Andhranews

Hyderabad, Aug. 7: Taking a cue from other States, the Andhra Pradesh government on Monday banned the sale of soft drinks in all government educational institutions “as they do not have nutritional value except sugar.”

The government also ask-ed private educational institutions to discourage the sale of soft drinks on their premises. The governments of Kerala, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh had banned the sale of Pepsi and Coca-Cola in offices, educational institutions and hospitals on Sunday following reports of high levels of pesticide residues.

Health minister K. Rosaiah discussed the issue with officials from the health, medical and family welfare and law departments and the director of Institute of Preventive Medicine (IPM) before issuing the order. Mr Rosaiah asked IPM director Dr P. Sucharita Murthy to collect random samples of soft drinks from all 23 districts and send them for analysis to the Mysore-based Central Food Technology and Research Laboratory.

The State Food Laboratory does not have the facility to test for pesticide residues, officials said explaining why the samples had to be sent to Mysore. They said the meeting decided to speed up the procurement of equipment under the World Bank assisted Capacity Building Project.IPM director Dr Murthy said that last year 157 samples and this year 80 samples of soft drinks had been analysed.

Of these 21 and 18 samples respectively had been found to not meet the standards prescribed under the Prevention of Food Adulteration rules. Prosecution has been launched in this regard, she said. The State government has requested the Centre to expedite the finalisation of the standards and required guidelines for the sale of soft drinks.

Hyderabad, Aug. 7: The irrigation department is contemplating installation of water meters at distributory points to measure how much is water is being released for farmers, sources in the department said.

The installation of water meters is part of World Bank-sponsored reforms proposed to be taken up in the coming years. In view of the huge cost of Jalayagnam, the department is working out ways to recover the cost from farmers. The cost-to-serve model has emerged as the best option, sources said.

Irrigation officials put the proposal to install water meters before Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy during a recent review meeting. They explained that it was imperative to determine how much water the system uses. And water meters, properly selected and maintained, could be the most accurate and easiest method for measuring the flow. The meters would improve the efficiency, they said.

They said that the meters could be installed at distributory points to measure water under stationary and mobile conditions. While in motion, water would be measured in terms of flow rate. “Flow rates tell you how fast a given volume of water is moving past a fixed location and are counted in gallons per minute,” the sources said.

“Normally, impeller meters are installed at the distributory points and they have direct readouts. They are highly reliable, accurate, easily installed, and economical,” the sources said. The readings could be taken whenever water is released from canals to distributories from where water flows into field channels.

The water released into the distributories for a given period of time could be calculated and its cost could be recovered from the farmers served by these distributories depending on the extent of land each farmer holds, sources said. The department is also contemplating setting up of a Water Regulatory Authority on the lines of Electricity Regulatory Commission to work out tariff, depending on the cost of water supply, crop conditions and area of cultivation. “The details could be worked out in the comprehensive water policy, which is under preparation,” sources added.

Hyderabad, Aug. 7: Naveen Kumar, student of a Hotel Management institute here who killed two of his seniors, was remanded to judicial custody after being produced in Nampally criminal courts on Monday. He was brought to the city from Delhi earlier in the day.

According to Nallakunta inspector Santosh Kumar, Naveen was produced in the 4th Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court. He was remanded to judicial custody for 14 days and was later shifted to Chanchalguda Central prison.An investigating official said, “We have recorded his fresh confession. It supported the eyewitness version which stated that he stabbed the seniors when they told him not to drink beer.”

Hyderabad, Aug. 7: In a strange accusation, the Congress on Monday charged former chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu with instigating the DMK government in Tamil Nadu to prevent the construction of a dam across river Palar in Chittoor district. The DMK is a partner in the ruling UPA coalition in New Delhi, and Tamil Nadu ministers had met the Chief Minister last week seeking water for Chennai city.

Palar flows into Tamil Nadu, and the State government proposes to construct a dam on the river at Kondarevu village in Kuppam Assembly segment, which is represented by Mr Naidu. Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy is to set the foundation stone for the project on August 21.

“Now that the Congress government had come forward to construct a dam for the benefit of farmers in Kuppam, he is worried that he will lose his political and electoral base in his constituency,” government chief whip N. Kiran Kumar Reddy alleged. “He held parleys with DMK leaders and instigated them to block the construction of the dam.”

Mr Reddy told reporters here along with Chittoor district legislators that the Congress had improved its electoral position in Mr Naidu’s native district by winning all the seven municipalities and 49 of the 56 ZPTCs. Unable to check Congress’ victory in Chittoor, Mr Naidu has taken recourse to backdoor methods like instigating DMK in Tamil Nadu to bring pressure on the AP government to stop construction work on Palar river, they alleged.

Tamil Nadu State Assembly was rocked by discussions on Palar dam in Kuppam with TN legislators expressing concern that if the AP government succeeded in completing the project, several places in Tamil Nadu including Chennai.

Hyderabad, Aug. 7: The luxuriant green hilly tracks in the Godavari basin that are replete with tigers, panthers, gaur, cheetal, chowsingha, sambar, black buck, mouse deer, barking deer, giant squirrel, sloth bear will soon become the largest national park in the State.

Based on the directions of the Central Empowered Committee that visited the Polavaram Project site rec-ently, the departments of revenue, irrigation and forest have begun working on a plan to “consolidate and upgrade” Papikonda Wild-life Sanctuary (PWS), informed sources said.

The 591-sq km PWS that is spread over three districts — Khammam, East Godavari and West Godavari — is located 50 km from Rajahmundry. It is known as one of the finest representative forests of the Eastern Ghats.

The sanctuary area with ‘moist forest’ patches is found on the banks of Go-davari that flows through the Papikonda hill range. Besides the big cat, PWS is also known for marsh crocodile, huge ancient trees and orchids. Apart from migratory birds, the sanctuary is also host to pied hornbill and hill mynah.

The CEC discovered that about 1,700 hectare from PWS and an equal stretch from the “deemed forest” area will be submerged in the Polavaram project. Of the 27 villages located in the sanctuary, 24 would be relocated. The CEC told State officials that the other three villages should also be rel-ocated and 200 to 300 sq km of good forest land should be added to the sanctuary. Once that is do-ne with boundaries marked out, PWS should be decla-red a national park with an area of 900 sq km.

The State houses four national parks of which three are located around Hyderabad and one in Tirupati. The sources said converting PWS into a national park would cost Rs 50 crore, which would be borne by the irrigation department.

Hyderabad, Aug. 7: State Election Commissioner A.V.S. Reddy will soon be writing a book on his experiences in holding local body elections in the State. “Every election is an exp-erience and I would like to share my experiences as a State election commissioner with the people,” he said.

Interacting with reporters here on Monday after the successful conduct of gram panchayat polls, he said the SEC had received thousa-nds of complaints and ensu-red that polls were held in a peaceful and fair manner. Elections in 590 panchayats, which were cancelled due to floods, will be held between August 9 and 21.

Hyderabad, Aug. 7: Couples who could not get a ticket to perform the most sought after kalyanotsavam of Lord Venkateshwara at Tirumala can do it right near their homes free of cost at the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) Kalyana Mandapams on August 9. TTD is organising kalyanotsavam of Lord Venkat-eshwara at all its 150 Kalyana Mandapams across the State and outside, including Chennai, on August 9.

For this auspicious ceremony, the TTD has despa-tched utsava murthis to all the Kalyana Mandapams. Where there are no utsav murthis made of metal, sudha murthis (made of clay or photographs) will be used. Former DGP and president of TTD’s Regional Advisory Committee R. Prabhakar Rao said the kalyanotsavam was being organised for the welfare of people and to promote the “Tirumala Venkateswara Vaibhavam”.

“We are making arrangements for the participation of 1,200 people at each venue. The abhishekam and kalyanotsavam will be similar to one performed at Tirumala. But it will be free of cost,” Mr Rao told this correspondent.

The TTD has take up the kalyanotsavam programme more vigorously compared to last year in the wake of the controversy over the propagation of Christianity atop Tirumala. “Last August 9, the TTD conducted kalyanotsavam as it happened to be very auspicious day. The TTD decided to continue the tradition for the benefit of devotees,” says an official of the TTD Regional Advisory Committee.

Hyderabad, Aug. 7: The Secunderabad Cantonment Board was on its way to get its first-ever woman member with the reported victory of TRS-backed Manjula Reddy from Ward VI. At 11.30 pm, her supporters were claiming victory but Board officials had not officially announced it.

In another major upset, Nawab, who was backed by the Congress, lost after eight straight wins. He lost by 18 votes in Ward III. Three seats went to candidates backed by the Congress, two to the TRS and one each to the Telugu Desam and BJP supported candidates.

Congress-backed candidates Jampanna Pratap, P.N. Madhukar and P. Gouri Sankar and the TD-backed P. Venkat Rao all won thrice in a row. In Ward I, Mr Jampanna Pratap defeated Mr Amarender Reddy, also backed by the Congress by 1,682 votes. Mr Pratap polled 5,678 votes and Mr Amarender Reddy 3,996.

In Ward II, the BJP-backed candidate Laxman bagged 3,660 votes over his Congress-backed rival Kesava Reddy who got 3.241 votes. The margin was 419 votes. In Ward III, B. Prabhakar of the TRS polled 2,147 votes to defeat Nawab, backed by the Congress, who polled 2,119.

In Ward IV, the TD-backed Venkat Rao had to fight hard to defeat his Congress-backed rival D.B. Devender. He won by 376 votes. In Ward V, Mr Gouri Sankar defeated his TD rival J. Ramakrishna by 2,363 votes. Mr Gouri Sankar secured 6,489 votes and Mr Ramakrishna 4,126.

In Ward VI, TRS candidate Manjula Reddy defeated her nearest Congress rival Satti Reddy.
In Ward VII, Congress-backed candidate P.N. Madhukar defeated his TD rival C. Venu Gopal Reddy. Mr Madhukar got 2,798 votes and Mr Venu Gopal Reddy managed 1,855.
Mr Pratap, whose results were the first to be declared, said that he had worked hard to develop civilian areas in the SCB and the victory reflected his work. “It’s a victory of the common man,” he said.

Hyderabad, Aug. 7: The police has no opinion on immersion of Ganesh idols in Hussainsagar and would only follow the orders of State government, Director General of Police Swaranjit Sen said on Monday.

Mr Sen said, “The High Court has ordered the State government to prevent the immersion in Hussainsagar. After State government decides we will act accordingly.” He also said that the police is ready to change the security and immersion plans as per the decision of the State.

“We are not the right body like Pollution Control Board or a politician to express an opinion on this issue. If the government takes a decision to allow the immersion in certain areas we will follow it up. If no immersion is allowed at all we have to ensure that the order is implemented. We will redesign our security plans and other arrangements,” the DGP added.

Hyderabad, Aug. 7: The City Police will conduct security drill on Tuesday in connection with the visit of Tajkistan President Emomali Sharifovich Rahmonov visit to Hyderabad. Mr Rahmonov will visit Golconda Fort and tombs on Thursday. He will later visit BHEL on the city outskirts. Surprisingly, the Tajkistan President is unlikely to pay a visit to the famed Charminar.

“He will be visiting various units in BHEL where a presentation on industries will be made to them,” an official said. Rehearsals will be conducted on security aspects from Airport to Rajbhavan. He will be arriving from Jaipur, police said. A senior city police official said, “He is on a five-day visit to the country. Apart from Delhi he had chosen Hyderabad and Jaipur.” Medak police has also made security arrangements for his visit.