Andhra Pradesh

Hyderabad, July 15: The National Environmental Appellate Authority (NEAA) Thursday overruled the environmental clearance given to Nagarjuna Construction Company (NCC) for a proposed thermal power project at Sompeta in Andhra Pradesh, which green activists and locals have been vehemently protesting against.

The ruling came a day after two people were killed in police firing on people protesting against the project at Sompeta. About 150 others were injured in the large-scale violence.

Srikakulam, July 15: Four villagers died and over 60 were injured when police opened fire at fishermen and farmers protesting the construction of a coalbased power plant by Nagarjuna Construction Company (NCC) at Beela, a 4,000acre wetland in Sompeta mandal in Srikakulam district on Wednesday.

The fishermen had massed from 24 villages, demanding that construction work on the project be abandoned. Policemen chased and thrashed them, which triggered a retaliation. When the situation threatened to go out of control, the cops opened fire.

Warangal, July 15: The last rites of New Democracy leader Ganesh, who was killed in an `encounter’ yesterday in Kottaguda, were performed in Gunjedu of Kottaguda mandal today.

An autopsy was conducted on the body in Narasampet and the body was then shifted to Gunjedu.

Several Central Committee leaders of New Democracy attended the last rites. Ganesh’s wife Nirmala today lodged a complaint with Narasmpet DSP that Kottaguda SI Prabhakar killed her husband in order to secure a promotion.

Rajahmundry (AP), July 15: Congress MP Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy today received a boost with another ruling party MLA joining his ongoing yatra in East Godavari district.

T Narasimham, Congress MLA from Jaggampeta, joined Jagan’s yatra in his constituency and supported the young MP’s tour that resumed on July 8.

Narasimham is the latest legislator to express solidarity with Jagan in East Godavari district.

Rajahmundry (AP), July 14: Congress MP Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, who has been critical of the party leadership and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister K Rosaiah, tonight tried to justify his decision to undertake his yatra saying it was necessary for consoling the families of those who died following the demise of his father.

Hyderabad, July 14: The Andhra Pradesh Assembly today passed a landmark legislation that will regulate money lending and protect the interests of borrowers, particularly those availing of micro finance.

The AP Money Lenders and Accredited Loan Providers Act, 2010, saw the light of the day 13 years after it was first introduced in the state Assembly.

The Assembly passed the legislation in the absence of members of the principal Opposition TDP, CPI, CPM and BJP parties, who were suspended for the day. The Bill was cleared by the Legislative Council on July 12.

Srikakulam, July 14: A nine-year-old boy who was kidnapped while returning from his tuition two days ago was murdered and his body thrown into a well less than 2 km from his house.

Srikakulam, July 14: At least two persons were killed and several others, including 30 policemen, injured when a large group of farmers and fishermen protesting against setting up of a power plant clashed with police in Andhra Pradesh’s Srikakulam district today.

The clash erupted when the protestors in large number gathered at the site where a thermal power plant is proposed to be constructed by NCC Power Projects Ltd, a subsidiary of NCCL at Sompeta, 120 kilometers from Visakhapatnam.

Vijayawada, July 13: The Sri Krishna Committee headed by the Justice B N Sri Krishna, which was constituted by the Centre to examine the demand of creation of separate Telangana state, here today, heard the views and opinions from leaders of different political parties, organisations and individuals.

Vijayawada, July 13: Several leaders of the Coastal Andhra Pradesh including Congress, Telugu Desam and Praja Rajyam Party here today expressed concern over ”imminent conflict” on water for irrigation, if separate Telangana state is carved out from the present Andhra Pradesh.

Hyderabad, July 12: Heavy rainfall in Andhra Pradesh over the last few days has brought relief, but has also prompted the State Government to take precautionary steps to prevent flooding and monsoon-related diseases.

The southern state has been receiving heavy showers over the last three days.

Southwest monsoon was active over Telangana. Rains or thundershowers may occur at many places in Telangana, north and south coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema region during the next 48 hours, the local weather office said today.

Guntur, July 12: In a shocking incident, a young woman pushed her two daughters and committed suicide by jumping into a well killing at Vinukonda in Guntur district.

According to police, the woman C Sudharani was pushed into taking the extreme steps following family disputes. Meanwhile, her husband Jayaraju claimed that she was suffering from chronic stomach ache and this might be the reason for her taking the extreme step.

Sudharani had pushed her two daughters, 7-year-old Keerthi and 4-year-old Shruti into the well before jumping in herself.

Hyderabad, July 12: Development will be the main issue for the Congress in the ensuing bypolls in the Telangana region, says Chief Minister K Rosaiah and he claims victory for the party in the byelections would pave the way for more welfare and development programmes. “Anguished” by the controversy surrounding his statements on Kadapa MP Jagan Mohan Reddy’s Odarpu Yatra, he clarifies that the young man is like his son.

Here are excerpts from his freewheeling chat with reporters.

Q Will you cut subsidies and prune welfare schemes?

Hyderabad, July 12: A rapprochement between chief minister K Rosaiah and Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, appears unlikely. On the contrary, any possibility of a patch up seems to have ended after Jagan’s indirect attack against the chief minister during his Odarpu Yatra. With the young MP not sparing even the high command, a confrontation seems to be well and truly on.

In fact, informed sources in the Congress say Delhi is not happy that Rosaiah has been handling Jagan with kid gloves even after the first time MP went public with his defiance of none other than party president Sonia Gandhi.

Hyderabad, July 11: Train robberies are continuing unabated in Andhra Pradesh with robbers targeting passengers of another train late Saturday night and snatching gold ornaments, with the railway police failing to act quickly.

Police said robbers looted about 80 grams of gold ornaments from passengers on the Chennai-Kakinada Circar Express near Ulavapadu in Prakasam district around midnight.

Hyderabad, July 11: YS Jaganmohan Reddy on Saturday took the Congress high command head-on.

Signalling a virtual rebellion, which could set in motion interesting developments in the ruling Congress, the Kadapa MP and son of the late YS Rajasekhara Reddy, accused the Congress leadership, both at the Centre and in the State, of preventing ministers and legislators from participating in his Odarpu Yatra.

Karimnagar, July 11: The Returning Officer of the Vemulavada Assembly constituency has rejected the petition of Congress candidate, Mr Adi Srinivas, objecting to the candidature of Mr Chennamaneni Ramesh, a TRS candidate, on the ground that he was a German national.

Ramesh is the son of TDP leader, Mr Chennamaneni Rajeswara Rao.

The Congress candidate contended that the nomination of the TRS candidate was invalid as a petition challenging his nationality was pending before court.

Warangal, July 11: The news that a farmer found gold biscuits worth Rs 4 crores created sensation in the district, on Saturday.

According to the information, a tribal farmer belonging to Samat Mote village under Pinapaka mandal found this dump, in the thick forest under Tadvai mandal. The news came to light when the farmer went to a provision shop for getting the gold weighed.

It is learnt that the farmer found a steel box containing 30 gold biscuits. The gold is valued at Rs 4 crores. A booklet containing details of the dump was also found in the box, these reports say.

Hyderabad, July 10: As many as 213 nominations filed by independent candidates were rejected during scrutiny for the July 27 by-elections to 12 Assembly constituencies in the Telangana region of Andhra Pradesh today, paving the way for use of Electronic Voting Machines in at least seven segments.

In all, 926 nominations were filed, majority by independent candidates.

However, 213 nominations were rejected today as they were found to be not in order, according to state Chief Electoral Officer I V Subba Rao.

Hyderabad, July 10: Eamcet parents won’t like this but we have it on the authority of a Nobel laureate that children must have the liberty to grow as normal kids and develop all faculties.

Interacting with about 60 students at the National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI) today, Nobel winner for chemistry Prof. Y T Lee took questions from them on a variety of issues. Becoming strong on fundamentals is the key to excellence, he told a student.

Hyderabad, July 10: Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee chief and candidate from Nizamabad Urban D Srinivas today met late YSR’s wife and Pulivendula MLA Vijayalaxmi (Vijayamma) at the latter’s residence at Banjara Hills here today.

Hyderabad, July 10: Acting on a complaint lodged by the office-bearers of Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee, the APCC disciplinary and screening committee today served a notice on former MLA and APCC general secretary Ambati Rambabu seeking an explanation why action should not be taken against him for making remarks against chief minister K Rosaiah recently.

It also directed him to be present before the committee at 12 noon on July 12.

Hyderabad, July 10: The Telangana Rashtra Samithi’s (TRS) ploy to inundate the Election Commission (EC) with nominations, enough to make the controversial electronic voting machines (EVMs) redundant, has worked. The EC on Friday announced that EVMs will not be used in 10 of the 12 constituencies in the Telangana region where bypolls are due on July 27. Instead, the EC will revert to the good old ballot papers and boxes.

Karimnagar, July 10: TRS president K Chandrashekar Rao kicked off campaigning for the upcoming bypolls from Huzurabad constituency, claiming that Telangana people have registered their first victory with the Election Commission accepting the party’s demand that bypolls be held through ballot paper in constituencies where the number of candidates exceeded 64.

“This is a good omen to all of us fighting for statehood to Telangana,’’ he said.

Hyderabad, July 10: A total of 713 candidates are in fray for the July 27-bypoll to the 12 Assembly seats in Andhra Pradesh.

After scrutiny today, there were 713 candidates whose nomination papers were found valid, state Chief Electoral Officer I B Subba Rao told reporters here.

The last date for withdrawal of nominations is July 12.

Among the political bigwigs contesting the polls is Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) President D Srinivas.

He is contesting from Nizamabad Urban Assembly constituency.