Andhranews

Kurnool / Kadapa, Sept. 25: Kisan Ghat, which was developed in memory of late chief minister Kotla Vijayabhaskara Reddy, is all set for inauguration by All-India Congress Committee president Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday. Though the work on Kisan Ghat began some five years ago, its inauguration was postponed for Mrs Gandhi’s arrival.

Mrs Gandhi gave her nod to inaugurate the ‘Kisan Ghat’ on the fifth death anniversary of the late leader. The Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation which had taken up the beautification programme of the Kisan Ghat at a cost of Rs 2.68 crores completed it two years ago. Kurnool MP Kotla Suryaprakash Reddy kept his promise and will be getting the place inaugurated by Mrs Gandhi.

The Kisan Ghat was constructed in the heart of the city on the banks of Handri river in a vast two acres land. Mrs Gandhi would also unveil the life size statue of Kotla Vijayabhaskara Reddy erected in front of the Kisan Ghat.

A total of 30 other statues were also erected. Besides, the Kotla grave, a huge auditorium was constructed where the life history of Kotla was kept in pictorial format. An open-air theatre was also developed in the area to conduct cultural programmes. On the other side of the grave, a library was set up wherein the readers will have books depicting the history of the district and also the life history of the late chief minister.

The area will remain a tourist-attractive centre. The AICC president will also inaugurate the Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Kadapa. The RIMS include a government hospital, a super speciality hospital, nursing college, its related hostels and quarters.
The medical, health and family welfare department had taken up this huge project at a cost of Rs 125 crores.

Of them, Rs 100 crores were spent exclusively for the construction of buildings, while Rs 25 crores were spent for the machinery. The RIMS had the latest equipment in extending health services to the people of the region. Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy immediately after taking over the reins of the State granted RIMS, besides Yogi Vemana University.

Dr Reddy laid the foundation stone for the RIMS on January 28, 2005 and the project was completed as per schedule. The medical college started functioning with 149 students in the first batch. Mrs Gandhi, after inaugurating the RIMS, will also lay foundation stone for the dental college.

Nandalur, Sept. 25: The State government is implementing Rajiv Grameena Electrification Yojana (RG-EY) with Rs 800 crores, sa-id minister for public relati-ons, information and energy Muhammad Shabber Ali.

Addressing Congress wor-kers at the Railway Institute on Monday, he said that various facilities could be provided with the implementation of the RGEY. Mr Shabber Ali said that the Centre is providing Rs 800 crores for the scheme and the State had also some share in the scheme.

As part of the scheme, electricity facility could be provided to over 17 lakhs houses in the State, which include a power connection at a nominal fee of Rs 120. The scheme would be first implemented in the Indiramma model villages.

The minister revealed that the State government is im-plementing the Rural Empl-oyment Guarantee Scheme in various villages to check the migration of unemplo-yed agricultural labourers. He further said that irrigation facilities are being provided to over 14 lakhs acres through Nagarjunasagar.

Later, the minister visited Rajampet to review the arr-angements for the ensuing visit of Congress president Sonia Gandhi to Kadapa on September 27. Addressing newsmen at the local MLA Konduru Prabhavatamma’s residen-ce, he urged the farmers to concentrate on alternative crops in Rabi season instead of paddy.

He said that he was holding discussions wi-th the agricultural department to enlighten the farmers on the need for taking up alternative crops.

Mr Shabber Ali further said that the State government is taking every step to provide seven-hour power supply to agricultural sector. As the State is witnessing adequate rainfall, they were able to withstand the demand by producing enough power.

The government is taking up enough measures to avoid any inconsistency in providing power to the farmers. Claiming that the government was committed to the welfare of farmers, h said that special committees were set up to pay ex-gratia to the kin of farmers who committed suicides.

Nellore, Sept. 25: Nellore mayor Pulimi Sailaja on Monday said that she will lodge a complaint with the State government against deputy mayor Madala Venkatesw-arlu for organising a debate on the functioning of the corporation with opposition parties on the premises of the corporation without her permission.

The debate was held to mark the completion of one year of completion of civic body’s tenure. Speaking to reporters, Ms Sailaja took strong objection to the adverse remarks made against her and local legislator Anam Vivekananda Reddy during the debate. She called the debate as “one full of lies.”

Though she claimed that their performance was much better than many other civic bodies, the mayor failed to produce any details to prove her claim. “The details will be provided during the next council meeting,” she said.

Criticising former chairperson T. Anuradha of the Telugu Desam (TD) for her allegation that not even a single work was taken up in 15th division represented by her, the mayor reminded that works worth Rs 10 lakhs were carried out in her division. “She (Anuradha) would have known this if she had visited her division,” Ms Sailaja quipped.

She said that they had inherited Rs 9 crores dues from the previous regime and cleared most of the outstanding dues to APTransco and other agencies. The mayor, who boasted about improved conditions was taken aback when reporters pointed to poor sanitary conditions prevailing in the town. Diverting the subject, she claimed credit for making best use of DFID funds unlike the previous Telugu Desam regime.

According to her, the corporation received Rs 1 crores grant from MLA funds and Rs 2 crores had been spent from general funds.
However, she could not offer any convincing explanation when questioned on the reason for delay in getting cyclone relief of Rs 2 crores from the government even after Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy promised the sum last year. Ms Sailaja faced a similar situation to a question on why no action was taken against those responsible for misuse of Rs 1.50 crores for transporting water during the TD regime.

Congress corporator Chatla Narasimha Rao came to her rescue and said that they were preparing a list to take up the issue. “Tenders were called for 177 works at an estimated cost of Rs 5.75 crores. Nearly Rs 11 lakhs are already spent out of Rs 56.92 lakhs sanctioned by the MLA from his grant for 18 development works,” he said.

Nellore, Sept. 25: An MCA student, Ch. Jhansi, performed the last rites of her father at Podalakur village of Nellore district on Monday.
She lit the pyre after performing the rituals. Her father Ch. Meeraiah, an employee in Telugu Ganga project office, died of cardiac arrest on Sunday. Jhansi is the eldest of three daughters of Meeraiah and he had son.

Student of a private college in Kavali, Jhansi disagreed to the proposal of her relatives to let her uncle’s son perform the final rites of her father. She led the procession for about a kilometre from her house carrying the fire pot.

Rajahmundry, Sept. 25: Even as World Tourism Day is going to be celebrated on September 27, several projects which were proposed in both East and West Godavari districts are yet to take off for want of adequate funds. The tourism project proposed on Pitchukalanka island spread over on about 45 acres in Akhanda Godavari near Rajahmundry is yet to take off for varied reasons, including the floods in river Godavari.

The project was contemplated to develop several facilities like an amusement park, theme park, roller coaster ride, a three-star hotel, cottages, bar and restaurant, boating based on international standards by both public and private partnership under the guidance of the AP Tourism Development Corporation several years ago. However, no steps have been taken so far to ground the project.

Small projects were taken up under the supervision of the District Tourism Promotion Council like the construction of a VIP cottage at Draksharama temple at a cost of between Rs 7 to 9 lakhs but are yet to be completed for want of funds. Development of Vakalapudi beach was also proposed as a tourist centre but the work has to be grounded. Some projects which are taken up are going on at a snail’s pace.

The tourism department is confined to organising some namesake rituals on World Tourism Day by conducting a seminar, competitions for students and advising temple authorities to illuminate their temples with colourful lights to attract devotees. One heartening fact is that the government has not yet released funds for even conducting some programmes.

Though it was expected that each district was likely to get Rs 30,000 to observe the day, minister for tourism Geeta Reddy, while visiting Athreyapuram mandal on Sunday announced that the government was going to release Rs 10,000 for the occasion. Similar is the situation in West Godavari where the proposed development of the Peripalem beach as a tourist centre remains only on paper.

Officials are waiting for the release of money for organising the event. Tourism authorities advised temple authorities to illuminate the two pancharama temples and asked hotel managements to give concessions in tariff on food items on the day.
Though the World Tourism Organisation coined the theme “Tourism enriches individuals, families, communities and the entire world” for this year, this can only be realised wh-en the government increases its allocation for development of tourism in the State.

Guntur, Sept. 25: A wom-an from Palnadu attempted suicide on the premises of the collectorate here on Monday alleging that authorities were doing nothing to save her from continuous harassment by her in-laws.S.K. Karuna, a resident of Chintapudi in Macharla mandal, consumed fertiliser crystals in front of the shocked collectorate officials.

She was immediately rushed to the government general hospital (GGH), where she is now recovering. Sources said that Ms Karuna, 22, a daily-wager hailing from Mallavaram village, had married one S.K. Iqbal three years ago. Since Iqbal was more than 70-years-old, his relatives alleged that Ms Karuna had married him merely for money.

Though the young woman gave birth to a baby, her sister-in-law and other relatives of Iqbal allegedly continued to harass her. Terrified by their threats, she approached Macharla police and revenue officials for help, but her pleas remained unheeded. Ms Karuna came to the collectorate on Monday after being persuaded by her mother to meet the district collector to air her grievances.

However, she could only meet district revenue officer Lakshmi Kantham, who was receiving petitions on behalf of the district collector. After narrating her woes, Ms Karuna consumed fertliser crystals to end her life. “I realised that there was no one to help me,” she told mediapersons at the GGH. “That is why I decided to end my life,” Ms Karuna said.

Rajahmundry, Sept. 25: Encroachers have been occupying over 863 acres belonging to the Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple of Antarvedi village for several decades. The land is spread over both East and West Godavari districts. A major part of the land is located in the delta area and gives good yield from crops.

In 1956, the temple land was leased out to about 700 tenants on the agreement that they would pay regular rent. As time passed, authorities got lax and stopped monitoring the lands. Some lease-holders passed on the land to their children and some sold it to others.

As decades passed, the land holdings got fragmented with each person possessing one acre or less. At present, endowment officials have no idea who is in possession of which area of land. Part of the fertile land in Godavari delta was converted into aqua farms and other areas were converted into coconut plantations. Big houses came up in other plots.

Paddy is being cultivated only in a few acres of the temple lands, spread over 32 villages. About 43 acres are located in West Godavari and 772 acres are located in Kesudasupalem, Antarvedi, Gondhi, and Srungavarapupadu villages.

As per the agreement of 1956, the occupants had to pay rents ranging from Rs 10 to Rs 100 per acre every year. Some lease-holders still pay the paltry rent. Others don’t pay anything. Meanwhile, the funds-starved temple is finding it difficult even to pay wages to priests and other staff.

The issue was taken up by the Lok Ayukta and the State government constituted a committee to ascertain the status of the temple lands. The committee submitted a report to the endowments commissioner recently. “Majority of the illegal occupants are not even paying the meagre rent fixed decades ago,” said temple in-charge executive officer G. Ravi Prasad Varma.

According to him, 1,200 houses were illegally constructed in the lands and there were about 5,000 ‘sub-tenants’ occupying many plots. “As most occupants claim possession of less than an acre, they fall under the landless poor category,” said Mr Varma. “The issue is complex and only the government can solve it.”

Meanwhile, the Left parties have extended support to the illegal occupants. B. Tayaramma, who owns less than an acre at Kesudasupalem, said that it was handed over by her parents. However, Endowments Regional Joint Commissioner M. Rama Krishna Rao said that there were no lease-holders at present and all the occupants were illegal encroachers. “It is up to the government to take action against them,” he said.

Karimnagar, Sept. 25: The Karimnagar by-election is likely to witness reunification of the forces favouring United Andhra Pradesh (Samaikyandhra) as the Telugu Desam (TD) and the Communist Party of India (CPI) are reportedly contemplating to put up a joint fight.

The new found friendship between the CPI and the TD that was revived during the recent local body elections is all set to continue further in the by-poll considering the ideological similarity between the two parties as far as the united State concept is concerned, sources said.

On the other hand, the pro-Telangana forces led by the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are bracing up for a separate fight to capitalise on the “Telangana sentiment.”

Addressing a press conference at the party office here on Monday, TD district president L. Ramana denounced the reported adverse comments of the TRS MLAs Nayani Narasimha Reddy and T. Harish Rao against the TD.

“The TRS MLAs allegation that the TD and the Congress were conspiring to defeat the TRS is ridiculous,” Mr Ramana said and charged the TRS leaders with trying to confuse the people to derive political mileage.

He alleged that the TRS president and former union minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao had grossly neglected the people of his constituency for two-and-a-half years. Mr Ramana added that the people would teach him a fitting lesson for breaching their trust.
At a separate press meet, BJP state vice president G. Ramakrishna Reddy demanded that the TRS and the Congress MLAs and MPs quit their posts and seek fresh mandate as they failed to fulfill their commitment on the Telangana issue.

“AICC president and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi should first make her party’s stand clear on Telangana,” he said. Mr Reddy asserted that the BJP had demonstrated its commitment by adopting a resolution on Telangana in the party’s national executive.

Nizamabad, Sept. 25: All zilla parishad territorial constituency (ZPTC) members belonging to all political parties demanded that the district administration register criminal cases against companies which supplied spurious seeds to farmers.

The members also demanded that the agriculture department pay suitable compensation to farmers who lost crops after sowing spurious seeds. A heated debate took place on this issue at a general body meeting held on Monday here under the chairmanship of Gadari Anitha.

This was the first general body meeting after all the newly elected members took charge. Congress MLAs S. Gangaram (Jukkal) and Bajireddy Govardhan (Banswada) and TRS MLA Yenugu Ravinder Reddy (Yellareddy) also attended the meeting.

The discussion began when joint director of agriculture department Narendranath Reddy read a report of the department planning to supply seeds and fertilisers for the kharif season. Bodhan mandal praja parishad president Giridavar Ganga Reddy asked for a clarification on the payment of compensation to farmers who had lost crops due to spurious seeds, as also did ZPTC members Venkataramana Reddy, Tadwai, Sulochana, Kotgiri, Saheb Rao, Madnur and Mohan, Nizamabad. They said that farmers had lost crops worth lakhs due to the negligence of the agriculture department.

Mr Mohan Reddy, TD ZPTC member from Navipet demanded that a resolution seeking State government’s permission to supply 10 tmc ft ft water from Singur to Nizamsagar to protect standing crops be passed. He expressed anger at agriculture officials for their failure in the distribution of compensation to crops damaged in the recent floods.

Responding to the ZPTC members’ demand, Mr Narendranath Reddy said that compensation to farmers who lost crops due to spurious seeds would be distributed within a couple of days. “We received the compensation amount just two days ago and are preparing the lists to distribute it,” he added.

District collector I. Srinivasa Srinaresh said that a resolution was unanimously passed at the District Irrigation Board Meeting held recently, on releasing 8 tmc ft water from Singur to Nizamsagar.
Meanwhile, Irrigation officials are already releasing water from Nizamsagar to protect standing crops in tail end areas, according to schedule.

Earlier, zilla parishad (ZP) chief executive officer Satyanarayana read out the names of chairmen and members elected to the ZP standing committees. Ms Anitha would act as chairperson for planning and finance, rural development, education and medical and works committees and Taher-Bin Hubdan, ZP vice-chairman for agriculture, Ms Sulochana for women’s welfare and Ms Mamindla Anjamma for social welfare.

Vijayawada, Sept. 25: The Krishna district administration is gearing up for yet another round of land distribution for the landless poor under the Indira Kranti Patham (IKP). The land distribution would be launched on the State Formation Day, November 1, at the district headquarters of Machilipatnam. It will be the third round of the programme. Earlier, the administration had distributed over 10,000 acres of land.

Though, a major portion of the lands distributed to the landless under the programme in the last two phases were mostly government wasteland, the administration pumped money to develop these lands through the special committees that were formed with the beneficiaries as members. Levelling of the lands, bushes, removal of boulders and drilling of borewells was taken up with additional funds pooled from various departments.

Meetings were also held to sensitise the beneficiaries on utilisation of the scheme and conversion of the lands suitable for cultivation. Commercial crops and nurseries are being grown on these lands mostly around Nandigama and Mylavaram Assembly segments.

Over 2,000 acres of land will be distributed in the third round of the programme. This time, the lands identified by the administration are fertile and the beneficiaries have less work to do before taking up cultivation. The administration allocated 916 acres of land for distribution under Machilipatnam division, followed by 883.75 acres of land under Nuzvid division and 132 acres of land under Gudivada division.

The Vijayawada division will have 66 acres of land for distribution. In all, over 21 mandals have been selected for the programme. District collector Navin Mittal asked the officials to prepare the documents for the lands.

Vijayawada, Sept. 25: The State and the Central government departments are gearing up for the State’s second public information campaign to be launched at Vuyyur in Krishna district on September 27.

The first such campaign was held at Nalgonda in August. As many as 60 departments of the State and the Central governments would participate in the campaign titled Bharath Nirman aimed at sensitising people on the welfare programmes of the government.

Krishna zilla parishad chairman K. Nageswara Rao, district collector Navin Mittal and local MLA K. Parthasaradhi will launch the campaign at the AG and SG Siddhartha College. A rally will also be organised on the occasion with the students from various educational institutions.

Junior media and communications officer of the Press Information Bureau P. Bharatha Lakshmi on Monday said that union minister of state for health and family welfare Panabaka Lakshmi will participate in the campaign on September 28, while minister for municipal administration and urban development Koneru Ranga Rao will take part on September 30.

As part of the campaign, the government departments will hold seminars and conferences to create awareness on social and economic issues including health, agriculture and education. The song and drama division of the union ministry of information and broadcasting will present cultural programmes aimed at spreading information on the government schemes and other welfare activities.

The Directorate of Audio and Visual Publicity will open a photo exhibition depicting the progress in the implementation of Bharat Nirman programmes across the country. The All India Radio and the Doordarshan will also participate in the campaign.

The Department of Posts will set up a model post office at the venue of the campaign in Vuyyur, while the BSNL will set up a temporary stall to extend and process applications for new telephone connections. The rural water supply division and the medical and health department from the State government, besides the State information and public relations department will also participate in the campaign.

Khammam, Sept. 25: The State government’s insurance scheme has helped the 250 poor families, who lost their earning member, by supporting them financially.About 1.01 lakh Dwcra members and their spouses in 27 mandals were provided insurance coverage under Indira Kranthi Life Insurance Scheme.

The State government paid Rs 50 lakh as premium under the scheme to the Life Insurance Corporation. Out of the 280 claims that the district administration had forwarded, family me-mbers of 250 victims have received the insurance mo-ney. While children of the insured person, studying Class X or intermediate, would get Rs 100 per month as scholarship under the scheme. About 3,500 students are getting scholarships under the scheme.

Speaking to this correspondent, district rural development authority, pro-ject director Arun Kumar said that they are planning to spread awareness among the members of thrift groups about the scheme.
“The thrift groups would give Rs 5,000 to meet immediate expenses in case of demise of the insured person and the rest of the amounts would be settled in four weeks by doing correspondence with the LIC.”

He said that the claim amount was enhanced to Rs 30,000 for general death and Rs 75,000 for accidental death. The members would get Rs 75,000 for permanently disability.

Khammam, Sept. 25: It was a rally meant to open the eyes of nonchalant authorities to the incidence of chikungunya, a particularly painful disease. Hundreds of people suffering from chikungunya staged a rasta roko in Yellandu on Monday accusing health officials of being indifferent to the spread of the disease.

Their relatives also took part in the rasta roko as well as the rally expressing outrage at the inaction of authorities. Family members of eight persons who died after contracting chikungunya led the agitation. They held a ‘funeral’ procession with eight dummy corpses to express their anger.

Chairman of Yellandu primary agricultural cooperative society Kinnera Narasaiah, addressed the agitatators and said that more than 600 people in the area had been affected by chikungunya. “Despite its rapid spread, the health department has not evolved any action plan to tackle the disease,” he said.

The disease was stalking several villages including Rompedu, Komararam, Marrigudem, Manikyaram, Challasamudram and Sudimalla. K. Anna Rao, whose father died after catching chikungunya, said that he had not been given proper treatment despite complaining of severe joint pain.

“The government should immediately conduct health camps and extend treatment to poor people on war-footing,” said Ajmeera Bicha, head of Sudimalla village. Sarpanches of various villages who participated in the stir submitted a memorandum to revenue officials seeking immediate medical help.

Visakhapatnam, Sept. 25: Union minister of State for civil aviation Praful Patel said the new Visakhapatnam airport, once complete, will open new vistas for the growth of industrial and tourism sectors in and around Vizag.

He was speaking after unveiling the plaque to mark the laying of foundation stone for the new integrated terminal building at Visakhapatnam airport here on Monday. Speaking on the occasion, union minister of State for mines T. Subbarami Reddy stressed the need for better air conductivity for the growth of industrial and tourism sectors in the coastal region between Kakinada and Visakhapatnam.

The State government was very keen to put an end to the inundation problem in airport and sanctioned around Rs 48 crores to construct a 12-km channel to divert the excess water, he added. “Probably the airport will be ready to face the rains by the next monsoon season,” Mr Subbarami Reddy said.

Union minister of State for defence M.M. Pallam Raju said that there was an urgent need to develop the infrastructure in the country. “Poor infrastructure had become a bottleneck for the nation’s growth. Air conductivity along with the airports should be strengthened,” he said.
Lok Sabha member from Visakhapatnam Nedurumelli Janardhan Reddy also said that the expansion of the airport would play a key role in the development of the proposed coastal corridor.

Minister for commercial taxes, Konatala Ramakrishna requested Mr Patel to give international status to the terminal building of the Vizag airport. Mr Patel said that his ministry would develop the Rajamundry airport also in view of oil and natural gas extraction in Godavari basin.

Later Mr Pallamraju requested Mr Patel to develop the airport at Rajahmumdry as many oil firms are coming up to explore oil and gas in Godavari basin. “The Central government declared the region between Kakinada and Rajahmundry as Special Economic Zone. Hence there’s every need for the full air connectivity for the region,” he said.

Airports Authority of India chairman Dr K. Ramalingam said that the new international airport at Shamshabad in Hyderabad would be completed by 2008.

Visakhapatnam, Sept. 25: The city committee of CPI(M) demanded that relief be given to the victims who were affected by Monday night’s heavy downpour which claimed the life of a five-year-old child and a old man.

City secretary K. Lokanadham said the poor people in the low-lying areas were taken by surprise when the heavy rain lashed in the evening. A wall collapsed in Housing Board Colony claiming the life of a 70-year-old man. In another incident, a boy was washed away in a drain. His body was retrieved later.

He said KRM Colony, Isukathota, Maddilapalem, Velampeta, Indira Gandhi Stadium area, Ramakrishna Theatre, Allipuram, Kobbarithota, Gnanapuram and Sebastian Colony get inundated often even for a small spell of rain and the successive governments had promised for a permanent solution but nothing has materialised so far, Mr Lokanadham alleged.

As the public health department was not bothered to remove the silt, even a drizzle was causing overflowing of major drains in the city, the CPI(M) leader alleged. Earlier, the CPI(M) activists staged a protest in front of the collectorate demanding pucca houses and house site pattas.

Party’s district secretary Ch. Narsinga Rao said though the city was developing by leaps and bounds, the lives of poorer sections were becoming miserable by the day.