Varsity plans to close Folk and Tribal Lore wing

WARANGAL: The Potti Sriramulu Telugu University is planning to either close or shift the existing Folk & Tribal Lore wing here, according to the employees who are up in arms.

According to the 14 temporary employees who have been working for over a decade at its wing here accused the authorities of turning blind eye towards the work done at the centre. “We are at crossroads now with the university planning to remove all the temporary employees. We gave our youthful years in the hope of permanent employment,” lamented G Venkanna, one of the temporary employees. The wing has only three permanent staff and rest were all on contract.

Despite difficulties

Any decision to remove the temporary staff would affect the lives of 14 employees and their families, said A. Mallikarjun. The employees accused the authorities of failing to showcase the achievements of the Tribal Lore wing which did remarkable work with the aid from Ford Foundation. “Despite difficulties we moved from place to place collectinginformation as part of documentation work,” We left our families behind for days on and on in our wild chase for material,” another employee A. Siva Prasad rued.

Mr. Venkanna explained that four coordinators, five project assistants, one video grapher, two computer operators, one technical assistant and a driver were working on temporary basis drawing a meagre salary of Rs. 5,000 and less. They have been working on one year contract which is being renewed every year for more than a decade. However, when the contract expired this year on August 10, it was not renewed for the reasons best known to the authorities.

The temporary employees allege that some vested interest groups were trying to show the Tribal Lore centre in bad light . “There is a rift between the vice chancellor and registrar. The registrar, Mr. Bhaktavatsala Reddy, who was dean here, is being targeted,” lamented some of the temporary employees here.

Hostel building commissioned

WARANGAL: A new hostel building costing RS 1.10 crore was commissioned on the Kakatiya University campus on the eve of Independence Day celebrations.

The hostel has 40 rooms and is named Dr BR Ambedkar Hostel. Inaugurating the new facility, Vice Chancellor Prof V. Gopal Reddy said two more hostels would be constructed soon.-Staff Reporter

Smart cards in rural Andhra by Aug `08

The Andhra Pradesh government on Monday set a target of providing smart cards to 10.8 million white ration card holders (below poverty line families) supported by handheld biometric machines in each of the 25,000 gram panchayats in the state by August next year.

Members of the women self-help groups would be trained as banking correspondents to handle transactions of these families, including distribution of old-age pensions and disbursement of wages under the National Rural Employment Guarantee (NREG) programme, apart from banking.

A pilot scheme under which villages in six mandals of Warangal district and two mandals of Karimnagar district, where the public sector banks in close association with the state rural development department have been handling the financial transactions of poor families through the smart card system, would form the basis for the statewide implementation, according to state rural development minister G Chinna Reddy.

Several banks including State Bank of Hyderabad, State Bank of India, Andhra Bank, Axis Bank, Union Bank of India and AP Grameen Vikas Bank are involved in the pilot scheme.

Chief minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy held a review meeting with bankers and senior officials of the department of rural development on the smart card project and said the scheme had to be replicated to the entire state in the next one year.

Bankers have agreed to bear the entire cost of the handheld biometric machines (around Rs 20,000 per machine) once the scheme is extended throughout the state. Under the pilot scheme, the banks and the state government have equally shared the cost.

The handheld machine with all-in-one features developed by Financial Information Network and Operations Limited (FINO), a subsidiary of ICICI Bank, would be given to banking correspondents in each village.

The government would provide a room either attached to the gram panchayat office or built separately for running the mini-bank, Chinna Reddy said.

Banks will open accounts for these poor families, who are also the beneficiaries of various government welfare schemes, and all the transactions including savings and withdrawals would be handled through their respective smart cards and biometric machines.

Not good for the country: Brinda

WARANGAL: CPI(M) Polit Bureau member and MP Brinda Karat has expressed the hope that the UPA government would refrain from going ahead with its nuclear agreement with the U.S. as it lacked support in Parliament.

Addressing a public meeting here on Sunday, Ms. Karat said that as the agreement was not in the interest of the country and it affected the sovereignty of India, the Left Parties were opposing it. “If the UPA goes ahead despite the resistance from various sections, particularly from the Left Front, it will not be good for the country,” she said. Ms. Karat appealed to the people to take a pledge to fight against the agreement and struggle till the Centre withdrew from it.

The CPI (M) leader, who was here to take part in the meeting organised to prepare the cadre for the second phase of struggle for the land, said the agreement empowered the U.S. President to issue a good conduct certificate every year to the Indian government.

“The government required the certificate from the people of India, not the U.S. president,” she said.

The UPA was told to stick to the common minimum programme to complete its five-year term and the Left Front extended support on the condition. The UPA was supposed to obtain consensus from the allies for its policies and programmes. If it failed to implement the CMP, the Left parties would be constrained to extend issue-based support to the government. “No party can impose its policies on other parties while in a coalition,” she said.

Little village sends out big message

WARANGAL: It is a little village on the Warangal-Narasampet road but is sending out a big message.

After all, it boasts of the best panchayat in the entire country and has been enforcing prohibition for the last two years. The village Gangadevipalli is spotlessly clean and there are neat signboards indicating wards.

There are cement roads without a crack, drains without garbage clogging them, and toilets in all houses. And compliance with family planning is hundred per cent.

The Rajiv Rural Development Foundation and the Indian Academy of Study and Research saw all this for themselves and adjudged the village as the best panchayat in the country for 2007.

‘‘I am delighted at the honour to our village. It became possible because all the residents were willing partners,’’ proud sarpanch K Rajamouli told this websites newspaper.

The village, which has a population of 1270, has been a model for quite a long time. In 1995, impressed by the civic sense of the people, the government upgraded it to a special panchayat.

And for its part, the village itself has taken the initiative on many occasions. For instance, it took up the responsibility of tackling the problem of fluoride in drinking water. And the panchayat provides cable TV connection to each house at nominal rates.

Tax compliance is total in this village. And another distinguishing feature is that the panchayat has constituted special committees to oversee development programmes, provide employment to women, monitor streetlighting and prohibition, as also health care, civil supplies, and education and see to the maintenance of the temple.

‘‘It is a red letter day in my life. All the residents of the village are very happy about the honour bestowed on us,’’ gushes the sarpanch.

TRS to mobilise farmers of SRSP ayacut

HYDERABAD: The Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) proposed to take farmers in the ayacut of Sriramsagar Project (SRSP) in various Telangana districts into agitation mode demanding increase in the carrying capacity of the main canal, distributaries and field channels of the project.

TRS president K. Chandrasekhar Rao would participate in a bus yatra from Nadigudem in Nalgonda district to Pochampad, the dam site. People would hold rallies, demonstrations and rasta rokos separately in Nalgonda, Warangal and Karimnagar districts as part of the agitation whose schedule was yet to be finalised, Mr. Rao told a news conference here on Thursday.

‘Enhance capacity’

He asked the Government to enhance the capacity of the main canal from 7,500 cusecs to 18,000 cusecs.

He also demanded balancing reservoirs for the project in Warangal and Nalgonda districts to improve gravity flow of water.

Mr. Rao alleged that the Government was deliberately neglecting SRSP, the only major project meeting the irrigation requirements of Telangana, to ensure river water to coastal districts.

However, it made tall claims of irrigating 15 lakh acres under the project after limiting the capacity of the main canal to 7,500 cusecs.

This was unbelievable as the irrigated area of Nagarjunasagar project had never exceeded 17 lakh acres with the aggregate carrying capacity of its right and left canals being as high as 22,000 cusecs.

Telangana suffered a raw deal in irrigation sector though the Major Irrigation Ministers in the present Congress Government and the previous TDP regime hailed from the region, he added.

Transit homes for rural youth

Sweet success: Employed rural youth, who were assured transit homes by Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, at a function in Hyderabad on Monday.

HYDERABAD: Transit homes will be arranged in and around the city for rural youth from remote areas who are provided jobs through the Employment Generation and Marketing Mission (EGMM) of the Rural Development Department.

This was announced on Monday by Chief Minister Y.S.Rajasekhara Reddy here on Monday while interacting with rural youth who were employed in the private sector.

Dr. Reddy said the transit homes will enable those who secured jobs to stay for three to six months before finding suitable accommodation. He stated that the Government’s aim was to ensure that every youth in rural areas was provided employment. Specialised training will be provided through 86 industrial training institutes (ITIs) according to marketing needs at a cost of Rs.100 crore.

He said the Government had taken up in a big way the mission of facilitating employment for 10 lakh youth every year. Some 1.5 lakh jobs will be provided through the Rural Development Department alone. An amount of Rs.120 crore had been allocated to the department this year for the purpose.

Rural Development Minister G. Chinna Reddy said the Government’s aim was to uplift the rural poor.

K. Raju, CEO, Society for Elimination of Rural Poverty, said a mapping of job opportunities in various sectors was completed and the EGMM had entered into MoUs with different companies. Earlier, Swaroopa of Hasanparthy (Warangal ) said she underwent computer training and got a job in HDFC bank where she was earning Rs.5,500 a month.

Dream comes true for two youngsters

Swamy and Praveen of Warangal, who never even in their wildest dreams thought of visiting a town or city, are now a happy twosome youngsters.

They have overcome their big town phobia, English language barrier, and are confident of making it reasonably good in life with their new found language and vocational skills.

Getting over the rural background mindset is no ordinary feat. But then the two youngsters have achieved it with the training they have got. “We never thought of coming to Hyderabad for jobs as we are not familiar with urban life and are hardly familiar with English. But after our training in English and other employable skills, we have got a good job with Home Town, a retailer,” say Swamy and Praveen.

Both of them are from agricultural families and first generation learners who joined jobs. “The training included not only spoken English and business etiquette but also on dressing and interacting with prospective customers. We have also been taught how to project ourselves in the job market,” explained Praveen who, along with 13 other youths from the same district, is working with ‘Home Town,’ a city-based retailer firm.

They are confident that in six months they can support their families back home financially.

Till two months ago they were among the scores of educated unemployed youths in Warangal district.

They were selected by Employment Generation and Marketing Mission (EGMM) of the Commissionerate of Rural Development after a thorough screening and sent for specialised training.

The EGMM is a public-private partnership programme, which identifies unemployed youths, with the help of the SHGs and trains them in skills to make them employable.

On the demand side, the programme links up with private enterprises who need staff. These trained youth are sent to work there. EGMM has identified retail, healthcare, hospitality, security, IT and IT enabled services, construction and textiles as having potential to employ the trained manpower.

“For getting a job in these sectors we look for youths in the 18- 25 age group, who have passed SSC or Inter.Most of the youths whom we are picking up passed Class X or Intermediate. There are few graduates too. Our training programmes are tailormade to meet the demands of the job market. Of the 232 trained in the first batch, about 210 already got placements,” said Ch Anita, an English trainer in Warangal.

Two lakh IT jobs in next 2 years, says Minister

WARANGAL: The government decided to provide IT jobs for two lakh people in the next two years, IT & Youth Services Minister R Damodar Reddy has said.

He was speaking to mediapersons here today after participating in several developmental programmes. The IT sector is being given same importance as the agriculture sector. Former chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu who had been claiming of developing the IT sector had provided jobs to only 85,000 people during his nine-year rule but the Congress had provided IT jobs to one lakh people during the past three years, he claimed.

The export of various products amounts to 48 per cent and that of IT alone to 52 per cent in the State. IT products of Rs 5,000 crore were exported during the TD’s rule and under the Congress rule there had been exports of Rs 18,500 crore during the last three years, the Minister said.

The Minister said that the IT sector would be developed in all other district apart from Hyderabad under the two and three-tier systems. In the two-tier system, IT parks will be established in Warangal and five other districts and under the three-tier system, parks will be developed in Nizamabad, Mahaboobnagar, Nalgonda districts and other towns.

Arrangements are on to provide infrastructure int he IT park in Warangal, he said. He said that the extension of four-lane works from Hyderabad to Warangal were going on and that the airport would be renovated for augmenting the development of the IT sector.

Apart from Madikonda in the district, other places are also being examined for setting up the IT park, he said. There is a comprehensive action plan to make software technology available in every village, he said.

He urged the party activists to publicise about the various developmental programmes taken up by the Congress Government.

Earlier, he inaugurated the additional classrooms in Urdu medium school built at a cost of Rs 9 lakh. He also laid foundation for four other additional classrooms in the same school.

All set for SCCL elections today

The stage is all set for the prestigious recognised trade union elections of Singareni Collieries Company Limited in Ramagundam coal belt region on Thursday.

The Labour Department and Singareni authorities have made elaborate arrangements for the smooth conduct of polling. Out of a total of 102 polling booths in the four districts of Khammam, Adilabad, Warangal and Karimnagar, 30 polling booths have been opened in the Ramagundam region where over 30,000 coal-miners will exercise their franchise.

In the neighbouring Adilabad district, the authorities have opened seven polling booths in Bellampalli, 13 in Mandamarri and 13 booths in Srirampur coal belt region. In Warangal 10 polling booths in Bhupalapalli coal belt region, in Khammam district Kothugudem eight booths, Illendu six and Manuguru five booths.

The Karimnagar district, additional police forces have been deployed. For the first time, the district anti-riot control squad team has been posted in the Ramagundam region. Superintendent of Police Y Gangadhar is personally supervising the security arrangements.
Tight security

Adilabad Staff Reporter writes: Polling will be held amid tight security in 45 polling stations in the regions of Bellampalli, Mandamarri and Srirampur between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m.

The main trade unions vying for recognition are the Indian National Trade Union Congress (Congress party), All India Trade Union Congress (Communist Party of India) and the Telangana Boggu Gani Karmika Sangham (Telangana Rashtra Samiti).

These unions have come seeking votes on rather similar promises of stopping privatisation of the Sangareni Collieries, issue of wage board and bonus.

TRS entry changes Singareni poll scene

HYDERABAD: Elections for verification of trade union membership in Singareni Collieries Company Limited on Thursday is all set to witness a keen triangular contest with the entry of the TRS- sponsored Telangana Boggugani Karmika Sangham in a big way.

While 10 unions are in fray for the prestigious elections, the fight is expected to be mainly between INTUC, AITUC and TRS backed unions. Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) sponsored Singareni Coal Mines Labour Union (INTUC) was the recognised union in the last elections held in 2003.

The vigorous campaign by TRS president K. Chandrasekhar Rao in the coal belts of Adilabad, Karimnagar, Warangal and Khammam added new dimension to the polls. The TRS leader raised the separate Telangana issue and expressed fears that the Government would privatise the profit-making company.

Bonus announced

The Congress, TDP, CPI (M) and CPI leaders also campaigned aggressively for their respective trade unions. The Congress Government, in a bid to woo the SCCL employees, went ahead with announcing bonus.

Meanwhile, campaign for high-profile elections came to an end on Tuesday evening. Close to 76,000 employees of the SCCL working in 11 regions will exercise their franchise in 102 polling stations spread in Adilabad, Karimnagar, Warangal and Khammam districts, on August 9.

Regional Labour Commissioner (Central) and Returning officer L. Sita Rao told reporters here, that polling would be conducted from 7.30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Thursday. More than 600 polling staff including officials in the rank of Assistant Labour Commissioners and Labour Enforcement Officers from other States have been drafted for polling. Counting would take place in Kothagudem on Thursday night while results will be announced on Friday. Ballot papers were shifted to Kothagudem, Yellandu, Manuguru, Ramagundam (1, 2 and 3), Bhupalpalli, Bellampalli, Mandamarri and Srirampur regions.

CITU demands welfare for unorganised sector

WARANGAL: Workers of unorganised sector staged a dharna at the district Collectorate, under aegis of Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), demanding minimum facilities and extension of welfare measures.

The workers, representing CITU affiliated unions, municipal sanitation, beedi workers, building and construction workers, hotels and transport companies, took part in the demonstration. CITU leaders G. Ramesh and R. Ramesh said there were about three lakh labourers in unorganised sector in the district who were deprived of basic facilities. They were not included in any welfare scheme. They said these workers should also get housing, bank linkages in addition to the social welfare measures such as provident fund, ESI and minimum wages.

Memorandum

Later, the CITU submitted a memorandum to the district collector. Collector K. Damayanthi said the district administration would conduct a meeting with labour department officials and CITU after August 15 to sort out the grievances of the unorganised labour in the district.

Warangal Collector faces ire of MLAs, MLCs on housing scheme

Hard talk: Andhra Pradesh Endowments Minister J. Ratnakar Rao instructing District Collector K. Damayanthi at the District Review Committee meeting in Warangal on Monday.

WARANGAL: Cutting across party lines, MLAs and MLCs spewed fire on district Collector K Damayanthi for alleged irregularities in Indiramma Housing scheme at the District Review Committee (DRC) meeting here on Monday.

TDP MLA, E Dayakar Rao said his party lost confidence in the district Collector as she turned `indifferent’ to the complaints lodged by his party leaders. “The Collector can do nothing. An officer from Hyderabad should be appointed to inquire into the housing scandal” he demanded.

Mr. Dayakar Rao said the funds to the tune of Rs. 1.20 crore were misappropriated by the officials and Congress leaders and the district administration has failed to check. He demanded that entire information about the scheme from it inception till date be disclosed at the meeting.

Credibility

Congress party MLC Gandra Venkataramana Reddy too, targeted the Collector questioning the credibility of the report submitted by the district administration on housing scheme. “Is any review meeting taking place in any mandal? Are the figures being supplied by the officials true?” he questioned.

However, she exuded confidence during her replies to all the allegations. “I personally visited 120 Indiramma villages. I found irregularities in Mulug Ghanpur mandal and initiated action against 12 officials and Rs. 6 lakh. In every mandal, a social audit is ordered and State vigilance officials are involved in the whole exercise,” she explained. Flay target

Congress MLA Podem Veeraiah said the irregularities in housing scheme took place in Mulug Ghanpur mandal as the Congress and TDP leaders blackmailed and threatened the officials and grabbed the cement bags.

Endowments Minister and in charge of district, J Ratnakar Rao, Major Irrigation Minister Ponnala Lakshmaiah and Tribal Welfare Minister D S Redya Naik tried to pacify the MLAs who directed their tirade against the collector, but in vain.

MLAs – Mandadi Satyanarayana Reddy, Dugyala Srinivasa Rao, V Narender Reddy, K Laxma Reddy and MP B Vinod Kumar two joined in the verbal attack against the district Collector.

E-cops project gets underway in Warangal district

Warangal: The police in the district are turning tech savvy and soon take advantage of the information available on the network connecting District Police Office with all important police stations.

Inspector General of Police (Computer Services) M Mahender Reddy reviewed the arrangements for grounding the e-cops project in the district at a preparatory meeting held here on Sunday.

Discussing with district police officials, Mahender Reddy explained the features of the project to the police personnel and the proposed plan to include the Warangal district in State-wide ‘e-cops’ project.

As many as 21 circle and other offices were given desktops while 20 police officials were given laptop computers, bought with a loan from the AP Grameen Vikas Bank.

The district police administration formed a ‘IT core team’ that comprises six system administrators, four hardware and network maintenance personnel, two database administrators and three master trainers to implement the ‘e-cops’ project.

To make use of the computer technology, the district police authority recently recruited about 60 computer literate Home Guards. The newly recruited personnel and all station writers were given training by the National Institute of Technology (NIT).

Addressing the police personnel, IG (Computers) M Mahender Reddy exhorted the policemen to keep abreast with the latest advances in technology to survive the competition and challenges.

Speaking on the occasion, Superintendent of Police Soumya Mishra said the district police administration had made all arrangements to make the e-cops project a success. NIT director, Y V Rao appreciating the efforts of the police, assured that the institute was ready to extend its cooperation to the police in their endeavours to upgrade their offices.

Chairman of AP Grameena Vikas Bank A Anantha Krishna too came forward to extend loans liberally to the policemen, who were interested in acquiring laptops and other technical equipment to help them function effectively.

The Home Guards who secured top positions at the recently given training programme – P Raju, O Harikishan Raju and M Purnachander – were awarded prizes by Mahender Reddy.

Protests mar ZP anniversary celebrations

WARANGAL: The first anniversary celebrations of the zilla parishad were held on Sunday amidst protests by the Telugu Desam, the main opposition party.

The TD members boycotted the celebrations held at Ambedkar Bhavan in the city. TDP ZPTC members and the mandal parishad presidents staged a sit-in at the Ambedkar statue.

Several legislators of the ruling Congress too remained absent. Meanwhile, the TD members staged protest demonstration throughout the day .

Charging the zilla parishad with not taking up any developmental activities during the past one year, they wondered why were the celebrations being held.

Unleashing hidden gems

The domestic traveller loves Andhra Pradesh. It has recorded the highest leap in numbers for travel, according to ‘Incredible India’ findings. Hyderabad’s composite and cosmopolitan culture, its good weather and modern feel make it a naturally attractive destination.

The city still retains its old world charm and has a freshness that cannot be seen in done-to-death touristy places. Research shows that it is not just Hyderabad the travellers visit, they now tend to go to various places in the heartland of the state, from Srikalulam to East Godavari.

Whether it is the spanking new Balayogi Paryatak Bhavan, the National Institute of Tourism and Hospitality Management,

the renovation of breathtaking and historical Taramati Baradari, or even the plans to dot the city with budget hotels, efforts are afoot to give the state its due place on the tourism map.

Worldwide, tourism accounts for 10.4 per cent of the global GDP and 8.1 per cent of the global employment. Andhra Pradesh is seriously looking at tourism as an industry and a major employment provider. “We are finally set to harness the direct and multiplier effect for employment generation, economic growth and poverty alleviation with tourism projects in the state,” avers tourism secretary Chitra Ramachandran.

Enhancing private sector participation in the tourism sector with the government working as the facilitator and the catalyst is a key part of the programme. Developing major centres of historic stature and natural beauty such as Vishakapatnam, Warangal and Tirupati with unique concepts such as beach tourism, rural tourism, eco-tourism, medical tourism, and developing the Buddhist and Jain travel circuits is top priority now.

Looking back Chitra says, “Attracting the domestic traveller starts with infrastructure, and the general feeling of well being in India right now just adds to it.” The migration of the IT worker to Hyderabad has led to travel tales all over the country describing the city and its beneficence. For once, the attitude towards tourism is in step with the times – one is likely to see a sea cruise, river cruise in coastal Andhra and an entire temple circuit develop in parts of Warangal. Statewide, spas, entertainment centres, star hotels and budget hotels are in various stages of completion.

Interestingly, it is the bright new ideas era now. Ideas like the Southern Splendour Express train, the Sri Ram Sagar dam project called the “The river country getaway” are a sharp shift from the tried and tested ideas. Why, there is even a plane called Andhra Pradesh now!

A lot of the corporate good will is actually because Hyderabad is now a leading MICE destination and international conventions happen here as a routine. Hyderabad International Convention Centre (HICC) is South Asia’s first truly world class convention centre. The Shilpa Kala Vedika and Ramoji Film City come a close second, and both are exceptionally impressive .

There is something about Hyderabad that gets people to say “wow”. Like we said, the world is Hyderabad’s oyster now!

A ray of hope for rural youth

Bright future: T.A.N. Reddy of Hometown (Futures Group) addressing trainees in Warangal.

HYDERABAD: Till a few months ago, 20-year-old Gonela Swamy of Veldanda village in Narmetta mandal of Warangal was clueless on what he wanted to do after graduation.

He became depressed when he failed to get a job due to lack of fluency in English and poor communication skills.

But, hope came in the form of a unique initiative by the Employment Generation and Marketing Mission (EGMM) of the Rural Development department for Swamy and many others like him from the rural areas.

The Rural English and Soft Skills Academy (RESS), established by EGMM identified youth from interior villages and had trained them in English and communication skills. The 45-day training programme turned out to be an amazing success with 185 of 200 trainees getting absorbed in firms like Reliance Retail, Futures Group, Pizza Hut and Trinethra super market chain with salaries ranging from Rs. 3,200 to Rs. 6,000 per month.

The Mission engaged Job Resource Persons (JRPs) to identify potential youth who have passed SSC for the training, which included employability and communication skills, corporate expectations and computer training.

Turning point

“It is the turning point in my life. From loitering around in my village, today I am working in the capital,” a beaming Swamy, working as Customer Support Associate in ‘Hometown’, a shopping mall in Punjagutta said. “We can even converse with customers in English,” says I. Ramakrishna of Elakurthy Haveli village of Geesukonda mandal, and his colleague, with pride.

Warangal Collector K. Damayanthi said that rural educated youth who did not wish to return to farming now have an opportunity to secure decent jobs.

“They are able to support their families too,” she pointed out. The corporate sector too endorsed the training being given: “EGMM trained youth can straightaway be absorbed,” said a manager.

“EGMM training is different as it develops products as per the needs of the market,” said Meera Shenoy, Executive Director, EGMM.

The next batch of students trained in districts of Karimnagar, Kadapa, Anantapur, Seetampeta (Srikakulam), Nellore and Chittoor too are ready for interviews. Forty RESS academies are to be set up all over the State to help educated youth.

20 mineral water plants set up by police in Warangal

WARANGAL: The district police have become cautious about on waterborne diseases. As many as 20 mineral water plants were established by the district police unit, across the district to secure safe drinking water.

On Friday, the 20th water plant was inaugurated by the Superintendent of Police Soumya Mishra at Bhimaram police lines for the CRPF personnel.

There was only one water plant in the district, when Soumya Mishra took charge last year in mid September. The police, particularly the constabulary working in the agency areas were falling sick after consuming contaminated water. As part of the welfare measures to the personnel, the authorities focussed on establishing mineral water plants wherever possible, particularly in the agency areas where men faced severe problem.

Moved by the plight constabulary, the SP got19 more mineral water plants sanctioned in the district. Priority was given to the agency area police stations for sanctioning the water plants.

About six thousand cops and their family members were now getting safe drinking water.

The police department initially invested Rs.28 lakh on mineral water plants to protect police from being infected with waterborne diseases.

Students told to cultivate reading habits

WARANGAL: District Legal Services Authority, secretary, M Krishnappa exhorted the law students to cultivate the habit of reading and make use of libraries at colleges and at court.

Participating as chief guest at a convention on legal knowledge at Adarsha Law College here on Friday, Mr Krishnappa urged the students not to depend too much on seniors.

He told them to make efforts to acquire knowledge through journals and practical experience.

Centre urged to speed up temple restoration

WARANGAL: TRS senior leader B. Vinod Kumar demanded that the Central Government complete the restoration of Thousand Pillar temple at the earliest.

The Kalyana Mantapam structure which was in dilapidated condition was demolished for reconstruction an year ago. The Centre had sanctioned Rs. 3 crore for the purpose. However, due to lack of coordination, the work had been pending since then.

Senior citizen and retired professor of Regional Engineering College (REC), M. Panduranga Rao who had been espousing the cause took it up with the public representatives.

Senior officers in the Government and Major Irrigation Minister Ponnala Lakshmaiah too impressed upon Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy who wrote to the Union Minister and officials at New Delhi.

Officials of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) reportedly differed over the type of foundation to be adopted for rebuilding the demolished portion of Thousand Pillar temple. Some argue that RCC foundation would last long, while others opine that granular piles with a shaft would be better.

Mr. Vinod Kumar said when he met Director General of ASI, he promised to get a technical report from one of the IITs of the country before going ahead with restoration work at Thousand Pillar temple.

The TRS leader demanded that the ASI secure the required report at the earliest and complete the project as it was already delayed.

TRS leaders Jannu Jacharaiah, temple priest Gangu Upendra Sharma and others were present.

HISTORICAL CITY OF WARANGAL

India that is Bharat is like a Banyan tree stretching over the entire sub-continent of South-Asia with well-developed supporting stems in and around, to trace the original one in respect of its culture and heritage.

In this part of our motherland, Warangal is the 5^th biggest city in the state of Andhra Pradesh and is next to Hyderabad in the region of Telengana. Located at a distance of 135 kms from the state capital of Andhra Pradesh it has so far creditably passed through from pre-historic times to the present days. It is a historical city that was earlier known as ‘Orugallu’ or ‘Ekashila Nagaram’. This region has provided a strong base foundation of Satavahana and Chalukya emperors and was ruled by Kakatiya kings during 1001-1323 AD. During this period the region was acknowledged as center for cultural development, learning, Art and Architecture made a significant progress. The real beauties of temples located in this area discover the age of old capital of Kakatiya Kingdom. The rich culture and heritage is still maintained till today.

The historical monuments of this region with excellent architectural styles have been attracting a wide variety of people from various parts of the world. It is an important cultural center like, ‘Rajamahendravaram’, which gave birth to ‘Adikavi Nannaya’, it could claim equal status as the great poet Pothana the author of ‘Srimad Bhagavatam’, one of the finest creations in Classical Telugu, born in this place. The city was mute witness to rise and fall of many a Kingdom with a rich historic past.

The twin cities of Warangal and Hanamkonda are known tourist places with various site seeing places like Warangal Fort, Temple Hill of Bhadrakali, the vast and dense forests of Eturnagaram and Parkal, Lakes, Enchanting Gardens, Wide roads with historical structures, Animal Sanctuaries, Zoological Park, Science Museums, Planetarium etc.

Students take out rally to mark `Library week’ celebrations

Little scholars: Students of V.S.S.N. Bharathi upper primary school taking out a rally on the eve of library week celebrations in Warangal on Tuesday.

WARANGAL: Students of VSSN Bharathi upper primary school, Balasamudram took out a rally on the eve of `Library week’ celebrations beginning from August 1. School correspondent, Martha Rajaiah said the rally was aimed at creating awareness among the students and general public about the importance of libraries and the need to patronise them.

Donations were collected from different sections to set up a library at the school. Later, a meeting was held at the school where five committees were formed involving students – health & hygiene; library; information; wall magazine and environment protection committee.

Rs. 500-crore growth plan mooted for Warangal

WARANGAL: There is only one main thoroughfare that connects Kazipet and Warangal towns. The 16 kilometre road is always congested and the traffic situation is chaotic on any day, observed the speakers at a high-level meeting held under auspices of AP Urban Services for the Poor (APUSP) here.

The police officials and senior citizens came up with suggestions like developing a couple of bypass roads and an outer ring road to solve the traffic problem in the town.

Taking part in the deliberations, the Superintendent of Police Soumya Mishra and advisor to Municipal Corporation, Prof M Panduranga Rao recommended for development of bypass roads connecting the tri-cities ,Warangal, Hanamkonda and Kazipet.

The existing Hunter Road, KUC road and some of the bypass roads should be widened to ease the traffic congestion, they pointed out.

The meeting was held to discuss the needs of these three towns and work out a plan taking into consideration the development that is likely to take place in the next three decades.

Some development proposals worth about Rs. 500 crore were made at this meeting.

Issues of utmost concern such as underground drainage, drinking water and traffic management were discussed at length.

The meet approved the drinking water system augmentation proposals that would cost of Rs. 178 crore.

The Union Urban Development ministry has sanctioned the amount for the Warangal Municipal Corporation to improve its drinking water system to meet the future requirements.

As part of it, the storage capacity of the Dharmasagar and Bhadrakali tanks would be increased and huge pipelines would be laid connecting them to the existing filter beds and the new ones that were proposed to come up.

It was agreed that a project worth Rs. 250 crore was needed to create the underground drainage facility in the city.

Encroachments

Clearing of encroachments in the natural course of nalas, setting up sewage treatment plants and widening of the nalas would form part of the plan.

Mayor Errabelli Swarna, commissioner K V Ram Reddy, MLC Gandra Venkata Ramana Reddy, deputy mayor E Ravinder, superintending engineers Koteshwar and Anjaneyulu were among others present.

Sakambari Navaratri festival concludes

WARANGAL: Lakhs of devotees attended the Sakambari Navaratri Mahotsav in Bhadrakali temple which concluded on Monday.

The Mahotsav began on July 15 and since then special ‘alankarams’ were done to the goddess. On the last day of the celebrations yesterday, the goddess was adorned with various types of vegetables. ‘Sahasra kalasabhishekam’ was also performed.

The temple was decorated with various hues of lights during the nine-day festival. Warangal legislator B Saraiah and SP Soumya Mishra prayed at the temple.

221 belt shops identified

Mahila Satta, the women’s wing of Lok Satta Party, has identified 221 unauthorised liquor shops in three mandals of Warangal district and written letters to Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy seeking their closure.

According to Mahila Satta convener D. Lakshmi, 71 belt shops were in Jaffergadh, 30 in Hasnaparthi and 120 in Wardhannapet mandals.

A Lok Satta press release issued here on Monday stated that a campaign to locate belt shops was taken up in response to Chief Minister’s statement in the Assembly that there were no belt shops and that the Government would shut them down if anybody passed on information.

Firing: Lok Satta faults State, opposition parties

WARANGAL: Lok Satta Party leader N. Jayaprakash Narayan on Sunday found fault with both the ruling and the opposition parties and held them responsible for the police firing at Mudigonda in Khammam district.

Mr. Narayan who was here to attend his party’s regional meeting told reporters that the State Government should take into consideration peoples’ aspirations.

The opposition parties should maintain restraint while leading agitations and restrain from instigating innocent public. Political parties were only trying to gain mileage out of the issue rather condemning it.

They should pledge to strive to maintain law and order and protect the lives of poor people.

Media criticised

He took exception to the behaviour of media personnel who were jumping to conclusions. The media, instead of judging, should centre its activity around people and dig deep into the issues concerning them. Mr. Narayan said the party would launch an agitation against illegal sale of liquor and ensure that all the belt shops in the State were closed.

Beginning October 2, the party would mobilise people, particularly women at the village level.

Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy claimed that there were no belt shops in the State, but there were 1.8 lakh shops in Andhra Pradesh, he maintained.

“Our party cadre will undertake a survey and submit it to the Government,” he said. Similarly, Lok Satta would also agitate for proper functioning of fair price shops in the State. Party leader Parcha Kodandarama Rao and others were present.

Warangal City Information

NIT Warangal

NITW (National Institue of Technology, Warangal), formerly known as RECW (Regional Engineering College, Warangal).The college seems to be doing great in recent times.In a recent IDC-Dataquest-Nasscom survey, NIT Warangal ranked in 7th nationwide.The precise nature of the activities in the academic departments and other units of the College, the contributions made in Research and Development work, the consultancy services rendered to industry and various field organisations are not always known and understood by the society at large.

ITM Warangal

The Institute for Technology and Management was founded with an academic association with The Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU), USA . The curriculum, academic standards and pedagogy of SNHU formed the basis of ITM's MBA Program. In the years since, the Institute has expanded its collaborations to include distinguished Universities across Europe and Asia , evolving academic programs of International repute. The ITM Group of Business Schools is currently conducting 15 programs.Hunter Road, Opp.APSRTC Tyre Unit,WARANGAL - 506 001Tel: (0870) 2524138 Fax:(0870)2524083email:warangal@itm.edu

Kakathiya University

Kakatiya University is located in the historical town, Warangal.The University is offering about 120 programs at Undergraduate and Postgraduate level in the Faculties of Arts, Science, Commerce and Business Management, Social Sciences, Education, Engineering and Pharmaceutical Sciences with 340 constituent and affiliated colleges spread over four districts of Andhra Pradesh. The faculties of all the departments, with 248 teaching staff and 622 non-teaching staff, are committed to and well versed in their respective subjects.

Kakathiya Medical College

The Kakatiya Medical College, Warangal was started in the year 1959 by the Regional Medical Education society (Regd.) warangal with the active support of the then Chief Minister of A.P., the Director of Medical services and the District Collector, warangal to provide Medical education for students of Telengana region.The Collegs was inaugurated on 23rd July, 1959 by Honorable Sri P.Karnakar, Minister of Health, Govt.of India.The P.G. Courses were started in 1972 and the college is conducting post-graduate courses in almost all the departments.

NIT Warangal

National Institute of Technology (NIT) Warangal is one of the premier engineering institutions of India. The institute was established in 1959 and at that time it was known as the Regional Engineering College, Warangal. The institute was initially affiliated to Jawaharlal Nehru Technical University. In 1976, its affiliation was changed to Kakatiya University. In 2002, the institute was accorded the status of Deemed University and was renamed as NIT Warangal.

NIT Warangal offers undergraduate and postgraduate programs in BioTechnology, Chemical, Civil, Computer Science, Electrical, Electronics and Communications, Mechanical, and Metallurgical & Materials Engineering. Admissions to undergraduate programs are made on the basis of performance in AIEEE.

NIT Warangal offers 2 years post-graduate (M. Tech.) programs in Electronics Instrumentation, VLSI System design, Power Systems, Electrical Machines & Industrial Drives, Engineering Structures, Water resources Engineering, Transportation Engineering, Geotechnical Engineering, Remote Sensing & Geographical Information Systems, Thermal Engineering, Manufacturing Systems Engineering, Computer integrated Manufacturing & Advanced Manufacturing Processes, Industrial Metallurgy.

NIT Warangal also offers in Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics. These include: M.Sc.(Tech.) in Engineering Physics with specialization in Photonics, Electronics & Instrumentation. M.Sc (Tech.) in Industrial Chemistry with specialization in 'Dyes, Drugs, Pharmaceuticals and Pesticides' or Modern Methods of Chemical Analysis. M.Sc (Tech.) in Mathematics with specialization in Applied Mathematics and Mathematics and Scientific computing.

NIT Warangal also offers MBA and MCA programs.

Contact Address:
National Institute of Technology,
Warangal - 506004, A.P, India
URL: www.recw.ernet.in

Left parties’ bandh tomorrow

VIOLENCE ALL OVER: A policeman beats up Left party activists during a protest in Hyderabad on Thursday.

HYDERABAD: The Left parties have called for Statewide bandh on July 28 in protest against the “indiscriminate” police lathicharge on their leaders and activists who laid siege to district collectorates across the State on Thursday.

Violence marked the programme of the CPI (M) and CPI to lay siege to the Collector’s offices as police resorted to lathicharge in nearly one dozen district headquarters, including Hyderabad to prevent activists from barging inside. The protests were organised as part of their ongoing agitation for land distribution to the poor. Several party activists sustained bleeding injuries and hundreds were arrested in different districts. Women who gathered in large numbers bore the brunt of the lathicharge and many fainted or sustained minor injuries in the caning. Seven police personnel who tried to stop the activists from gatecrashing into the Warangal Collectorate sustained minor injuries. Cases under section 307 were registered against 12 activists. Police resorted to lathicharge in Kadapa, Visakhapatnam, Anantapur, Mahabubnagar and Srikakulam.

Water cannons

In the State capital, police fired teargas shells and deployed water cannons to prevent Left party workers from storming the Hyderabad Collectorate.

They fought a pitched battle with party activists who tried to sneak into the Collectorate from the Mozamjahi Road. Mounted police were at t e receiving end of stone pelting when they tried to chase away the demonstrators.

Fifth day

Condemning the lathicharge, CPI (M) secretary B. V. Raghavulu and CPI secretary K. Narayana announced their decision to continue their indefinite fast that entered the fifth day on Thursday.

After a meeting of leaders of the two parties, they rejected Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy’s appeal to call off their fast as his response to their demands was far from satisfactory.

Left parties’ protest turns violent

WARANGAL: The picketing by the CPI and CPI (M) activists turned violent when the police tried to disperse the protestors at the district Collectorate. Seven policemen and several others were injured in melee. Thousands of people affiliated to the Left parties reached the district Collectorate early on Thursday to express solidarity with the fasting leaders. The leaders were demanding house sites to the poor and withdrawal of police cases against their cadre. As the number of protestors increased., those in front, tried to gatecrash into the Collectorate premises. The police initially tried to pacify the agitating mob and tried to disperse them , but in vain.

The police were forced to resort to lathicharge. . Some of the women from the crowd hurled slippers and stones at the police and manhandled the women police on duty. As a result, seven police personnel were grievously injured. Protesting the lathicharge by the police, the CPI and CPI (M) called for a district bandh on July 28.

NIZAMABAD: The fast unto death being staged by the CPI(M) activists in front of the Collectorate here , entered the fourth day on Thursday. As many as 10 party activists have been observing the fast since July 23 on the issue.

A large number of policemen who were deployed around the Collectorate prevented them from coming near the premises. After a scuffle between the police and the agitators, the police bundled them into the waiting vans and shifted to different police stations. They were set free later in the evening.

KARIMNAGAR: The CPI district unit leaders have staged a dharna in front of the Collectorate here on Thursday. Led by district leaders K Narsaiah, K Raghavulu, C Rajesham and others the workers arrived in a procession from the party office to the Collectorate and tried to gate crash into the office building. However, the police have thwarted their attempts. After raising slogans against the Government, the CPI activists dispersed from the scene.

SANGAREDDY: The CPI(M) State executive member Sudhabhasakar, district secretary Chukka Ramulu and CPI district secretary Prakash Rao were among a large number of activists who were arrested by the police following a two-hour-long siege of the district Collectorate here on Thursday.

Earlier police resorted to mild lathicharge and applied force to remove the activists from the spot. While town CPI (M) leader M.V.Prasad was injured in the lathicharge, CPI activist Bharathi who was dragged by the Indrakaran sub inspector Manga to the police station was also injured. Speaking to The Hindu, Chukka Ramulu condemned the lathicharge and said that the police did not even spare women and dragged them by hair. NALGONDA: Police arrested about 100 activists when they tried to lay siege to the Collectorate here on Thursday. Hundreds of workers thronged the town in support of the ‘Bhoo poratam’ by morning. , They tried to stage a dharna in front of the Collectorate main gate but police thwarted their attempt by arresting the leaders.

The district secretary of the CPI (M) Nandhyala Narasimha Reddy claimed that the protest programme was a grand success.

“We planned three phases of protest and it went on well,” he claimed, condemning the arrest of the Communist leaders and the ‘highhandedness’ of the police against the activists.

ADILABAD: Left party activists on Thursday blockaded the district Collectorate and staged a rasta roko on the NH 7 as part of their `Bhoo poratam’ agitation. The agitators were arrested and taken to the Two Town police station at about 11 a.m.

KHAMMAM : Hundreds of Left party workers courted arrest at different places as part of the stir on Thursday. The police resorted to lathicharge at Bhadrachalam. Those arrested by the police on the occasion included P. Sudarshan , T. S,. Prasad (CPI-M), T. V. Chowdhury and Moulana (CPI).

1 lakh devotees expected for festival in Warangal

DECKED UP: Goddess Bhadrakali decorated beautifully as part of the ongoing Shakambhari festival in Warangal on Wednesday.

WARANGAL: The Endowment Department has made elaborate arrangements for the smooth conduct of the concluding day of Shakhambhari Navaratri celebrations - falling on July 30.

Founder trustee B. Ganesh Sastry, executive officer T Rajendram and vedic pundits said Shakhambhari festival is one of the main festivals celebrated on a grand scale at the temple.

The celebrations began on July 15. During the nine days, the deity of Sri Badrakali will be decorated with the vegetables and fruits and special prayers are offered. A mega event - Sahasra Kalashabhishekam marks the concluding day of the celebrations. About one lakh devotees are expected to throng the temple.

Improve facilities

Mr. Sastry said the celebrations are considered holiest among the festivals and have their roots in `Shatakshi’ episode of the Devi Bhagavatam. Every year, the number of devotees were increasing forcing the authorities to improve the facilities in proportion. According to him, arrangements were made to distribute free mineral water to the devotees, electrification of temple, massive sanitation by pressing additional personnel and setting up of closed circuit televisions to enable the devotees to witness the grand celebrations.

The trust is seeking support of the non-government organisations, NCC, NSS and Bharat Scouts & Guides volunteers to control the crowd and ensure smooth conduct of the event.

Counselling for PG courses

WARANGAL: The counselling for admission into PG courses for special category (Physically handicapped/NCC/NSS/Games & Sports/CAP/in-service teachers) of students will commence from August 1, 2007.

Poor farmer's son sets his sights high

K Rajendra Prasad of Papayapet, Warangal district, is finally happy. After three years of uncertainty, the young man, son of a poor farmer, hopes he can now become a cardiologist and go back to his village to serve his people.

Prasad's hard work paid off when he shared the state first rank with two others in the Eamcet-2007 medical stream. The icing on the cake is the gritty boy got admission in the most-sought-after college in the state - Osmania Medical College (OMC), Hyderabad.

When he took up BPC in Intermediate in Vijayawada, he did not set his sights very high. All that he wanted was to tread the path of his favourite biology teacher at school. But what changed his destiny was the feverish preparation for Eamcet by his classmates. He too wanted to try his luck and managed to secure a modest rank in 4000s.

Disheartened by his performance, Rajendra Prasad almost gave up his medical dreams and decided to enroll for B Sc.

But then his favourite teacher asked him to try Eamcet once more. The boy joined another college and took a long-term coaching, concentrating unwaveringly on Eamcet for a whole year and secured 1,519th rank last year.

“In the first year, I could not even read the topics properly, because I have a Telugu medium background. During my second attempt I realised I could do this, that cracking Eamcet is not all that tough, and so I tried for the third time and reached the top rank,” Prasad said.

But coming first by no means meant the end of the struggle for him. His parents are too poor to afford his medical education despite the fact that the fee in the government college is just Rs 10,000 per annum.

This financial hurdle too has been cleared when the NTR Trust has agreed to pay Rs 45,000 every year for his fee, books, and lodging and boarding.

Rajendra Prasad plans to finish MBBS and then go on to specialise in cardiology. His ultimate goal is to serve his village.

Prasad shares the top rank with A Sai Kumar and V Saiesh Reddy. Both hail from a business family in Karimnagar.
Like Prasad, Sai Kumar, who also got admission in OMC, wants to become a cardiologist.

However, the third topper, Saiesh, wants to be a surgeon- either neuro or cardio. Though Saiesh took JIPMER, Banaras Hindu University and Manipal Medical Entrance tests, he thinks OMC is the best. He hopes to do his MD abroad.

After the first day of counselling, of the 965 medical aspirants, 923 got admissions.

The candidates up to the 615th rank made it to government medical colleges.

Among boys, 612th was the last rank (OU local) to get a government college seat, and among girls it was the 614th rank.

TDP seeks probe into ‘swindling’ by TRS MLA

WARANGAL: Alleging that TRS dissident MLA Dugyala Srinivas Rao had embezzled huge sum of public money in the name of repairs to lakes and ponds, the TDP leaders demanded an inquiry by a sitting judge into the issue.

Addressing mediapersons here on Tuesday, former MLA of Chennur constituency N Sudhakar Rao, district party unit president Revuri Prakash Reddy alleged that the TRS leader misappropriated Rs 10 crore getting the proposals for repairs prepared by the engineering officials. The funds were sanctioned but none of the repair works were taken up, they charged.

Training their guns at the Government, they said that it did not wake up from its slumber unless a written complain was lodged about the issue. A departmental inquiry has been constituted. Bills had been recorded for repairing defunct lakes and lakes which do not irrigate even one acre of land, they said. Bills were drawn for repairing lakes that were submerged under the balancing reservoir, they said.

Several such incidents would come to light if a comprehensive inquiry is launched, the TD leaders said. Lashing out at the TRS MLA, they said Srinivas Rao presented and collected amounts for two bills for the same work.

The Suicide Economy of Corporate Globalisation

"Like a plaque of locusts corporate globalisation is devouring the Earth's natural resources, polluting its air, land and waters, exploiting its human inhabitants and slowly plunging us all into the dark confines of the abyss."

By Vandana Shiva

The Indian peasantry, the largest body of surviving small farmers in the world, today faces a crisis of extinction.

Two thirds of India makes its living from the land. The earth is the most generous employer in this country of a billion, that has farmed this land for more than 5000 years.

However, as farming is delinked from the earth, the soil, the biodiversity, and the climate, and linked to global corporations and global markets, and the generosity of the earth is replaced by the greed of corporations, the viability of small farmers and small farms is destroyed. Farmers suicides are the most tragic and dramatic symptom of the crisis of survival faced by Indian peasants.

1997 witnessed the first emergence of farm suicides in India. A rapid increase in indebtedness, was at the root of farmers taking their lives. Debt is a reflection of a negative economy, a losing economy. Two factors have transformed the positive economy of agriculture into a negative economy for peasants - the rising costs of production and the falling prices of farm commodities. Both these factors are rooted in the policies of trade liberalization and corporate globalisation.

In 1998, the World Bank's structural adjustment policies forced India to open up its seed sector to global corporations like Cargill, Monsanto, and Syngenta. The global corporations changed the input economy overnight. Farm saved seeds were replaced by corporate seeds which needed fertilizers and pesticides and could not be saved.

As seed saving is prevented by patents as well as by the engineering of seeds with non-renewable traits, seed has to be bought for every planting season by poor peasants. A free resource available on farms became a commodity which farmers were forced to buy every year. This increases poverty and leads to indebtedness.

As debts increase and become unpayable, farmers are compelled to sell kidneys or even commit suicide. More than 25,000 peasants in India have taken their lives since 1997 when the practice of seed saving was transformed under globalisation pressures and multinational seed corporations started to take control of the seed supply. Seed saving gives farmers life. Seed monopolies rob farmers of life.

The shift from farm saved seed to corporate monopolies of the seed supply is also a shift from biodiversity to monocultures in agriculture. The District of Warangal in Andhra Pradesh used to grow diverse legumes, millets, and oilseeds. Seed monopolies created crop monocultures of cotton, leading to disappearance of millions of products of nature's evolution and farmer's breeding.

Monocultures and uniformity increase the risks of crop failure as diverse seeds adapted to diverse ecosystems are replaced by rushed introduction of unadapted and often untested seeds into the market. When Monsanto first introduced Bt Cotton in India in 2002, the farmers lost Rs. 1 billion due to crop failure. Instead of 1,500 Kg / acre as promised by the company, the harvest was as low as 200 kg. Instead of increased incomes of Rs. 10,000 / acre, farmers ran into losses of Rs. 6400 / acre.

In the state of Bihar, when farm saved corn seed was displaced by Monsanto's hybrid corn, the entire crop failed creating Rs. 4 billion losses and increased poverty for already desperately poor farmers. Poor peasants of the South cannot survive seed monopolies.

And the crisis of suicides shows how the survival of small farmers is incompatible with the seed monopolies of global corporations.

Kidnapped Satyam official rescued

Sources in the Hyderabad Police have told NDTV that V Satyanaryana, General Manager of Satyam Computers, who was kidnapped on Tuesday has been rescued from Warangal district.

He will be back in the state capital later in the day. Police sources say at least four people have been arrested in this regard.

He had been missing ever since he went to drop his children to school on Tuesday morning. His wife received a phone call from him an hour later after which she lodged a complaint with the Hyderabad police.

Chain of events

Around 9:30 am, Satyanarayana's wife Kiran got a call from Satyanarayana who said he had a meeting and will be returning soon. She called up his office two to three hours later and came to know that there is no such meeting.

She got suspicious and lodged a complaint with the police. Search is on for Satyanarayana.

The only clue was that the driver said a chowkidar told him Satyanarayana had left by another car. His wife did not want to give a photograph of her husband to NDTV since she wanted to keep the matter private.

However, Kiran received a call from her husband who told her he had been kidnapped and gave some sense of solace to her by saying he was all right and will return soon.

She said she received the call from his mobile phone and was at the police station awaiting news of her husband.

''Nothing like this has ever happened to our family. We do not have any land dispute. I have full faith in God,'' said Vedula, Satyanarayana's father.

The family is from Vizag. Vedula has another son who is in the US.

He said this was probably done by rivals who could have been observing him at his office and on his way back home.

Police sources said car driver saw Satyanarayana going into the school where he had gone to drop his child.

The driver waited outside for him for quite a while and only after he got a call from Satyanarayana's wife asking why it was taking so long, did the driver actually go inside the school to see.

But when he could not find him, he asked the watchman and a couple of autorickshaw drivers at the entrance to the school in Secunderabad whether they had seen him. All of them said no.

No one had actually seen Satyanarayana being kidnapped. There were no eyewitnesses. A couple of hours later his wife got a call from him probably saying he had been kidnapped.

Police say his speech was apparently had not been very clear. His wife came to the conclusion that he had probably been kidnapped and filed a complaint at the Gopalpuram police station.

She refused to speak to NDTV. There are reports that there could be some monetary disputes, but police not really confirming that.

DCP North Zone Shiv Prasad said no suspect has been named by the wife of Satyanarayana.

Satyam Computers had also expressed concern over the incident. In a statement, Satyam said:

''We have learnt of the kidnapping of our associate, Satya Vedula from his family. We are monitoring the situation with the police and are concerned about his safety. We pray for his speedy reunion with his family.''

Sources also told NDTV that the last two phone calls to Satyanarayana's mobile had been traced to Warrangal district and the kidnapping seemed to have been linked to a property dispute.

Sources also said that reportedly Rs 20 lakh had been demanded as ransom.

KU pharmacy department gets research equipment

WARANGAL: German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) Director Dr. Ulrich Podewils visited Kakatiya University and handed over research equipment worth $22,000 to the Pharmacy Department laboratory.

Mr. Podewils participated in interactive sessions with students and teachers at pharmacy and chemistry departments. He spoke on ‘Academic and research opportunities in Germany’. He said DAAD had 231 member universities with 14 regional offices across the world providing 51,962 scholarships. It had about 4,000 alumni in India. It was jointly taking up research activities with organisations like CSIR, IITs, IIMs in India. Internship in Germany, programmes for groups of Indian Scholars, M.S. M.Tech students of the IITs and also Doctoral and Post-Doctoral Research short and long term programmes were being offered as part of the programme.

Since the age limit for short term programmes was 32 years and long term programmes 36, many Indian researchers were unable to avail of the opportunities provided by DAAD. He said he would try to enhance the age limit.

According to Mr. Podewils, under sandwich model fellowship programmes, students could pursue their research for their doctoral degree jointly with German and Indian research supervisors.

Poor artistes asked to apply for house sites

WARANGAL: The Nerella Venumadhav Cultural Trust has invited applications from poor artistes for allotment of house sites.

Disclosing this at a press conference here on Monday, Mr Venumadhav said the district Collector had formally agreed to allot some land to the Trust.

The land allotted would be distributed among the unemployed poor artistes who have been in the field of culture for nearly fifteen years.

Those who do not have any support and did not benefit from any Government schemes in the past would also be eligible to apply.

Mr Venumadhav said that the applications should reach the Trust office before August 15.

Artistes seeking the sites should send their applications with Rs 100 to Nerella Venumadh Cultural Trust, HNo 11-25-45, Vasavi colony, Warangal-506 002.

Further details can be had from the Trust office over phone: 0870-2441166 or 2501388.

‘Victims of human trafficking need empathy’

WARANGAL: District Collector K. Damayanthi has exhorted policemen to adopt empathetic attitude towards women who have fallen victim to human trafficking.

“The fault lies with traffickers who lure innocent girls and hapless women into the world’s oldest profession as none on her own will get into it,” she pointed out.

Inaugurating a two-day orientation programme on anti-human trafficking for policemen at the District Police Office here on Monday, the Collector told the policemen to deal sternly with the traffickers. When the policemen raided brothel houses, the women moved to other places thus spreading the trade from one place to another.

“If we can offer a solution to their problems or can provide them rehabilitation, it will be good. Otherwise, we better not to disturb them. Indeed, we should prevent trafficking,” she pointed out.

‘Book cases’

Addressing the participants, DIG, Warangal Range, K. Laxman Mohan, asked the police personnel to book the human traffickers under Preventive Detention Act. He wanted them to identify the traffickers in their respective police station limits.

Superintendent of Police Soumya Mishra said they would henceforth try to provide suitable rehabilitation to prostitutes in the district with the cooperation of other Government agencies.

16 officers transferred

The state government on Monday issued orders transferring 16 IAS officers at the level of joint secretaries. L Premchandra Reddy who had been holding the post of project director, modernisation of Nagarjunasagar Project, since April this year was shifted on Monday to department of technical education as commissioner.

K Venkata Reddy, who was DIG intelligence and is known to be among the favourite officers of chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, was transferred to tourism department as director in place of Dr D Sambasivarao.

Rahul Bojja, joint collector, Guntur, was posted as additional project director, a newly created post, for the outer ring road project (ORR) in Hyderabad. Kantilal Dande, joint collector, Kadapa, will replace him as joint collector Guntur.

Similarly Syed Omar Jaleel, joint collector, Warangal, was made special officer and competent authority, urban land ceiling in Hyderabad in place of P Bhanumurthy who was shifted to civil supplies department as director.

Srikakulam joint collector M Veerabhadraiah was transferred as joint collector, Visakhapatnam, in place of Sandeep Kumar Sultania, whose services were placed at the disposal of industries and commerce department to be appointed as executive director, Andhra Pradesh industrial infrastructure development corporation (APIIC), Hyderabad.

While Christina Z Chogthu, deputy commissioner, commercial taxes, Charminar division in Hyderabad was posted as joint collector, Mahbubnagar district in place of D Varaprasad who was transferred as secretary to the commissioner excise and prohibition.

Busani Venkateswara Rao, who was awaiting posting, was posted as special collector, Sri Ram Sagar Project (SRSP), Hyderabad.

Kurnool joint collector Rama Shankar Naik was transferred and posted as joint collector, Medak district, in place of A Vani Mohan who was transferred to GHMC as additional commissioner, a newly created post.

Solomon Raj, Joint Collector, Khammam district, was posted as joint collector in Ranga Reddy district in the existing vacancy while A Dinakar Babu, joint collector, Adilabad, was transferred and posted as joint collector Prakasam in the place of Siddarth Jain whose services were placed at the disposal of the department of municipal administration to be posted as municipal commissioner Guntur.

Faculty Recruitment in Kakatiya University Warangal

KAKATIYA UNIVERSITY
Warangal-506009 (A.P)

Notification No. 01/2007

Applications in the prescribed form are invited from qualified candidates belonging to the categories mentioned for the posts of Assistant Professor (UGC Pay Scales Rs.8000-275-13500) and Associate Professor (UGC Pay Scales Rs.12000-420-18300) in the following subjects of the Kakatiya University so as to reach on or before 18/08/2007.

I. SC/ST Back-log Vacancies :

1. Assistant Professor
* English : 01
* Physics : 01
* Informatics : 01
* Computer Science Engineering : 01
* Electronics Engineering : 01
2. Assosciate Professor
* Informatics : 01
* Computer Science Engineering : 01

II. PH Persons Back-Log Vacancies :

1. Hindi : 01
2. Law : 01
3. Public Administration : 01
4. Chemistry : 01
5. Informatics : 01
6. Electronics Engineering : 01

III. Other than SC/ST :

1. Assistant Professor
* Commerce & Business Management : 01
* Hindi : 01
* Law : 01
* Sociology : 01
* Geology : 02
* Physics : 04
* Computer Science Engineering : 01
* Electrical Engineering : 02
2. Associate Professor
* Mining Engineering : 01

How to Apply : The prescribed application form together with Information Brochure can be obtained from the O/o Director, Publication Cell & Stores, Kakatiya University, Warangal – 506009 by paying Rs 50/- through challan payable at the State Bank of Hyderabad, KU Branch or by sending a crossed DD for Rs 75/- (inclusive of postal charges) along with a self addressed envelop. The application forms can also be downloaded from the University Website. The filled in application form should be accompanied by a Demand Draft for Rs.200/- towards registration fee and for the downloaded forms Rs 250/- including cost of application. The DDs should be drawn in favour of the Registrar, Kakatiya University, Warangal payable at State Bank of Hyderabad, Kakatiya University Branch, Warangal.

Advertisement, Application form and Information broucheru available at http://www.kakatiya.ac.in/

Eight kidnappers arrested

The Suryapet police have busted an eight-member gang allegedly involved in the kidnap of a businessman and his wife and recovered Rs.15.5 lakhs, jewellery worth Rs.30 lakh, an Italy-made pistol and some fake currency on Saturday.

The Inspector-General of Police Anuradha told reporters at Suryapet that the kingpin of the gang Konakalla Suresh, 32, a life convict, belonging to Koyalagudem of West Godavari district, had escaped from the police custody at Tanuku on November 11, 2006, and had since been absconding. A former head constable Sarvi Venkanna, 42, of Thorur in Warangal district was also nabbed.

The other accused persons were: Kusangi Upender, 24, of Venkatapurm in Khammam district, Narsingam Sudhakar, 25, of Chervu Madharam of Shaligouraram mandal in Nalgonda district, Mohd Abdul Yasin, 25, of Chaitanyapuri Colony in Kothapet, Hyderabd, Vallakari Rajesh, 30, of Lingala in Krishna District, Ram Srinivas, 30, of Hanumakonda in Warangal district and Mundeda Ram Dev, 40, of Mahaboobad.

Ransom demanded

According to an agreement between Venkanna and Ramdev, the gang led by Suresh intercepted the car of a merchant, Shyam Mahesh of Guntur, at Koyyalagudem in a filmy style and kidnapped the couple. They demanded a ransom of Rs. 3 crores and finally settled for Rs. 27 lakhs. Suresh gang told the victims that they belonged to a naxalite group.

As per the deal, the merchant arranged the amount but later approached the Guntur police.

Meanwhile, a police team led by Suryapet Circle Inspector M. Tirupatanna intercepted their car at Beebigudem and took five of them into its custody. The IG announced a cash reward of Rs.25,000 for the team that nabbed the gang.

SRI MALLIKARJUNA SWAMY DEVASTHANAM

This temple is dedicated to Lord Sri Mallikarjuna swamy a fierce looking diety along with Kethamma and Medalamma on the both sides of the main diety. The temple is located in a cave on a small hillock at a distance of 110 Kms from warangal. Lakhs of piligrims congregate on the eve of Makara Sankranthi as Brahmotsavam starts. The clay moulded diety of Lord Mallikarjuna swamy is believed to be made 500 years ago.

The temple is renovated and mandapamas and choultries etc., are constructed by Endowments Department. The 'pedda patnam' celebrated on Maha Sivaratri day attract pilgrims in lakhs. It is located at a distance of 85 kms from the state capital on Karimnagar - Hyderabad - Highway (Rajiv Rahadari). People also calls him as "Komuravelli Mallanna", this temple is one of the famous temple in Telangana Region.

MGM Hospital to streamline functioning of its wings

WARANGAL: The Hospital Development Society (HDS) of Mahatma Gandhi Memorial (MGM) Hospital, which met here on Wednesday, decided to streamline the functioning of several wings in view of increased demand from public.

Chairing the meeting, Zilla Parishad Chairperson L. Dhanvanthi said to begin with, the out patient wing would be entrusted to a doctor of resident medical officer rank and more medicines would be kept at his disposal to meet the growing demand.

In view of the frequent breakdown of machinery at X-ray and scanning wings and other important laboratories at the MGM, it was decided to fix the responsibility on individuals manning them. In view of shortage of doctors, the society decided to take up the issue with the State Government for sanction of additional posts or for the time being, engage specialists on contract basis with the available funds at its disposal.

It was also decided to take up with the State Government issues such as a nursing college and upgradation of cobalt unit.

On the shortage of drinking water at the MGM Hospital, Mayor E. Swarna, who was present at the meeting, agreed to ensure four more drinking pipe line connections for the benefit of patients hailing from all over the Telangana region. The Chairperson said a proposal for Rs. 2.5 crore had been sent to the State Government to conduct open heart surgeries at the hospital.Legislator B. Saraiah, district Collector K. Damayanthi, MGM Superintendent C. Raghuram, Kakatiya Medical College principal Venugopal, society member Sampath Rajaram and others were present.

Four naxals surrender in Warangal

Change of heart: Warangal Superintendent of Police Soumya Misra with the four naxalites who surrendered on Monday.

WARANGAL: Four naxals belonging to various revolutionary groups surrendered to the police in the presence of Superintendent of Police Soumya Mishra here on Monday.

Those who surrendered were Alem Nageswar Rao alias Seshu of Tupakulagudem of Eturunagaram mandal who was Maoist party commander of 5th platoon in Prathapghar area in North Bastar division of Chattisgarh State, V. Mahesh alias Jeevan, secretary of Warangal – Khammam area committee of CPI (ML-Janashakthi) belonging to Katrapally village of Sangem mandal, Eka Venkataswamy alias Devanna, Janashakthi party commander of Manuguru area, hailing from Rampur village in Kothaguda mandal, and Bairi Yakaiah alias Ramakanth of CPI (ML-New Democracy) of Krishna dalam belonging to Khanapur mandal.

SP’s appeal

The Maoist party leader Alem Nageswar Rao carried a reward of Rs. 20,000.

He was involved in three cases of exchange of fire and three of blasting public property. Janashakthi leader Mallesh was involved in six cases exchange of fire.

Speaking at the press conference, Ms. Soumya Mishra reiterated her appeal to the underground cadre of various revolutionary parties to give up arms and join the mainstream to lead a happy life. She wanted them to join their families to bring happiness to their family members and to society.

Cheques given

The SP distributed cheques towards the reward amount to naxals who had surrendered in the past. Former naxals -- Durgam Ramanaiahs and Merugu Sambaiah -- got Rs. 2 lakh each while R. Sampath and P. Veeraswamy of Praja Prathighatana group were given Rs. 50,000 each and K. Chandraiah of PPG got Rs. 20,000, the reward amount.

Turmeric's stuck with high stocks, low demand

A comfortable stock position and low demand will ensure that turmeric prices will be subdued. However market sources say there can be some improvement in prices from August, till September because of festive demand.

August futures contract on Thursday, by 4.30 pm, was trading up by a per cent at Rs 2,178 per quintal against the previous close at Rs 2,158.

The spot market has also shown a slight improvement. In Erode price of NCDEX variety turmeric was around Rs 2,260 and at Nizamabad it was Rs 2,160.

Angel Commodities research analyst Badruddin feels that sluggish demand from overseas as well as domestic market may keep the prices week but there can be firmness in prices in August when there is domestic festive demand.

Dungarchand Kanungo, a turmeric and chilli trader from Andhra Pradesh says, long-term sentiments are bearish with a carryover stock of 15 lakh bags.

“Even if domestic production goes down to 40 lakh bags there will be 55 lakh bags available against the requirement of 38-39 lakh bags for domestic consumption and exports,” he said. Domestic production this season was around 55 lakh bags (one bag carries 70 kg).

There are huge stocks of 12 lakh bags are at Erode mandi, close to 3.5 lakh bags at Nizamabad, 2 lakh bags in Warangal, 1.5 lakh bags in Duggirala and around 2-2.5 lakh bags in entire Maharashtra. At NCDEX warehouses, stocks are around 10,000 tonnes.

Meanwhile at Nizamabad, Warangal and Erode, about 75% sowing has been completed. Sowing through out the country is expected to be complete soon and there has been a reported fall in acreage.

“At Duggirala farmers have shifted to other crops like maize and acreage is expected to fall by 30%-40%. Despite an increase acreage in Maharshtra the overall acreage under turmeric will fall by 15%-20%,” said Ravindra Reddy from Andhra Pradesh based Vista Financial Services.

Mr Reddy expects a bearish market but feels that the August contract will trade between 2,200 and 2,500 levels as final reports on acreage in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu will arrive triggering bullish sentiments.

Singareni Collieries union polls on Aug 9; canvassing hots up

Election fever started gaining momentum in the Singareni Collieries, the biggest establishment in Telangana area.

The collieries spread over Khammam, Warangal, Adilabad and Karimnagar districts. There are 76,115 voters.

Though it was earlier decided to conduct elections on August 14, the officials issued a notification holding elections on August 9. The nominations would be received from July 23 to 26 and on July 27 objections, scrutiny and allotment symbols would be taken up.

Polling would be held between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. on August 9, according to officials.

The INTUC remains recognised union for the last four years. As the term of the union came to a close the Singareni management urged the Union Labour Ministry to conduct elections and Regional Labour Commissioner issued a notification to this effect on Monday.

There are 14 eligible unions in the Singareni Collieries. This is the fourth time the collieries is going for elections.

Twice AITUC-affiliated Singareni Collieries Workers Union was in power and during the last elections the INTUC-affiliated Singareni Coal Mines Labour Union bagged the recognition.

The four districts where the collieries are spread are divided into 11 divisions and whichever union gets majority votes in those divisions would be declared majority union.

But this time the union election gained prominence due to the influence of the TRS, which is trying to gain a foothold in the mine workers unions.

International pharma journal from Warangal

Warangal: The district, known for quality pharma education, is all set to achieve another milestone in the field. Steps are on for publishing Faa International Pharmacy Journal from the district.

This is the first time that an international pharmacy journal is being published in the country.

The experts in the field are making efforts to release the journal in a month or two. Researchers in the field had been depending on journals from other countries for learning about the developments in pharmacy, so far.

An office has been set up for the journal in Vagdevi Pharmacy College, Hanamkonda. Speaking to this paper, chief editor of International Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Nano Technology Prof V Malla Reddy said the journal would aid discovery of new medicines with the help of nano-technology.

Akunuru Jitan, a young scientist who had returned to India after a long stint of research in pharmacy in America, will be the executive editor. Chandupatla Devender Reddy, Chairman of Viswambhara Educational Society which runs pharmacy and engineering colleges, will be the administrative supporter of the journal.

Executive editor Jitan said they would publish four issues annually. He claimed to have secured the support of several experts in the field, from within the country and abroad, for publishing the journal.

The assistant editorial team included Prof. Uzi Meriwaki (Japan), Prof. Jasti Bhaskar, Prof Kompelli and Prof Samba Reddy (all three from America), Prof Benia and Prof Hoffman (both from Israel), Prof Chandrakanth Kokate, Prof Madhusudhan and Prof D R Krishna (all from India).

They would examine the research articles, edit them on Internet and select them. The editorial board members will take up the responsibility of publishing the selected essays in the journal, he added.

He said publication of the journal from the district was a good omen for the development of pharmacy. He said they would soon announce the date of release of the first issue.

Seven die as van plunges into well

WARANGAL: Seven persons including two children were killed when a van in which they were travelling fell into an agricultural well at Laknepalli village in the district, late on Friday night.

According to police, the vehicle was proceeding to Illendu in the neighbouring Khammam district, where Singereni collieries, a public sector coal exploring company, was conducting a work shop.

The deceased were identified as the staff of the Warangal engineering college workshop.

Imp Milestones in Warnagal's History

• Prior to 1956, in Warangal, there used to exist only 6 Mandals and 109 Gram Panchayats.
  
  
• In the year 1959, on December 1st Warangal district took its shape, at that time the district area was spread around 5000 hectare miles. The district was populated with 20Lakh people.
  
  
• After the 1959 elections, 1098 villages have been brought in to the purview of Gram Panchayats with the establishment of 530 Panchayats.
  
  
• The District in the State is in the direction of _Vayuvya disha
  
  
• The entire District is spread across in the area of 12,846 hectares miles, this is only the 4.67% of the entire area the State constitutes.
  
  
• Hanamkonda is at a height of 1700 feet when compared to the sea level, where as the district is at a height of 870 feet.
  
  
• The average annual rainfall in the district is around 1048.01 mm.
  
  
• District’s East side, From Warangal at a distance of 107KM, the Godvari rivers keeps flowing at stretch of 100KM via Eturunagaram and Gangaram villages in the North side direction.
  
• The Laknavarm Sarassu flowing in the direction of East - North , joins the Godavari river at Eturunagaram village.
  
  
• The river Munneru, which took its birth at Narasampet Taluka, Kishtapuram, joins the Vira river in the Kammam district.
  
  
• In Mulugu Ganpuram Mandal, Ganapuram Sarassu gets converted to Moruvancha vagu and gets merged with Maneru river, which is located in Chityal Mandal, Andugutanda, Vencha Rani, Kaluvapalli.
  
  
• The river Paleru which tooks its birth in Jangam Taluka, in the village Kurchpalli, flows in equal width with the munneruvagu and gets merged with Krishan river located at 2 kms in the south direction from Jagaiaha peta in the Krishna District.
  
• Population density is more in the western side when compared to eastern side as eastern side consists of mostly tribal population of Koya, Gondu, Chenchu and Lambadi communities.
  
  
• Forest are spread over an area of 3710 sqkm in Warangal district
  
  
• Warangal district has 1098 villages,5 towns and one municipal corporation ,one municipality, two loksabha and 12 assembly constituencies
  
• There are 5 revenue divisions and 51 mandals in Warangal
  
  
• First police station in Warangal is established in 1865
  
  
• First hospital is established in 1884
  
  
• Central Prison is established in 1895
  
  
• First Court is established in 1912
  
  
• Azam-Zahi mill and Agriculture Market Committee are established in 1935
  
  
• Sri Pendyala Raghava Rao of CPI is the first person to be elected as Member of Parliament from Warangal in 1952
  
  
• The first person from the district to work as a minister is M.S.Raja Lingam
  
  
• Kakatiya Medical college is established in 1959
  
  
• Regional Engineering College(NIT) is established in 1959
  
  
• Kakatiya University is formed in 1976
  
  
• All India Radio is established in 1990
  
  
• Total area of the district is 12,846 sqkm. It forms 4.46% of total area of Andhra Pradesh
  
  
• Total area occupied by forests in the district is3710 sqkm.It is 28.89% of total area of the district
  
  
• Warangal Municipality is formed in 1899. and later upgraded to Major Municipality in 1934
  
• In 1960 Warangal is again upgraded to Special grade Municipality and later it was upgraded to Municipal Corporation in 1994
  
  
• Kakatiya Urban Development Authority (KUDA) is formed in 1982