Andhranews

AP to supply 4 tmcft water

Hyderabad, Aug. 5: The State government has assured its Tamil Nadu counterpart that it would release 4 tmc ft (thousand million cubic feet) of water from the Telugu Ganga from August 15 to meet drinking water needs of Chennai. Each cubic feet is about 28.4 litres. The assurance came after a ministerial delegation from Tamil Nadu informed the State government that Chennai had water enough for just a month.

The Tamil Nadu delegation including ministers M.K. Stalin and Dr K. Ponmudi met Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy at his camp office on Saturday and sought urgent release of water to Chennai.
Water supply to Chennai was stopped because of ongoing canal lining works downstream of Kandaleru, he explained “We will stop the work temporarily and release water to Chennai,” Dr Reddy said after the meeting.

Asked how much water would be released, he said the State had supplied 3.7 tmc ft last year and “we will try to supply more this time.” He asked the Tamil Nadu delegation to pressure Karnataka and Maharashtra to release their share of 5 tmc ft each to Tamil Nadu. The delegation promised to take up the issue with these states.

While Mr Stalin refused to speak to the media as the Tamil Nadu Assembly was in session, Dr Ponmudi thanked the AP government and the Chief Minister for acceding to Tamil Nadu’s request. “If our party had been in power 10 years back, this problem would not have risen. All systems from Srisailam to Gundy will be taken care of in the next one to two years,” Dr Reddy said.

This is the third year that the State will supply drinking water to Chennai. As against the promised 12 tmc ft annually, the State has only supplied 2.8 tmc ft to 6.2 tmc ft due to various reasons including non-completion of works, he said. When told that there was no monitoring of water being supplied to Maharashtra and Karnataka through Andhra Pradesh, Dr Reddy said that the matter was brought to the notice of Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal.

The delegation exp-ressed concern over the construction of Palar dam in Kuppam of Chittoor district. It said the dam would affect the Kalp-akkam nuclear power plant and Arcot areas. Dr Reddy said that Kuppam was facing acute shortage of drinking water and the State government would share all information pertaining to the project with the Tamil Nadu government.

Hyderabad, Aug. 5: Easy bantering marked the interaction between a ministerial delegation from Tamil Nadu and Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy. Their obvious targets were former Tamil Nadu chief minister J. Jayalalithaa and former Andhra Pradesh chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu.

The TN delegation included ministers M.K. Stalin and Dr Ponmudi. Dr Ponmudi told Dr Rajasekhar Reddy that Andhra Pradesh had become No. 1 in the irrigation sector with a spate of projects being taken up while Tamil Nadu was No. 1 in industry. “We will become No. 1 in industry too in three to five years. We are already No. 1 in IT,” the Chief Minister joked with the ministers.

Dr Ponmudi butted in to say, “Thanks to Madam (Ms Jayalalithaa), the irrigation sector was totally neglected. You have become a model for the nation in irrigation sector.” Dr Reddy replied that the previous Telugu Desam government had neglected the irrigation sector with the result that 3,000 thousand million cubic feet of Godavari water — each cubic feet is about 28.4 litres of water — was going waste into sea every year and agriculture was badly hit.

The topic shifted to FAB City, SemIndia’s $3 billion chip fabrication unit, and Mr Stalin remarked, “thanks to Madam (Ms Jayalalithaa) it is yours.” Dr Reddy quipped, “We got it thanks to Manmohan Singh, Madam Sonia Gandhi and Dayanidhi Maran.” Trying to impress the Chief Minister on the need to release water to Chennai, Mr Stalin told him that 40 per cent of the population in Chennai was Telugu.

Earlier, a delegation member got the better of security at the Chief Minister’s camp office-cum-residence at Begumpet. Security has been further tightened since an encounter on July 22 in which AP’s top Naxalite, Madhav, was killed. Security personnel stopped the official who was carrying four shawls meant to be gifted to Dr Rajasekhar Reddy and others. The official had a wordy duel and despite objections from security personnel manning the inside gate managed to take them inside. “Sir, this is meant to honour your Chief Minister. These are only shawls,” he said and briskly walked.

Hyderabad, Aug. 5: Hyderabad district collector R.V. Chandravadan on Saturday issued orders asking all the headmasters of dilapidated school buildings to assess the situation and take remedial steps including declaring a holiday if necessary. The collector said there were 22 dilapidated school buildings in the city including 10 primary schools, three upper primary and nine high schools. Among these, seven are government buildings and 15 are rented premises.

However, the district administration does not have a list of dilapidated private recognised school buildings. While instructing the headmasters to approach the district educational officer Jagannath Reddy for making alternative arrangements, the collector said managements of private schools will be held responsible for any mishap that may occur due to rain in the dilapidated school buildings. He directed the DEO to take up repairs to the 22 dilapidated buildings and also explore possibility of construction of new buildings with Sarva Siksha Abhiyan funds.

Hyderabad, Aug. 5: Bomb experts of the AP Forensic Science Laboratory on Saturday concluded that the explosion that damaged a trainer aircraft at the Indian Air Force Academy in Dundigal was accidental. A team of experts that studied the remnants of the aircraft and the site concluded that it was an accidental mechanical explosion. The experts ruled out sabotage as there was no explosive material at the site.

The HP-32 Deepak trainer aircraft had exploded under mysterious circumstances on August 2, and IAF officials had lodged a complaint with the police only on Friday. According to sources in the Cyberabad police, the aircraft was not in use for many days. “The blast appears to be accidental and of mechanical nature due to ignition of fuel,” said a police officer. A team of engineers from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, which manufactures the aircraft, would inquire into the technical reasons for the blast.

Hyderabad, Aug. 5: The Central Water Commission (CWC) on Saturday clarified that the Indira Sagar (Polavaram) project posed no threat to the temple town of Bhadrachalam on the Godavari river.

The assurance came after CWC officials discussed reports of a threat to Bhadrachalam from the Polavaram project, with major irrigation minister Ponnala Lakshmaiah and senior officials of the irrigation department. The officials said the reservoir level of Polavaram would be 150 feet above mean sea level (MSL) while Bhadrachalam was at a height of 186 ft above MSL.

The maximum water level recorded near Bhadrachalam was 180 ft above MSL in 1986. A bund was constructed to protect the temple town even if the water reaches 186 ft. On Saturday, the Goda-vari river at Bhadrachalam was flowing at 169.5 ft above MSL.

“There is no threat to Bhadrachalam even at this level and therefore there will be no threat from Polavaram reservoir which will be at 150 ft above MSL,” CWC officials told the minister.Mr Lakshmaiah said that once the Polavaram project was constructed, water would be released whenever there were floods upstream, and there was no reason to believe that it would submerge tribal hamlets.

He directed irrigation officials take measures to strengthen existing tanks and other minor irrigation sources to store more water. He deputed senior engineers to various projects to monitor release of water depending on inflows. The officials told him that in the next five days, Srisailam and Nagarjunasagar reservoirs would become full and there would be wastage of 100 to 150 tmc ft of water.

Hyderabad, Aug. 5: The Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) is spending much mind power over joining hands with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to fight for Telangana Statehood in the event of the TRS coming out of the UPA government.

For the last two days, TRS president and Union labour minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao has been consulting his party MPs, legislators, adv-isers and other sections co-ncerned with the Telangana movement on the strategy the party has to adopt in the next couple of weeks.

Sources told this correspondent that there have been differences of opinion in the party on joining hands with the BJP to give a boost to the Telangana movement. Some sections have strongly favoured forging an alliance with the BJP since it is the only national party which has openly supported the cause.

“It is not possible for a sub-regional party like the TRS to achieve Statehood on its own unless it has the support of a national party which can mobilise the support of other parties in its coalition. Since the Congress has betrayed the cau-se, the only option left is the BJP,” a TRS MP argued.

But a large section of the party thinktank is opposed to joining hands with the BJP. Mr Rao himself, party ideologue Prof Jayashankar and others argue that such a link-up would look opportunistic. This section suggests that the TRS should take an independent line. The party is expected to finalise its strategy before the completion of the ongoing Monsoon Session.

Hyderabad, Aug. 5: CPI leader and MP Suravaram Sudhakar Reddy on Frid-ay opined that political parties should express th-eir views on judgements if they are against the interests of people and such views should not be treated as contempt of court.

Reacting to the High Co-urt notices to Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy and PCC president K. Keshava Rao, he said: “It is not good for democracy to curtail political parties from expressing their views.”

He said there was no threat to the UPA government following the BJP’s decision to move motion on Indo-US civilian nucl-ear deal. As the Left will not join the BJP in issuing notices, there is no threat to the government. He also sought a ban on soft drinks because of the health hazards.

Hyderabad, Aug. 5: It’s ti-me for the return of natives in Telugu Desam.Party leaders and even workers who had gone mi-ssing after a series of debacles for the party since May 2004 general elections, mu-nicipal polls and coop elections are back at the party headquarters after the party recovered of some lost ground in the just concluded Panchayat elections.

“It’s a fact NTR trust Bhavan is brimming with leaders and workers after the Panchayat polls. Some seni-ors who stayed away from the party have returned,” a senior TD leader said. First, it was Mr T. Devender Goud who patched up with president Mr N. Chandrababu Naidu and returned to party headquarters after a long time.

Former Ministers, Mr K. Vidyadhar Rao, Mr P. Ashok Gajapathi Raju, Mr Tummala Nageswara Rao, senior leader Mr Umareddy Venkateswarulu too have been staying away from NTR Trust Bhavan after the party’s debacle.

Hyderabad, Aug. 5: The apathy of Municipal Corporation of Hyderabad (MCH) has left hundreds of families in danger with around 700 dilapidated buildings in city including 51 schools facing the risk of caving in any moment. Incessant rains since Thursday have only increased the danger.

On Saturday, three persons of a family died and three others were injured when a hostel wall collapsed while they were sleeping, at Wesley Bagh in Sultan Bazar area. Continuous rain had soaked the walls of the hostel building following which it collapsed. The family had come from Karimnagar to attend a marriage function. The deceased were identified as Joel Dayanand, 31, Manjula, 29, and her father K . Anandam, 55.

Sultan Bazar inspector K. Goverdhan Reddy said the police was investigating into the negligence angle on the part of MCH authorities and the local Church authorities who own the hostel building.The civic body has failed to get the inhabitants vacated and has not taken any action after issuing the notices.

However, the MCH officials said that the figure of 700 dilapidated buildings was outdated and added that presently there are only 400 dilapidated buildings left in the city. Additional Commissioner (Projects) Dhanunjaya Reddy said, “We have been demolishing dilapidated buildings every year. However, the process is not easy. There are many legal battles between tenants and owners of the buildings which are yet to be settled by the courts. In other cases, the inhabitants do not have any alternative place to go. If needed, we will approach the court for necessary orders.”

Hyderabad, Aug. 5: Arrested double murder accused Naveen Kumar on Saturday told the Hyderabad police team that he was drunk when his seniors took him to the room. “They behaved very badly with me. They harassed and humiliated me. In a fit of rage, I lost control and stabbed them,” Naveen said.

Nallakunta police team lead by sub-inspector of police, Subbaiah has started back from Delhi.The team is expected to reach the city with Naveen on Monday morning. City police team took Naveen into custody around 5 pm on Prisoner Transit warrant. The police team has decided to take Dakshin Express since they missed the AP Express.

Hyderabad, Aug. 5: Four women candidates are among 105 contestants vying for the seven seats in the Secunderabad Cantonment Board elections which will be held on Sunday.

No woman has ever won a ward in the history of SCB polls. As many as 1,91,536 voters will decide their fate at 218 polling stations. Contestants hope rain will not ruin the elections. Polling will be held between 8 am and 5 pm and counting of votes would be taken up on Monday. The result will also be declared the same day.

Electronic Voting Machines are not being used as the Central government needs to amend the archaic Cantonment Board Elections Act of 1945 to use EVMs. Returning Officer (SCB Elections) Prabhakar Reddy said that eligible voters can bring any of the 15 declared items as proofs of identity to cast their vote.

These include: Voter ID card, passport, driving licence, PAN card, employment ID card, Bank passbook or Kisan and Tapala passbook, ID cards issued by recognised educational institutions, pattadar passbook or registered documents of property, ration card, caste certificates issued by MRO, pension books issued to ex-servicemen or payment order or dependant certificates or pension order, railway ID card, freedom fighter ID card, arms’ licence and certificate issued for various specially challenged persons. Elaborate police bandobust has been made to ensure that the polls run smooth and fair. Police have identified 32 sensitive places where security will be intensified.

Hyderabad, Aug. 5: A transport company owner shot himself with his licensed revolver on Saturday morning at his Street No. 8 residence in Habsiguda. The deceased, Garikapati Ranga Babu, son of Arjun Rao of Guntur, had migrated to the city a decade ago. He owns the Kanakdurga Transport Company at Autonagar.

According to Osmania University police the motive behind the suicide is not known. The police is considering various aspects which might have made him end his life like financial crisis, family disputes etc.Ranga Babu was married to Sridevi and had two children, Arjun Kumar and Akhila. Six months back he had sold his house at Sharadanagar and was staying at Sai Om Apartments in Habsiguda.

Police said that Ranga Babu was depressed as his son was not faring well in his studies. "Around 10.00 am he picked up the revolver from the almyraha and went into the bathroom. He had put up the revolver on the temple and shot himself dead. All his family members including his wife, kids and mother G Lakshmamma were present in the house when the incident took place. They saw him going into bathroom but didn't expect this to happen. The injury was right on the temple ," said OU inspector of police P Narasimhulu.A case of suspicious death was registered and SI of police Ramesh Reddy took up the