Nalgonda,October 13: Former Bharatiya Janata Party national president Bangaru Lakshman has demanded the Central Government to announce Maoists’ problem as a national issue. He visited Nalgonda today to participate in a debate against recognising dalit Christians as Scheduled Castes.
Hyderabad, October 13: About two lakh flood-affected people are taking shelter in 156 relief camps being organised by the Andhra Pradesh Government and efforts to rehabilitate the victims is on in full swing, officials said today.
“Relief operations are going on at a brisk pace and they will come to an end in another few days. Payment of ex-gratia as per government norms is starting today,” they said.
The quantity of rice, kerosene, palm oil and sugar provided to the victims has been doubled now, they pointed out.
Rajhmundary, October 13: Noted music director of yesteryears Jetti Veera Raghavulu popularly known as JV Raghavulu turned 80 years today.
Raghavulu, a disciple of Ghantasala Venkateswara Rao rendered music to 175 films and established himself as a melody king. His popular songs
include `Ee Jeevana Tarangalalo Aa Devudi Charang amlo’ from the film Jeevanatarangalu.
Hyderabad, October 13: Calling Chief Minister Konijeti Rosaiah one of the `most successful’ Chief Ministers in the country, senior Congress leader and MLA P Shanker Rao today asserted that all the Congressmen in Andhra Pradesh would abide by the decision taken by the party high command on the State leadership issue. Even YSR’s son and Kadapa MP Jagan Mohan Reddy had stated that he would abide by high command’s decision, he noted.
Avanigadda, October 13: Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president N Chandrababu Naidu has demanded the government to sanction loans immediately to farmers, small traders and vendors who lost their livelihood in the recent floods, besides launching relief measures.
Hyderabad, October 13: Mukesh Ambani-owned Reliance Industries Tuesday donated Rs.11.11 crore to flood-hit Andhra Pradesh to help it undertake relief and rehabilitation programmes.
Company executive director M.S. Prasad and its Andhra Pradesh coordinator P.V.L. Madhava Rao handed over a cheque for the amount to Chief Minister K. Rosaiah at his office.
“Relief and rehabilitation measures pose a challenge that can be effectively met only with support from all sections of the society. We welcome the generous gesture from Reliance Industries,” the chief minister said.
Hyderabad, October 13: Instead of working for the successful implementation of the Right to Information (RTI) Act in the State, the State Information Commission (SIC) has been working against it by delaying the disbursal of information to applicants, the United Forum for RTI Campaign said.
Hyderabad, October 12: Rehabilitating the families of one lakh flood victims in Kurnool, Mahaboobnagar, Krishna, Guntur and Nalgonda districts is going to be a gigantic task for the government which is already cash-strapped.
Though the government has estimated that the loss is about Rs 12,600 crore, the actual loss suffered by the destitute families is Rs 8,000 more.
According to officials, the loss suffered by destitute families alone is about Rs 1,000 crore and the damage to irrigation tanks and water supply schemes is about Rs 2,000 crore.
Hyderabad, October 12: CPI deputy general secretary Suravaram Sudhakar Reddy and State secretary K Narayana have urged the State Government to order a high-level inquiry into the accusation that State irrigation officials had ingnored the Central Water Commission’s (CWC) warnings of possible floods, and initiate stringent action against erring officials.
Addressing a news conference here today, the CPI leaders said their party too beleived that the failure of the irrigation department officials was the main reason for the floods which could have been prvented had they acted in time.
Hyderabad, October 12: The NTR Memorial Trust is helping flood victims rebuild their lives. As part of its flood relief work, the trust has decided to extend financial help to a physically-challenged person in Kurnool to set up a pan shop. The physically challenged person has lost everything in the recent floods that ravaged Kurnool city.
Warangal, October 12: Director General of Police Girish Kumar has said Maoist menace will be dealt with strategically.
The strategy is an internal issue of the department issue and will not be made public, he said.
The Maoists, he said, were perpetrating violence in neighbouring Chattisgarh and Maharashtra and there are chances of them entering the State. But the police will check their movement, he said.
Hyderabad, October 12: Even before the life returned to normalcy in Vijayawada, the officials on Sunday issued a fresh flood warning and asked people living in low-lying areas to evacuate their homes. The residents who returned to their homes after a brief stay at relief camps, were asked to go back to relief camps once again.
Repalle, October 12: Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president N Chandrababu Babu Naidu today alleged that floods were indeed a man made mistake as the State Government had ignored the repeated warnings of the Central Water Commission about the impending floods.
Kurnool, October 12: The fury of the flood-hit, disgusted at virtually no help reaching them even after a week, found expression in stones raining down on Chief Minister K Rosaiah’s motorcade as it wound its way through Kurnool district this evening.
The Chief Minister was also confronted with verbal manifestations of displeasure by way of jeers and slogans.
Kurnool, October 12: “Floods are unfortunate and on seeing the condition here I am able to visualise the trouble and agony you had faced,’’ Chief Minister K Rosaiah has said. He was speaking to the flood victims in the city. He reassured them that the government will provide all necessary help to them.
He reached Kurnool this evening and consoled the flood-hit people.After visiting Kallur and Panchalingala areas in the city, he held a meeting with the district officials at the local State Guest House.
Hyderabad, October 12: Krishna and Guntur districts of Andhra Pradesh no more faced the threat of fresh floods as water level at the Prakasam barrage in Vijaywada returned to normal level on Monday.
The water level at the barrage was normal 12 feet and inflow and outflow of water was 1.82 lakh cusec.
The two districts faced fresh flood threat yesterday as water level at the barrage rose to 12.4 feet, following discharge from the Srisailam Reservoir.
Nizamabad, October 12: About forty passengers travelling in a Road Transport Corporation (RTC) bus today had a miraculous escape when their bus caught fire after a motorcycle hit its fuel tank near Bhiknur in Nizambad district of Andhra Pradesh, police said.
A 28-year-old software engineer Krishna Chaitanya, who was riding the two-wheeler, died on the spot, they said adding the bus got completely gutted along with the racing motorcycle.
Krishna Chaitanya, a native of Tirupati, worked with a city-based software firm and resided at Sai Nagar here.
Hyderabad, October 11: Chief Minister K Rosaiah Saturday urged Union Telecommunications and Information Technology minister A Raja to release a postal stamp in memory of freedom- fighter Sardar Gouthu Latchanna.
Writing to the Union minister, Rosaiah said the State had recently celebrated the birth centenary of the patriot.
Apart from his contribution to the struggle for Independence and to the cause of the backward classes, Latchnna had striven hard for value-based politics, Rosaiah informed Raja.
–Agencies–
Karimnagar, October 11: In the wake of the Red strike in Gadchiroli, where 18 police personnel were killed, Karimnagar police have alerted their forces in eastern and western divisions, the erstwhile strongholds of various Naxal groups.
The recent killing of Bhaireddy Sammi Reddy, a Congress leader, at Edulapuram in Kalvasrirampur mandal also prompted the cops to be on high alert.
According to police sources, intelligence agencies had warned of possible infiltration into the State as it shares borders with both Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh.
Hyderabad, October 11: Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) president K Chandrasekhar Rao Saturday sharply reacted to Major Irrigation Minister Ponnala Laxmaiah’s criticism, saying that the minister was escaping from his challenge by not giving a proper reply to his questions on floods which devastated the State.
Hyderabad, October 11: Though the collectors of flood-affected districts in the State had announced reopening of government schools from October 12, the situation in the areas may not allow it.
“We are yet to come to terms with the situation and are totally shocked at the things the way they have gone in the past few days,’’ says P Laxmi, a primary school teacher at Panchalingala in Kurnool district.
Hyderabad, October 11: Lok Satta Party president Jayaprakash Narayan has requested Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to constitute a national judicial commission with powers to appoint and terminate the services of Supreme Court and High Court judges.
Hyderabad, October 11: Major Irrigation Minister Ponnala Laxmaiah has lashed out at Telangana Rashtra Samiti president K Chandrasekhar Rao, saying he has gone mad and is not going to discuss anything with such an insane person.
Speaking with reporters here Saturday, he said that he felt pity for Chandrasekhar Rao for his failure to see the reality. He was babbling like an insane person, Laxmaiah remarked.
Hyderabad, October 11: In a rare gesture of reciprocation, chief minister K Rosaiah won over the heart of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh by issuing a GO to reinstate the power purchase agreement (PPA) with BPL in the national interest.
According to sources, the Prime Minister has been insisting on the revival of the project as it was crucial to improve Indo-Japan bilateral ties as a Japanese company has a stake in BPL.
New Delhi, October 11: After their “Jagan for CM” campaign failed to yield the desired result, supporters of late Andhra Pradesh chief minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy have now changed tack and are using the loyalty card.
“All Congress legislators, including YS Jaganmohan Reddy, MP, are part of the Congress family and the party chief is the family head,” said Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, chief whip of the CLP in the state.