The Hindu : Front Page : More helipads being laid at ANGRAU

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Feb 28, 2006

Front Page

Front Page

More helipads being laid at ANGRAU

Suresh Krishnamoorthy

Hectic preparations on at farm university for US President's visit

HI-TECH SECURITY: Members of the advance party of the US Secret Service on Monday unloading equipment at Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University campus where US President George W. Bush is scheduled to interact with farmers on March 3. - Photo : Mohd. Yousuf

HYDERABAD: With 72 hours to go for the arrival of the most high-profile visitor that the Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University (ANGRAU) may have ever seen, the administration has pulled out all the stops.

Every room is getting a never-before facelift-- tiled walls and marble floors. Apart from the permanent helipad laid for President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam's visit recently, four more are being levelled to receive the five choppers that the Americans will use to fly between Begumpet airport and ANGRAU and later to the Indian School of Business (ISB) and back to Begumpet.

The Americans unload quintals of equipment at the National Seeds Project (NSP), a research farm in the vast university campus -- all for a 90-minute visit by George W. Bush or POTUS and Laura Bush or FLOTUS (President of the United States, First Lady of the US) on March 3.

Visitors are `shooed' away by local cops. Those who slip through the first cordon are politely but firmly turned away by US officials. "Sorry, but we are not authorised to talk. Anyway, you will all be invited on Friday" is what the Americans say with a smile.

Agriculture Minister N. Raghuveera Reddy told The Hindu that they were getting ready with an exhibition to showcase the best of rice, maize and cotton varieties that Andhra Pradesh could boast of. "Of course, we will ask for US expertise in improving productivity," he said. A few dozens of farmers and members of self-help groups from all over the State are being brought to interact with the US team.

Four VIPs to receive Bush

At Begumpet airport, officials said they would ensure that airspace over Hyderabad would be kept free for Air Force One carrying the US President and the choppers. Only four dignitaries will receive and see off Mr. Bush. They are Governor Rameshwar Thakur, Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, Chief Secretary T.K. Dewan and DGP Swaranjit Sen. And, just one dozen local mediapersons are being provided passes at each of the two venues -- ANGRAU and ISB -- to cover the events.

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