Thursday, July 27, 2006
Hyderabad Buisness News July 27th,2006
Dr Reddy’s net more than doubles
Hyderabad, July 27: Strong generic drug sales and contributions from recent acquisitions in Germany and Mexico helped Dr Reddy’s Laboratories Ltd post a net profit of $30 million (Rs 139.8 crores) in the first quarter of 2006-07, against the net loss of $5.3 million in the immediate preceding quarter, and the net profit of $8 million (Rs 34.7 crores) in the first quarter of 2006-07. The earnings figures surpassed analysts’ expectations and lifted Dr Reddy’s shares by 3.3 per cent to Rs 1,367.30 in trading on the BSE on Thursday.
Revenues increased by 151 per cent to $306 million (Rs 1,404 crores) from the $122 million (Rs 569.1 crores) in the first quarter of 2005-06. Mr G.V. Prasad, Dr Reddy’s CEO, told reporters that the sale of “authorised” generic versions of Merck’s Zocor and Proscar contributed Rs 334.6 crores.
The company launched simvastatin and finastride, the generics of Zocor and Proscar, in the United States on June 23, after Merck’s patent on the two “innovator” drugs expired. Simvastatin is indicated for lowering cholesterol, while finastride is indicated for the treatment of prostate enlargement.
Mr Prasad, and K. Satish Reddy, managing director and COO of the company, said that the company expects to maintain the first quarter momentum in the sales of the two generics. Merck’s “authorised” generic for Zocor has a 180-day marketing exclusivity. Dr Reddy’s will be manufacturing both generics in Hyderabad after the 180-day period. The company will be sharing its revenue from the two generic drugs with Merck, though Mr Prasad declined to elaborate on the financial arrangement. Exports contributed 83 per cent of Dr Reddy’s revenue in the first quarter, accounting for Rs 1,171 crores of the total sales, while revenues from India rose by 15 per cent to Rs 240 crores.
Mr Prasad said that while sales of the authorised generics, which contributed 24 per cent of revenues, are expected to be good, a decline was to expected after the end of the exclusivity period. Meanwhile, the company is expecting to get approval for an “authorised” generic of ondansetron, whose patent is held by GSK. Ondansetron is used to prevent nausea and vomiting caused by cancer chem-otherapy, radiation therapy, anesthesia, and surgery.
Mr Prasad said Dr Reddy’s acquisitions, of Roche’s API assets in Mexico and betapharm in Germany, contributed 23 per cent of the revenues during the first quarter. According to a company release, Dr Reddy’s investments in R&D had declined four per cent of total revenues against the nine per cent Y-o-Y.
Rising wages do not faze IT workers
The English-language media have always had a bee in their bonnet about the Pay Commissions and hold junior government employees responsible for our Budget deficits and fiscal impropriety. Yet, at the same time, the same reporters celebrate the million-dollar salaries that are now being freely handed out at IIM campuses and also gush over the stratospheric compensation of IT professionals.
If the recommendations of successive Pay Commissions have squeezed our national exchequer, I can say with a strong element of conviction that the grossly-overpaid IT professionals are squeezing the bottom line of our technology industry. Dalal Street has pointedly given a thumbs down to IT companies who continue to molly coddle their employees by paying them more than they deserve. But our IT professionals, many of who are known more for their greed rather than their professional abilities, don’t seem to care as long as they are guaranteed a 20 per cent year-on-year increment when our industrial workers have to make do with a mere pittance.
Friends in the recruiting industry tell me that the bare minimum demand of an IT professional to consider a new job is a 50 per cent escalation in salary. Considering that most of these fickle professionals effect job changes almost every year, they
end up experiencing a five-fold increase in their compensation in four years! Still they remain restless probably realising that this wanton party won’t last too long. Compare this with a mid-manager in a manufacturing company, whose salary probably doubles over a ten-year term.
The digital divide in India is breeding simmering discontent among our non-tech salaried classes which may soon come to the surface unless most of our IT professionals take stock of the damage that they are inflicting to the bottom line of their employers which has the potential of turning India into an economically unviable destination. Steve Jobs read the signals early and cut his losses. This could well pan out into a trend.
SALARY BENCHMARKS
To ascertain the widening gap in salaries between IT workers and those in other industries, I researched about a hundred bio-datas on several job portals and have the following to report. Manufacturing companies pay at the rate of Rs 40,000 to Rs 60,000 per year of post-qualification experience with stray exceptions for IIM products. Private banks and insurance companies pay their MBAs and CAs closer to the Rs one lakh a year mark, though one must admit that foreign banks pay higher, but their numbers are rather limited. Telecom companies are in the same range as private banks. But IT companies are now breaching the Rs 2-lakh a year mark even for mid-managers with basic skills.
I came across the profile of a thirty-something HR manager of the Indian back office of a foreign insurance company, who has broken the Rs 3-lakh a year barrier and is still aggressively looking for a change. Is he a professional manager or a soldier of fortune? Such individuals need to be on the watch list of the tech industry as they are likely to make up for the lower salary in the next job through unfair means if they don’t get what they covet. It is obvious that there is an acute dearth of talent in the tech industry which is causing this visible disconnect in compensation even as our tech industry leaders continue to exaggerate their claims about India possessing abundant human resources.
Our education system is still primarily government-owned and the ones operated as private initiatives are confined only to a few elite institutions. Therefore, tech companies need necessarily to invest in a pipeline that they have not yet. If they don’t, it would be only at their own peril.
NIIT arm acquires US firm for $40m
Hyderabad, July 27: NIIT Global has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Element K, a provider of learning solutions in North America, for a reported sum of $40 million. The transaction is expected to close within two weeks. Post-acquistion the comkpany will have more than with more than 3,000 employees, over $ 250 million in revenue and a presence in 32 countries.
“Element K’s $ 80 million learning solutions business leverages its renowned technology Knowledge Hub, and an award-winning suite of more than 3,500 courses. Its learning solutions are enhanced through custom content development and strategic learning services, to address specific business challenges,” an NIIT release said. “This acquisition is consistent with our stated plans for accelerated gr-owth in developed econ-omies,” said Vijay Thadani, CEO of NIIT. “We are very pleased to become part of NIIT’s global learning business,” said Stephen Hoffman, chief executive officer of Element K. Meanwhile, NIIT also announced its net profit at Rs 13.2 crore for the first quarter of FY2007, ended June 30, which led to the Earning Per Share (EPS) of Rs 6.80.
Matrix Labs posts profit of Rs 33.8cr
Hyderabad, July 27: Matrix Laboratories Ltd said on Thursday it posted a consolidated net profit of Rs 33.8 crores on consolidated net sales of Rs 442.2 crores in the first quarter of 2006-07, compared to a net income of Rs 25.3 crores on sales of Rs. 154.3 crores in the corresponding quarter of the previous year, on stand-alone basis.
A Matrix statement said that the company’s R&D expenses had risen to Rs 17.7 crores against the Rs 14.4 crores in the preceding quarter. The generic API business contributed Rs 127 crores to the consolidated net sales for the quarter against Rs 128.7 crores recorded in the preceding quarter.
“The marginal shortfall in sales in this segment is due to less than anticipated off-take of certain key products both in Matrix-India and FCC. During the quarter, the company filed 4 Drug Master Files in the US, taking the total tally to 64. In addition, European DMFs have been filed for thre APIs,” the release said. The company had a successful audit from the US FDA in one of its API manufacturing facilities located in Vishakapatnam, during the first quarter. It said that the consolidated sales in the ARV portfolio was Rs 103 crores, as against the Rs 82.8 crores recorded in the preceding quarter with a growth of 24 per cent.
Docpharma, NV, a 100 per cent subsidiary of the company recorded revenue of euro 28.24 million for the quarter under review, which represents a growth of eight over the previous year (corresponding period euro 26.19 million). “This slow growth is due to delay in receiving regulatory approvals for key products in Belgium, the key market for the company. Docpharma recorded net income of euro 2.2 million for three months ended 30 June 2006.
WB to fund 2 Indian CDM projects
Hyderabad, July 27: The World Bank, as trustee of the Community Development Carbon Fund (CDCF), has signed two agreements with two Indian companies to promote technologies that may help revolutionise the building material industry. The two companies are the Visakhapatnam-based Eco Carbon, promoted by the Institute for Solid Waste Research and Ecological Balance, and Technology and Action for Rural Advancement, the social enterprise arm of the Development Alternatives Group.
Inswareb has developed technology, called FaL-G, which replaces the clay used in the manufacture of bricks with fly ash, generated by thermal power plant. “The World Bank will be providing $4.5 million to promote the adoption of Fal-G technology, and Eco Carbon will be the implementing agency,” Nateri Kalidas, executive director of Eco Carbon said on Thursday. “The initiative will replace environmentally damaging burnt clay building bricks in India’s construction sector with fly ash brick which is manufactured using available industrial wastes/by-products as basic raw materials,” the World Bank said.
Tara will be the implementing agency for a Vertical Shaft Brick Kiln technology project, which aims to improve the thermal performance of the brick manufacturing units in selected clusters of the country, especially in the states of Chattishgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Orissa, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. “This technology is both cleaner and more energy efficient than the clamp technology, which is commonly used by the small and medium scale brick manufacturers,” the bank said.
Tara intends to set up a total of about 126 VSBK plants, in a time frame of two to three years in selected clusters in the participating states through different entrepreneurs. The almost 400,000 tons of greenhouse gas emission reductions generated by the project over 10 years will be purchased by the CDCF. “These projects will help clean up the brick industry which is not just one of the major contributors to India’s carbon dioxide emissions, but also uses up inordinate amounts of coal energy,” said Michael F. Carter, World Bank country director for India.
ADB okays $300m loan to NTPC
Hyderabad, July 27: The board of the Asian Development Bank on Thursday approved a loan of up to $300 million to NTPC Ltd to finance its power generation capacity expansion programme and to reduce the country’s power shortfall.The loan will be the first time ADB will lend to a majority state-owned enterprise without a government guarantee under the bank’s innovation and efficiency initiative (IEI) through pilot financing instruments, a release from the Manila, Philippines-based bank said.
The loan will help fund capital expenditure for two projects — the Sipat Super Thermal Power Plant in Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh, and the Kahalgaon Super Thermal Power Plant Stage II Project in Bhagalpur, Bihar. Together, these two projects will add 4,480 MW of electricity to the national grid between 2006 and 2009.
“Although India’s power sector has expanded rapidly in the past few years, the country has a large power supply deficit that is constraining economic growth. The government has set an ambitious target of providing power to all by 2012, which would require additional capacity of nearly 100,000 MW by 2012,” the release said. The largest power generator in India, NTPC’s ability to increase power capacity is critical to reducing peak power and energy deficits, which may soon constrain the country’s economic growth targets, said Mr Don Purka, an ADB structured finance specialist in the private sector operations department. “NTPC is a technically and financially sound enterprise with strong cash flows, a model corporate governance reform programme and experienced management,” he said. NTPC will implement, for the first time in India, supercritical steam technology at the Sipat
plant that will operate at higher pressures and temperatures, improving efficiency and reducing fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions such as carbon dioxide. “ADB’s loan will be provided in two parts. The first is a loan of $75 million from ADB’s own resources and the second is a loan through ADB’s complementary financing scheme of $225 million to be underwritten and syndicated to commercial lenders. This will be the first time ADB’s CFS product is being used in India,” ADB said.
Hyderabad, July 27: Strong generic drug sales and contributions from recent acquisitions in Germany and Mexico helped Dr Reddy’s Laboratories Ltd post a net profit of $30 million (Rs 139.8 crores) in the first quarter of 2006-07, against the net loss of $5.3 million in the immediate preceding quarter, and the net profit of $8 million (Rs 34.7 crores) in the first quarter of 2006-07. The earnings figures surpassed analysts’ expectations and lifted Dr Reddy’s shares by 3.3 per cent to Rs 1,367.30 in trading on the BSE on Thursday.
Revenues increased by 151 per cent to $306 million (Rs 1,404 crores) from the $122 million (Rs 569.1 crores) in the first quarter of 2005-06. Mr G.V. Prasad, Dr Reddy’s CEO, told reporters that the sale of “authorised” generic versions of Merck’s Zocor and Proscar contributed Rs 334.6 crores.
The company launched simvastatin and finastride, the generics of Zocor and Proscar, in the United States on June 23, after Merck’s patent on the two “innovator” drugs expired. Simvastatin is indicated for lowering cholesterol, while finastride is indicated for the treatment of prostate enlargement.
Mr Prasad, and K. Satish Reddy, managing director and COO of the company, said that the company expects to maintain the first quarter momentum in the sales of the two generics. Merck’s “authorised” generic for Zocor has a 180-day marketing exclusivity. Dr Reddy’s will be manufacturing both generics in Hyderabad after the 180-day period. The company will be sharing its revenue from the two generic drugs with Merck, though Mr Prasad declined to elaborate on the financial arrangement. Exports contributed 83 per cent of Dr Reddy’s revenue in the first quarter, accounting for Rs 1,171 crores of the total sales, while revenues from India rose by 15 per cent to Rs 240 crores.
Mr Prasad said that while sales of the authorised generics, which contributed 24 per cent of revenues, are expected to be good, a decline was to expected after the end of the exclusivity period. Meanwhile, the company is expecting to get approval for an “authorised” generic of ondansetron, whose patent is held by GSK. Ondansetron is used to prevent nausea and vomiting caused by cancer chem-otherapy, radiation therapy, anesthesia, and surgery.
Mr Prasad said Dr Reddy’s acquisitions, of Roche’s API assets in Mexico and betapharm in Germany, contributed 23 per cent of the revenues during the first quarter. According to a company release, Dr Reddy’s investments in R&D had declined four per cent of total revenues against the nine per cent Y-o-Y.
Rising wages do not faze IT workers
The English-language media have always had a bee in their bonnet about the Pay Commissions and hold junior government employees responsible for our Budget deficits and fiscal impropriety. Yet, at the same time, the same reporters celebrate the million-dollar salaries that are now being freely handed out at IIM campuses and also gush over the stratospheric compensation of IT professionals.
If the recommendations of successive Pay Commissions have squeezed our national exchequer, I can say with a strong element of conviction that the grossly-overpaid IT professionals are squeezing the bottom line of our technology industry. Dalal Street has pointedly given a thumbs down to IT companies who continue to molly coddle their employees by paying them more than they deserve. But our IT professionals, many of who are known more for their greed rather than their professional abilities, don’t seem to care as long as they are guaranteed a 20 per cent year-on-year increment when our industrial workers have to make do with a mere pittance.
Friends in the recruiting industry tell me that the bare minimum demand of an IT professional to consider a new job is a 50 per cent escalation in salary. Considering that most of these fickle professionals effect job changes almost every year, they
end up experiencing a five-fold increase in their compensation in four years! Still they remain restless probably realising that this wanton party won’t last too long. Compare this with a mid-manager in a manufacturing company, whose salary probably doubles over a ten-year term.
The digital divide in India is breeding simmering discontent among our non-tech salaried classes which may soon come to the surface unless most of our IT professionals take stock of the damage that they are inflicting to the bottom line of their employers which has the potential of turning India into an economically unviable destination. Steve Jobs read the signals early and cut his losses. This could well pan out into a trend.
SALARY BENCHMARKS
To ascertain the widening gap in salaries between IT workers and those in other industries, I researched about a hundred bio-datas on several job portals and have the following to report. Manufacturing companies pay at the rate of Rs 40,000 to Rs 60,000 per year of post-qualification experience with stray exceptions for IIM products. Private banks and insurance companies pay their MBAs and CAs closer to the Rs one lakh a year mark, though one must admit that foreign banks pay higher, but their numbers are rather limited. Telecom companies are in the same range as private banks. But IT companies are now breaching the Rs 2-lakh a year mark even for mid-managers with basic skills.
I came across the profile of a thirty-something HR manager of the Indian back office of a foreign insurance company, who has broken the Rs 3-lakh a year barrier and is still aggressively looking for a change. Is he a professional manager or a soldier of fortune? Such individuals need to be on the watch list of the tech industry as they are likely to make up for the lower salary in the next job through unfair means if they don’t get what they covet. It is obvious that there is an acute dearth of talent in the tech industry which is causing this visible disconnect in compensation even as our tech industry leaders continue to exaggerate their claims about India possessing abundant human resources.
Our education system is still primarily government-owned and the ones operated as private initiatives are confined only to a few elite institutions. Therefore, tech companies need necessarily to invest in a pipeline that they have not yet. If they don’t, it would be only at their own peril.
NIIT arm acquires US firm for $40m
Hyderabad, July 27: NIIT Global has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Element K, a provider of learning solutions in North America, for a reported sum of $40 million. The transaction is expected to close within two weeks. Post-acquistion the comkpany will have more than with more than 3,000 employees, over $ 250 million in revenue and a presence in 32 countries.
“Element K’s $ 80 million learning solutions business leverages its renowned technology Knowledge Hub, and an award-winning suite of more than 3,500 courses. Its learning solutions are enhanced through custom content development and strategic learning services, to address specific business challenges,” an NIIT release said. “This acquisition is consistent with our stated plans for accelerated gr-owth in developed econ-omies,” said Vijay Thadani, CEO of NIIT. “We are very pleased to become part of NIIT’s global learning business,” said Stephen Hoffman, chief executive officer of Element K. Meanwhile, NIIT also announced its net profit at Rs 13.2 crore for the first quarter of FY2007, ended June 30, which led to the Earning Per Share (EPS) of Rs 6.80.
Matrix Labs posts profit of Rs 33.8cr
Hyderabad, July 27: Matrix Laboratories Ltd said on Thursday it posted a consolidated net profit of Rs 33.8 crores on consolidated net sales of Rs 442.2 crores in the first quarter of 2006-07, compared to a net income of Rs 25.3 crores on sales of Rs. 154.3 crores in the corresponding quarter of the previous year, on stand-alone basis.
A Matrix statement said that the company’s R&D expenses had risen to Rs 17.7 crores against the Rs 14.4 crores in the preceding quarter. The generic API business contributed Rs 127 crores to the consolidated net sales for the quarter against Rs 128.7 crores recorded in the preceding quarter.
“The marginal shortfall in sales in this segment is due to less than anticipated off-take of certain key products both in Matrix-India and FCC. During the quarter, the company filed 4 Drug Master Files in the US, taking the total tally to 64. In addition, European DMFs have been filed for thre APIs,” the release said. The company had a successful audit from the US FDA in one of its API manufacturing facilities located in Vishakapatnam, during the first quarter. It said that the consolidated sales in the ARV portfolio was Rs 103 crores, as against the Rs 82.8 crores recorded in the preceding quarter with a growth of 24 per cent.
Docpharma, NV, a 100 per cent subsidiary of the company recorded revenue of euro 28.24 million for the quarter under review, which represents a growth of eight over the previous year (corresponding period euro 26.19 million). “This slow growth is due to delay in receiving regulatory approvals for key products in Belgium, the key market for the company. Docpharma recorded net income of euro 2.2 million for three months ended 30 June 2006.
WB to fund 2 Indian CDM projects
Hyderabad, July 27: The World Bank, as trustee of the Community Development Carbon Fund (CDCF), has signed two agreements with two Indian companies to promote technologies that may help revolutionise the building material industry. The two companies are the Visakhapatnam-based Eco Carbon, promoted by the Institute for Solid Waste Research and Ecological Balance, and Technology and Action for Rural Advancement, the social enterprise arm of the Development Alternatives Group.
Inswareb has developed technology, called FaL-G, which replaces the clay used in the manufacture of bricks with fly ash, generated by thermal power plant. “The World Bank will be providing $4.5 million to promote the adoption of Fal-G technology, and Eco Carbon will be the implementing agency,” Nateri Kalidas, executive director of Eco Carbon said on Thursday. “The initiative will replace environmentally damaging burnt clay building bricks in India’s construction sector with fly ash brick which is manufactured using available industrial wastes/by-products as basic raw materials,” the World Bank said.
Tara will be the implementing agency for a Vertical Shaft Brick Kiln technology project, which aims to improve the thermal performance of the brick manufacturing units in selected clusters of the country, especially in the states of Chattishgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Orissa, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. “This technology is both cleaner and more energy efficient than the clamp technology, which is commonly used by the small and medium scale brick manufacturers,” the bank said.
Tara intends to set up a total of about 126 VSBK plants, in a time frame of two to three years in selected clusters in the participating states through different entrepreneurs. The almost 400,000 tons of greenhouse gas emission reductions generated by the project over 10 years will be purchased by the CDCF. “These projects will help clean up the brick industry which is not just one of the major contributors to India’s carbon dioxide emissions, but also uses up inordinate amounts of coal energy,” said Michael F. Carter, World Bank country director for India.
ADB okays $300m loan to NTPC
Hyderabad, July 27: The board of the Asian Development Bank on Thursday approved a loan of up to $300 million to NTPC Ltd to finance its power generation capacity expansion programme and to reduce the country’s power shortfall.The loan will be the first time ADB will lend to a majority state-owned enterprise without a government guarantee under the bank’s innovation and efficiency initiative (IEI) through pilot financing instruments, a release from the Manila, Philippines-based bank said.
The loan will help fund capital expenditure for two projects — the Sipat Super Thermal Power Plant in Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh, and the Kahalgaon Super Thermal Power Plant Stage II Project in Bhagalpur, Bihar. Together, these two projects will add 4,480 MW of electricity to the national grid between 2006 and 2009.
“Although India’s power sector has expanded rapidly in the past few years, the country has a large power supply deficit that is constraining economic growth. The government has set an ambitious target of providing power to all by 2012, which would require additional capacity of nearly 100,000 MW by 2012,” the release said. The largest power generator in India, NTPC’s ability to increase power capacity is critical to reducing peak power and energy deficits, which may soon constrain the country’s economic growth targets, said Mr Don Purka, an ADB structured finance specialist in the private sector operations department. “NTPC is a technically and financially sound enterprise with strong cash flows, a model corporate governance reform programme and experienced management,” he said. NTPC will implement, for the first time in India, supercritical steam technology at the Sipat
plant that will operate at higher pressures and temperatures, improving efficiency and reducing fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions such as carbon dioxide. “ADB’s loan will be provided in two parts. The first is a loan of $75 million from ADB’s own resources and the second is a loan through ADB’s complementary financing scheme of $225 million to be underwritten and syndicated to commercial lenders. This will be the first time ADB’s CFS product is being used in India,” ADB said.
Andhrapradesh Regional News July 27th,2006
Heavy rains hit Kurnool district
Kurnool, July 27: Heavy rains lashed several parts of the Kurnool district in the last two days. All the mandals in the district received moderate to heavy rain. The district registered a rainfall of 42.2 mm on Thursday. C. Belagal, Mahanandi, Gudur and other mandals registered a record rainfall of over 110 mm each in two days. Several low-lying areas in the city were inundated due to heavy rain on Wednesday night.
Residents spent sleepless night as rainwater entered their houses in Weaker Section Colony, Eswarappa Nagar, Hemalatha Nagar, Nirmal Nagar, Karl Marx Nagar and other low-lying localities. Wall collapses were reported from some places. However, none were injured in the incidents. Huts located along the Vakkera stream were submerged as the stream overflowed with rainwater. Local legislator Gafoor visited several low-lying areas and consoled the affected people. He assured that a protection wall would be constructed along the Vakkera stream.
Meanwhile, Nandyal division received heavy rains in the last two days. All the 17 mandals in the division received heavy rain. Nandyal town received 40 mm rainfall on Wednesday. Several low-lying areas were inundated due to the floodwaters and vehicular traffic was disrupted at several localities in the town. However, rains brought relief to farmers. In the last two days, Mahanandi received 150.8 mm rainfall, Bandi Atmakur 111 mm, Panyam 96.4, Gadivemula 56 mm, Allagadda 68.6 mm, Rudravaram 70 mm, Shirvella 99, Gospadu 102, Chagalamarri 35.4, Kovelakuntla 50 mm and Banaganapalle received 76.8 mm rainfall.
Srisailam receives huge inflows
Kurnool, July 27: Srisailam reservoir receives huge inflows of floodwaters due to heavy rains in the Krishna catchment areas in Karnataka. Nearly 1.5 lakh cusecs water is being released from Almatti and Narayanapur reservoirs into Srisailam dam. The water level at the dam reached 868.20 feet and water storage stood at 180 tmc ft on Thursday evening. Inflows into Srisailam dam increased to 1,67,716 cusecs by Thursday evening as it receives floodwaters from Handri, Kakileru and Bhavanashi rivers due to heavy rains in Kurnool district.
Officials said that dam gates would be opened and water would be released into Nagarjunasagar if the reservoir receives another 70 tmc ft of water. If the present inflows continue for another four days, the dam would reach its full capacity, officials said. The APGenco has taken up power production to full capacity and on an average 55,000 cusecs water is being released into Nagarjunasagar.
Meanwhile, Thungabhadra reservoir saw considerable increase in water level. On Thursday, the reservoir water level stood at 1630.865 against is maximum level of 1,633 and the storage capacity is 96.231 tmc ft against the full storage capacity of 111 tmc ft. The dam is receiving an inflow of 18,480 cusecs and 7,450 cusecs is being released into canals. Irrigation officials said that the dam gates would be opened if inflow increases.
Project gears up to provide water to crop
Komarada (Vizianagaram), July 27: The headwork package works on the rubber dam built on the river Janjhavathi in the mandal picked up momentum as Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy will release water for the kharif tentatively on August 8. The Chief Minister, while dedicating the rubber dam to the nation on the New Year’s Day, assured the ayacutdars that water would be released for kharif season. The engineering officials have speeded up the on-going works including concrete works and fixing of radial gates on the dam to store more water.
The contractors too have stepped up canal works to enable the officials to release water during the Chief Minister’s visit. A two-member Austrian engineering team had already visited the project last week and made a trial run as part of their annual maintenance contract. When contacted, rubber dam DE Koteswara Rao told this correspondent that the canal works were going on in full swing and would be completed well before the CM’s visit.
To a question, he said they have no information about the proposed CM’s visit till date, but they are making arrangements to release water in a week’s time.
Lambada thanda reels under viral fever
Nizamabad, July 27: People of Pedda Malkapur, a Lambada thanda located about 8 kms from Nizamabad, have been suffering from viral fevers, body pains and chikungunya for the last four days. Around 300 families are sick and awaiting treatment.
Villagers are expressing anger at the district machinery as no official, either from the Revenue or the Health departments, visited the thanda to enquire about their health. The thanda is not even in a position to participate in the gram panchayat elections to be conducted on July 29 under the first phase of polls. Pedda Malkapur is a tribal thanda and a major gram panchayat in Nizamabad rural mandal and consists of around 3, 000 population.
This correspondent visited the thanda on Thursday and found that almost one person from each family was suffering from viral fevers, body pains, joint pains, etc. “I am suffering from viral fever, but I am not in a position to go to hospital and even to the local RMP, as my parents are also suffering from diarrhoea for the last two days,” Mr Lingam Naik, 24, said.
Mr Shankar, 45, an agricultural labourer, who is suffering from body pains said, “I am not attending to work since three days due to acute body pains. My entire family depends on my earning.” Ms Banothu Syamala, 48, an housewife-cum-beedi roller, said, “ In my family, three persons, including my husband and two sons, are suffering from viral fever. I spent more than Rs 500 for treatment, but with no result.”
Dr Sudhakar Rao, a health official from the District Medical and Health Department, who visited the thanda along with health staff, said that there was no chikungunya in the thanda. “A few families are suffering from airborne diseases. Four cases in the entire thanda have symptoms of chikungunaya. We have collected blood samples of five persons suffering from malaria and sent them for lab tests. A health camp was organised at the village,” he added.
Mandali pays rich tributes to State Maoist chief with songs
Karimnagar, July 27: The artistes of Jana Natya Mandali paid rich tributes to slain Maoist leader Madhav alias Burra Chinnanna by singing revolutionary songs during his funeral procession. The artistes led by balladeer Gaddar performed in front of the funeral procession and sang revolutionary tunes describing Madhav as a son of the soil who returned to the village as a martyr after serving the movement for more than two decades. The artistes have also launched a scathing attack on the government in the form of songs accusing it of unleashing suppression.
Earlier, revolutionary poet Varavara Rao termed Madhav as a selfless revolutionist who contributed immensely to the movement. Addressing the gathering before the funeral procession, he said that Madhav has risen to the highest position in the movement by virtue of sheer commitment. He remains forever in the minds of the people for his relentless efforts to champion the cause of the poor and downtrodden sections, he said and added that Madhav created ripples among the imperialistic forces represented by US President George Bush through his determined struggle.
Virasam leader Kalyana Rao alleged that the Congress government, which came to power on the promises like preventing fake encounters, was resorting to worst ever oppressive acts. Stating that Madhav fought for the cause of the downtrodden sections till his last breath, he said that Madhav’s sacrifice would continue to inspire the revolutionists to spearhead the movement towards its goal to herald new democratic revolution.
Mr Gaddar alleged that the Congress government was drenching the villages in blood in the name of Palle Bata and Jala Yagnam. The government has virtually mortgaged the villages and the forests to the World Bank and playing to its tunes to suppress people’s movements, he charged.
Top Maoist leader cremated
Karimnagar, July 27: Ma-oist State secretary Madhav was cremated on Thursday at his native Mangapeta village in Kalvasrirampur mandal of Karimnagar district. The funeral was conducted under tight security and police surveillance. Attended by relatives, villagers, the representatives of the civil liberties committee, Virasam, and others, Madhav’s son Karthik lit the funeral pyre at their ancestral agricultural land on the outskirts of the village in the afternoon.
Poignant scenes were witnessed in the village as Karthik broke down on seeing the body of his slain father, which reached the village in the early hours. Shocked by the sight of the decomposed body of his father for the first and the last time in his life, Karthik wept inconsolably. Revolutionary poet Varavara Rao, balladeer Gaddar, Virasam leader G. Kalyana Rao, Madiga Res-ervation Porata Samiti president Manda Krishna Madiga and others accompanied Karthik in the funeral procession.
Amidst recital of the revolutionary songs by the acti-vists of Jananatya Mandali, the procession traversed thr-ough the main roads of the village and reached the cremation site after two hours.Meanwhile, a Maoist couple, Rollaaplli Rajeswara Rao alias Raju, 25, and his wife Nayana Adi Lakshmi alias Sujata, 23, surrendered before East Godavari police on Thursday.
Eluru Range deputy inspector-general C.V. Anand said Rajeswara Rao, a native of P. Yerrakonda in Y. Ramavaram mandal in East Godavari, was a key member in the Srikakulam division of the Andhra Orissa border special zone committee. Adi Lakshmi, a nat-ive of Dadalikawada in Y. Ramavaram mandal, was a member of the Chilakam guerrilla squad.
Vegetarianism catches up in Guntur town
Guntur, July 27: Guntur is the only city in Andhra Pradesh and one of the 14 cities in the country that has been taking part in the ‘Great Indian Meat-Out 2006’ campaign promoting vegetarianism.The first phase of the programme ended in March 2006 and members of ‘Do It Yourself Activists’ are gearing up for the second phase. Diya is a Bangalore-based NGO along with Plant and Animal Welfare Society of Mumbai which initiated an internationally-renowned campaign to promote vegetarianism and veganism, said Sujatha Karanth, coordinator of Diya, while speaking to this correspondent over phone.
According to Manjunath, coordinator of Diya at Guntur, leaflets were distributed and lectures organised during the first phase. In the second phase, in view of the largescale damage that fastfood chains cause to humans, animals and the environment in their meat-based diets, Diya and Paws approached big chains including McDonalds, Pizza Hut and Café Coffee Day.
“The idea is to ask them to promote particular products which do not have milk or meat, including lemon-flavoured ice tea, French fries, burgers without mayonnaise, etc.” he added. With the high cholesterol content, chicken joints are considered to be hazardous to health. Hence, chicken joints are deemed to be dog-meat. Big MNCs in the food world usually purchase those joints at a through-away price and export them for Indian consumption.
Moreover, Diya, by the concept, was deeply influenced by renowned philosopher, Peter Singer, who argues for animal rights, utilitarian ethics and a Darwinian Left. As a result, the big chains agreed for full meat-free day. “When the idea was mooted, Café Coffee Day came up with the idea of vegan shake, first of its kind,” Ms Sujatha said. Speaking to this correspondent, Rayapati Jagadish of Café Coffee Day of Guntur said he is yet to be informed of the programme.
35 hurt as RTC bus falls in canal
Tenali (Guntur) July 27: Nearly 35 people were injured when an APSRTC bus coming from Chirala to Tenali fell into East canal at Jaggadiguntapalem near Pedaravuru on Thursday. When the bus was heading towards Tenali in the morning, the driver lost control over it, sources said.
Since it was peak hour, 50 passengers, including schoolchildren were travelling in the bus. The bus driver tried to overtake an autorickshaw, but lost control of the steering as it ascended a mound of stone chips. After overturning, the bus fell into the canal. Out of the 35 people injured, the condition of 10 was said to be serious. They were rushed to Tenali government hospital. Tenali MRO and RTC officials are monitoring the relief operations.
Dowry accused tries to fly to Cyprus, held
Visakhapatnam, July 27: An accused in a dowry har-assment case was arrested in Mumbai by the Sahar police. He was brought here on Thursday and produced before the chief metropolitan magistrate. According to Gajuwaka station house officer P. Ravi Varma: “A case was filed by Murupuredi Satya Srivani against her husband Satish Kumar, father-in-law Someswara Rao, mother-in-law Venkata Lakshmi and brother-in-law Nitish Kumar accusing them of harassing her for more dowry.”
All the persons named in the complaint were arrested. However, the main acc-used during the course of investigation escaped with his passport planning to leave the country and settle in Cyprus.Police immediately filed a memo with the court of first additional chief metropolitan magistrate for impounding the passport issued to Satish Kumar. Accordingly, the regional passport officer impounded the passport.
Police commissioner V.S.K. Kaumudi issued a crash automex message to emigration authorities at international airports across the country describing the facts of the case and also the orders of the chief metropolitan magistrate. Police requested the emigration authorities to detain Satish Kumar and seize his passport. On July 22, the Sahar police in Mumbai intercepted Satish Kumar and informed the Visakhapatnam police.
On receipt of information, local sub-inspector Ch. Tirupathi Rao and other officials went to Mumbai and arrested Satish Kumar on July 24. A petition was filed in 22nd metropolitan magistrate and a transit remand was granted for a period of three days.The accused was brought to Gajuwaka police station at about 1 pm on Thursday and later produced in the magistrate court.The magistrate remanded him to 14 days judicial custody.
Kurnool, July 27: Heavy rains lashed several parts of the Kurnool district in the last two days. All the mandals in the district received moderate to heavy rain. The district registered a rainfall of 42.2 mm on Thursday. C. Belagal, Mahanandi, Gudur and other mandals registered a record rainfall of over 110 mm each in two days. Several low-lying areas in the city were inundated due to heavy rain on Wednesday night.
Residents spent sleepless night as rainwater entered their houses in Weaker Section Colony, Eswarappa Nagar, Hemalatha Nagar, Nirmal Nagar, Karl Marx Nagar and other low-lying localities. Wall collapses were reported from some places. However, none were injured in the incidents. Huts located along the Vakkera stream were submerged as the stream overflowed with rainwater. Local legislator Gafoor visited several low-lying areas and consoled the affected people. He assured that a protection wall would be constructed along the Vakkera stream.
Meanwhile, Nandyal division received heavy rains in the last two days. All the 17 mandals in the division received heavy rain. Nandyal town received 40 mm rainfall on Wednesday. Several low-lying areas were inundated due to the floodwaters and vehicular traffic was disrupted at several localities in the town. However, rains brought relief to farmers. In the last two days, Mahanandi received 150.8 mm rainfall, Bandi Atmakur 111 mm, Panyam 96.4, Gadivemula 56 mm, Allagadda 68.6 mm, Rudravaram 70 mm, Shirvella 99, Gospadu 102, Chagalamarri 35.4, Kovelakuntla 50 mm and Banaganapalle received 76.8 mm rainfall.
Srisailam receives huge inflows
Kurnool, July 27: Srisailam reservoir receives huge inflows of floodwaters due to heavy rains in the Krishna catchment areas in Karnataka. Nearly 1.5 lakh cusecs water is being released from Almatti and Narayanapur reservoirs into Srisailam dam. The water level at the dam reached 868.20 feet and water storage stood at 180 tmc ft on Thursday evening. Inflows into Srisailam dam increased to 1,67,716 cusecs by Thursday evening as it receives floodwaters from Handri, Kakileru and Bhavanashi rivers due to heavy rains in Kurnool district.
Officials said that dam gates would be opened and water would be released into Nagarjunasagar if the reservoir receives another 70 tmc ft of water. If the present inflows continue for another four days, the dam would reach its full capacity, officials said. The APGenco has taken up power production to full capacity and on an average 55,000 cusecs water is being released into Nagarjunasagar.
Meanwhile, Thungabhadra reservoir saw considerable increase in water level. On Thursday, the reservoir water level stood at 1630.865 against is maximum level of 1,633 and the storage capacity is 96.231 tmc ft against the full storage capacity of 111 tmc ft. The dam is receiving an inflow of 18,480 cusecs and 7,450 cusecs is being released into canals. Irrigation officials said that the dam gates would be opened if inflow increases.
Project gears up to provide water to crop
Komarada (Vizianagaram), July 27: The headwork package works on the rubber dam built on the river Janjhavathi in the mandal picked up momentum as Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy will release water for the kharif tentatively on August 8. The Chief Minister, while dedicating the rubber dam to the nation on the New Year’s Day, assured the ayacutdars that water would be released for kharif season. The engineering officials have speeded up the on-going works including concrete works and fixing of radial gates on the dam to store more water.
The contractors too have stepped up canal works to enable the officials to release water during the Chief Minister’s visit. A two-member Austrian engineering team had already visited the project last week and made a trial run as part of their annual maintenance contract. When contacted, rubber dam DE Koteswara Rao told this correspondent that the canal works were going on in full swing and would be completed well before the CM’s visit.
To a question, he said they have no information about the proposed CM’s visit till date, but they are making arrangements to release water in a week’s time.
Lambada thanda reels under viral fever
Nizamabad, July 27: People of Pedda Malkapur, a Lambada thanda located about 8 kms from Nizamabad, have been suffering from viral fevers, body pains and chikungunya for the last four days. Around 300 families are sick and awaiting treatment.
Villagers are expressing anger at the district machinery as no official, either from the Revenue or the Health departments, visited the thanda to enquire about their health. The thanda is not even in a position to participate in the gram panchayat elections to be conducted on July 29 under the first phase of polls. Pedda Malkapur is a tribal thanda and a major gram panchayat in Nizamabad rural mandal and consists of around 3, 000 population.
This correspondent visited the thanda on Thursday and found that almost one person from each family was suffering from viral fevers, body pains, joint pains, etc. “I am suffering from viral fever, but I am not in a position to go to hospital and even to the local RMP, as my parents are also suffering from diarrhoea for the last two days,” Mr Lingam Naik, 24, said.
Mr Shankar, 45, an agricultural labourer, who is suffering from body pains said, “I am not attending to work since three days due to acute body pains. My entire family depends on my earning.” Ms Banothu Syamala, 48, an housewife-cum-beedi roller, said, “ In my family, three persons, including my husband and two sons, are suffering from viral fever. I spent more than Rs 500 for treatment, but with no result.”
Dr Sudhakar Rao, a health official from the District Medical and Health Department, who visited the thanda along with health staff, said that there was no chikungunya in the thanda. “A few families are suffering from airborne diseases. Four cases in the entire thanda have symptoms of chikungunaya. We have collected blood samples of five persons suffering from malaria and sent them for lab tests. A health camp was organised at the village,” he added.
Mandali pays rich tributes to State Maoist chief with songs
Karimnagar, July 27: The artistes of Jana Natya Mandali paid rich tributes to slain Maoist leader Madhav alias Burra Chinnanna by singing revolutionary songs during his funeral procession. The artistes led by balladeer Gaddar performed in front of the funeral procession and sang revolutionary tunes describing Madhav as a son of the soil who returned to the village as a martyr after serving the movement for more than two decades. The artistes have also launched a scathing attack on the government in the form of songs accusing it of unleashing suppression.
Earlier, revolutionary poet Varavara Rao termed Madhav as a selfless revolutionist who contributed immensely to the movement. Addressing the gathering before the funeral procession, he said that Madhav has risen to the highest position in the movement by virtue of sheer commitment. He remains forever in the minds of the people for his relentless efforts to champion the cause of the poor and downtrodden sections, he said and added that Madhav created ripples among the imperialistic forces represented by US President George Bush through his determined struggle.
Virasam leader Kalyana Rao alleged that the Congress government, which came to power on the promises like preventing fake encounters, was resorting to worst ever oppressive acts. Stating that Madhav fought for the cause of the downtrodden sections till his last breath, he said that Madhav’s sacrifice would continue to inspire the revolutionists to spearhead the movement towards its goal to herald new democratic revolution.
Mr Gaddar alleged that the Congress government was drenching the villages in blood in the name of Palle Bata and Jala Yagnam. The government has virtually mortgaged the villages and the forests to the World Bank and playing to its tunes to suppress people’s movements, he charged.
Top Maoist leader cremated
Karimnagar, July 27: Ma-oist State secretary Madhav was cremated on Thursday at his native Mangapeta village in Kalvasrirampur mandal of Karimnagar district. The funeral was conducted under tight security and police surveillance. Attended by relatives, villagers, the representatives of the civil liberties committee, Virasam, and others, Madhav’s son Karthik lit the funeral pyre at their ancestral agricultural land on the outskirts of the village in the afternoon.
Poignant scenes were witnessed in the village as Karthik broke down on seeing the body of his slain father, which reached the village in the early hours. Shocked by the sight of the decomposed body of his father for the first and the last time in his life, Karthik wept inconsolably. Revolutionary poet Varavara Rao, balladeer Gaddar, Virasam leader G. Kalyana Rao, Madiga Res-ervation Porata Samiti president Manda Krishna Madiga and others accompanied Karthik in the funeral procession.
Amidst recital of the revolutionary songs by the acti-vists of Jananatya Mandali, the procession traversed thr-ough the main roads of the village and reached the cremation site after two hours.Meanwhile, a Maoist couple, Rollaaplli Rajeswara Rao alias Raju, 25, and his wife Nayana Adi Lakshmi alias Sujata, 23, surrendered before East Godavari police on Thursday.
Eluru Range deputy inspector-general C.V. Anand said Rajeswara Rao, a native of P. Yerrakonda in Y. Ramavaram mandal in East Godavari, was a key member in the Srikakulam division of the Andhra Orissa border special zone committee. Adi Lakshmi, a nat-ive of Dadalikawada in Y. Ramavaram mandal, was a member of the Chilakam guerrilla squad.
Vegetarianism catches up in Guntur town
Guntur, July 27: Guntur is the only city in Andhra Pradesh and one of the 14 cities in the country that has been taking part in the ‘Great Indian Meat-Out 2006’ campaign promoting vegetarianism.The first phase of the programme ended in March 2006 and members of ‘Do It Yourself Activists’ are gearing up for the second phase. Diya is a Bangalore-based NGO along with Plant and Animal Welfare Society of Mumbai which initiated an internationally-renowned campaign to promote vegetarianism and veganism, said Sujatha Karanth, coordinator of Diya, while speaking to this correspondent over phone.
According to Manjunath, coordinator of Diya at Guntur, leaflets were distributed and lectures organised during the first phase. In the second phase, in view of the largescale damage that fastfood chains cause to humans, animals and the environment in their meat-based diets, Diya and Paws approached big chains including McDonalds, Pizza Hut and Café Coffee Day.
“The idea is to ask them to promote particular products which do not have milk or meat, including lemon-flavoured ice tea, French fries, burgers without mayonnaise, etc.” he added. With the high cholesterol content, chicken joints are considered to be hazardous to health. Hence, chicken joints are deemed to be dog-meat. Big MNCs in the food world usually purchase those joints at a through-away price and export them for Indian consumption.
Moreover, Diya, by the concept, was deeply influenced by renowned philosopher, Peter Singer, who argues for animal rights, utilitarian ethics and a Darwinian Left. As a result, the big chains agreed for full meat-free day. “When the idea was mooted, Café Coffee Day came up with the idea of vegan shake, first of its kind,” Ms Sujatha said. Speaking to this correspondent, Rayapati Jagadish of Café Coffee Day of Guntur said he is yet to be informed of the programme.
35 hurt as RTC bus falls in canal
Tenali (Guntur) July 27: Nearly 35 people were injured when an APSRTC bus coming from Chirala to Tenali fell into East canal at Jaggadiguntapalem near Pedaravuru on Thursday. When the bus was heading towards Tenali in the morning, the driver lost control over it, sources said.
Since it was peak hour, 50 passengers, including schoolchildren were travelling in the bus. The bus driver tried to overtake an autorickshaw, but lost control of the steering as it ascended a mound of stone chips. After overturning, the bus fell into the canal. Out of the 35 people injured, the condition of 10 was said to be serious. They were rushed to Tenali government hospital. Tenali MRO and RTC officials are monitoring the relief operations.
Dowry accused tries to fly to Cyprus, held
Visakhapatnam, July 27: An accused in a dowry har-assment case was arrested in Mumbai by the Sahar police. He was brought here on Thursday and produced before the chief metropolitan magistrate. According to Gajuwaka station house officer P. Ravi Varma: “A case was filed by Murupuredi Satya Srivani against her husband Satish Kumar, father-in-law Someswara Rao, mother-in-law Venkata Lakshmi and brother-in-law Nitish Kumar accusing them of harassing her for more dowry.”
All the persons named in the complaint were arrested. However, the main acc-used during the course of investigation escaped with his passport planning to leave the country and settle in Cyprus.Police immediately filed a memo with the court of first additional chief metropolitan magistrate for impounding the passport issued to Satish Kumar. Accordingly, the regional passport officer impounded the passport.
Police commissioner V.S.K. Kaumudi issued a crash automex message to emigration authorities at international airports across the country describing the facts of the case and also the orders of the chief metropolitan magistrate. Police requested the emigration authorities to detain Satish Kumar and seize his passport. On July 22, the Sahar police in Mumbai intercepted Satish Kumar and informed the Visakhapatnam police.
On receipt of information, local sub-inspector Ch. Tirupathi Rao and other officials went to Mumbai and arrested Satish Kumar on July 24. A petition was filed in 22nd metropolitan magistrate and a transit remand was granted for a period of three days.The accused was brought to Gajuwaka police station at about 1 pm on Thursday and later produced in the magistrate court.The magistrate remanded him to 14 days judicial custody.
Hyderabad City News july 27th,2006
Expansion, in the name of Lord
Hyderabad/Tirupati, July 27: The State Cabinet on Thursday decided to write to the Centre seeking allotment of forest land around the temple of Lord Venkateswara even as the Specified Authority of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) decided to extend the jurisdiction of Tirumala. The move is to deny any opportunity for propaganda for other religion in the vicinity of the popular pilgrimage centre.
As per the existing GO No. 338, the extent of Tirumala is only 27.5 kilometres including the 6,000-acre forest area. The Specified Authority has been contemplating to extend the range to 332.68 kms and bring 80,000 acres of forest land under the TTD control. The Specified Authority is forwarding the proposal to the government with a request to consider and release a GO within the next 10 days.
Though the area is under the control of Central forest department, the GO is being brought to prohibit propaganda by other faiths. TTD executive officer A.P.V.N. Sarma disclosed the details of the decisions taken during the specified authority meet held at Annamayya Bhavan in Tirumala on Wednesday. Once the GO is brought, apart from the Seven Hills, all the pilgrimage centres would fall within the 80,000 acres area, Mr Sarma said.
“The State government will ask the Centre to allot the forest land to the TTD for development of Tirumala. Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy will write the letter in this regard soon,” a minister said soon after the Cabinet meeting in Hyderabad. If the Centre agrees to the State’s proposal, it will also give the TTD more powers. It will get more area under its jurisdiction which will be governed solely by the TTD Act of 1968 that states that no non-Hindu must be recruited into the TTD.
At present there are several non-Hindus who stay on the Seven Hills running shops and doing other petty business. They, however, are not allowed on the two hills which form the temple town following a TTD specified authority ban. If the entire area of the Seven Hills comes under TTD jurisdiction, these non-Hindus would have to move down to Tirupati. There are also several non-Hindu employees working in various banks on Tirumala Hills.
There is, however, no ban on non-Hindus having a darshan of Lord Venkateswara. People of any religious faith can enter the temple, provided they declare their faith in Lord Balaji. If they identify themselves as non-Hindus, they must sign in a temple register stating that they believe in Lord Venkateswara.
Start now for 2009 Assembly polls: CM
Hyderabad, July 27: Asking his Cabinet colleagues to seriously start preparing for Assembly elections in 2009, Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy on Thursday said, “Think that the elections are on right now. You have to be prepared from this day onwards.”
Keeping the Assembly polls in mind Dr Reddy also demanded more involvement on his ministers’ part in matters other than their own portfolios. He advised them to counter all Opposition charges effectively, particularly with regard to misinformation campaign against the government pertaining to chikungunya, fake encounters, Christian propaganda on Tirumala and so on. “You are incharge of a district and you should be ready to answer all the questions. Do not remain confined to your own subject,” he said.
The Chief Minister also dismissed the Telugu Desam charge on chikungunya deaths. “Let them name those who died due to chikungunya. They launched similar misinformation campaign about spread of malaria as well, but they (TD) had to eat their words when it turned out to be false.” Other issues which dominated the Cabineet meet include the killing of Maoists secretary Madhav, propaganda on Tirumala, spiralling prices of essential commodities, panchayat polls setting up of an NRI cell and an exclusive legal cell of education department.
The Chief Minister took pot-shots at a section of media which described Maoists leader Madhav’s death as a fake encounter. “It’s the same press which showed pictures of two injured policemen. How can policemen be injured if it’s a fake encounter?” he told the Cabinet. On a lighter note the Cabinet rejoiced the recent heavy showers across the State. The Chief Minister thanked the rain god for showing mercy on the Congress government. “The rain god is with us. The Opposition is unhappy with rains, but the farmers are happy. The Opposition will have no issue to raise now,” he remarked jocularly.
Enjoy ice cream, get thinner
In its quest to create ice cream as voluptuous as butter and as virtuous as broccoli, the ice cream industry has probed the depths of the Arctic Ocean, studied the intimate structures of algae and foisted numerous failures on consumers. “I have tried them all as they came down the pike: dairy-free, fat-free, sugar-free; with tofu, yogurt, rice, whatever,” said Linda Calhoun, a teacher who lives near Flagstaff, Arizona, cataloguing the disappointments she has tasted over the years. “They always make me sad.”
For people who spend each summer wrestling with temptation, there is fresh hope in the freezer case. New industrial processes, including one that involves a protein cloned from the blood of an Arctic Ocean fish, have allowed manufacturers to produce very creamy, dense, reduced-fat ice creams with fewer additives. The new products appeal to those who have acquired a taste for superpremium high-fat ice cream but cannot stomach its fat content.
Edy’s (which is also branded as Dreyer’s) has tripled sales in its reduced-fat line since replacing its Grand Light with Slow Churned in 2004. Breyers introduced Double Churned flavours last year and has nearly doubled its product line. More than just marketing-speak, slow-churned and double-churned each refers to a process called low-temperature extrusion, which significantly reduces the size of the fat globules and ice crystals in ice cream.
Banking on the creamy mouth-feel of these new formulations, even Häagen-Dazs launched a line of light ice creams last year to complement its butterfat-rich line. “We waited years and years for this technology,” said Gulbin Hoeberechts, a marketing manager for the company. “Before, our only choices would have been adding air, water or ingredients that don’t belong in ice cream.”
Almost all commercial ice creams contain industrial ingredients that mimic the effects of butterfat and egg yolks: some are natural, like carrageenan, extracted from algae plentiful in the Irish Sea; others are synthetic, like mono- and diglycerides.
But using new technologies can be risky for manufacturers. The other new method for making supercreamy ice cream was caught up last month in the global debate over genetically modified foods. In June, Unilever applied to Britain’s Food Standards Agency for permission to use a new ingredient in its frozen desserts: a protein cloned from the blood of an eel-like Arctic Ocean fish, the ocean pout.
Plastic use threatens women’s fertility
Hyderabad, July 27: City-based researchers and fertility experts have established a link between usage of plastic products and incidents of endometriosis in women.A research study carried out by experts at the department of re-productive medicine of Bhagwan Mahavir Medical Research Centre (BMMRC), Maternal Health and Reproductive Institute (MHRI) and Department of Analytical Research and Development of Hetero Research Foundation (DARDHRF) has found that extensive usage of phthalate esters (liquid platicisers) or their presence in the environment is causing endometriosis among Indian women leading to high incidence of infertility cases.
According to Dr R. Rozati, a fertility expert at MHRI, the study suggested that phthalate esters have an aetiological association with endometriosis, which affects women in their reproductive years. Incidents of endometriosis are on the rise in the country and an estimated 50 million women suffer from the problem in India. Endometriosis is one of the main causes of hysterectomy in the country.
In Hyderabad too, the problem of endometriosis is on the rise with about six to 10 per cent of women of reproductive age suffering from it. Pollution due to phthalate ester is contributing to the problem in the city. However, it is not clear what causes endometriosis. Though there are several explanations, scientists and medical experts are not sure what exactly causes the problem. In this backdrop, the study by the city team gains significance as it links the disease with phthalate esters.As part of the study, the team collected samples of blood from a study group consisting of 49 infertile women with endometriosis.
The team also selected for the study 38 age-matched women without endometriosis but with infertility, and another group of 21 age-matched women with pro-ven fertility but without endo-metriosis. The results showed that women with endometriosis showed higher concentrations of di-n-butyl phthalate, butyl benzyl phthalate, di-n-octyl phthalate and diethyl hexyl phthalate as compared to other two groups. The correlation between the concentrations of ph-thlate esters and different severity of endometriosis was “strong and statistically significant” for all these four phthalate compounds.
AP to have NRI cell
Hyderabad, July 27: The State Cabinet on Thursday decided to set up a special Non-Resident Indian (NRI) cell in the General Administration Department in the Secretariat. The special cell will be headed by principal secretary (protocol) and will have a staff of one section officer, two assistant section officers and one officer of subordinate rank initially. The cell, which will start functioning in a couple of days, will deal with all issues pertaining to the NRIs. At present there is no mechanism to monitor the problems of NRIs, particularly those living in the Gulf and no official body to deal with their issues.
“There are host of issues of NRIs. The new cell will be in touch with Indian embassies abroad and guide those going abroad through agents,” a minister told this correspondent.
According to conservative estimates there are about 4.5 lakh Telugus in UAE out of the total NRI population of 10 lakhs and six lakhs in Saudi Arabia besides considerable Telugu NRIs in Bahrain, Qatar and other Gulf countries. The recent death of Telugus working in the Gulf and other countries, cheating by brokers and other related problems forced the State government to constitute a five-member study group headed by minister for information and public relations Muhammad Ali Shabber.
The group visited Kerala, where such a cell exists, Jeddah, Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi and submitted a report to Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy. It is stated in Kerala the certification verification is completed in just 24 hours while it takes a fortnight to two months in Andhra Pradesh.
YSR asks officials not to harass IR engineers
Hyderabad, July 27: A cold war is on between the Chief Minister’s Off-ice (CMO) and the secretaries of the irrigation department over pointing out lapses in the execution of irrigation projects. Sources in the department said that the CMO has taken serious note of the frequent memos iss-ued by irrigation secretaries Heeralal Samaria and Rajiv Ranjan Mishra to chief engineers (CE) and superintending engineers (SE) over the irregularities being committed by contractors in the execution of the projects. The contractors applied pressure on the CMO to stop harassment by the higher officials in the name of enquiries, which, according to them, is hampering the progress of works.
During a review meet on the progress of irrigation works recently, the CMO officials brought to the notice of Chief Minister Rajasekhar Reddy that the engineers and contractors were getting demoralised by the memos issued by the irrigation secretaries. They also accused the irrigation officials of leaking GOs and memos to the media projecting the engineers in bad light.
Dr Reddy also enquired about the vigilance and enforcement department’s suo motu inquiries on the irregularities pointed out by Mr Samaria and Mr Mishra in their memos to the engineers. The CMO officials told him that the vigilance inquiries were based on media reports highlighting the GOs and memos issued by the secretaries.For instance, recently vigilance commissioner R.S. Samal wrote to Mr Samaria stating that the memo issued by him on substandard material bei-ng used by contractors in various irrigation projects was referred to vigilance and enforcement officials for further probing.
Dr Reddy reportedly di-rected the secretaries not to issue memos to the engineers frequently. “Though there could not be any compromise on the quality of work, the officials should understand that the SEs and CEs and even contractors are part of the Jalayagnam,” he said. He also asked Mr Samaria and Mr Mishra not to leak any information to the media that would be blown out of proportion to degrade the entire Jalayagnam.
5 IAS officers get new postings
Hyderabad, July 27: The State government on Thursday transferred five IAS officers and gave them new postings. C. Parthasarathi, managing direc AP Markfed was posted as director, information and public relations and EO, additional secretary to general administration department (I&PR). Mr Parthasarathi will also be the MD, AP State Film & TV Development Corporation, in place of K.V. Ramanachary who has been transferred. A.L. Kismat Kumar, director is relieved from the full additional charge of the post of commissioner, I&PR and MD, Andhra Pradesh State Film & Television Development Corporation.
Preeti Sudan, who was waiting for posting, is posted as commissioner, disaster management and E.O. secretary to government, revenue (disaster management) department in the newly created post. A. Santhi Kumari, project director, ILIS Project, office of the commissioner, survey settlements and land records, was transferred to panchayat raj and rural development department as additional chief executive officer, Society for Elimination of Rural Poverty.
Sumita Dawra, who was waiting for posting, has been appointed as managing dire-ctor, Andhra Pradesh Urban Finance and Infrastructure Corporation under municipal administration & urban development department, in place of P.V. Ramesh. The services of B. Venk-ateswara Rao, who is waiting for posting, are placed at the disposal of energy department for appointment as director (PA & W), Singareni Collieries Co. Ltd., Kothagudem, in the existing vacancy.
MCH study down the drain
Hyderabad, July 27: The residents of the twin cities were put to undue hardships thanks to the lackadaisical attitude of the Municipal Corporation of Hyderabad (MCH), which has been keeping an important file pending. The MCH had proposed to conduct a comprehensive study to improve the internal Storm Water Drain (SWD) network in the city. However, the much talked about study is yet to take-off. The MCH was supposed to award the contract of conducting the study to Pune-based Kirloskar Consultants in June. The present SWD network in the city cannot take more than 10 mm (1 cm) of rain per hour while the city has been receiving up to 11 cm of rain since Wednesday evening.
The rains wrought havoc with water entering the houses in at least 10 low-lying areas, 70 main roads being inundated in knee-deep level water, nearly 15 trees uprooted and power supply disrupted in a number of localities. Traffic jams were witnessed on almost all the main roads of the city. It may be mentioned here that this newspaper had carried a report on June 2 that such rain-related problems would persist unless MCH comes up with a permanent solution.
MCH chief engineer Dhan Singh said that the delay in awarding the contract was because MCH needs the government’s approval for sanctioning any project above Rs 50 lakh. “So, it took time to convince the Kirloskar Consultants to bring down the quotation to Rs 48 lakh,” he added. Even if the study is launched in the first week of August, it can only be completed by February next year, which means the MCH will have only two months time to implement the recommendations.
Man falls into open nala, dies
Hyderabad, July 27: Heavy rains on Wednesday night claimed the lives of two persons, including one who was washed away into an uncovered nala by the roadside in Chandrababu Naidu Nagar. Lalaguda police identified the deceased as J. Krishna Swamy, a resident of Chandrababu Naidu Nagar in Lalapet. He accidentally fell into an open drain while walking on the street near his house on Wednesday night.
Swamy could not notice the drain as he was knee-deep in rain water. He was washed away and his body was found half-a-kilometre away in an open nala, according to the police. A case of negligence has been booked by the police and an investigation is in progress. In another incident, Tirumala Rao, 37, a realtor, died on the spot after he was electrocuted in Padmarao Nagar on Wednesday night. According to Chilkalguda assistant sub-inspector Yahia Khan, Tirumala Rao, a resident of Padmarao Nagar, was returning home and was passing by the electric transformer when he was electrocuted to death. The water was knee deep and he might have been walking close to the transformer, the Assistant Sub-Inspector of police said. Chilkalguda police has registered a case of suspicious death and have shifted deceased’s body to Gandhi Hospital morgue for autopsy.
MCH chief says all roads are ok
Hyderabad, July 27: Municipal Corporation of Hyderabad (MCH) Kirloskar Commissioner Sanjay Jaju on Thursday said despite the city receiving one-tenth of the season’s rainfall (11 cm) on Wednesday night, the civic body ensured that all roads in the city were clear of water for normal movement of traffic. Addressing a media conference, Mr Jaju said the entire machinery of MCH including himself and additional commissioners were on the roads. “None of us slept and were working to clear water from 70 roads where stagnation of rain water is a perennial problem. By 8 am on Thursday, all these roads were ready for normal movement of traffic,” he claimed.
According to him, he and his team of officers visited several areas including Khairatabad, Begumpet, Nallakunta, Nayapul and Chaderghat. However, trees were uprooted at many places including Mehdipatnam, Amberpet Crossroads, Sanathnagar, Adarshnagar, ESI Hospital, MCH head office, Koti junction, Shenoy Nursing Home, Secunderabad, Shankarmutt, Ramnagar, Country Club, Padmarao Nagar, S.R. Nagar, Akbar Bagh, Malakpet, Indira Park and NTR Stadium.
The MCH Commissioner also said that a special drive has been launched for silt and garbage removal for a free flow of storm water. “We appeal to the citizens to contact the MCH Central Emergency control room on 23394564 in case of emergency. MCH is ready to meet any eventuality,” he assured.
Hyderabad/Tirupati, July 27: The State Cabinet on Thursday decided to write to the Centre seeking allotment of forest land around the temple of Lord Venkateswara even as the Specified Authority of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) decided to extend the jurisdiction of Tirumala. The move is to deny any opportunity for propaganda for other religion in the vicinity of the popular pilgrimage centre.
As per the existing GO No. 338, the extent of Tirumala is only 27.5 kilometres including the 6,000-acre forest area. The Specified Authority has been contemplating to extend the range to 332.68 kms and bring 80,000 acres of forest land under the TTD control. The Specified Authority is forwarding the proposal to the government with a request to consider and release a GO within the next 10 days.
Though the area is under the control of Central forest department, the GO is being brought to prohibit propaganda by other faiths. TTD executive officer A.P.V.N. Sarma disclosed the details of the decisions taken during the specified authority meet held at Annamayya Bhavan in Tirumala on Wednesday. Once the GO is brought, apart from the Seven Hills, all the pilgrimage centres would fall within the 80,000 acres area, Mr Sarma said.
“The State government will ask the Centre to allot the forest land to the TTD for development of Tirumala. Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy will write the letter in this regard soon,” a minister said soon after the Cabinet meeting in Hyderabad. If the Centre agrees to the State’s proposal, it will also give the TTD more powers. It will get more area under its jurisdiction which will be governed solely by the TTD Act of 1968 that states that no non-Hindu must be recruited into the TTD.
At present there are several non-Hindus who stay on the Seven Hills running shops and doing other petty business. They, however, are not allowed on the two hills which form the temple town following a TTD specified authority ban. If the entire area of the Seven Hills comes under TTD jurisdiction, these non-Hindus would have to move down to Tirupati. There are also several non-Hindu employees working in various banks on Tirumala Hills.
There is, however, no ban on non-Hindus having a darshan of Lord Venkateswara. People of any religious faith can enter the temple, provided they declare their faith in Lord Balaji. If they identify themselves as non-Hindus, they must sign in a temple register stating that they believe in Lord Venkateswara.
Start now for 2009 Assembly polls: CM
Hyderabad, July 27: Asking his Cabinet colleagues to seriously start preparing for Assembly elections in 2009, Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy on Thursday said, “Think that the elections are on right now. You have to be prepared from this day onwards.”
Keeping the Assembly polls in mind Dr Reddy also demanded more involvement on his ministers’ part in matters other than their own portfolios. He advised them to counter all Opposition charges effectively, particularly with regard to misinformation campaign against the government pertaining to chikungunya, fake encounters, Christian propaganda on Tirumala and so on. “You are incharge of a district and you should be ready to answer all the questions. Do not remain confined to your own subject,” he said.
The Chief Minister also dismissed the Telugu Desam charge on chikungunya deaths. “Let them name those who died due to chikungunya. They launched similar misinformation campaign about spread of malaria as well, but they (TD) had to eat their words when it turned out to be false.” Other issues which dominated the Cabineet meet include the killing of Maoists secretary Madhav, propaganda on Tirumala, spiralling prices of essential commodities, panchayat polls setting up of an NRI cell and an exclusive legal cell of education department.
The Chief Minister took pot-shots at a section of media which described Maoists leader Madhav’s death as a fake encounter. “It’s the same press which showed pictures of two injured policemen. How can policemen be injured if it’s a fake encounter?” he told the Cabinet. On a lighter note the Cabinet rejoiced the recent heavy showers across the State. The Chief Minister thanked the rain god for showing mercy on the Congress government. “The rain god is with us. The Opposition is unhappy with rains, but the farmers are happy. The Opposition will have no issue to raise now,” he remarked jocularly.
Enjoy ice cream, get thinner
In its quest to create ice cream as voluptuous as butter and as virtuous as broccoli, the ice cream industry has probed the depths of the Arctic Ocean, studied the intimate structures of algae and foisted numerous failures on consumers. “I have tried them all as they came down the pike: dairy-free, fat-free, sugar-free; with tofu, yogurt, rice, whatever,” said Linda Calhoun, a teacher who lives near Flagstaff, Arizona, cataloguing the disappointments she has tasted over the years. “They always make me sad.”
For people who spend each summer wrestling with temptation, there is fresh hope in the freezer case. New industrial processes, including one that involves a protein cloned from the blood of an Arctic Ocean fish, have allowed manufacturers to produce very creamy, dense, reduced-fat ice creams with fewer additives. The new products appeal to those who have acquired a taste for superpremium high-fat ice cream but cannot stomach its fat content.
Edy’s (which is also branded as Dreyer’s) has tripled sales in its reduced-fat line since replacing its Grand Light with Slow Churned in 2004. Breyers introduced Double Churned flavours last year and has nearly doubled its product line. More than just marketing-speak, slow-churned and double-churned each refers to a process called low-temperature extrusion, which significantly reduces the size of the fat globules and ice crystals in ice cream.
Banking on the creamy mouth-feel of these new formulations, even Häagen-Dazs launched a line of light ice creams last year to complement its butterfat-rich line. “We waited years and years for this technology,” said Gulbin Hoeberechts, a marketing manager for the company. “Before, our only choices would have been adding air, water or ingredients that don’t belong in ice cream.”
Almost all commercial ice creams contain industrial ingredients that mimic the effects of butterfat and egg yolks: some are natural, like carrageenan, extracted from algae plentiful in the Irish Sea; others are synthetic, like mono- and diglycerides.
But using new technologies can be risky for manufacturers. The other new method for making supercreamy ice cream was caught up last month in the global debate over genetically modified foods. In June, Unilever applied to Britain’s Food Standards Agency for permission to use a new ingredient in its frozen desserts: a protein cloned from the blood of an eel-like Arctic Ocean fish, the ocean pout.
Plastic use threatens women’s fertility
Hyderabad, July 27: City-based researchers and fertility experts have established a link between usage of plastic products and incidents of endometriosis in women.A research study carried out by experts at the department of re-productive medicine of Bhagwan Mahavir Medical Research Centre (BMMRC), Maternal Health and Reproductive Institute (MHRI) and Department of Analytical Research and Development of Hetero Research Foundation (DARDHRF) has found that extensive usage of phthalate esters (liquid platicisers) or their presence in the environment is causing endometriosis among Indian women leading to high incidence of infertility cases.
According to Dr R. Rozati, a fertility expert at MHRI, the study suggested that phthalate esters have an aetiological association with endometriosis, which affects women in their reproductive years. Incidents of endometriosis are on the rise in the country and an estimated 50 million women suffer from the problem in India. Endometriosis is one of the main causes of hysterectomy in the country.
In Hyderabad too, the problem of endometriosis is on the rise with about six to 10 per cent of women of reproductive age suffering from it. Pollution due to phthalate ester is contributing to the problem in the city. However, it is not clear what causes endometriosis. Though there are several explanations, scientists and medical experts are not sure what exactly causes the problem. In this backdrop, the study by the city team gains significance as it links the disease with phthalate esters.As part of the study, the team collected samples of blood from a study group consisting of 49 infertile women with endometriosis.
The team also selected for the study 38 age-matched women without endometriosis but with infertility, and another group of 21 age-matched women with pro-ven fertility but without endo-metriosis. The results showed that women with endometriosis showed higher concentrations of di-n-butyl phthalate, butyl benzyl phthalate, di-n-octyl phthalate and diethyl hexyl phthalate as compared to other two groups. The correlation between the concentrations of ph-thlate esters and different severity of endometriosis was “strong and statistically significant” for all these four phthalate compounds.
AP to have NRI cell
Hyderabad, July 27: The State Cabinet on Thursday decided to set up a special Non-Resident Indian (NRI) cell in the General Administration Department in the Secretariat. The special cell will be headed by principal secretary (protocol) and will have a staff of one section officer, two assistant section officers and one officer of subordinate rank initially. The cell, which will start functioning in a couple of days, will deal with all issues pertaining to the NRIs. At present there is no mechanism to monitor the problems of NRIs, particularly those living in the Gulf and no official body to deal with their issues.
“There are host of issues of NRIs. The new cell will be in touch with Indian embassies abroad and guide those going abroad through agents,” a minister told this correspondent.
According to conservative estimates there are about 4.5 lakh Telugus in UAE out of the total NRI population of 10 lakhs and six lakhs in Saudi Arabia besides considerable Telugu NRIs in Bahrain, Qatar and other Gulf countries. The recent death of Telugus working in the Gulf and other countries, cheating by brokers and other related problems forced the State government to constitute a five-member study group headed by minister for information and public relations Muhammad Ali Shabber.
The group visited Kerala, where such a cell exists, Jeddah, Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi and submitted a report to Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy. It is stated in Kerala the certification verification is completed in just 24 hours while it takes a fortnight to two months in Andhra Pradesh.
YSR asks officials not to harass IR engineers
Hyderabad, July 27: A cold war is on between the Chief Minister’s Off-ice (CMO) and the secretaries of the irrigation department over pointing out lapses in the execution of irrigation projects. Sources in the department said that the CMO has taken serious note of the frequent memos iss-ued by irrigation secretaries Heeralal Samaria and Rajiv Ranjan Mishra to chief engineers (CE) and superintending engineers (SE) over the irregularities being committed by contractors in the execution of the projects. The contractors applied pressure on the CMO to stop harassment by the higher officials in the name of enquiries, which, according to them, is hampering the progress of works.
During a review meet on the progress of irrigation works recently, the CMO officials brought to the notice of Chief Minister Rajasekhar Reddy that the engineers and contractors were getting demoralised by the memos issued by the irrigation secretaries. They also accused the irrigation officials of leaking GOs and memos to the media projecting the engineers in bad light.
Dr Reddy also enquired about the vigilance and enforcement department’s suo motu inquiries on the irregularities pointed out by Mr Samaria and Mr Mishra in their memos to the engineers. The CMO officials told him that the vigilance inquiries were based on media reports highlighting the GOs and memos issued by the secretaries.For instance, recently vigilance commissioner R.S. Samal wrote to Mr Samaria stating that the memo issued by him on substandard material bei-ng used by contractors in various irrigation projects was referred to vigilance and enforcement officials for further probing.
Dr Reddy reportedly di-rected the secretaries not to issue memos to the engineers frequently. “Though there could not be any compromise on the quality of work, the officials should understand that the SEs and CEs and even contractors are part of the Jalayagnam,” he said. He also asked Mr Samaria and Mr Mishra not to leak any information to the media that would be blown out of proportion to degrade the entire Jalayagnam.
5 IAS officers get new postings
Hyderabad, July 27: The State government on Thursday transferred five IAS officers and gave them new postings. C. Parthasarathi, managing direc AP Markfed was posted as director, information and public relations and EO, additional secretary to general administration department (I&PR). Mr Parthasarathi will also be the MD, AP State Film & TV Development Corporation, in place of K.V. Ramanachary who has been transferred. A.L. Kismat Kumar, director is relieved from the full additional charge of the post of commissioner, I&PR and MD, Andhra Pradesh State Film & Television Development Corporation.
Preeti Sudan, who was waiting for posting, is posted as commissioner, disaster management and E.O. secretary to government, revenue (disaster management) department in the newly created post. A. Santhi Kumari, project director, ILIS Project, office of the commissioner, survey settlements and land records, was transferred to panchayat raj and rural development department as additional chief executive officer, Society for Elimination of Rural Poverty.
Sumita Dawra, who was waiting for posting, has been appointed as managing dire-ctor, Andhra Pradesh Urban Finance and Infrastructure Corporation under municipal administration & urban development department, in place of P.V. Ramesh. The services of B. Venk-ateswara Rao, who is waiting for posting, are placed at the disposal of energy department for appointment as director (PA & W), Singareni Collieries Co. Ltd., Kothagudem, in the existing vacancy.
MCH study down the drain
Hyderabad, July 27: The residents of the twin cities were put to undue hardships thanks to the lackadaisical attitude of the Municipal Corporation of Hyderabad (MCH), which has been keeping an important file pending. The MCH had proposed to conduct a comprehensive study to improve the internal Storm Water Drain (SWD) network in the city. However, the much talked about study is yet to take-off. The MCH was supposed to award the contract of conducting the study to Pune-based Kirloskar Consultants in June. The present SWD network in the city cannot take more than 10 mm (1 cm) of rain per hour while the city has been receiving up to 11 cm of rain since Wednesday evening.
The rains wrought havoc with water entering the houses in at least 10 low-lying areas, 70 main roads being inundated in knee-deep level water, nearly 15 trees uprooted and power supply disrupted in a number of localities. Traffic jams were witnessed on almost all the main roads of the city. It may be mentioned here that this newspaper had carried a report on June 2 that such rain-related problems would persist unless MCH comes up with a permanent solution.
MCH chief engineer Dhan Singh said that the delay in awarding the contract was because MCH needs the government’s approval for sanctioning any project above Rs 50 lakh. “So, it took time to convince the Kirloskar Consultants to bring down the quotation to Rs 48 lakh,” he added. Even if the study is launched in the first week of August, it can only be completed by February next year, which means the MCH will have only two months time to implement the recommendations.
Man falls into open nala, dies
Hyderabad, July 27: Heavy rains on Wednesday night claimed the lives of two persons, including one who was washed away into an uncovered nala by the roadside in Chandrababu Naidu Nagar. Lalaguda police identified the deceased as J. Krishna Swamy, a resident of Chandrababu Naidu Nagar in Lalapet. He accidentally fell into an open drain while walking on the street near his house on Wednesday night.
Swamy could not notice the drain as he was knee-deep in rain water. He was washed away and his body was found half-a-kilometre away in an open nala, according to the police. A case of negligence has been booked by the police and an investigation is in progress. In another incident, Tirumala Rao, 37, a realtor, died on the spot after he was electrocuted in Padmarao Nagar on Wednesday night. According to Chilkalguda assistant sub-inspector Yahia Khan, Tirumala Rao, a resident of Padmarao Nagar, was returning home and was passing by the electric transformer when he was electrocuted to death. The water was knee deep and he might have been walking close to the transformer, the Assistant Sub-Inspector of police said. Chilkalguda police has registered a case of suspicious death and have shifted deceased’s body to Gandhi Hospital morgue for autopsy.
MCH chief says all roads are ok
Hyderabad, July 27: Municipal Corporation of Hyderabad (MCH) Kirloskar Commissioner Sanjay Jaju on Thursday said despite the city receiving one-tenth of the season’s rainfall (11 cm) on Wednesday night, the civic body ensured that all roads in the city were clear of water for normal movement of traffic. Addressing a media conference, Mr Jaju said the entire machinery of MCH including himself and additional commissioners were on the roads. “None of us slept and were working to clear water from 70 roads where stagnation of rain water is a perennial problem. By 8 am on Thursday, all these roads were ready for normal movement of traffic,” he claimed.
According to him, he and his team of officers visited several areas including Khairatabad, Begumpet, Nallakunta, Nayapul and Chaderghat. However, trees were uprooted at many places including Mehdipatnam, Amberpet Crossroads, Sanathnagar, Adarshnagar, ESI Hospital, MCH head office, Koti junction, Shenoy Nursing Home, Secunderabad, Shankarmutt, Ramnagar, Country Club, Padmarao Nagar, S.R. Nagar, Akbar Bagh, Malakpet, Indira Park and NTR Stadium.
The MCH Commissioner also said that a special drive has been launched for silt and garbage removal for a free flow of storm water. “We appeal to the citizens to contact the MCH Central Emergency control room on 23394564 in case of emergency. MCH is ready to meet any eventuality,” he assured.
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
Andhrapradesh Regional News July 26th,2006
Breach to Tungabhadra HLC
Bommanahal, July 26: The High Level Canal of the Tungabhadra river suffered a breach near the Andhra-Karnataka border at Nagalapuram village (at 117/200 km) in the early hours of Wednesday.
The breach which occurred at the bottom of the HLC was noticed by a farmer at around 4.30 am on Wednesday, who informed Tippayya, the village servant of the Nagalapuram. Mr Tippayya in turn brought the issue to the notice of HLC officials. On receipt of information, HLC superintending engineer Somireddy, along with irrigation deputy engineer Govindappa rushed to the spot and tried to find out the exact location of the breach.
Later, Mr Govindappa passed the information to the Tungabhadra dam officials and urged them to reduce the water release to avert possible damage. The dam officials, immediately reduced the force of water release from 1,300 cusecs to 700 cusecs, besides diverting the water to the 1, 2 and 3 distributory regulators at Kuravali, the upper catchment area of the canal at the rate of 50 cusecs.
According to the irrigation officials, it took five hours to notice the exact location of the breach. In order to arrest the leakage and breach, the officials are planning to erect a ring bund. Later, the land would be dug from the place of leakage to the embankment and then it would be strengthened by dumping black soil.
The work on the construction of ring bund was already started with the help of 15 workers, said SE Somireddy. Besides 15 tractors, one Hitachi and one JCB were pressed into service to speed up the works. He said that the farmers need not panic in this regard.Rayadurgam MLA Mettu Govinda Reddy, Bommanahal MPP Lalusaab also visited the breach spot and directed the officials to take up the repairs immediately. The officials are confident of plugging the breach by Thursday evening. Officer under ACB scanner
Nellore, July 26: In a disproportionate assets case, ACB officials conducted simultaneous raids on the properties belonging to District Water Management Agency PD Ramineni Rajasekhar Naidu at Bangalore, Chittoor and Nellore on Wednesday.
Property worth Rs 65 lakh was unearthed during the raids, according to ACB DSP Mr VSR Chowdary. Officials traced two shopping complexes belonging to the official in the posh Jaya Nagar area in Bangalore besides two house sites. “He is receiving rents to the tune of Rs 1.65 lakh per month from the shopping complexes alone,” an ACB inspector said.
ACB officials found some silver vessels in a bank locker at Nellore. They also found documents related to a posh house in Chittoor. A locker at a bank in Chittoor is yet to be opened. Other valuables traced so far are a Santro car and 200 grams of gold.
Officials said that the value of the assets could be Rs 2 crore in the open market. Naidu joined the government service in 1986 as a scientist in the Agriculture University and had been working in different departments on deputation since 1996.
ACB officials suspect that he had amassed wealth while working in Chittoor district. He is working as PD in DWMA in Nellore since December 2005. He had a long stint in the DRDA and DPEP in Chittoor district.
Sources said that some employees in DWMA tipped off the ACB on his assets when he failed to share his earnings from beneficiaries of the Indira Kranthi padhakam and such other welfare programmes.ACB Inspector Mr Ravikumar accompanied the DSP in the raids at Nellore and Inspectors Messrs Veeranjaneya Reddy and Allabakshu took part in the raids at Bangalore. Scientists to study aqua farms
Ongole, July 26: Senior scientist Ms Dr D Deboral Vimala and Dr P Mahalakshmi, Scientist of Central Institute of Brackish Waters Aqua Cultivation visited Ongole on Wednesday and met officials of Fisheries and ATMA departments.
The two scientists will visit coastal mandals and interact with prawn farmers to get information on aqua cultivation, marketing methods, prices, etc, from July 26 to 29. SIBA is the nodal agency for the nine coastal States in the country. CIBA gives valuable suggestions and guidance to prawn and fish farmers across the country.
On Wednesday, the two scientists met with Fisheries AD Mr Lakshmi Narayana, Fisheries DO Mr Md Lal Mohammed and ATMA project director Mr Vani Prasada Rao and spoke on aqua cultivation. Speaking to this newspaper, the two scientists said that their main objective of the visit was to study aqua cultivation in the district.
They said that they wanted to popularise the e-choupal, the information system developed by the ITC in all coastal mandals of the district. They revealed that e-choupal provided information in regional languages on aqua prices in other countries, marketing system, cultivation methods, etc.
Prawn cultivators and traders get information on international prices by logging onto www.aquachoupal.com. They revealed that CIBA works under the auspices of the Indian Council of Agriculture Research and works for the progress of fish and aqua farmers in the country. Fear stalks Nallamala tribal belt
Ongole, July 26: Tribals living in remote villages in Y Palem and Pullalacheruvu mandals and other nearby areas of Prakasam district are fleeing their homes and taking refuge in other areas for the past two days as combing operations continue in the forest areas after the death of eight Maoists in the encounter of July 23.
According to information, Chenchus living in Nekkanti, Palutla, Pillikunta Tanda, Kasikunta Tanda, Muttubodu Tanda, Guttalachenu, Alatam Kota, Billagondipenta, Bhurugundala, Ganjivaripalli, Suddhakunta, Daddanala villages are packing their belongings and migrating to safer places.
With the death of State leader and other seven Maoists, the tribals fear that Maoists will take revenge by resorting to violence. The Maoists generally exert pressure on tribals to give information on the movements of police. Tribals feel that the problem will start afresh in the region.
On the other hand, police also suspect that tribals are providing shelter to Maoists in the thandas and aiding them by giving moral support. For many years, police have been harassing tribals to give information on the movements of Maoists. The poor and illiterate tribals have paid a heavy price during the past two decades in the ongoing war between police and Maoists.
Naxalites earlier gunned down some tribals alleging that the latter were informers to the police. Heavy deployment of Greyhounds and special party police in the region is creating insecurity among tribals in the recent days. In this backdrop, the Chenchus, Lambadas and Yanadis living in remote villages are taking refuge in safer places. Police officials say that the combing operations will continue for an indefinite period. Problem villages identified
Ongole, July 26: Police officials identified 69 hyper-sensitive and 86 sensitive villages in the district for the village panchayat polls to be conducted on July 28, August 2 and 6 respectively.
Based on the violent incidents during the previous polls and the current law and order conditions, officials have prepared this list. They have identified 155 problematic villages in 29 mandals.
The highest number of hypersensitive and sensitive villages are located in Chirala mandal, which falls under the Chirala Assembly segment represented by Finance Minister K Rosaiah. Officials have identified eight hyper-sensitive villages and the same number of sensitive villages in that mandal. Former minister and TD leader Mr Paleti Ramarao is spearheading the poll campaign in the region.
Under his leadership, TR won Chirala ZPTC seat as well as the MPP post in the ZP polls held last month though the Congress won a landslide victory in the district. The TD leader is determined to repeat the same performance in the ensuing village panchayat polls. In this backdrop, party workers of both sides could clash during the polls. Kandukur urban and rural mandals have 21 hyper sensitive as well as sensitive villages.
Officials identified five hyper sensitive and six sensitive villages in Kandukur mandal. In Kandukur rural, seven villages are hyper sensitive and four others sensitive. Pamur mandal is also one of the problematic mandals. The mandal has seven hypersensitive villages and three sensitive villages. As many as six villages are hypersensitive in Lingasamudram mandal. Call to boost tobacco exports
Rajahmundry, July 26: Tobacco Board executive director and in-charge chairman Dr J. Suresh Babu underlined the importance of developing internationally acceptable quality tobacco to boost exports globally.
Taking part in the staff research council meetings organised by the Central Tobacco Research Institute from July 26 to 31 here on Wednesday, he said that the quantum of exports from our country last year had dwindled due to the new entrants into the tobacco market, especially countries like Singapore and Vietnam from South East Asia, in addition to increase in tobacco production by the US.
He said, “The need of the hour is to develop FCV tobacco having capability of high yield and export potential. Unless we increase our exports, our tobacco farmers cannot sustain in tobacco cultivation for long.
Export of tobacco products like cigarettes and beedis has also come down by 35 per cent increasing their cost in the domestic market. Now we have to minimise domestic consumption and improve exports as the prevailing exports contribute a meagre share to the State exchequer.”
Referring to a historic auction held recently where one kg of tobacco fetched Rs 46.33, registering an upward trend of Rs 10.17 over last year in the State, he said that farmers were happy that they got a good price for their product. He said that tobacco grown in northern light soils was fetching a higher price followed by other areas like southern light soils. 903 panchayats to go to polls
Kakinada, July 26: The panchayat polls would be conducted in three phases in East Godavari. For the remaining four of MPTC, ZPTC, MPP and ZP elections were completed by the second week of July. With the onus falling on the last of the local body polls, political parties are vieing for honours for the partyless panchayat polls to be conducted on July 29, August 2 and August 6 in the district.
Political observers assess that a hold in the village-level is considered as mass base for any political party. Under this backdrop, polls are slated for 903 panchayats out of the total 975 as sarpanches for the remaining 72 were elected unanimously.
Along with this, ward members for 2,604 panchayats were also elected unanimously out of the total 10,870. In total, 2,597 candidates are in the fray for 903 panchayats in the districts. Out of thm, polls are to be conducted for 115 panchayats in Rampachodavaram, 199 panchayats in Peddapuram in the first phase on July 29. In the second phase, polls are to be conducted for 150 panchayats in Kakinada division and 204 in Rajahmundry division on August 2.
The final phase elections are to be conducted on August 6 for 235 panchayats in Amalapuram division in the district. In total, polls for 8,266 panchayat wards in all the three phases would be conducted simultaneously. Dilemma over civic chief’s choice
Rajahmundry, July 26: Confusion prevailed over government orders for app-ointing a municipal commissioner and withdrawing the orders in a few hours here on Wednesday. The government issued orders appointing former Kurnool municipal commissioner K. Venkateswarlu as municipal commissioner for the Rajahmundry Municipal Corporation on Tuesday.
Based on the orders, Mr Venkateswarlu arrived in the city in the early hours of Wednesday to take charge. He sent a communication to the existing in-charge commissioner Ch. Nagaraja Rao that he would take charge at about 9.30 am. But the newly appointed commissioner did not turn up at the office as per schedule.
The government had issued orders again asking Mr Venkateswarlu not to take charge and directions were issued to the present incumbent Mr Rao not to hand over charge. Mr Venkateswarlu said that he received transfer orders while serving as municipal commissioner in Kurnool on May 31. On July 25, he received posting orders to join as municipal commissioner in Rajahmundry.
With the new directions from the government, he returned without taking charge. Sources said that lack of coordination among Congress leaders played havoc in this regard. Minister for roads and buildings Jakkampudi Ramamohana Rao was reportedly in favour of the present incumbent Mr Rao, while local MLA Mr Routu Surya Prakasa Rao is alleged to have given a recommendation letter in favour of appointing Mr Venkateswarlu as municipal commissioner.
Meanwhile, Mayor MR M.S. Chakravarthi found fault with the Congress Government for failing to appoint a full time municipal commissioner to carry out developmental works in the city. He said that failure of local Congress leaders to influence Government to get more funds for the Corporation was resulting in no developmental works in the city. Madhav’s son shuns education, job offer
Karimnagar, July 26: Karthik, the son of slain State Maoist chief Madhav, on Wednesday refused to accept the offer of free education and a government job made by home minister K. Jana Reddy on Monday.
The grief-stricken Karthik had initially left the decision to his elders but made up his mind after consulting his relatives and well-wishers. “I will continue my studies with the assistance of my relatives,” he told this correspondent from his relative’s house in Mangapeta. Karthik hopes to become a doctor. Karthik returned to Mangapeta from Hyderabad early on Wednesday after giving an interview to a TV channel on Tuesday night. He stayed in bed most of the day and was administered fluids twice on Wednesday.
He told this correspondent, “I am concerned about performing the last rites of my father at this moment.” Madhav’s relatives and villagers of Mangapeta waited throughout the day for Madhav’s body, expected on Wednesday night. The funeral has been scheduled for Thursday.
Police has beefed up security around Mangapeta and increased vigil in neighbouring villages as well as in the Ramagiri hillocks, an erstwhile citadel of Maoists. Bush lauds DIG
Nizamabad, July 26: Nizamabad range deputy inspector general (DIG) Anjani Kumar received an appreciative letter from US President George W. Bush two days ago.
Mr Anjani Kumar was incharge of security arran-gements at Indian School of Business at Gachibowli during Mr Bush’s visit to Hyderabad in the first week of March this year.
Mr Bush, who affixed his signature in his own handwriting on the letterhead, appreciated the DIG for his excellent work during his visit. President Bush said in the letter, “Thank you for your assistance during my visit to Hyderabad. Laura and I enjoyed our time in India and we appreciate your hard work.” “It is a rare opportunity to work for the US President,” Mr Anjani Kumar told this correspondent. Red tape delays tourism project
Warangal, July 26: The apathy of the government machinery here has resulted in the loss of a Rs 6 crores tourism project for the district. The tourism project, which was prepared and submitted to the government a couple of years ago, is yet to see light of the day as there are no takers to pursue it with the government which had given its nod for the project.
The project envisages the development and installation of sound and light systems at Thousand Pillars Temple, Warangal Fort and the Ramappa Temple in the district. Establishing canteens, and constructing cottage facilities and other infrastructure facilities at all important tourism spots are also part of the tourism project.
The lack of political will among the district politicians including the ministers, MLAs and MPs and the indifferent attitude of the officials are the main reasons for the project still to be in the dock. As the district has got historic importance and is endowed with some beautiful tourism spots and the Kakatiya-period architectural structures, it had deserved a massive tourism project a long ago.
The geographical location of the city and its nearness to Hyderabad, which is only 140-km away and less than three hours drive, are also some of its advantages for turning it into a major tourist attraction next only to Hyderabad in the region.
The tourism project is also aimed at attracting the tourists who visit Hyderabad and promote it along with the Hyderabad for international and national tourists. The regular shuffling of the officials at the district level was also affecting the correspondence with the government on the project.
It is learnt that the tourism department at the State-level is also interested in allocating an amount of Rs 10 lakhs for the district to conduct the Kakatiya Utsav. The Kaka-tiya Utsav is also planned a couple of years ago as a limited period celebrations to create awareness on the Kakatiya period architectural structures and tanks. But here also there are no takers to utilise the opportunity given by the tourism department. Youth cheated by Gulf agent, ends life
Adilabad, July 26: Gundla Are Gangaiah, 32, an unemployed youth of Soan village of Nirmal mandal, committed suicide in a lodge in Chennai three days ago, after being cheated by the agent who promised him to provide a visa and a job in Gulf.
Gangaiah’s suicide came to light only after his body was found in the lodge. Villagers detained the agent on Thursday and demanded that Nirmal police inquire into Gangaiah’s death.
According to sources, Gangaiah had entered into an agreement with Gulf agent Krishna for Rs 1.4 lakh for going to Muscat and paid Rs 70,000 as advance after selling his one acre of land.
He promised that he would pay the remaining amount after joining the job in Muscat. Gangaiah was among 30 persons from the State, who were taken to Chennai. But while others were sent to Muscat, Gangaiah was not sent. Disappointed by this, Gangaiah ended life. Mandadi cuts audio album
Warangal, July 26: Hanamkonda MLA Mandadi Satyanarayana Reddy brought out an audio album, titled Mandadi Geyalu (Mandadi Songs). The veteran politician, who is popularly known as “Sattenna” among the literary circles in the district, has also released a book with the same title containing his poems and songs.
In his entire political career also, Mr Satyanarayana Reddy is known for his singing capabilities and for his poetic skills. It is widely said that former Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee also liked the veteran leader’s spontaneous poetry when the MLA was in BJP before joining the TRS.
At a special function organised at Nandana Gardens here on Wednesday evening, Telugu University vice-chancellor Prof. A. Manjulatha released his book, while the noted writer Suddala Ashok Teja released the audio CD.
Speaker after speaker at the well attended meeting showered encomiums on the veteran leader for his thought-provoking poetry and songs. He was also came in for some good praise for his inimitable singing style in typical Telangana accent.
District collector K. Damayanti was the guest of honour while Kakatiya University vice-chancellor Prof. V. Gopal Reddy was the chief guest at the meet. Noted literary personalities including L.S.R. Prasad, Namikonda Bala Kishan Rao of Sahiti Samiti, K. L.V Prasad, Girija Manohar Babu, N. Rama Shastri, L Tirumalaiah, V. Kantha Rao, Md Sirajuddin, S. Sanjeeva Rao and others were present.
A host of literary and cultural oragnisations of the district have jointly organised the book and audio releasing meet of the rebel TRS MLA. Maoists’ bodies handed over
Guntur, July 26: Bodies of Maoists killed in Sunday’s encounter in Prakasam district, including that of AP’s top Maoist Madhav, were handed over to relatives after a post-mortem nearly 72 hours after they died.
The relatives protested at the poor condition of the bodies which had deteriorated badly. The relatives had to look for identification marks to spot their near ones: The faces had begun decomposing. In some cases, maggots had set and the bodies gave off an overpowering odour.
Out of eight victims of Sunday’s encounter, the bodies of seven were identified by relatives. Following this, doctors at the Guntur Medical College carried out the post-mortem and handed over the bodies which were taken to their native places in vehicles arranged by the district administration.
One body remains unidentified. The relatives of Vasantha, Madhav’s wife, who were present there said it was not her body. Police now suspects it could be the body of Madhavi of Nellore. The body has a tattoo on the forehead.
Ms Padma Kumari, State committee member of Martyrs’ Families Committee, found fault with home minister K. Jana Reddy. “Couldn’t the bodies have been prevented from decaying,” she asked. Rajendra, brother of Muthyalu, criticised the government for going back on its promise to preserve the bodies.
Ms Susheela, mother of Swarnalatha alias Nagamani, 18, of Julakallu of Guntur district, was reluctant to accept any aid. “Eliminating my daughter and offering some eyewash aid is an affront,” she said.
Mr Ganesh, the father of N. Uday Kumar, said they had been running around for three days to get his son’s body. “We have no money, no food. But there is no one to show concern,” Mr Ganesh, a retrenched em-ployee from IDPL, Hyderabad said. Contract lecturers to move HC
Khammam, July 26: Contract junior lecturers working in various government junior colleges in the district are planning to approach the High Court against the government. They questioned the government for not honouring the interim orders issued by Andhra Pradesh Administrative Tribunal on the GO which directed the principals to renew the services of contract lecturers after the subject pass average of the students in which they were teaching crossed 42 per cent.
The contract lecturers went to the tribunal challenging the government orders. The tribunal in its interim order directed the government to suspend the orders on subject pass average with immediate effect. The tribunal noted that the it was not correct to link the renewal of the contract lecturers with the subject pass percentage and asked the government to renew their services.
In all, 225 junior lecturers have been appointed in September 2000 to teach various subjects in 40 junior colleges in the district. For example, all the eight lecturers each in Chintoor and Vararamachandrapuram junior colleges have been appointed on contract basis.
Later, the government issued orders asking the principals of these junior colleges to renew the services of contract lecturers after the subject pass percentage in which they have been teaching was over 42 per cent for two consecutive years. Contract lecturers opposed the orders and urged the government to cancel it.
With this, the government asked the principals to take the subject pass percentage of one year instead of two years. The contract lecturers who were not satisfied with it went to the tribunal requesting it to direct the government to waive the orders on subject pass percent of the students with the renewal of services of the contract lecturers.
The tribunal responded on the petition and ordered the government to suspend the orders on subject pass percentage. A P Contract Lecturers Association associate president K. Suresh said the Board of Intermediate commissioner had not honoured the interim orders and was not interested to renew the services of 52 contract lecturers who lost jobs. Pollution: Call to use solar energy
Guntur, July 26: The multi utilitarian approach to solar energy would not only save the electric energy but also protects the environment from pollution, said district revenue officer B. Lakshmikantham.
Inaugurating the workshop on solar energy organised by the Non-Conventional Energy Development Corporation of Andhra Pra-desh, he stressed the need for tapping non-conventional energy sources to the maximum extent.
According to him, there was immense potential to exploit non-conventional resources such as solar energy. Despite technological advancements in various fields, experts had not been able to perfect the technology for the total utilisation of solar energy, he opined.
Speaking on the occasion, Nedcap district manager Harinath Babu said that they are approaching municipalities to implement the order making solar water heating provisions mandatory for proposed multi-storeyed buildings.
According to him, the government had already instructed the civic bodies to make solar energy-based water heating systems as one of the criteria for plan approvals. “It will definitely harness the solar energy and reduce power consumption,” he explained.Mr Harinath Babu said that the Nedcap is already in receipt of proposals to erect solar water heaters. Special teams to assess dry spell
Khammam, July 26: The agricultural department is planning to send special teams to the villages where dry spell conditions prevail. The State government directed the agricultural officers to visit the villages and give suggestions to farmers on alternative crops. The teams would make farmers aware of drip irrigation and horticulture. The officials were asked to fulfil the targets fixed by the National Horticulture Mission in the district.
The district witnessed 45 per cent less rainfall against the average and crops in an extent of two lakh acres got dried up. In this situation, the officials are planning to extend water from Nagarjunasagar canals. Interestingly, water from NSP left canal started flowing into Palair reservoir and farmers under the ayacut are happy over the development. Farmers are readying their fields to raise paddy in Nelakondapalli, Mudigonda, Wyra, Khammam urban and rural mandals.
It is expected that there would be no problem to the crops in 2.5 lakh acres under NSP ayacut. On the other hand, farmers’ associations are finding fault with the agriculural department for not evolving any alternative plan to face the dry spell conditions in the district. AP Rythu Sangham leader T.V. Chowdary said the government should supply seeds to the farmers. PCB rider to docs on waste
Vijayawada, July 26: The Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board on Wednesday asked the hospitals and doctors in Krishna district to follow the norms in managing and handling bio-medical waste.
The board’s environmental engineer I. Anjaneya Prasad said that the High Court had directed the board on July 18 to initiate stern action against the healthcare establishments which do not comply with the Bio-medical Waste (Management and Handling) Rules of 1998.
He said that the court had directed the board to ensure that all doctors and the hospitals in the State followed the norms in disposing of the medical waste. They should make arrangements accordingly to ensure that the waste was properly handled and disposed of, he said.
The board also served notices to the Indian Medical Association and all hospitals in the district to follow the norms failing which the board would be forced to take action against them.
He expressed confidence that the hospitals, nursing homes, dispensaries and doctors in the district would follow the norms and help the board in implementing the rules as directed by the High Court. Footpaths to be cleared in a week
Visakhapatnam, July 26: All the encroachments on the footpaths of the main roads should be removed in a week, the commissioner of Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation N. Srikanth ordered the town planning department on Wednesday.
The commissioner visited the busy roads of Jagadamba junction where the entire foothpath was encroached by the petty vendors. Mr Srikanth pulled up the estate officer K. Satyanarayana when he found the foothpath from LIC Building to RTC Complex was occupied.
“I told you many times to remove these encroachments. Why they were not removed?’’ Mr Srikanth asked the EO in front of other officials. He told the officials that the traders were asked to vacate the footpath four times but still they were operating their business giving wrong signals to the public.
After observing the footpath encroachments at Jagadamba junction, RTC Complex and Dwarakanagar, the commissioner ordered the town planning officials that all the footpaths should be free from encroachments withing a week.
While reviewing the construction activities at Dabagardens and Suryabagh, he told city planner G.V. Raghu to merge the main roads with the setbacks left by the new multi-storeyed buildings coming up on important roads so that the vendors would not occupy them. Later he expressed his ire at the assistant medical officer M. Bhaskar Rao and sanitary inspector G. Ammadu when he saw traders using the Nehru Bazaar premises for public defecation.
He was also surprised to see the traders occupying the roads instead of selling their goods from the shops allocated to them. He asked the fisherfolk women not throw their offal into the drain and told the sanitary officials to put a net on the drain to prevent waste entering the drainage system.
The commissioner assigned the task of removing the silt from the drain to the engineering staff instead of public health wing. Before winding up his tour, Mr Srikanth visited the fashion technology training centre at Santipuram . Man hacked to death for illicit affair
S Kota (Vizianagaram), July 26: A 35-year-old man was hacked to death while he was asleep at his house in Kottam village in this mandal on Tuesday night. Illicit affair was said to be the reason for the gory killing.
The local police said a local woman Matta Buchhamma saw Adupureddy Papunaidu in a pool of blood on his cot in the early hours and immediately alerted the villagers. The police led by circle inspector B.V.G. Prasada Rao reached the village and began investigation. Sources said Tekuboina Achibabu, who allegedly killed him, surrendered to the police late on Wednesday evening.
Villagers said Papunaidu had an illicit affair with Lakshmamma, the wife of Achibabu over which he was warned several times in the past. Achibabu and Lakshmamma had a love affair prior to marriage. After he came to know of the affair, he along with community elders warned Papunaidu.
Achibbau also gave an ultimatum to his wife to end the affair with Papunaidu. As the affair continued despite warning to both, Achibabu left the village three months ago. “After making a meticulous plan, Achibabu might have come to the village and killed Naidu,” villagers told reporters.
Papunaidu was sleeping alone on the cot in front of his house when he was attacked. His neck bore three injuries and his fingers were severed, the police said. Papunaidu, a law college dropout, was not liked by the villagers. His parents died as he did not care them. He also made two attempts to kill his own wife Jayalakshmi. Fearing for her life, she left him and began living with her parents at Dharmavaram village. Defence tech to benefit civilians
Visakhapatnam, July 26: Chief executive officer and managing director of BrahMos Padmasri A. Sivathanu Pillai said the technology developed in the country was not only for the defence purpose but also for social purpose.
Mr Pillai, who visited Raghu Engineering College here on Wednesday, made a presentation on the development of missiles from the era of Tipu Sultan to BrahMos. He said the achievement in the technological growth was due to the efforts of the scientists and engineers of this country.
“The Indian scientists and engineers are capable of achieving outstanding technology on par with the international standards,” Mr Pillai told the students and faculty of the engineering college. They are now proud possessors of state-of-the-art cruise missile technology, he said.
Not only the BrahMos is a unique supersonic cruise missile in its class, it is also emerging as a one missile system capable of being launched from multiple platforms in a multiple missions against multiple targets. This remarkable achievement has placed India along side Russia and much ahead of the other developed countries, he said.
Bommanahal, July 26: The High Level Canal of the Tungabhadra river suffered a breach near the Andhra-Karnataka border at Nagalapuram village (at 117/200 km) in the early hours of Wednesday.
The breach which occurred at the bottom of the HLC was noticed by a farmer at around 4.30 am on Wednesday, who informed Tippayya, the village servant of the Nagalapuram. Mr Tippayya in turn brought the issue to the notice of HLC officials. On receipt of information, HLC superintending engineer Somireddy, along with irrigation deputy engineer Govindappa rushed to the spot and tried to find out the exact location of the breach.
Later, Mr Govindappa passed the information to the Tungabhadra dam officials and urged them to reduce the water release to avert possible damage. The dam officials, immediately reduced the force of water release from 1,300 cusecs to 700 cusecs, besides diverting the water to the 1, 2 and 3 distributory regulators at Kuravali, the upper catchment area of the canal at the rate of 50 cusecs.
According to the irrigation officials, it took five hours to notice the exact location of the breach. In order to arrest the leakage and breach, the officials are planning to erect a ring bund. Later, the land would be dug from the place of leakage to the embankment and then it would be strengthened by dumping black soil.
The work on the construction of ring bund was already started with the help of 15 workers, said SE Somireddy. Besides 15 tractors, one Hitachi and one JCB were pressed into service to speed up the works. He said that the farmers need not panic in this regard.Rayadurgam MLA Mettu Govinda Reddy, Bommanahal MPP Lalusaab also visited the breach spot and directed the officials to take up the repairs immediately. The officials are confident of plugging the breach by Thursday evening. Officer under ACB scanner
Nellore, July 26: In a disproportionate assets case, ACB officials conducted simultaneous raids on the properties belonging to District Water Management Agency PD Ramineni Rajasekhar Naidu at Bangalore, Chittoor and Nellore on Wednesday.
Property worth Rs 65 lakh was unearthed during the raids, according to ACB DSP Mr VSR Chowdary. Officials traced two shopping complexes belonging to the official in the posh Jaya Nagar area in Bangalore besides two house sites. “He is receiving rents to the tune of Rs 1.65 lakh per month from the shopping complexes alone,” an ACB inspector said.
ACB officials found some silver vessels in a bank locker at Nellore. They also found documents related to a posh house in Chittoor. A locker at a bank in Chittoor is yet to be opened. Other valuables traced so far are a Santro car and 200 grams of gold.
Officials said that the value of the assets could be Rs 2 crore in the open market. Naidu joined the government service in 1986 as a scientist in the Agriculture University and had been working in different departments on deputation since 1996.
ACB officials suspect that he had amassed wealth while working in Chittoor district. He is working as PD in DWMA in Nellore since December 2005. He had a long stint in the DRDA and DPEP in Chittoor district.
Sources said that some employees in DWMA tipped off the ACB on his assets when he failed to share his earnings from beneficiaries of the Indira Kranthi padhakam and such other welfare programmes.ACB Inspector Mr Ravikumar accompanied the DSP in the raids at Nellore and Inspectors Messrs Veeranjaneya Reddy and Allabakshu took part in the raids at Bangalore. Scientists to study aqua farms
Ongole, July 26: Senior scientist Ms Dr D Deboral Vimala and Dr P Mahalakshmi, Scientist of Central Institute of Brackish Waters Aqua Cultivation visited Ongole on Wednesday and met officials of Fisheries and ATMA departments.
The two scientists will visit coastal mandals and interact with prawn farmers to get information on aqua cultivation, marketing methods, prices, etc, from July 26 to 29. SIBA is the nodal agency for the nine coastal States in the country. CIBA gives valuable suggestions and guidance to prawn and fish farmers across the country.
On Wednesday, the two scientists met with Fisheries AD Mr Lakshmi Narayana, Fisheries DO Mr Md Lal Mohammed and ATMA project director Mr Vani Prasada Rao and spoke on aqua cultivation. Speaking to this newspaper, the two scientists said that their main objective of the visit was to study aqua cultivation in the district.
They said that they wanted to popularise the e-choupal, the information system developed by the ITC in all coastal mandals of the district. They revealed that e-choupal provided information in regional languages on aqua prices in other countries, marketing system, cultivation methods, etc.
Prawn cultivators and traders get information on international prices by logging onto www.aquachoupal.com. They revealed that CIBA works under the auspices of the Indian Council of Agriculture Research and works for the progress of fish and aqua farmers in the country. Fear stalks Nallamala tribal belt
Ongole, July 26: Tribals living in remote villages in Y Palem and Pullalacheruvu mandals and other nearby areas of Prakasam district are fleeing their homes and taking refuge in other areas for the past two days as combing operations continue in the forest areas after the death of eight Maoists in the encounter of July 23.
According to information, Chenchus living in Nekkanti, Palutla, Pillikunta Tanda, Kasikunta Tanda, Muttubodu Tanda, Guttalachenu, Alatam Kota, Billagondipenta, Bhurugundala, Ganjivaripalli, Suddhakunta, Daddanala villages are packing their belongings and migrating to safer places.
With the death of State leader and other seven Maoists, the tribals fear that Maoists will take revenge by resorting to violence. The Maoists generally exert pressure on tribals to give information on the movements of police. Tribals feel that the problem will start afresh in the region.
On the other hand, police also suspect that tribals are providing shelter to Maoists in the thandas and aiding them by giving moral support. For many years, police have been harassing tribals to give information on the movements of Maoists. The poor and illiterate tribals have paid a heavy price during the past two decades in the ongoing war between police and Maoists.
Naxalites earlier gunned down some tribals alleging that the latter were informers to the police. Heavy deployment of Greyhounds and special party police in the region is creating insecurity among tribals in the recent days. In this backdrop, the Chenchus, Lambadas and Yanadis living in remote villages are taking refuge in safer places. Police officials say that the combing operations will continue for an indefinite period. Problem villages identified
Ongole, July 26: Police officials identified 69 hyper-sensitive and 86 sensitive villages in the district for the village panchayat polls to be conducted on July 28, August 2 and 6 respectively.
Based on the violent incidents during the previous polls and the current law and order conditions, officials have prepared this list. They have identified 155 problematic villages in 29 mandals.
The highest number of hypersensitive and sensitive villages are located in Chirala mandal, which falls under the Chirala Assembly segment represented by Finance Minister K Rosaiah. Officials have identified eight hyper-sensitive villages and the same number of sensitive villages in that mandal. Former minister and TD leader Mr Paleti Ramarao is spearheading the poll campaign in the region.
Under his leadership, TR won Chirala ZPTC seat as well as the MPP post in the ZP polls held last month though the Congress won a landslide victory in the district. The TD leader is determined to repeat the same performance in the ensuing village panchayat polls. In this backdrop, party workers of both sides could clash during the polls. Kandukur urban and rural mandals have 21 hyper sensitive as well as sensitive villages.
Officials identified five hyper sensitive and six sensitive villages in Kandukur mandal. In Kandukur rural, seven villages are hyper sensitive and four others sensitive. Pamur mandal is also one of the problematic mandals. The mandal has seven hypersensitive villages and three sensitive villages. As many as six villages are hypersensitive in Lingasamudram mandal. Call to boost tobacco exports
Rajahmundry, July 26: Tobacco Board executive director and in-charge chairman Dr J. Suresh Babu underlined the importance of developing internationally acceptable quality tobacco to boost exports globally.
Taking part in the staff research council meetings organised by the Central Tobacco Research Institute from July 26 to 31 here on Wednesday, he said that the quantum of exports from our country last year had dwindled due to the new entrants into the tobacco market, especially countries like Singapore and Vietnam from South East Asia, in addition to increase in tobacco production by the US.
He said, “The need of the hour is to develop FCV tobacco having capability of high yield and export potential. Unless we increase our exports, our tobacco farmers cannot sustain in tobacco cultivation for long.
Export of tobacco products like cigarettes and beedis has also come down by 35 per cent increasing their cost in the domestic market. Now we have to minimise domestic consumption and improve exports as the prevailing exports contribute a meagre share to the State exchequer.”
Referring to a historic auction held recently where one kg of tobacco fetched Rs 46.33, registering an upward trend of Rs 10.17 over last year in the State, he said that farmers were happy that they got a good price for their product. He said that tobacco grown in northern light soils was fetching a higher price followed by other areas like southern light soils. 903 panchayats to go to polls
Kakinada, July 26: The panchayat polls would be conducted in three phases in East Godavari. For the remaining four of MPTC, ZPTC, MPP and ZP elections were completed by the second week of July. With the onus falling on the last of the local body polls, political parties are vieing for honours for the partyless panchayat polls to be conducted on July 29, August 2 and August 6 in the district.
Political observers assess that a hold in the village-level is considered as mass base for any political party. Under this backdrop, polls are slated for 903 panchayats out of the total 975 as sarpanches for the remaining 72 were elected unanimously.
Along with this, ward members for 2,604 panchayats were also elected unanimously out of the total 10,870. In total, 2,597 candidates are in the fray for 903 panchayats in the districts. Out of thm, polls are to be conducted for 115 panchayats in Rampachodavaram, 199 panchayats in Peddapuram in the first phase on July 29. In the second phase, polls are to be conducted for 150 panchayats in Kakinada division and 204 in Rajahmundry division on August 2.
The final phase elections are to be conducted on August 6 for 235 panchayats in Amalapuram division in the district. In total, polls for 8,266 panchayat wards in all the three phases would be conducted simultaneously. Dilemma over civic chief’s choice
Rajahmundry, July 26: Confusion prevailed over government orders for app-ointing a municipal commissioner and withdrawing the orders in a few hours here on Wednesday. The government issued orders appointing former Kurnool municipal commissioner K. Venkateswarlu as municipal commissioner for the Rajahmundry Municipal Corporation on Tuesday.
Based on the orders, Mr Venkateswarlu arrived in the city in the early hours of Wednesday to take charge. He sent a communication to the existing in-charge commissioner Ch. Nagaraja Rao that he would take charge at about 9.30 am. But the newly appointed commissioner did not turn up at the office as per schedule.
The government had issued orders again asking Mr Venkateswarlu not to take charge and directions were issued to the present incumbent Mr Rao not to hand over charge. Mr Venkateswarlu said that he received transfer orders while serving as municipal commissioner in Kurnool on May 31. On July 25, he received posting orders to join as municipal commissioner in Rajahmundry.
With the new directions from the government, he returned without taking charge. Sources said that lack of coordination among Congress leaders played havoc in this regard. Minister for roads and buildings Jakkampudi Ramamohana Rao was reportedly in favour of the present incumbent Mr Rao, while local MLA Mr Routu Surya Prakasa Rao is alleged to have given a recommendation letter in favour of appointing Mr Venkateswarlu as municipal commissioner.
Meanwhile, Mayor MR M.S. Chakravarthi found fault with the Congress Government for failing to appoint a full time municipal commissioner to carry out developmental works in the city. He said that failure of local Congress leaders to influence Government to get more funds for the Corporation was resulting in no developmental works in the city. Madhav’s son shuns education, job offer
Karimnagar, July 26: Karthik, the son of slain State Maoist chief Madhav, on Wednesday refused to accept the offer of free education and a government job made by home minister K. Jana Reddy on Monday.
The grief-stricken Karthik had initially left the decision to his elders but made up his mind after consulting his relatives and well-wishers. “I will continue my studies with the assistance of my relatives,” he told this correspondent from his relative’s house in Mangapeta. Karthik hopes to become a doctor. Karthik returned to Mangapeta from Hyderabad early on Wednesday after giving an interview to a TV channel on Tuesday night. He stayed in bed most of the day and was administered fluids twice on Wednesday.
He told this correspondent, “I am concerned about performing the last rites of my father at this moment.” Madhav’s relatives and villagers of Mangapeta waited throughout the day for Madhav’s body, expected on Wednesday night. The funeral has been scheduled for Thursday.
Police has beefed up security around Mangapeta and increased vigil in neighbouring villages as well as in the Ramagiri hillocks, an erstwhile citadel of Maoists. Bush lauds DIG
Nizamabad, July 26: Nizamabad range deputy inspector general (DIG) Anjani Kumar received an appreciative letter from US President George W. Bush two days ago.
Mr Anjani Kumar was incharge of security arran-gements at Indian School of Business at Gachibowli during Mr Bush’s visit to Hyderabad in the first week of March this year.
Mr Bush, who affixed his signature in his own handwriting on the letterhead, appreciated the DIG for his excellent work during his visit. President Bush said in the letter, “Thank you for your assistance during my visit to Hyderabad. Laura and I enjoyed our time in India and we appreciate your hard work.” “It is a rare opportunity to work for the US President,” Mr Anjani Kumar told this correspondent. Red tape delays tourism project
Warangal, July 26: The apathy of the government machinery here has resulted in the loss of a Rs 6 crores tourism project for the district. The tourism project, which was prepared and submitted to the government a couple of years ago, is yet to see light of the day as there are no takers to pursue it with the government which had given its nod for the project.
The project envisages the development and installation of sound and light systems at Thousand Pillars Temple, Warangal Fort and the Ramappa Temple in the district. Establishing canteens, and constructing cottage facilities and other infrastructure facilities at all important tourism spots are also part of the tourism project.
The lack of political will among the district politicians including the ministers, MLAs and MPs and the indifferent attitude of the officials are the main reasons for the project still to be in the dock. As the district has got historic importance and is endowed with some beautiful tourism spots and the Kakatiya-period architectural structures, it had deserved a massive tourism project a long ago.
The geographical location of the city and its nearness to Hyderabad, which is only 140-km away and less than three hours drive, are also some of its advantages for turning it into a major tourist attraction next only to Hyderabad in the region.
The tourism project is also aimed at attracting the tourists who visit Hyderabad and promote it along with the Hyderabad for international and national tourists. The regular shuffling of the officials at the district level was also affecting the correspondence with the government on the project.
It is learnt that the tourism department at the State-level is also interested in allocating an amount of Rs 10 lakhs for the district to conduct the Kakatiya Utsav. The Kaka-tiya Utsav is also planned a couple of years ago as a limited period celebrations to create awareness on the Kakatiya period architectural structures and tanks. But here also there are no takers to utilise the opportunity given by the tourism department. Youth cheated by Gulf agent, ends life
Adilabad, July 26: Gundla Are Gangaiah, 32, an unemployed youth of Soan village of Nirmal mandal, committed suicide in a lodge in Chennai three days ago, after being cheated by the agent who promised him to provide a visa and a job in Gulf.
Gangaiah’s suicide came to light only after his body was found in the lodge. Villagers detained the agent on Thursday and demanded that Nirmal police inquire into Gangaiah’s death.
According to sources, Gangaiah had entered into an agreement with Gulf agent Krishna for Rs 1.4 lakh for going to Muscat and paid Rs 70,000 as advance after selling his one acre of land.
He promised that he would pay the remaining amount after joining the job in Muscat. Gangaiah was among 30 persons from the State, who were taken to Chennai. But while others were sent to Muscat, Gangaiah was not sent. Disappointed by this, Gangaiah ended life. Mandadi cuts audio album
Warangal, July 26: Hanamkonda MLA Mandadi Satyanarayana Reddy brought out an audio album, titled Mandadi Geyalu (Mandadi Songs). The veteran politician, who is popularly known as “Sattenna” among the literary circles in the district, has also released a book with the same title containing his poems and songs.
In his entire political career also, Mr Satyanarayana Reddy is known for his singing capabilities and for his poetic skills. It is widely said that former Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee also liked the veteran leader’s spontaneous poetry when the MLA was in BJP before joining the TRS.
At a special function organised at Nandana Gardens here on Wednesday evening, Telugu University vice-chancellor Prof. A. Manjulatha released his book, while the noted writer Suddala Ashok Teja released the audio CD.
Speaker after speaker at the well attended meeting showered encomiums on the veteran leader for his thought-provoking poetry and songs. He was also came in for some good praise for his inimitable singing style in typical Telangana accent.
District collector K. Damayanti was the guest of honour while Kakatiya University vice-chancellor Prof. V. Gopal Reddy was the chief guest at the meet. Noted literary personalities including L.S.R. Prasad, Namikonda Bala Kishan Rao of Sahiti Samiti, K. L.V Prasad, Girija Manohar Babu, N. Rama Shastri, L Tirumalaiah, V. Kantha Rao, Md Sirajuddin, S. Sanjeeva Rao and others were present.
A host of literary and cultural oragnisations of the district have jointly organised the book and audio releasing meet of the rebel TRS MLA. Maoists’ bodies handed over
Guntur, July 26: Bodies of Maoists killed in Sunday’s encounter in Prakasam district, including that of AP’s top Maoist Madhav, were handed over to relatives after a post-mortem nearly 72 hours after they died.
The relatives protested at the poor condition of the bodies which had deteriorated badly. The relatives had to look for identification marks to spot their near ones: The faces had begun decomposing. In some cases, maggots had set and the bodies gave off an overpowering odour.
Out of eight victims of Sunday’s encounter, the bodies of seven were identified by relatives. Following this, doctors at the Guntur Medical College carried out the post-mortem and handed over the bodies which were taken to their native places in vehicles arranged by the district administration.
One body remains unidentified. The relatives of Vasantha, Madhav’s wife, who were present there said it was not her body. Police now suspects it could be the body of Madhavi of Nellore. The body has a tattoo on the forehead.
Ms Padma Kumari, State committee member of Martyrs’ Families Committee, found fault with home minister K. Jana Reddy. “Couldn’t the bodies have been prevented from decaying,” she asked. Rajendra, brother of Muthyalu, criticised the government for going back on its promise to preserve the bodies.
Ms Susheela, mother of Swarnalatha alias Nagamani, 18, of Julakallu of Guntur district, was reluctant to accept any aid. “Eliminating my daughter and offering some eyewash aid is an affront,” she said.
Mr Ganesh, the father of N. Uday Kumar, said they had been running around for three days to get his son’s body. “We have no money, no food. But there is no one to show concern,” Mr Ganesh, a retrenched em-ployee from IDPL, Hyderabad said. Contract lecturers to move HC
Khammam, July 26: Contract junior lecturers working in various government junior colleges in the district are planning to approach the High Court against the government. They questioned the government for not honouring the interim orders issued by Andhra Pradesh Administrative Tribunal on the GO which directed the principals to renew the services of contract lecturers after the subject pass average of the students in which they were teaching crossed 42 per cent.
The contract lecturers went to the tribunal challenging the government orders. The tribunal in its interim order directed the government to suspend the orders on subject pass average with immediate effect. The tribunal noted that the it was not correct to link the renewal of the contract lecturers with the subject pass percentage and asked the government to renew their services.
In all, 225 junior lecturers have been appointed in September 2000 to teach various subjects in 40 junior colleges in the district. For example, all the eight lecturers each in Chintoor and Vararamachandrapuram junior colleges have been appointed on contract basis.
Later, the government issued orders asking the principals of these junior colleges to renew the services of contract lecturers after the subject pass percentage in which they have been teaching was over 42 per cent for two consecutive years. Contract lecturers opposed the orders and urged the government to cancel it.
With this, the government asked the principals to take the subject pass percentage of one year instead of two years. The contract lecturers who were not satisfied with it went to the tribunal requesting it to direct the government to waive the orders on subject pass percent of the students with the renewal of services of the contract lecturers.
The tribunal responded on the petition and ordered the government to suspend the orders on subject pass percentage. A P Contract Lecturers Association associate president K. Suresh said the Board of Intermediate commissioner had not honoured the interim orders and was not interested to renew the services of 52 contract lecturers who lost jobs. Pollution: Call to use solar energy
Guntur, July 26: The multi utilitarian approach to solar energy would not only save the electric energy but also protects the environment from pollution, said district revenue officer B. Lakshmikantham.
Inaugurating the workshop on solar energy organised by the Non-Conventional Energy Development Corporation of Andhra Pra-desh, he stressed the need for tapping non-conventional energy sources to the maximum extent.
According to him, there was immense potential to exploit non-conventional resources such as solar energy. Despite technological advancements in various fields, experts had not been able to perfect the technology for the total utilisation of solar energy, he opined.
Speaking on the occasion, Nedcap district manager Harinath Babu said that they are approaching municipalities to implement the order making solar water heating provisions mandatory for proposed multi-storeyed buildings.
According to him, the government had already instructed the civic bodies to make solar energy-based water heating systems as one of the criteria for plan approvals. “It will definitely harness the solar energy and reduce power consumption,” he explained.Mr Harinath Babu said that the Nedcap is already in receipt of proposals to erect solar water heaters. Special teams to assess dry spell
Khammam, July 26: The agricultural department is planning to send special teams to the villages where dry spell conditions prevail. The State government directed the agricultural officers to visit the villages and give suggestions to farmers on alternative crops. The teams would make farmers aware of drip irrigation and horticulture. The officials were asked to fulfil the targets fixed by the National Horticulture Mission in the district.
The district witnessed 45 per cent less rainfall against the average and crops in an extent of two lakh acres got dried up. In this situation, the officials are planning to extend water from Nagarjunasagar canals. Interestingly, water from NSP left canal started flowing into Palair reservoir and farmers under the ayacut are happy over the development. Farmers are readying their fields to raise paddy in Nelakondapalli, Mudigonda, Wyra, Khammam urban and rural mandals.
It is expected that there would be no problem to the crops in 2.5 lakh acres under NSP ayacut. On the other hand, farmers’ associations are finding fault with the agriculural department for not evolving any alternative plan to face the dry spell conditions in the district. AP Rythu Sangham leader T.V. Chowdary said the government should supply seeds to the farmers. PCB rider to docs on waste
Vijayawada, July 26: The Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board on Wednesday asked the hospitals and doctors in Krishna district to follow the norms in managing and handling bio-medical waste.
The board’s environmental engineer I. Anjaneya Prasad said that the High Court had directed the board on July 18 to initiate stern action against the healthcare establishments which do not comply with the Bio-medical Waste (Management and Handling) Rules of 1998.
He said that the court had directed the board to ensure that all doctors and the hospitals in the State followed the norms in disposing of the medical waste. They should make arrangements accordingly to ensure that the waste was properly handled and disposed of, he said.
The board also served notices to the Indian Medical Association and all hospitals in the district to follow the norms failing which the board would be forced to take action against them.
He expressed confidence that the hospitals, nursing homes, dispensaries and doctors in the district would follow the norms and help the board in implementing the rules as directed by the High Court. Footpaths to be cleared in a week
Visakhapatnam, July 26: All the encroachments on the footpaths of the main roads should be removed in a week, the commissioner of Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation N. Srikanth ordered the town planning department on Wednesday.
The commissioner visited the busy roads of Jagadamba junction where the entire foothpath was encroached by the petty vendors. Mr Srikanth pulled up the estate officer K. Satyanarayana when he found the foothpath from LIC Building to RTC Complex was occupied.
“I told you many times to remove these encroachments. Why they were not removed?’’ Mr Srikanth asked the EO in front of other officials. He told the officials that the traders were asked to vacate the footpath four times but still they were operating their business giving wrong signals to the public.
After observing the footpath encroachments at Jagadamba junction, RTC Complex and Dwarakanagar, the commissioner ordered the town planning officials that all the footpaths should be free from encroachments withing a week.
While reviewing the construction activities at Dabagardens and Suryabagh, he told city planner G.V. Raghu to merge the main roads with the setbacks left by the new multi-storeyed buildings coming up on important roads so that the vendors would not occupy them. Later he expressed his ire at the assistant medical officer M. Bhaskar Rao and sanitary inspector G. Ammadu when he saw traders using the Nehru Bazaar premises for public defecation.
He was also surprised to see the traders occupying the roads instead of selling their goods from the shops allocated to them. He asked the fisherfolk women not throw their offal into the drain and told the sanitary officials to put a net on the drain to prevent waste entering the drainage system.
The commissioner assigned the task of removing the silt from the drain to the engineering staff instead of public health wing. Before winding up his tour, Mr Srikanth visited the fashion technology training centre at Santipuram . Man hacked to death for illicit affair
S Kota (Vizianagaram), July 26: A 35-year-old man was hacked to death while he was asleep at his house in Kottam village in this mandal on Tuesday night. Illicit affair was said to be the reason for the gory killing.
The local police said a local woman Matta Buchhamma saw Adupureddy Papunaidu in a pool of blood on his cot in the early hours and immediately alerted the villagers. The police led by circle inspector B.V.G. Prasada Rao reached the village and began investigation. Sources said Tekuboina Achibabu, who allegedly killed him, surrendered to the police late on Wednesday evening.
Villagers said Papunaidu had an illicit affair with Lakshmamma, the wife of Achibabu over which he was warned several times in the past. Achibabu and Lakshmamma had a love affair prior to marriage. After he came to know of the affair, he along with community elders warned Papunaidu.
Achibbau also gave an ultimatum to his wife to end the affair with Papunaidu. As the affair continued despite warning to both, Achibabu left the village three months ago. “After making a meticulous plan, Achibabu might have come to the village and killed Naidu,” villagers told reporters.
Papunaidu was sleeping alone on the cot in front of his house when he was attacked. His neck bore three injuries and his fingers were severed, the police said. Papunaidu, a law college dropout, was not liked by the villagers. His parents died as he did not care them. He also made two attempts to kill his own wife Jayalakshmi. Fearing for her life, she left him and began living with her parents at Dharmavaram village. Defence tech to benefit civilians
Visakhapatnam, July 26: Chief executive officer and managing director of BrahMos Padmasri A. Sivathanu Pillai said the technology developed in the country was not only for the defence purpose but also for social purpose.
Mr Pillai, who visited Raghu Engineering College here on Wednesday, made a presentation on the development of missiles from the era of Tipu Sultan to BrahMos. He said the achievement in the technological growth was due to the efforts of the scientists and engineers of this country.
“The Indian scientists and engineers are capable of achieving outstanding technology on par with the international standards,” Mr Pillai told the students and faculty of the engineering college. They are now proud possessors of state-of-the-art cruise missile technology, he said.
Not only the BrahMos is a unique supersonic cruise missile in its class, it is also emerging as a one missile system capable of being launched from multiple platforms in a multiple missions against multiple targets. This remarkable achievement has placed India along side Russia and much ahead of the other developed countries, he said.
Hyderabad City News july 26th,2006
Scam lurks under State land purchase
Hyderabad, July 26: Influential people in the government have made crores of rupees on land deals with a simple three-step method, using agencies like the AP Industrial Infrastructure Corporation and Hyderabad Urban Development Authority.
Hundreds of acres of land have changed hands by this simple method: 1. Get land acquisition announced and drive down the prices of land to be acquired. 2. Buy land cheap from panicky sellers. 3. Get acquisition withdrawn. One example is Vattinagulapalli. The APIIC moved a proposal to acquire 229.29 acres on 12 January, 2005, in several survey numbers including 70 to 73, 118 to 126, 133 to 135 and 137 to 139.
A contractor, a pharmaceutical group and a film producer almost immediately stepped in and bought off the lands. “When the rate was Rs 1 crore to Rs 1.25 crores in Vattinagulapalli, they bought land for Rs 25 lakhs to Rs 30 lakhs,” V.N. Prasad, a local landowner, told this correspondent.
The APIIC then proposed withdrawal of the acquisition move. “There will be many restrictions on land use because the area is covered under GO Ms No. 111 which regulates growth in the 10-km radius of Himayatsagar and Osmansagar,” a senior APIIC official said.
It took one-and-a-half years for the corporation to that there were restrictions. To date, the withdrawal has not been officially announced. Since May 2004 when the Congress took over, the APIIC has proposed acquiring 4,508.36 acres of land for IT parks and 2,958.09 acres for industrial purposes in Ranga Reddy district.
Another 5,500 acres has been acquired or is in the process of acquisition by Hyderabad Urban Development Authority for the Outer Ring Road and 3,000 acres for the satellite townships.
In Gopanapally, transactions went on despite litigation over acquistion of 439.15 acres in several survey numbers including 145 to 152, 158 to 163 and 267 to 286. Following the APIIC move, some landowners approached court and obtained status quo.
“Contrary to our fears that registrations will be hampered if the case is in the Supreme Court, several people made transactions as can be seen from number of registrations,” a senior official of the stamps and registration department told this correspondent. After the first requisition was made on January 10, 2005, registrations took place in June, October, November in 2005 and March 2006.
The APIIC withdrewing a proposal to acquire land in Poppalaguda just when the Ranga Reddy district administration had completed the process. The APIIC board meeting passed a resolution withdrawing the acquisition. “The lands were knocked off by influential people about a year ago for Rs 10 lakh to Rs 35 lakh against the market rate of Rs 2 crore and above,” sources said. The government transferred a senior APIIC official reportedly for objecting to withdrawal of acquisition.
The list of hit-and-run APIIC acqisition is long. Here is a sample:
* The APIIC is considering withdrawal of acquisition of 565.16 acres in Gundlapochampally in survey numbers 510 to 512 and 520 to 522.
* APIIC proposed a Discovery City and sent requisition to the Ranga Reddy district collectorate on December 23, 2004. Then the corporation sent an intimation hinting at withdrawal.
* APIIC proposed hardware park in Bongloor in Ibrahimpatnam mandal and sent requisition on January 12, 2005, but has decided to withdraw it.
In January 2006, the APIIC proposed to acquire 1,148.12 acres in Sitarampur village of Shabad mandal and 1,245.39 acres in Aloor village of Chevella mandal for establishing industrial parks. The district officials are apprehensive about the fate of the acquisition proposal keeping in view the previous instances.
Porters to get bomb lessons
Hyderabad, July 26: Following the 11/7 Mumbai serial blasts, railway porters and vendors on the Secunderabad railway station will be trained to spot bombs from Friday in a new measure to improve security at railway stations.
The station’s 350 licensed porters and 40 authorised vendors will be trained to identify improvised explosive devices (IED) and other types of bombs and explosives. Railway Protection Force (RPF) and city police personnel will also train them to react in case a bomb does go off on the platforms or in trains.
The first training session will begin on Friday at 11.30 am on Platforms 6 and 7. In attendance will be RPF chief security commissioner B. Kamal Kumar and additional commissioner of police, crime, Rajeev Trivedi. When contacted, Mr Kumar said, “The programme is aimed at sensitising porters and vendors who are always on the platforms and interacting with commuters. We will teach them how a bomb could look like and what should they do when they spot one.
A police official, speaking about the training, said, “When they spot a bomb or a suspicious object or baggage they should inform us. They should not run in panic.” If a blast does occur, “they should be able to help the commuters in evacuating the place.”
Police said that special focus was being laid on Platforms 6 and 7 as MMTS trains halted there. Announcements would be made round the clock asking commuters to alert the police if they find any suspicious objects or baggage in the trains. The programme will be extended to Hyderabad (Nampally), Kachiguda railway stations and others in cities like Vijayawada, Vishakapatnam and Tirupati.
The city police official said, “The Secunderabad railway station was on the terror hitlist. This was confirmed after Jaish-e-Mohammed militants were arrested in the city six months ago. Since then they have installed surveillance cameras and beefed up security.”
World Bank may fund R&R
Hyderabad, July 26: The World Bank is working on a scheme to fund the rehabilitation and resettlement (R&R) of evacuees displaced by the Jalayagnam irrigation projects. A team of the World Bank officials briefly met with irrigation secretary Satish Chandra on Wednesday to discuss the R&R policy formulated by the State government, and changes to make it more effective and remunerative. “The World Bank officials collected material pertaining to rehabilitation packages and said they would get back with a comprehensive module,” sources in the department said.
The State government is implementing R&R schemes mainly for major projects like Indirasagar (Polavaram), Pulichintala, Thotapally, Gundlakamma and Sripadasagar besides medium irrigation schemes like Veligallu. The total expenditure is Rs 7,000 crore and the State government is paying a part of that from the annual budget. Sources said that the State government has not formally submitted any proposal on the matter, and the World Bank had itself offered to provide lending.
The World Bank has come out with a series of reforms in the irrigation sector as part of its overall structural reforms plan. It has recommended restructuring of the irrigation department into five corporations — one each for the Upper Krishna, Lower Krishna, Upper Godavari, Lower Godavari and Penna — on the lines of power distribution companies.
A water regulatory authority would have to be constituted (on the lines of AP Electricity Regulatory Commission) to regulate water charges to be collected from farmers, depending on the cropping pattern and entrusting maintenance of lift irrigation schemes to water users associations who have to pay for them. The government’s decision to ban paddy under lift irrigation schemes is also considered to be part of the overall reforms process, department sources said.
Sales tax to come down by 1 per cent
Hyderabad, July 26: Central Sales Tax (CST) will be reduced by one per cent from October 1. The Empowered committee has decided to cut CST from the present 4 per cent to 3 per cent, according to minister for commercial taxes Konatala Ramakrishna. “The Empowered committee has decided to reduce the CST by one per cent. We will ask the Centre to adjust the revenue loss from this against the State’s share of taxes,” Mr Ramakrishna said.
Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy reviewed the performance of commercial taxes department along with commercial taxes minister, principal secretary (finance) P. Ramakanth Reddy, finance secretary N. Ramesh Kumar, commissioner (commercial taxes) T. S. Appa Rao, and special commissioner Suresh Chanda among others.
The Chief Minister was informed that the department realised Rs 3,560 crore taxes as against the target of Rs 3,150 crore, a growth of 105 per cent. Dr Rajasekhar Reddy asked officials to evolve an audit mechanism in the commercial taxes department to refund input tax. He said the proposed audit services should be expeditiously taken up to refund the amounts from commercial taxes department.
Rights panel issues notice to commissioner
Hyderabad, July 26: State Human Rights commission (SHRC) on Wednesday issued notices to commissioner of police A.K. Moha-nty on the alleged ‘custodial’ death of an autorickshaw driver, Shaik Ali Pasha, 55, who was interrogated by Santoshnagar police.The SHRC took up the death of Ali Pasha as a suo motu case and called for a report from the Hyderabad commissioner of police.
SHRC reportedly asked the commissioner to give a detailed report by September 11. Santoshnagar police has already booked a case as per the complaint filed by the wife of the deceased and are investigating. South Zone DCP Sandeep Shandilya said that the inquest report by Revenue officials gave a clean chit to the police.
Meanwhile, post mortem was conducted on the body of Ali Pasha at the Osmania General Hospital morgue. “Osmania forensic docto-rs, who conducted an autopsy, said that there were neither internal nor external injuries on the body of Shaik Ali Pasha. This means that there was no torture by the police. Even the illegal custody allegation is being ruled out in the inquest report. Police called him for questioning and let him off. The death didn’t occur in the police station or in the custody of the police,” said Mr Shandilya.
Santoshnagar inspector S. Sai Krishna, who was put on suspension late on Tuesday, is likely to resume his duties as the inquest report gave a clean chit to the cops.
AP faces 1st drought under YSR
Hyderabad, July 26: The State is facing its first drought under the Rajasekhar Reddy government. Around 12 districts are reeling under drought and crops in as much as 4.53 lakh hectares (about 10 lakh acres) in 12 districts, mostly in Telangana and Rayalaseema, are on the brink of withering away.
Medak, Ranga Reddy, Khammam, Mahbubnagar, Warangal, Nalgonda, Karimnagar, Kurnool, Kadapa, Chittoor, Anantapur and Prakasam are the worst hit due to drought. Crops affected include greengram, maize, cotton, redgram, jowar, blackgram, groundnut, castor, bajra, sesame, sugarcane, tobacco, chillies and ragi.
Worried over the prevailing drought conditions, the government has asked all the district collectors to put the contingency plans on the roll and to review the situation daily and report the same to CMO.
Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy, who held a video conference with agriculture minister N. Raghuveera Reddy and other officials instructed the collectors that agriculture staff should not be deputed to panchayat elections and ensure availability of seeds and other agricultural inputs to farmers. “Please try to provide moral support to farmers in view of the drought like conditions. We are still hopeful of good monsoon. Farmers should not feel dejected,” Dr Rajasekhar Reddy said.
As against the normal area of 45.01 lakh hectares to be sown as on July 25, the actual area sown was 29.77 lakh hectares. Officials say that 15.24 lakh hectares has been remained unsown. The State recorded 40 per cent deficient rainfall. As against the normal rainfall of 268.9 mm, the State received 162.7 mm.
Panel to check tyagis’ issues
Hyderabad July 26: A division bench of the AP High Court on Wednesday directed the State government to constitute a committee to redress the grievances of freedom fighters seeking pension. The bench was dealing with a batch of writ petitions filed challenging the inaction of the government in screening the applications and granting pension to those who participated in the freedom struggle. The bench was informed by the revenue secretary that there were several applications pending consideration and a committee would be constituted to look into this aspect.
3 in race for top post
Hyderabad, July 26: Three Maoist leaders are in the race for the post of CPI (Maoist) State committee secretary. The need to appoint a new secretary arose as Madhav, the top State Maoist, was killed in an encounter in the dense Nallamala forests of Prakasam district on Sunday.
The next secretary is expected to be picked from among Sakamuri Appa Rao, Patel Sudhakar Reddy and Sadhe Rajamouli. According to Special Intelligence Bureau (SIB) officials, the selection of the new secretary may not be conducted immediately. “The State and Central committees have to decide on the appointment of the secretary and it may take two to three months.”
“Usually a person with intellectual skills is appointed as the State chief of the party,” said an SIB official. “The secretary post is a key one as he has to decide on procuring arms, raising and distribution of funds and deployment of dalams,” the official said.
Hyderabad, July 26: Influential people in the government have made crores of rupees on land deals with a simple three-step method, using agencies like the AP Industrial Infrastructure Corporation and Hyderabad Urban Development Authority.
Hundreds of acres of land have changed hands by this simple method: 1. Get land acquisition announced and drive down the prices of land to be acquired. 2. Buy land cheap from panicky sellers. 3. Get acquisition withdrawn. One example is Vattinagulapalli. The APIIC moved a proposal to acquire 229.29 acres on 12 January, 2005, in several survey numbers including 70 to 73, 118 to 126, 133 to 135 and 137 to 139.
A contractor, a pharmaceutical group and a film producer almost immediately stepped in and bought off the lands. “When the rate was Rs 1 crore to Rs 1.25 crores in Vattinagulapalli, they bought land for Rs 25 lakhs to Rs 30 lakhs,” V.N. Prasad, a local landowner, told this correspondent.
The APIIC then proposed withdrawal of the acquisition move. “There will be many restrictions on land use because the area is covered under GO Ms No. 111 which regulates growth in the 10-km radius of Himayatsagar and Osmansagar,” a senior APIIC official said.
It took one-and-a-half years for the corporation to that there were restrictions. To date, the withdrawal has not been officially announced. Since May 2004 when the Congress took over, the APIIC has proposed acquiring 4,508.36 acres of land for IT parks and 2,958.09 acres for industrial purposes in Ranga Reddy district.
Another 5,500 acres has been acquired or is in the process of acquisition by Hyderabad Urban Development Authority for the Outer Ring Road and 3,000 acres for the satellite townships.
In Gopanapally, transactions went on despite litigation over acquistion of 439.15 acres in several survey numbers including 145 to 152, 158 to 163 and 267 to 286. Following the APIIC move, some landowners approached court and obtained status quo.
“Contrary to our fears that registrations will be hampered if the case is in the Supreme Court, several people made transactions as can be seen from number of registrations,” a senior official of the stamps and registration department told this correspondent. After the first requisition was made on January 10, 2005, registrations took place in June, October, November in 2005 and March 2006.
The APIIC withdrewing a proposal to acquire land in Poppalaguda just when the Ranga Reddy district administration had completed the process. The APIIC board meeting passed a resolution withdrawing the acquisition. “The lands were knocked off by influential people about a year ago for Rs 10 lakh to Rs 35 lakh against the market rate of Rs 2 crore and above,” sources said. The government transferred a senior APIIC official reportedly for objecting to withdrawal of acquisition.
The list of hit-and-run APIIC acqisition is long. Here is a sample:
* The APIIC is considering withdrawal of acquisition of 565.16 acres in Gundlapochampally in survey numbers 510 to 512 and 520 to 522.
* APIIC proposed a Discovery City and sent requisition to the Ranga Reddy district collectorate on December 23, 2004. Then the corporation sent an intimation hinting at withdrawal.
* APIIC proposed hardware park in Bongloor in Ibrahimpatnam mandal and sent requisition on January 12, 2005, but has decided to withdraw it.
In January 2006, the APIIC proposed to acquire 1,148.12 acres in Sitarampur village of Shabad mandal and 1,245.39 acres in Aloor village of Chevella mandal for establishing industrial parks. The district officials are apprehensive about the fate of the acquisition proposal keeping in view the previous instances.
Porters to get bomb lessons
Hyderabad, July 26: Following the 11/7 Mumbai serial blasts, railway porters and vendors on the Secunderabad railway station will be trained to spot bombs from Friday in a new measure to improve security at railway stations.
The station’s 350 licensed porters and 40 authorised vendors will be trained to identify improvised explosive devices (IED) and other types of bombs and explosives. Railway Protection Force (RPF) and city police personnel will also train them to react in case a bomb does go off on the platforms or in trains.
The first training session will begin on Friday at 11.30 am on Platforms 6 and 7. In attendance will be RPF chief security commissioner B. Kamal Kumar and additional commissioner of police, crime, Rajeev Trivedi. When contacted, Mr Kumar said, “The programme is aimed at sensitising porters and vendors who are always on the platforms and interacting with commuters. We will teach them how a bomb could look like and what should they do when they spot one.
A police official, speaking about the training, said, “When they spot a bomb or a suspicious object or baggage they should inform us. They should not run in panic.” If a blast does occur, “they should be able to help the commuters in evacuating the place.”
Police said that special focus was being laid on Platforms 6 and 7 as MMTS trains halted there. Announcements would be made round the clock asking commuters to alert the police if they find any suspicious objects or baggage in the trains. The programme will be extended to Hyderabad (Nampally), Kachiguda railway stations and others in cities like Vijayawada, Vishakapatnam and Tirupati.
The city police official said, “The Secunderabad railway station was on the terror hitlist. This was confirmed after Jaish-e-Mohammed militants were arrested in the city six months ago. Since then they have installed surveillance cameras and beefed up security.”
World Bank may fund R&R
Hyderabad, July 26: The World Bank is working on a scheme to fund the rehabilitation and resettlement (R&R) of evacuees displaced by the Jalayagnam irrigation projects. A team of the World Bank officials briefly met with irrigation secretary Satish Chandra on Wednesday to discuss the R&R policy formulated by the State government, and changes to make it more effective and remunerative. “The World Bank officials collected material pertaining to rehabilitation packages and said they would get back with a comprehensive module,” sources in the department said.
The State government is implementing R&R schemes mainly for major projects like Indirasagar (Polavaram), Pulichintala, Thotapally, Gundlakamma and Sripadasagar besides medium irrigation schemes like Veligallu. The total expenditure is Rs 7,000 crore and the State government is paying a part of that from the annual budget. Sources said that the State government has not formally submitted any proposal on the matter, and the World Bank had itself offered to provide lending.
The World Bank has come out with a series of reforms in the irrigation sector as part of its overall structural reforms plan. It has recommended restructuring of the irrigation department into five corporations — one each for the Upper Krishna, Lower Krishna, Upper Godavari, Lower Godavari and Penna — on the lines of power distribution companies.
A water regulatory authority would have to be constituted (on the lines of AP Electricity Regulatory Commission) to regulate water charges to be collected from farmers, depending on the cropping pattern and entrusting maintenance of lift irrigation schemes to water users associations who have to pay for them. The government’s decision to ban paddy under lift irrigation schemes is also considered to be part of the overall reforms process, department sources said.
Sales tax to come down by 1 per cent
Hyderabad, July 26: Central Sales Tax (CST) will be reduced by one per cent from October 1. The Empowered committee has decided to cut CST from the present 4 per cent to 3 per cent, according to minister for commercial taxes Konatala Ramakrishna. “The Empowered committee has decided to reduce the CST by one per cent. We will ask the Centre to adjust the revenue loss from this against the State’s share of taxes,” Mr Ramakrishna said.
Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy reviewed the performance of commercial taxes department along with commercial taxes minister, principal secretary (finance) P. Ramakanth Reddy, finance secretary N. Ramesh Kumar, commissioner (commercial taxes) T. S. Appa Rao, and special commissioner Suresh Chanda among others.
The Chief Minister was informed that the department realised Rs 3,560 crore taxes as against the target of Rs 3,150 crore, a growth of 105 per cent. Dr Rajasekhar Reddy asked officials to evolve an audit mechanism in the commercial taxes department to refund input tax. He said the proposed audit services should be expeditiously taken up to refund the amounts from commercial taxes department.
Rights panel issues notice to commissioner
Hyderabad, July 26: State Human Rights commission (SHRC) on Wednesday issued notices to commissioner of police A.K. Moha-nty on the alleged ‘custodial’ death of an autorickshaw driver, Shaik Ali Pasha, 55, who was interrogated by Santoshnagar police.The SHRC took up the death of Ali Pasha as a suo motu case and called for a report from the Hyderabad commissioner of police.
SHRC reportedly asked the commissioner to give a detailed report by September 11. Santoshnagar police has already booked a case as per the complaint filed by the wife of the deceased and are investigating. South Zone DCP Sandeep Shandilya said that the inquest report by Revenue officials gave a clean chit to the police.
Meanwhile, post mortem was conducted on the body of Ali Pasha at the Osmania General Hospital morgue. “Osmania forensic docto-rs, who conducted an autopsy, said that there were neither internal nor external injuries on the body of Shaik Ali Pasha. This means that there was no torture by the police. Even the illegal custody allegation is being ruled out in the inquest report. Police called him for questioning and let him off. The death didn’t occur in the police station or in the custody of the police,” said Mr Shandilya.
Santoshnagar inspector S. Sai Krishna, who was put on suspension late on Tuesday, is likely to resume his duties as the inquest report gave a clean chit to the cops.
AP faces 1st drought under YSR
Hyderabad, July 26: The State is facing its first drought under the Rajasekhar Reddy government. Around 12 districts are reeling under drought and crops in as much as 4.53 lakh hectares (about 10 lakh acres) in 12 districts, mostly in Telangana and Rayalaseema, are on the brink of withering away.
Medak, Ranga Reddy, Khammam, Mahbubnagar, Warangal, Nalgonda, Karimnagar, Kurnool, Kadapa, Chittoor, Anantapur and Prakasam are the worst hit due to drought. Crops affected include greengram, maize, cotton, redgram, jowar, blackgram, groundnut, castor, bajra, sesame, sugarcane, tobacco, chillies and ragi.
Worried over the prevailing drought conditions, the government has asked all the district collectors to put the contingency plans on the roll and to review the situation daily and report the same to CMO.
Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy, who held a video conference with agriculture minister N. Raghuveera Reddy and other officials instructed the collectors that agriculture staff should not be deputed to panchayat elections and ensure availability of seeds and other agricultural inputs to farmers. “Please try to provide moral support to farmers in view of the drought like conditions. We are still hopeful of good monsoon. Farmers should not feel dejected,” Dr Rajasekhar Reddy said.
As against the normal area of 45.01 lakh hectares to be sown as on July 25, the actual area sown was 29.77 lakh hectares. Officials say that 15.24 lakh hectares has been remained unsown. The State recorded 40 per cent deficient rainfall. As against the normal rainfall of 268.9 mm, the State received 162.7 mm.
Panel to check tyagis’ issues
Hyderabad July 26: A division bench of the AP High Court on Wednesday directed the State government to constitute a committee to redress the grievances of freedom fighters seeking pension. The bench was dealing with a batch of writ petitions filed challenging the inaction of the government in screening the applications and granting pension to those who participated in the freedom struggle. The bench was informed by the revenue secretary that there were several applications pending consideration and a committee would be constituted to look into this aspect.
3 in race for top post
Hyderabad, July 26: Three Maoist leaders are in the race for the post of CPI (Maoist) State committee secretary. The need to appoint a new secretary arose as Madhav, the top State Maoist, was killed in an encounter in the dense Nallamala forests of Prakasam district on Sunday.
The next secretary is expected to be picked from among Sakamuri Appa Rao, Patel Sudhakar Reddy and Sadhe Rajamouli. According to Special Intelligence Bureau (SIB) officials, the selection of the new secretary may not be conducted immediately. “The State and Central committees have to decide on the appointment of the secretary and it may take two to three months.”
“Usually a person with intellectual skills is appointed as the State chief of the party,” said an SIB official. “The secretary post is a key one as he has to decide on procuring arms, raising and distribution of funds and deployment of dalams,” the official said.
