of it,” he added.
An auto cluster would also be developed in Vijayawada with an investment of Rs 31 crores and will be commissioned in September. Other projects, which will be given priority are: Apparel city in Visakhapatnam and a textile processing unit at Indrakaran in Medak.
1 dies in clash, girl born at polling station
Hyderabad, July 29: The first phase of gram panchayat polls passed off pe-acefully on Saturday barring sporadic incidents of violence. The polls resulted in a death and a birth.Director general of police Swaranjit Sen said that the incidents of violence were less compared to first phase of gram panchayat polls held in 2001.
A Congress worker, M. Narayana, succumbed to his injuries in a clash with rivals at Degarmudi village in Prakasam district. Meanwhile, a woman gave birth to a baby girl in the polling station premises at Madaram township in Kothapalli village under Thandur mandal. The woman, Jaineni Latchakka, was forced by the candidate to exercise her franchise even though she was not in a position to move.
In Guntur, Congress workers hurled bombs while trying to rig polls at Khambampadu village un-der Nujella mandal. Wh-ile two groups clashed hurling bombs at each other at Moilacheruvu in Veerappanarayanapalli in Kadapa district.
Police firing was reported at Alaruddinne village under Devarakonda of Dhone in Kurnool and Nallur in Reddam mandal of Penukonda in Anantapur district. Ballots papers and boxes were snatched in Vizianagaram and Visakhapatnam and Chitoor. Eleven incidents of pouring of water in ballot boxes were reported.
Diamond merchants to hold meet in city
Hyderabad, July 29: For a change, in the next few days, Hyderabad will don the role of Diamond City in place of its ubiquitous sobriquet the Pearl City. Over 100 diamond merchants from various parts of the country along with companies from Bangkok and Indonesia will be coming here to look at the finest gems and diamond collections of the country.
The famed diamond cutters of Surat, along with their exhibits, are also scheduled to attend the Hyderabad International Gems and Jewellery exposition scheduled to start from August 4 to 6, at the Hitex Exhibition Centre.Traditionally, Andhra Pradesh is the one of the largest makers of gems and jewellery products in the country and a major manufacturing centre with over 3,000 gems and jewellery trade establishments.
Twin Cities Jewellers Association vice-president Mohanlal Gupta says, “Diamond sales in Hyderabad have witnessed an uninterrupted annual growth of more than 30 per cent in the last three years. This is because the city is strategically placed in the arc between Dubai to Hong Kong and Bangkok, the major hubs of jewellery trade in the world. Due to these factors we are organising such an event here.”
Billed as the largest gems and jewellery exposition in South India, the event will have all the top diamond merchants from the country with exhibits like antique jewellery, diamonds, gem stones and platinum. Apart from this, machinery for gems and jewellery and other products will be on show during the three-day event.
Merchants who are in the business point out that domestic jewellery industry in the country is estimated to be Rs 65,000 crores and growing at a rate of nine per cent per annum. “Trade-related issues and how to improve the trade and take the Indian industry to the next level will be discussed at length at the exhibition,” a jeweller said.
In this direction, several of seminars to enrich knowledge about the industry have been scheduled. “Bangalore and Chennai have their own expositions but they concentrate more on gold jewellery. In this regard, our expo is different because it will have everything under a single roof,” Mr Gupta said.
Reliance petrol dealers to hold protest in Mumbai
Hyderabad, July 29: Reliance Petroleum dealers from across the State have given a call for “Chalo Mumbai” to participate in hunger strikes at Dhirubai Ambani Knowledge City in Mumbai on August 3 and 4. They are protesting the company’s lack of support to them on the lines of public sector oil companies whenever there is an hike in fuel prices.
The Reliance petroleum dealers, who organised a seminar here last Sunday to discuss their problems, observed that the RIL management has been concentrating on exporting the fuel to other countries at a profit of Rs 5.60 paise per litre. In India, it increased the fuel prices by Rs 2.50 paise per litre, compared to the price fixed by oil PSUs. Due to this, fuel sales fell down in all outlets of RIL across the country by 85 to 90 per cent.
“The dealers took Reliance petroleum dealership a year ago by investing Rs 1.5 crore to Rs 2 crore and many of us depended on bank loans. We managed successfully for some days. But now, whenever petroleum prices are hiked, the government is giving financial aid to the PSUs. But, Reliance is not giving any support. We are facing a major crisis due to losses,” association general secretary G. Srinivas Reddy said.
According to him, each dealer is losing Rs 3.5 lakh per month on maintenance of outlets. The association demanded equal fuel price on par with PSUs, compensation to dealers for loss of sales, and payment of interest on security deposits at the current bank interest rates.
Power bills trip water
Hyderabad, July 29: Powerless citizens are caught in the crossfire between APTransco and the water board. The water board which has left huge power bills unpaid, had power to their pumping stations cut resulting in citizens being penalised as water could not be pumped. Several localities in Banjara Hills had to go without drinking water on Saturday, the scheduled alternate day of water supply, following disconnection of power to the Nagarjuna Hills pumping house due to non-payment of electricity bill by the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Works and Sewerage Board.The pumping house supplies water to residents of Journalists’ Colony, Reddy Colony, Punjagutta and other localities in Banjara Hills. “We received water on Thursday. There was no supply on Saturday. Next we will get water only on Monday. This means we have to go without water for six-days,” said Srinivas Brahmaputra of Journalists’ Colony Roja S. was furious: “Shravana Maasam began on Wednesday. Nagulapanchami is on Sunday. During Shravana Maasam Hindu women use fresh water for puja. Now, we have to go without fresh water.”“This is not the first time that Nagarjuna Hills pumping station is denying us the scheduled supply of water. A few days ago when there was no water supply, residents revolted against the water board. It was with the intervention of APTransco chairperson and managing director Rachel Chatterji that power was temporarily restored. How many times should citizens suffer like this? We pay our bills regularly to the water board. Why don’t they clear their bills,” Raja Reddy, another resident of the colony complained.When contacted water board director (finance) G.K. Rao denied non-payment of electricity bills. However, Central discom’s assistant divisional engineer (Banjara Hills) Sambasiva Rao nailed his lie when he confirmed to this newspaper that power supply to the pumping station was disconnected on Friday due to pending bills.“A bill of Rs 1.20 lakhs is pending. After repeated reminders, we had to cut the power supply. One of the water board’s general managers, Mr Ramakrishna, gave us a request-cum-guarantee letter on Saturday that the payment would be made in a week’s time. We restored the supply late on Saturday,” Mr Sambasiva Rao said.
State bans Press from hospitals
Hyderabad/Vizianagaram, July 29: The government has banned the media from entering government hospitals. Instead, it has ordered setting up of separate “Press Rooms” in hospitals where mediapersons can meet people either to take interviews or photographs.The latest GO was issued following an incident involving a pregnant tribal woman delivering a baby outside the maternity ward at the Gandhi Hospital, Secunderabad on January 11 which caused a furore.Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy and health minister K. Rosaiah termed the incident as unfortunate and assured that things would be set right in government hospitals. The government set up a committee to look into the incident and while issuing a GO for improving quality in government hospitals, it also included a clause in its order imposing a ban on entry of mediapersons in the hospitals and instead allot separate “Press Rooms” for taking interviews and photographs.
Though the order, GO Rt No 422, which is a fallout of the Gandhi Hospital incident, was issued on April 20, 2006, the “Press Room” clause in the GO came to light only when a correspondent of this newspaper visited a headquarters hospital in Vizianagaram. The hospital authorities did not the allow the correspondent to enter the hospital stating that they were only following a government order.
When our reporter in Hyderabad contacted medical and health department principal secretary I.V. Subba Rao on Friday, he outrightly denied issuing any such order. When Mr Subba Rao was contacted with the copy of the GO on Saturday, he said: “I will have to check this out. How can we ban the entry of media in government hospitals,” he asked.
However, after the reporter read out the contents if the GO, Mr Subba Rao said, “After the Gandhi Hospital incident, there were talks that mediapersons were entering labour rooms and taking photographs and obstructing doctors from performing their duties. Despite that, the media cannot be banned from entering into government hospitals. I will check this out tomorrow,” he said.
The clause on Press Rooms reads: A separate “Press Room” shall be created in every major hospital in the State. All media should assemble only in this room for any information. Under any circumstances, they should not go inside labour rooms, operation theatres, post-operative wards, ICUs etc. Patients and attendants besides the hospital staff, can be interviewed by the press in this room.”
The hospital authorities, have started restricting entry to mediapersons but are yet to create a separate press room. The superintendent of Government Hospital for Women and Child (Ghosha hospital) Dr M. Krishna Kumari confirmed having received the GO. The hospital has already set up a press room. But to a question, the doctor said that as per the GO, mediapersons are not permitted enter into wards either to get opinions or to take photographs. For this, they should obtain prior permission.
Goud’s kin beats up corporator
Hyderabad, July 29: Vanem Ramesh, the Telugu Desam corporator for Nallakunta municipal division has accused one Arvind Kumar Goud and his associates of physically assaulting and kidnapping him.“At about 10 am two persons came to my residence and told me that Telugu Desam leader T. Devender Goud’s nephew Arvind Kumar Goud and Secunderabad Cantonment MLA G. Sayanna wanted to meet me immediately at the Tirumala Complex. The Tirumala complex is owned by Arvind,” Mr Ramesh said.
“As soon as I reached the designated place, Arvind punched me in the face and accused me of informing the collector about illegal constructions at Tirumala Complex. He said because of my complaint, part of his complex was demolished,” Mr Ramesh added.
“Following this Arvind and 14 of his associates forcibly shoved me into Arvind’s Innova and took me to Nampally,” he said. Mr Ramesh went on to add that he tried to tell Mr Arvind Goud that the collector’s inspection of the complex and subsequent demolition had nothing to do with him, but Arvind did not believe. As per High Court directions the MCH was authorised to demolish all illegal structures constructed in the cellars in the city commercial complex.
Even BJP leader Kishan Reddy tried to pacify Mr Arvind. “At 2 pm, only after Kishan Reddy talked to them, did they let me go,” Mr Ramesh alleged. His wife V. Malati has lodged a complaint with Nallakunta police and a kidnap case has been registered against Mr Arvind Kumar Goud and others.
“We have registered a case of kidnap against Arvind Kumar and others,” Nallakunta inspector of police Santosh Kumar said. When contacted DCP East Zone B. Balakrishna said, “We have recorded Ms Malati’s statement but so far no arrests have been made.” Mr Arvind Kumar Goud did not respond to repeated calls on his cellphone and landline number by this correspondent.
Hyderabad, July 29: Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy on Saturday decided to make the International Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) in Gachibowli the owner of its 62 acre campus land costing around Rs 900 crore.
Dr Rajasekhar Reddy, addressing the fifth convocation gathering of the IIIT, said that there has been a request from the IIIT for giving away land to it as land prices have been rising. “They told me that if you do not do this now, it cannot perhaps be done ever. In principle the State government has decided to give you the land. The matter will come up before the Cabinet soon. Within a month you will own the land,” the Chief Minister said to loud cheers from hundreds of students and staff in the audience.
Dr Rajiv Sangal, director of IIIT, told this correspondent that the State government leased the campus land for 25 years in 1998. “As we wanted to build conference halls etc. we approached various banks which said they could not provide loans for construction activity on leased lands. We informed the government about the situation and the Chief Minister has agreed to give the land to the IIIT. We are thankful to him,” he said.
The Chief Minister praised the good work being carried out at IIIT and said that the presence of the institute has played a key role in getting the multi-million dollar Fab City project to Hyderabad. He asked the institute to prepare software for the small and marginal farmers in the State.
Dr Raj Reddy, the brain behind the setting up of IIIT, said as has been the case with the automobile industry about 50 years ago, IT has now entered a golden age. “The boom and bust period is over. The IT industry has entered its golden times,” Dr Raj Reddy said. At IIIT, he said, there are plans to produce 100 PhDs every year.
Expert stresses on computer based education
Hyderabad, July 29: The education system in India is in crisis at all levels, declared Fakir Chand Kohli, who is considered the ‘father of software technology in the country,’ and recommended radical measures in making society completely literate.
Delivering the keynote address at the fifth convocation of the International Institute of Information Technology Mr Kohli said that education is the foundation for the well-being of the country and society. “It is education and kno-wledge of science and technology that makes economic growth sustainable. But, today education in this country is in crisis at all levels,” he said.
Mr Kohli said the increase in literacy rate in India is about 1.5 per cent at which rate it would take 20 years for the country to achieve 95 per cent literacy. He said that if India adopted the Computer Based Functional Literacy system of education the period now required for making the entire country literate could be reduced to mere five years.
Experiments in this system in six languages have produced 90,000 literates so far, he said.Mr Kohli compared the situation in India with that in China. The literacy rate in India, he said, is 67 per cent and 300 million people live below the poverty line (BPL).
Of the total BPL population, 150 million are adult illiterates. China, on the other hand, with 90 per cent literacy rate, has been producing six lakh graduates in science and engineering and 13,000 Ph.Ds.
He said the annual production of science and engineering graduates in India stands at 3.5 lakhs with about 1,000 PhDs. “China has been producing 18 million personal computers every year as against India’s 4 million,” Mr Kohi said.
YSR talks of amendment
Hyderabad, July 29: Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy on Saturday said the State government would seek an amendment to the Constitution to ensure that five per cent reservation is provided to Muslims.
“Though the AP High Court has turned down the Muslim quota, we hope justice will be done to the community in Supreme Court. Even if the case goes against the government in the apex court, we will try to bring in a legislation in Parliament,” Dr Reddy said. He took the audience by surprise when he spoke in Urdu for some time. Dr Reddy was addressing a meeting at the swearing-in ceremony of Mu-hammad Sirajuddin as chairman of minorities cell, APCC.
CPRO is press secretary
Hyderabad, July 29: The State government on Saturday redesignated A. Chandrasekhar Reddy, chief public relations officer to Chief Minister, as press secretary to Chief Minister.
This is for the first time that the Chief Minister will have a press secretary, on the lines of press secretary to Prime Minister. Mr Red-dy will now hold the secretary rank in the government.
Mr Reddy has been elevated for his contribution to the Chief Minister’s Office in building the image of the government in various sectors, according to an official release.
FOBs faulty, say MLAs
Hyderabad, July 29: MLAs M. Shashidhar Reddy and P. Janardhan Reddy said on Saturday that the Skywalks or Foot Over Bridges (FOBs) in the city were being constructed without proper planning.
The duo personally inspected the FOB near Hyderabad Public School, Begumpet, where rain water had stagnated causing a severe traffic jam a couple of days ago. Later, speaking to this correspondent, the two legislators said that that the skywalks were being raised in haste and despite seeking information from the concerned officer, they were yet to receive a detailed project report on the FOBs.
Consequently, Mr Shashidhar Reddy has shot off a letter to MCH Commissioner Sanjay Jaju seeking an explanation on the FOB project. “The purpose of widening the SP Road has been defeated with the construction of the FOB. The staircase and a portion of FOB occupies not only the footpath but also extends to the road, thereby narrowing down the road at that particular point,” Shashidhar Reddy said.
Meanwhile, the management of Hyderabad Public School has also expressed concern over the proposal to establish commercial ventures at the FOB. According to Hyderabad Public School management, the proposal to set up public furniture, food courts, kiosks, stationery shops and ATMs would defeat the very purpose of High Court order against footpath encroachments The Hyderabad Public School. management has also written a letter on the issue to the MCH Commissioner.
They graduate in crime
Hyderabad, July 29: Cases of graduate and post graduate youth involved in thefts and robberies are on rise in the city. Out of the 10 thieves arrested in different parts of the city and Cyberabad in the past one month, six turned out to be degree holders.
Easy money and lavish lifestyle seem to be the factors that lure youth into the crime web.“Huge differences in pay pack between IT professionals and other employees results in disparity in the spending abilities within a group of friends. To lead a lavish lifestyle like their rich friends, young men resort to thefts,” Chilkalaguda Inspector of Police G. P. Vinod Kumar said.
Sanjeev Reddy Nagar police on Thursday had arrested two graduates, Phanindra and Kishore, who had stolen 46 bikes from different parts of the city. Phanindra, a graduate from Rajahmundry, came to the city in search of job and worked as data entry operator at BHEL where he met Kishore. Avez Ahmed, another arrested graduate, who completed his B.Sc from Madurai Kamraj University and trained in hardware technology, said that he resorted to burglaries to lead a luxurious life.
Another graduate, J. Rajashekar, arrested by Banjara Hills police, was cheating public in the name of providing houses for rent. S. R. Nagar Inspector A. Venkatratnam said that youth resort to such acts of crime mainly to make quick money. They should be reformed in jails,” he added.
Polluting school buses out, CNG station in city
Hyderabad, July 29: Polluting school buses in twin cities have come under the scanner of the Transport Department. As part of its drive to phase out 15-year-old government vehicles, the department has identified 739 school buses out of the 2,356 plying on the roads and phased them out.
While the Government has decided not to touch 15-year old private vehicles now, it has intensified the drive against other commercial vehicles over 15 years old following court orders. Towards this, the first CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) filling station will be opened at Nagole on August 15. Initially, public transport vehicles including autorickshaws will be considered, Mr C.L.N. Gandhi, Joint Transport Commissioner told this correspondent.
So far, the transport department has phased out 8,000 lorries, 90 APSRTC buses, 75 SETWIN buses and 739 schools buses. Similarly, 126 government cars and jeeps 15-year-old have been sent to districts.
Supreme Court had observed that among other cities like Delhi, Ahmedabad and Mumbai, ‘Respirable Suspended Particulate Matter’ (RSPM) levels in Hyderabad too have been posing health hazards and directed the State government to draw a plan to bring down the levels.
As per the direction of Supreme Court, the department had convened a meeting in 2003 and drawn an action plan to check air pollution in Hyderabad city. Mr Gandhi added that Hyderabad had been identified as the most pollutant city in the State.
CM picks tough babu
Hyderabad, July 29: The appointment of senior IAS officer Jandhyala Harinara-yana as the new chief secretary following the retirement of T.K. Dewan has ruffled a few feathers in the Secretariat.
Though Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy has picked Mr Harinarayana, who has hitherto been on Central deputation as secretary in the Union ministry of water resources, to complete the gigantic task of Jalayagnam without further hurdles, his return to the home State is understood to have embarrassed those calling shots in the Chief Minister’s Office.
Secretariat sources told this correspondent that certain officials in the CMO made desperate attempts to stall the appointment of Mr Harinarayana as he wanted a tough official. They preferred Raghottam Rao as he was less controversial and easily accessible. “Ho-wever, Dr Reddy was firm on appointing Mr Harinarayana,” sources said.
It is Mr Harinarayana’s straightforwardness and ‘no-nonsense’ attitude that keeps him apart from the other IAS officers. “He is sincere and honest in his duties and does not allow any lapses in the administration,” a senior official, who worked with him in the irrigation department during the Chandrababu Naidu regime, said.
A chain smoker and computer savvy, Mr Harinar-ayana does not change his style of functioning even for the Chief Minister. When Mr Harinarayana was principal secretary, irrigation during the Chandrababu Naidu regime, he was a tough nut to crack. During the leisure times, he used to play Solitaire on his computer.
One day, a few TD leaders went to his chamber to make a representation over an irrigation scheme. Mr Harinarayana was then playing Solitaire. While continuing with his game and smoking, he heard their problem without even looking at them. The TD leaders felt hurt and complained to the Chief Minister.
When Mr Naidu asked him why he was playing games, Mr Harinarayana told him: “Sir, it is a very good game that improves one’s concentration. You should also learn to play the game.” Mr Naidu had no answer.
Leather park at Tada by next year: Jairam
Hyderabad, July 29: Leather park in the Special Economic Zone (SEZ) at Tada being set-up by APIIC, Consortium of Shoe Manufacturers and Tatas will become operational by the end of 2007, said Union minister for State Jairam Ramesh.
Mr Ramesh met Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy and discussed a number of projects for export promotion in the State on Saturday.Tatas will make initial investment of Rs 100 crore in the 600 acre leather park, where three shoe majors Tata International, AV Thomas and India Shoes Ltd have decided to set-up shop, Mr Ramesh revealed.
“The leather park is likely to generate exports to the tune of Rs 2,200 crores in the period of three years and would create 15,000 jobs,” he said. He said there would be no environmental hazards since no tanning units would be located in the SEZ. “The leather park will be a boon for Andhra Pradesh since exports from this State is zero. India ex-ports leather goods worth $2.3 billion and Tamil Nadu alone accounts for 50 per cent of it,” he added.
An auto cluster would also be developed in Vijayawada with an investment of Rs 31 crores and will be commissioned in September. Other projects, which will be given priority are: Apparel city in Visakhapatnam and a textile processing unit at Indrakaran in Medak.
1 dies in clash, girl born at polling station
Hyderabad, July 29: The first phase of gram panchayat polls passed off pe-acefully on Saturday barring sporadic incidents of violence. The polls resulted in a death and a birth.Director general of police Swaranjit Sen said that the incidents of violence were less compared to first phase of gram panchayat polls held in 2001.
A Congress worker, M. Narayana, succumbed to his injuries in a clash with rivals at Degarmudi village in Prakasam district. Meanwhile, a woman gave birth to a baby girl in the polling station premises at Madaram township in Kothapalli village under Thandur mandal. The woman, Jaineni Latchakka, was forced by the candidate to exercise her franchise even though she was not in a position to move.
In Guntur, Congress workers hurled bombs while trying to rig polls at Khambampadu village un-der Nujella mandal. Wh-ile two groups clashed hurling bombs at each other at Moilacheruvu in Veerappanarayanapalli in Kadapa district.
Police firing was reported at Alaruddinne village under Devarakonda of Dhone in Kurnool and Nallur in Reddam mandal of Penukonda in Anantapur district. Ballots papers and boxes were snatched in Vizianagaram and Visakhapatnam and Chitoor. Eleven incidents of pouring of water in ballot boxes were reported.
Diamond merchants to hold meet in city
Hyderabad, July 29: For a change, in the next few days, Hyderabad will don the role of Diamond City in place of its ubiquitous sobriquet the Pearl City. Over 100 diamond merchants from various parts of the country along with companies from Bangkok and Indonesia will be coming here to look at the finest gems and diamond collections of the country.
The famed diamond cutters of Surat, along with their exhibits, are also scheduled to attend the Hyderabad International Gems and Jewellery exposition scheduled to start from August 4 to 6, at the Hitex Exhibition Centre.Traditionally, Andhra Pradesh is the one of the largest makers of gems and jewellery products in the country and a major manufacturing centre with over 3,000 gems and jewellery trade establishments.
Twin Cities Jewellers Association vice-president Mohanlal Gupta says, “Diamond sales in Hyderabad have witnessed an uninterrupted annual growth of more than 30 per cent in the last three years. This is because the city is strategically placed in the arc between Dubai to Hong Kong and Bangkok, the major hubs of jewellery trade in the world. Due to these factors we are organising such an event here.”
Billed as the largest gems and jewellery exposition in South India, the event will have all the top diamond merchants from the country with exhibits like antique jewellery, diamonds, gem stones and platinum. Apart from this, machinery for gems and jewellery and other products will be on show during the three-day event.
Merchants who are in the business point out that domestic jewellery industry in the country is estimated to be Rs 65,000 crores and growing at a rate of nine per cent per annum. “Trade-related issues and how to improve the trade and take the Indian industry to the next level will be discussed at length at the exhibition,” a jeweller said.
In this direction, several of seminars to enrich knowledge about the industry have been scheduled. “Bangalore and Chennai have their own expositions but they concentrate more on gold jewellery. In this regard, our expo is different because it will have everything under a single roof,” Mr Gupta said.
Reliance petrol dealers to hold protest in Mumbai
Hyderabad, July 29: Reliance Petroleum dealers from across the State have given a call for “Chalo Mumbai” to participate in hunger strikes at Dhirubai Ambani Knowledge City in Mumbai on August 3 and 4. They are protesting the company’s lack of support to them on the lines of public sector oil companies whenever there is an hike in fuel prices.
The Reliance petroleum dealers, who organised a seminar here last Sunday to discuss their problems, observed that the RIL management has been concentrating on exporting the fuel to other countries at a profit of Rs 5.60 paise per litre. In India, it increased the fuel prices by Rs 2.50 paise per litre, compared to the price fixed by oil PSUs. Due to this, fuel sales fell down in all outlets of RIL across the country by 85 to 90 per cent.
“The dealers took Reliance petroleum dealership a year ago by investing Rs 1.5 crore to Rs 2 crore and many of us depended on bank loans. We managed successfully for some days. But now, whenever petroleum prices are hiked, the government is giving financial aid to the PSUs. But, Reliance is not giving any support. We are facing a major crisis due to losses,” association general secretary G. Srinivas Reddy said.
According to him, each dealer is losing Rs 3.5 lakh per month on maintenance of outlets. The association demanded equal fuel price on par with PSUs, compensation to dealers for loss of sales, and payment of interest on security deposits at the current bank interest rates.
Power bills trip water
Hyderabad, July 29: Powerless citizens are caught in the crossfire between APTransco and the water board. The water board which has left huge power bills unpaid, had power to their pumping stations cut resulting in citizens being penalised as water could not be pumped. Several localities in Banjara Hills had to go without drinking water on Saturday, the scheduled alternate day of water supply, following disconnection of power to the Nagarjuna Hills pumping house due to non-payment of electricity bill by the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Works and Sewerage Board.The pumping house supplies water to residents of Journalists’ Colony, Reddy Colony, Punjagutta and other localities in Banjara Hills. “We received water on Thursday. There was no supply on Saturday. Next we will get water only on Monday. This means we have to go without water for six-days,” said Srinivas Brahmaputra of Journalists’ Colony Roja S. was furious: “Shravana Maasam began on Wednesday. Nagulapanchami is on Sunday. During Shravana Maasam Hindu women use fresh water for puja. Now, we have to go without fresh water.”“This is not the first time that Nagarjuna Hills pumping station is denying us the scheduled supply of water. A few days ago when there was no water supply, residents revolted against the water board. It was with the intervention of APTransco chairperson and managing director Rachel Chatterji that power was temporarily restored. How many times should citizens suffer like this? We pay our bills regularly to the water board. Why don’t they clear their bills,” Raja Reddy, another resident of the colony complained.When contacted water board director (finance) G.K. Rao denied non-payment of electricity bills. However, Central discom’s assistant divisional engineer (Banjara Hills) Sambasiva Rao nailed his lie when he confirmed to this newspaper that power supply to the pumping station was disconnected on Friday due to pending bills.“A bill of Rs 1.20 lakhs is pending. After repeated reminders, we had to cut the power supply. One of the water board’s general managers, Mr Ramakrishna, gave us a request-cum-guarantee letter on Saturday that the payment would be made in a week’s time. We restored the supply late on Saturday,” Mr Sambasiva Rao said.
State bans Press from hospitals
Hyderabad/Vizianagaram, July 29: The government has banned the media from entering government hospitals. Instead, it has ordered setting up of separate “Press Rooms” in hospitals where mediapersons can meet people either to take interviews or photographs.The latest GO was issued following an incident involving a pregnant tribal woman delivering a baby outside the maternity ward at the Gandhi Hospital, Secunderabad on January 11 which caused a furore.Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy and health minister K. Rosaiah termed the incident as unfortunate and assured that things would be set right in government hospitals. The government set up a committee to look into the incident and while issuing a GO for improving quality in government hospitals, it also included a clause in its order imposing a ban on entry of mediapersons in the hospitals and instead allot separate “Press Rooms” for taking interviews and photographs.
Though the order, GO Rt No 422, which is a fallout of the Gandhi Hospital incident, was issued on April 20, 2006, the “Press Room” clause in the GO came to light only when a correspondent of this newspaper visited a headquarters hospital in Vizianagaram. The hospital authorities did not the allow the correspondent to enter the hospital stating that they were only following a government order.
When our reporter in Hyderabad contacted medical and health department principal secretary I.V. Subba Rao on Friday, he outrightly denied issuing any such order. When Mr Subba Rao was contacted with the copy of the GO on Saturday, he said: “I will have to check this out. How can we ban the entry of media in government hospitals,” he asked.
However, after the reporter read out the contents if the GO, Mr Subba Rao said, “After the Gandhi Hospital incident, there were talks that mediapersons were entering labour rooms and taking photographs and obstructing doctors from performing their duties. Despite that, the media cannot be banned from entering into government hospitals. I will check this out tomorrow,” he said.
The clause on Press Rooms reads: A separate “Press Room” shall be created in every major hospital in the State. All media should assemble only in this room for any information. Under any circumstances, they should not go inside labour rooms, operation theatres, post-operative wards, ICUs etc. Patients and attendants besides the hospital staff, can be interviewed by the press in this room.”
The hospital authorities, have started restricting entry to mediapersons but are yet to create a separate press room. The superintendent of Government Hospital for Women and Child (Ghosha hospital) Dr M. Krishna Kumari confirmed having received the GO. The hospital has already set up a press room. But to a question, the doctor said that as per the GO, mediapersons are not permitted enter into wards either to get opinions or to take photographs. For this, they should obtain prior permission.
Goud’s kin beats up corporator
Hyderabad, July 29: Vanem Ramesh, the Telugu Desam corporator for Nallakunta municipal division has accused one Arvind Kumar Goud and his associates of physically assaulting and kidnapping him.“At about 10 am two persons came to my residence and told me that Telugu Desam leader T. Devender Goud’s nephew Arvind Kumar Goud and Secunderabad Cantonment MLA G. Sayanna wanted to meet me immediately at the Tirumala Complex. The Tirumala complex is owned by Arvind,” Mr Ramesh said.
“As soon as I reached the designated place, Arvind punched me in the face and accused me of informing the collector about illegal constructions at Tirumala Complex. He said because of my complaint, part of his complex was demolished,” Mr Ramesh added.
“Following this Arvind and 14 of his associates forcibly shoved me into Arvind’s Innova and took me to Nampally,” he said. Mr Ramesh went on to add that he tried to tell Mr Arvind Goud that the collector’s inspection of the complex and subsequent demolition had nothing to do with him, but Arvind did not believe. As per High Court directions the MCH was authorised to demolish all illegal structures constructed in the cellars in the city commercial complex.
Even BJP leader Kishan Reddy tried to pacify Mr Arvind. “At 2 pm, only after Kishan Reddy talked to them, did they let me go,” Mr Ramesh alleged. His wife V. Malati has lodged a complaint with Nallakunta police and a kidnap case has been registered against Mr Arvind Kumar Goud and others.
“We have registered a case of kidnap against Arvind Kumar and others,” Nallakunta inspector of police Santosh Kumar said. When contacted DCP East Zone B. Balakrishna said, “We have recorded Ms Malati’s statement but so far no arrests have been made.” Mr Arvind Kumar Goud did not respond to repeated calls on his cellphone and landline number by this correspondent.
