The Hindu : Briefly

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Mar 22, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Briefly

Award for writer

TIRUPATI: SET, a Chirala-based cultural organisation has announced a literary award `Lalithakala Tapasvi' to V. S. Raghavachari, a Tirupati-based writer and stage artiste, who also runs, a cultural monthly `Kaladeepika'. The SET founder chairman, A. V. Subba Rao, stated in a release that Mr. Raghavachari would be felicitated and the award presented at the 5th annual awards function to be held in Chirala on June 6. Anju Yadav, Sub-Inspector of Police, Satyavedu, will be presented the `Seva Ratna' award on the occasion.

Lok Adalat

MADANAPALLE: J. Umadevi, District Additional Judge and Legal Literacy Association chairperson, said in the Lok Adalat held on March 20, a total of 11 cases were settled and an amount of Rs. 2,53,900 paid as compensation. The senior civil judge, N. Malayadri, the Lok Adalat member, S. V. Raghavan, and others were present.

Tomato exports

MADANAPALLE: A total of 163 lorry loads of tomatoes have been sent to the eastern mandals of Chittoor district and the other districts. An estimated Rs. 47,20,000 was paid to the farmers for the yield, according to officials were paid. Purchase tokens would be given to peasants and it had been decided to export at least six lorry loads everyday from Monday.

Training camp for RTC staff

MADANAPALLE: The RTC Divisional Manager, Chittoor, G. Srihari, has called upon the RTC staff to make efforts to improve the corporation's revenue. He also stressed the need to be courteous with commuters

He was speaking at the valedictory of a training programme organised for the staff of Kuppam, Madanapalle-I, Madanapalle-II, and B.Kothakota depots. The assistant manager, C. Ramachandra Rao, the depot manager-II, V. T. Naidu, the assistant manager (traffic) K. L. N. Reddy, spoke.

Muslim Forum backs Congress

NELLORE: A meeting of Simhapuri Muslim Forum here on Sunday decided to support the Congress in the coming elections. It was also decided not to back independents, thereby avoiding splitting of votes.

House tax exemption

NELLORE: The State Government has exempted ex-servicemen and widows living in their own houses in panchayat limits, from paying the house tax. All the concerned have been requested to make use of the facility.

Open house

KURNOOL: The Central Excise Department will hold an open house session for providers of various services, which attract service tax, here on March 23. The service providers who have not yet been registered with the department could do it at the session.

Exhibition inaugurated

KURNOOL: The Kurnool Mayor, L. Feroz Begum, inaugurated the 24th All-India Industrial and Agriculture Exhibition here on Sunday. The secretary of the society and former MLA, T.G. Venkatesh, who presided over the function, said the society would provide free transportation to carry the mortal remains of the dead to the burial ground. It would also help the families carry out the last rites. The secretary offered Rs. 10 lakhs for building an indoor sports stadium for women if the municipal corporation provided land. The programme was followed by Ugadi Sammelan and panchanga sravanam.

BCs' open letter to

CM on scholarships

HYDERABAD: Representatives of 27 backward class organisations in an `open letter' to the Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu, today demanded release of scholarships as the academic year was coming to an end by the month-end.

R. Krishnaiah, president, Andhra Pradesh BC Welfare Association, and leaders of other organisations said none of the 2.75 lakh students who had applied for scholarships this year had been paid.

While seeking immediate release of the budget, they expressed concern that students may be forced to discontinue their studies if scholarships were not released.

The letter stated that this year's budget on fees had been cut from Rs.14 crores to Rs.5.8 crores. It pleaded for restoration of the amount and sanction of an additional Rs.20 crores to meet the needs of students.

ANGRAU brings out

almanac

HYDERABAD: "Taarana vyavasaya panchangam" (agricultural almanac) brought out by the Acharya N.G.Ranga Agricultural University was released here on Sunday by the Secretary, Agriculture, S.P.Singh, who is also the acting Vice-Chancellor of the university.

Addressing the gathering, Mr. Singh said the publication would be useful to farmers as a guide, the department and scientists. He said functionaries of the department and scientists would work together to do everything for the welfare of farmers in the State.

Satyanarayana, director of extension wing, presided. D. Ramachandra Reddy, principal agricultural information officer, spoke.

Brahmotsavam begins in Rama temple

TIRUPATI: The Sri Kodandarama temple, ravaged by fire on Saturday, has been restored to normalcy. TTD authorities and local devotees are dubbing the unfortunate incident as a sign of ill omen. The fire, said to have emanated from a short circuit, was spread further with wooden logs supporting the huge pandals catching fire. The pandals were specially erected for Brahmotsavam, which commenced in the morning today. Though the temple complex had over 500 devotees at the time of the mishap, none was injured. The deity of Lord Rama, which was at the `Uyyala mandapam' was unaffected. With rescue operations completed only in midnight, temple priests performed the rituals like `Samprokshanam' and `Santihomam' between 3.30 a.m. and 7a.m., besides the initiatory rituals for the Brahmotsavam like `Ankurarpanam' and `Dhwajarohanam' later.

The temple vicinity was totally cleaned up and new pandals erected on a war-footing. The Executive Officer, Ajeya Kallam, visited the temple again on Sunday morning and supervised the activities.

CDs on Carnatic music released

HYDERABAD: The Prasar Bharati on Sunday released cassettes of Carnatic classical music (vocal) by the late Voleti Venkateswarlu and light and devotional lyrics of the late Devulapalli Venkata Krishna Sastry. The function, held in the Jubilee Hall here, turned into a veritable feast for music lovers, as local singers rendered at least half-a-dozen old songs penned by Krishna Sastry.

The singers, who included Bindu, Nityasantoshini, Sasikala, N.C. Karunya and Hemachandra, drew applause as they sang the unforgettable numbers. While a former Station Director of the All India Radio, Balantrapu Rajanikantha Rao, released a CD and a cassette containing the classical music (vocal) by Voleti Venkateswarlu, the playback singer, S.P. Balasubrahmanyam, released CDs/cassettes containing the light and devotional lyrics of Devulapalli Venkata Krishna Sastry. The first copies of both the products were received by veteran playback singer, P.B. Sreenivos. Among others present were the Chief Executive Officer of Prasar Bharati, K.S. Sarma, the Director, Marketing, M. Sailaja Suman and Prayaga Ramakrishna.

Naxals blast guesthouse

VISAKHAPATNAM: Extremists of the People's War, which is observing a protest week, blasted the guesthouse of the Forest Department at Sarbannapalem village in Koyyuru mandal in the district on Sunday. According to rural police sources, the building was blasted around 7.30 p.m. There were no casualties, according to initial reports.

Shiv Sena releases list

HYDERABAD: The State unit of Shiv Sena to day released the first list of its candidates to contest two Lok Sabha (Nalgonda, Mahbubnagar) and eight Assembly seats. The Assembly seats it is contesting are -- Nalgonda, Mahbubnagar, Hyderabad, Medak, Cuddapah and Ranga Reddy districts, a press release issued Bijji Babu Rao, president, said.

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