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.