The Hindu : Briefly

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Feb 12, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Briefly

Union Minister claims social transformation

HYDERABAD: The Union Labour Minister, Sahib Singh Verma, has claimed that the Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Government is mainly responsible for social transformation in the country.

It was only after the NDA came to power that the economically weaker sections felt confident, he told a meeting of street vendors and hawkers from the city, mostly belonging to the Pardhi community, organised by the BJP at the Indira Park on Wednesday.

He said petty vendors could now make a dignified living under the newly evolved social security system, which guaranteed them old-age pension of Rs. 500 and a pension of equal amount to the next of kin of the breadwinner in case of his death.

The Union Minister of State for Urban Development, B. Dattatreya, and the former Musheerabad MLA, K. Laxman, spoke.

Congress poser to TDP on Ayodhya

HYDERABAD: The Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) has asked the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) to explain its silence over the assertion of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) that it is for a temple at the disputed site of Ayodhya. The TDP could make no claims to its secular credentials while supporting the BJP, it said.

Talking to presspersons on Wednesday, Mohd. Jani, APCC spokesman, said the Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee's statement to that effect was a dangerous signal. The BJP would not hesitate to dump NDA allies and implement its Hindutva agenda once it secured majority on its own, it feared.

Arrangements in place for Mahasivaratri

HYDERABAD: Elaborate arrangements have been made by authorities of the Sri Bhramaramba Mallikarjuna Swamy Devasthanam, Srisailam, for Mahasivaratri Brahmotsavam to be organised from February 15 to 21.

Special programmes have been lined up on February 18, 19, 20 and 21 in connection with Mahasivaratri. The programmes include `Nandi Vahanaseva' at 7 p.m. on February 18 (Wednesday), which will conclude with `Kalyanotsavam'; `Sadasyam', `Nagavalli', `Chorotsavam' and `Mrugayotsavam' (February 19); `Poornahuti' `Vasantotsavam', `Trishulasnanam' (morning), `Dwajarohanam' and `Mookabali' (evening of February 20); `Pushpotsavam', `Shayanotsavam', `Vedaswasthi' and `Mahadashirvachanam' (February21).

Besides, there will be daily `Vahansaseva'. On February 18, there will be `Lingodbhavakala Maharudrabhishekam', `Pagalankarana', `Kalayotsavam' followed by `Radhotsavam' on Sivaratri, according to S. Raghavarao, Chairman, and C. Sridhar, Executive Officer, of the devasthanam.

Top BJP leaders for Tirupati meet

HYDERABAD: Over 350 State and district-level leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will attend the State executive meeting of the party at Tirupati on Friday.

The BJP president, M. Venkaiah Naidu, will be the chief guest. Among those who will participate will be the State president, N. Indrasena Reddy, State office-bearers and executive members, MPs and MLAs, district presidents and general secretaries, presidents and general secretaries of various morchas and convenors of cells.

Government asked to cut wasteful expenditure

HYDERABAD: The Andhra Pradesh Government Retired Employees' Association has suggested to the State Government to cut wasteful expenditure so that dearness allowance, which has not been released since July 1, 2001, could be paid to pensioners.

The association president, V. Narayana Reddy, and the general secretary, D. Hanumantha Reddy, in a statement issued on Wednesday, said that the Government's failure to initiate proper administrative measures was resulting in wasteful expenditure.

Naxals kill TDP activist

ANANTAPUR: Suspected People's War (PW) naxalites killed a Telugu Desam follower and former sympathiser, Chakali Veeramaddi (42), at Chandrigiri village in Penukonda mandal in the district on Wednesday.

According to the police, two armed naxalites went to Veeramaddi's house at around 4.30 p.m., called him out and shot him dead by branding him police informer. The naxalites were learnt to have released a list of 25 police informers in the district recently and Veeramaddi was said to be their first victim.

PW arms dump unearthed

KURNOOL: The police unearthed a weapons dump of the People's War (PW) near Nagaluti temple in the Nallamala forest of Kurnool district on Wednesday. According to the Superintendent of Police (SP), V.R.K. Mohan Rao, the weapons included 15 gelatine sticks, 30 detonators, a bundle of fuse wire, plastic sheets, olive green uniform, literature and diaries. He said that the police had intensified the search for weapons in the forest area following information. The weapons were concealed in a plastic bag. The SP called upon the extremists to surrender and assured them that there would not be any harassment.

Four naxals surrender

GUNTUR: Four militants of the People's War (PW), along with 70 part-timers and sympathisers, surrendered before the Gurujala Officer on Special Duty, G.V.G. Ashok Kumar, at Piduguralla in Guntur district on Wednesday.

The four militants were allegedly involved in several murder cases and had participated in encounters, while most of the sympathisers gave naxalites shelter and participated in their activities occasionally, the district police said.

Minor girl unharmed, says official

VIZIANAGARAM: The minor girl in the deaf and dumb residential school here, who has been absenting herself from the school for a long time, was brought here along with her parents from her native place in Srikakulam district for medical check-up in the Government hospital.

The Assistant Director (Disabled Welfare), D.G. Abraham, said he had collected a written statement from her parents saying that nothing untoward had happened to their daughter. He said the doctors, who examined her, also gave a clean chit.

Drought monitoring cells

Cuddapah: Thirteen drought monitoring cells have been constituted to monitor drinking water supply in rural areas and receive representations from people.The Superintending Engineer, Rural Water Supply (RWS), N. Veerabhadra Sarma, said on Wednesday that he would head the district-level cell while executive engineers would head the divisional-level cells at Cuddapah, Pulivendula and Rajampet Drought monitoring cells were also set up in nine Assembly constituency headquarters at Kamalapuram, Rayachoti, Lakkireddipalle, Rajampet, Kodur, Badvel, Pulivendula, Jammalamadugu and Proddatur, Mr. Sarma said.

Housing complex opened

KURNOOL: The chairperson of APSRTC and former MLA from Allagadda, Sobha Nagireddy, inaugurated the housing complex constructed under IAY programme at Pacharla village in Sirivel mandal of Kurnool district on Wednesday. A total of 60 housing units were constructed at a cost of Rs.17 lakhs. Ms. Sobha Nagireddy promised to provide pucca houses for all families in the village located in the interior Nallamala forest. Similarly, power supply, drinking water and school were promised. The Conservator of Forest, P.K. Jha, and others were present.

EVMs demonstrated

KURNOOL: Officials demonstrated the electronic voting machines (EVMs) to the representatives of political parties and field officers here on Wednesday. The Collector, Ajay Jain, asked MROs to conduct awareness camps for voters in the mandals. Experts explained to officers dos and don'ts while operating the EVMs. Later, a demonstration of the machine was made for representatives of parties. Mr. Gafoor of CPI(M) said that EVMs would give the voting pattern village-wise which might create some problem for voters. The DRO, Laxmikantham, the RDO Suryaprakash and others were present.

ST cell formed

KURNOOL: The Congress party formed the district ST cell at a function here on Wednesday. G. Venkata Swamy was named the chairman of the district Congress ST cell while other office-bearers are: P. Ramudu (general secretary), Subbarayudu (co-chairman), Ramachandrudu and Sivarao (secretaries). G. Maddaiah was named the chairman of city panel while Somla Naik and Maitribai will be the general secretary and secretary respectively.

Food festival

TIRUPATI: A `Biriyani mela', meant to coincide with the Valentine's week, began at Hotel Bliss here on Wednesday. The five-day food festival offers 21 varieties of vegetarian and non-vegetarian handi biryanis, said the hotel's executive director, M. Balakrishna Reddy, in a release. On February 14, the highlights will be the `Dine and enjoy the dance', `moonlight' and `candle light dinner' besides a dance performance by Teja and troupe, the release added.

Power theft

Hyderabad: The DPE team of the Central Power Distribution Company conducted raids in industrial services in Talabkatta and Gaganpahad areas of Ranga Reddy district on February 8 and detected three major cases of power pilferage amounting to Rs. 36 lakhs.

AIDS awareness

NIZAMABAD: An AIDS awareness programme was organised in the Kshatriya College of Engineer, Chepur near Armoor, on Wednesday.

Following directions from the district Collector, all professional colleges were asked to organise awareness programmes on the dreaded disease and its preventive aspects. A professor of the Christian Medical College, Dichpalli, Pathak, explained various stages in the dissemination of AIDS and HIV.

Health camps for children

NIZAMABAD: The Nizamabad chapter of Indian Academy of Paediatrics is organising a health camp jointly with the Art of Living teachers for child labourers at a school run by Mathoshri Vrudhashram Trust at Sarangapur on the outskirts of the town on Thursday. Another health camp under the aegis of the Nizamabad chapter president, Chakradhar, would be organised for inmates of the ST boys hostel at Bhainsa of Adilabad district on February 15.

Illegal liquor sale

WARANGAL: The Prohibition and Excise Superintendent, A.V. Narasimha Rao, has urged the public to pass on the information about those resorting to illegal sale of liquor in the district. After the special raids conducted by the personnel, all shops without licences had been closed. However, some traders were still continuing illegal sale. Any information about them may be passed on to the Prohibition and Excise officer over telephone; 2577502 or to any of the police station.

Teachers' list for valuation

WARANBGAL: The District Education Officer has said the list of teachers for the SSC valuation has been finalised and the same has been displayed on the notice board at the office. Principals and headmasters may approach him for corrections in the list, if any, he said.

Training on EVM handling

KARIMNAGAR: A training programme on the usage and handling of electronic voting machines (EVMs) the district officials and revenue authorities was organised here on Wednesday. The officials from Hyderabad have displayed EVMs and its functioning to district authorities. The officials were also informed about the dos and don'ts of EVMs. The Collector, Sumita Dawra, the Joint Collector, M Dana Kishore, the DRO, Gangaram, also participated.

Man robbed of cash

WARANGAL: An unidentified person snatched away a bag containing Rs. one lakh from one Lakshminarayana near the Corporation Bank at Warangal Crossroads this afternoon. According to the Central Crime Station (CCS) CI, K. Dakshinamurthy, Mr. Lakshminaryana withdrew the cash from the bank and was about to start his two- wheeler. Meanwhile, a stranger drew his attention stating that he had lost his money. As Lakshminarayana tried to pick up the notes, the person made away with the cash bag.

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