Andhra Pradesh

Nizamabad, April 23: The funeral of Mohd. Rafi (19) who committed suicide by burning himself alleging that he was being harassed by a few police constables in a murder case in Kamareddi was held amid tight security on Friday.

The police were on high alert in the wake of news that friends and relatives of Rafi were about to hold protest demonstration and were not prepared to conduct the last rites until the constables allegedly responsible for the death of the youth were arrested and punished.

Hyderabad, April 23: The Health Management and Research Institute (HMRI) has bagged National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM) and KPMG “Healthcare IT Awards 2011” under the best technology solution for healthcare inclusion category for its telemedicine project, an HMRI press release on Friday said.

Ongole, April 23: Members of Generation Next in the town on Friday stood in a pattern to resemble the number ‘350′ with a resolve, to do their bit to bring carbon dioxide emission level to 350 parts per million (ppp) sooner than later. Braving rain, hundreds of students got together in the Jawahar Navodaya school for the unique campaign on the “Earth day” to create awareness among the youth on the great threat faced to fragile mother Earth and the small steps they could take in daily life to fight climate change.

Hyderabad, April 23: Asking staff of Income-Tax to work without fear of being implicated in false corruption cases, the chairman of Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) Sudhir Chandra has assured them that the department will not take cognizance of anonymous petitions charging them with corruption.

He told a meeting here on Friday that 900 such petitions were closed in the last three months. He expressed surprise how the petitions went into files though the Central Vigilance Commission had clarified that they would not be entertained.

Kakinada, April 23: A blend of entertainment and education is the best package to grab for summer vacation and the famous Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary on the city outskirts is offering it. The community-based eco tourism (CBT) package from the Forest Department is providing an opportunity to the public to go deep into the mangroves on the newly laid interior roads, besides enjoying a boat ride till the sea-mouth.

Hyderabad, April 23: The brewing controversy over the Kolleru lake-with the environmentalists intent on the preservation of wetlands and biodiversity and the local people fearing loss of livelihoods and eviction- can be resolved amicably if the stakeholders consider an alternative mode of development, says retired Chief Engineer, T. Hanumantha Rao.

Hyderabad, April 23: Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy refuted the charge that Rajiv Arogyasri Health Insurance Scheme was benefitting corporate hospitals and asserted that the aim of the government was to provide best medical treatment to the poor.

Regumanagadda (Mahabubnagar Dt), April 23: Arrangements are finally being made to provide Krishna water from the foreshores of Srisailam reservoir to Mahabubnagar district from India’s second biggest lift irrigation scheme – Kalwakurthy.

A project taken up under the Jalayagnam programme at an estimated cost of Rs. 2,990 crore, water supply from Kalwakurthy will begin in June to serve irrigated dry crops like sunflower and groundnut spread over an ayacut of 13,000 acres.

Perennial problem

Puttaparthi (Anantapur district), April 23: Waiting anxiously for the one odd customer has become a routine for shopkeepers on the thoroughfares of Puttaparthi, ever since Sathya Sai Baba’s health deteriorated.

While Sai Baba is battling for his life at the Intensive Care Unit of Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences, 6 km from here, businessmen in this small town, which thrives mainly on tourists, have been grappling with poor, or in some cases, no business in the last few days.

Hyderabad, April 22: In what ends months of vacillation, the Congress in Andhra Pradesh began on Thursday a crackdown on the supporters of YS Jaganmohan Reddy within the party, seeking the disqualification of four of the legislators openly siding with the Kadapa leader.

Those facing action include three legislators from Kadapa district – Adinarayana Reddy, Amarnath Reddy and Srikant Reddy, as well as a former Minister from Warangal district, Konda Surekha.

New Delhi, April 22: The Supreme Court today cancelled the bails granted to Price Waterhouse partner Subramani Gopalakrishnan and Satyam’s internal auditor V S Prabhakar Gupta, directing them to surrender by April 30.

A bench comprising Justice P Sathasivam and Justice B S Chauhan cancelled their bail and directed them to surrender within this period, failing which the central investigative agency will take steps to arrest them.

Puttaparthi (Andhra Pradesh), April 21: With the condition of spiritual leader Sathya Sai Baba turning very critical, this small pilgrim town in Anantapur district, about 150 km from Bangalore, has been placed under police cordon.

Hundreds of policemen drawn from different parts of Anantapur and other districts in Rayalaseema region and other regions of Andhra Pradesh have been rushed to the town as the authorities began taking steps to tackle any contingency.

Hyderabad, April 20: Students slog throughout the year and are thirsty for that two months of sweet freedom called summer vacation. Students chill out with their friends, go for movies, laze around the house. However, there are also many students, mainly intermediate 2nd year, who are more focused on their academics and are opting for tuition in summer in order to get high scores in their final exams.

Hyderabad, April 20: Police on Monday arrested a 24-year-old car driver for ‘sexually assaulting’ an 18-year-old college student on Sunday.

The youth, identified as Kola Venkatesham alias Venkataiah, a driver in the department of Commercial Tax, was arrested last night and has been booked on charges of rape by Narayanguda police, Additional Commissioner of Police (Coordination) A R Anuradha, who supervised the investigation, told reporters on Monday.

Hyderabad, April 20: In a domain that is conventionally female dominated, Haleem Khan took a step to create a niche for himself in the world of Kuchipudi dance. How difficult was it? “Well, I faced all the possible difficulties that were expected to come my way — questions about taking up Indian classical dance despite being a male or from a different religion,” states Khan matter-of-factly, adding, “But, not many people know that in Kuchipudi it was very common for men to play female characters and that only 50 years ago, women became a more dominant part of this dance community.”

Hyderabad, April 20: Deputy speaker Nadendla Manohar on Tuesday issued show-cause notices to two TDP rebel MLAs Y Bala Nagireddy (Mantralayam) and Pocharam Srinivasa Reddy (Banswada) seeking explanation why they should not be disqualified as MLAs.

While issuing show-cause notices, Manohar wanted them to furnish their replies within a week. The deputy speaker wanted another TDP rebel MLA N Prasanna Kumar Reddy (Kovur) to give his reply to TDP’s counter petition filed recently.

Hyderabad, April 20: The architect of modern India – this is an epithet usually given to Jawaharlal Nehru but it rightfully belongs to Dr BR Ambedkar, said Prof BL Mungekar, Member of Parliament (Rajyasabha).

Speaking on ‘Dr Babasaheb Ambedker’s contribution to the making of modern India’ at the inaugural function of the Centre for Ambedkar Studies (CAS) in the University of Hyderabad (UoH), the MP said that Ambedkar had led millions of oppressed people to a life of self-respect, dignity and responsibility.

Nellore, April 20: A huge quantity of used bullets and cartridges of various weapons, stacked in 34 plastic bags, was found in the Gadhagunta canal at Menakuru in Naidupet on Tuesday.

Some workers found the bags containing used bullets and cartridges of AK-47, SLR, LMG, 9 mm pistol, revolvers and other weapons including those of foreign make and also iron rods and scrap material, in the dried-up canal.

Naidupet sub-inspector of police Rosaiah rushed to the spot and recovered the 34 bags from the canal after informing the matter to the higher officials.

Kadapa, April 20: As many as 13 of the 57 nominations filed for the Kadapa Lok Sabha by-election were rejected on various grounds by returning officer and district collector Sasibushan Kumar during scrutiny on Tuesday.

Ten nominations were rejected for having no proposers. The other three were rejected on the grounds that the candidates do not figure in the voter rolls or failed to submit Forms A and B.

Hyderabad, April 20: The story moves between the past and the present, tracing the lives of the great Indian statergist Chanakya, the power behind the king Chandragupta Maurya and Gangasagar Mishra, a Brahmin teacher from a village in present day India, the brains behind thrusting a little slum girl to become the Prime Minister of the country. We find out more from the author.

In The Rozabal Line you were dealing with a more sensitive topic (Jesus coming to India). With Chanakya’s Chant, do you think you will attract less attention from the critics?

Hyderabad, April 20: Cracking the whip on the Secunderabad Cantonment Board (SCB) officials for allowing unauthorised constructions in the Cantonment area, the CBI on Tuesday raided the SCB office and eight other places in the City and seized incriminating documents.

The searches were conducted after registering cases against senior officials of the SCB, including its CEO under various Sections of the IPC and the Prevention of Corruption Act.

Anantapur, April 20: Even as Satya Sai Baba is battling for life, Puttaparthi is abuzz with rumours of his eventual “Sajeeva Samadhi” (burial while still being alive) and of his being in a state of coma.

On Tuesday evening, a large number of devotees gathered outside Sri Satya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences amidst a heavy downpour leading to mild tension in the temple town.

Hyderabad, April 20: The Andhra Pradesh State Council of Higher Education (APSCHE) in collaboration with IT major Intel on Tuesday announced the winners of the second edition of ‘Best Integration of Technology in Education’ awards for effective use of technology in teaching and learning processes in the state.

Of the 1,000 entries that were received from colleges all over the state, three colleges, five teacher educators and 10 student teachers received the award.

Hyderabad, April 20: Launching another salvo in the war on YS Jaganmohan Reddy, state Congress president D Srinivas alleged on Tuesday that voting for the YSR Congress leader in the Kadapa Lok Sabha by-election would mean supproting the BJP at the national level.

‘’Jagan will support the BJP-led NDA at the Centre,’’ Srinivas said and alleged that the BJP was supporting Jagan through Karnataka minister Gali Janardhan Reddy.

Proddatur, April 20: Tension prevailed at Nemelladinne village in Jammalamadugu constituency, when the villagers obstructed Kadapa Lok Sabha Congress nominee DL Ravindra Reddy from campaigning in the village.

The villagers, who made it clear that they will vote only for YSR Congress party president YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, objected to Ravindra Reddy entering the village. Meanwhile, heated arguments took place between the villagers and the Congress party leaders, with the latter maintaining that they have every right to campaign in the village.