Andhranews

Guntur, Aug. 7: The AP Weavers’ Welfare Association has expressed deep disappointment at the non-implementation of the doles announced for weavers by Union finance minister P. Chidambaram in his last budget.

The general secretary of the association, Padavala Lakshmana Swamy, told this correspondent on Monday that the finance minister had promised to establish depots at all handloom centres for storing raw material, particularly hank yarn, colours and chemicals. “But nothing has been done, though six months have passed,” he pointed out.

Mr Swamy pointed out that increasing costs of raw materials had jacked up the cost of production of handloom considerably. Weav-ers were at the receiving end since they were not getting remunerative prices either, he added.

“The Congress has also not fulfilled its promise to revive production of Janata garments, though it was prominently incorporated in its manifesto,” he said.Disruption in the production of Janata garments had hit the handloom community hard and about 20 per cent of weavers had lost their jobs, he said.

Mr Swamy also requested that the price of hank yarn be regularly announced through newspapers since it had been included the list of regular commodities. Of late, there has not been much fluctuation in hank yarn varieties 40 and 60. But, prices of varieties 80, 100 and 120 had been increasing drastically.

“Unfortunately, the textile committee, which is the regulatory body, allowed the hike to happen,” he said. “In this context, it is imperative for the union government to implement promises made in the budget,” he added.

Kakinada, Aug. 7: Minister of state for defence M.M. Pallam Raju said that the Central government would be apprised of the losses due to floods in the State.

Speaking to mediapersons at the R and B guest house on Monday, the minister said that the primary loss estimated in East Godavari alone exceeded Rs 100 crores. He said that he had visited some flood-affected areas in the district on Monday for an on-the-spot study of the situation.

He added that in total, more than one lakh families were affected in the floods and heavy rains. “The situation is very grim,” he said. When presspersons questioned on the quantum of assistance from the Centre, the minister said he would appraise the Prime Minister over the losses in the entire State.

“Let the proposal come from the State government over the losses first,” he said. The minister said that divers from the Navy were being sent to East Godavari to help the district administration in relief operations.

He added that the services of naval divers was already being utilised at Bhadrachalam. In addition to this, naval helicopters were also in use for relief operations, the minister disclosed. Commenting on issues like the nuclear pact with the US, the minister said, ‘Let the US Senate accept it first,.”

He felt that nuclear power was essential for the overall development, particularly in the industrial sector and allied fields. He added that during his recent visit to Germany, he had explored the possibility of greater cooperation in several sectors, including defence and industrial development.

Ramgiri (Anantapur), Aug. 7: The Bharat Gold Mines at Ramgiri are likely to be revived soon. The Central government is taking steps in this direction, sources said. The Bharat Gold Mines which earned profits in the beginning suffered huge losses later and the then NDA government closed them in 2001. However, the UPA government which came to power in 2004 has decided to revive the mines, sources said.

The Central government has called tenders for opening of the mines. Sources said that an Australian company has bagged the tenders. The Centre will have 51 per cent share while the Australian company will have 49 per cent share.

The gold mines in Ramgiri were started by the erstwhile Mysore kings and later the British expanded them. Union minister N.K.P. Salve formally inaugurated the mines in 1971. The government employed 500 persons and used indigenous technology to extract the yellow metal.

The mines which earned good profits from 1981 to 1993 started incurring huge losses thereafter and the government which operated the loss making mines for eight years closed them in 2001. The government also closed gold mines in Chigurukunta in Chittoor district and Kolar mines in Karnataka due to huge losses.

Earlier, the Centre appointed BIFR and ICICI committees to study the losses. The two committed said that the losses might go up if it continued to operate the mines and recommended for their closure. Based on the reports, the government closed the mines. The closure move had thrown 28,000 workers on to the streets.

However, the recent government’s decision has to revive the Bharat Gold Mines has brought cheers to the mines workers. Sources said that various trade unions belonging to the Kolar Gold Fields organised a meeting in Karnataka on Saturday.

Kadiri (Anantapur), Aug. 7: A Dalit Y. Bhavanna of Joukala village in Amadaguru mandal who was injured in a poll-related attack died at the Kadiri government hospital on Monday.

During the victory rally organised on July 29, Telugu Desam supporters Vadde Shankar, Boya Ramanjaneyulu and others attacked Bhavanna, who had campaigned in support of the Congress candidate in the village. They abused Bhavanna for campaigning for the Congress and abused him by his caste.

However, villagers intervened and pacified the mob and rescued the Dalit. Vadde Shankar and others again took up a quarrel with Bhavanna and severely beat him on August 5.

Bhavanna was severely injured in the attack. The villagers intervened and settled the issue. Bhavanna lodged a written complaint in this regard to local police. Later, he got admitted to the Kadiri government hospital for treatment. However, he died on Monday morning. Based on the complaint lodged by the victim’s father, wife and daughter, DSP Kathi Subrahmanyam booked murder case against 15 persons from Joukala village. Investigation is on.

Chittoor, Aug. 7: District collector S.S. Rawat had directed the district education officer to cut increments to 10 mandal education officers for their failure to provide details related to mid-day meal scheme with in specified time.

Addressing a review meeting of the MEOs here on Monday, he expressed anguish over their behavior while asserted that it was a shame. Reminding that there are crores of rupees available for mid-day meal scheme, he alleged that they were unable to make payments to the implementing agencies only due to the negligence of MEOs in submitting the bills in time.

Visibly angry at their attitude, the collector asked them to leave their posts to enable district administration to get the work done with others. MEOs of Byreddypalli, BN Kandriga, Gangavaram, Palamaneru, Pileru, Paddeapanjani, Punganur, Vedurukuppam, V Kota and Erravaripalem mandal have not submitted the details of the students consuming the mid-day meal though the last date was for August 2.

He warned them of stringent action if they fail to submit the report to the DEO before 2nd of every month in future after collecting the details from the headmasters. The collector said that the DEOs would verify the details through the MROs and make payment to the accounts pertaining to self help groups involved in midday meal scheme through the sub treasuries.

Joint collector G. Rajendraprasad alleged that he is yet come across a school, which is implementing midday meal scheme effectively, in Chittoor district. He said that they would form a committee to supervise the programme. DEO K. Hymavathi, DPEP APO Tejovathi also took part in the meet beside other officials.

Nellore, Aug. 7: The Congress maintained its winning spree in the third and final phase of elections in Gudur division. The Telugu Desam also improved its performance compared to the local body elections.
The Congress bagged 207 panchayats while the TD captured 139 of the 358 panchayats that went for the polls.

The BJP won in four places and independents in seven panchayats. Interestingly, the TD won in major panchayats like Sullurpet, Nayudupet, Kota, Chittamur, Chennur and Manubolu. The TD proved its strength in Kavali division by winning 137 seats as against 162 by the Congress in the first phase of elections in Kavali division.

However, it fared poorly in the second phase in Nellore division with 59 panchayats to its credit, while the Congress won in 201. Congress leaders are jubilant over the panchayat results. They ascribed the victories to the welfare programmes introduced by Dr Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy.

Irrespective of their party affiliations, candidates distributed cash and liquor freely everywhere and authorities turned a blind eye to this for obvious reasons. In many places, voters demanded cash from candidates in the fray without any inhibitions, reminding them that it was only once in five years that they bothered to meet them.

Many village level leaders are unable to understand why they were defeated even after distributing saris, money and liquor to the electorate. Sources said that people collected whatever was given to them, either in cash or in kind, and cast their votes as per their preferences.

“People are well aware that elected representatives would make plenty of money in contracts and welfare programmes and this is the reason they are demanding cash,” a seasoned politician said.

Bittragunta, Aug. 7: Assistant commissioner of endowments Poornachandra Rao conducted an inquiry at the historical Prasanna Venkateswara swamy temple situated atop a hill at Konda Bittragunga village on Monday.

Temple committee chairman P.T. Jagannadhan submitted a complaint to the endowment department during April this year over irregularities in maintaining the temple register and particulars related to ornaments presented to the presiding deity.

The assistant commissioner said that the temple executive officer had failed to submit the details. Hence they sought the inquiry. The assistant commissioner expressed satisfaction over the maintenance of the temple register till 2005.

He said that all the jewellery was recorded in the register except two bangles presented by a devotee in 1998 as part of Niluvudopi. He said that he was also inspecting all records and would initiate action against those responsible for irregularities, if so found.

Meanwhile, retired executive officer Ramanaiah handed over all records available with him to the new EO Panduranga Reddy. He complained that officials of the temple failed to collect details on previous occasions, despite his pleas. Committee chairman Mr Jagannadhan was present apart from other staff members of the temple.

Rajahmundry, Aug. 7: The Adi Kavi Nannaiah Univeristy is to come up over a sprawling 305 acres at Velugubanda shortly as land acquisition for the campus will soon begin. Andhra University vice-chancellor and AKNU incharge VC Dr M. Venugopal Reddy told newsmen on Monday that they were going to pay Rs 20 crores to the district administration for acquiring land at Velugubanda for the university campus.

He said that the issue was taken to the notice of the State Higher Education Council chairman Prof. K.C. Reddy, who in turn informed the Chief Minister. He said that once they remitted the amount to the district administration, they would hand over the acq-uired land in 45 days. He also said that they were approaching philanthropists for donations for the university.

The vice-chancellor said that they were going to develop the university infrastructure at a cost of Rs 10 crores and added that the government had already released Rs 3 crores for the current academic year to take care of regular maintenance, provision of lab facilities and other amenities as the university would start in this academic year.

Rajahmundry, Aug. 7: Assuring all help to flood victims, Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy on Monday felt the need to stre-ngthen the flood banks of river Godavari downstream, covering 450 km stretch to provide protection from the floods at several villages.

Speaking to reporters after his whirlwind tour to the flood-affected areas in both East and West Godavari districts on Monday, the Chief Minister said the areas upstream had survived the current heavy floods due to the strengthening of flood banks upstream the Goda-vari river from the Dowl-eswaram Barrage.

The river witnessed the worst ever floods on August 16, 1986, when the water level touched 24.55 feet with a discharge of 35.77 cusec of water at the barrage. Dr Reddy said that the government is ready to stre-ngthen the flood banks of river Godavari at a cost of Rs 300 crore.

He said the government will be removing aqua ponds and plantations on the river bed, as these were hindering the free flow of river water and affecting the flood banks.Dr Reddy said that brea-ches to the river bunds at Sanapallilanka and Mondepulanka caused heavy losses in the Konaseema region, and added that several people were marooned on the islands.

He said the government is requisitioning the help of Navy to shift the people to safety. The Chief Minister also visited the breached portion of the Nakkala drain outfall sluice in West Godavari district and said that it was estimated to cost Rs 5 crore for taking up repair works.

Dr Reddy also assured the flood-hit people that they would be provided house sites. He also promised construction of houses for those living in low-lying areas.

Kakinada, Aug. 7: One person died in police lock-up at Karapa police station, some 13 km from here on Sunday night. While police claim it a suicide in the lock-up, locals allege that it was a lock-up death due to harassment.

The parents of the deceased, however, are silent. Eluru range DIG C.V. Anand suspended SI M.V.V Jaganmohan Rao, head constable K. Simhadri and two constables Madhusudhana Rao and K. Venkateswara Rao of the police station over the incident on Monday.

According to sources, Medapati Lakshma Reddy, 29, of G. Mamidada village in Pedapudi mandal was taken into police custody for questioning over several thefts on Saturday. He was charged with nine theft cases. He was found dead in the lock-up on Sunday midnight. The body was shifted to Kakinada general hospital for post-mortem on Monday morning.

Lakshma Reddy hanged himself in the lock up due to ill health, according to Kakinada rural CI M. Veera Reddy. Alleging that Lakshma Reddy died due to police harassment, locals staged a dharna in front of the Karapa police station on Monday morning.

However, his parents Medapati Raja Reddy and Mangayamma were reluctant to open their mouths over the entire episode. Meanwhile, the Eluru Range DIG visited Karapa police station and later the mortuary at Kakinada GGH and ordered for immediate suspension of four police personnel pending inquiry.

Rumours are doing rounds that Rs 1 lakh was offered to the parents of the deceased and their well-wishers by police personnel to maintain silence over the issue.

Karimnagar, Aug. 7: The Singareni Collieries suffered huge loss of coal production to the tune of about Rs 16.80 crore due to incessant rains in Ramagundam region for the last three days. However, preventive measures saved valuable machines from inundation in the open cast mines.

Though coal production resumed on Sunday in the four opencast mines following respite from rain, the low percentage of attendance due to seasonal ailments and the stagnated water has cast a shadow on the full-scale production of the coal in the four OCPs.

Meanwhile, the officials declared layoff in the GDK underground mine-I on Monday following the flow of Godavari at a dangerous level at the bridge located near the mine in Godavarikhani. As a result the coal production in the mine, which employs about 1,200 workers, came to a standstill in the three shifts throughout the day.

About 40,000 MT of coal production was lost daily in the Ramagundam region for three days in a row under the impact of rain devastation till Saturday. The power supply system, which went haywire due to rains, is yet to be restored in Singareni colonies.

As a result, the attendance percentage has decreased considerably in the OCPs as well as underground mines, sources said. When contacted SCCL regional official spokesman Shivaram Reddy said that layoff was declared in GDK-I mine on Monday as per the prescribed statutory precautionary step considering the spate of Godavari at the bridge close to the mine.

The water position would be reviewed again on Tuesday morning and a decision on resumption of work in the mine would be taken after a thorough assessment, he said.

Warangal, Aug. 7: The Telangana Jagaran Sena, the so-called military wing of the Telangana Rashtra Samiti, will organise its first Maha Sammelan at the Arts and Science College grounds here on August 12.

The Maha Sammelan is aimed at showing the TJS strength. A massive drill with hundreds of TJS activists was also planned be organised at the grounds. TJS chief commander Uma Kanth has been camping in the city and was supervising the arrangements for the maiden Maha Sammelan.

Internal differences among the TRS leaders are growing, in view of the confusion prevailing over the UPA government’s commitment to the separate Telangana, and the Congress party’s commitment in particular.

At this juncture, it is doubtful whether the TRS leaders would go ahead with the Sammelan or not. A section of the TRS leaders in the district have strongly opposed the timing of the sammelan and expressed apprehensions about its success.

“Virtually there is no progress on our promise to achieve separate Telangana and by the day the hopes to achieve the separate State were getting diminished with no solid assurance from the Congress or its coalition,” said a senior TRS leader in the district party unit.

He argues that there was nothing new to tell the people of the region and the party leadership would have to cut a sorry figure if it proceeds with the sammelan plan. “People will take the leadership to task if they come here without any progress on our objective of separate Telangana. This time the activists will definitely seek the resignations of KCR and Narendra from the Uni-on Cabinet,” another disgruntled leader explained.

But Hanamkonda MP B. Vinod Kumar and his supporters were in favour of organising the Maha Sammelan as per schedule. They explained that the proposed sammelan, where a turnout at least one lakh TJS activists is expected, would send a right signal to the detractors of separate Telangana.

Meanwhile, there is also speculation that the two Union ministers from the TRS would announce their resignations from the Union Cabinet as part of the Maha Sammelan meet. But the opposing section was quick to dismiss the speculation and added that at the most the TRS ministers would only set a new deadline in a routine manner and would stick to their posts.

Nizamabad, Aug. 7: All major and medium irrigation projects in Nizamabad district have ample water up to their original water levels following copious rains since three days.

The Sri Ram Sagar Project at Pochampadu of Balkonda mandal is continuously discharging surplus water through 42 crest gates since two days. At present, the authorities are maintaining water levels up to 1088.50 feet as against the project’s original water level of 1,095 feet.

In Nizam Sagar, the second major irrigation project in the district, the present water level is 1,400 feet as against its actual water lev-el of 1,405 feet. Farmers of 12 mandals under this project are happy after water reached to full capacity.

In Singur project, the wat-er level is 520 ft against 1,405 ft. The ongoing wor-ks at Gutpa Ali Sagar LI scheme were disrupted totally due to heavy rains.

Water levels in medium projects are also satisfactory. In Pocharam project, the original water level is 1,464 feet and irrigation officials are maintaining the same water level. In Kaulasnala project, water levels recorded 1,457 feet as against water levels of 1,458 feet. The water level at Ramadugu project reached its original water level of 1,273.5 feet.

Karimnagar, Aug 7: Scores of women offered special pujas seeking blessings of Godavari Mata (Goddess Godavari) at Dharmapuri on the occasion of Sravana Somavaram. Devotees performed pujas in the swollen Godavari ne-ar the Rayapatnam Bridge, which remained marooned with floodwaters paralysing the traffic movement between Karimnagar and Adilabad for the third day.

Devotees, also comprising drivers of the stranded trucks, prayed the goddess to calm-down to pave way for the vehicular movement. “I got stuck up here with the consignment of coconuts for the last two days due to inundation of the bridge,” deplored K Raju, a West Godavari district-based driver of a truck bound to Amaravathi in Maharashtra.

“We are suffering here in the absence of food and drinking water. We are left with no option but to pray the goddess to retreat and allow us to resume our long journey,” he remarked. “If the floodwater continues to flow like this we may not be able to sustain for a long as we have virtually became penniless,” lamented another driver.

“We have conducted special rituals to the river goddess with a plea to recede to prevent loss of life and property,” said B Venkata Ramana, a priest at Dharmapuri. “On the other hand, we have also performed pujas as a gratitude to the river Godavari for blessing us with abundant water after a long gap,” the priest remarked.

Meanwhile, the revenue and police officials camped at the submerged Rayapatnam bridge site to constantly monitor the flow of water keeping in view the possibility of another spell of huge discharge of water from the SRSP due to heavy rains in the upland areas in Maharashtra.

Nizamabad, Aug. 7: Collector I. Srinivas Srinaresh called upon the district-level officials to take steps to display welfare schemes and its implementation on the carriages specially prepared for the Independence Day celebrations on August 15 at the Police parade grounds.

The Collector reviewed the Independence Day preparations and presenting of meritorious certificates to employees of various departments with officials here on Monday. Speaking on the occasion, he said that every department should prepare a carriage to exhibit at the Independence Day parade.

The department should display its ongoing schemes and its status on the carriage in detail. He also said that the head of the department should id-entify an employee who has rendered good services to the department for presenting a commendation certificate on Independence Day.

All officials should send the names to the District Revenue Officer before August 10.The departments should also conduct photo exhibitions on the eve of Independence Day. The welfare departments should arrange assets distribution programme for beneficiaries on the same day.

The collector said that major departments including agriculture, irrigation, Indira Kranthi Patham, medical and health, District Rural Development Authority, Rural Water Supply, Sarva Siksha Abhiyan, Forest, APTransco, Civil Supplies and SC, ST, BC, Minorities welfare corporations should involve in the preparation of carriages.

The collector allocated Independence Day arrangements to Nizamabad RDO Chandrasekhar and mandal revenue officer Mahesh at the police parade grounds.

Vijayawada, Aug. 7: Minister for panchayat raj and Krishna district in-charge J.C. Diwakar Reddy on Monday said that the government would construct permanent buildings for the homeless and flood-affected families in Vijayawada.

The Minister was in city to visit the flood-affected areas and relief camps and also to estimate the loss incurred during the floods. He interacted with the people in relief camps at Indira Gandhi municipal stadium, KM Suguna Sai Public School and Pandit Nehru bus-station.

Before visiting the relief camps, the minister interacted with the local Congress leaders at the Zilla Parishad guest house. Sources told this correspondent that the minister expressed his ire at growing encroachments in and aro-und Vijayawada and asked local Congress cadre not to encourage encroachers for the sake of votes.

The minister spoke to the people at the camps regarding food, water and sanitation being provided to them. “The State government will soon construct as many as 15,000 houses in Vijayawada for the landless poor and we will provide them at a subsidy. For that the government would be procuring 200 acres of land in and around the city in a month,” he said.

He also directed the officials to hike the compensation amount from the usual Rs 750 for which the district authorities expressed inability as the funds are being drawn from the Central Calamity Relief Fund.
The minister estimated the loss to be around Rs 7 crores in the district and said that he would explain the flood situation to the Chief Minister. He expr-essed satisfaction about relief operations.

The flood-affected families would be getting Rs 500 for buying clothes and utensils and every family would be supplied 20 kg of rice through ration shops. Another Rs 750 would be given to those houses that are to be repaired. Later, speaking to mediamen, the minister said, “People had to be evacuated as they constructed houses on the river bed and the previous government did not attempt to stop such encro-achments. However, after providing a permanent shelter to these families, we woud ensure that no such encroachments take place.”

The State government has decided to divide each house meant for the flood victims into three portions and every portion would cost around Rs 1,20,000.

Guntur, Aug. 7: The district education department has replaced the much-touted Children’s Language Improvement Programme (Clip) in government schools with the Children’s Language Acceleration Programme for Sustainability (Claps).

The change was made on the instructions of the higher officials of Sarva Siksha Abiyan, who realised that Clip had become a dismal failure.Clip was introduced with much fanfare to improve the linguistic skills of primary level students in government schools.

Under this programme, every teacher had to adopt one class and make its students proficient in reading and writing Telugu. However, teachers in government schools did not show any enthusiasm for the programme and this is pointed out as the major reason for its failure.
SSA officials hope to address this problem in Claps which will be implemented up to the seventh class.

District Education Officer Chandra Mohan said that under Claps, it was mandatory for teachers to ensure improvement of the language skills of students. “There is no escape from this,” he added.

Under Claps, teachers are obliged to separate students showing poor language skills and give them special training. “These slow learners have to be equipped to compete with others,” said Mr Chandra Mohan.Teachers also have to meet parents of irregular students to persuade them to ensure attendance of their wards.

Visakhapatnam, Aug. 7: The death toll in the district due to the recent floods and landslides went up to 20 and the losses to private and government property was estimated at Rs 25.49 crore. A report regarding the deaths and the losses was sent to the government for sanction of relief.

Joint collector Sandeep Kumar Sultania said the loss to the municipal administration and urban development was Rs 10.34 crore, Eastern Power Distribution Company Ltd Rs 1.76 crore, irrigation Rs 1.46 crore and panchayat raj Rs 4.06 crore.

Areas under the Municipal Corporation limits were the worst-hit. A total of 381 roads and culverts suffered damages. Crops in an extent of 8,0150 acres was destroyed in the floods, he said. A total of 6,038 small and marginal farmers were affected due to the rains.

Since it would take sometime to get the sanction of funds, the government has asked the district administration to use Rs 10 crore from the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation for taking up immediate works.

Meanwhile, the death toll in the Kodupunjuvalasa village landslide near Araku Valley went up to nine with the recovery of two more bodies in Padua in Koraput district in Orissa. The bodies were identified as those of Korra Srenu, 8, and Janni Kothamma,45.

On Saturday, six bodies were found in the same area but they belonged to another village. Reports said a number of bodies were washed away in the canal and were deposited at Padua. Post mortem was conducted on Srenu and Kothamma in the presence of MRO. Chief medical officer of Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation Dr M.S. Raju said the entire garbage piled up in the low-lying areas due to the floods was cleared on Monday.

“We have cleared 600 tonnes and the engineering department lifted 200 tonnes in the last two days,” Dr Raju said. Anti-diarrhoea and malaria medicines were kept ready for distribution, he said.

Visakhapatnam, Aug. 7: For the first time in many years, water from Mudasarlova reservoir, one of the main sources of drinking water supply to the city, was being released into sea as the water level crossed the maximum limit on Monday.

Due to the rains which lashed the district during last one week, the water levels in the reservoirs under the control of Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation had gone up. The excess water from the reservoir was being released into the sea through the Hanumanthawaka drain which passes through the busy MVP Colony. “However, there would not be flooding of residential areas of MVP Colony as the water is being released in small quantity,” said a senior official from municipal corporation.

Official sources said the water level in Meghadrigedda was 57 feet as against the maximum level of 61 feet, Mudasarlova 168.09 feet against the maximum level of 168 feet, Gambhiram 124 feet against 126 feet, Gosthani 33.70 feet against 36 feet, Raiwada 110.9 metres against the maximum level of 114 meters and Thatipudi 293 feet against the maximum level of 297 feet.

Corporation officials said there would not be drinking water shortage for the next summer as the groundwater was recharged and the water levels in the reservoirs was satisfactory.

Srikakulam, Aug. 7: Former chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu demanded Central government help for the East and West Godavari districts which were ravaged by the floods. Talking to the reporters after visiting the flood- affected areas of Srikakulam here on Monday, Mr Chandrababu Naidu said there were breaches at various places in East and West Godavari which affected the villages and town apart from destroying the crops.

Due to heavy rains in Maharashtra, 16 districts in the State were flooded. He criticised the State government for not taking prompt action in the affected districts. Funds should be drawn from Prime Minister’s Relief Fund and relief distributed to the victims without which it would be difficult to bring back normalcy, he said.

“The State failed to foresee the danger and warn the people through radio and TV channels which could have prevented loss,’’ the former chief minister said.

Visakhapatnam, Aug. 7: Relief measures to the flood victims were being taken up on a war-footing and an amount of Rs 15 crore was sanctioned for this purpose, said minister for revenue Dharmana Prasada Rao.

Talking to reporters during his visit to Viskaha-A Colony, Mahalakshmi Colony, Kellaveedhi, Teppalaveedhi and Krishna Park on Monday, the minister said water was being supplied through the tankers and so far 3,000 families were given five litres of kerosene and 20 kgs of rice each.

Fire tenders brought from different parts of the district were pressed into service to pump out the stagnant water. “So far, three-fourths of water was pumped out of these colonies,” Mr Prasada Rao said.
He said 300 persons were pressed into service in addition to the municipal sanitary workers to clear the garbage from the low-lying area.

A separate cell has been created in the municipal office for the convenience of the public. The minister said 500 houses suffered damage in the town and each family was given Rs 2,000 for taking up repairs.

Zilla Parishad chairman Palavalasa Rajasekhar, municipal chairman M.V. Padmavathi and all the senior officials were present along with him during the visit.

Visakhapatnam, Aug. 7: A five-day translation training programme was started at Visakhapatnam Port Trust here on Monday. The Central Translation Bureau, ministry of home affairs, is conducting the training programme.

“It is always advisable to learn more number of languages to develop broad mindedness and to understand the society besides the better expression,” said deputy chairman, Visakhapatnam Port Trust, M.S. Rao, after inaugurating the training.