The Hindu : Briefly

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jan 22, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Briefly

Congress flays CM on quality power promise

Hyderabad: The Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee has taken exception to the promises of the caretaker Government and said it will be better if the Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu, explains to people the reasons for his failure to implement his previous election manifesto.

Referring to the Chief Minister's promise on quality power, the chief spokesperson of the party, K. Rosaiah, said here on Wednesday that Mr. Naidu owed an apology to farmers for putting them to hardship in every conceivable form.

The crisis in power sector due to the World Bank conditionalities had worsened their situation. Irregular or no power supply had affected the farming activity to a great extent in the State.

Mr. Rosaiah said the Telugu Desam which had earlier demanded 13 hours of uninterrupted power supply during the Congress Government, had failed to provide even six hours of quality power supply.

Hike in compensation for crop damage sought

HYDERABAD: Terming the compensation for the crop damaged in cyclone `inadequate,' the Federation of Farmers' Associations has demanded that the amount be raised to Rs. 12,500 per hectare or Rs. 325 crores for the State.

In a representation sent to the Central Government's Cyclone Damage Assessment Committee, P. Chengal Reddy and M. Sitaramaswamy, chairman and president of the federation, said when the actual loss suffered by farmers was Rs. 20,000 to Rs. 25,000 per hectare, the Government was paying Rs. 1250 per hectare or just 5 per cent of the loss.

They have also demanded a Rs. 725-crore package for affected farmers and farm labourers and procurement of the entire stock of damaged paddy by relaxing the existing norms.

Two women found dead

Cuddapah: Two unidentified women were found dead in front of a shop at Brahmamgari Matham town, a religious centre, on Wednesday. The police suspected that the women might have committed suicide by consuming pesticide as froth was emanating from their mouths.

The matham watchman, Subbarayudu, found the bodies and informed the matham manager, Penchalaiah, according to the police.

The Sub-Inspector, M.V. Prasad, registered a case and investigation is on.

Matrimonial convention on February 1

HYDERABAD: A State-level Brahmin matrimonial convention will be organised on February 1 at Tyagaraya Gana Sabha here by the city-based MGK Numerology Research Foundation.

M. Gopikrushna, founder-director, said in a press release that the meet would provide compatibility tips and remedies for quick marriages. P.V. Manohar Rao, brother of the former Prime Minister, P.V. Narasimha Rao, is among the guests invited. Details can be obtained from the foundation (Tel. No. 5563186, 94404-74613).

Indrasena Reddy favours simultaneous polls

Rajahmundry: The State BJP president, N. Indrasena Reddy, on Wednesday strongly advocated simultaneous elections to the Assembly and the Lok Sabha asserting that such a step would have a number of advantages like reduction of expenditure and absence of uncertainty.

Speaking to newsmen here, Mr. Indrasena Reddy said that the BJP took up the issue as part of its electoral reforms.

Mr. Indrasena Reddy charged the Congress with forging `unprincipled alliances' with all, including parties like MIM and Telangana Rashtra Samithi, with the sole aim of capturing power. When asked whether the BJP was not guilty of the same charge, Mr. Indrasena Reddy argued that right from the beginning, the BJP had been advocating coalition politics and proved that such concept could be made successful. He also addressed a meeting of the party city unit executive where he urged the cadre to work unitedly. Later, he and other leaders visited a `doll show' at Bommuru.

Indo-Pak cultural society's plea to Prime Minister

HYDERABAD: The Indo-Pak Jubilee Cultural Society has appealed to the Prime Minister, A.B. Vajpayee, to choose Hyderabad as the venue of the next round of bilateral dialogue to end terrorism and usher in an era of trade, peace and prosperity.

In a letter written to the Prime Minister, the society's convenor, K.B. Tilak, has hailed the recent peace initiatives, the `Islamabad Declaration' and SAFTA agreement. He said the Pakistan President, Pervez Musharaff, and the Prime Minister, Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali, would also be invited to Hyderabad (Deccan).

Anticipatory bail for woman cop

Cuddapah: Anju Yadav, sub-inspector of Poothalapattu in Chittoor district, her elder brother, Ramanjaneyulu, and their parents were on Wednesday granted anticipatory bail by the Proddatur Second Additional Sessions Judge in a dowry harassment case.

Anju Yadav shot into fame with reports that she was the first police official to attend on the Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu, immediately after the claymore mine blast on his convoy at Alipiri last year.

Her sister-in-law, Chavali Vijaya, who allegedly left her husband, Ramanjaneyulu, an APSRTC conductor, four years ago, lodged a complaint with the Yerraguntla police in November last alleging dowry harassment by him and his family members. The Yerraguntla police registered a case against Ramanjaneyulu, the SI, and parents under Sections 498 A, 506 IPC and provisions of Dowry Prohibition Act. On hearing the arguments put forth by advocates -- A. Sampath Kumar and Ramakondaiah -- on a petition seeking anticipatory bail, the Second Additional Sessions Judge granted anticipatory bail on the condition that they should produce the required sureties in the Yerraguntla police station.

Efforts to save tribal culture

TIRUPATI: With a view to improving the social status of the Yanadis, a tribal sect, and to preserve and perpetuate their culture and heritage, the local voluntary organisation, CARE has conducted awareness programmes in three select villages in Tatikona area near Tirupati. G. Ranga Reddy, Secretary of CARE has said that the NGO was making efforts with the help of central assistance to preserve and propagate the Yanadi tribe's customs and art.

APUSP works to be taken up

CHITTOOR: The district Collector, Giridhar, has said that works worth Rs. 13 crores would be taken up in Chittoor and Tirupati municipalities under APUSP. Talking to press reporters here on Wednesday he said the Government would release Rs. 5.70 crores to Chittoor municipality and Rs. 7.34 crores to Tirupati municipality for executing works.

Water supply to kharif crop

NELLORE: Consequent to last month's decision at the Irrigation Advisory Committee meeting, to supply water to kharif crop on 1.69 lakh acres, joint teams have been constituted to implement the advisory committee's resolutions. Accordingly 28 engineers in Nellore Central sub-division have been provided with the facility to enable farmers to contact them in case of necessity.

Dharna by sarpanches

Cuddapah: Farmers and sarpanches staged a dharna in front of the Porumamilla MRO office on Wednesday, demanding declaration of the mandal as drought-affected. Addressing the protesters, the Porumamilla mandal parishad president, P. Nagarjuna Reddy, of Congress, said farmers of the mandal were in distress owing to a severe drought for the last five years and many ryots had turned labourers due to lack of irrigation water. The sarpanches -- Ramanaiah, Tirupal Reddy, Gurrayya, Gurivi Reddy, Ravi and Ramaswamy -- the Congress leader, Thimma Reddy, and the TDP leader, Narayana Reddy, also participated.

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Andhra Pradesh