Wednesday, August 02, 2006
Andhrapradesh Regional news Aug 2nd,2006
Violence hits second phase poll
Kurnool/Kadapa/Anantapur, Aug. 2: Violent incidents marred second phase polling for gram panchayats in Rayalaseema on Wednesday. Nearly 78 per cent polling was registered in Kurnool division.
In Bugganipalle village in Bethamcherla mandal, police opened fire into the air when the followers of former sarpanch belonging to the Congress attacked TD MPTC member Pullaiah and hacked his legs when ballot boxes were being shifted. Incidents of pelting of stones by the rival Telugu Desam and Congress supporters were reported from Thadipudi village in Jupahad Bungalow and Nereducherla village in Pyapili mandal.
Five persons were injured and police fired five rounds into air as Congress supporters clashed when the TD supporter was declared elected in Thadipudi village of Jupahad Bungalow. The Telugu Desam and Congress supporters clas-hed and police resorted to lathicharge in Laddagiri, the native village of Kurnool MP Kotla Suryaprakash Reddy.
Meanwhile, Kodumuru legislator M. Sikhamani’s brother Ayyanna died of heart stroke after he heard the news of his daughter-in-law’s defeat in Sikhamani’s native village of Munagapadu. Except for stray incidents, polling was peaceful in the second phase elections for gram panchayats in Rajampet division in Kadapa district.
Eight-three per cent voters exercised their franchise. Telugu Desam and Congress supporters clashed and tore ballot papers in Chiyyavaram village in Railway Kodur mandal. Repolling was ordered as TD supporters poured water into the ballot boxes at booth No. 6. Tension prevailed in Kamalakur village in Atlur mandal when sub-inspector Nagabushanam opened fire into air when rival groups tried to attack him.
In Anantapur district, except for one or two incidents polling was by-and-large peaceful in Dharmavaram division. Officials said that 81.89 per cent voters participated in the polling. Two policemen were injured in stone pelting incident and police opened nine rounds into the air at Paloor village in Kambaduru mandal. Some miscreants burnt ballot papers after results were declared in Bathalapalle mandal.
Rival groups clashed and miscreants took away three ballot boxes during recounting in Kanaganapalle mandal. Three persons were injured in group clash in Beluguppa mandal while four TD activists suffered injuries in Kalyandurg mandal.
7 gates of Srisailam reservoir opened
Srisailam, Aug. 2: With increased inflows, officials lifted five more gates of Srisailam reservoir and released water into Nagarjunasagar on Wednesday. Two of the dam gates were lifted on Tuesday. Huge amount of water is reaching Srisailam reservoir due to heavy rains in upper catchment areas in Maharashtra and Karnataka States.
Officials lifted seven gates to 30 feet level and released floodwater into Sagar. Water level in reservoir stood at 880.90 ft on Wednesday morning against the total capacity of 240.5516 tmc ft with an inflow of three lakh cusecs of water from Jurala.
Officials are releasing 4,33,839 cusecs of water through seven gates and and another 29,812 cusecs to seven hydro-electric units through right branch canal to produce 93.1 MW units and another 35,315 cusecs of water to five hydro-electric units through left branch canal for production of 140 MW.
In total 5,10,122 cusecs of water is being released from Srisailam reservoir, including 4,98,966 cusecs into Nagarjunasagar and 11,156 cusecs to SRBC, Telugu Ganga and KC Canal through Pothireddypadu head regulator .
Meanwhile, hydroelectric power generation has also begun at Penna Ahobilam Reservoir dam on Wednesday. The water level in the dam reached 43.1 metres. Nearly 1,000 cusecs of water is reaching the reservoir from Tungabhadra river and additional water is being utilised for power generation, said DE Gopalakrishna. By Wednesday evening, 1.50 lakh units of power was generated, officials added.
Kadapa legislators put on alert
Kadapa, Aug. 2: Kadapa police have been kept on high alert and security and surveillance has been stepped up and frisking operations were intensified following intelligence reports that a Maoist action team is moving in the city.
The police who were busy supervising the gram panchayat elections has increased vigil in the city following Maoist threat. Police suspect that the Maoists might try for something big in Kadapa district represented by the Chief Minister, Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy, and advised Congress leaders and legislators to take all precautionary measures.
Officials advised politicians to be on high alert and not to venture out without prior information to local police. Police officials also put gunmen of Congress leaders and legislators on alert. Officials believe that about a 15-member action team has entered the city for a major operation.
They advised the legislators and Congress leaders not to meet any unknown persons. Police suspect that the Maoists might be planning an attack to take revenge for the killing of their State secretary Madhav and seven of their cadre in an encounter in Nallamala forest recently.
Destroying of cables belonging to a private cellphone firm by the Maoists at Kandukur in Kurnool district bordering Kadapa district in the wee hours of Wednesday forced police to be extra cautious. Police suspect that the Maoists might be taking shelter in Jyothi hills in Kalasapadu and Kashinayana mandals.
Police were combing the above two mandals with mine proof vehicles in the last four days. Meanwhile, political leaders were panicked over the suspected Maoists action team movement in the city. Even though Maoists have little presence in the district, police officials were not taking any chances and have stepped up vigil on the city outskirts.
Official, husband arrested in Nellore
Nellore, Aug. 2: Tension prevailed at a polling station in Chinthareddypalem village, on the outskirts of Nellore town, during the second phase of panchayat elections conducted on Wednesday in Nellore division.
The husband of a presiding officer who was present at booth No. 12 in the village, which was identified as hypersensitive, created a flutter by involving himself in the election process. He allegedly removed the swastik mark from one side of the seal, which is used to cast the vote on the ballot paper.
A Congress agent noticed this after 140 votes were polled and raised a hue and cry on the plea that most votes would become invalid because of the absence of the swastik mark. He also alleged that ballot papers had been folded wrongly before being deposited in the ballot boxes. The incident gained significance since it is the native place of Rapur and Nellore legislators Anam Ramanarayana Reddy and Anam Vivekananda Reddy.
The Anam brothers have taken it as a prestige issue to win the election after a humiliating defeat in both the ZPTC and MPTC elections. Their cousin and TD leader Anam Venkataramana Reddy engineered the victory for the legislator’s opponents in the local body elections.
Interestingly, Congress agents realised that the person responsible for the irregularities was an unauthorised person, following an enquiry held in the booth by the returning officer. District collector Mr M Ravichandra ordered repoll in the booth on Thursday, and instructed officials to lodge a complaint to police against the presiding officer and her husband. Nellore rural police took both the woman officer and her husband into custody, according to information.
CID to probe ‘cross’ incident
Tirupati, Aug. 2: The State government has decided to hand over the case related to holy cross symbols found on some walls and trees in Tirumala to the CB-CID. Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy himself is said to have taken the decision to entrust the probe to the CID.
Congress, TD workers clash
Ongole, Aug. 2: Barring some sporadic incidents, the second phase of village panchayat polls passed off peacefully in Prakasam district on Wednesday. Polling was conducted for 327 village panchayats in 24 mandals under Kandukur revenue division.
The average percentage of polling was 87. Donakonda mandal registered the highest 95 per cent while Singarayakonda registered the least voting percentage of 74. Polling was cancelled in three villages and repolling will be conducted on August 5.
Incidents of police firing, hurling of bombs, pouring of ink and water into ballot boxes, clashes between the Telugu Desam and the Congress workers, have taken place in some villages. Police opened fire in Mirzapeta village of Tarlupadu mandal to disperse two groups who clashed in the village. No one was injured on the occasion.
Mundlamur Mandal witnessed bomb attacks on Wednesday. In Vemula village of Mundlamur mandal, activists of the TD and the Congress hurled 20 crude bombs at each other. About 10 bombs went off in which one polling staff and villager sustained injuries. Mr Narasimha Rao, a polling officer, suffered minor injuries during the attack. He is a teacher at the ZP high school in SN Padu Mandal.
According to sources, the trouble began in the very first hour of voting when a Dalit woman came to vote. Both the Congress and the TD supporters exerted pressure on her to cast her vote for their candidate. This resulted in hurling of bombs. Police detained 20 persons belonging to both the TD and the Congress in connection with the clash.
Polling was cancelled in the sensitive Vemula village and repolling will be held on August 5. In Lingasamudram Mandal, mobs poured ink and water in polling booths under Vengalapuram panchayat limits. Repolling will conducted in nine wards there.
Nominees fail to digest defeat
Nellore, Aug. 2: Subba Reddy, the husband of a former sarpanch, tore some ballot papers anticipating repolling when his rival won the sarpanch election with just one vote at Bandarupalli in Atmakur Mandal on Wednesday during the second phase of elections.
Interestingly, he did this after the election officials dutifully conducted a recount at his request, even after announcing the results since the majority was just one vote. Shocked by the incident, the presiding officer took the incident to the notice of senior officials of the district. To their relief, district collector M. Ravichandra instructed them to announce the results as per the first counting and book a case against Subba Reddy.
In a similar incident at Madannagaripalle village in Kaluvoy mandal, supporters of a defeated sarpanch candidate swallowed four ballot papers after the recount. In this case too, the collector directed polling officials to declare results in favour of the candidate who won the election with exactly four votes.
The collector also instructed officials to continue with the vice-sarpanch election at Potlapudi village in TP Gudur Mandal when they informed him about clashes between the TD-CPM supporters and Congress followers after the election of the Congress candidate for the sarpanch post.
Barring a few such incidents, the second phase of polling held in Nellore division of the district went off peacefully on Wednesday. More than 85 per cent of average polling was recorded in the second phase.
2nd phase polls are peaceful
Rajahmundry, Aug. 2: The second phase of panchayat polls held in two divisions each in East and West Godavari districts were peaceful on Wednesday. In East Godavari district, polling was held in Rajahmundry and Kakinada divisions, registering a voter turnout of 85 and 84 per cent respectively.
The mandal-wise break-up of poll percentage in Rajahmundry division is as follows: Rajahmundry rural 82, Kadiam 82, Rajanagaram 91.5, Bikkavole 53.32, Rayavaram 87.50, Mandapeta 85, Alamuru 87, Kapileswarapuram 83.97, Korukonda 88, Seetanagaram 89.22, Gokavaram 78, Ramachandrapuram 84.41, K. Gangavaram 85.33 and Apaparthi registered 85.90 per cent.
In Kakinada division, Kakinada rural registered voter turnout of 63.26 percentage, Tallarevu 81.7, Kajulur 90, Karapa 83, Pedapudi 90, Samalkot 90, Pithapuram 87.36, U. Kothapalli 85 and Gollaprolu 85 per cent. District collector M. Subrahmaniam said that the second phase of panchayat polls were held without any incidents of violence amidst tight security.
In West Godavari district, gram panchayat polls were held in the two divisions of Kovvur and Jangareddugudem where the poll percentage was registered at 82.13 and 82.41 respectively. With incessant drizzle, polling started on a dull note in the intial hours on Wednesday. However, it picked up momentum as voters realised that there would be no let up, following rain forecast.
All set for third phase of elections
Bhimavaram, Aug. 2: In the third phase of gram panchayat polls slated for August 6, 108 polling centres have been set up in Palakoderu mandal. According to mandal election officer K. Prasannakumari, polling for election of sarpanches would be held at Palakoderu, Srungavruksham, Pennada Agraharam, Mypa, Kondepudi, Mogallu, Garagaparru, Gollalakoderu and Goraganamudi panchayats, while elections would be held for upasarpanches at Vendra, Vendra Agraharam and Korukollu panchayats as sarpanch elections in these panchayats were unanimous.
She said that polling centres were set up in villages for election of ward members. She said that 344 polling staff were appointed at all the 108 polling centres in the mandal to ensure that the polls were held in a free and fair manner.
Congress, TD workers clash
Nizamabad/Adilabad, Aug. 2: Tension prevailed at Banswada, about 45 kms from Nizamabad, as the Congress and the Telugu Desam activists clashed during the gram panchayat polls on Wednesday. Five Congress workers and Banswada TD mandal parishad president Balaraju and three TD workers were injured in the clashes. The police resorted to lathicharge to disperse the warring party workers.
According to sources, six associates of Banswada Congress MLA Bajireddy Govardhan entered into the polling station set up at the girls high school in Banswada. Eight TD workers and MPP Balaraju reached there and objected to the campaign by the Congress workers there. Irritated at this, the Congress workers began a heated argument with the TD workers.
Within no time, both groups began clashing in front of the polling station. The police resorted to lathicharge to disperse the groups. The TD workers damaged the windowpanes of a Maruti car belonging to the MLA’s followers. The police shifted the injured MPP and the TD workers to the Banswada area hospital. Five Congress workers, who were also injured in the clash, took first aid in the hospital.
District TD president Pocharam Srinivas Reddy visited the hospital and enquired about the condition of the TD workers. Later, the TD workers tried to stage a protest in Banswada with the injured MPP. But the police stopped the protest.
District collector Srinivas Srinaresh and SP Mahesh Chandra Laddha also visited Banswada. Bodhan DSP U. Madhukar Rao told this newspaper that the situation was under control and the police patrolling will continue till Thursday morning.
In Adilabad, the second phase of gram panchayat elections went off peacefully except for a clash between two Congress groups in Kotapalli mandal resulting in postponement of the election.
Voters of four hamlets of Karatwada gram panchayat of Boath Mandal boycotted polling in protest against the unfavourable reservation of the sarpanch post. A total of 82.92 percentage of voting was recorded in the district. Highest 98 per cent of polling was recorded in Pippalkoti gram panchayat in Thamsi mandal in the district.
According to sources, two groups of Congress clashed when they noticed that the Telugu Desam candidate was gaining a majority of votes. They tore ballot papers and poured ink into ballot boxes during counting in Parapalli village of Kotapalli. Subsequently, the election was postponed there.
Voters nab shady poll official
Warangal/Karimnagar, Aug. 2: The second phase of gram panchayat polling in the Warangal district went off peacefully on Wednesday. The elections were conducted in a total of 276 village panchayats spread over Narsampet and Mahabubabad revenue divisions, where a voter turnout of around 80 per cent was registered.
Though no major violent incident was reported from any village, in some mandals there were minor scuffles between the supporters of the contesting candidates and the police had to disperse the crowds using the mild force.
A polling officer’s strange behaviour at Aleru village in Nellikudur mandal also resulted in tension in the village. The controversial polling officer was caught by the voters when he was standing in the queue and voting. The authorities immediately removed him from the polling duties and replaced with another official to ensure the smooth conduct of elections.
In Karimnagar, a high poll-percentage was recorded in the Naxal affected areas of Jagtial and Sircilla divisions following the active participation of the villagers in the voting in the second phase of panchayat elections conducted in the district on Wednesday. The Jagtial and Sircilla divisions registered 72.36 and 71.50 poll percentages respectively.
The villagers enthusiastically participated in the voting at Beerpur, the native village of the Maoist’s top leader Ganapati, in Sarangapur mandal. The same trend was witnessed in the erstwhile Janashakti strong bastions — Konaraopet, Chandurthi, and Yellareddypet mandals — in the Sircilla division.
Stray incidents mar elections
Guntur, Aug. 2: Police lathi-charge, snatching of ballot boxes and cancellation of polling at some polling stations marked the second phase of panchayat elections in Guntur division. At most of the places, police officials were allegedly biased and often indulged in lathi-charge, resulting in revolt by the enraged villagers. However, superintendent of police Sivadhar Reddy said the poll process was peaceful. While speaking to this correspondent, he assured action against biased cops, if their guilt is proved.
In all, 253 sarpanches and 2,227 ward members were elected in this second phase of panchatyat elections. Of the 310 panchayats notified in Guntur division of 19 mandals, 57 sarpanches and 1,102 ward members have been elected unanimously. In Paludevarlapadu under Muppala mandal of Sattenapalli constituency, a sub-inspector is said to have beaten up the members of a particular community.
Provoked by his biased attitude, the villagers, including women countered the police, resulting in injuries to two constables. In Kantepudi village under Sattenapalli, polling was stopped due to a clash between the TD and Congress groups. At Prattipadu, the TD supporters hurled bombs on the Congress cadre. But, none was hurt in the incident.
Police dispersed the mob with a mild lathi-charge. At Adavitakkellapadu on the outskirts of Guntur, CRPF personnel slapped an agent when the latter tried to cast his vote and the incident led to tension in the village. Two ballot boxes were snatched by an irate mob following a confrontation between two political groups in Badepuram under Tadikonda mandal. The voters lodged their protest with the presiding officer and took away two of three ballot boxes.
In Begarpuram of the same mandal, tension prevailed when the police covertly helped the Congress candidate. Violent incidents were also reported from some villages, including Jupudi of Amaravati and Gorantla in Guntur rural which led to lathi-charge.
Choultry land in TN beyond State’s reach
Guntur, Aug. 2: The endowments department’s effo-rts to get back lands owned by Sadavarthi Choultry of Amaravathi in Tamil Nadu has not succeeded so far. A delegation headed by endowment minister J.C. Diwakar Reddy held discussions with Tamil Nadu officials. This was followed by further talks between officials but there has been no breakthrough.
It had come to light a few years ago that the Sadavarthi Choultry owned 471.65 acre of land at Thalambur village near Chennai. After a thorough survey, State endowment officials requested their counterparts in Tamil Nadu to surrender the land. However, the Tamil Nadu government was reluctant.
In fact, nearly 100-acre land had been given to various software developers and leading engineering colleges. Thalambur is located next to Semmancheri and Navalur on the Old Mahabalipuram Road and the price of land in the area went up to Rs 2 crore to Rs 4 crore per acre after a real estate boom.
TN officials suggested that the endowments depa-rtment could be given land from another area. Later, they dropped the idea and proposed to pay compensation at the present rate. However, the State delegation headed by the minister opposed the proposal and insisted on getting back the land. “We are determined not to lose the land,” said deputy commissioner (end-owments) Vijay Kumar.
Call to ensure LPG supply
Vijayawada, Aug. 2: Joint collector S. Suresh Kumar on Wednesday asked the LPG distributors to ensure supply of cylinders to the customers without delay. Speaking at a review meeting with the distributors, LP Gas companies and the officials from the civil supplies department, Mr Suresh Kumar cautioned the gas distributors against harassing customers.
He said that the gas agencies were not regular in supplying gas to the customers and in some cases the delay was more than a week after booking. He asked the distributors to clear the waiting list at the earliest and also asked them to instruct the delivery boys against supplying the LPG cylinders for commercial use.
He called upon the customers to complain to the respective gas company officers or the officials from the civil supplies department if the cylinders were not being supplied regularly. The joint collector said that they were supplying LPG cylinders to 1,200 schools out of 3,200 schools in the district which were implementing the Midday Meal scheme.
He directed the gas distributors to ensure regular supply of gas to these schools without delay. He said that the administration was planning to extend the facility to another 2,000 schools during the current academic year and asked the distributors to be prepared to supply the gas accordingly.
Expedite project, State told
Vijayawada, Aug. 2: The Andhra Pradesh Jala Yagna Sadhana Samiti has asked the State and Central governments to speed up the process of getting all clearances for the Polavaram project.
The Samiti founder president Kolanukonda Sivaji on Wednesday expressed concern over the delay in getting the Central clearances for the project. While expressing confidence that the State would get all clearances for its irrigation projects under the leadership of the new chief secretary, J. Harinarayana, the Samiti leader wanted the State and Central governments to work in coordination for early commencement of the project work.
Mr Sivaji said that the Polavaram project, renamed as Indira Sagar, has a long history as it was initially proposed in 1843. The people from Godavari basin have been requesting the successive governments to implement the Polavaram project, while the farmers from Krishna, Guntur, Khammam, Prakasam too have been supporting the demand.
Stating that the project would divert over 80 TMC feet of water from Godavari to river Krishna, he maintained that the water would help in bringing additional acreage of land under cultivation. It would benefit thousands of farmers from the upland areas. He said that the diversion of water from Godavari to Krishna would also ensure regular supply of water for the 13 lakh acres of land.
Kurnool/Kadapa/Anantapur, Aug. 2: Violent incidents marred second phase polling for gram panchayats in Rayalaseema on Wednesday. Nearly 78 per cent polling was registered in Kurnool division.
In Bugganipalle village in Bethamcherla mandal, police opened fire into the air when the followers of former sarpanch belonging to the Congress attacked TD MPTC member Pullaiah and hacked his legs when ballot boxes were being shifted. Incidents of pelting of stones by the rival Telugu Desam and Congress supporters were reported from Thadipudi village in Jupahad Bungalow and Nereducherla village in Pyapili mandal.
Five persons were injured and police fired five rounds into air as Congress supporters clashed when the TD supporter was declared elected in Thadipudi village of Jupahad Bungalow. The Telugu Desam and Congress supporters clas-hed and police resorted to lathicharge in Laddagiri, the native village of Kurnool MP Kotla Suryaprakash Reddy.
Meanwhile, Kodumuru legislator M. Sikhamani’s brother Ayyanna died of heart stroke after he heard the news of his daughter-in-law’s defeat in Sikhamani’s native village of Munagapadu. Except for stray incidents, polling was peaceful in the second phase elections for gram panchayats in Rajampet division in Kadapa district.
Eight-three per cent voters exercised their franchise. Telugu Desam and Congress supporters clashed and tore ballot papers in Chiyyavaram village in Railway Kodur mandal. Repolling was ordered as TD supporters poured water into the ballot boxes at booth No. 6. Tension prevailed in Kamalakur village in Atlur mandal when sub-inspector Nagabushanam opened fire into air when rival groups tried to attack him.
In Anantapur district, except for one or two incidents polling was by-and-large peaceful in Dharmavaram division. Officials said that 81.89 per cent voters participated in the polling. Two policemen were injured in stone pelting incident and police opened nine rounds into the air at Paloor village in Kambaduru mandal. Some miscreants burnt ballot papers after results were declared in Bathalapalle mandal.
Rival groups clashed and miscreants took away three ballot boxes during recounting in Kanaganapalle mandal. Three persons were injured in group clash in Beluguppa mandal while four TD activists suffered injuries in Kalyandurg mandal.
7 gates of Srisailam reservoir opened
Srisailam, Aug. 2: With increased inflows, officials lifted five more gates of Srisailam reservoir and released water into Nagarjunasagar on Wednesday. Two of the dam gates were lifted on Tuesday. Huge amount of water is reaching Srisailam reservoir due to heavy rains in upper catchment areas in Maharashtra and Karnataka States.
Officials lifted seven gates to 30 feet level and released floodwater into Sagar. Water level in reservoir stood at 880.90 ft on Wednesday morning against the total capacity of 240.5516 tmc ft with an inflow of three lakh cusecs of water from Jurala.
Officials are releasing 4,33,839 cusecs of water through seven gates and and another 29,812 cusecs to seven hydro-electric units through right branch canal to produce 93.1 MW units and another 35,315 cusecs of water to five hydro-electric units through left branch canal for production of 140 MW.
In total 5,10,122 cusecs of water is being released from Srisailam reservoir, including 4,98,966 cusecs into Nagarjunasagar and 11,156 cusecs to SRBC, Telugu Ganga and KC Canal through Pothireddypadu head regulator .
Meanwhile, hydroelectric power generation has also begun at Penna Ahobilam Reservoir dam on Wednesday. The water level in the dam reached 43.1 metres. Nearly 1,000 cusecs of water is reaching the reservoir from Tungabhadra river and additional water is being utilised for power generation, said DE Gopalakrishna. By Wednesday evening, 1.50 lakh units of power was generated, officials added.
Kadapa legislators put on alert
Kadapa, Aug. 2: Kadapa police have been kept on high alert and security and surveillance has been stepped up and frisking operations were intensified following intelligence reports that a Maoist action team is moving in the city.
The police who were busy supervising the gram panchayat elections has increased vigil in the city following Maoist threat. Police suspect that the Maoists might try for something big in Kadapa district represented by the Chief Minister, Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy, and advised Congress leaders and legislators to take all precautionary measures.
Officials advised politicians to be on high alert and not to venture out without prior information to local police. Police officials also put gunmen of Congress leaders and legislators on alert. Officials believe that about a 15-member action team has entered the city for a major operation.
They advised the legislators and Congress leaders not to meet any unknown persons. Police suspect that the Maoists might be planning an attack to take revenge for the killing of their State secretary Madhav and seven of their cadre in an encounter in Nallamala forest recently.
Destroying of cables belonging to a private cellphone firm by the Maoists at Kandukur in Kurnool district bordering Kadapa district in the wee hours of Wednesday forced police to be extra cautious. Police suspect that the Maoists might be taking shelter in Jyothi hills in Kalasapadu and Kashinayana mandals.
Police were combing the above two mandals with mine proof vehicles in the last four days. Meanwhile, political leaders were panicked over the suspected Maoists action team movement in the city. Even though Maoists have little presence in the district, police officials were not taking any chances and have stepped up vigil on the city outskirts.
Official, husband arrested in Nellore
Nellore, Aug. 2: Tension prevailed at a polling station in Chinthareddypalem village, on the outskirts of Nellore town, during the second phase of panchayat elections conducted on Wednesday in Nellore division.
The husband of a presiding officer who was present at booth No. 12 in the village, which was identified as hypersensitive, created a flutter by involving himself in the election process. He allegedly removed the swastik mark from one side of the seal, which is used to cast the vote on the ballot paper.
A Congress agent noticed this after 140 votes were polled and raised a hue and cry on the plea that most votes would become invalid because of the absence of the swastik mark. He also alleged that ballot papers had been folded wrongly before being deposited in the ballot boxes. The incident gained significance since it is the native place of Rapur and Nellore legislators Anam Ramanarayana Reddy and Anam Vivekananda Reddy.
The Anam brothers have taken it as a prestige issue to win the election after a humiliating defeat in both the ZPTC and MPTC elections. Their cousin and TD leader Anam Venkataramana Reddy engineered the victory for the legislator’s opponents in the local body elections.
Interestingly, Congress agents realised that the person responsible for the irregularities was an unauthorised person, following an enquiry held in the booth by the returning officer. District collector Mr M Ravichandra ordered repoll in the booth on Thursday, and instructed officials to lodge a complaint to police against the presiding officer and her husband. Nellore rural police took both the woman officer and her husband into custody, according to information.
CID to probe ‘cross’ incident
Tirupati, Aug. 2: The State government has decided to hand over the case related to holy cross symbols found on some walls and trees in Tirumala to the CB-CID. Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy himself is said to have taken the decision to entrust the probe to the CID.
Congress, TD workers clash
Ongole, Aug. 2: Barring some sporadic incidents, the second phase of village panchayat polls passed off peacefully in Prakasam district on Wednesday. Polling was conducted for 327 village panchayats in 24 mandals under Kandukur revenue division.
The average percentage of polling was 87. Donakonda mandal registered the highest 95 per cent while Singarayakonda registered the least voting percentage of 74. Polling was cancelled in three villages and repolling will be conducted on August 5.
Incidents of police firing, hurling of bombs, pouring of ink and water into ballot boxes, clashes between the Telugu Desam and the Congress workers, have taken place in some villages. Police opened fire in Mirzapeta village of Tarlupadu mandal to disperse two groups who clashed in the village. No one was injured on the occasion.
Mundlamur Mandal witnessed bomb attacks on Wednesday. In Vemula village of Mundlamur mandal, activists of the TD and the Congress hurled 20 crude bombs at each other. About 10 bombs went off in which one polling staff and villager sustained injuries. Mr Narasimha Rao, a polling officer, suffered minor injuries during the attack. He is a teacher at the ZP high school in SN Padu Mandal.
According to sources, the trouble began in the very first hour of voting when a Dalit woman came to vote. Both the Congress and the TD supporters exerted pressure on her to cast her vote for their candidate. This resulted in hurling of bombs. Police detained 20 persons belonging to both the TD and the Congress in connection with the clash.
Polling was cancelled in the sensitive Vemula village and repolling will be held on August 5. In Lingasamudram Mandal, mobs poured ink and water in polling booths under Vengalapuram panchayat limits. Repolling will conducted in nine wards there.
Nominees fail to digest defeat
Nellore, Aug. 2: Subba Reddy, the husband of a former sarpanch, tore some ballot papers anticipating repolling when his rival won the sarpanch election with just one vote at Bandarupalli in Atmakur Mandal on Wednesday during the second phase of elections.
Interestingly, he did this after the election officials dutifully conducted a recount at his request, even after announcing the results since the majority was just one vote. Shocked by the incident, the presiding officer took the incident to the notice of senior officials of the district. To their relief, district collector M. Ravichandra instructed them to announce the results as per the first counting and book a case against Subba Reddy.
In a similar incident at Madannagaripalle village in Kaluvoy mandal, supporters of a defeated sarpanch candidate swallowed four ballot papers after the recount. In this case too, the collector directed polling officials to declare results in favour of the candidate who won the election with exactly four votes.
The collector also instructed officials to continue with the vice-sarpanch election at Potlapudi village in TP Gudur Mandal when they informed him about clashes between the TD-CPM supporters and Congress followers after the election of the Congress candidate for the sarpanch post.
Barring a few such incidents, the second phase of polling held in Nellore division of the district went off peacefully on Wednesday. More than 85 per cent of average polling was recorded in the second phase.
2nd phase polls are peaceful
Rajahmundry, Aug. 2: The second phase of panchayat polls held in two divisions each in East and West Godavari districts were peaceful on Wednesday. In East Godavari district, polling was held in Rajahmundry and Kakinada divisions, registering a voter turnout of 85 and 84 per cent respectively.
The mandal-wise break-up of poll percentage in Rajahmundry division is as follows: Rajahmundry rural 82, Kadiam 82, Rajanagaram 91.5, Bikkavole 53.32, Rayavaram 87.50, Mandapeta 85, Alamuru 87, Kapileswarapuram 83.97, Korukonda 88, Seetanagaram 89.22, Gokavaram 78, Ramachandrapuram 84.41, K. Gangavaram 85.33 and Apaparthi registered 85.90 per cent.
In Kakinada division, Kakinada rural registered voter turnout of 63.26 percentage, Tallarevu 81.7, Kajulur 90, Karapa 83, Pedapudi 90, Samalkot 90, Pithapuram 87.36, U. Kothapalli 85 and Gollaprolu 85 per cent. District collector M. Subrahmaniam said that the second phase of panchayat polls were held without any incidents of violence amidst tight security.
In West Godavari district, gram panchayat polls were held in the two divisions of Kovvur and Jangareddugudem where the poll percentage was registered at 82.13 and 82.41 respectively. With incessant drizzle, polling started on a dull note in the intial hours on Wednesday. However, it picked up momentum as voters realised that there would be no let up, following rain forecast.
All set for third phase of elections
Bhimavaram, Aug. 2: In the third phase of gram panchayat polls slated for August 6, 108 polling centres have been set up in Palakoderu mandal. According to mandal election officer K. Prasannakumari, polling for election of sarpanches would be held at Palakoderu, Srungavruksham, Pennada Agraharam, Mypa, Kondepudi, Mogallu, Garagaparru, Gollalakoderu and Goraganamudi panchayats, while elections would be held for upasarpanches at Vendra, Vendra Agraharam and Korukollu panchayats as sarpanch elections in these panchayats were unanimous.
She said that polling centres were set up in villages for election of ward members. She said that 344 polling staff were appointed at all the 108 polling centres in the mandal to ensure that the polls were held in a free and fair manner.
Congress, TD workers clash
Nizamabad/Adilabad, Aug. 2: Tension prevailed at Banswada, about 45 kms from Nizamabad, as the Congress and the Telugu Desam activists clashed during the gram panchayat polls on Wednesday. Five Congress workers and Banswada TD mandal parishad president Balaraju and three TD workers were injured in the clashes. The police resorted to lathicharge to disperse the warring party workers.
According to sources, six associates of Banswada Congress MLA Bajireddy Govardhan entered into the polling station set up at the girls high school in Banswada. Eight TD workers and MPP Balaraju reached there and objected to the campaign by the Congress workers there. Irritated at this, the Congress workers began a heated argument with the TD workers.
Within no time, both groups began clashing in front of the polling station. The police resorted to lathicharge to disperse the groups. The TD workers damaged the windowpanes of a Maruti car belonging to the MLA’s followers. The police shifted the injured MPP and the TD workers to the Banswada area hospital. Five Congress workers, who were also injured in the clash, took first aid in the hospital.
District TD president Pocharam Srinivas Reddy visited the hospital and enquired about the condition of the TD workers. Later, the TD workers tried to stage a protest in Banswada with the injured MPP. But the police stopped the protest.
District collector Srinivas Srinaresh and SP Mahesh Chandra Laddha also visited Banswada. Bodhan DSP U. Madhukar Rao told this newspaper that the situation was under control and the police patrolling will continue till Thursday morning.
In Adilabad, the second phase of gram panchayat elections went off peacefully except for a clash between two Congress groups in Kotapalli mandal resulting in postponement of the election.
Voters of four hamlets of Karatwada gram panchayat of Boath Mandal boycotted polling in protest against the unfavourable reservation of the sarpanch post. A total of 82.92 percentage of voting was recorded in the district. Highest 98 per cent of polling was recorded in Pippalkoti gram panchayat in Thamsi mandal in the district.
According to sources, two groups of Congress clashed when they noticed that the Telugu Desam candidate was gaining a majority of votes. They tore ballot papers and poured ink into ballot boxes during counting in Parapalli village of Kotapalli. Subsequently, the election was postponed there.
Voters nab shady poll official
Warangal/Karimnagar, Aug. 2: The second phase of gram panchayat polling in the Warangal district went off peacefully on Wednesday. The elections were conducted in a total of 276 village panchayats spread over Narsampet and Mahabubabad revenue divisions, where a voter turnout of around 80 per cent was registered.
Though no major violent incident was reported from any village, in some mandals there were minor scuffles between the supporters of the contesting candidates and the police had to disperse the crowds using the mild force.
A polling officer’s strange behaviour at Aleru village in Nellikudur mandal also resulted in tension in the village. The controversial polling officer was caught by the voters when he was standing in the queue and voting. The authorities immediately removed him from the polling duties and replaced with another official to ensure the smooth conduct of elections.
In Karimnagar, a high poll-percentage was recorded in the Naxal affected areas of Jagtial and Sircilla divisions following the active participation of the villagers in the voting in the second phase of panchayat elections conducted in the district on Wednesday. The Jagtial and Sircilla divisions registered 72.36 and 71.50 poll percentages respectively.
The villagers enthusiastically participated in the voting at Beerpur, the native village of the Maoist’s top leader Ganapati, in Sarangapur mandal. The same trend was witnessed in the erstwhile Janashakti strong bastions — Konaraopet, Chandurthi, and Yellareddypet mandals — in the Sircilla division.
Stray incidents mar elections
Guntur, Aug. 2: Police lathi-charge, snatching of ballot boxes and cancellation of polling at some polling stations marked the second phase of panchayat elections in Guntur division. At most of the places, police officials were allegedly biased and often indulged in lathi-charge, resulting in revolt by the enraged villagers. However, superintendent of police Sivadhar Reddy said the poll process was peaceful. While speaking to this correspondent, he assured action against biased cops, if their guilt is proved.
In all, 253 sarpanches and 2,227 ward members were elected in this second phase of panchatyat elections. Of the 310 panchayats notified in Guntur division of 19 mandals, 57 sarpanches and 1,102 ward members have been elected unanimously. In Paludevarlapadu under Muppala mandal of Sattenapalli constituency, a sub-inspector is said to have beaten up the members of a particular community.
Provoked by his biased attitude, the villagers, including women countered the police, resulting in injuries to two constables. In Kantepudi village under Sattenapalli, polling was stopped due to a clash between the TD and Congress groups. At Prattipadu, the TD supporters hurled bombs on the Congress cadre. But, none was hurt in the incident.
Police dispersed the mob with a mild lathi-charge. At Adavitakkellapadu on the outskirts of Guntur, CRPF personnel slapped an agent when the latter tried to cast his vote and the incident led to tension in the village. Two ballot boxes were snatched by an irate mob following a confrontation between two political groups in Badepuram under Tadikonda mandal. The voters lodged their protest with the presiding officer and took away two of three ballot boxes.
In Begarpuram of the same mandal, tension prevailed when the police covertly helped the Congress candidate. Violent incidents were also reported from some villages, including Jupudi of Amaravati and Gorantla in Guntur rural which led to lathi-charge.
Choultry land in TN beyond State’s reach
Guntur, Aug. 2: The endowments department’s effo-rts to get back lands owned by Sadavarthi Choultry of Amaravathi in Tamil Nadu has not succeeded so far. A delegation headed by endowment minister J.C. Diwakar Reddy held discussions with Tamil Nadu officials. This was followed by further talks between officials but there has been no breakthrough.
It had come to light a few years ago that the Sadavarthi Choultry owned 471.65 acre of land at Thalambur village near Chennai. After a thorough survey, State endowment officials requested their counterparts in Tamil Nadu to surrender the land. However, the Tamil Nadu government was reluctant.
In fact, nearly 100-acre land had been given to various software developers and leading engineering colleges. Thalambur is located next to Semmancheri and Navalur on the Old Mahabalipuram Road and the price of land in the area went up to Rs 2 crore to Rs 4 crore per acre after a real estate boom.
TN officials suggested that the endowments depa-rtment could be given land from another area. Later, they dropped the idea and proposed to pay compensation at the present rate. However, the State delegation headed by the minister opposed the proposal and insisted on getting back the land. “We are determined not to lose the land,” said deputy commissioner (end-owments) Vijay Kumar.
Call to ensure LPG supply
Vijayawada, Aug. 2: Joint collector S. Suresh Kumar on Wednesday asked the LPG distributors to ensure supply of cylinders to the customers without delay. Speaking at a review meeting with the distributors, LP Gas companies and the officials from the civil supplies department, Mr Suresh Kumar cautioned the gas distributors against harassing customers.
He said that the gas agencies were not regular in supplying gas to the customers and in some cases the delay was more than a week after booking. He asked the distributors to clear the waiting list at the earliest and also asked them to instruct the delivery boys against supplying the LPG cylinders for commercial use.
He called upon the customers to complain to the respective gas company officers or the officials from the civil supplies department if the cylinders were not being supplied regularly. The joint collector said that they were supplying LPG cylinders to 1,200 schools out of 3,200 schools in the district which were implementing the Midday Meal scheme.
He directed the gas distributors to ensure regular supply of gas to these schools without delay. He said that the administration was planning to extend the facility to another 2,000 schools during the current academic year and asked the distributors to be prepared to supply the gas accordingly.
Expedite project, State told
Vijayawada, Aug. 2: The Andhra Pradesh Jala Yagna Sadhana Samiti has asked the State and Central governments to speed up the process of getting all clearances for the Polavaram project.
The Samiti founder president Kolanukonda Sivaji on Wednesday expressed concern over the delay in getting the Central clearances for the project. While expressing confidence that the State would get all clearances for its irrigation projects under the leadership of the new chief secretary, J. Harinarayana, the Samiti leader wanted the State and Central governments to work in coordination for early commencement of the project work.
Mr Sivaji said that the Polavaram project, renamed as Indira Sagar, has a long history as it was initially proposed in 1843. The people from Godavari basin have been requesting the successive governments to implement the Polavaram project, while the farmers from Krishna, Guntur, Khammam, Prakasam too have been supporting the demand.
Stating that the project would divert over 80 TMC feet of water from Godavari to river Krishna, he maintained that the water would help in bringing additional acreage of land under cultivation. It would benefit thousands of farmers from the upland areas. He said that the diversion of water from Godavari to Krishna would also ensure regular supply of water for the 13 lakh acres of land.
