The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Briefly

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Sep 07, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Briefly

YSR `second best Chief Minister'

HYDERABAD: The Chief Minister, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, has been voted the second "best Chief Minister for "his modest image" in the India Today-ORG MARG Mood of the Nation Poll. The Orissa Chief Minister, Naveen Patnaik has been ranked as "The Best." In the write-up on the rankings of various Chief Ministers based on the poll, the magazine said an honest, clean and credible image has become more important than the record of economic performance as the key parameter in accounting for the popularity of Chief Ministers. "The key to popularity seems to lie in a clean and credible image, " it noted.It mentioned that Dr. Reddy still prefers to wait at traffic signals on Hyderabad's roads to moving in a convoy. "Even during the campaign to defeat his formidable rival, the TDP's N. Chandrababu Naidu, who jetting across the State, (Dr.) Reddy travelled extensively on foot, including several long stretches."

The weekly also stated that Dr. Reddy has more balanced strategy for bringing about Andhra Pradesh's development, unlike "Naidu's obsession with the IT sector." Troubled by the spate of suicides, he has promised to focus on agriculture, provide free power to farmers and bring 65 lakh acres under irrigation in the next five years. "However, the emphasis on agriculture is not at the cost of industry."

Farm labourer dies of starvation?

KARIMNAGAR: An agricultural labourer has reportedly died of starvation and ill health in the interior Yamanpalli village of Mahamutharam mandal on Monday. Reports reaching here said the labourer, Gogo Bakkamallaiah (50), had no employment for last 15 days. Bakkamallaiah, who was living alone, did not have food for last four days.

Plea to check fake certificates

HYDERABAD: The Chairman of the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC), Ram Surat Singh, on Monday said employee welfare associations for other backward classes (OBCs) should be vigilant and see to it that people did not take advantage of reservations by producing fake certificates. He recalled instances in Gujarat, where about 30,000 fake certificates surfaced every year and said that the onus was on the associations to monitor the issue of certificates. He was speaking to liaison officers representing public sector undertakings, banks and the Railways at a meet organised by the Andhra Pradesh Confederation of OBC Employees Welfare Association.

The president of the confederation, K. Jaya Prasad, rued the "step-motherly'' treatment meted out to OBC employees in several PSUs. Reservations were there `officially," but implementation was a cause of concern, he said.

8 claymore mines recovered

KURNOOL: The police dug out eight powerful directional claymore mines near Bandi Atmakur in the district on Monday. According to reports, each explosive weighing four kilos and containing two electric detonators were buried two meters away from the road margin. The mines were believed to have been planted four months ago on the eve of elections. The Superintendent of Police, V.R.K. Mohan Rao, said the explosives could have left a trail of devastation if detonated.

Four landmines unearthed

The police unearthed four landmines at Regidi village under Neelakantapuram police station limits in Kurupam mandal of Vizianagaram district. The landmines -- two weighing 7 kg each and two 5 kg each -- were connected parallel to each other in a radius of eight feet with a 20-metre electric wire and planted below a foot track leading to Tulasi village, said the Superintendent of Police, Swati Lakra. At a press conference here, Ms. Lakra said the mines must have been planted a few weeks ago by the Aviri local guerrilla squad.

Transco readies master plan

HYDERABAD: The Transmission Corporation of Andhra Pradesh Limited (Transco) has finalised a comprehensive master plan to expedite the ongoing transmission and distribution projects to further improve supply to consumers, particularly in the rural areas. Priority will be given to complete 400 kv sub-stations and lines of Vemagiri, Nellore, Chittoor, Mahabubnagar, Ditchpally, Gajwel and Narsaraopet with 2X315 mva capacity power transformers. Giving details of the master plan at a coordination committee meeting with CMDs of discoms, directors and senior officers here on Monday, Rachel Chatterjee, Chairman and Managing Director, said Vemagiri sub-station, near Rajahmundry, was programmed to be commissioned by December this year along with those at Nellore, Chittoor and Mahabubnagar.

The CMDs of discoms -- Heeralal Samaria, G. Sai Prasad, K. Ranganadham and P. Gopal Reddy -- made separate presentations on the progress of distribution works and the strategy to meet the growing demand.

Don't repeal POTA: Togadia

HYDERABAD: The general secretary of Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Praveen Togadia, has criticised the Centre's move to repeal POTA and said such a step would only encourage anti-national forces.

Addressing a meeting of VHP workers at Srisailam on his visit to the town for a holy dip in the Krishna in connection with the ongoing pushkarams, Mr. Togadia said POTA was the only instrument in the hands of the Government to check the activities of anti-national forces. It was because of the absence of similar laws that the militants who killed 70,000 civilians and 12,000 military and paramilitary forces in Jammu and Kashmir went scot-free.

He said he had visited Srisailam to offer prayers to Lord Shiva, the presiding deity at the Mallikarjuna Swamy temple in the town, seeking protection of Hindu dharma and unity of Hindu society.

Workshop on Sanskrit

VISAKHAPATNAM: A workshop on Sanskrit language in colleges will be held at Dr.V.S. Krishna Government College here on September 16. The workshop is aimed at bringing together language lecturers to exchange views on new syllabus, record suggestions, and help lecturers in enriching their knowledge in general and teaching skills in particular, according to the Reader in Sanskrit at the college, I. Srinivasa Rao. Details can be had telephone nos: 0891-2713982, 9849314952 or email at srivaturi@hotmail.com

Vivekananda fete today

NELLORE: The Vivekananda Pratibha Puraskar is to be held at the Town Hall, Nellore, at 4.30 p.m on Tuesday under the auspices of the local unit of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP). The top three rankers in various examinations will be honoured in the presence of distinguished guests.

Rythu Coolie Sangham meet

NELLORE: The first meeting of the district level Rythu Coolie Sangham (RCS) will be held at Rapur at 1 p.m. on Wednesday. The meeting, which is to be followed by a public meeting in the evening, is to focus on relief to debt ridden farmers, release of water for irrigation and distribution of surplus land, including those under the Endowment Department. The RCS is of the view that the packages announced by the State Government to help the farming community were of no use.

Drama festival in Nellore

NELLORE: The sixth State level Y. Kameswara Rao memorial drama festival will be held at the Town Hall here for three days from September 10. It will be under the joint auspices of Vijetha Arts and Siddartha Arts Academy.

New rule on pension flayed

MADANAPALLE: The Pensioners' Association president, Vijaya Raj, and secretary, P. Krishna Murthy, have condemned the decision of the Government to change the conditions under which pension would be given to future Government employees. They said 40 years of service to the public must be recognised and pension given as usual.

`Ensure auto meter system'

MADANAPALLE: The former Municipal Councillor, R. Sivaram, has said that auto rickshaws in Madanapalle had no meters and most drivers did not even have licence. He urged the police and transport officials to take action against them.

New principal

NELLORE: G. Mary Hema Prabha has assumed charge as the Principal of D.K. Government College for Women in Nellore. She was transferred from the Government Degree College in Udayagiri.

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