Official seeks to dispel fears over radiation therapy

Hyderabad, March 02: Atomic Energy Commission Chairperson Sri Kumar Banerjee on Tuesday sought to allay public fears over application of radiation therapy in cancer treatment. He was addressing a gathering after visiting the Mahatma Gandhi International Cancer Institute here. “There is a public perception that radiation causes cancer and the very radiation is used for cancer treatment. But such a perception does not hold water and public fears over radiation vis-a-vis cancer is completely unfounded,”

Case against Rosaiah

Hyderabad, March 01: Justice Raja Elango of the Andhra Pradesh High Court on Monday permitted the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) to register and investigate in a case wherein former Chief Minister K. Rosaiah is one of the accused. However, the Judge said the accused may not be arrested.

It may be recalled that Mohanlal, a practicing advocate, filed a complaint before the Special Court for ACB cases stating that the former Chief Minister and some officials illegally got issued a GO regularising occupation of a prime land in Ameerpet, Hyderabad.

Software firm cheats nearly 2,000 persons in AP

Hyderabad, March 01: A software company from the city allegedly duped nearly 2,000 persons in Andhra Pradesh and the neighbouring States of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra with false promises of regular monthly income by working at home with computers.

The company owners reportedly based in Nellore had set up an office in Chikkadpally and began luring persons stating that they would help secure thousands of rupees of monthly income by working for a few hours online. The company had created a website and asked the members to click on the advertisements displayed on the website.

No sale of meat, fish tomorrow in Vijayawada

Vijayawada, March 01: The Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) has prohibited the sale of meat and fish in the city on Wednesday on account of Mahasivaratri.

The corporation officials have stated that stringent action will be taken against the shopkeepers who sell the meat and fish on Mahasivaratri day.

–Agencies–

Funds sought for Dalit colonies

Sangareddy, March 01: District unit of the Kula Vivaksha Porata Samithi (KVPS) demanded the government to allot Rs.25,000 crore for creating facilities at Dalit colonies.

AUCET applications on sale

Vishakhapatnam, March 01: Sale of applications for the Andhra University Common Entrance Test (AUCET) 2011 commenced on Monday. Admission into various courses of Andhra University, Aadi Kavi Nannaya University (Rajahmundry) and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar University (Etcherla, Srikakulam) will be through AUCET 2011, Director of AU Directorate of Admissions O. Aniel Kumar informed. Sale of applications is being done through the offices of Principals of AU campus colleges of arts, science and engineering. Application form can be obtained by paying Rs. 350 in cash.

TDP, TRS activists come to blows

Adilabad, March 01: Telugu Desam (TDP) activists on Monday exchanged blows with cadres of Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) and Telangana Joint Action Committee who destroyed flexi-banners of TDP’s Adilabad MP Ramesh Rathod and MLA Jogu Ramanna.

The incident occurred when TRS, TJAC and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers pulled down the banners besides, another one of the Congress welcoming district in-charge Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy at Collectorate Chowk and burnt them while returning from a pro-Telangana protest march.

Global meet on agribusiness incubation from March 8

Sangareddy, March 01: The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), for the first time ever, will host a three-day Network of Indian Agri-Business Incubation Conference (NIABI- 2011).

This would be held from March 8 to 10 March at Patancheru in Medak district of Andhra Pradesh. The mission of the NIABI is to enhance agribusiness development and study impacts on agriculture through business incubation.

Global partnerships

Please explain budget to common man

Hyderabab, March 01:Traditionally, the Union Budgets are presented with much fanfare. Television news channels go whole hog and give wall to wall coverage of the budget, which was presented by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Monday.

Channels, both national and regional, stacked their newsrooms with financial specialists who gave their expert opinions on every aspect of the budget.

Officials issue non-immigrant visas based on interviews

Hyderabd, March 01: I had visited U.S on official business in 1999 and 2005 on a 10 year valid B1/B2 visa. Now, I am retired and settled in Hyderabad. I would like to visit the U.S. and other countries as a tourist along with my wife. I have some relatives in the U.S. who have acquired U.S citizenship and also some friends who are naturalised Americans. They are all keen to take us around the great country. For getting a B1/B2 visa for two or three visits over the next five or six years, is it necessary for any sponsoring? I intend to meet the expenditure for these visits using my own funds.

3 killed in protests against power plant in AP

Hyderabad, February 28: Three people were killed, scores were injured and several houses were destroyed on Monday when police opened fire against villagers protesting an under construction thermal power plant in Andhra Pradesh.

A war-like situation prevailed in Vadditandra, Kakarapally and surrounding villages of Santhabommali mandal of Srikakulam district bordering Orissa, as police used heavy force to quell the violent protest.

Sitting on the debris of their houses, women and children were seen crying while some others tried to salvage whatever they could from their damaged houses.

Tomatoes at 25 paise

Chittor, February 28: The prices of tomato which hovered between Rs 35 and Rs 40 in the month of January, fell by 70 percent in the first two weeks of February and dropped to rock bottom since the last three days.

Yesterday, they were no takers for it for even 25 paise per kilogram in Madanapalle market, the prime market for tomato, in the region. The tomato farmers were so distressed that they threw some of their produce on roads and resorted to rasta-roko at Madanapalle Market Yard.

Chiru pulling Kapus back to Congress fold?

Rajhmundary, February 28: The Congress appears to be consolidating its traditional vote bank the Kapus who are numerically strong in this region.

A significant chunk had switched loyalty to Chiranjeevi when he came on the political scene in 2009 elections. But now, with Chiranjeevi merging his Praja Rajyam Party with the Congress, a majority of them are set to come back to the Congress.

4 ex-mayor’s aides held

Kadapa, February 28: Tension prevailed in the district headquarter following the arrest of four followers of former mayor P Ravindranath Reddy by the police in the wee hours of Sunday.

SB Amzad Basha, who is also close to former Kadapa MP YS Jaganmohan Reddy, was picked up by the police from his house around 4 am. P Suresh, a former corporator, and two others were also held.

CM meets Sonia on Legislative Council seats

Hyderabad, February 28: Chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy returned to Hyderabad from Delhi on Sunday evening after the final round of talks with Sonia Gandhi’s political secretary Ahmed Patel regarding the party nominees for the ensuing elections to the Legislative Council.

Sources say that Kiran Kumar Reddy stayed put in the capital to get formal approval for the list of the candidates for local area seats in the council.

AP MLC polls: Poaching fear grips Congress, TDP

Kadapa, February 28: The fluid political situation and fast changing equations in the district have made the MLC (local authority constituency) election scheduled for next month an interesting one.

With the Jagan factor becoming an important issue in the state politics, the Congress, Telugu Desam and Jagan group have taken the MLC election as a prestigious one as it will be a prelude to the bypolls to Pulivendula Assembly and Kadapa Lok Sabha seats.

Students, poor hit by non-supply of rations

Nalgonda, February 28: As a fallout of the ongoing non-cooperation movement by the government employees in the Telangana region demanding creation of a Telangana state, supply of rice and other essentials by the civil supplies department has been disrupted affecting the students in social welfare hostels, government schools and also the ration card holders in Nalgonda district.

‘Foundation stones for new rail lines soon’

Karimnagar, February 28: Karimnagar MP and Railway consultative member Ponnam Prabhakar said that foundation stones for the newly sanctioned railway lines Secunderabad – Karimnagar via Siddipet and Hasanparthy- Karimnagar via Huzurabad would be laid soon.

Speaking to mediapersons here yesterday, he said the two rail lines were introduced to reduce traffic between Bengaluru-Delhi.

The Secunderabad – Karimnagar railway line connects three districts – Medak, Rangareddy and Karimnagar. On the ongoing works of Peddapalli – Nizamabad rail line, the MP said they would be completed by 2012.

TTD to streamline pilgrim influx

Tirupati, February 28: With the ever increasing pilgrim influx to the hill shrine of Lord Venkateswara, Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), has the huge task of managing pilgrim rush. Increasing pilgrim rush means, increasing demand for accommodation in Tirumala. Considering the limited space in Tirumala, TTD is contemplating several measures and it even conducted a seminar to elicit opinions of experts in this regard.

KCR threatens to do a Tahrir Square in Hyderabad

Hyderabad, February 28: Around one million Telangana people will besiege Hyderabad on March 10 and stay put till the Centre announces a T state, Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) president K Chandrasekhar Rao has said.

Addressing employees of the Intermediate Board, who have been participating in the non-cooperation movement, at the Board office here today,

‘Set up local committees to tackle pollution’

Hyderabad, February 28: Mata Amritanandamayi Devi (Amma), who reached the city on Sunday called upon her devotees to form committees to work for preventing pollution in the country.

India is advancing scientifically and economically and is poised to be the third largest power in the world by 2025, but we are still taking baby steps in terms of cleanliness, she said.

Amma spoke to thousands of people who flocked to see her at the math in Secunderabad and stirred their souls with bhajans and satsangs here today.

BC body demands Rs.10 lakh for Varalaxmi’s kin

Hyderabad, February 28: Indian Dalit Christian Rights state president Perike Varaprasada Rao has demanded the state government to declare Rs.10 lakh compensation to the kin of Varalaxmi, who allegedly committed suicide unable to bear harassment of the college management to pay her tuition fees.

9day Nandi Natakotsav ends

Hyderabad, February 28: Asserting the significance of stage shows and dramas in creating awareness among people, Information and Public Relations commissioner C Parthasarathy said the state government was giving importance to cultural activities by providing more funds. He was speaking at the valedictory of nine-day Nandi Drama celebrations at Nandyal on Sunday.

Ex-RSS chief calls Nehru a ‘foreign agent’

Hyderabad, February 28: Former chief of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) K S Sudarshan on Sunday made a vitriolic attack on former Prime Minister late Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru stating that he was a “foreign agent” who worked against the interest of the nation.

Addressing a meeting after releasing a book ‘Om Rashtriya Swaha’, a translation from Marathi to Telugu, Sudarshan blamed Jawaharlal Nehru for the problems that India is facing today particularly in Kashmir.

Men are from Mars indeed: Tejaswini TTIs

Hyderabad, February 28: Tejaswini squad TTIs (Traveling Ticket Inspectors) working in the MMTS and regular trains are an unhappy lot. While the Railways has incorporated female TTIs in the last 15 to 16 years, female ticket checkers say they get little respect or recognition.

“We face a lot of problems from passengers especially in the MMTS. Male passengers especially are very rude to us and do not listen,” said Varsha (name changed), a travelling ticket inspector.