The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Hathway at it again

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jul 20, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Hathway at it again

IT'S THE same old story again. Repeated with such boring and irritating regularity on one side and the authorities sitting enigmatically silent on the other.

The continuing money tussle between Star Sports and cable operator, Hathway, has once again `succeeded' with all audacity in telecasting blank screens to a majority of the city's sports lovers even as their favourite cricket stars are battling it out in Sri Lanka.

It was just the same during World Cup Cricket, during the high voltage Indo-Pak series, and recently during the Euro 2004 soccer as well.

Now, with the Asia Cup also being denied to the city's viewers, the question remains, will this murky business ever have an end? And do the customers have to pay for what they are not given? The Information and Broadcasting officials seem to be in deep slumber. Rest in peace.

* * *

THE CHIEF Minister, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, is said to be a stickler to time and one who does not believe wasting it too much on long winding speeches and endless meetings that showcase oratorial skills of the vain and more importantly, sycophants. So much so he prefers going about his work in a businesslike fashion and at whirlwind speed.

At the United Teachers Forum meeting here on Monday, he was ill at ease as one of the speakers talked a mile on the mike and the Chief Minister made his displeasure clear to the School Education Minister, N. Rajyalakshmi. He went on to wrap up the meeting in 20 minutes flat much to the delight of the media personnel who otherwise have to endure meetings that are nothing short of a marathon.

Even at a recent meeting to review various city projects, the Chief Minister was terse from the word go. He gave the photographers a few minutes for their work and flashed a thanksgiving smile at them.

Got the message?

* * *

THE CHIEF Minister, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, held two successive review meetings last week.

The first one for acquainting himself with the needs of Rangareddy district and another about the twin cities itself.

While issues like drinking water, underground sewerage, roads development, etc. were brought to his notice by the respective MLAs, Ministers and officials, there was a sour note.

That was because the State Government deliberately or otherwise ignored the elected council of Municipal Corporation of Hyderabad that has a Mayor and 100 corporators including the Deputy Mayor and Standing Committee Chairperson.

A slighted Mayor T. Krishna Reddy, expressing his disappointment over not being invited, hoped that the Government would also take the views of corporators into consideration when such a meeting is held again.

"I was the chairman of Hyderabad Urban Development Authority for some years and I too have some ideas for the city's development," he bemoaned. A Government that professes autonomy to local bodies certainly can do better.

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By Dennis Marcus Mathew, K.V.S.Madhav and V. Geetanath

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