Let us join hands to make our country great: JP

Hyderabad, Aug 14 : Lok Satta Party President Jayaprakash Narayan today called upon all right thinking people to join hands transcending their differences to root out the seven scourges plaguing the country, make India great and prosperous, and realise the freedom fighters' dreams.In a message on the eve of Independence Day, he said despite many flaws, Indians could legitimately be proud of preserving the unity and integrity of the country, maintaining freedom and democracy and strengthening federalism in a diverse and complex country.''What is more heartening is that for the first time in nearly three centuries, India has been back on the road to economic prosperity for the last two decades.''If we do the things mandated by the Constitution and for which freedom fighters staked their all, we have the potential to make up for all the lost opportunities and make India a super power in the next two decades in which everybody enjoys equity and justice.'' Dr Narayan said the seven scourges hobbling India's potential for growth and greatness were growing inequalities and abject poverty; persistent tendency to divide people on grounds of caste and religion, language, and region; ever-widening rural-urban divide, resulting in de-population of villages, choking of towns and cities; monumental corruption; overcentralisation of power and enfeeblement of people; absence of rule of law; and alcoholism and drug abuse.
==================================================

High alert in Andhra Pradesh after terror mail

Hyderabad, Aug 14 : A high alert has been sounded at Hyderabad and across Andhra Pradesh after an unknown terrorist group, 'Alkahida Zihaad', threatened to target Chief Minister K Rosaiah on the Independence Day tomorrow.The e-mail to a Telugu television channel late on August 12 warned that ''their agents'' had entered Hyderabad, Vikarabad, Karimnagar, Khammam, Anantapur, Kadapa and Visakhapatnam ''on the mission''.''We are not joking,'' the mail claimed, adding that the Chief Minister was also their target. They further admitted that they had failed to bomb Imax theatre at Hyderabad.Security was upgraded at all government buildings, including the State Secretariat and frisking was underway at many checkpoints.The traffic on the Begumpet-Secunderabad Flyovers has been stopped as the flyover passes just behind the rostrum from where the Chief Minister will review the Independence Day Parade at Secunderabad Parade Grounds tomorrow.Mr Rosaiah will unfurl the national tricolour for the first time as the Chief Minister.
==================================================

254 MW to Andhra Pradesh from new Tamilnadu power plant: CM

Hyderabad, Aug 14 : Andhra Pradesh has been allotted 254 MW of power from the 1,000 MW power plant being set up at Tuticorin by the Joint Venture Neyveli Lignite Corporation (NLC) and the Tamil Nadu Power Limited.The tariff at which the power will be supplied to Andhra Pradesh will be determined by the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission.The Centre took this decision following persistent efforts by Chief Minister K Rosaiah, taking up the issue with Prime Minister Manmohan singh and Union Minister for Energy, Sushilkumar Shinde. The Chief Minister said the allotment came at a crucial time when Andhra Pradesh required additional power allocation as the demand exceeded supply in agricultural, industrial and domestic sectors.
=================================================

GHMC Commissioner launches APREDA's Green Channel initiative

Hyderabad, Aug 14 : Mr Sameer Sharma, Commissioner GHMC, today launched AP Real Estate Developer's Association's (APREDA) 'Green Channel Initiative at ESI Hospital here by flagging off the process of shifting 30 trees from ESI to one of their member's site location, 'Green Grace'.As a part of the initiative, APREDA launched its 'Adopt A Tree Save A tree' campaign by starting the process of translocation of trees. The area comprising the ESI quarters was being cleared off its almost 200 trees to accomodate an upcoming medical college. There are five to eighty years old trees at of different varieties, including Bauhinia, Tabebuia, Peltophorum, Chinabadam, Peepal, Jackfruit, Amla and Jamun, at ESI. Anybody wishing this cause can plant such old trees in their premises. Translocation of a tree involves safe uprooting of a grown up tree along with its roots dug up all around like a ball of earth and then planted at an alternate location. This systematic process takes about a month's time and needs to be carried out under technical supervision.Trees are renewable source of energy. The value of a tree that lives for 50 years generates Rs 5.3 lakh worth of oxygen, recycles Rs 6.4 lakh worth of fertility and soil erosion control, and creates Rs 10.3 lakh worth of air pollution control and Rs 5.3 lakh worth of shelter for birds and animals. Besides it provides flowers, fruits and lumber. So, when ever one tree falls or is felled the nature losses something worth more than Rs 32 lakh, a release from GHMC said.
================================================

Delhi on high alert for I-Day as terror threats persist

Aug,14, The capital turned into a security fortress on the eve of India’s 64th Independence Day, with market places, railway stations and airports placed under heavy surveillance Saturday. Thousands of policemen and troopers were deployed at the Red Fort – the main celebrations venue – and other places in the light of terror threats.Security  has been intensified at all sensitive locations. “We have also installed barricades at several points where we are allowing vehicles only after checking them completely,” said a Delhi Police official. People are being frisked at busy market places, Metro stations and railway stations in the capital. “We are keeping a tight vigil in and around the Red Fort, Jama Masjid and Chandni Chowk,” added the official. All these are located in Delhi’s old quarters.Police in Bangalore claim to have unearthed a terror plot by Pakistan’s intelligence agency to carry out terror attacks in India with the help of Maoists. The US too has issued fresh warnings of terror strikes.“We have elaborate arrangements in place to deal with any kind of situation. We have already tightened vigil in the capital, especially around places where the Independence Day programme is scheduled to take place. The whole force is on high alert,” a police spokesman said.Delhi traffic police are in the process of sealing the city borders from midnight to about 9 a.m. Aug 15. While commercial vehicles will be banned from entering Delhi, all private passenger vehicles will be allowed only after thorough checking.Police are also keeping a tight vigil on footage from CCTV cameras installed in and around the Red Fort, from where Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will deliver an address to the nation.The three defence services chiefs and top government functionaries also attend the function at the Red Fort, as do members of the diplomatic corps and political VVIPs.More than 35 CCTV cameras have been placed at various points, including in crowded market places, and three helicopters have been brought in for air surveillance around Red Fort. Anti-aircraft guns have been positioned at strategic places.Delhi Metro has stepped up the security arrangements and issued directions that no parking facilities will be available at the Delhi Metro stations from 2 p.m. Saturday Aug 14 till 2 p.m. Aug 15.The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), which guards the Metro stations, has deployed 400 additional personnel at various stations to strengthen security arrangements, a senior CISF officer said.No mobile phones, food packets and water bottles will be allowed at the Red Fort venue. Around 100 police control room vans will be deployed along the route taken by Manmohan Singh from the heart of New Delhi to the Red Fort.Around 3,000 security personnel has been deployed at the Red Fort apart from 170 companies of police personnel and paramilitary forces. According to police, a ground-to-air security apparatus has also been put in place for the celebrations besides making the mammoth Red Fort area a no-fly zone.An air defence mechanism is also in place around the venue to thwart any terror attack.
=================================================

SW monsoon active over Telangana

Hyderabad, Aug 14 : Southwest monsoon has been active over Telangana, with rain occurring at many places over Telangana and at a few places over Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema.Manthani (Karimnagar district) recorded a heavy rainfall of 11 cm, Met department said today.The other chief amounts of rainfall recorded in cm were Puttur and Srikalahasti (both Chittoor district), Rajampet (Cuddapah district), Sultanabad (Karimnagar district), Venkatagiri Town (Nellore district) and Venkatapuram (Khammam district) six each, Ramagundam, Khanapur (Adilabad district) and Parvathipuram (Vizianagaram district) five each, Holagunda (Kurnool district), Komarada (Vizianagaram district), Mancherial (Adilabad district) and Ramayampet (Medak district) four each, Kurnool, Bodhan (Nizamabad district), Eturnagaram (Warangal district), Jurala Project (Mahabubnagar district), Kamalapuram (Cuddapah district), Pakala (Chittoor district), Pargi and Vikarabad (both Rangareddy district) and Sangareddy (Medak district) three each, Tirupati, Amalapuram (East Godavari district), Atmakur and Mantralayam (both Kurnool district), Bhimavaram (West Godavari district), Gudur, Rapur, Sullurpet and Tada (all Nellore district), Huzurabad and Karimnagar (both Karimnagar district), Jangaon, Mulugu, Narsampet and Parkal (all Warangal district) and Rayachoty (Cuddapah district) two each.Moderate to rather heavy rain/thundershowers would occur at many places over Telangana and in the districts of Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and Visakhapatnam of Coastal Andhra Pradesh. Light to moderate rain/thundershowers would occur at a few places over Rayalaseema and in the districts of Coastal Andhra Pradesh.Isolated heavy rain may occur over Telangana during next 48 hours. Sky condition would be generally cloudy. One or two spells of rain/thundershowers may occur in parts of city. Maximum and Minimum temperatures would be around 32 and 24 degrees Celsius respectively.
====================================================

Two injured in freak firing incident in Andhra

Hyderabad, Aug 14 : Two people were injured Saturday when the gun of a legislator's bodyguard accidentally went off in Andhra Pradesh's Prakasam district, police said.The freak accident took place in Samuel George College in Markapuram area of Prakasam district. The gunman of legislator A. Suresh of the ruling Congress party was reportedly cleaning his gun when it suddenly went off. A car driver and canteen manager were injured in the accident and were admitted to a hospital.
====================================================