Hyderabad, Jul 23 : Rain occurred at a few places over Coastal Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Rayalaseema regions of the state,Sirpur (Adilabad district) recorded a heavy rainfall of 7 cm, Met department said today.The other chief amounts of rainfall recorded in cm are Mudhol (Adilabad district) 6, Palasa (Srikakulam district) 5, Parvathipuram (Vizianagaram district) 4, Ichapuram, Mandasa and Ranasthalam (all Srikakulam district) 3 each, Araku Valley (Visakhapatnam district), Mahabubabad (Warangal district) and Yellandu (Khammam district) 2 each and Achampet, Kalwakurthy and Nagarkurnool (all Mahabubnagar district), Dummagudem (Khammam district), Metpalli (Karimnagar district), Narayanakhed (Medak district), Narsampet (Warangal district), Navipet (Nizamabad district), Nirmal (Adilabad district), Paleru Bridge (Krishna district), Pulivendala (Cuddapah district) and Tanuku (West Godavari district) one each.Light to moderate rain/thundershowers may occur at a few places over Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Isolated rain or thundershowers would occur over Rayalaseema.Sky condition would be generally cloudy. One or two spells of rain/thundershowers may occur in parts of city. Maximum and Minimum temperatures would be around 31 and 23 degrees Celsius respectively.
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Saturday, July 24, 2010
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Rolls-Royce Ghost debuts in AP
Hyderabad, July 22 : Rolls-Royce Motor Cars (Headquarters: Goodwood, West Sussex, United Kingdompreviewed its new four-door super-luxury saloon, Ghost, for the first time at the Hyderabad International Auto Show 2010 on Thursday.The car was unveiled by the show's Chief Guest, K. Rosaiah, Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, and Sharad Kachalia, Director of Marketing, Navnit Motors Pvt. Ltd, the authorised Rolls-Royce Motor Cars dealership for Mumbai at the Rolls-Royce exhibition stand (A29).Ghost is smaller and more dynamic than previous models but is instantly recognisable as a Rolls-Royce.Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Asia Pacific Regional Director Paul Harris said: "Over the first half of this year, we saw unprecedented demand for our cars in India with both Ghost and Phantom helping to drive strong sales growth in the Asia Pacific region. India will be a significant market for Rolls-Royce Motor Cars in the years to come. Ghost is a unique car in its segment that blends informality, refinement and dynamism for everyday use. " Ghost is the first in a new Rolls-Royce model series, which is separate from the Phantom family that comprises Phantom, Phantom Extended Wheelbase (four door saloons), Phantom Drophead Coupe (convertible) and Phantom Coupe (fixed roof).
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Minor raped: School Principal in custody
Hyderabad, Jul 22 : Police have taken into custody Principal of a corporate school in adjoining Ranga Reddy District for allegedly outraging the modesty of a IX class student for more than one year at gun point, Salahuddin Mohmmed Ayub, Principal of the Parkwood International School at Manneguda about 35 km from here, was taken into custody by the Central Crime Station police on a complaint filed by the parents of the girl last evening in the Jubilee Hills police station, where the principal resides.Police sources said the girl was bearing the sexual harassment as the principal threatened her at gun point. But the girl three days back told her parents residing in Delhi, about the ongoing sexual harassment by the principal at his Jubilee Hills residence where she was taken by him on the first occasion and raped.Since then, the principal has been using her photographs to continue the sexual harassment over a year.However, the school management denied the incident and claimed it that was a ploy of the girl to leave the school as she was ''not interested in studies.'' Irked by the indifferent response of the management against the principal, harassed parents today attacked the Parkwood International School's administrative block, damaging furniture. The school is part of a chain of corporate schools across Canada, Saudi Arabia and in Dubai.
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School principal held for raping student in Hyderabad
Hyderabad, July 22 : The principal of an international school here has been arrested on charges of raping a Class 11 student from Mumbai, police said Thursday. The victim had become pregnant.A case of rape and criminal intimidation has been booked against Salahuddin Ayub, principal of Parkwood International School at Manneguda near Vikarabad on the outskirts of Hyderabad. According to Deputy Commissioner of Police, Central Crime Station (CCS), J. Satyanarayana, investigations into the complaint were on. The CCS sleuths were questioning the principal and collecting scientific evidence to build the case against him, the official said. However, the school authorities denied the allegations against the principal and said they were aimed at defaming the school, which has branches in the Middle East. The parents of the girl from Mumbai alleged that she was repeatedly raped by the principal during the last one year. The principal had allegedly threatened the girl with dire consequences if she said anything to anyone. The girl's family complained after she reportedly became pregnant. Investigating officials visited the school and the principal's house and other places where the girl was sexually exploited. A group of local people and parents of some students staged a protest outside the school demanding stern action against the principal. Women's organisations have also demanded punishment to the guilty. However, the school authorities have denied the allegations against the principal and said they were aimed at defaming the school, which has branches in the Middle East.
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Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Vizag Steel new Iron Ore Storage yard to meet contingencies
Visakhapatnam Jul 22 : The Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL), the flagship company of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP) CMD Mr P K Bishnoi, inaugurated the 'Structural Erection Work' for a new Iron Ore Storage Yard with a capacity of 6 lakh tonnes.The new storage yard will facilitate storing the additional iron ore to meet the contingencies, if arise due to disruption of any delivery to VSP. In a release here yesterday, Mr Bishnoi said, the yard would have the state of the art technology for stacking, reclaiming and conveying the raw materials to blast furnaces. The work is scheduled to be completed progressively by January, 2012 at an estimated cost of Rs 418 crore, he added The work involves about 12 lakh cum of earth work, 65,000 cum of concrete, 9300 tonnes of structures, 10 km of conveyors and 3.4 km of additional railway tracks, Mr Bishnoi said.Mr Bishnoi complimented the project collective for completing the major earth work, piling work and commencing the structural work on schedule. Mr AP Choudhary, Director (Projects) mentioned that the project would be completed within stipulated contract period and approved cost.Mr Umesh Chandra, Director (Operations), K Vidyasagar, CVO and other senior officials of VSP and the consulting firm M/s Dastur & Co were also present on the occasion.
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Nanded-Bangalore and Hubli-Bangalore Hampi express delinked for today
Hyderabad, Jul 22 : As announced in the Railway Budget 2010, the Nanded-Bangalore Hampi Link Express and Hubli-Bangalore Hampi Express which used to run as combined trains have been delinked with effect from today, the South Central Railways (SCR) announced.Accordingly, Train No 6593/6594 Nanded-Bangalore-Nanded Express and Train No 6591/6592 Hubli-Bangalore-Hampi Express will now run as independent trains with effect from today, the release said.Train No 6593 Nanded-Bangalore Express will depart Nanded at 0600 hrs and arrive Bangalore at 0610 hrs tomorrow. Enroute the train will stop at all the existing stoppages. However, the timings at some stoppages are revised as mentioned. The train will depart Raichur at 1905 hrs, Mantralayam road at 1945 hrs, Kosgi at 1958 hrs, Kupgal at 2010 hrs, Adoni at 2025 hrs, arrive/depart Guntakal at 2115/2120 hrs, depart Gooty at 2145 hrs, Anantapur at 2310 hrs, arrive/depart Dharmavaram 0035/0045 hrs, depart Penukonda at 0125 hrs, Hindupur at 0200 hrs, Gauribidanur at 0230 hrs, Dodballapur at 0320 hrs, arrive/depart Yelhanka at 0358/0400 hrs, Yeswantpur at 0525/0530 hrs and depart Malleshwaram at 0540 hrs. In the opposite direction, Train No 6594 Bangalore-Nanded Express will depart Bangalore at 2300 hrs (Revised timings) and arrive Nanded at 2155 hrs the next day, as at present. Enroute the train will stop at all the existing stoppages. However, the timings at some stoppages are revised as mentioned. The train will depart Malleswaram at 2307 hrs, Yeswantpur at 2315 hrs, arrive/depart Yelhanka 2333/2335 hrs, depart Dodballapur at 2357 hrs, Gauribidanur at 0040 hrs, Hindupur at 0105 hrs, Penukonda at 0140 hrs, arrive/depart Dharmavaram at 0310/0315 hrs, depart Anantapur at 0400 hrs, Gooty at 0510 hrs, and arrive/depart Guntakal at 0535/0545 hrs. The revised composition of the train will comprise of one AC 3 Tier, seven Sleeper Class, six General Second Class, two Second Class Luggage cum Brake Van coaches totaling to sixteen, the release added.
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SCR starts special train between Dadar and Nagapatnam
Hyderabad, Jul 22 : A Special train between Dadar-Nagapatnam will be run on July 27 and July 29, the South Central Railway(SCR) has said.Accordingly, train no 0171 Dadar-Nagapatnam Express would depart Dadar at 1045 hrs on July 27 and arrive Nagapatnam at 2345 hrs the next day.Enroute it will arrive/depart Wadi at 2345/2355 hrs, Raichur at 0125/0127 hrs, Mantralyam Road at 0200/0202 hrs, Adoni at 0239/0241 hrs, Guntakal at 0415/0420 hrs, Gooty at 0450/0552 hrs, Tadipatri at 0535/0537 hrs, Kondapuaram at 0615/0617 hrs, Yerraguntla at 0652/0654 hrs, Cuddaph at 0740/0745 hrs, Razampet at 0845/0847 hrs and Renigunta at 1040/1050 hrs.In the return direction, train no 0172 Nagapatnam-Dadar Express will depart Nagapatnam at 2100 hrs on July 29 and arrive Dadar at 1125 hrs, the next day.Enroute it will arrive/depart Renigunta at 0950/1000 hrs, Razampet at 1100/1108 hrs, Cuddaph at 1205/1210 hrs, Yerraguntla at 1240/1242 hrs, Kondapuaram at 1330/1332 hrs, Tadiapatri at 1356/1358, Gooty at 1525/1527, Guntakal at 1555/1600 hrs, Adoni at 1640/1642 hrs, Mantralaym Road at 1715/1717 hrs, Raichur at 1800/1805 hrs and Wadi at 2040/2045 hrs, the release added.
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Final report by Dec 31 : Sri Krishna Committee
Visakhapatnam, Jul 21 : Panel members of Sri Krishna Committee, appointed by the Centre to look into the Telangana issue, today said the drafting committee report will start from September 15 and hopes to present the final report by December 31, 2010.Speaking to mediapersons at the airport here Member Secretary of the Sri Krishna Committee V K Duggal said, ''We will visit two villages in the three districts of North Andhra and record the people’s living standard at various places. Our Research Committee is also visiting several places to record the living standards of the local people.'' He said the Committee team will visit North Andhra region in a couple of two days. The Committee members arrived from New Delhi in this port city this afternoon. Members Dr Ranbir Singh, Vice-Chancellor of the National Law University, Delhi, Dr (Ms) Ravinder Kaur, Professor, Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi, Dr Abusaleh Shariff, Senior Research Fellow, International Food Policy Research Institute, Delhi, consultants Amit Mehta, Dr Rajiv Sharma, Nodal officer( Director General of Centre for Good Governance ) are accompanying Justice Sri Krishna.
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TDP chief protests over Babhli dam project issue
Hyderabad, July 21 : Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief N Chandrababu Naidu led a highly charged demonstration here on Wednesday to protest the alleged illegal construction of the Babhli dam on River Godavari.Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister K Rosaiah, meanwhile, said the State Government is working to protect the interests of Andhra Pradesh in a democratic manner, and in accordance with the provisions of Constitution."As per our system of two tier of State and Central levels, we have approached the Supreme Court. So don't presume the government has not addressed the issue," said Rosaiah.He appealed to the TDP leaders and supporters not to cause damage to public properties in the State during their protest."The Supreme Court has given us (Andhra Pradesh) the favourable directive as such. When the matter is before the Supreme Court, why make a ruckus? Even the Prime Minister has been apprised of this fact," said Rosaiah.Earlier today, Naidu received a rousing welcome by his supporters on his return to Hyderabad.Naidu and other legislators of the party were released after being detained in Dharmabad, situated on the border area of Maharashtra.The Maharashtra police on Friday arrested Naidu along with 75 other politicians, including MPs, state legislators and former ministers for violating prohibitory orders.They were taken into preventive custody as they tried to visit the Babli Dam in Maharashtra to find out whether that state is grabbing more than its share of water from the River Godavari. Naidu claimed he was there only to inspect the contentious Babhali Barrage project and to fight for Andhra Pradesh''s fair share of water. Several educational institutions, cinema halls, petrol-filling stations and markets are likely to remain closed today.Amidst concerns over the controversial project, TDP leaders want to see the Babli project ahead of their July 23 meeting with Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh. An all-party delegation from Andhra Pradesh is expected to meet Dr. Singh this Friday.
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Andhra Pradesh Congress condemns TDP yatra to Babli
Hyderabad, Jul 21: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister K Rosaiah today led Congress leaders in Andhra Pradesh in condemning the ''political trip'' to the site of the controversial Babli Irrigation Project in Maharashtra by former Chief Minister and Telugu Desam Party president N Chandrababu Naidu and his team.While Mr Rosaiah spoke against the trip at the state secretariat, his fellow Congress stalwarts chose separate locations to voice their disapproval of the entire 5-day episode in which Naidu and his team were arrested and then 'deported' to Hyderabad.Talking to mediapersons separately, senior Congress leaders Ponguleti Sudhakar, Bhatti Vikramarka, Palludagu Venkat Rao and Tulsi Reddy said Mr Naidu's visit, deportation and this morning's protest in front of the Gandhi statue in the assembly premises was a drama.They virtually scoffed at the TDP chief's protest over the Babli issue, saying that it was like the pot calling the kettle black. The Congress leaders sought to turn the tables on Mr Naidu by saying that it was he who was negligent on the Babli project since he was at the helm of administration in Andhra Pradesh at the time the Maharashtra government began construction of the project across river Godavari. Decrying Mr Naidu's 'attempts to gain sympathy' by claiming that women legislators were manhandled by the Maharashtra police, they sought to remind Mr Naidu that his administration had used mounted police against women protestors.Stating that his talk of 'Telugu atmagauravam' was meaningless, they alleged that he (Mr Naidu) had held Telugu legislators hostage in a city hotel during August 2005 rebellion against the then Chief Minister N T Rama Rao, founder of TDP.
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Schoolchildren to combat climate change
Hyderabad, July 21 : What started as a simple awareness programme on global warming and climate change for students has today turned them into Young Climate Savers who have geared up to tackle the impacts of climate change in cities across India.The Young Climate Savers, a joint initiative between World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)-India and Tetra Pak India, is a school based climate change and lifestyle education programme based on education for sustainable development and people's participation.The programme launched in 2007 has targeted more than 50,000 students across 10 cities in India and the programme, has been instrumental in raising awareness about the ill effects of climate change. Students across these cities pledged to take up the cudgel to combat climate change. Rachna, student of Rosary Convent School in Hyderabad said: "As Young Climate Savers, we took a pledge to arrest Global Warming by switching off our school lights and other electrical appliances when not in use and help conserve electricity". Sister Ann Imelda of Carmel School in Kolkata felt that the "Young Climate Savers programme has immense importance and played a major role in disseminating knowledge about Climate Change to the future generations of our society".The first phase of the initiative dealt with creating awareness on history, science and adverse impact of climate change while the second phase was more hands on with students taking up small projects within the school premises. Some of the key achievements of the schools , include students of Blue Bells School in New Delhi, who designed and conceptualized a unique project where water left over in the water bottle at the end of the day would be collected in a tank placed near the exit gate of the school. This collected water would then be utilized to water the garden.Sri Sikshayatan School students' in Kolkata showed a decrease of 50pc energy usage in their school electricity bill through their energy conservation project in the school.Students of Abhyasa Residential School located on the outskirts of Hyderabad made newspaper bags and distributed them to hawkers and grocers in the villages surrounding their schools.The second phase also saw student leaders emerge as peer educators and spread the message to their peers in and around their schools.The programme in its third phase will see the Peer Educators come together as a Young Climate Savers Task Force in the cities of New Delhi, Bhopal, Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkata. This task force of students from at least 12 schools each across these cities will work on a city level problem and collectively work towards finding a long term sustainable solution. Madhur Das, Director, Conservation Alliances, WWF-India, said, "This is seen to be the first of its kind of student level initiative to be taken up in the country and is expected to impact directly and indirectly more than 1,00,000 citizens across the country".The recommendations and solutions from these initiatives carried out across India will be handed over to the respective city civic authorities for further action.
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Telugu Film On YSR To Release On August 15
Hyderabad,July 21, Sai Universal Films banner is making a Telugu feature film based on the life of ex-Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, which will be released on August 15, 2010. The work of the film is progressing in fast pace and is supposed to be released on the scheduled date.Giri Reddy is directing and producing the movie, which is titled Bhageerathudu. Veteran actor Vinod Kumar will be seen in the lead role opposite Yamuna.The YSR film's script is written by Giri Reddy, which is based on the late chief minister's life.According to the director, the film is an elaboration of the younger days of YSR. The life of YSR in college, then his entry in politics and the subsequent success stories will be portrayed in the movie. It will also highlight how Reddy managed to retain the seat of the chief minister for the second term.The movie is in its post-production stage now. A lot of research has been done for writing the script of the movie, sources informed.
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CPM demands Center's intervention in Babli controversy
Vijayawada, Jul 21 : Condemning the excessive behaviour on the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) delegation led be former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu by the police in Maharashtra, CPI(M) State Committee member Y Venkateswara Rao today demanded the Centre's intervention in the controversial issue of the Babli project.Addressing a press conference here, Mr Rao said the Centre should resolve the tussle between Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra over the construction of major irrigation project 'Babli', across river Godavari in Maharashtra.Describing the 'highhanded' and 'rude' behaviour of the police on the TDP delegation as 'inhuman', he said the refusal of permission to the TDP delegation to inspect the Babli project, was clearly reflecting that the project was being constructed illegally.He made it clear that the CPM would join all party delegation which was going to Delhi to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to apprise him of the construction of Babli project and its repercussions on July 26.The CPM leader deplored that though the academic year had begun, several problems were being faced by the students, including non-availability of text books to the high school students and hike in hostel mess charges.Mr Rao said CPM State Secretary B V Raghavulu had written a letter to Chief Minister urging him to fill up vacant teacher posts, reduce hike in hostel mess charges and to stop removal of education volunteers. The CPM leader flanked by City Secretary R Raghu, released a wall poster for the publicity for the 4-day All India Convention of the CPM, to be held here from August 7 to 10, which would be attended by Chief Ministers of West Bengal, Kerala and Tripura.
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Margood Hussain is new DRM for SCR
Hyderabad, Jul 21 : Margoob Hussain took over charge as the Divisional Railway Manager(DRM), Hyderabad Division of Sourth Central Railway (SCR) today, He has worked in various capacities in Indian Railways and has 28 years of rich and varied experience in the field of Electrical Engineering in Research, Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO ), Lucknow.He also worked in Kolkatta Metro in planning, design, control and execution of Electrical construction projects of Delhi, Metro Rail.Mr Hussain has also worked as Chief Personnel Officer, Kolkatta, Metro Rail and also worked as Senior Divisional Engineer in Eastern Railway. As DRM of Hyderabad Division he will head the functioning of Hyderabad Division including train operations, maintenance of assets, infrastructure, safety and punctuality of the trains, upkeep of assets and infrastructures, office buildings located at Hyderabad and in the section, according to a SCR release.
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Charges dropped, Naidu arrives in Hyderabad
Hyderabad/Aurangabad, July 20: Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief N. Chandrababu Naidu and his party colleagues returned to Hyderabad Tuesday night to a warm welcome by hundreds of supporters after the Maharashtra government dropped charges against him for attempting to visit a dam under construction in the state.The leaders arrived at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Shamshabad on the city's outskirts in a chartered Air India aircraft from Aurangabad. Flashing the victory sign, Naidu stood in an open-top vehicle and waved to his supporters who had gathered in large numbers. Raising slogans of "Long live Naidu" and denouncing the Maharashtra government, TDP activists brought the former chief minister and other leaders to the city in a procession. Earlier Tuesday evening, there was high drama at the Aurangabad airport as Maharashtra police forcibly put Naidu and other TDP leaders on the 116-seater Airbus A-319 chartered aircraft. Most of Naidu's supporters stopped the aircraft by lying flat in front of it. Naidu also took a long time to board the aircraft," said an airport source in Aurangabad. "The policemen had to literally go to each of Naidu's supporters, physically lift him and urge him to board the airport," the source said. Official sources in Mumbai said the dropping of charges was prompted by state-wide protests against Naidu and the TDP's anti-Babli dam agitation. The TDP leaders, including Naidu, were arrested Friday when they entered Dharmabad town, around eight kilometres from the Maharashtra-Andhra Pradesh border in Nanded district, to protest against the Babli dam on Godavari river. They alleged that Maharashtra was building the dam illegally and this would deprive Andhra Pradesh of its due share of Godavari waters. Earlier Tuesday, Naidu and his supporters were moved from Dharmabad in Maharashtra's Nanded district to the Aurangabad Central Jail. They were remanded to judicial custody till July 26 but all charges against them were dropped by evening. Naidu's wife Bhuvaneswari, his son Lokesh and senior party leaders greeted Naidu and his colleagues at the Hyderabad airport. Police had a tough time controlling TDP workers who barged into the airport premises carrying party flags. The TDP leaders drove directly to a private hospital in Banjara Hills where those who were injured in caning by Maharashtra Police at Dharmabad in Nanded district Tuesday morning, will be treated. Some women legislators told reporters that they were ill-treated by the police during their detention at ITI Dharmabad since Friday. "I thought we will never return alive," said A. Madhava Reddy. Another legislator said they were put to untold hardships and were mercilessly beaten up by the police.
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Chandrababu and legislators return to Hyderabad sans Babli visit
Hyderabad, Jul 20 : Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) President N Chandrababu Naidu along with the 74 TDP-Lok Satta party delegation reached Hyderabad tonight on a Special Charted flight from Aurangabad after Maharashtra police foiled their bus trip to the controversail Babli project.The TDP group which was reportedly hustled in to vans at Dharmabad about 500 kms from here were driven another 350 kms to Aurangabad where they were put in to luxury buses and were persuaded by the top Maharashtra police officials to take the Special Charted flight to Hyderabad.The TDP delegation reached Rajiv Gandhi International Airport at about 2300 hours which large number of party activists receiving them at Shamshabad.Mr Naidu then went in a rally in an open jeep to a Corporate Hospital about 22 kms from Shamshabad where he underwent a medical check.Mr Naidu along with other TDP members announced tonight that they would sit in dharna infront of the Gandhi statue at state assembly tomorrow.
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Monday, July 19, 2010
Judicial custody of Naidu, others extended
Nanded/Hyderabad, July 19 : A court in Maharashtra's Nanded district Monday extended the judicial custody of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president N. Chandrababu Naidu and 74 other party leaders.However, the duration of extension is still not known. The leaders again rejected the Dharmabad magistrate's suggestion to take bail and return to Andhra Pradesh. The magistrate called the leaders at Dharmabad ITI as their two-day judicial custody came to an end. All the leaders are likely to be shifted to Aurangabad Jail later. Naidu told the magistrate that they were illegally arrested by Maharashtra Police in Andhra Pradesh territory. According to TDP leaders, their party chief said they were not terrorists and had not committed any crime. He made it clear that they would not return without visiting the Babli project being built by Maharashtra across the Godavari River. Meanwhile, the condition of at least five TDP leaders deteriorated during the day-long hunger strike, demanding that the Maharashtra government allow them to visit the Babli dam. The condition of Abdul Gani, legislator from Hindupur, is stated to be serious and he had to administered saline. Naidu and his supporters, including MPs and legislators, were arrested Friday when they tried to proceed towards the dam. They alleged that Maharashtra is building the dam illegally and this would deprive Andhra Pradesh of its due share of Godavari waters. The magistrate Saturday sent the TDP leaders to judicial custody after they refused to seek bail. The leaders, who spent the third night in Dharmabad ITI, have vowed not to return without visiting the Babli project. Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan has rejected their demand, saying this would create law and order problems.
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TDP AP bandh sees mixed response
Hyderabad, July 19 : The Monday shutdown called by the main opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in Andhra Pradesh over the arrest of their chief N Chandrababu Naidu and 74 legislators saw mixed response with daily life in parts of the state coming to a standstill.Even though some areas, particularly the IT district of Cyberabad, saw usual traffic and a regular pace of life, many schools, colleges and businesses alike remained primarily closed across Hyderabad and other 22 districtsTransport services were reportedly hit as the State-owned Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) suspended bus services partially due to sit-outs by TDP activists outside the depots in Hyderabad and other places.There have also been reports of TDP activists being arrested over forceful closure of shops and staging of road blockades in a number of districts.The strike was called as Naidu, among other politicians, was taken into preventive custody as they tried to visit the Babhali dam in Maharashtra that triggered a water row between the two states.The Andhra government has challenged the construction of the dam in the Supreme Court and says that the barrage in Maharashtra over Godavari river would affect water flow to their state and deprive irrigation to several districts in the Telangana area.Naidu, who's two-day judicial custody ends on Monday, said he went only to inspect the Babhali Barrage project and to fight for Andhra's fair share of water.
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TDP strike in Andhra Pradesh evokes partial response
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Sunday, July 18, 2010
PIPED GAS SUPPLY PLAN FOR12 DISTRICTS SUBMITTED TO PNGRB
Hyderabad,(Deccan Samachar Service DSS)July,18, Piped gas supply plan for12 districts submitted to PNGRB CM wants plan to be speeded up, cover remaining dists too PNGRB thanked for introduction of regional tariffs on gas transportation HYDERABAD: The Chief Minister Dr.K.Rosaiah today asked the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) to speed up the process for piped cooking gas distribution in Andhra Pradesh. Dr Rosaiah said the State Government has already prepared its distribution plan for 12 districts and submitted the Expression of Interest (EoI) with the PNGRB. The Chief Minister said when the gas is abundantly available in the Krishna-Godavari basin; there should be no problem in supplying piped gas to the domestic and other consumers in Andhra Pradesh. The Chief Minister today reviewed the piped gas distribution position with the Chief Secretary, Mr.S.V.Prasad; Principal Secretary, Industries, Mr.B.Sambob and top officials of A.P.Gas Infrastructure Corporation. The Chief Minister thanked the PNGRB for according differential rates of tariff of gas transmission resulting in reduced tariff for Andhra Pradesh. "The Government of Andhra Pradesh thanks the PNGRB for considering the long pending demand of the State Government for reduction of gas transportation tariff. The reduced tariff will help increased use of gas in the State and establishment of more industries here", Dr. Rosaiah said. While appreciating the support of the PNGRB, which is the awarding and regulating gas transmission and distribution, the Chief Minister wanted to know the time schedules for various aspects of gas transmission and distribution in the State. He also requested the PNGRB to give details of the progress so far made in the laying of Pipe lines in the State. The State Government has massive plans for supply of gas in the State to all the sectors -- Domestic, Industrial, Transport, Commercial, Power Generation, Fertilizers etc. The State has already prepared its distribution plan for 12 districts and submitted Expression of Interest (EoI) with PNGRB. These 12 districts are covered with 7 proposals. These districts are Medak, Ranga Reddy, Nalgonda, Khammam, East Godavari, West Godavari, Krishna, Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam, Karimnagar and Warangal. The State Government feels that the entire district areas be included as a single unit while fixing the boundaries of that unit. It is good to have the entire district as one unit for the sake of administrative convenience. The Chairman was requested to clear all the proposals and call for Expression of Interest immediately. The Chairman, PNGRB was requested to see that the gas distribution in Hyderabad, Rajahmundry, Vijayawada, Kakinada are completed on a war footing, so as to make piped gas supply in city areas at the earliest. Further, the Chairman was requested to see that all the main trunk lines are laid covering south coasts Andhra and Rayalaseema areas. The APGIC is also preparing proposal for the remaining 10 districts of Adilabad, Nizamabad, Mahabubnagar, Kurnool, Anantapur, Chittoor, Kadapa, Nellore, Prakasam and Guntur. If the agencies which are awarded the main trunk line are asked to execute the works, the APGIC will file the proposal with PNGRB immediately. Dr. Rosaiah said that this is the most important and priority item of the Government. As the gas is available closest to Andhra Pradesh, the expectation of people of the State may be kept in mind and top priority should be given to piped gas distribution in the State. The Chief Minister stressed that PNGRB should protect the interest of consumers by fostering fair trade and competition amongst the entities; register entities to market notified petroleum and petroleum products and, subject to the contractual obligations of the Central Government, natural gas; establish and operate liquefied natural gas terminals; establish storage facilities for petroleum, petroleum products or natural gas exceeding such capacity as may be specified by regulations. In respect of notified petroleum, petroleum products and natural gas, the Board will ensure adequate availability; ensure display of information about the maximum retail prices fixed by the entity for consumers at retail outlets; monitor prices and take corrective measures to prevent restrictive trade practice by the entities; secure equitable distribution for petroleum and petroleum products; provide, by regulations, and enforce, retail service obligations for retail outlets and marketing service obligations for entities; monitor transportation rates and take corrective action to prevent restrictive trade practice by the entities; levy fees and other charges as determined by regulations; and maintain a data bank of information on the activities. The Chief Minister emphasized that the Board should also lay down the technical standards and specifications including safety standards in activities relating to petroleum, petroleum products and natural gas, including the construction and operation of pipeline and infrastructure projects related to downstream petroleum and natural gas sector and perform such other functions as may be entrusted to it by the Central Government to carry out the provisions of this Act. The officials informed the Chief Minister that the Board will have jurisdiction to adjudicate upon and decide any dispute on matters arising amongst entities or between an entity and any other person on issues relating to refining, processing, storage, transportation, distribution, marketing and sale of petroleum, petroleum products and natural gas.
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Progress of “Tourist Visa on Arrival” (VoA) Scheme : January – June, 2010
(PIB NEWS) July,18, As a facilitative measure to attract more foreign tourists to India, Government has launched a Scheme of “Visa on Arrival” (VoA) from January 2010 for citizens of five countries, viz. Finland, Japan, Luxembourg, New Zealand and Singapore, visiting India for tourism purposes. During the period January - June, 2010, a total number of 3151 VoAs were issued under this Scheme. The number of visas issued under this scheme, during January-June 2010 for nationals of the five countries were Singapore (1040), Finland (802), New Zealand (768), Japan (521) and Luxembourg (20). Total number of VoAs issued during June, 2010 were 401 with countrywise breakup as Finland (66), Japan (68), New Zealand (108), Singapore (156) and Luxemburg (3). During the six month period of January–June, 2010, the maximum number of VoAs were issued at Delhi airport (1663), followed by Mumbai (689), Chennai (635) and Kolkata (164).
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Naidu, colleagues sent to judicial custody
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Jagan terms his aide’s suspension ‘painful’
july,18, Congress MP Y.S. Jaganmohan ReddySunday termed as “painful” thesuspension of his close aide AmbatiRambabu from the party.He told reporters during his ‘Odarpu yatra’ in East Godavari district that he would take up the issue with the party’s central leadership.Veerappa Moily, Congress general secretary in charge of party affairs in Andhra Pradesh, announced Rambabu’s suspension Saturday night. Rambabu, general secretary of the party’s state unit, has been suspended for making certain remarks against Chief Minister K. Rosaiah.While criticising the chief minister for asking ministers and legislators not to join Jagan’s yatra, Rambabu had allegedly remarked that Rosaiah should be indebted to late Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy’s family for becoming the chief minister.“The suspension of Mr.Rambabu has pained me,” said Jagan, who continued his yatra for the seventh day against the wishes of party president Sonia Gandhi.During the yatra, the Kadapa MP is consoling the families of those who died of shock following his father YSR’s death in a helicopter crash last year.“What mistake have I committed that they will give a warning to me?” quipped Jagan when a reporter asked if Rambabu’s suspension was a warning signal to those supporting him.“The blessings of God and my late father are with those who are with me,” he said and recalled that Rambabu had accompanied his father during his 1,500-km long ‘padyatra’ across the state in 2003.Meanwhile, Rambabu said in Hyderabad that he had not received any communication from party leadership about his suspension. He pointed out that the party allows two weeks time for replying to a show cause notice. The notice on Rambabu was served July 9.The Congress leadership in Delhi issued a statement Saturday night, announcing Rambabu’s suspension. Jagan loyalists ask how he could be suspended when he still had time to reply.Moily, who had visited Hyderabad Friday, had ruled out any disciplinary action against Jagan saying ‘Odarpu yatra’ was his personal move. =============================================
Ambati suspension disturbing: Jagan
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Tension on Andhra-Maharashtra border, Naidu remains in custody
Hyderabad/New Delhi, July 18: Tension prevailed on the Andhra Pradesh-Maharashtra border Sunday as the Maharashtra Police used force to disperse Telugu Desam Party (TDP) activists protesting the arrest of party president N. Chandrababu Naidu and other leaders.Four people were injured when police baton charged a group of TDP workers at the border near Dharmabad in Naded district of Maharashtra. Raising slogans against the Maharashtra government, TDP activists tried to enter Maharashtra but were pushed back by the police into Adilabad district of Andhra Pradesh. Some media persons also complained that the police beat them up. Naidu and other TDP leaders were arrested Friday when they entered Maharashtra despite ban orders and tried to head towards Babli dam being built across Godavari River. TDP alleged that Maharashtra was building the dam illegally and this would deprive Andhra Pradesh of its rightful share of waters. A large number of policemen were mobilised in Dharmabad as Babli Samrakshana Samiti workers took out a rally protesting against TDP leaders. Police used force to disperse as they tried to head towards Dharmabad ITI, where Naidu and 74 others remained in judicial custody. The former Andhra Pradesh chief minister and others were remanded to judicial custody for two days by a magistrate in Dharmabad on Saturday as they refused to take bail. Maharashtra has refused to allow Naidu and other TDP leaders to visit Babli though they have vowed not to leave the state until they visit the dam. TDP leaders, who resisted attempt to shift them to different jails, remained at Dharmabad ITI for the second consecutive day. TDP has alleged that the leaders, including women, were sharing one room which has only one toilet attached to it. TDP has complained to Lok Sabha speaker and Andhra Pradesh assembly speaker of the "ill-treatment" meted out to MPs and state legislators. Meanwhile, TDP staged protests in different parts of Andhra Pradesh and has called for a state-wide shutdown Monday to protest the arrests. "We have given a call for hartal (strike). They (Maharshtra government) should allow us to visit Babli and 13 other projects along with the media," TDP MP Nama Nageswar Rao told IANS over telephone. He said the party leaders had entered Maharashtra after they were given an assurance by police that the senior party leaders will be taken to Babli project. "They told us that only leaders will be allowed," he said. Rao, who is leader of the Telugu Desam parliamentary party, said they wanted to see Babli project ahead of the July 23 meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh concerning the controversial project. An all-party delegation from Andhra Pradesh is expected to meet the prime minister on the issue.
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Rosaiah asks Chavan to allow Naidu's visit to Babli dam
Hyderabad, July 18 : Andhra Pradesh chief minister K Rosaiah on Sunday stepped in support of Chandrababu Naidu and requested his Maharashtra counterpart to allow Naidu to visit the Babli dam, even as Naidu's TDP called for a statewide shutdown on Monday to protest against the arrest of their chief and 74 legislators by Maharashtra police.Rosaiah spoke to Maharashtra chief minister Ashok Chavan and reportedly requested him to allow Naidu and his supporters to visit Babli dam with police escort. "I have told Ashok Chavan this is no way to treat friends from neighbouring states," Rosaiah said. Naidu and his colleagues were arrested from Nanded district of Maharashtra on Friday for violating prohibitory orders and trying to march to Babli dam. They had later refused bail and are currently lodged in judicial custody in the neighbouring state. Meanwhile, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) has called an Andhra Pradesh shutdown on Monday to protest against the arrests.
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Jagan terms his aide's suspension 'painful'
Hyderabad,July 18:Congress MP Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy Sunday termed as "painful" the suspension of his close aide Ambati Rambabu from the party.
He told reporters during his 'Odarpu yatra' in East Godavari district that he would take up the issue with the party's central leadership. Veerappa Moily, Congress general secretary in charge of party affairs in Andhra Pradesh, announced Rambabu's suspension Saturday night. Rambabu, general secretary of the party's state unit, has been suspended for making certain remarks against Chief Minister K.Rosaiah. While criticising the chief minister for asking ministers and legislators not to join Jagan's yatra, Rambabu had allegedly remarked that Rosaiah should be indebted to late Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy's family for becoming the chief minister. "The suspension of Mr.Rambabu has pained me," said Jagan, who continued his yatra for the seventh day against the wishes of party president Sonia Gandhi. During the yatra, the Kadapa MP is consoling the families of those who died of shock following his father YSR's death in a helicopter crash last year. "What mistake have I committed that they will give a warning to me?" quipped Jagan when a reporter asked if Rambabu's suspension was a warning signal to those supporting him. "The blessings of God and my late father are with those who are with me," he said and recalled that Rambabu had accompanied his father during his 1,500-km long 'padyatra' across the state in 2003. Meanwhile, Rambabu said in Hyderabad that he had not received any communication from party leadership about his suspension. He pointed out that the party allows two weeks time for replying to a show cause notice. The notice on Rambabu was served July 9. The Congress leadership in Delhi issued a statement Saturday night, announcing Rambabu's suspension. Jagan loyalists ask how he could be suspended when he still had time to reply. Moily, who had visited Hyderabad Friday, had ruled out any disciplinary action against Jagan saying 'Odarpu yatra' was his personal move.
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He told reporters during his 'Odarpu yatra' in East Godavari district that he would take up the issue with the party's central leadership. Veerappa Moily, Congress general secretary in charge of party affairs in Andhra Pradesh, announced Rambabu's suspension Saturday night. Rambabu, general secretary of the party's state unit, has been suspended for making certain remarks against Chief Minister K.Rosaiah. While criticising the chief minister for asking ministers and legislators not to join Jagan's yatra, Rambabu had allegedly remarked that Rosaiah should be indebted to late Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy's family for becoming the chief minister. "The suspension of Mr.Rambabu has pained me," said Jagan, who continued his yatra for the seventh day against the wishes of party president Sonia Gandhi. During the yatra, the Kadapa MP is consoling the families of those who died of shock following his father YSR's death in a helicopter crash last year. "What mistake have I committed that they will give a warning to me?" quipped Jagan when a reporter asked if Rambabu's suspension was a warning signal to those supporting him. "The blessings of God and my late father are with those who are with me," he said and recalled that Rambabu had accompanied his father during his 1,500-km long 'padyatra' across the state in 2003. Meanwhile, Rambabu said in Hyderabad that he had not received any communication from party leadership about his suspension. He pointed out that the party allows two weeks time for replying to a show cause notice. The notice on Rambabu was served July 9. The Congress leadership in Delhi issued a statement Saturday night, announcing Rambabu's suspension. Jagan loyalists ask how he could be suspended when he still had time to reply. Moily, who had visited Hyderabad Friday, had ruled out any disciplinary action against Jagan saying 'Odarpu yatra' was his personal move.
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Andhra Pradesh shutdown to protest Naidu's arrest
Hyderabad July 18 : Telugu Desam Party called a Monday Andhra Pradesh shutdown to protest against the arrest of the party chief N Chandrababu Naidu and 74 legislators by Maharashtra police Saturday.Naidu, among other politicians, was taken into preventive custody as they tried to visit the Babhali dam in Maharashtra that triggered a water row between the two states.The Andhra government has challenged the construction of the dam in the Supreme Court and says that the barrage in Maharashtra over Godavari river would affect water flow to their state and deprive irrigation to several districts in the Telangana area."We want to protect the farmers of Andhra Pradesh. We are fighting for this issue for five years," Naidu said, while ruling Congress leaders of Maharashtra alleged Naidu is politicizing the issue for votes".Maharashtra Home Minister R R Patil said Naidu and his supporters would be sent to various jails across the state if they do not comply with the court order and go back to their state, said a report in DNA.If the TDP leaders do not apply for bail on Monday they would be sent to further jail custody.Naidu and other party leaders were kept in Dharmabad after nearby jails refused to lodge so many VIPs, reports said.
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Saturday, July 17, 2010
Naidu, colleagues refuse to take bail
Nanded/Hyderabad, July 17 : Tension prevailed in Dharmabad town of Nanded district in Maharashtra as a group staged a protest against Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief N. Chandrababu Naidu and his party colleagues, who remained in police custody for the second day Saturday and refused to take bail.A large number of policemen were deployed at Dharmabad Industrial Training Institute (ITI) as the Babli Samrakshana Samiti staged a protest demanding that Naidu and the 75 other TDP leaders go back. Police baton charged the protesters and arrested them as they tried to barge into the ITI premises raising slogans against the Andhra leaders. Additional forces were mobilized at the ITI amid reports that police were planning to shift TDP leaders to Nanded jail. The TDP leaders, however, resisted the attempts to shift them. Police have refused to allow Naidu and other leaders to visit the Babli dam being built by Maharashtra across Godavari River. Andhra's main opposition party has alleged that the dam was being constructed illegally and it would deprive Andhra of its rightful share of waters. Naidu and others, who were arrested Friday for trying to enter Maharashtra despite ban orders, refused to take bail. The leaders, including MPs, state legislators and former ministers were produced before a magistrate who visited the ITI. They, however, refused to seek bail and made it clear that they would not leave Maharashtra till they were allowed to inspect the Babli dam. The arrested leaders spent Friday night at the ITI. The TDP leaders here said Naidu and others, including women, slept on mats. The arrested leaders have not been provided basic facilities but they are determined to continue their protest. Naidu has also decided to lodge a complaint with the National Human Rights Commission against the Maharashtra government. The TDP leaders were arrested on the Andhra-Maharashtra border Friday afternoon when they tried to enter Maharashtra to inspect Babli. The former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister argued that he had the democratic right to visit any place in the country. The TDP alleged that its leaders were arrested by the Maharashtra Police with deceit. They were taken in a police vehicle with the promise that they would be shown the project but the vehicle was diverted to the Dharmabad ITI. Maharashtra Home Minister R.R. Patil Friday evening spoke to Naidu over phone and advised him to return to Andhra Pradesh but the latter refused to leave unless he and other leaders were allowed to visit Babli and other projects. Meanwhile, the TDP continued protests in different parts of Andhra Pradesh against Naidu's arrest. The party activists staged protests outside the offices of district collectors Saturday.
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Lok Satta condemns arrests by Maharashtra police
Hyderabad, Jul 17 : The Lok Satta Party today termed as 'reprehensible' the arrests of Telugu Desam Party (TDP), Lok Satta, and other party leaders by the Maharashtra Police during the 'Babli Yatra', conducted by the TDP.Lok Satta Party General Secretary G Raja Reddy and Nizamabad Lok Satta District unit president M Rami Reddy were among the arrested.In a statement, Lok Satta Party General Secretary Katari Srinivasa Rao said the arrest of leaders on a peaceful, fact-finding mission was ''unwarranted and unconstitutional''. It merely lends credence to the view that the Maharashtra Government would like to prevent its irregularities from coming to light, he claimed.The Lok Satta Party demanded that the Centre shed its complacency, intervene immediately and facilitate a political solution to inter-state water disputes, keeping national interests in mind.
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Shutdown in Maharashtra town against TDP agitation, Naidu may be released
Nanded (Maharashtra), July 17 : A shutdown was observed Saturday in Dharmabad town in Maharashtra' Nanded district to protest the agitation led by Telugu Desam Party chief N. Chandrababu Naidu against construction of the Babli Dam, which Andhra Pradesh fears will affect its water supply, an official said.Naidu and his supporters, who were arrested Friday, are likely to be released and escorted to the Maharashtra-Karnataka border Saturday. Naidu and his 75 supporters, including over three dozen legislators and parliamentarians were arrested after they violated prohibitory orders and entered the state to protest against the Babli Dam work on Godavari river in the district. They said that Maharashtra was grabbing more than its share of water. They spent the night in the government technical college. The official described the situation in Dharmabad as "peaceful and under control", with no report of any untoward incident. The small Babli Dam has been a bone of contention between the two states since five years when its construction began near Babli village on river Godavari. With a capacity of 2.75 thousand million cubic feet, there was an agitation in 2007 by some Andhra Pradesh politicians against the dam. Andhra Pradesh believes that the construction of Babli Dam would cut off water supply to the Pochampad Dam in Telangana region of the state, adding to the woes of the farmers and creating serious water problems.
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Pact to implement Services Project
Hyderabad, Jul 17 : An agreement has been signed between the government of Andhra Pradesh and the consortium led by Wipro-GE Healthcare Pvt Ltd consisting of Medall Healthcare Pvt Ltd for implementing the AP Advanced Radio-diagnostic Services project.The agreement was signed yesterday in the presence of Mr P Sudershan Reddy, Minister for Medical Education. Also present were Mr J Satyanarayana, Special Chief Secretary (HM and FW), Mr P V Ramesh, Secretary (Public Health), Mr LV Subrahmanyam, Principal Secretary (Finance), Dr Raviraj, Director of Medical Education and the Superintendents of the 4 General Hospitals participating in the project, besides the representatives of International Finance Corporation, the Lead Transection Advisor and Wipro-GE.The project envisages; Establishing state-of-the-art radio-diagnostic infrastructure, consisting of a 1.5 Tesla MRI, 16-slice CT Scan, Mammography and Colour Doppler at King Geroge Hospital, Vizag, and MGM Hospital, Warangal; 16-slice CT Scan, Mammography and Colour Doppler at Government General Hospital Kurnool and 1.5 Tesla MRI at Government General Hospital, Kakinada.They have been maintaining the infrastructure for a period of 7 years, supporting the respective hospitals in provision of the radio-diagnostic services to the patients and running para-medical courses in the area of radio-diagnostic services.The consortium led by Wipro-GE was selected by the Government after following an elaborate open competitive bidding process, in which 3 bidders participated actively. As a result of stiff competition, the prices quoted were significantly lower than the prevailing commercial market rates for similar services.The project will be sustained through service charges paid by the government to Wipro-GE on a per-transaction basis, an official release said here today.
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Naidu, TDP leaders remain in police custody
Hyderabad,July 17: Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief N. Chandrababu Naidu and his party colleagues, who were arrested for trying to enter Maharashtra to visit the disputed Babli project, continued to remain in police custody Saturday in Nanded district.The police will produce them before a magistrate but the leaders have decided not to seek bail. Seventy-five TDP leaders, including MPs, state legislators and former ministers, spent Friday night at the Dharmabad Industrial Training Institute (ITI) and refused to leave Maharashtra till they were allowed to inspect the Babli dam on the Godavari river. They alleged that Maharashtra was building the project ignoring the directions of the Supreme Court and the Central Water Commission. TDP leaders here said Naidu and others, including women, slept on mats in the ITI. The arrested leaders have not been provided basic facilities but they are determined to continue their protest. Naidu has also decided to lodge a complaint with the National Human Rights Commission against the Maharashtra government. The TDP leaders were arrested on Andhra-Maharashtra border Friday afternoon when they tried to enter Maharashtra to inspect Babli. The former Andhra Pradesh chief minister argued that he had the democratic right to visit any place in the country. Maharashtra had mobilised police force and imposed prohibitory orders around Babli to foil the march by the TDP leaders. The opposition party alleged that their leaders were arrested by the Maharashtra Police with deceit. They were taken in a police vehicle with the promise that they would be shown the project but the vehicle was diverted to the Dharmabad ITI. Maharashtra Home Minister R.R. Patil Friday evening spoke to Naidu over phone and advised him to return to Andhra Pradesh but the latter refused to leave unless he and other leaders were allowed to visit Babli and other projects. Meanwhile, TDP continued protests in different parts of the state against Naidu's arrest. The party has called for staging protests outside the offices of district collectors Saturday.
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Friday, July 16, 2010
Committee Representing a Broad Range of Community, Professional, and Academic Institutions to Oversee a New Mosque Study
USA,(Deccan Samachar Service DSS) July 15,2010) ISNA announces a new study of U.S. mosques. The "U.S. Mosque Study 2010" will be led by Dr. Ihsan Bagby, Associate Professor of Islamic Studies at the University of Kentucky, and sponsored by ISNA and CAIR. Co-sponsors for the Study include: International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT), Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA), The Mosque Cares (Ministry of W. Deen Mohammed), Muslim American Society (MAS), Muslim Alliance of North America (MANA), and Muslim Guide. The Study will be conducted in cooperation with Hartford Seminary, the Association of Statisticians of American Religious Bodies (ASARB), and Faith Communities Today (FACT).A Research Committee conducting the Study includes includes in alphabetical order: Nihad Awad (CAIR), Ihsan Bagby (University of Kentucky), Zahid Bukhari (ICNA), Rich Houseal (ASARB), David Roozen (Hartford Seminary and FACT), Iqbal Unus (IIIT), and Safaa Zarzour (ISNA). "The Mosque Study will provide useful information and insights for community leaders and organizations as well as the academic community to assist them in both scholarly research as well as community development," states ISNA Secretary General Safaa Zarzour. Information included in the U.S. Mosque Study 2010 will be collected from online surveys and phone or in-person interviews. The survey will be available online and will address a range of issues, including: quality of mosque programs, mission and identity of the mosque, diversity and needs of mosque participants, leadership and organizational dynamics and history of the organization.A random sample of mosque leaders from around the country will be selected to participate in interviews to discover the perceptions of Muslim religious leaders on a variety of substantive issues, including: Muslim involvement in American civic life, involvement of women and young adults in mosques, concerns about radicalization in the community and evaluations of mosque staffing.Zarzour states, "This collaboration of academic, professional, and community institutions is unprecedented and reflects the desire of all sponsors to produce credible, valid, useful results from this study for the benefit of everyone." ISNA urges all mosque leaders to participate in the survey, which is scheduled to launch this July and run through September.For more information about the "U.S. Mosque Study 2010", please contact Ihsan Bagby, Iabagb2@uky.edu, 859 494-3743.==========================================
Chandrababu Naidu arrested in Nanded
Naidu begins 'bus yatra' as Maharashtra sounds alert
Hyderabad, July 16 : Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief N.Chandrababu Naidu and legislators Friday launched a 'bus yatra' to Babli near the Andhra Pradesh border to start a 'national debate' on the controversial dam across the Godavari being built by Maharashtra.The Maharashtra government stepped up security along the border to stop them as four buses carrying Naidu, other TDP legislators and leaders of Lok Satta left for Babli, near the border with Adilabad district of Andhra Pradesh. Chief Minister K.Rosaiah spoke to Naidu over phone Thursday night, advising him to call off his 'bus yatra' that he said would heighten tensions between the two states. Naidu, however, ignored Rosaiah's appeal as well as the decision of the Maharashtra government not to allow him to enter the state. Naidu had invited Rosaiah and leaders of all parties, including the ruling Congress, to join the 'yatra'. But only leaders of the Lok Satta joined him. The TDP chief and former chief minister told reporters that it was a fact-finding mission aimed to start a national debate on Babli and 13 other illegal projects across Godavari. He alleged that Maharashtra was going ahead with the works on Babli in violation of Supreme Court orders. He said the Andhra Pradesh government was doing nothing to stop the projects, which would prove disastrous for the state and turn Telangana into a desert. Maharashtra has sounded an alert along its border with Andhra Pradesh to stop the 'yatra'. Police have erected barricades and formed check posts to check every vehicle entering the state. The authorities in Nanded district of Maharashtra have imposed prohibitory orders around the project site as leaders of various parties of the neighbouring state have also reached there to protest the visit by TDP leaders. In 2007, the Maharashtra Police used force to stop TDP leaders led by legislator N.Janardhan Reddy from heading towards the Babli dam. The opposition party has alleged that the Congress government was not showing seriousness to stop the illegal projects in Maharashtra which would take away the state's rightful share of Godavari waters. Rosaiah plans to take an all-party delegation to Delhi later this month to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to urge him to ask Maharashtra to stop construction of illegal projects.
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LeT operative sent to 14 days remand
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AP CM meets legal expert to present state water dispute case
Hyderabad, Jul 15 : Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister K.Rosaiah today reiterated that the interest of Andhra Pradesh 'should and would be protected under any circumstances' in the inter state irrigation project including Almatti on river Krishna and Babli on river Godavari and met legal luminary here to forcefully represent the state case on the disputes tribunal. The Chief Minister held a special meeting with Senior Supreme Court lawyer Mr Dipankar P Gupta, Major Irrigation Minister and other officials on the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal at Secretariat. The Chief Minister discussed the working of legal and technical teams of Andhra Pradesh on Krishna Tribunal headed by Justice Brijesh Kumar. Mr Gupta, who was also former Solicitor General of India, specially flew from Delhi for this meeting and apprised the Chief Minister regarding the arguments and stand taken by Andhra Pradesh before the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal. He also gave a brief over view of the likely scenario emerging in the report of the Tribunal. Senior Counsel Dipankar P Gupta was confident that Andhra Pradesh had argued their case before the tribunal in a very forceful and effective manner and expected a positive outcome.The Chief Minister reiterated that the interest of Andhra Pradesh should be and would be protected under any circumstances. He told the senior advocate and other top officials that the State's case should be presented in the most effective manner and we should see that our interests are protected.The Chief Minister directed the legal and technical teams to take all possible measures and ensure that no stone remains unturned for vindicating the case of Andhra Pradesh in all respects in the Tribunal.The Chief Minister also will lead an all-party delegation to the Prime Minister to represent the case of Andhra Pradesh on the Babli issue. The Chief Minister who met the Prime Minister yesterday already briefed on the subject. Dr Rosaiah was confident of strongly presenting the issue before the Prime Minister during the meeting. He reiterated that the interest of the State in this case is upper most in his mind and will pursue the case strongly in all platforms.Major and Medium Irrigation Minister Ponnala Lakshmiah, Principal Secretary, Irrigation, S K Joshi, Irrigation Advisers, offiicials and engineers were among attended the meeting, according to a release from Chief Minister's office here.
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Salman Khurshid launches investor education website in Telugu
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Opposition demands probe into firing on Srikakulam Thermal Power Project protestors
Srikakulam (Andhra Pradesh), July 15 : Opposition parties in Andhra Pradesh's Srikakulam District have demanded a judicial probe into an incident of police firing on protestors, who refused to vacate their lands for a proposed 2,000 MW Srikakulam Thermal Power Project.The opposition Telugu Desam, Praja Rajyam, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Communist Party of India (CPI) and Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) demanded a judicial probe into the incident of police firing, in which two fishermen were killed and over a 100 people injured."All the men from the village went for a meeting at the power office. There the policemen fired at them," said Subbamh, a villager.The opposition also called for the suspension of police officials and cancellation of license for the 2,000 MW thermal power project.Apart from the locals of over 30 villages, a forum of environmentalists, academicians and other experts opposed the Srikakulam Power Project, saying it could create a critical imbalance in the ecologically sensitive zone.The demonstrators staged a peaceful sit-in protest on Wednesday and chanted anti-government slogans.The deployment of security personnel to quell the crowds, however, led to a violent backlash by the people."For thermal power plant, they don''t have any permission. The Supreme Court also did not give its judgment over the issue, the judgment was reserved for the environmental system," said K. Narayana, State Secretary, Communist Party of India."So without giving any permission how the state government gave permission to this Nagarjuna Construction Company to construct the project," he added.
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Legislators protest over police firing in Andhra, suspended
Hyderabad,July 15: The police firing on villagers protesting a thermal power plant in Srikakulam district rocked the Andhra Pradesh assembly Thursday with the speaker suspending opposition legislators for stalling the house.For the second consecutive day, Speaker Kiran Kumar Reddy suspended 55 legislators of main opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the lone member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) when they stalled proceedings demanding the resignation of Revenue Minister Dharmana Prasada Rao. The speaker announced the suspension of the legislators from the house for one day after Endowments Minister Gade Venkat Reddy moved a resolution. As the suspended legislators refused to leave the house, the speaker called in marshals to physically lift them out. The legislators resisted the marshals, leading to scuffles. Angry opposition members uprooted the mikes before being carried out by the marshals. They later staged protest outside the chambers of Chief Minister K.Rosaiah in the lobby and urged him to sack the revenue minister. Earlier, the house had to be adjourned twice as TDP members stalled the proceedings and protest near the speaker's podium, demanding the revenue minister's resignation for allegedly supporting police action. Two people were killed when the police opened fire on fishermen and farmers protesting against a proposed thermal power station at Sompeta in Srikakulam district. They alleged that the project would destroy ecology and jeopardise their livelihood. Earlier, making a statement in the assembly, Home Minister P. Sabita Indra Reddy defended the police firing, saying the police had to fire as a "last resort" and in self defence as the protesters had attacked them with stones. She said two people were killed in the firing and 145 people, including 37 policemen and six mediapersons, were injured in the violence. "As the protesters attacked the police with stones and all the attempts to disperse them proved futile, the police had to open fire in self-defence as a last resort. The police used short weapons like 9 mm pistols and revolvers and did not use rifles or other weapons," Sabita Indra Reddy said. TDP legislator M. Narasimhulu lashed out at the revenue minister and demanded his resignation for stating that nobody can stop the power project. He also demanded a judicial probe into the police firing, action against the police officers responsible for firing and compensation of Rs.10 lakh each to the families of the deceased. "Has the government declared a war on the people by mobilising 3,000 policemen in Sompeta," Narasimhulu asked. He alleged that the government colluded with Nagarjuna Construction Company to build the project at the cost of the livelihood of local people.
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BJP demands judicial inquiry into Sompet firing
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Andhra district still tense after police firing
Hyderabad, July 15 : The situation in Andhra Pradesh's Srikakulam district continued to be tense Thursday, a day after police firing on villagers protesting against a thermal power project killed two and the ensuing violence left about 150 injured.People in Sompeta area and surrounding villages of Srikakulam district, around 600 km from here, lived in fear as police forces continued raids to arrest those who were behind the violence. Hundreds of armed policemen were deployed in about a dozen villages and orders banning assembly of five or more persons were imposed to quell fresh protests against a proposed mega thermal power project. "A curfew-like situation is prevailing as security personnel are not allowing us to move out of our homes. There are policemen in every nook and corner, we are living in fear. Anything can happen any time," said a villager. Two fishermen were killed and dozens were wounded as police opened fire on protesters trying to obstruct construction work on the project, saying that it will harm the ecology and destroy their livelihood. Unconfirmed reports have put the death toll at four. About 150 people were injured in the clashes between stone-pelting protesters and police which used baton charge. The injured include 45 policemen. Nagarjuna Construction Company (NCC) is building the 2,640 MW electricity project at a cost of Rs.1,200 crore (USD 250 million). Farmers and fishermen of the region have been protesting against the project as it is coming up on 1,890 acre on a wetland and is close to the sea coast. They fear the project will destroy the ecology and will take away their livelihood.
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Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Election Commission censures Andhra Congress chief
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Andhra Pradesh CM Rosaiah New charge as Vice Chairman of SZC
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Rosaiah turn tables on TDP on river projects
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Names of ministers, ex-ministers and MPs to monitor AP bypoll
Hyderabad, Jul 13 : The AICC Secretary and Incharge of the Andhra Pradesh state affairs M Veerappa Moily today attached responsibilities of by-elections to the party leaders.Mr Moily wrote letters to the party leaders asking them to work for the party's victory. He named the incharges of each of the 12 Assembly segments where by-elections are being held now. The Sirpur segment is attached to the Minister Komatireddy Venkata Reddy, followed by Chennuru for Mukhesh Gowd, Manchiryala for Danam Nagender, Yellareddy for Sudarshan Reddy, Warangal West for Ponnala Lakshmaiah, Siddhipet for Geetha Reddy and Sarve Satyanarayana, Korutla for T Jeevan Reddy and R Venkata Reddy, Huzurabad for Ponnam Prabhakar, Dharmapuri for Jupalli Krishna Rao, Sirisilla for D Sridhar Babu, Sabita Indra Reddy and Damodara Raja Narasimha, Vemulavada for D K Aruna and Sunitha Lakshma Reddy and Nizamabad for Madhu Yashki. Mr Moily wanted them to stay in the respective constituency and work for the success of the party candidates. He wanted these leaders to take up the responsibility immediately and monitor the campaign, according a release from APCC here today. In addition to these leaders, Moily also named the campaign committees for each of the Assembly segments.
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Opposition's allegation on land allotment to poor
Hyderabad, Jul 13 : Amid noise in the Andhra Pradesh Assembly today, State Revenue Minister Dharmana Prasada Rao rejected the Opposition's allegation on injustice to the poor asserting that only solid work for landless poor was done over the last six years of the Congress regime.The House witnessed sharp exchanges over the regularisation of the habitations of the poor both in the rural and urban areas with the Oppositon parties allegeing the government discriminting against the poor and favouring ''big people.'' Speaker N Kiran Kumar Reddy who found Opposition members a bit uncontrollable on the issue, adjourned the House briefly then again for about 30 minutes later and called for a meeting of all the Floor Leaders in his chambers to enable completion of business in the House as its current session would end tomorrow with still ''a lot of business remaining''.However, when the House reassembled, J Ranga Reddy (CPI(M), Narsimlu (TDP) and G Kishen Reddy (BJP) alleged the government was deliberately showing bias towards the big and influential and was treating the poor with contempt rejecting their plea for regularisation of the land on which they have been living for a number of years.Majlis Members Rasool Khan and his party colleague alleged the minorities were being discriminated in the allocation of free sites for poor contending that not even three per cent of the allottees were from the minorities. They also cautioned the governemnt against giving wakf properties to the influential at the cost of the minorities.Minister Dharmana Prasada Rao, however, rejected the Opposition's contention, claiming that possibly for the first time in Andhra Pradesh the Rajasekhara Reddy Government brought two orders which were the most liberal and biased deliberately towards the poor.
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Jagan's tour evokes good response
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Rosaiah appointed Southern Zonal Council's vice chief
Hyderabad, July 13 : The central government has nominated Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister K. Rosaiah as the vice chairman of the Southern Zonal Council, which comprises Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and the union territory of Puducherry.Rosaiah, who succeeds Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.Karunanidhi, thanked the central government for the gesture, said a statement from the chief minister's office here Tuesday. The zonal councils were set up to bring out national integration, arrest the growth of acute state consciousness, regionalism, linguism and particularistic tendencies and enable the centre and the states to co-operate and exchange ideas and experiences.
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