Hyderabad, October 16: Controversies continue to dog the Telugu film ‘Mahatma’ directed by Krishna Vamsi.
After a writer alleged that his song was used by the film producers without his permission, Bajrang Dal activists on Wednesday staged a dharna protesting the poor portrayal of right-wing groups in the film.
Hyderabad, October 16: The Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) has decided to launch a mass movement after Deepavali with a demand for constitutional amendments on the issues of `Hyderabad free zone in the matter of employment’ and equal share for Telangana in Krishna waters.
The party says it would be needless to compare the proposed movement with that of 1969, adding that it might take any dimension and would script a new chapter in the history of Telangana.
The Politburo and state committee met at Telangana Bhavan under the chairmanship of its president K Chandrasekhara Rao today.
Kurnool, October 16: The Telugu Desam Party has extended help to 30,000 flood-hit families on a single day. Going door-to-door, the party leaders consoled the victims and handed over the relief material sponsored by NTR Trust.
Senior leaders and politburo members Erram Naidu, Nagam Janardhan Reddy, Devender Goud, Umamadhava Reddy, Kalva Srinivasulu, K Nageswara Rao, Mysoora Reddy, Jitender reddy, Rammohan Rao, Harish, K E Krishna Murthy and others toured in the divisions of the city today. Basing on the schedule, the leaders got divided into groups and toured the city.
Mamidalapadu, October 16: On the night of October 1, when hundreds of residents from Mamidalapadu on the banks of river Tungabhadra were fleeing to save themselves from the devastating floods, one man – Golla Srinu – refused to follow them despite being warned about the impending danger.
Even his wife and children deserted the village after being told that staying back meant sure death, but Srinu, a farmer, wouldn’t budge.
Vishakapatnam, October 16: It seems like the old story all over again — development for some spelling dispossession and dishousing for others.
The State Government has begun acquiring large tracts of fertile land for the Petroleum, Chemical and Petrochemical Investment
Region (PCPIR) between Vizag and Kakinada.
At the beginning of the year, though ample indications were there that AP would bag the PCPIR any time, the late YS Rajasekhara Reddy suppressed all talk of acquisition for fear of a political backlash in an election year.
Tirupati: In a shocking incident, Jyotsna, a B.Tech student of Sri Padmavathi Mahila Viswavidyalayam, committed suicide in her hostel room in Gayatri Block on the campus today.
The hostel warden, during her routine inspection at around 11 am, found the room of Jyotsna, locked inside and knocked the door. When there was no response, she suspected something was wrong and alerted other staff members. When they broke the door open, they found the girl’s body hanging from the ceiling fan.
Vijayawada, October 16: The loss due to flood havoc in Krishna district alone is expected to touch Rs 1,000 crore.
It is estimated that the Irrigation department has suffered a loss of around Rs 350 crore due to breaches to the bunds at various places in the district has made the situation even worse.
The department, in a report to the State Government, has asked for Rs 7.5 crore immediately for carrying out repairs.
Hyderabad, October 16: Andhra Pradesh government will soon enact a legislation to protect the interest of tenant farmers in the state.
The new law will enable tenant farmers to secure loans from banks besides availing benefits like insurance and ex-gratia payments if the landlord issues a No-Objection Certificate, state Revenue Minister Dharmana Prasada Rao said.
“The proposed legislation will also safeguard interests of landlords,” he said.
Washington, October 16: The World Bank has approved a $320 million loan to India, designed to improve quality, capacity and safety of roads in the state of Andhra Pradesh.
The loan from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) with a maturity of 30 years, including a grace period of 5.5 years. It would help finance the Andhra Pradesh Road Sector Project designed to upgrade about 429 km of priority state highways and finance long-term maintenance of over 6,000 km of the state’s core road network.
Guntur, October 15: It looks as if the Government’s claim that by “immediately” supplying 20 kg of rice and 5 litres of kerosene it had managed the crisis arising from the floods competently needs to be taken with a large dose of salt.
“It was only yesterday, well after the floods receded, that the so-called immediate supplies were forthcoming — and that too only for cardholders, as if they were the only ones affected by the calamity,” scoffed one Venkateswarlu of Pedda Lanka village in Kolluru mandal of the Guntur district.
Vijayawada, October 15: Rajagopal Foundation and the Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) distributed essential commodities and utensils to about 5,000 floodaffected people in Ibrahimpatnam mandal today.
Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee president D Srinivas, who participated as chief guest, distributed sarees, clothes and utensils to flood-ravaged people and appreciated both Rajagopal Foundation and RIL for coming forward to provide assistance to them.
Nalgonda,October 15: Contrary to what was widely reported in newspapers that NTR Jr cut short his election campaign sometime ago as the vehicle he was driving met with an accident on NH-9 near Mothey mandal headquarters on March 27, police on Wednesday arrested NTR Jr’s car driver Uday Kumar for causing the mishap by driving it at high speed.
According to police, NTR Jr and two others were injured when the vehicle they were travelling overturned due to Uday Kumar’s reckless driving.
Salepur, October 15: Padmapur, known as Orissa’s Sivakasi, and its adjacent villages of Trilochanpur, Mahajanpur, Purbakachha, Madhyakachha, Hatikana, Champati, Bahadalpatna and Jangapatna under Salepur block are yet again abuzz with people.
With Diwali just two days away, people from nearby areas are thronging these villages to buy crackers. Locals said the tradition of cracking making in Padmapur is over 100 years old and was started by one Ismail Khan who taught the technique to Sachidananda Mohanty, Nanda Swain and Gandharba Swain.
Tirupati, October 15: The Tirupati Task Force has mooted several proposals for the development of spiritual ambience in the temple town and improve pilgrim amenities.
Tirupati Urban Development Authority (TUDA) Chairman Chevireddy Bhaskar Reddy, who took the initiative in holding the Task Force meeting in the newly inaugurated TUDA conference hall, made a Powerpoint presentation on the development proposals.
Hyderabad, October 14: The Andhra Pradesh High Court today stayed all further proceedings in the Nagarjuna Finance Limited (NFL) case, including the arrest of Mumbai-based investment banker Nimesh Kumar Kampani, accused of alleged misappropriation of fixed deposits in the company.
Justice K C Bhanu stayed all further proceedings pursuant to a notice issued by the city police against Kampani, who was a non-executive director on board of Nagarjuna Finance and stepped down in 1999.
Hyderabad, October 14: The internal politics of ruling Congress in Andhra Pradesh hotted up today as several leaders, including those opposed to YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, held confabulations apparently over the issue of chief ministership.
YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, MP and son of late YS Rajasekhara Reddy, continued to receive a number of senior leaders including ministers. ministers P Laxmaiah, D Nagender, Sunita Laxmareddy, wife of late NT Rama Rao and Lakshmi Parvathi, were among those who called on Jagan today.
Hyderabad, October 14: An Andhra Pradesh legislator and 10 of his supporters were arrested in Krishna district Wednesday for allegedly removing the foundation stone of a road laid by a state minister at a function, to which he was not invited.
Peeved at the ruling Congress party leaders not inviting him to the function, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) legislator Kodali Venkateshwara Rao and his supporters uprooted the plaque in Gudivada town.
On a complaint by the Congress leaders, police arrested the legislator, Gudivada municipal chairman L. Prasad Rao and nine others.
Kurnool, October 14: The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has got stuck in its attempt to assess the possible damage that the Navabrahma temples at Alampur in Mahbubnagar district might have suffered due to the recent floods.
“An attempt was made to get into the temples but our people literally got stuck in the slush. However, we have been able to take some video shots from a distance. An assessment of the damage to the temples, if any can be made only if we are able to enter them,” said K V Rao, superintending archaeologist, ASI, A P circle, Hyderabad.
Hyderabad, October 13: The Telugu Desam party (TDP) today demanded the removal of Major Irrigation Minister Ponnala Lakshmaiah from the Cabinet, holding him responsible for the major damage caused by the recent floods.
Hyderabad, October 13: The All-India Congress Committee has decided to observe the 25th martyrdom day of former prime minister Indira Gandhi on October 31 in a befitting manner.
Accordingly, it has advised the presidents of Pradesh Congress committees to plan programmes.
Following directions from the AICC, PCC chief D Srinivas has directed all the presidents of district and city Congress committees and others concerned to take steps to ensure observing a two-minutes silence on October 31, and to arrange a seminar or an expert lecture on `National integration’ to mark the occasion.
Karimnagar,October 13: Maoists shot dead a former CPI-ML (Pratighatana) `group commander’, Nunavath Ramlal (35), at Yatnaram in Adavimutharam mandal last night.
According to police sources, two armed persons went to his house at 9.30 pm on Sunday, took him away from his house on the pretext of talking to him and shot him in the head. The bullet pierced through his head and came out from the back, it is learnt.
The Maoists left behind three letters written in the name of Mahadevpur area `commander’ of CPI (Maoists).
Vijayawada,October 13: Chief Minister K Rosaiah has said that duplicate ration cards and Arogyasree cards will be issued within a month to all those who lost them in the recent floods.
The Government is also considering a proposal to issue duplicate certificates, besides textbooks and notebooks to students in the flood-affected areas.
However, a final decision in this regard will be taken in a couple of days after discussing it with the officials of the Education Department, he said.
Nalgonda, October 13: Three kids of the Banjara Community, in separate incidents in the district, were sold for a paltry sum of Rs 2000 each. One incident took place today, while the other two took place some time back. In all the three cases, the local police arrested the parents, who sold the kids and are in the process of tracking the kids sold away.
Tirupati, October 13: Telugu Mahila State vice-president N Vijayalakshmi has charged State ministers with neglect in implementation of relief and rehabilitation measures in the flood affected districts.
Kurnool, October 13: Chief Minister K Rosaiah had an unusual visitor _ a serpent _ at Nandyal today.
It lay underneath the red carpet rolled out for him that led to a tent where the he held a media conferece.
The snake, coiled and calm, lay under the red carpet till the chief minister spoke on the flood ravage and listed out the measures he was initating to mitigate their suffering.