US' Maryland signs sister state agreement with Andhra Pradesh

Hyderabad, Nov 28 : US state Maryland Monday signed a sister state agreement with Andhra Pradesh, the first such agreement with any Indian state.On the first day of his visit to India, Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley signed the agreement with Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy.The agreement is expected to help in collaboration in various sectors like life sciences, biotechnology and information technology."We hope there will be many opportunities for our two states to collaborate in business, trade, agriculture, education and health," said O'Malley.The Maryland leader, who began six-day visit to India Monday, is leading a 100-member delegation including business leaders, educators and elected officials from his state, situated on the US' east coast."Our states have tremendous in common. We are home to major ports and have strong agriculture traditions and agriculture economies," he said.Describing Andhra Pradesh as one of the most progressive states in India, O'Malley pointed out that both Andhra Pradesh and Maryland were strong in life sciences, biotechnology, IT, cyber security and pharmaceuticals.
Kiran Kumar Reddy said the two states could have greater cooperation in the area of agriculture to improve productivity and to leverage technology for providing better services to people.The chief minister said his government was focusing on education and on employability of the youth passing out of colleges.Earlier, the Maryland governor witnessed signing of three agreements between Maryland and Indian companies.The agreements include one between ANGARAI, a Greenbelt-based management consulting firm and Chennai-based product development company CI to pursue opportunities in mobile and web applications.Rockville-based Sheladia Associates, an engineering, architecture and development company signed an agreement with two Indian firms, SaiMatarani Toll Ways Ltd and Gayatri Projects Ltd.Sheladia will provide design and project management services valued at USD 3.7 million for upgrading Panikoili-Rimouli section of national highway 215 to a four-lane facility.
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Andhra speaker rejects resignations of 61 lawmakers

Hyderabad, Nov 28 : Andhra Pradesh assembly Speaker N. Manohar Monday accepted resignations of four lawmakers from the Telangana region but rejected resignations of 61 other legislators, including those belonging to the ruling Congress but loyal to the YSR Congress party.The speaker accepted resignations of three legislators of the Congress and one of the opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP), all of them from the Telangana region, who quit their respective parties to join the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS).The legislators whose resignations were accepted include former minister J. Krishna Rao, G. Goverdhan and T. Rajaiah, who quit the Congress to join the TRS early this month. The resignation of TDP's Jogu Ramanna, who switched loyalty to the TRS, was also accepted.In a decision, which is likely to trigger uproar during the winter session beginning Dec 1, the speaker rejected resignations of 61 others but did not take any decision on the resignations of 14 others.A total of 81 lawmakers belonging to the Congress, the TDP and the TRS submitted their resignations for various reasons during the last three months.In all, 53 lawmakers from the Telangana region, including 32 of the TDP, 12 of the TRS and four of the Congress, had submitted their resignations demanding separate statehood to the region.Twenty-eight other lawmakers, including 26 of ruling party and loyal to Jaganmohan Reddy, quit protesting the attempts to link late chief minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy to alleged irregularities in land allotments by his government.The speaker accepted the resignations of two rebel legislators of the TDP Nov 12 from the 294-member assembly.While N. Janardhana Reddy had resigned on the Telangana issue, Prasanna Kumar Reddy had joined Jaganmohan Reddy's group.
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Woman IAS officer sent to judicial custody

Hyderabad, Nov 29 : A special CBI court Tuesday remanded Andhra Pradesh IAS officer Y. Srilakshmi to judicial custody till Dec 12 in an illegal mining case involving former Karnataka minister G. Janardhana Reddy's Obulapuram Mining Co (OMC).The court sent her to CBI custody for three days. The judge directed the CBI to produce her again before the court on the evening of Dec 1.Srilakshmi, presently family welfare commissioner in the state, was arrested Monday evening.The Indian Administrative Service (IAS) official, the fourth accused in the case, allegedly favoured OMC by granting iron ore licence when she was secretary in charge of mines in the Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy government.The CBI sought her custody for 15 days on the ground that it wanted to question her regarding various aspects of the case. The CBI counsel said it needed to gather more information about her role and the involvement of other public servants.Srilakshmi's counsel opposed the investigating agency's plea and pointed out that she always cooperated in the probe by making herself available for questioning whenever she was summoned.The court sent her to CBI custody for three days while remanding her judicial custody till Dec 12. The CBI sleuths later shifted her to the CBI office at Koti for questioning.The investigating officers claim to have evidence that Srilakshmi granted iron ore mining lease for 68.5 hectares at Obulpuram in Anantapur district to OMC in violation of rules.The 1988 batch officer, the wife of Indian Police Service (IPS) officer M. Gopalakrishna, is facing charges of criminal breach of trust by a public servant, criminal conspiracy and cheating.A visibly shattered Srilakshmi reportedly remained awake through the night in CBI custody. Claiming innocence, she told CBI officials that she signed the files under pressure.She is the second official to be arrested in the case.Janardhana Reddy and OMC Managing Director B.V. Srinivasa Reddy were arrested from Bellary in Karnataka Sep 5. Former mines director V.D. Rajagopal was arrested Nov 13. All the three are lodged in Chanchalguda Central Jail.The IAS officer's arrest came days before the Dec 3 deadline for the CBI to file chargesheet in the case.The case against OMC was registered in 2009 for illegal mining in Anantapur district bordering Karnataka.
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Official Date for Eid Al-Adha Announced

(USA) 29th,Oct,The Hajj Authorities have announced the official day of Eid al-Adha to be Sunday, November 6, 2011. That means that today is the first day of the Islamic New Year, of Hajj, and also the start to the ten most blessed days in the whole year. For those of us who are not able to make Hajj this year, we are still blessed with ten of the holiest days in the year, where Allah multiplies all our good deeds by 700. Just like during Ramadan, we can make sure the extra blessings of Allah are not lost by fasting, giving charity, reflecting in extra prayers, extending forgiveness, and engaging in good deeds all day long.Some of our ISNA youth in MYNA compiled a list of resources to better educate and inspire our community about activities we can engage in during these ten blessed days. We would like to share those resources with you and pray you enjoy a blessed month.
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SEMINAR ON EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS AND PLACEMENT OPPORTUNITIES AT SHREE INSTITUTE OF TECHNICAL EDUCATION, TIRUPATI BY Mr. VAJIH KAHN , HR HEAD -VISION LABS

Chennai-3rd,Sep,2011,   HR Head Mr. Vajih Khan from Vision Labs conducted a placement seminar here at Shree Institute of Technical Education, Tirupati (R), on Staurday 3rd Sep 2011.While presenting his tips and techniques on Employability Skills required for B Tech and MBA students during the campus placements, he emphasized on the importance of creativity, communication skills and logical thinking to the students. He also appreciated the facilities being given to the students and also the comprehensive placement training programme being run by the college authorities. Vision Labs is a 25 year old software company catering to government, defence and research organizations with its diversified software products like GIS, CAD, CAM, Image Processing, Remote Sensing, Simulations, Electronic Warfare, Vision Systems etc ,Later in the evening, Mr. Vajih Kahn also took part in a meeting on placements hosted by the institution and assured his services in the future. Mr. T. Damodaram- the Chairman, Mr.V. Anand - the Director Admn, Dr. P. Raghavulu- the Principal, Mr. A. Babu Naidu- the Training and Placement Officer also took part in the meeting,(photo by RSJ Thomas),
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Congress Party accuses Gujarat Govt. of tampering into Godhra riots probe

New Delhi/Gandhinagar, Aug 11 : In light of another senior police officer of the Gujarat cadre being hauled up for indiscipline, Congress Party on Thursday accused the Narendra Modi Government of trying to tamper into the investigations related to the 2002 Godhra riots."The decision by the Gujarat government to charge sheet another police official re-emphasises that the state government is making all efforts to keep the findings of the Gujarat riots, a secret," said Congress spokesperson Manish Tiwari."We again demand that judicial procedure regarding matters pertaining to the riots should be carried out from outside Gujarat without any interference from the Gujarat government," he added.Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) maintained that the Gujarat Government is allowing the law to take its own course."Will any state should tolerate gross indiscipline, issue is of discipline not of politics. The Supreme Court is hearing every case so it will take proper decision but you do not allow indiscipline to creep in this way," said BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar.According to media reports, Deputy Inspector General of Police (DGP) Rahul Sharma has been served with a chargesheet that accuses him of indiscipline during the investigation into the Godhra riots.Sources told television channels like TIMES NOW and NDTV that Sharma is to be chargesheeted under the Official Secrets Act for allegedly passing on crucial information about the post Godhra riots to Nanavati Commission and the Special Investigation Team.Sharma told the SIT that phone records in the Naroda Patia case were destroyed.Sharma is the second Indian Police Service (IPS) officer to be targetted for indiscipline in Gujarat, the first being Sanjiv Bhatt, a 1988 batch IPS officer, who was suspended on Monday by the state Home Department in exercise of powers conferred by Rule 3(1) of All India Services (Discipline and Appeals) Rules, 1969.Bhatt's lawyer claimed that his,client's suspension by the state government was due to a petition filed by him in the Supreme Court and he is weighing legal options to challenge the action.In his 19-page supplementary affidavit filed before the Supreme Court last week, Bhatt alleged someone in the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing post-Godhra riot cases was leaking sensitive details related to investigations conducted by it to Additional Advocate General Tushar Mehta.Bhatt had earlier accused Modi of misusing the state machinery during post-Godhra riots and of asking cops to ignore calls for help from Muslims during the riots. Bhatt alleged in the affidavit before the apex court that he had seen e-mails from SIT probing the riots cases in the personal mail account of Mehta. Mehta,on his part, lodged a complaint with the state cyber cell last Friday accusing Bhatt of hacking his e-mails ==================================================

Telangana employees reject invitation for talks

Hyderabad, Aug 11 : Government employees in Telangana Thursday rejected the Andhra Pradesh government's invitation for talks over their proposed indefinite strike from Aug 17 to demand creation of separate state and resolution of service-related issues.The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of Telangana employees, teachers and gazetted officers took the decision at its meeting to discuss the invitation by the cabinet sub-committee.JAC leaders said that since the government had not accepted their preconditions, they would not hold any talks with the cabinet sub-committee.The JAC wants the government to withdraw orders invoking the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) in various departments and also call back para-military and police forces deployed in government offices.The committee's leaders said the government was trying to intimidate them in the name of talks and hence they would not participate. They had boycotted a meeting last week with the five-member cabinet sub-committee. The JAC comprises several unions of employees.Meanwhile, the political JAC which is spearheading the Telangana movement has clarified that the strike would not be postponed. JAC spokesman denied reports that the employees were planning to defer the protest to next month in view of Ramzan festivities and the coming Ganesh Chaturthi.

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Y S Jagan to resume Odarpu Yatra from Aug 15

Vijayawada, Aug 11: Y S R Congress party President and Kadapa MP Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy will resume his Odarpu Yatra to console the bereaved families from August 15 Addressing a press conference here today, Y S R Congress party State Committee member Sridhar Reddy said Jagan would tour Krishna district for 15 days.He said Jagan would console the bereaved families in the city on August 28, 29 and 30. He would also unveil the statues of former Chief Minister and his father Y S Rajasekhara Reddy. Jagan was taking Odarpu Yatra to console the bereaved families whose loved ones allegedly committed suicides as they were unable to bear the sudden tragic death of then Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhar Reddy in helicopter crash. Dismissing allegations that Jagan had amassed huge wealth by unfair and illegal means, he said he had earned money through his business. Expressing confidence in the courts, the State Committee member said Jagan would be exonerated from the charges.Taking a dig at the CBI, Mr Reddy alleged that the CBI had become a 'puppet' in the hands of the ruling party and he did not believe that the agency would act in unbiased manner in the investigation on Y S Jagan's properties.Former MLAs Jaleel Khan, Saminenu Udaybanu and former Mayor Tadi Sekhunthala were also present in the conference.

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Rail Roko: 27 cases booked against agitators

Hyderabad, Jul 14 : As many as 27 cases were registered and 598 people arrested during the 12-hrs rail roko agitation that started from 0600 hours, called by Telagana Political JAC in Telangana region today.In a release, Director General (Law and Order) M Ratan said the local police booked 18 cases under preventive sections and took the agitators in custody while the GRP and the RPF booked nine cases for trespassing and obstructing movement of trains.The overall situation remained under control, he said, adding that the deloyment of the GRP and RPF was made to ensure safety of railway tracks and movement of trains since last evening. Because of the measures taken in advance, the agitators were unable to stop Hyderabad-Nanded Passenger train at Maraspet in Medak District last night and as they were taken into custody and the train could reach Hyderabad, he claimed.The South Central Railways(SCR) had rescheduled more than two dozen trains and had made arrangements for transportation of stranded passengers by APRTC buses from the places where some of the trains had been terminated after 0600 hours while the MMTS services between Secunderabad and Lingampally were operated during the day,About 17 passenger trains and 12 goods trains were detained for different spans of time by the agitators while most of these could reach their destinations with some delay and some long distance trains like Ernakulam-Patna Express, Darbhanga-Bangalore Express and Nizamuddin-VSP Link Express had to wait at Kazipet, Yeluguru and Nekonda, respectively, till evening, when normal running of trains resumed, he added.
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48-hour Telangana shutdown may hit normal life

Hyderabad, July 4 : Normal life in Hyderabad and nine other districts of Telangana is likely to come to a standstill Tuesday and Wednesday even as the government is gearing up to tackle 48-hour shutdown called by the Telangana Joint Action Committee (JAC) in a bid to intensify its agitation for a separate state.Buses may go off the roads as state-owned Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) is likely to suspend all its services across the region as a precautionary measure. APSRTC officials have already announced that bus services between Vijayawada and the Telangana region would be suspended from Monday midnight.The South Central Railway (SCR) has announced suspension of Multi Modal Transit System (MMTS) or local trains in Hyderabad. Autorickshaw drivers have also decided not operate three-wheelers in the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad in support of the demand for a separate state.Long queues were seen at petrol bunks as people resorted to panic buying. At many petrol bunks, "no stock" boards were displayed.All universities, colleges and schools in the region are also likely to remain closed as students have been actively participating in the separate Telangana movement.Hyderabad Commissioner of Police A. K. Khan has imposed orders banning gathering of people on roads, meetings and rallies. Prohibitory orders would be strictly in force around the assembly complex, the state secretariat, Raj Bhavan and other vital installations.Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy reviewed the situation with his deputy Damodar Raja Narasimha, some cabinet colleagues and senior police officials. He directed the officials to take all necessary steps to ensure that general public is not put to hardships.The JAC, which is spearheading the movement for separate Telangana state, has called for a series of protests starting with the shutdown to demand that the central government table a bill on the issue in the monsoon session of parliament.The JAC, which comprises the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and other political and non-political groups, has also called for a rail blockade July 8 and 9.TRS chief K. Chandrasekhara Rao appealed to people to make the 48-hour shutdown a total success. He also urged central and state government employees, teachers, lawyers and workers of state-owned Singareni Collieries to participate in the strike.JAC convenor M. Kodandaram appealed to the Congress, the Telugu Desam Party and all mass organisations to make the shutdown a huge success.Unions representing employees of APSRTC and the electricity board, who are part of the JAC, have announced their participation in the shutdown.KCR,  as Rao is popularly known, said the protest would continue till the central government honours its commitment made on Dec 9, 2009, to carve out a separate Telangana state,Appealing to all sections of people to participate in the protest, KCR said the rail blockade would snap the rail link between south and north India.Telangana students will take out rallies July 6 and 7 in villages, towns and district headquarters while cook-and-eat protests, whereby people from all walks of life will set up kitchens on roads, cook food and eat there, will be held across the region on July 10.
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Telangana will become fireball, warns TRS chief

Hyderabad, July 4 : Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) chief K. Chandrasekhara Rao has warned that Telangana will turn into a fireball from Tuesday if statehood was not given to the region even after the mass resignations of public representatives.He cautioned Prime Minister Manmohan Singh against going back on his Dec 9, 2009 promise to carve out a separate Telangana state.Addressing a gathering at the site of the hunger strike by four rebel legislators of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), KCR, as Rao is known, said Monday that the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh was inevitable. He advised intellectuals and public representatives of Andhra and Rayalaseema regions not to create any hurdles."If you create any further hurdles, you will be responsible for the consequences," he said.KCR said if the mass resignations failed to achieve the goal of a separate state, the movement could take a violent turn like in 1969. "Telangana will become a fireball from tomorrow. We will block roads and railway lines and bring everything to a halt," he said.The TRS chief said the Telangana Joint Action Committee (JAC) would chalk out the protest programme.The state witnessed a spate of resignations over the issue Monday with 36 legislators of the ruling Congress and 33 from the TDP quitting over the issue of statehood.
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Congress MPs from Telangana resign

New Delhi, July 4 : Pressing for creation of a separate state of Telangana, Congress MPs from the region in Andhra Pradesh Monday resigned from parliament."Nine MPs from Lok Sabha have submitted their resignation to the Speaker and one from Rajya Sabha to the chairman," Congress MP K. Keshava Rao told reporters outside parliament. The MPs came to Delhi to build pressure on the party-led United Progressive Alliance government to concede their demand for creation of a separate Telangana state.
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11 Ministers, 29 Cong, 33 TDP MLAs quit on 'T' issue

Hyderabad, Jul 4: As many as 11 Ministers and 29 Congress MLAs submitted their resignation papers to Andhra Pradesh Assembly Deputy Speaker in a bid to exert pressure on the Centre for a separate Telangana StateAmong the 11 Ministers who submitted resignation letters to Deputy Speaker Mallu Batti Vikramarka included K Jana Reddy, K Venkat Reddy and Dr J Geeta Reddy.Thirty-three MLAs from the principal Opposition party, the TDP, led by Mr Yarlappali Dayakar Rao, also submitted resignation letters to the Deputy Speaker as Speaker Nadendla Manohar was currently abroad.Of the 33 TDP MLAs, two of them who were abroad had faxed the resignation letters to the Deputy Speaker, TDP sources said.Earlier, former Minister P Janardhana Reddy's son and Jubilee Hills MLA Vishnuvardhan Reddy of the Congress this morning submitted his resignation to the Andhra Pradesh Deputy Speaker in support of the demand for separate Telangana State. ===================================================

Two Telangana ministers head to Delhi for talks

Hyderabad, July 4 : Two senior Andhra Pradesh ministers, K. Jana Reddy and Ponnala Lakshmaiah, Monday left for Delhi for talks with the Congress leadership on the issue of statehood to Telangana.Immediately after submitting their resignations, along with other ministers and legislators, to the deputy speaker of the assembly, the ministers left for the national capital to join their party MPs from the region in the talks with the leadership.Nine MPs from Telangana are already in Delhi to submit their resignations to press their demand for formation of a separate Telangana state.Jana Reddy, who is leading the Telangana ministers and legislators, wanted the MPs to wait till they arrive in Delhi for talks.The Congress leadership has called MPs and legislators for talks to resolve the Telangana issue. Though the ministers and legislators received the invite in the morning, they decided to go ahead with submitting their resignations before any talks.Jana Reddy denied that their action was a defiance of the party leadership. He claimed that the resignations were in fact to save and strengthen the party in Telangana.The Congress government in Andhra Pradesh plunged into crisis with 36 legislators from the party and all 33 from the main opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) quitting over the Telangana issue.
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Arvind Kejriwal meets Telugu Desam Party President on Lokpal Bill

Hyderabad, Jul 2 : To garner support for the Jan Lokpal Bill, a Civil Society team led by its activist Arvind Kejriwal today met Telugu Desam Party (TDP) President N Chandrababu Naidu here.Mr Kejriwal, who met Mr Naidu at his residence also requested him to lend his party's support for mounting pressure on the Centre to bring the Prime Minister under the ambit of the Lokpal.He said it was an illusion that the Jan Lokpal would run parallel to the Judiciary and the government.The civil society activist also said in other countries the CBI and CEC functioned independently. But it was not so in India.He said Mr Naidu told him that there were some dangerous clauses in the bill and added the activists were meeting peoples' representatives as they will be instrumental in getting the bill passed in Parliament.The Civil Society team's visit to the city from New Delhi and meeting Mr Naidu assumed significance as the Centre had called for an all-party meet on Lokpal bill in New Delhi tomorrow.
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Andhra Pradesh youth give up traditional weaving work

Pochampally (Andhra Pradesh), July 2 : The traditional weaving work is slowly dying out in Pochampally, the biggest silk and cotton-weaving center in Andhra Pradesh, as the younger generation has given up the traditional work considering the lack of profit margins and government support.The increasing rates of silk yarns resulted in the hike in prices of silk sarees, but the traditional weavers failed to reap the profits. "My father is doing this weaving work since his childhood, but his earning is not sufficient to fulfill the needs of the family. So, I don''t want to take up his profession. But I am helping him these days by working with him part time after my college," said Bhaskar, the son of a weaver.The weavers here complain that despite working for the entire day, they manage to earn just hundred rupees in a day, which is too less for them."There is no profit left in this work. We work for entire day and earn just Rs. 120-130, which is problematic. I don''t want my children to take this profession in future. Day by day this traditional work is decreasing and soon it will vanish," said P Buchibabu, a traditional weaver."It is a difficult work with more labour and less profit. The government says that they are funding for it, but nothing has been given to us as yet," he added.Backing their children, some traditional weavers said that they couldn''t take up any other profession due to lack of knowledge. However, their children have many options, which would be more profitable for them.Pochampally is a hub of Ikkat fabrics, an ancient way of creating design by tying and dying. It has come a long way from an ordinary weaving village to a popular centre for cotton and silk tie and dye. Large numbers of weavers here are engaged in creating variety of Ikkat fabrics, which is a lengthy craftwork that requires fixing of the design and pattern before the warp and weft are coloured.
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Telangana Congress lawmakers firm on resignations

Hyderabad, July 2 : Andhra Pradesh's ruling Congress party Saturday began efforts to dissuade its parliament and state legislature members from the Telangana region from resigning Monday, but they ruled out going back on their decision unless the central government agrees to their demand for a separate Telangana state.According to party sources, state Congress chief Botsa Satyanarayana met ministers and MPs from the region and urged them to reconsider their decision. He said their move would only create a crisis and not help in solving the issue.Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy also held separate talks with ministers, including K. Jana Reddy, Sudershan Reddy and Basvaraj Saraiah, and urged them to act with restraint.The MPs, state ministers and legislators from the Telangana region Friday decided to submit their resignations Monday. The legislators of main opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) from Telangana also announced they too would quit the same day.Congress leader and Rajya Sabha member K. Keshava Rao and Lok Sabha members G. Vivek and Ponnam Prabhakar ruled out going back on their decision.Stating that resignations alone will not help in achieving the goal of separate Telangana state, Keshava Rao told reporters that they will actively participate in the movement.He also found fault with party leader Gulam Nabi Azad's statement that consensus needed to be evolved over the issue. "The entire parliament is for Telangana. All the major parties have already supported the demand," Keshava Rao said, adding that consensus was evolved through consultations over last one-and-half years.He said that after considering all aspects, the central government Dec 9, 2009, announced that the process for formation of separate Telangana state would be initiated. He also criticised the then chief minister K. Rosaiah for not moving a resolution in the assembly in line with the central government's announcement.Keshava Rao termed as "unwarranted" Azad's statement that the Telangana issue is linked to other states and other regional parties have to be consulted. "I need not go to parties in Meghalaya to discuss Telangana issue," he remarked.Addressing a meet-the-press programme organised by the Telangana Journalists' Forum, Keshava Rao said they decided to quit as a moral duty towards people and not to create a political or constitutional crisis.The Congress has 12 MPs and 50 members of assembly from the Telangana region.
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Pricol Travel plans two acquisitions

Hyderabad, June 27 : Pricol Travel, part of the Coimbatore-based Rs.1,500-crore Pricol Group, is looking at acquiring two companies and hopes for a three-fold increase in its turnover.Vikram Mohan, Director, Pricol Travel, told reporters here Monday that the company planned to acquire two firms in corporate and leisure travel over the next 24 months. The acquisitions are expected to be of the value of Rs.150 crore.The travel management company is already in talks and hopes to complete one acquisition by the end of the current financial year.Pricol expects Rs.120 crore revenues during the current year but with the acquisition it is likely to cross Rs.200 crore. The revenues in the third financial year will be Rs.350 crore, he said.The company, which is focused only in south India, plans to expand its operations to the north with the two acquisitions.It already has a boutique leisure resort in western Ghats close to Coimbatore and three other properties are under construction. "We will add eight new properties in five years under the Tamara brand in the form of boutique hotels, wilderness lodges, and luxury villas," Mohan said.With plans to enter cruise-cum-leisure segment in a big way, Pricol announced launch of CruiseBay lounge in Hyderabad. CruiseBay, which claims to be India's first cruises-only holiday company, will open the lounge at Pricol's office.Nikhil Thakurdas, CruiseBay director, said the lounge, the sixth such in India, would sell cruises for 28 cruise liners across the world. The firm already has sent over 500 passengers on cruise holiday from five cities.He feels cruising has a huge potential in India. The market is growing at 15 percent per year.Out of 12 million outbound travellers in 2010, only 75,000 went on a cruise holiday.He attributed this small number to misconceptions among Indian travelers about cruising as a holiday.
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Another Satya Sai Trust member questioned

Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh, Jun 27: Police today questioned another Satya Sai Central Trust member V Srinivasan here in connection with the seizure of a huge amount of cash which was being taken to Bangalore.The trustee, Srinivasan, who received summons from police two-days back, arrived here from Chennai in the morning to be present before the police.He was questioning by the police at Satya Sai Deemed University administrative building in connection with the recent seizure of Rs 35 lakh from Puttaparthi in the district.As part of the probe into the cash seizure, police had so far questioned Trust member R J Ratnakar, who was also nephew of the late Spiritual Guru Sathya Sai Baba, besides Pradhan, Chief Security Officer of ''Yajur Mandir'' -- the private chamber of Sai Baba and one Venkatesh, personal assistant of Trustee Srinivasan.Police were also in the process of questioning one more person identified as Sadashiv, who is allegedly related to Harishnanda against whom they had already served a notice. However, he had sought some time to appear before the police.Three people were arrested in connection with the seizure of Rs 35 lakh in cash. However, the trio Harishnanda Shetty, Chandrashekhar Murthy alias Shekhar and engineer Sohan Shetty were granted conditional bail last week.Harishnanda Shetty was driver of a four-wheeler, allegedly belonging to the Sathya Sai Central Trust, which was transporting Rs 35 lakh and was confiscated during a vehicle check at Kodikonda check post under Chilamanthur police station limits bordering Karnataka on June 18.The cash was recovered a day after ''Yajur Mandir'' was opened at Prashanti Nilayam in Puttaparthi and it was disclosed that it contained 98 kg of gold, 307 kg of silver, apart from Rs 11.56 crore.
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Light to moderate rain in few places Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Telangana

Hyderabad, Jun 27: Light to moderate rain or thundershowers would occur at a few places over Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Telangana over next 48 hours, met office said today.Isolated rain or thundershowers would occur over Rayalaseema during the same period.The outlook for subsequent two days is-- there would be no large change.The sky condition would be generally cloudy over Hyderabad and neighbourhood and rain or thundershowers would occur in parts of city. Maximum and Minimum temperatures would be around 33 and 22 degrees Celsius respectively.Observations recorded till 0830 hours today said rain occurred at a few places over Telangana. Isolated rain occurred over Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema.Sirpur (Adilabad dist) recorded a heavy rainfall of 9 cm.The other chief amounts of rainfall recorded in cm are Asifabad (Adilabad dist) 5, Miryalguda (Nalgonda dist), Nizamsagar (Nizamabad dist) 3 each, Nalgonda, Nandigama, Banswada (Nizamabad dist), Paleru Bridge (Krishna dist), Perur (Khammam dist), Ramayampet (Medak dist) 2 each and Adilabad, Hakimpet AP, Ramagundam, Atchampet (Guntur dist), Boath, Chinnoor, Khanapur, Luxettipet & Utnoor (all Adilabad dist), Eluru (West Godavari dist), Eturnagaram (Warangal dist), Ibrahimpatnam & Tandur (both Rangareddy dist), Jagitiyal & Manthani (both Karimnagar dist), Kamareddy (Nizamabad dist), Madhira (Khammam dist), Nuzvid (Krishna dist) one each, the bulletin said.
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Final hearing on TDP rebel MLA's disqualification tomorrow

Hyderabad, June 26 : The final hearing on pending disqualification petition given by TDP over its rebel candidate MLA Nallapureddy Prasanna Kumar, is likely to be heard tomorrow while disciplinary action against Congress MLAs will be delayed futher.Speaker Nadendla Manohar will summon rebel TDP MLA tomorrow for a final hearing in connection with the pending disqualification petition submitted by TDP seeking his disqualification for anti-party activities, particularly moving with YSR Congress Party headed by Y S Jaganmohan Reddy, according to sources here.It is understood that the Legislature Secretariat had already sent final notice to Mr Reddy, who represents the Kovvur Assembly constitutency in Nellore district.The rebel TDP legislator and the Telugu Desam Legislature Party (TDLP) would appear before the Speaker tomorrow and day after tomorrow respectively and will decide the fate of Prasanna Kumar soon after hearing versions from the both sides, the sources added. Meanwhile, disciplinary action against Congress MLAs loyal to YS Jagan Mohan Reddy of YSR Congress is likely to be delayed further as the state leadership intends to wait till a decision by the Secretariat is taken on the disqualification petitions pending against K Surekha (Parakal), G Srikanth Reddy (Rayachoti), C Adinarayana Reddy (Jammalamadugu) and A Amarnath Reddy (Rajampet).Speaker Mr Manohar, who is leaving for foreign tour on June 30, would decide the ruling party petitions only after returning from tour.
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4 killed in road accident

Medak, Jun 27 : Four people were killed and three others injured, one of them seriously, when the lorry in which they were travelling overturned at Pulkal mandal in the district, early today.According to Jogipet Circle Inspector Krishna, the mishap occurred when the fertilizer-laden lorry proceeding to Allapuram via Sangareddy from Hyderabad overturned at Hunnapur village in Pulkal mandal. While three people were killed on the spot, another person succumbed to injuries on the way to local area government hospital.The injured were shifted to the local government hospital and the seriously injured lorry driver was shifted to Osmania Hospital in Hyderabad, police added.
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Tulasi Reddy criticises oppn on growth rate

Hyderabad, Jun 25 : 20-Point Economic Programme Chairman N Tulasi Reddy has ridiculed the opposition's criticism that the growth rate and administration has become static and is below expectations.Talking to reporters at Secretariat yesterday, he said what Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy has achieved in terms of growth rate was a litmus test to his rule.Mr Reddy said over last year's growth rate, which was 8.55 per cent, this year it registered an increase to 9.22 per cent. In agriculture, the growth rate stood at 9.1 per cent this year, while the National rate was 6.61 per cent, he claimed.On the industrial front, the state had registered a growth of 8.45 per cent while the corresponding figure for National level was 7.87 per cent, and in the services sector growth in state has 9.64 per cent, while the National figure was 9.38 per cent.Mr Reddy further pointed out that the per capita income for Andhra Pradesh has been raised by 18.49 per cent during 2010-2011 as compared to the past two years.He appealed to the opposition not to under estimate Mr Reddy's rule but make estimations over the rule in terms of the data/facts available.
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TDP to convene oppn party meeting on farmers' issue

Hyderabad Jun, 25 : Senior Telugu Desam Party leader Kodela Siva Prasad Rao has said that his party would soon convene all opposition party meeting on the farmers' issue and accused the state government of giving assurances to the farmers that their problems would be solved, even while failing to act on any of those promises.Talking to mediapersons at NTR Trust Bhavan yesterday, Mr Prasad alleged that the government had failed miserably in addressing the farmers' issues. Though the government has given assurances and promised to work for farmers' welfare, it has failed to execute these assurances on the ground level, he stated.Reiterating the TDP would continue its fight against state government until farmers get justice due to them, the senior leader contended that the TDP has decided to convene all-party meeting with like-minded opposition parties to discuss the issue. Mr Prasad stated that the all-party meeting would discuss the issues and try to find a solution to long pending farmers' problems.The meeting would also discuss the steps to be taken for the farmers’ upliftment and their welfare and will be aimed at mounting pressure on the state government to take steps for the welfare of farmers, he said He said the party has also decided to organise a national level workshop on farmers’ problems. The workshop would be attended by agriculture scientists, farm officials and others and guide the farmers.
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Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister holds review meeting on horticulture

Hyderabad, Jun 23 : Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy has asked Horticulture Minister Ramreddy Venkat Reddy and other officials to formulate an action plan as there is every scope of getting more funds from the Planning Commission in the ensuing five year plan.He held the review meeting on horticulture at the secretariat here yesterday, an official release said. Mr Reddy enquired about the progress achieved in the various schemes of the Horticulture department such as National Horticulture Mission, Rashtriya Krushi Vikas and Yojana and Oil Palm Development Scheme. He also reviewed the progress in the cultivation of fruits, vegetables, flowers, oil palm under the Andhra Pradesh Micro Irrigation Project.Officials informed the Chief Minister that since 2003, the area under cultivation in Horticulture has increased by 22.73 per cent while the production has increased 72.25 per cent. The Annual plan for the year 2011-12 has been prepared with an amount of Rs 1234 crore.New initiatives launched by the department are semi permanent sprinkler system, cold storage rentals, good agriculture practices, assistance to borewells and diesel electric pumps for oil palm cultivation and urban horticulture.In this connection, the Chief Minister launched Horticulture Alert System, a Voice Message system to inform the farmers on horticulture schemes, weather and pesticide related matters.The Chief Minister asked the officials to take immediate steps to set up cold storage units in Rangareddy, Medak and Mahboobnagar districts which supply majority of vegetables and fruits to the twin cities. He also directed the finance department officials to clear the dues amounting to Rs 59 crore of the Micro Irrigation department for the year 2009-10 and ensure phase-wise clearance with regard to the dues pertaining to 2010-11.Mr Reddy recalled his letter to Union Minister for Agriculture Sharad Pawar wherein he has asked to provide funds for oil palm cultivation in the State in order to reduce the import of palm oil spending crore of rupees.Mr Reddy asked the officials to take steps in this regard. The Chief Minister has assured to look into the issue of stopping collection of VAT charges from oil palm farmers.
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Rain occurs in Telangana and Costal AP

Hyderabad, Jun 22 : Rain occurred at a few places over Telangana while isolated rain occurred over Coastal Andhra Pradesh.bulletin from Meteorological Centre here today said weather has been dry over Rayalaseema.The chief amounts of rainfall recorded in cm are Kaleswaram (Karimnagar dist), Kamareddy (Nizamabad dist) & Sompeta (Srikakulam dist) 4 each, Parkal (Warangal dist) 3, Asifabad (Adilabad dist) 2 and Adilabad, Bhadrachalam, Medak, Ramagundam, Chinnoor, Khanapur, Nirmal & Sirpur (all Adilabad dist), Mulugu (Warangal dist), Nizamsagar (Nizamabad dist) & Ramayampet (Medak dist) one each.Forecast and Farmers' weather bulletin valid until the morning of June 24, 2011 was that light to moderate rain or thundershowers would occur in the districts of Adilabad, Nizamabad and Karimnagar of Telangana. Isolated rain or thundershowers would occur over Coastal Andhra Pradesh & in the remaining districts of Telangana and could occur over Rayalaseema. Outlook for subsequent two days was that there will be no large change.  Forecast for Hyderabad City and Neighbourhood valid until the morning of June 24, 2011 was sky condition would be generally cloudy. Rain or thundershowers may occur in some parts of city.The Maximum and Minimum temperatures would be around 36 & 23 degrees Celsius respectively, the bulletin said.
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Minister distributes Gas stoves to HIV patients

Kakinada, Jun 22 : The Minister for stamps and registrations Thota Narasimham today distributed gas stoves to 29 HIV patients families at a function held at Immanuel colony in Katravulapalli village near here under the auspices of St Paul Trust, a voluntary service organisation.He has complimented the Trust' Chairman Vijaya for extending the assistance in both cash and kind to the HIV infected and affected families for the past eleven years.also distributed rice to the HIV affected families on the occasion and assured to provide the basic infrastructure facilities and other amenities to the colony residents. Later he visited Kandregula village and distributed Rs 5,000 cash assistance to two fire accident victims families there.He has instructed the Tahasildar to sanction houses under Indiramma scheme to the fire accident victims. Earlier the Minister laid foundation stone for the Rs 55 lakh road works in Jaggampet that were damaged in the recent Jal cyclone.
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Light to moderate rain in Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Telangana over next 48 hrs

Hyderabad, Jun 16: Light to moderate rain or thundershowers would occur at a few places over Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Telangana over the next 48 hours.

The sky would be generally cloudy. Rain or thundershowers may occur in parts of the city. THE maximum and minimum temperatures would be around 35 and 22 degrees Celsius, respectively.Observations recorded till 0830 hours today said rain occurred at a few places over Telangana. Isolated rain occurred over Coastal Andhra Pradesh. Weather has been dry over Rayalaseema.The chief amounts of rainfall recorded in cm are Eturnagaram (Warangal dist), Jagitiyal & Metpalli (both Karimnagar dist), Kalwakurthy (Mahabubnagar dist), Khanapur (Adilabad dist) 2 each and Hakimpet AP, Mahabubnagar, Achampet & Nagarkurnool (both Mahabubnagar dist), Paderu (Visakhapatnam dist), Sriramsagar (Nizamabad dist), Utnoor (Adilabad dist), Venkatapuram (Khammam dist) one each, the bulletin said.
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High Court granted stay on local body elelctions

Hyderabad, Jun 16 : In the wake of an appeal made by the AP Sarpanches' Association over the contentious issue of reservations in the ZPPs and MPPs, a division bench of the High Court today granted a 'stay' on the local body elections.The stay was given over the reservation quota system communicated to the Court by the state government and the Court also directed to stall the GO that stipulated the reservation system for the said ZPPs and MPPs.In view of the Court's stay, the much-awaited elections to the Local Bodies have been put under wraps once again by the AP Sarpanches Association, who contended that the cited quota for candidates drawn from weaker sections exceeds the ceiling quota - 50 per cent - as fixed by the Supreme Court.Meanwhile, State Election Commissioner Ramakanth Reddy while talking to the media persons today stated that the government-announced quota details furnished to the state High Court is invalid.He said the elections would be held only after the government sends a revised list of details related to reservations for the Local Bodies.Pradesh Congress Committee president Botsa Satyanarayana was also discussed with the Chief Minister on the issthe crisis over the local body elections was not cleared, the government has not option to bring an Ordinance for the appointment of Special Officers to the Local Body institutions, according to sources here.
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Two arrested for Hyderabad gold robbery

Hyderabad, June 15 : Hyderabad police Wednesday arrested two people and recovered one kilogram gold a few hours after two Mumbai brothers were robbed of five kilograms of gold, police said.Both the accused are also from Mumbai while the police are still on the lookout for the third accused and four kilograms of gold, police sources said.Three youngsters on a motorcycle attacked two jewellers Tuesday night and snatched a bag containing gold ornaments weighing five kilograms at Gunfoundry area in Abids, a major commercial centre here.As the jewellers, Rakesh and Sonu, were waiting for an autorickshaw after coming out of a jewellery shop, three robbers allegedly attacked them. one of them attacked Rakesh with a knife, inflicting injuries while the others snatched a bag from his brother Sonu. The robbers sped away, police said.Hyderabad Police Commissioner A.K. Khan told reporters that the two merchants were going to different shops in the city to sell the ornaments.This was the second robbery in the busy Abids area after a jeweller was robbed of two kilograms gold ornaments in broad daylight in front of Abids police station May 20.Taking a serious note of the robberies, the police commissioner Tuesday night suspended Abids police inspector K. Shiva Kumar and issued a charge memo to Abids Assistant Commissioner of Police P.V.G.Vijay Kumar for alleged negligence in discharge of duties.Meanwhile, during the overnight raids, police recovered eight kilograms gold from a hotel in Ameerpet area and arrested one person. Police were questioning him.
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Speaker suffers minor injury

Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, Jun 15 : Andhra Pradesh Assembly Speaker Nadendla Manohar sustained minor injury after a bull hit him with the rear leg when he was participating in ''Eeruvaka'' (commencement of farming activities) at Tadikonda Village of the district today.Police said when the Speaker was formally inaugurating 'Eruvaka' programme by symbolically ploughing the field, one of the bulls, which was tethered to the plough, hit him with the rear leg. However, the Speaker sustained only a minor injury to his chest and continued with other programmes.Police said the bull was frightened when a large number of people, who gathered there, acknowledged the inauguration by blowing whistles and applauded. =================================================

Begins Hyderabad-Dubai flight; 2nd city in India

Hyderabad, Jun 15 : Low coat UAE Airlines ''flydubai'' inaugurated its second major Indian route with the start of operations to one of the fatest growing cities in the world -- Hyderabad.The new route is ''flydubai''s second to India and expands its network to 37 operational destinations across the Middle East, Asia, Africa and the fringes of Europe. it has been operating from earlier.Flight FZ435, scheduled to fly three times a week, landed at GMR Rajiv Gandhi Hyderabad International Airport on June 12, following a three hours and 45 minutes flight from Dubai's Terminal 2.Airline CEO Ghaith AI Ghaith told media here today that with 17 new 747 Boeing aircraft, India will account for six of the 530 flights a week for the budget airline. ==================================================

Fire in bogie, train detained

Eluru, Andhra Pradesh, Jun 15: A major accident was averted with the timely detection of fire in one of the bogies of Nizamuddin-Visakhapatnam Link Express (12862) after it was detained at Vatluru Station, near here, today.Railway officials said the fire was noticed in the eighth bogie of the express train. The train was immediately halted at Vatluru Station and the bogie detached. However, the train was allowed to run after a 90-minute delay. Fire broke out in the bogies due to a technical snag, Railway officials said.
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Southwest Monsoon covers entire Andhra Pradesh : heavy rain in Coastal Andhra Pradesh

Hyderabad, Jun 15: Southwest monsoon has further advanced over remaining parts of Telangana and Coastal Andhra Pradesh and thus covered entire Andhra Pradesh state today.Under its influence, moderate to rather heavy rain or thundershowers would occur at many places over Telangana and in the districts of Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam, East Godavari and West Godavari of Coastal Andhra Pradesh over next 48 hours.Light to moderate rain or thundershowers would occur at a few places over Rayalaseema and in the remaining districts of Coastal Andhra Pradesh during the same period.The outlook for subsequent two days is there would be increase in rainfall, the Met Office said here today.The sky would be generally cloudy over Hyderabad and neighbourhood and rain or thundershowers would occur in parts of city over next two days.The maximum and minimum temperatures would be around 34 and 23 Degrees Celsius respectively.
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Mumbai police get cracking in journalist murder case

Mumbai, June 14 : Under pressure from the government and media organizations, the Mumbai police got cracking on the investigations into journalist Jyotirmoy Dey's murder, transferring an assistant commissioner of police (ACP) suspected of threatening the scribe, police said Tuesday.

ACP Anil Mahabole, the in-charge of the Azad Maidan division of south Mumbai, was abruptly shunted late Monday to an insignificant post in the local arms constabulary in Naigaon, an officer said.Mahabole already has several pending inquiries against him and has been under a cloud for threatening another Mumbai journalist, T. K. Dwivedi, a colleague of Dey."A few weeks ago, when I was arrested in connection with an Official Secrets Acts case, Mahabole came and threatened me inside the Governemnt Railway Police lock-up room. I have lodged a separate complaint in this regard and the matter is being investigated," Dwivedi, who goes by the alias of 'Akela', told IANS Tuesday.Two weeks before Dey was killed, Mahabole had spoken to him, but Dey did not reveal the nature of the conversation, he added.Dey was allegedly threatened by Mahabole a few years ago when he had named him as one of the Mumbai police officers having connections with underworld mafia don Dawood Ibrahim's gang.Mumbai police on Monday also released a sketch of one of the four suspected killers who pumped bullets into Dey Saturday. The sketch, prepared following inputs of eyewitnesses, described the suspect as a youth aged between 20-25 years, dark complexioned, 5.5 feet tall and of medium build.Over 500 journalists of various print and electronic media organisations and associations, including the Press Club, Mumbai Marathi Patrakar Sangh, Mumbai Crime Reporters' Association and TV Journalists Association, Monday took out a protest march to Mantralaya, the state secretariat.The journalists had met Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, who rejected a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into Dey's killing.Now, the journalists plan to launch a protest after June 15, including a relay hunger strike and moving the Bombay High Court, seeking directions to the state government to hand over the Dey murder probe to CBI.Dey was shot dead by four unidentified motorcycle-borne assailants near his residence in Powai Saturday afternoon, sending shock waves in the city's media circles.His funeral was held Sunday.
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Southwest Monsoon further advanced in Saurastra and Andhra Pradesh

Visakhapatnam, Jun 14 : The Southwest Monsoon has further Advanced into Saurastra and more parts of Andhra Pradesh upto rentachintala, Kalingapatnam and coastal Orissa upto Puri and most parts of Bay of Bengal.According to the CWC here last night the conditions are favourable for further advancement of south west monsoon into Gujarat, Maharastra, Andhra Pradesh and Orissa remaining parts of Bay of Bengal and Sub Himalayan West Bengal, Sikkim and some parts of Gangetic West Bengal during the next two to three days.A trough on sea level chart now runs from Orissa to south coastal Tamil Nadu across the coastal Andhra Pradesh. Under its influence the Rain or thundershowers were likely occur at many places over north coastal Andhra Pradesh and few places over South Coastal Andhra Pradesh during the next 24 hours.
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Violence mars dharna at Warangal

Hyderabad, Jun 14 : Tension prevailed at Warangal in Andhra Pradesh, when YSR Congress party activists, who were observing dharna in front of district Collectorate office over farmer issues, clashed with pro-Telangana of Kakatiya University JAC(KU-JAC) activists yesterday.The dharna was part of a state-wide call given by the party.The trouble started when the pro-Telangana KU JAC activists removed the YSR Congress party flags and burnt the vehicle belonging to YSR Congress party.The fire was put out and some of the KU JAC students were taken into custody by the police after a round of mild lathicharge there.Ranga Reddy district also witnessed some uproarious protests at dharna venue. The police had to arrest a few party-workers, including women. They were taken to the Nampally Police Station. The Pro-Telangana KU JAC activists demanded to announce the party stand on separate Telangana statehood.The YSR Congress Party's chief Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy also observed dharna at Chittoor collectorate office. His mother and MLA Vijayamma and her supporters also sat on dharna in front of Collectorate office at Kadapa district, demanding a host of farmers' relief measures.At several districts across the state including Telangana regions saw these dharnas being staged by YSR party workers. ===================================================

Rajanarasimha appointed Deputy Chief Minister

Hyderabad, Jun 10 : Andhra Pradesh Minister for Agriculture and Higher Education C Damodar Rajanarasimha was appointed as Deputy Chief Minister by the Governor ESL Narasimhan here today.In a notification, Government Chief Secretary SV Prasad said in exercise of the powers conferred by Article 164(1) of the Constitution, the Governor, 'on the advice of the Chief Minister N.Kiran Kumar Reddy' appointed C.Damodar Raja Narasimha as Deputy Chief Minister with effect from the fore-noon of today.Mr Rajanarasimha, was elected to the Assembly from Andole constituency in Medak District, for the third time in a row. He was elected during 1989, 2004 and 2009 elections and had served as minister for Marketing during Y S Raja Sekhar Reddy's rule in 2004-2009 and continued in the cabinet of Mr K Rosaiah. In Mr Kiran Kumar Reddy's cabinet, he was given the important portfolio of Higher Education and additional charge of Agriculture after Vivekhananda Reddy resigned.The 53-year-old Dalit, Damodar, who born in Hyderabad, had entered active politics only after his father and former MLA Cilarapu Rajanarsimha's death. He also served as Chairman for the SC Finance Corporation earlier.
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AP Licences cultivators ordinance 2011 promulgated

Hyderabad, Jun 10 : The state government today promulgated 'AP Licensed Cultivators’ Ordinance-2011' aiming to bring the tenant farmers under coverage of bank loans facility, seed subsidy, input subsidy and crop insurance on par with the landlord farmers.While announcing this to the mediapersons here , Minister for Revenue Mr N Raghuveera Reddy said some 26 lakh tenant farmers were denied bank loans, seed and input subsidies offered by the state government. The efforts of the state government to draft an Act in the budget session to deal with the situation did not bear fruit. As it was necessary to wait for the start of the Assembly to bring an Ordinance, there was some delay in promulgating the Ordinance, he said, adding that the order was issued after it was approved by the Governor.The government would issue 'Loan Eligibility Cards' to the tenant farmers, who are eligible for bank loans, seed subsidy, input subsidy and crop insurance coverage.He further said the Ordinance was formulated to benefit the tenant farmers simultaneously without affecting the rights of the owners on the land, he added. The validity of the Ordinance was one year from the date of issuance, the Minister, who held a review meeting with the officials concerned, said and fixed road map and rules for implementation of the Ordinance.A notification on rules of the Ordinance will be released on June 13, he said, adding that they would also conduct a video conference on June 16 with the district Collectors, Joint Collectors and the officers concerned to discuss the rules and road map.The Minister said the Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy, who was busy with North coastal tour, would launch the distribution of 'Loan Eligibility Cards' to the tenant farmers in any one of the districts of East Godawari, West Godavari, Krishna and Guntur, wherever the tenant farmers were more in number.The function would be held between July 8 and 15, he added.
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Despite Deputy Chief Minister post, Telangana agitation will continue

Hyderabad, Jun 10 :TRS party Floor Leader in the Andhra Pradesh Assembly Etela Rajender today stated that the Deputy Chief Minister post was given to Telangana region to appease the leaders.While responding on the appointment of C Damodar Rajanarasimha as Deputy Chief Minister by the Congress government, he said the Telangana agitation will continue despite the Centre’s attempt to pacify the region’s leaders by offering posts.He alleged that the Ranabheri was organised under the aegis of Seemandhra leaders, Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy and TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu, to water down the Telangana agitation. ====================================================

Thousands of asthma patients take 'fish prasadam'

Hyderabad, June 9 : Thousands of asthma patients from different parts of the country, hoping to be cured, took 'fish prasadam' which has been distributed by a family here for more than 160 years.Despite the controversies which hit the popularity of the 'miracle drug' in recent years, people continue to throng the venue in the hope of finding some relief to their nagging respiratory problems.Since Wednesday night, about 20,000 people gathered here at the sprawling Exhibition Grounds have taken the 'prasadam' being distributed by the Baithini Goud family in the heart of the city. Hundreds more were standing in queues Thursday morning.They gulped down a live 'murrel' fish with a yellow herbal paste in its mouth, which is believed to provide the much-needed relief, if taken for three consecutive years. For vegetarians, the family gives the medicine with jaggery.The turnout, however, was not in lakhs as claimed by the family, which changed the name of the fish medicine to 'fish prasadam' four years ago to avoid legal problems.The free distribution of 'prasadam' began at 10.30 p.m. Wednesday at 32 counters after the Goud family performed 'puja' at their ancestral house in Doodhbowli in the old city.Family head Bathini Harinath Goud said the counters would remain open till 10 p.m. Thursday or till the last patient gets 'prasadam'.Men, women and children lined up for taking the medicine several hours before the counters opened. It was sheer faith which brought many to the venue. "This is the third time I have come here as I got some relief earlier," said Bhumiya Naik, who came from Latur, Maharashtra.There were many first-timers like Ajmal Khan from Bidar, Karnataka. He heard about the medicine from his friends. "I have been suffering from asthma for the last seven years. I have tried everything but nothing worked. Now I want to try this," he said.The fisheries department has supplied 40,000 murrel fingerlings for the annual event held every year on the first day of 'Mrigasira Karti', which heralds the onset of monsoon.Over 600 policemen have been deployed at the venue as part of security measures. Various departments are providing water, sanitation and other basic amenities to the patients. Voluntary organisations have also chipped in by distributing free food and water packets.On the directions of the Andhra Pradesh Human Rights Commission, the Hyderabad district administration was ensuring that no child is forcibly given the fish medicine. The rights panel had issued the order early this week on the petition by an organization for children's rights, Balala Hakkula Sangham.The NGO argued that forcibly giving fish medicine was a violation of children's rights. It also alleged that distribution of the medicine under unhygienic conditions may cause more harm than good.fish medicine lost its popularity in recent years after some groups, working to inculcate scientific temper among people, termed it as a fraud. They also approached a lower court, claiming that since the herbal paste contains heavy metals it can cause serious health problems.But the Goud family claims that the tests in laboratories conducted as per court orders revealed that the herbal paste is safe.The Goud family has been distributing the 'fish prasadam' free of cost for the last 165 years. It claims that the secret formula for the herbal medicine was given to their ancestors in 1845 by a saint after taking an oath from him that it would be administered free of cost. ===================================================

Hyderabad, Jun 9 : The sleuths of Commissioner’s Task Force (West Zone) Team have arrested an absconding convicted cine Producer who has allegedly cheated people to the tune of Rs 2 crore.Producer Donthireddy Achyutha Reddy, resident of Masab in Hyderabad, decided to produce Telugu Films, for which he took loans to the tune of Rs 2 crore from several people, according to a police release yesterday.The accused was involved in as many as 27 civil cases. Out of 27 cases, he was convicted in 14 under NI Act.All these cases are pending in the Higher Courts. The accused Achyutha Reddy was involved in 5 criminal cases of cheating. The accused was absconding since long time as he was convicted by the VII Additional CMM Court, Hyderabad and sentenced to undergo one year simple imprisonment. The Magistrate directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Task Force, Hyderabad for execution of convicted warrant in CC No 34 of 2007. The West Zone Task Force Team made efforts and executed the warrant yesterday under the supervision of Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police ( Task force, Hyderabad) Dr K Raghuram Reddy, the release added.
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TDP leader takes exception to 'selling seeds by lottery'

Guntur, AP, Jun 9 : Telugu Desam Party (TDP) senior leader and former Andhra Pradesh Home Minister Kodela Shiva Prasad today took strong exception to taking lottery for the selling of quality cotton seeds to the farmers.Talking to newspersons here, he said selling of quality cotton seeds on the basis of lottery to the farmers amounted to auctioning lives of farmers. The government hiked prices of cotton seeds, yielding to the pressure of the multinational companies, he alleged.He charged the government with failing to make the required quantity of cotton seeds available to the farmers which helped the traders to sell the seeds in black market. The cotton seeds bag was being sold hiking the original price by Rs 1,200 to Rs 2,000 in the black market, he claimed.He pointed out that large number of farmers were forming beelines in front of seeds selling shops to by quality seeds.
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Pulivendula MLA YS Vijayalakshmi sworn-in as MLA

Hyderabad, Jun 3 : Pulivendula MLA YS Vijayalakshmi was sworn-in by Protem Assembly Speaker JC Diwakar Reddy on the Assembly premises here today.Ms Vijayalakshmi, widow of former Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, was re-elected by a thumping majority on the YSR Congress party ticket in the recently held by-elections at Pulivendula. Among who attended in the brief swearing-in ceremony were Ms Vijayalakshmi's son YS Jaganmohan Reddy, who also recently got elected from Kadapa Lok Sabha seat with majority in the by-election, MP Mekapati Rajamohan Reddy, 12 MLAs, including Konda Surekha, Jayasudha, Shobha Nagireddy, K Srinivas, Dwarampudi Chandrasekhar, Dharmanna Krishnadas and MLCs, including Pulla Padmavathi and Konda Murali.
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Congress boycotts Karnataka assembly, seeks speaker's resignation

Bangalore, June 3 : The Congress Friday stayed away from the Karnataka assembly and decided not to attend the remaining eight days of the session, demanding Speaker K.G. Bopaiah's resignation following the Supreme Court's "strictures" against him over the disqualification of 16 legislators.The Congress had walked out of the assembly Thursday, the first day of the 10-day session, protesting Bopaiah's decision to disallow an immediate discussion on the Supreme Court's comments on his action to disqualify the 16 members - 11 of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and five Independents - last October."We will stay away from the session for the remaining period also as the speaker has no right to continue in office after the Supreme Court's observations," Congress legislature party leader Siddaramaiah told reporters here.The Supreme Court, restoring the membership of the 16 legislators on May 13, had said the speaker's action of disqualification was against the principles of natural justice.The other opposition party, Janata Dal-Secular, has also boycotted the session, seeking Bopaiah's resignation.Siddaramiah said the boycott decision was only for this session.Bopaiah has ruled out resigning, saying the Supreme Court has not passed any "strictures" against him but only commented on his decision to disqualify the 16 legislators.
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Muslims take out funeral procession to Nashik civic body's office

Nashik, Jun 3: In yet another unusal protest, the members of the Muslim community took out a funeral procession to the Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) office here today, demanding the 'Qabristan (Graveyard) in the new Nashik (Cidco) area.A retired person who was working in NMC died today. The Cidco Masjid Trust had earlier warned the civic administration that if it did not solve the problem of funeral ground for Muslim community, they would take out a funeral procession to the municipal corporation and bury the body in its premises.The police rushed to the spot and assured the protestors that the problem of burial ground would be solved shortly. Thereafter, the Muslim people took back the body from NMC office.Police has made heavy bandobast near the civic office.The issue of burial ground has been pending till date because the Nashik district collector has been given the additional charge of municipal commissioner following the transfer of Bhaskar Sanap.Today's was the second such incident. Earlier on May 21, the members of Muslim community had taken the body of a woman for her funeral procession to the NMC office.
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SW Monsoon further advances in Rayalaseema, Coastal AP

Hyderabad, Jun 3 : Southwest Monsoon has further advanced over some more parts of Rayalaseema and parts of Coastal Andhra Pradesh today.Conditions are favourable for further advance ment of Southwest Monsoon over remaining parts of Andhra Pradesh during the next two to three days.Under its influence, moderate to rather heavy rain or thundershowers may occur at many places over Rayalaseema over the next 48 hours.Light to moderate rain or thundershowers may occur at a few places over Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Telangana during the same period.Outlook for subsequent two days was that there would be no large change, the Met Office said here today.The sky would be generally cloudy over Hyderabad and neighbourhood and rain or thundershowers may occur in parts of city over the next two days.The maximum and minimum temperatures would be around 37 and 24 Degrees Celsius respectively.
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TDP to submit fresh notice for no-trust motion

Hyderabad, June 3 : The main opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in Andhra Pradesh will Saturday give a fresh notice for no-confidence motion against the state Congress government as the one submitted Friday has become infructuous.As the state assembly is meeting Saturday to elect the speaker and deputy speaker, the TDP decided to meet protem speaker J.C. Diwakar Reddy to give a fresh notice before the sitting.The opposition party also decided to field its candidates for the posts of speaker and deputy speaker.TDP chief N. Naidu told reporters that there was no question of going back on the decision to move a no-confidence motion against the government for failing to address the problems of people, especially farmers.Since the assembly is meeting for one day to elect the speaker and deputy speaker, the TDP may have to wait for its no-trust motion.Naidu said the debate on the motion has to take place within 10 days from the date of submitting the notice.The TDP, which has 88 legislators in the 294-member assembly, Friday submitted notice for the no-confidence motion to the legislature secretary as Deputy Speaker N. Manohar was not available. However, according to the assembly rules, the notice has to be submitted before commencement of the sitting for that day.The former chief minister said the TDP was sincere in moving the motion without banking on the support of any party.Meanwhile, the TDP has also decided to field its legislators K.E. Krishna Murthy and Suddala Devaiah for the posts of speaker and deputy speaker respectively. The move is being seen as an attempt to test the waters ahead of the no-trust motion.Deputy Speaker N. Manohar appears set to become speaker as the ruling Congress has 155 legislators and it also enjoys support of the Praja Rajyam Party and Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen, who have 18 and seven legislators respectively.The post of speaker has been vacant since November last year when N. Kiran Kumar Reddy became the chief minister.Government chief whip Mallu Batti Vikaramarka is the ruling party's candidate for the post of deputy   speaker. According to political observers, the TDP plans to assess the support enjoyed by YSR Congress party among Congress legislators as its leader Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy, or Jagan as he is popularly called, had once claimed that the government was at his mercy Though only 10 legislators are being seen with Jagan, some leaders of the party have claimed that they have the strength to pull down the government.
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Proposal to upgrade 6 municipalities into Corporations: Minister

Hyderabad, Jun 1: Andhra Pradesh Minister for Municipal Administration and Urban Development Maheedar Reddy today said there were proposals to upgrade six municipalities into municipal corporations and some major gram panchayats into municipalities in the state.The proposals were under active considerations of the State Government, the Minister said in a press conferenc here.Announcing that 4,038 vacant posts in the municipal bodies would be filled in the next three months, he said the viability and public opinion on upgradation of panchayats as municipalities would be taken into consideration while taking a decision in the matter.Stating that it would not be possible to conduct elections to newly-formed municipalities along with the existing ones, the Minister said time would be required to conduct elections in newly-formed municipalities as there was a need to settle the reservations and other issues.The list of gram panchayats, to be upgraded into municipalities, would be announced before the release of election notification for Panchayat elections, he added.He said the government would present the details of census enumeration in urban bodies to the State Election Commission after it was completed by June 29.About 4,038 vacant posts in urban bodies would be filled within three months in a phased manner, the Minister said "we will try to fill these posts through APPSC to bring transparency in the recruitment".If the APPSC did not respond positively to the request of the State government for recruitment of the posts, an official Committee would be set up and seek help of the universities in conducting recruitment test, he added.
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Jagan asks party to be ready for snap polls

Hyderabad, June 1 : YSR Congress Party chief Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy Wednesday asked his party leaders and cadre to be ready for snap polls to Andhra Pradesh assembly.Addressing a meeting of the central governing council of the party here, the Kadapa MP said the cadre should be ready for elections whenever they are held.His call has assumed significance as it came a day after the party claimed that it had the requisite number to pull down the Congress-led government and dared the main opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) to move a no-trust motion.The TDP, on the other hand, has been challenging the son of late chief minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy to first prove his party's strength before the governor.The leaders of the main opposition party said they were ready to vote against the government if the governor calls a special session of the assembly.The Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) has also stated that it would support a no-trust motion moved by any party.The ruling Congress, which has 156 members in 294-member house, is confident of facing the no-trust motion with support from the Praja Rajyam Party (PRP), which has 18 legislators and has announced its merger with the former. The government is also confident of support from Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM), which has seven legislators.It was still not clear as to how many Congress legislators were with Jagan, as Jaganmohan Reddy is popularly known.Soon after he quit the Congress in November last year, he claimed to have the support of as many as two dozen legislators but the number dwindled after the Congress won back some rebels and also warned others of disqualification.The TDP has 88 legislators while the TRS tally stands at 11.For the second day, Jagan held talks with members of his party's governing council and his close aides. He told them that it was the right time to build the party from the grassroots levels.The young leader, who floated the party in March, retained the Kadapa Lok Sabha constituency last month with a record margin of over 500,000 votes while his mother Vijayalaxmi retained Pulivendula assembly constituency.
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SCR to run 8 Spl trains to Jaipur for Urs-E-Shareef Hazrath Khawja Moinuddin Chishti

Hyderabad, Jun 1 : South Central Railway (SCR) will run eight Special Trains to Jaipur from Hyderabad, Kacheguda and Ongole/Machilipatnam to clear extra rush of pilgrims traffic attending annual Urs-E-shareef of Hazrat Khawja Moinuddin Chishti at Ajmer.A release from SCR said here today, Train No 07125 Hyderabad-Jaipur Special Train will depart Hyderabad at 2030 hrs on June 3 and arrive Jaipur at 0615 hrs on June 5.In the return direction, Train No 07126 Ajmer-Hyderabad Special train will depart Ajmer at 1815 hrs on June 10 and arrive Hyderabad at 0730 hrs on June 12.Train No 07129 Kacheguda-Jaipur Special will depart Kacheguda at 2030 hrs on June 5 and arrive Jaipur at 0615 hrs on June 7.In return direction, Train No 07130 Ajmer-Kacheguda Special train will depart Ajmer at 1930 hrs on June 11 and will arrive Kacheguda at 0700 hrs on June 13.Train No 07227 Ongole-Jaipur Special train will depart Ongole at 0900 hrs on June 4 and arrive Jaipur at 0240 hrs on June 6.
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GHMC bill collector in Anti-Corruption Bureau net

Hyderabad, June 1: Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) today caught red handed Mohd Rafi (29), Bill Collector, GHMC when he demanded and accepted Rs. 2,500 as bribe from the complainant for processing the file relating to changing the owner`s name in the property documents.The tainted amount of Rs. 2,500 was recovered from Mr Rafi after chemical test yielded positive results, a release from ACB here said.Mr Rafi was being arrested and would be produced before the Additional Special Judge for SPE and A.C.B. Cases, Hyderabad, the release said.
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Indian Journalists Union condemns Shahzad killing

Hyderabad, Jun 1 : The Indian Journalists Union (IJU) today strongly condemned the brutal murder of prominent Pakistani Journalist Syed Saleem Shahzad.The Pakistani journalist went missing in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad on Sunday and his dead body with marks of torture was found in Punjab province yesterday.In a joint statement, IJU Secretary-General K Sreenivas Reddy, President-elect S N Sinha and Secretary-General-elect Devulapalli Amar said there was strong suspicion that Mr Shahzad was kidnapped, tortured and killed by the notorious Pakistani Spy Agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), as he exposed chinks in the Agency and its handling of the recent attack on naval base, PNS Mehran in Karachi.Shahzad, the Pakistani Bureau Chief of the Asia Times Online, was an expert in reporting about terrorists and their activities and in the past, the ISI picked him up and interrogated him on his writings, they said."This was an attack on the freedom of expression in Pakistan and we call upon the journalists' community and all those who cherish the freedom of the press in India to rally round the Pakistani journalists in the fight against the tyranny and attacks on the freedom of the press and the practitioners of journalism," they said.They demanded that the Pakistani authorities should investigate the case thoroughly and bring the killers of the journalists to book, the statement added.
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Prostitution racket bust, pimp held, 2 sex workers rescued

Hyderabad, Jun 1: Sleuths of Commissioner's Task Force, North Zone Team today conducted raid on a private hotel at Amerpet and apprehended a pimp and rescued two sex workers.Police seized Rs 9000 and two cell phones from their possession, a release said.Police said Mohan Jadav (26), an Automobile Engineer of Borabanda, here and a native of Bangalore, was working as a driver with Amith and Rohit.At the instigation of Amith, he started brothel business in Hyderabad.Amith and Rohit were doing brothel business through websites. offering contact details of agents/pimps in various cities in India.Mohan Jadav also took a room at the hotel and was conducting brothel business clandestinely with two sex workers supplied by Amith and Rohan.
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Rowdy-sheeter murdered by his rival group

Hyderabad, Jun 1 : Two persons including rowdy-sheeter and his associate were murdered when they were attacked by a sharp knife at a function hall located at Kishenbagh in the old city here today.According to police here, deceased rowdy-sheeter was identified as Azaj. He along with his two associates has gone to attend a marriage function when suddenly unidentified assailants attacked them with a sharp knife and killing Azaj on the spot. His associate Imran succumbed to injuries at Osmania Government hospital.Another associate Isman, who also injured in the attack, is also admitted to Osmania hospital, where his condition was stated to be serious, police said.Old rivary between the two groups is stated to be the reason for the incident.
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No 'fish medicine' for kids, says Andhra rights panel

Hyderabad,May-31: A fresh controversy hit the famous 'fish medicine' therapy for asthma patients as Andhra Pradesh Human Rights Commission Tuesday ordered that children below the age of 14 should not be administered it.

Acting on a petition by Balula Hakkula Sangham, an NGO working for children's rights, the commission asked the Hyderabad district administration to ensure that no child below 14 years is given the 'fish medicine'.The annual event of distribution of fish medicine is to take place at Exhibition Grounds here June 8-9.The Bathini Goud family of Doodhbowli in the old city of Hyderabad has been administering the medicine free of cost for 165 years.Asthma patients from different parts of India every year gulp down a live 'murrel' fish with a yellow herbal paste in its mouth. The herbal paste, the contents of which remain a family secret, is believed to cure asthma and other respiratory diseases.The NGO president Achyut Rao said since the 'medicine' is given by the family members under unhygienic conditions, it may also spread infection.fish medicine lost its popularity in recent years after NGOs, working to inculcate scientific temper among people, termed it as a fraud and approached court.They argued that the herbal paste contains heavy metals and caused more harm than good to the patients.After the controversy, the Goud family began calling it 'fish prasadam' or holy offering.The Goud family claims that the secret formula for the herbal medicine was given to their ancestor in 1845 by a saint after taking an oath from him that it should be administered free of cost.
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Minister from Telangana quits

Hyderabad, May 31 : An Andhra Pradesh cabinet minister Tuesday submitted his resignation to the governor over the delay in carving out a separate Telangana state.Endowments Minister J. Krishna Rao, who had sent his resignation to Congress president Sonia Gandhi March 3, met Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan at Raj Bhavan and submitted his resignation.He later told reporters that he had fulfilled his promise made to the students of Osmania University by submitting his resignation."I have resigned as the Congress leadership has failed to make a clear-cut announcement for formation of separate Telangana state," he said.The minister later met Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy to explain the reasons for his decision.He demanded that all the ministers and legislators from Telangana resign to exert pressure on the leadership to accord separate statehood to the region.He also announced that he would resume his 'padyatra' for the separate state on Wednesday and cautioned the government against making any attempt to stop it.The minister's 'padyatra' in Mahabubnagar district May 21 had sparked a row with the police arresting him and his cabinet colleague D.K. Aruna to avert a clash between them.Aruna opposed the 'padyatra' saying the minister had not taken her permission to undertake the visit in her constituency.Krishna Rao has resigned at a time when Telangana Joint Action Committee (JAC), comprising various pro-Telangana groups, plans to intensify the agitation in the first week of June.
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NDA ready to support bill for Telangana state: Sushma Swaraj

Hyderabad, May 31: Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj Tuesday urged the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government to bring a bill for formation of separate Telangana state in the next parliament session, assuring support from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and other constituents of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).Addressing a public meeting at Karimnagar Tuesday night, she said if the government brings a bill in the parliament session beginning in July, she would ensure that it is passed with two-third majority.Stating that she had come to the region to draw the battle-lines, Sushma Swaraj reminded Telangana MPs of Congress party of June 1 deadline set by them for their party leadership to make a clear-cut announcement on the Telangana bill.The BJP leader said her party would not rest till a separate state is achieved. "If the government brings a bill in parliament, we are ready to support it but if it fails to do so we will bring the bill and pass it after we come to power," she said.She said ever since the forcible merger with the Andhra region in 1956, the people of Telangana got only commissions, committees, formulas, documents, promises and assurances.On the Srikrishna committee, the BJP leader said it crossed all the limits by suggesting to the government the Telangana movement be suppressed through political and media management."I am ashamed at reading the contents of the secret eighth chapter of the report, in which the committee expressed the apprehension that separate Telangana state will become a Maoist state or a BJP-ruled state," she said.She however said by supporting the demand for separate Telangana state, she was not opposing the people of Andhra and pointed out that three new states were carved out during BJP-led NDA rule.Sushma Swaraj said the demand for Telangana state arose from the imbalanced growth, injustices and discrimination. She termed the movement for separate state a struggle to keep alive the region's culture and its own identity.If it is not a fight for self-esteem, 600 people would not have laid down their lives and citizens from all walks of life would not have come on to the streets," she said.
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Shutdown in Andhra town against power plant

Hyderabad, May 30 : Protests broke out again in Andhra Pradesh's Srikakulam district against an upcoming thermal electricity project, police said.

People in Sompeta town of the district in north coastal Andhra Monday observed a shutdown demanding that the government stop work on the project which, they claimed, threatens the ecology and endangers the livelihood of local communities.Shops and business establishments remained closed in response to the shutdown call given by the Environment Protection Committee, a group of environmentalists and NGOs.Protestors, including fishermen and farmers, likely to be affected by the project, staged road and rail blockades.Police arrested dozens of protestors when they tried to stop the convoy of Roads and Buildings Minister Dharmana Prasada Rao as the latter was visiting Ichapuram.The arrested include opposition Telugu Desam Party's legislator Sai Raju's father Raja Rao.Some activists alleged that the minister was instrumental in approving the plant wo Raising slogans against the project, the protestors also squatted on the railway tracks, bringing rail traffic to a halt.The Environment Protection Committee is also demanding compensation to the families of those killed in police firing during the protests in July last year.Two people were killed and several others were injured July 14 when police opened fire at people protesting against the project by Nagarjuna Construction Company (NCC) at Sompeta.The National Environmental Appellate Authority (NEAA) later overruled the environmental clearance given for the 2,640-MW project coming up at a cost of Rs.12,000 crore. Locals claim that the work had resumed on the project.Meanwhile, a group of ruling Congress leaders Monday began a visit to north coastal Andhra region to inspect thermal power project sites, special economic zones, mines and ports amid allegations that irregularities were committed in approving the projects.Member of Parliament V. Hanumantha Rao, who is leading the group, said they would urge the government to cancel the Sompeta project as it would harm the interests of farmers and fishermen.
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Auto strike from May 30 midnight

Hyderabad, May 29 : Telangana Auto Drivers' Joint Action Committee (TADJAC) today appealed to the auto drivers to participate in the 'auto bandh' from May 30 midnight to press for their demand of hike in fare in tune with the increased fuel prices.TADJAC convenor Mohd Amanullah Khan said the income of auto drivers has come down and affected their livelihood due to non-revision of auto fare in tune with the hiked diesel and petrol prices.He demanded that the minimum auto charge should be hiked to Rs 20 from Rs 14 and from Rs 10 to 20 per kilometer afterwards.Mr Khan said sealing of auto meters should also be stopped immediately until further increase of auto fares.He also demanded cancellation of e-Challan system, which was launched to target the auto drivers. The government also has responsibility to find a permanent solution to the problem of auto parking in the city, he added.
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TTDP promises to bring Telangana statehood within year

Hyderabad, May 30 : The Telangana Telugu Desam Party (TTDP) senior leader Mr Yerrabelli Dayakara Rao has said that they would bring ' Telangana statehood' within a year if everybody support the movement.Speaking on the last day of three-day annual conclave of the party after supporting the political resolution introduced by party Polit Bureau member Yanamala Ramakrishnudu yesterday here, he said all the 35 TDP Telangana MLAs were ready to work unitedly if the side cornered TRS President K Chandrasekhara Rao, who was provoking the people of Telangana and keeping silent on the issue in Parliament by siding with the Congress.The party's stand was clear and the party leader also favour the Telangana agitation, he said and lambasted the TRS supremo for failing to accost the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre for its dilatory tactics on the separate Telangana issue.He also questioned why the TDP was being asked to set its flag aside when the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) , BJP and every other political party hoist their flags at the events they conduct." We will fight in favour of Telangana by holding party flags and there is no compromise," he said.Appealing to JAC Chairman Prof Kodandaram and Osmania JAC students to understand the issues, he said its party President was clear on the Telangana issue and also ready to join agitation without holding party flag if other political parties, including TRS, also followed the same suit.He also found fault with the TRS President statements that no political party except the TRS would survive in the Telangana region.Interestingly, Mr Dayakar Rao also appealed to its co-members belonging to Seemandhra at the Mahanadu stage to support Telangana issue and said the Telangana leaders would not humiliate the Seemandhra region people.Accusing the estranged party senior leader, Dr Nagam Janardhan Reddy, of confusing the party and Telangana TDP leaders, he said the former himself remained confused and forced the party to take drastic action against him. said the TDP leaders of the region were always ready to fight for Telangana collectively, but they could not tolerate if any one dared to belittle the party and its leadership.
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