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Sunday, Nov 28, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Briefly

Bhale Rao appointed Special Commissioner, Land Administration

HYDERABAD: The senior IAS officer, S. Bhale Rao, whose suspension was recently revoked, has been posted Special Commissioner, Office of the Chief Commissioner, Land Administration. In a minor reshuffle of IAS postings, the Chief Secretary issued orders on Saturday transferring and posting several others including Urmila Subba Rao, who was posted Chairman, Godavari Valley Development Authority. Priyadarshi Dash is the Principal Secretary, Animal Husbandry, Dairy Development and Fisheries Department while B. Venkatesham will be the new Deputy Secretary, Revenue Department. The Joint Collector of Vizianagaram, D.Vara Prasad, has been appointed Vice-Chairman, Visakhapatnam Urban Development Authority vice D. Srinivasulu who has been transferred. Siddharth Jain and Smita Das have been posted as project officer ITDA, Paderu and project director DRDA, Cuddapah respectively. Syed Ali Murtaza Rizvi has been posted Joint Collector-II, Ranga Reddy.

Mystery over miner's death

KHAMMAM: Mystery shrouds the death of a coal worker in 5B mine in Kothagudem area of Singareni Collieries on Saturday. Punem Venkateswarlu (44) He was working near the conveyor belt meant for lifting coal from the mine. The authorities are yet to ascertain whether it was an accidental death.

Rubber slippers for Dalit kids

Hyderabad: The Government has decided to distribute rubber slippers to Dalit children of social welfare hostels. "It will give dignity to them," a senior official said on Saturday. The scheme, costing Rs.1.2 crores, would benefit 2.5 lakh children pursuing education from 2,312 social welfare hostels from classes one to ten. The Commissioner, Social Welfare, P. Sundar Kumar, said the distribution was in final stage and was scheduled to be completed by December 31.

AIDS education programme

HYDERABAD: The winter session of Assembly next month will discuss ways to introduce AIDS education programme in schools. This was announced by M.V. Ramana Rao and K. Nagesh who represent the 16-member core group of MLAs on HIV/AIDS here on Saturday. They said the forum was formed to step up the role of public representatives in HIV/AIDS prevention initiatives.

Congress MPs' meet on Nov. 30

Hyderabad: The Chief Minister, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, will meet MPs' of his party on November 30 to urge them to take up developmental issues relating to the State during winter session of Parliament. Dr. Reddy is expected to discuss issues related to irrigation, industrial development, Central clearances for projects and procurement of loans. The proposed meeting assumes significance in the backdrop of controversy over irrigation tenders.

Viral fever toll rises to 9

CUDDAPAH: Viral fever and malaria claimed two more lives at Chintakommadinne mandal on Friday evening taking the death toll to nine in the last five days. A pregnant woman, Kesineni Ramasubbamma (28) of Rasoolpalle Dalitawada, who was suffering from malaria for over a week, died in Cuddapah Government Hospital. Peddaboyina Rajamma (28), who recently delivered a child, died of viral fever.

SP denies role in tribals' desertion

ADILABAD: The Adilabad SP, Kripanand Tripathi Ujela, on Saturday asserted that the district police have noting to with tribal families of Chalbadi in Kerameri mandal deserting the village earlier this week. He said the police had not visited the village in the last six months and as such had no role in the tribals' desertion. The SP said tribal families, especially those of Kolam tribe, had been deserting the village due to harassment by one Korenga Govind Rao, whom the police had sought to question regarding his links with naxalites.

Fake Gulf job racket busted

KARIMNAGAR: The special branch police cell constituted to check cheating by fake Gulf travel agents arrested an agent, who had deceived five villagers promising lucrative jobs in Dubai on Saturday. Stating this to newsmen here on Saturday, the cell Sub-Inspectors -- Ganpathi Jadav and Ramesh Babu -- said a Mumbai-based fake travel agent had released an advertisement in local media promising attractive jobs. Responding to the advertisement, five villagers - B. Srinivas, Devender, K. Shiva Shankar, D. Narsaiah and Tirupathi of Mustabad mandal -- sent their bio-date through fax. The fake company sent telegrams to the villagers stating that they had been selected and asked them to come to Mumbai for medical tests. In Mumbai, one person, Sheik Naseeruddin, collected money towards medical tests, certificates and passports. The second instalment was given to the fake agent at Nampally railway station in Hyderabad for the issuance of visas. A total of Rs. 1.95 lakhs was collected by the agent promising visas. When the visas did not come even after a month, they rang up the agent who demanded an additional Rs.10,000 each. Sensing some foul play, they approached the SP, Rajiv Ratan. The special team went to Mumbai and arrested Naseeruddin. Four other agents were at large.

Mob `attack' on police station

NELLORE: A mob laid a siege to Venkatagiri police station on Saturday demanding that a suspicious death case booked previously be turned into murder case. A 20-year-old youth was found dead near Venkatagiri two months ago. At that time, it was presumed to be a suspicious death and the viscera was sent to forensic laboratory, Guntur, for analysis. A report is still awaited. In the meanwhile, the theory of the youth was `murdered' by a gang of sandalwood smugglers gained credence. Also, non-receipt of laboratory report added to suspicion among families of the aggrieved. They staged a dharna and laid a siege to the police station.

Girl consumes pesticide, dies

KURNOOL: A two-year-old girl, Mahabub Bi, died after consuming pesticide granules at Pullapuram in Devanakonda mandal in Kurnool district on Saturday. Two other children were hospitalised. According to reports, the children, who were taken to the field, popped pesticide granules without the knowledge of elders. One died on the spot while two others aged three and one were hospitalised in a serious condition.

Plea to set up fact-finding panel

HYDERABAD: Piratla Venkateswarlu, convenor, Citizen's Forum for Democracy, on Saturday demanded a CBI probe and setting up of a fact-finding panel to enquire into incidents relating to the CPI (Maoists) and the police in the last six months. In a statement here, Mr. Venkateswarlu, who is a member of the monitoring committee, said the fact-finding committee should have "unbiased" intellectuals.

Media convenors of APCC

Hyderabad: The Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee president, K. Keshava Rao, appointed T. Sammi Reddy and Gidugu Rudraraju as media convenors of the APCC with immediate effect here on Saturday.

Ramagundam records 13 C

Hyderabad: Owing to the presence of trough in the sea off the coast, there was rain on Saturday. Nellore recorded a rainfall of 3 cm and Kavali and Tirupati 2 cm each. The lowest temperature of 13 degree Celsius was recorded by Ramagundam. Weather will be mainly dry in the State on Sunday.

Former V-C felicitated

TIRUPATI: P. Murali, the former Vice-Chancellor of SV University, who stepped down recently on completion of his term, was felicitated at an official function here on Friday. Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Murali admitted to his failure in getting promotions to teaching staff under CAS, reducing the instant exam fee from Rs. 1,000 and getting the NMRs into the Provident Fund net, hoping that his successor would take up the unfinished task. The former V-C of SK University, K.Venkat Reddy, the SVU EC members, K. Srinivasulu Naidu and E. Satyanarayana, the Registrar, J. Pratap Reddy, and others also spoke.

Telugu play to be staged

NELLORE: A play produced by the Spandana Theatre, Ongole, Padamati Gali (Western Wind), will be staged at Kasturba Kalakshetram, Nellore, from December 2 to 5, from 6.15 p.m. onwards. The play aims at educating farmers, thereby weaning them away from attempts to commit suicide. Staging of the play is part of the Government's plans to put a stop to the increasing number of suicides.

Farmers' plea on power supply

NELLORE: Farmers of Seetaramapuram have sought a change in power supply timings. Presently power was being supplied from 2 a.m. to 10 a.m. and they felt staying in the fields in the wee hours was hazardous in view of the movement of poisonous creatures in the area. They requested the authorities to supply power from 5 a.m. onwards.

Price fixed for cane suppliers

CHITTOOR: Cane suppliers to Chittoor Cooperative Sugar Factory during this season will be paid Rs. 900 per tonne of cane besides free transport within 24 hours of its supply, says the Managing Director, Bhaskar Reddy. Addressing a press conference here on Saturday he said the Government had released Rs. 12 crores for this purpose. Those who supplied cane to the factory during this season would be given seed on subsidy for raising the crop the next season.

Ex gratia for ryot's family

CUDDAPAH: The bereaved family of a farmer, Gangireddigari Ramakrishna Reddy, who committed suicide in Settivaripalle village in Mydukur mandal, was granted ex gratia of Rs. 1.5 lakhs under the special relief package, the Collector, Jayesh Ranjan, said on Saturday. The ex gratia, including Rs. 50,000 for one-time settlement of his debts, was sanctioned on the recommendation of a tripartite committee that the farmer ended his life owing to agricultural losses, he said in a statement on Saturday.

Workshop on EAMCET

WARANGAL: The Kakatiya University Vice-Chancellor, V. Gopal Reddy, has urged representatives of students' unions, professional bodies' and parents to attend the workshop on `EAMCET' examination to be held on November 29 at Arts college premises.

Prof Reddy said in view of the ongoing debate over necessity of the entrance examination for admission into engineering courses and increased number of colleges, the Government has decided to elicit views from various sections of the society.

Award for NCC officer

KARIMNAGAR: The SRR College chemistry department Reader and NCC officer, B. Madhusudhan Reddy, has been selected for the prestigious NCC Directorate special award for his outstanding service in the enrolment of youth into the NCC and sending them for various national and other camps.

The award would be presented on Sunday, the NCC Day in Secunderabad by the Chief Minister, Y.S Rajashekhara Reddy. He also received the best NCC officer award in the Nizamabad group for the second consecutive year.

BJP activists' cycle rally

ADILABAD: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) activists on Saturday took out a cycle rally in Adilabad town to seek support of the people for the November 30 State bandh.

The bandh has been called by the BJP to focus on the problems faced by farmers in the State. The rally was flagged off by the party's district unit president, T. Narayan Reddy. The rally passed through important thoroughfares in the town like Punjab chowk, Ambedkar chowk, Gandhi chowk etc.

Andhra Bank mega campaign

WARANGAL: As part of its `Mega campaign' Andhra Bank proposes to organise a two-day exhibition at Town Hall, Public Gardens from November 29.

According to the zonal manager, T. Upender Reddy. several stalls would be put up by the bank, automobile dealers, retailers selling household articles, jewellers and among others. At the stalls to be set up by the bank, visitors would be apprised about the procedures of obtaining loans for housing, education and business.

CPI leader's appeal

NALGONDA: The district secretary of the Communist Party of India(CPI), Palla Venkat Reddy, called upon the party cadre to get ready to fight for solving people's problems.

Addressing the CPI town unit's eighth conference here on Saturday, the Munugode MLA said the Government has failed to provide even the basic needs of people such as drinking water, roads and ration cards.

The CPI leaders--M. Adi Reddy and V. Ratnakar Rao--also spoke.

Pharmacists stage rally

MAHABUBNAGAR: The district Collector, M. Jagadeeshwar, flagged off a rally by pharmacists at the Town Hall here on Saturday.

The rally was taken out in connection with the national pharmacy week celebrations. The rally was organised jointly by the District Chemists and Druggists Association and Sarojini Ramulamma College of Pharmacy.

Speaking on the occasion the Collector urged pharmacists to educate people on the usage of medicines.

Over 70 pharmacists donated blood on the occasion.

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