Andhra Pradesh

Hyderabad, August 10: In a proposal that could spell doom for the prestigious Government Examiner of Questioned Documents (GEQD), the Ministry of Home Affiars (MHA) is likely to merge GEQDs with the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) across the country including Hyderabad.

The move, which has come under immense criticism from the forensic science community, is based on recommendations given by merely two Consultants — Gopal J Mishra, who retired as director of Punjab State Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) 12 years ago and C Damodaran, who retired from the Chennai FSL.

Hyderabad, August 10: One person tried to commit suicide when a weekly public contact programme ‘Mee Kosam’ was being held at the collectorate in presence of Hyderabad district collector Natarajan Gulzar on Monday.

Hyderabad, August 10: Lord mayor of Miyoshi in Hiroshima Prefecture of Japan, Masaya Murai lauded Hyderabad for its clean environment, beautiful landscapes and hospitality. He is here on a two-day visit on the completion of fourth year of Hyderabad-Miyoshi Sister City affiliation. The two cities had begun the relationship on July 27, 2006.

Hyderabad, August 10: Chief Minister K Rosaiah has clarified that the words ‘State partition is treason against nation’ were not mentioned anywhere in the report submitted by the ministers from Andhra and Rayalaseema to the Srikrishna Committee.

“Let’s not make an issue ouf of nothing,” Rosaiah, who is in Anantapur, appealed.

New Delhi, August 10: Governor ESL Narasimhan today justified sacking Sri Krishnadevaraya University vice-chancellor P Kusuma Kumari.

“A highly reputed high court judge went through the charges. The government recommended action only after that,” Narasimhan, who came here to meet Union home minister P Chidambaram said.

He dismissed as baseless the allegations that there were political considerations behind the removal of Kusuma Kumari. “It is ridiculous,” he said, adding that the government had only one objective – providing quality education to students.

New Delhi, August 10: Nine of 10 districts in Telangana, three of four districts in Rayalaseema and one in Andhra region figured in the list of backward districts in the country. Vizianagaram is the only district identified as backward in Coastal AP.

The Ministry of Rural Development has identified 250 backward districts across the country where the Central government has initiated the Backward Regions Grant Fund (BRGF) to specifically address the problem of regional imbalances in the country. Of the 23 districts in the State, 13 have been identified as backward.

Hyderabad, August 10: As a queasy feeling grips the Congress that mid-term elections might take place in the event of Jagan Mohan Reddy walking away from the party with his MLAs, Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) chief K Chandrasekhara Rao on Monday cautioned his party colleagues and workers to be prepared for sudden polls.

Vijayawada, August 10: Will the CPM leadership project leaders other than the incumbents as chief ministerial candidates in Kerala and West Bengal in the forthcoming elections? Though there were rumours that VS Atchuthanandan will be replaced by another leader in Kerala, CPM politburo member Sitaram Yechury evaded a direct reply on the issue and swiftly moved to answer another query at a press briefing here on Monday.

‘I take onus for PRP’s poor poll show in 2009’

Express News Service
First Published : 10 Aug 2010 03:57:43 AM IST
Last Updated : 10 Aug 2010 12:33:31 PM IST

NELLORE: Praja Rajyam president K Chiranjeevi has said he takes the responsibility for the party’s poor performance in its maiden electoral battle, the Assembly elections, last year.

Hyderabad, August 10: Blaming the government for the unabated violence in Kashmir valley, human rights activists, a group of citizens belonging to NGOs and civil liberty groups staged a dharna on Tank Bund on Sunday.

The members demanded that the government withdraw armed forces from Kashmir and repeal the Armed forces special powers act and initiate political process immediately.

The members also felt that the rest of the citizens should also join the protest and bring pressure upon the government to accept the demands.

–Agencies

Vijayawada, August 10: While opposing the entry of Church into politics in Kerala, CPM politburo member Sitaram Yechury on Monday tried to woo Muslims in West Bengal saying that the West Bengal government had recently decided to implement the recommendations of the Ranganath Mishra Commission Report, including granting 10 per cent reservations to them in jobs.

Speaking to reporters after releasing the party’s resolution on the forthcoming elections in Kerala and Bengal, Yechury opposed the entry of the church into politics.

Hyderabad, August 10: The divide in ruling Congress in Andhra Pradesh over the Telangana issue deepened today with leaders from Telangana region demanding an unconditional apology from ministers hailing from other regions for their alleged comments on the separate statehood demand.

Joining the chorus of criticism from TRS and Telugu Desam, Telangana Congress leaders slammed the ministers for their alleged comments before Sri Krishna committee that those seeking separate state are traitors of the nation.

Hyderabad, August 10: A Group of Ministers (GoM) led by environment and forest minister P Ramachandra Reddy will meet Union environment and forest minister Jairam Ramesh in New Delhi on Aug 11 to request him to expedite the environment clearances for various projects in the state.

Besides Ramachandra Reddy, three other members P Laxmaiah (major irrigation) DK Aruna (small scale industries) and D Sridharbabu (higher education) met here today and decided to meet the Union minister.

Hyderabad, August 10: The divide in ruling Congress in Andhra Pradesh over the Telangana issue deepened today with leaders from Telangana region demanding an unconditional apology from ministers hailing from other regions for their alleged comments on the separate statehood demand.

Joining the chorus of criticism from TRS and Telugu Desam, Telangana Congress leaders slammed the ministers for their alleged comments before Sri Krishna committee that those seeking separate state are traitors of the nation.

Hyderabad, August 09: Andhra Pradesh Government today set an ambitious target to plant 30 crore trees during this year as part of its efforts to enhance green cover in the state.

About 25 lakh saplings were planted on a single day on July 16 against a target of 10 lakh plants, a release from the chief minister’s office said.

–Agencies

Hyderabad, August 09: The incessant rains and floods in Godavari river in Andhra Pradesh during the last four days have claimed 13 lives and damaged standing crops in over 30,000 hectares, an official said Monday.

The overall food situation in the affected districts barring two Godavari districts improved Monday with flood waters beginning to recede.

The death toll mounted to 13 Monday as officials reported three more deaths. Eight people were killed in rain related incidents in Warangal, three in East Godavari and two in Adilabad.

Hyderabad, August 09: After demolishing the TDP in the recent byelections, the TRS is busy giving the finishing touches to its strategy to decimate the party in all of Telangana by engineering defections.

The bait is likely to be thrown both to TDP leaders and cadres. The strategy would be fine-tuned in the next few days.

Ranchi, August 09: A top Maoist leader from Andhra Pradesh carrying a bounty of Rs.10 lakh was arrested from Jharkhand’s Bokaro district, police said Monday.

According to police, Narasimha Reddy alias Gangana alias Rahulji was arrested from Kudra village of Bokaro district, around 135 km from Ranchi.

Police sources said he was picked up sometime back but police announced his arrest Monday.

Reddy is member of Andhra Pradesh state committee of banned group, Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist).

Hyderabad, August 08: Andhra Pradesh government has alerted district administration of Khammam and West Godavari following sharp rise in water level in Godavari river.

The revenue officials have issued third flood warning this evening following heavy rains.

Chief Minister K Rosaiah held a telephonic discussion with Revenue Minister Dharmana Prasada Rao on the situation before leaving for Chennai today.

Tirupati, August 08: In the very presence of their chief N Chandrababu Naidu, some TDP leaders described the death of former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy in a helicopter crash as a punishment meted out to him by Lord Venkateswara for indulging in sins against Him.

Addressing the public at the Maha Dharna organised by the party against irregularities in the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) here on Saturday, Byreddy Rajasekhara Reddy, Gali Muddukrishnama Naidu and others attributed YSR’s death in a chopper crash to the wrath of God.

Hyderabad, August 08: As many as 10 people have died following floods in the Godavari in the past three days even as water level in the river continued to rise alarmingly, severely affecting normal life in nine districts, particularly Khammam and East Godavari districts, officials said today.

Eight deaths were reported in Warangal district while two were reported in Adilabad district, a senior official of the Disaster Management Department said.

Standing crop in over 30,000 hectares was damaged besides 271 cattle deaths were reported following heavy rains and floods, he said.

Bhadrachalam, August 08: The heavy rains which have lashed Khammam district during the past few days have led to Disaster Management authorities raising the danger signal to Level-3.

According to reports coming in, the heavy inflows in the Srisailam Project have forced authorities to lift the crest gates, leading to outflows rushing in the Godavari River.

Officials have alerted downstream areas to be on alert over possible flooding in residential areas.

Tirupati, August 08: Telugu Desam Party president N Chandrababu Naidu said that his party will fight until Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams gets ‘cleansed’ of all irregularities and stated that it is the government’s responsibility to keep the holy place pure and free from any illegal activities.

Talking to media persons before he embarked on his ‘padayatra’ from Lilamahal Centre to pressurize the government to act against the irregularities in the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam’s Trust Board, Mr Naidu said that all those accused of irregularities should be suspended immediately.

Hyderabad, August 07: Seven passengers of an RTC bus, the bus of an educational institution and a car were stranded in the waters of Gaddamvagu near the Bhainsa bypass road in Adilabad district today as heavy rain lashed the district and other parts of the state, causing extensive damage to standing crops and disrupting road connectivity.

Vijayawada, August 07: Opposing the UPA government’s ‘neo-liberal policies’ and also the strategic alliance with the United States of America will be the central theme of CPM’s deliberations at its extended central committee meeting beginning here tomorrow.