ANANTAPUR: District Forest Officer Kallol Biswas issued a notice to Obulapuram Mines Company seeking an explanation on how it had illegally excavated Rs 25 crore worth iron ore over the last two years.
The Obulapuram Mines Company belonging to Karnataka Minister Janardhan Reddy has been in accused of illegally excavating ore from areas beyond its allocated jurisdiction.
There is a case pending in the Supreme Court on the issue.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Karnataka minister's mining firm denies receiving notice
Obulapuram Mining Co, owned by Karnataka Tourism Minister Gali Janardhan Reddy, Thursday said it has not received any notice on alleged illegal mining in Anantapur district in Andhra Pradesh.
'We came to know through the media about the notice issued to the company,' said Obulapuram managing director B.V. Sreenivasa Reddy in a statement.
'We will respond once we receive the same (the notice). We are surprised that the officer concerned approached the media before the company was served a notice,' Sreenivasa Reddy said in the statement.
He was reacting to media reports that Anantapur district forest officer Kallol Biswas had issued a notice to Obulapuram seeking an explanation on how it had illegally excavated iron ore worth Rs.25 crore over the past two years.
Obulapuram promoter and Karnataka minister Janardhan Reddy is a business associate of Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy, the son of the late Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy.
Obulapuram has been accused of having illegally excavated iron ore in areas beyond that allotted to it.
The issue has created political heat in the state on several occasions with the main opposition, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), alleging that the Congress government showed undue favour in extending mining lease to the company.
'We came to know through the media about the notice issued to the company,' said Obulapuram managing director B.V. Sreenivasa Reddy in a statement.
'We will respond once we receive the same (the notice). We are surprised that the officer concerned approached the media before the company was served a notice,' Sreenivasa Reddy said in the statement.
He was reacting to media reports that Anantapur district forest officer Kallol Biswas had issued a notice to Obulapuram seeking an explanation on how it had illegally excavated iron ore worth Rs.25 crore over the past two years.
Obulapuram promoter and Karnataka minister Janardhan Reddy is a business associate of Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy, the son of the late Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy.
Obulapuram has been accused of having illegally excavated iron ore in areas beyond that allotted to it.
The issue has created political heat in the state on several occasions with the main opposition, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), alleging that the Congress government showed undue favour in extending mining lease to the company.
Levy royalty on iron ore, TD tells Govt
HYDERABAD: The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) has demanded that the State Government, like its Karnataka counterpart, levy royalty on iron ore. It has also urged it to check the irregularities being committed by the Obulapuram Mining Corporation of Gali Janardhan Reddy.
Speaking to reporters here today, TDP leader N Janardhan Reddy said the Karnataka Government had fixed Rs 1,000 as royalty for every tonne of iron ore extracted and that the AP Government too could get much-needed income through a similar measure at a time when it did not even have money to pay salaries and pensions.
Should Chief Minister K Rosaiah take the step, the State would get crores of rupees as the daily earnings of Gali Janardhan Reddy were between Rs 10 crore and 15 crore, the TDP leader explained.
He said Gali Janardhan Reddy was extracting large quantities of ore from Obulapuram mines, while maintaining that some of it was being drawn from Pendlimarri, Dhone and Veldurthi mines.
The late YS Rajasekhara Reddy had encouraged Gali Janardhan Reddy, he alleged, and urged the present chief minister not to continue likewise.
He demanded that the State Government should fix the boundaries of Obulapuram mines as there were allegations of illegal mining.
He recalled that the TDP had already highlighted corruption in the mines and that the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee had published a book on the illegal activities of Gali Janardhan Reddy.
Speaking to reporters here today, TDP leader N Janardhan Reddy said the Karnataka Government had fixed Rs 1,000 as royalty for every tonne of iron ore extracted and that the AP Government too could get much-needed income through a similar measure at a time when it did not even have money to pay salaries and pensions.
Should Chief Minister K Rosaiah take the step, the State would get crores of rupees as the daily earnings of Gali Janardhan Reddy were between Rs 10 crore and 15 crore, the TDP leader explained.
He said Gali Janardhan Reddy was extracting large quantities of ore from Obulapuram mines, while maintaining that some of it was being drawn from Pendlimarri, Dhone and Veldurthi mines.
The late YS Rajasekhara Reddy had encouraged Gali Janardhan Reddy, he alleged, and urged the present chief minister not to continue likewise.
He demanded that the State Government should fix the boundaries of Obulapuram mines as there were allegations of illegal mining.
He recalled that the TDP had already highlighted corruption in the mines and that the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee had published a book on the illegal activities of Gali Janardhan Reddy.
Sources: BJP offers olive branch to Karnataka Speaker
Source have told TIMES NOW that the BJP has offered an olive branch to Jagdish Shettar, who is the Speaker of the Karnataka assembly. Sources claim that in order to quell the infighting in the state BJP, the party’s central leadership has offered Shettar any cabinet post of his choice in Karnataka – but that Shettar has rejected this offer.
In the ongoing fight between Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa and the Reddy brothers, Shettar seems to have become a rallying point for the latter as well as other dissident MLAs, and his name is apparently being proposed as a possible alternative to Yeddyurappa.
Shettar is said to have decided to resign as Speaker of the Legislative Assembly and now if reports of his turning down a place in the Chief Minister’s cabinet are true, the BJP’s troubles in the state could get more complicated.
Shettar, who was in the city of Mysore yesterday (October 28) to attend a wedding on Wednesday, said,” I am closely watching the political developments. Rest of the things are left to the almighty.”
Sources say the Speaker also is unhappy with the chief minister’s style of functioning and also Minister for Rural Development and Panchyati Raj Shobha Karanlaje’s prominence in the government.
He is said to have thought of resigning on October 9, along with Chief Minister’s parliamentary secretary S A Ramdas and four others. However, the decision was put off in the wake of the floods in north Karnataka.
BJP leaders close to Shettar claimed supports from majority of the ministers including independents, MLAs that would take to a logical end in a week.
Earlier in the day, there were reports that the BJP high command, through the state BJP incharge, Arun Jaitley who is at present camped in Karnataka speaking to both sides, had conveyed to Yeddyurappa their support and asked him to take a call on how to deal with the brewing ‘rebellion’.
A jittery BJP has however, so far officially denied any infighting within the party.
source@
http://www.timesnow.tv/Sources-BJP-offers-olive-branch-to-Karnataka-Speaker/articleshow/4330783.cms
In the ongoing fight between Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa and the Reddy brothers, Shettar seems to have become a rallying point for the latter as well as other dissident MLAs, and his name is apparently being proposed as a possible alternative to Yeddyurappa.
Shettar is said to have decided to resign as Speaker of the Legislative Assembly and now if reports of his turning down a place in the Chief Minister’s cabinet are true, the BJP’s troubles in the state could get more complicated.
Shettar, who was in the city of Mysore yesterday (October 28) to attend a wedding on Wednesday, said,” I am closely watching the political developments. Rest of the things are left to the almighty.”
Sources say the Speaker also is unhappy with the chief minister’s style of functioning and also Minister for Rural Development and Panchyati Raj Shobha Karanlaje’s prominence in the government.
He is said to have thought of resigning on October 9, along with Chief Minister’s parliamentary secretary S A Ramdas and four others. However, the decision was put off in the wake of the floods in north Karnataka.
BJP leaders close to Shettar claimed supports from majority of the ministers including independents, MLAs that would take to a logical end in a week.
Earlier in the day, there were reports that the BJP high command, through the state BJP incharge, Arun Jaitley who is at present camped in Karnataka speaking to both sides, had conveyed to Yeddyurappa their support and asked him to take a call on how to deal with the brewing ‘rebellion’.
A jittery BJP has however, so far officially denied any infighting within the party.
source@
http://www.timesnow.tv/Sources-BJP-offers-olive-branch-to-Karnataka-Speaker/articleshow/4330783.cms
REDDY, 15 MLAS LAND IN HYDERABAD RESORT
• One more group leaving for Goa
• CM cancels MLAs' meet
• Shettar firm on CM's post
• Solution this evening or 'morrow
• YSR's son may intervene
Bangalore, Oct. 29 (MRS)- The rift within the ruling BJP seems to be heading towards the final showdown, with rival groups refusing to budge.
Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyu-rappa suffered a setback as a meeting of MLAs, he considered them to be his supporters, did not take place.
He had called the meeting at his residence on Race Course Road at 8 am. The CM had to cancel it as only three MLAs turned up till at 8.30 am.
According to sources, the Chief Minister was expecting at least 71 MLAs to turn up.
Meanwhile, he continued to challenge Reddy camp when he transferred today 21 officers of Bellary and Gadag districts including Bellary Addl. Superintendent of Police Ashok Kurera.
Chief Ministerial aspirant and Assembly Speaker Jagadish Shettar today became more assertive. He refused to accept the Cabinet berth offered by the Chief Minister.
Shettar's close aides, who met him and extended their support to him, contended that the time had come for installing Shettar as the Chief Minister.
In Hyderabad
BJP sources said that 15 MLAs supporting Reddy brothers have landed at a resort on Airport Road in Hyderabad. Tourism Minister Janardhan Reddy is expected at the resort any time for a meeting with them.
There are also strong rumours that Reddy may meet Jagmohan Reddy, son of late Andhra Chief Minister Y.S. Rajashekhar Reddy.
Another source said that 11 more MLAs and four Ministers will leave for Goa by a chartered flight at 4 pm and stay at a resort.
It’s final: GHMC elections on Nov 23
HYDERABAD: The poll bugle has been sounded for the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) elections. Putting an end to a two month-long suspense, the State Election Commission on Wednesday announced the schedule for GHMC polls to be held on November 23. Votes will be counted on November 26.
Addressing a packed media conference at his office on Thursday, State Election Commissioner AVS Reddy stated that the elections will be held for 150 wards in GHMC limits and a formal notification will be issued in this regard on October 31. Candidates can file the nominations from October 31 and the last date for submission of nomination is November 6. The scrutiny of nominations will be on November 7 and the last date for withdrawal of nominations is on November 10. The final list of candidates will be published on the same day.
On November 23, the polling will be held from 7 am to 5 pm where Electronic Voting Machines will be used for the first time in local body elections.
Election to the offices of Mayor and Deputy Mayor of GHMC will be conducted on December 6 for which a formal notification will be issued on December 2. In case the election cannot be held on December 6, it will be held on December 7. The model code of conduct has come into force from 4 pm on Wednesday. The State Election Commission is preparing a special circular to avoid interruptions to government programmes.
“Hyderabad being the State capital, there are certain problems or limitations in implementing the model code of conduct. There are several Statewide programmes which will be affected due to the model code of conduct.
The State Election Commission is preparing a circular in this context without interrupting such regular programmes. However, we request everyone, including political parties and the media not to blow issues out of proportion keeping in view the larger interests of the public,” said AVS Reddy.
Total number of Wards 150
Reserved 92
Unreserved 58
Total number of electors 54,26,106
Male 28,35,578
Female 25,90,528
Total Polling St ations 5,663
Men 1,239
Women 1,184
General 2,962
Auxiliary 278
Sensitive 560
Hyper sensitive 465
EVMs to be used 15,000
Polling personnel 48,000
Rosaiah rides the poll wagon
Chief Minister K Rosaiah had a hectic day on Wednesday laying foundation stones and inaugurating development schemes across the city, thus raising the curtain for the hustle and bustle of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) elections.
In his maiden tour of Greater Hyderabad, Rosaiah accompanied by Union Minister for Urban Development S Jaipal Reddy, his Cabinet colleagues, MLAs and MPs promised all things to all people. Rosaiah’s tour started at ACS Nagar in East Marredpally where he laid the foundation stone for JNNURM Housing Colony.
Health Minister for Health D Nagender, Minister for Backward Classes Mukesh Goud, Home Minister Sabita Indra Reddy, Secunderabad MLA Jayasudha, Secunderabad MP Anjan Kumar Yadav participated in the tour.
YSR wishes ko salaam
“As per the wishes of the late Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, we will construct houses under the JNNURM with proper infrastructural facilities.
If the beneficiary invests Rs 1 lakh, we will pay the remaining Rs 3 lakh to help him complete his house,” Chief Minister K Rosaiah said. “Under JNNURM, Rs 4,000 crore has been spent to develop localities under GHMC in the last few years,” he said adding that 1.2 lakh houses would be built. A foundation stone was laid for the IDH Colony near Bhoiguda.
Three reservoirs
Proposals for three reservoirs by HMWS&SB at Chilkalguda, Chanchalguda and Santhoshnagar acquired life with the Chief Minister laying the foundation stones for them.
Suburbs in focus
In the suburbs, foundation stones were laid for many infrastructure projects.
They included road-widening works between Ambedkar University and Kavuri Hills, a new road from Madhapur to Raheja Park. The tour concluded at BHEL junction after laying a foundation stone for Central Modern Lighting from BHEL Junction to Nakka Vagu. Rosaiah talked of the upcoming joint venture of BHEL-NTPC at Srikalahasti and expansion of the Visakha steel plant.
Taatha is here!
Wherever CM Rosaiah went, children cheered him, singing songs and addressing him as grandfather (taatha). Surprisingly, the Chief Minister disappointed locals in all the locations he visited, by not interacting with them. Many wanted to have a word or two with the newly-appointed CM but Rosaiah did not seem to have the time.
No politics please
Rosaiah steered clear of any political statements throughout his tour. He did not hit out at the Opposition parties like the TDP or TRS or their leaders. He confined himself to stating what the government was doing.
Rosaiah has no peers in Congress : Babu
HYDERABAD: Reiterating his party’s resolve to fight the government, Leader of the Opposition N Chandrababu Naidu has, however, a word of compliment for Chief Minister K Rosaiah that he is a powerful leader in the Congress.
Talking with reporters at his party headquarters here today, the TDP president observed no one in the Congress had had the capabilities Rosaiah had. Whenever the Congress was in power, Rosiah launched a tirade against the Opposition parties, particularly the TDP, he said.
He wanted to know if the Congress won in the last general election on the late Rajasekhara Reddy’s image, how come it won fewer Assembly seats in proportion to the Lok Sabha seats.
“Chief Minister K Rosaiah and ministers are working in two different directions becasue of which the government failed on all fronts. The chief minister should remove the ministers who are not discharging their duties,’’ Naidu advised Rosaiah.
He said he was going on a State tour from Wednesday from Karimnagar district to expose State Government’s failures, particularly in the medical and health sector.
The TDP president demanded that the government withdrwa the GO providing 4 percent reservation to Muslims in BC `E’ category in the coming GHMC elections. The government should take a final decision on the matter in due consultation with all political parties, he said. In reply to a question he said he did not wish to react to the statements made by TRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao as he did not want to degrade himself.
CM to tour Medak distr ict today
SANGAREDDY: For the first time after assuming office, Chief Minister K Rosaiah will tour Medak district tomorrow.
According to District Collector L Sashidhar, he would lay foundation stone for the twocrore Central Modern Lighting system at the BHEL junction here in Patancheru Assembly constituency.
After attending the programme at 12:40 p.m, he will proceed to Chandanagar to participate in another programme at 12:50 p.m.
TDP opposes grading system in SSC exams
HYDERABAD: Telugu Desam Party (TDP) today opposed the grading system in SSC examinations saying that it would become a problem in Government recruitments.
Speaking to reporters here today, TDP leader Gali Muddu Krishnama Naidu said that recruitment of RTC conductors, attenders, record assistants would be made on the marks obtained in the SSC examinations.
If the grading system is introduced, the recruitment would open d o o r s fo r large scale corruption, he feared.
He recalled that a similar GO was issued during the TDP regime, but the then Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu cancelled it in the larger interests of job-aspirants.
He demanded that the State Government should take the opinion of teachers’ associations and convene an all-party meeting before implementing the grading system.
He found fault with the Government for not filling of 14,000 teacher posts, which were already notified in the DSC-2008. The Government is finding lame excuses and to fill these posts notified under DSC-2008, he alleged.
Several schools in the State lack basic facilities like drinking water, toilets, buildings and even teachers, he said and added that the new universities set up recently did not have even buildings and proper infrastructure.
Speaking to reporters here today, TDP leader Gali Muddu Krishnama Naidu said that recruitment of RTC conductors, attenders, record assistants would be made on the marks obtained in the SSC examinations.
If the grading system is introduced, the recruitment would open d o o r s fo r large scale corruption, he feared.
He recalled that a similar GO was issued during the TDP regime, but the then Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu cancelled it in the larger interests of job-aspirants.
He demanded that the State Government should take the opinion of teachers’ associations and convene an all-party meeting before implementing the grading system.
He found fault with the Government for not filling of 14,000 teacher posts, which were already notified in the DSC-2008. The Government is finding lame excuses and to fill these posts notified under DSC-2008, he alleged.
Several schools in the State lack basic facilities like drinking water, toilets, buildings and even teachers, he said and added that the new universities set up recently did not have even buildings and proper infrastructure.
Elections to Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corp next month
Hyderabad: Battle lines have been drawn for elections to the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation, the first to the local body since it has come into existence, next month as the state's ruling Congress party faces the first test of popularity in post - YS Rajasekhara Reddy era.
The tenure of the general body of the erstwhile Municipal Corporation of Hyderabad, which was controlled by TDP-BJP combine, ended in February 2007 but the Congress government had put the elections on hold as it was in the process of merging 11 surrounding municipalities and some gram panchayats with MCH, thereby making it the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC).
The GHMC came into being in April 2007 but the elections were postponed due to a variety of reasons, including the need for delimitation of wards and some legal wrangle.
In the 2002 elections, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) had won the Mayor post in a direct election in alliance with Bharatiya Janata Party which took the Deputy Mayor's post.
Majlis Ittehadul-e-Muslimeen (MIM) won 36 out of the 100 seats while TDP-BJP combine won 38 seats. Congress won 20.
Telangana Rashtra Samiti and Majlis Bachao Tehreek won two seats each while Telangana Sadhana Samiti won one seat.
Post-delimitation, GHMC has 150 seats and no electoral alliance has been formed between any party so far this time for the November 23 poll.
TDP is likely to align with Left parties for the election while Congress and MIM are likely to extend their tacit understanding for the GHMC polls as well.Lok Satta Party and Praja Rajyam Party--all new entrants in GHMC poll fray-?are likely to contest the elections on their own.
Congress starts the GHMC poll race with an advantage as the Mayor will be elected indirectly. The party has 14 MLAs, seven MPs and nine MLCs who, as ex-officio members of the GHMC, will decide who becomes the city Mayor.
Congress is going to the people on the development plank claiming it has launched projects worth Rs 5,555 crore in the last five years for the development of the city.
Though the ruling party claims that more than Rs600 crore worth of work has already been completed, the condition of roads, poor traffic management, sanitation conditions, erratic power and drinking water supply could weaken Congress' claims.
Both TDP and BJP have challenged the Congress to a debate on the development of Hyderabad saying not a single project worth the name has been completed in the last five years.
"Congress will have to do a lot of answering on the Hyderabad Metro Rail Project, the failure in taking up the second phase of Multi-Modal Transit System and the housing schemes", says BJP floor leader G Kishan Reddy.
State health minister and Greater Hyderabad Congress Committee president Danam Nagender, however, exuded confidence that the party would win 100 out of 150 seats in GHMC elections. "This will be a tribute to our late chief minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy and a gift to chief minister K Rosaiah," Nagender said.TDP has ruled out any truck with TRS for GHMC elections and said it would talk to Left parties for forging an alliance. It also indicated willingness to an alliance with actor Chiranjeevi's Praja Rajyam Party if the latter came up with a proposal.
"We will get 100 seats in this elections since it is our party that has developed Hyderabad to this level," TDP politburo member Nagam Janardhana Reddy claimed.
The tenure of the general body of the erstwhile Municipal Corporation of Hyderabad, which was controlled by TDP-BJP combine, ended in February 2007 but the Congress government had put the elections on hold as it was in the process of merging 11 surrounding municipalities and some gram panchayats with MCH, thereby making it the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC).
The GHMC came into being in April 2007 but the elections were postponed due to a variety of reasons, including the need for delimitation of wards and some legal wrangle.
In the 2002 elections, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) had won the Mayor post in a direct election in alliance with Bharatiya Janata Party which took the Deputy Mayor's post.
Majlis Ittehadul-e-Muslimeen (MIM) won 36 out of the 100 seats while TDP-BJP combine won 38 seats. Congress won 20.
Telangana Rashtra Samiti and Majlis Bachao Tehreek won two seats each while Telangana Sadhana Samiti won one seat.
Post-delimitation, GHMC has 150 seats and no electoral alliance has been formed between any party so far this time for the November 23 poll.
TDP is likely to align with Left parties for the election while Congress and MIM are likely to extend their tacit understanding for the GHMC polls as well.Lok Satta Party and Praja Rajyam Party--all new entrants in GHMC poll fray-?are likely to contest the elections on their own.
Congress starts the GHMC poll race with an advantage as the Mayor will be elected indirectly. The party has 14 MLAs, seven MPs and nine MLCs who, as ex-officio members of the GHMC, will decide who becomes the city Mayor.
Congress is going to the people on the development plank claiming it has launched projects worth Rs 5,555 crore in the last five years for the development of the city.
Though the ruling party claims that more than Rs600 crore worth of work has already been completed, the condition of roads, poor traffic management, sanitation conditions, erratic power and drinking water supply could weaken Congress' claims.
Both TDP and BJP have challenged the Congress to a debate on the development of Hyderabad saying not a single project worth the name has been completed in the last five years.
"Congress will have to do a lot of answering on the Hyderabad Metro Rail Project, the failure in taking up the second phase of Multi-Modal Transit System and the housing schemes", says BJP floor leader G Kishan Reddy.
State health minister and Greater Hyderabad Congress Committee president Danam Nagender, however, exuded confidence that the party would win 100 out of 150 seats in GHMC elections. "This will be a tribute to our late chief minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy and a gift to chief minister K Rosaiah," Nagender said.TDP has ruled out any truck with TRS for GHMC elections and said it would talk to Left parties for forging an alliance. It also indicated willingness to an alliance with actor Chiranjeevi's Praja Rajyam Party if the latter came up with a proposal.
"We will get 100 seats in this elections since it is our party that has developed Hyderabad to this level," TDP politburo member Nagam Janardhana Reddy claimed.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Workers are backbone of part y: Babu
HYDERABAD: Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president N Chandrababu Naidu said that he would allot 50 per cent of his time to party workers and the remaining time to people. In an informal chat with partymen from West Godavari, Guntur, Chittoor, Nalgonda and Rangareddy district at NTR Bhavan here today, Naidu said that workers are the backbone for the party and they would be given due recognition in the party. Despite some senior leaders ditching the party, workers always remained with the party and striving hard to strengthen the party, Naidu said.
He recalled that several TD workers have been killed by Congress and false cases were foisted against party workers in several district including Anantapur.
Assembly segment-wise meetings will be held on October 27, 30 and 31 across the State. Organisational matters, membership drive, floods and drought will be discussed in the meetings. The leaders will also analyse the political situation in the State and chalk out future course of action.
Meanwhile, TDP minority cell which met here today under the chairmanship of its president Ameer Babu wanted Muslims to support TDP in the forthcoming Greater Hyderaba.
He recalled that several TD workers have been killed by Congress and false cases were foisted against party workers in several district including Anantapur.
Assembly segment-wise meetings will be held on October 27, 30 and 31 across the State. Organisational matters, membership drive, floods and drought will be discussed in the meetings. The leaders will also analyse the political situation in the State and chalk out future course of action.
Meanwhile, TDP minority cell which met here today under the chairmanship of its president Ameer Babu wanted Muslims to support TDP in the forthcoming Greater Hyderaba.
Speedy repair of Sunkesula dam will save crops: Chandrababu
Hyderabad: Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president N Chandrababu Naidu on Monday urged that repair works of Sunkesula dam on river Tungabhadra be begun immediately to save standing crop in over 2.5 lakh acres and ensure drinking water supply to over 300 habitations.
In a letter to Chief Minister K Rosaiah, the Leader of Opposition said repair and restoration works on the dam were yet to commence after the recent floods left the structure badly damaged.
"The delay in beginning the works is due to the protest by villagers of Sunkesula and Rajoli who are not allowing the works to be taken up till their demands are met. But, Sunkesula is the source of drinking water for over 300 habitations in the region while more than 2.5 lakh acres of crop under the KC Canal irrigation system is also dependent on this water. Unless the works are completed on a war-footing, more than Rs 500 crore worth crops will be lost," Chandrababu said.
"I, therefore, request you to direct the authorities concerned to commence the Sunkesula works immediately by amicably sorting out problems of the affected people," the TDP chief requested the Chief Minister.
Bureau Report
In a letter to Chief Minister K Rosaiah, the Leader of Opposition said repair and restoration works on the dam were yet to commence after the recent floods left the structure badly damaged.
"The delay in beginning the works is due to the protest by villagers of Sunkesula and Rajoli who are not allowing the works to be taken up till their demands are met. But, Sunkesula is the source of drinking water for over 300 habitations in the region while more than 2.5 lakh acres of crop under the KC Canal irrigation system is also dependent on this water. Unless the works are completed on a war-footing, more than Rs 500 crore worth crops will be lost," Chandrababu said.
"I, therefore, request you to direct the authorities concerned to commence the Sunkesula works immediately by amicably sorting out problems of the affected people," the TDP chief requested the Chief Minister.
Bureau Report
TDP to get into action mode
HYDERABAD: The newly-constituted state executive of the TDP which met here on Wednesday, has decided to put the party in action mode by deciding
to pin down ministers for their failures, but spare chief minister K Rosaiah for the time being.
The party which was lying low ever since the death of former chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy has now decided to take on the government for its omissions and commissions.
The party and its president N Chandrababu Naidu have been adopting a soft stance towards Rosaiah, and on several occasions in the past two months, both Naidu and Rosaiah have shared the same platform. The party, it seems, wants to continue the same stand for some more time, that being one of the reasons for supporting the government's decision to file a review petition in Supreme Court on its decision to declare Hyderabad as free zone for administrative purposes.
The state executive also called upon the rank and file to gear up for the ensuing GHMC polls as a notification in this regard is expected soon. But the internal bickerings in the party came to fore on this issue since T Srinivas Yadav and former deputy speaker K Harishwar Reddy who was hoping to be inducted into the politburo kept out of the meeting. Harishwar Reddy has been made as one of the vice-presidents. He was also opposed to readmitting T Devender Goud who had quit the party before polls and joined PRP.
Later briefing the media, politburo member K Yerranaidu said that the executive was of the opinion that all the advisors in YSR's government should quit and give a free hand to Rosaiah to constitute his own team.
Referring to reports of possibility of a conspiracy behind YSR's death in chopper crash, the party demanded a full-fledged inquiry and said that pending inquiry the chairman of advisory committee on public security K V P Ramachandra Rao should resign. If the DGP can be removed for negligence in duty why not the advisor, he said. The party also condemned the government's move to issue a GO fixing creamy layer for the backward classes and demanded it to take back the decision.
to pin down ministers for their failures, but spare chief minister K Rosaiah for the time being.
The party which was lying low ever since the death of former chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy has now decided to take on the government for its omissions and commissions.
The party and its president N Chandrababu Naidu have been adopting a soft stance towards Rosaiah, and on several occasions in the past two months, both Naidu and Rosaiah have shared the same platform. The party, it seems, wants to continue the same stand for some more time, that being one of the reasons for supporting the government's decision to file a review petition in Supreme Court on its decision to declare Hyderabad as free zone for administrative purposes.
The state executive also called upon the rank and file to gear up for the ensuing GHMC polls as a notification in this regard is expected soon. But the internal bickerings in the party came to fore on this issue since T Srinivas Yadav and former deputy speaker K Harishwar Reddy who was hoping to be inducted into the politburo kept out of the meeting. Harishwar Reddy has been made as one of the vice-presidents. He was also opposed to readmitting T Devender Goud who had quit the party before polls and joined PRP.
Later briefing the media, politburo member K Yerranaidu said that the executive was of the opinion that all the advisors in YSR's government should quit and give a free hand to Rosaiah to constitute his own team.
Referring to reports of possibility of a conspiracy behind YSR's death in chopper crash, the party demanded a full-fledged inquiry and said that pending inquiry the chairman of advisory committee on public security K V P Ramachandra Rao should resign. If the DGP can be removed for negligence in duty why not the advisor, he said. The party also condemned the government's move to issue a GO fixing creamy layer for the backward classes and demanded it to take back the decision.
Jagan shoots from the lip
HYDERABAD: A day after meeting Congress president Sonia Gandhi in New Delhi and agreeing to leave the leadership issue in AP to her, Kadapa MP Y
S Jaganmohan Reddy — flanked by several cabinet ministers — on Friday targeted the Rosaiah regime. Vowing to fulfil the poll promises and projects envisioned by his father, the late CM Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, he accused the Rosaiah government of failing to implement even a single poll promise made by YSR.
Rosaiah’s cabinet colleagues who were in attendance at Jagan’s maiden press meet at the CM’s camp office while he took aim at the CM included home minister Sabita Indira Reddy, industries minister D K Aruna, IT minister Komitireddi Venkat Reddy, health minister D Nagender and education minister Manikya Varaprasad.
“Our beloved leader Rajasekhara Reddy promised to increase the Rs 2 kg rice quota for the poor from 24 kg to 30 kg every month. That has not been done. My father had promised to raise free power duration to farmers from 7 hrs to 9 hrs. That too is still to be done,” Jagan said.
Expressing unhappiness over Rosaiah’s functioning, Jagan said not only poll promises but even YSR’s development schemes were being neglected. “Let it be pension for the poor, houses or white ration cards, nothing has been done. White ration cards have been kept on hold on the grounds that a survey is on to weed out bogus cards. The survey itself is moving at a sluggish pace. Whether it is Rosaiah or anybody else nominated by the high command, I will continue to fight for the realisation of my father’s dreams,” he said.
On how he would rate the performance of the Rosaiah regime which marked 50 days on Friday, he said: “It is a controversial question. I do not want to comment.”
The Kadapa MP’s unhappiness with the high command was also on display. He first refused to grace the chair reserved for him in front of three portraits of Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi and Sonia, and then chose to address the media standing away from the portraits.
Sources close to Jagan said he intends to contest from YSR’s assembly constituency Pulivendula. “I am interested in state politics,” a source quoted him when he (Jagan) was asked about contensting from Pulivendula.
At the press meet, however, he said he had never expressed a desire to be CM but hastened to ask the media whether it was wrong for a son to aspire to fulfil a father’s dreams. “I am 36 years old. It is not my ambition to become CM by any means whatsoever. I will work hard, reach out to the people and the post would then come calling one day,” he said. He signed off by talking of his father’s ambition to ensure that Rahul Gandhi became the PM. “I will make sure that the Congress wins 41 Lok Sabha seats in the 2014 elections and Rahul becomes the PM,” he said.
S Jaganmohan Reddy — flanked by several cabinet ministers — on Friday targeted the Rosaiah regime. Vowing to fulfil the poll promises and projects envisioned by his father, the late CM Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, he accused the Rosaiah government of failing to implement even a single poll promise made by YSR.
Rosaiah’s cabinet colleagues who were in attendance at Jagan’s maiden press meet at the CM’s camp office while he took aim at the CM included home minister Sabita Indira Reddy, industries minister D K Aruna, IT minister Komitireddi Venkat Reddy, health minister D Nagender and education minister Manikya Varaprasad.
“Our beloved leader Rajasekhara Reddy promised to increase the Rs 2 kg rice quota for the poor from 24 kg to 30 kg every month. That has not been done. My father had promised to raise free power duration to farmers from 7 hrs to 9 hrs. That too is still to be done,” Jagan said.
Expressing unhappiness over Rosaiah’s functioning, Jagan said not only poll promises but even YSR’s development schemes were being neglected. “Let it be pension for the poor, houses or white ration cards, nothing has been done. White ration cards have been kept on hold on the grounds that a survey is on to weed out bogus cards. The survey itself is moving at a sluggish pace. Whether it is Rosaiah or anybody else nominated by the high command, I will continue to fight for the realisation of my father’s dreams,” he said.
On how he would rate the performance of the Rosaiah regime which marked 50 days on Friday, he said: “It is a controversial question. I do not want to comment.”
The Kadapa MP’s unhappiness with the high command was also on display. He first refused to grace the chair reserved for him in front of three portraits of Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi and Sonia, and then chose to address the media standing away from the portraits.
Sources close to Jagan said he intends to contest from YSR’s assembly constituency Pulivendula. “I am interested in state politics,” a source quoted him when he (Jagan) was asked about contensting from Pulivendula.
At the press meet, however, he said he had never expressed a desire to be CM but hastened to ask the media whether it was wrong for a son to aspire to fulfil a father’s dreams. “I am 36 years old. It is not my ambition to become CM by any means whatsoever. I will work hard, reach out to the people and the post would then come calling one day,” he said. He signed off by talking of his father’s ambition to ensure that Rahul Gandhi became the PM. “I will make sure that the Congress wins 41 Lok Sabha seats in the 2014 elections and Rahul becomes the PM,” he said.
Lutyens bungalow for Jagan Reddy
NEW DELHI: Jaganmohan Reddy, son of former Andhra Pradesh chief minister YSR Reddy, might have lost the race for the CM’s post but in New Delhi,
the first time Member of Parliament has been allotted a huge bungalow in the posh Lutyens Zone.
Though Jagan failed in his bid to become the chief minister, sources said the directorate of estates under urban development ministry has offered him a Type VII bungalow — 26, Lodhi Estate.
Generally, Type VI and VII bungalows are allotted to ministers of state or senior parliamentarians.
First-time MPs are entitled to apartments in VP House, North Avenue, South Avenue and in multi-storey flats at Bishwambhar Das Marg. However, there are deviations from the rulebook as some first-time MPs like Sachin Pilot and Jitin Prasad continued to retain the bigger bungalows allotted to their fathers.
The allotment of a bungalow at 26, Lodhi Estate for Jagan has raised many an eyebrow. The move could also be an indication of a “bigger” role for YSR’s son in central politics.
However, if one goes by the category and size of bungalow allotted to Jagan, he is likely to settle for a minister of state portfolio in the Union Cabinet and may not get Cabinet rank. According to officials, Cabinet ministers, irrespective of their tenure as parliamentarians, are entitled to Type VIII bungalows.
The higher category allotment to Jagan was made by the UD ministry taking a Cabinet Committee on Accommodation (CCA) route. “Out-of-turn or above entitlement allotment needs approval from CCA,” said an official.
There were reports that Congress high command has decided to take Jagan into the Manmohan Singh Cabinet as part of a compromise formula arrived at by the Congress leadership to let K Rosaiah continue as the chief minister.
Political fortunes decide where politicians stay in the Capital. Ram Vilas Paswan, who had not vacated his Type VIII bungalow — 12, Janpath — next to Congress chief Sonia Gandhi’s residence even after losing Lok Sabha polls in May, has been issued eviction order.
the first time Member of Parliament has been allotted a huge bungalow in the posh Lutyens Zone.
Though Jagan failed in his bid to become the chief minister, sources said the directorate of estates under urban development ministry has offered him a Type VII bungalow — 26, Lodhi Estate.
Generally, Type VI and VII bungalows are allotted to ministers of state or senior parliamentarians.
First-time MPs are entitled to apartments in VP House, North Avenue, South Avenue and in multi-storey flats at Bishwambhar Das Marg. However, there are deviations from the rulebook as some first-time MPs like Sachin Pilot and Jitin Prasad continued to retain the bigger bungalows allotted to their fathers.
The allotment of a bungalow at 26, Lodhi Estate for Jagan has raised many an eyebrow. The move could also be an indication of a “bigger” role for YSR’s son in central politics.
However, if one goes by the category and size of bungalow allotted to Jagan, he is likely to settle for a minister of state portfolio in the Union Cabinet and may not get Cabinet rank. According to officials, Cabinet ministers, irrespective of their tenure as parliamentarians, are entitled to Type VIII bungalows.
The higher category allotment to Jagan was made by the UD ministry taking a Cabinet Committee on Accommodation (CCA) route. “Out-of-turn or above entitlement allotment needs approval from CCA,” said an official.
There were reports that Congress high command has decided to take Jagan into the Manmohan Singh Cabinet as part of a compromise formula arrived at by the Congress leadership to let K Rosaiah continue as the chief minister.
Political fortunes decide where politicians stay in the Capital. Ram Vilas Paswan, who had not vacated his Type VIII bungalow — 12, Janpath — next to Congress chief Sonia Gandhi’s residence even after losing Lok Sabha polls in May, has been issued eviction order.
TDP may not back TRS on free zone issue
HYDERABAD: Six months after the Assembly elections, the main Opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) has almost dumped its ally the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS). The TRS too is trying hard to move away from the TDP in order to get closer to the Congress.
As the experiment with the TRS failed to click in the Assembly elections, the TDP is now targeting the TRS leadership for its failure to carry forward the Telangana slogan effectively.
The TDP is now trying to project a picture to the people of Telanagana that it is the only party which has been with the Telangana people through thick and thin.
The TDP leaders say that they launched agitations against `skull symbol on beedi packs’, Babhali project and other key issues. It was TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu who visited several villages in Mahaboobnagar and helped the flood victims by providing relief material.
“We thought that if all the Opposition parties sailed together it would help to dislodge the Congress Government in the State. But, the poll arithmetic proved otherwise,’’ said a TDP leader from Telangana.
In the wake of these developments, TDP is unlikely to support the no-trust motion being introduced by the TRS against the State Government on Hyderabad free zone issue.
If at all Assembly session is convened to discuss the notrust motion, the TDP is likely to watch the reactions from Congress rather than supporting the TRS. TDP stand on free-zone is that the Government should not deviate from the Presidential order or GO 610. The TDP had already endorsed State’s move to file a review petition in the Supreme Court on free zone issue.
As the experiment with the TRS failed to click in the Assembly elections, the TDP is now targeting the TRS leadership for its failure to carry forward the Telangana slogan effectively.
The TDP is now trying to project a picture to the people of Telanagana that it is the only party which has been with the Telangana people through thick and thin.
The TDP leaders say that they launched agitations against `skull symbol on beedi packs’, Babhali project and other key issues. It was TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu who visited several villages in Mahaboobnagar and helped the flood victims by providing relief material.
“We thought that if all the Opposition parties sailed together it would help to dislodge the Congress Government in the State. But, the poll arithmetic proved otherwise,’’ said a TDP leader from Telangana.
In the wake of these developments, TDP is unlikely to support the no-trust motion being introduced by the TRS against the State Government on Hyderabad free zone issue.
If at all Assembly session is convened to discuss the notrust motion, the TDP is likely to watch the reactions from Congress rather than supporting the TRS. TDP stand on free-zone is that the Government should not deviate from the Presidential order or GO 610. The TDP had already endorsed State’s move to file a review petition in the Supreme Court on free zone issue.
Modern shelter for Sabarimala pilgrims coming up
KOTTAYAM: A modern shelter for Sabarimala pilgrims will be set up here soon, under the aegis of the Southern Railways at a cost of Rs 1 crore, said general manager M S Jayanth here on Sunday.
The long-awaited facility will be similar to the one coming up at present on the premises of Chengannur Railway Station.
Accompanied by S D Dutt, divisional manager, Southern Railways, Thiruvananthapuram, and other officials from the division, Jayanth made a threadbare, onthe- spot assessment with regard to passenger amenities here, as part of a drive from stations in between Kottayam and Chenagannur on the eve of the upcoming Sabrimala pilgrimage season.
Expressing dissatisfaction over the lack of sufficient number of toilets and other amenities as well as deficiency in cleanliness at the station here, the general manager said that more temporary toilets would be set up in Platform number two, during the pilgrimage season.
"Galvanised roofs will be introduced in platforms where it has been found lacking and big screen electronic boards highlighting the arrival and departure timings of trains as well as positioning of coaches will be installed", he said.
The information counter at the station which is in the centre of severe criticism from passengers for long, will be beefed up and made attentive.
Memorandums were submitted to the general manager by officebearers of the Passenger's Associations demanding re-routing of the Venad Express through the Ernakulam South station, extension of the Ernakulam-Kottayam passenger upto Kayamkulam and allotting a halt for the evening Kayamkulam- Ernakulam push pull train at Kumaranaloor.
The long-awaited facility will be similar to the one coming up at present on the premises of Chengannur Railway Station.
Accompanied by S D Dutt, divisional manager, Southern Railways, Thiruvananthapuram, and other officials from the division, Jayanth made a threadbare, onthe- spot assessment with regard to passenger amenities here, as part of a drive from stations in between Kottayam and Chenagannur on the eve of the upcoming Sabrimala pilgrimage season.
Expressing dissatisfaction over the lack of sufficient number of toilets and other amenities as well as deficiency in cleanliness at the station here, the general manager said that more temporary toilets would be set up in Platform number two, during the pilgrimage season.
"Galvanised roofs will be introduced in platforms where it has been found lacking and big screen electronic boards highlighting the arrival and departure timings of trains as well as positioning of coaches will be installed", he said.
The information counter at the station which is in the centre of severe criticism from passengers for long, will be beefed up and made attentive.
Memorandums were submitted to the general manager by officebearers of the Passenger's Associations demanding re-routing of the Venad Express through the Ernakulam South station, extension of the Ernakulam-Kottayam passenger upto Kayamkulam and allotting a halt for the evening Kayamkulam- Ernakulam push pull train at Kumaranaloor.
Sabarimala gears up to welcome devotees
Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 15 (PTI) Travancore Devaswom Board, which manages the famous Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala, has geared up to provide basic facilities at the hill shrine for lakhs of devotees expected during the festival season starting next month.
About three crore devotees visited the temple last year and the number would go up this year, State Devaswom Minister Kadanapalli Ramachandran told reporters after a meeting of South Indian state ministers in charge of departments administering temples and officials here.
It has been decided to allot land on a temporary basis to neighbouring states at Nilackel for putting up information counters, with people from respective states manning them.
It would to a great extent solve communication problems.
To ensure the availability of 'Aravana', the main prasadam of the temple, the capacity of the manufacturing plant has been increased from one lakh tins per day to 1.50 lakh tins.
About three crore devotees visited the temple last year and the number would go up this year, State Devaswom Minister Kadanapalli Ramachandran told reporters after a meeting of South Indian state ministers in charge of departments administering temples and officials here.
It has been decided to allot land on a temporary basis to neighbouring states at Nilackel for putting up information counters, with people from respective states manning them.
It would to a great extent solve communication problems.
To ensure the availability of 'Aravana', the main prasadam of the temple, the capacity of the manufacturing plant has been increased from one lakh tins per day to 1.50 lakh tins.
Friday, October 16, 2009
Happy Diwali...
May This Diwali be as bright as ever.
May this Diwali bring joy, health and wealth to you.
May the festival of lights brighten up you and your near and dear ones lives.
May this Diwali bring in u the most brightest and choicest happiness and love you have ever Wished for.
May this Diwali bring you the utmost in peace and prosperity.
May lights triumph over darkness.
May peace transcend the earth.
May the spirit of light illuminate the world.
May the light that we celebrate at Diwali show us the way and
lead us together on the path of peace and social harmony
‘WISH U A VERY HAPPY DIWALI’
May this Diwali bring joy, health and wealth to you.
May the festival of lights brighten up you and your near and dear ones lives.
May this Diwali bring in u the most brightest and choicest happiness and love you have ever Wished for.
May this Diwali bring you the utmost in peace and prosperity.
May lights triumph over darkness.
May peace transcend the earth.
May the spirit of light illuminate the world.
May the light that we celebrate at Diwali show us the way and
lead us together on the path of peace and social harmony
‘WISH U A VERY HAPPY DIWALI’
...
.
Mee.... Bandlamudi
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Jagan bhajan singers tune up again
HYDERABAD: Now that the floods have receded and the elections in the northern States are over, Rajasekhara Reddy loyalists are preparing to serenade the high command again with their “Jagan for CM” song.
They will, however, refrain from any strident demands, aware that this would only irritate the party bigwigs.
No fewer than eight ministers and 19 MLAs were among those who called on him on Day 2 of his return to the city.
While Women and Child Welfare Minister Konda Surekha openly said she still wanted him to be chief minister, others were not so forthcoming. Municipal Administration Minister Anam Ramnarayana Reddy, after being closeted with Jagan Mohan Reddy, merely said they were all waiting for word from the Congress high command.
He said there was no question of any split in the party in the event of the decision being one not to their liking. The ministers and MLAs also met Rajya Sabha member KVP Ramachandra Rao at the latter’s residence and reviewed the situation.
Ministers Vatti Vasant Kumar, D Manikya Vara Prasad and Jupalli Krishna Rao, and former minister DS Redya Naik were among those who conferred with KVP.
Surekha was combative in her demand that Jagan Mohan Reddy be made chief minister. She dared all those who “criticised” the late Rajasekhara Reddy to resign their posts and contest the elections again to “prove their mass base.” School Education Minister D Manikya Vara Prasad, who is not apprehensive about being seen in Jagan Mohan Reddy’s company all the time, merely said: “I am for Jagan. I will say no more.” Most of the visitors either said Chief Minister Rosaiah was doing a good job or kept quiet, and none criticised him. However, Congress MLA from Medchal K Lakshma Reddy said he still considered Rosaiah an interim chief minister.
They will, however, refrain from any strident demands, aware that this would only irritate the party bigwigs.
No fewer than eight ministers and 19 MLAs were among those who called on him on Day 2 of his return to the city.
While Women and Child Welfare Minister Konda Surekha openly said she still wanted him to be chief minister, others were not so forthcoming. Municipal Administration Minister Anam Ramnarayana Reddy, after being closeted with Jagan Mohan Reddy, merely said they were all waiting for word from the Congress high command.
He said there was no question of any split in the party in the event of the decision being one not to their liking. The ministers and MLAs also met Rajya Sabha member KVP Ramachandra Rao at the latter’s residence and reviewed the situation.
Ministers Vatti Vasant Kumar, D Manikya Vara Prasad and Jupalli Krishna Rao, and former minister DS Redya Naik were among those who conferred with KVP.
Surekha was combative in her demand that Jagan Mohan Reddy be made chief minister. She dared all those who “criticised” the late Rajasekhara Reddy to resign their posts and contest the elections again to “prove their mass base.” School Education Minister D Manikya Vara Prasad, who is not apprehensive about being seen in Jagan Mohan Reddy’s company all the time, merely said: “I am for Jagan. I will say no more.” Most of the visitors either said Chief Minister Rosaiah was doing a good job or kept quiet, and none criticised him. However, Congress MLA from Medchal K Lakshma Reddy said he still considered Rosaiah an interim chief minister.
Telugu Desam Party MPs to contribute Rs4crore to AP flood relief
Hyderabad: Eight Telugu Desam Party (TDP) MPs have decided to contribute a sum of Rs4crore from their Local Area Development Fund to take up a special restoration project in the worst flood-hit parts of the state.
The NTR Trust will contribute a matching grant of Rs2crore for this project, party president N Chandrababu Naidu said.
"We are chalking out details of the works and will take them up in identified places soon," he told a press conference here today.
The Telugu Desam Parliamentary Party leader Nama Nageswara Rao has contributed Rs10lakh personally to the NTR Trust while all the party MPs (six Lok Sabha and two Rajya Sabha) would be contributing their two months salary.
The NTR Trust, along with the TDP machinery, was in the forefront of the rescue and relief operations in the flood-hit districts of the state. Apart from supplying food, drinking water, clothes and other essentials to the flood victims, the NTR Trust has pressed 150 doctors into service for organising special medical camps in the affected areas.
Our doctors have attended to over 2lakh patients while medicines worth Rs one crore have been distributed, Naidu said. He sent out 3.80crore messages on all mobile phones seeking help for the flood victims.
There has been an overwhelming response to our call as people from students to businessmen donated to our Trust, he said.
Students of Bhashyam School donated Rs10,116 to Naidu at the press conference.
More than the government machinery, it was the non-governmental organisations that did stupendous work in the aid of the flood victims. We are going to felicitate officials and non-officials who did their might in reaching out to the flood-hit people in the hour of misery, Naidu said.
The NTR Trust will contribute a matching grant of Rs2crore for this project, party president N Chandrababu Naidu said.
"We are chalking out details of the works and will take them up in identified places soon," he told a press conference here today.
The Telugu Desam Parliamentary Party leader Nama Nageswara Rao has contributed Rs10lakh personally to the NTR Trust while all the party MPs (six Lok Sabha and two Rajya Sabha) would be contributing their two months salary.
The NTR Trust, along with the TDP machinery, was in the forefront of the rescue and relief operations in the flood-hit districts of the state. Apart from supplying food, drinking water, clothes and other essentials to the flood victims, the NTR Trust has pressed 150 doctors into service for organising special medical camps in the affected areas.
Our doctors have attended to over 2lakh patients while medicines worth Rs one crore have been distributed, Naidu said. He sent out 3.80crore messages on all mobile phones seeking help for the flood victims.
There has been an overwhelming response to our call as people from students to businessmen donated to our Trust, he said.
Students of Bhashyam School donated Rs10,116 to Naidu at the press conference.
More than the government machinery, it was the non-governmental organisations that did stupendous work in the aid of the flood victims. We are going to felicitate officials and non-officials who did their might in reaching out to the flood-hit people in the hour of misery, Naidu said.
Film Stars To Gather Funds
The film industry is reportedly planning to come up with a programme or a cricket match to organise funds for the flood victims. Never has been such floods at this magnitude.
The film stars are supposed to have met today to discuss the further course of action. Balakrishna is taking special interest to bring the people together for this purpose.
The film stars are supposed to have met today to discuss the further course of action. Balakrishna is taking special interest to bring the people together for this purpose.
Naidu blames Ponnala for floods
IJAYAWADA: TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu held irrigation minister Ponnala Lakshmaiah responsible for the unprecedented floods in the state and
demanded his resignation.
Speaking to media here on Monday, Naidu said the floods were man-made and not due to the nature's fury. He said water from Srisalam was not released downstream in spite of clear warnings from the Central Water Commission and added that the minister and his officials should take the blame for this tragedy.
He alleged that the government was not coming out with facts on the fiasco as every official right from the CMO to the district collector in Kurnool were responsible for the worst floods the state had witnessed. Naidu said he had not seen such worst conditions in his life. "The administration has failed to remove even the garbage and slush formed in the houses of each and every corner in Kurnool," he bemoaned.
He said the flood banks were not properly maintained as the entire money was eaten away by the contractors backed by the ruling Congress leaders. He said the ministers camped in the flood-hit districts but confined themselves to the guest houses. Naidu visited flood-hit villages in Diviseema on Monday.
demanded his resignation.
Speaking to media here on Monday, Naidu said the floods were man-made and not due to the nature's fury. He said water from Srisalam was not released downstream in spite of clear warnings from the Central Water Commission and added that the minister and his officials should take the blame for this tragedy.
He alleged that the government was not coming out with facts on the fiasco as every official right from the CMO to the district collector in Kurnool were responsible for the worst floods the state had witnessed. Naidu said he had not seen such worst conditions in his life. "The administration has failed to remove even the garbage and slush formed in the houses of each and every corner in Kurnool," he bemoaned.
He said the flood banks were not properly maintained as the entire money was eaten away by the contractors backed by the ruling Congress leaders. He said the ministers camped in the flood-hit districts but confined themselves to the guest houses. Naidu visited flood-hit villages in Diviseema on Monday.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Breaches in Krishna embankment flood more Andhra villages
HYDERABAD: The Krishna river breached its embankment on Tuesday inundating dozens of villages in Krishna and Guntur districts, worsening the century's worst flooding in Andhra Pradesh that has claimed 52 lives.
Flood waters submerged dozens of island villages near where the swollen Krishna falls into the Bay of Bengal. Though most people had already moved to safety, many were rescued by boats, averting a major tragedy.
Residents of other villages facing threat of inundation are being warned to immediately shift to safer places.
Authorities in the two districts have evacuated 250,000 people from over 200 villages and parts of Vijayawada city, which too faces a threat due to the rising level in Prakasam barrage.
However, the loss of life was minimised as officials had adequate time to evacuate people after Kurnool and Mahabubnagar districts were flooded upstream Oct 2.
The water level in Prakasam barrage in Vijayawada city on Tuesday rose to 21.9 feet against its full reservoir level of 23 feet. The inflows reached a record 1.13 million cusecs while the discharge into the sea was at 1.08 million, threatening the villages downstream.
Areas upstream have already come under six to seven feet water. The Hyderabad-Vijayawada highway is also submerged, disrupting traffic between the two cities.
Andhra chief minister K. Rosaiah on Tuesday held a teleconference with collectors of five flood-hit districts and asked officials of Krishna and Guntur districts to be on alert for the next 36 hours and monitor the situation at embankments closely.
Kurnool and Mahabubnagar, battered by floods last week, got a respite as water flow has almost stopped from dams in neighbouring Karnataka.
The inflows at Srisailam and Nagarjuna Sagar projects have considerably decreased, enabling authorities to focus on relief and rehabilitation in Kurnool, Mantralayam and Nandyal towns as well as villages that bore the maximum brunt.
The floods have claimed 52 lives in Andhra Pradesh and affected over 1.6 million people in five districts. Half a million people are homeless.
While 28 people were killed in the worst-hit Kurnool district, 17 died in Mahabubnagar. The remaining deaths were reported from Krishna and Nalgonda (3 each) and Guntur (1).
The destruction to infrastructure and crops has been massive. Initial estimates put the loss at Rs.12,225 crore. The government has urged the centre to declare the floods a national calamity and provide an immediate assistance of Rs 6,000 crore for relief and rehabilitation.
Monday, October 5, 2009
Diviseema goes under
HYDERABAD/VIJAYAWADA: The fury of the Krishna is now being vented on the district that bears its name, with parts of Vijayawada and island villages at the mouth of Bay of Bengal under threat, even though inflows into the river have abated a bit at Srisailam Reservoir.
Meanwhile, an embattled State Government requested UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi to arrange for immediate assistance of Rs 6,000 crore, after she made an aerial survey of the flood-affected districts, to grapple with the postflood crisis in Kurnool and Mahaboobnagar and the looming crisis in Krishna and Guntur districts.
Though Krishna district administration, unlike its Kurnool counterpart, has had time to be prepared for the eventuality the enormity of the challenge is nevertheless unnerving.
At least 30 villages remain marooned in Diviseema at the mouth of the Bay, an area comprising the mandals of Nagayalanka, Avanigadda and Koduru.
The administration has pressed into service men, material and boats to go to the rescue of the victims but they appear woefully inadequate to the magnitude of the task.
On an island village, Edlanka near Avanigadda, a boat ferrying about 11 persons capsized in flood waters. While nine persons managed to swim to safety, the whereabouts of two children are not known.
Air-dropping of food and water sachets continued in marooned villages but nowhere on the scale required.
The situation in some parts of Vijayawada, the commercial capital of the State, is no less grim with several localities abutting the flood embankment inundated. Road links to Hyderabad have been badly affected with the National Highway No 9 submerged at several places between Kanchikacharla and Ibrahimpatnam in Krishna district.
The threat of more areas coming under water will continue for the next 36 hours with the Prakasam Barrage still receiving inflows. At present, the inflow is 11 lakh cusecs and outflow 10.87 lakh cusecs. The effect of decreased discharges from N’Sagar and Srisailam would be visible only tomorrow, officials said.
Meanwhile, discharges into Srisailam, the major reservoir on the Krishna in the State that receives waters from Karnataka, have come down. Karnataka has significantly reduced discharge from Almatti and Narayanpur, thus giving Andhra Pradesh a breather.
Officials said the emergency gate was being closed as inflows had decreased. The inflow into Srisailam reservoir was 4.5 lakh cusecs while the outflow was double the volume whereas the discharge from the Nagarjuna Sagar is 10.27 lakh cusecs which the Prakasam Barrage downstream can handle.
Relief for flood victims pours in
The AP Government Doctors’ Association on Sunday announced donation of the members’ one day’s basic salary, amounting to Rs.60 lakh, to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund for the benefit of flood victims. P. Srinivas, president, said the doctors would work to their utmost capacity to take care of the affected persons and run medical camps.
The Apollo Hospitals is sending medicines worth Rs.25 lakh to the affected areas. Its four teams are working in Mahabubnagar district. One team is carrying medicines worth Rs.5 lakh and will be in the district for a week. Additional teams are ready to go to Kurnool.
Activists of Vishwa Hindu Parishad, AP Paschim, is running 15 relief camps in Kurnool and nine in Mahabubnagar districts.
They saved 50 persons from flood waters and distributed more than 1.5 lakh food/water packets, biscuits and clothes. The VHP is sending 25 quintals of rice and clothes for 5,000 persons in Mahabubnagar.
The Singareni Collieries Company Ltd (SCCL ) has deployed 33 doctors for providing relief in Mahabubnagar and Nalgonda districts. It has sent 76 staff for taking up rescue.
Drinking water
Heritage Foods, managed by Telugu Desam president N. Chandrababu Naidu’s family, has distributed thousands of drinking water sachets in Kurnool, Mahabubnagar and Krishna districts to the flood-affected persons.
Scientists of the Acharya N. G. Ranga Agricultural University are guiding farmers in the areas affected by Krishna and Tungabhadra floods, in coordination with the Agriculture department staff. They are examining damaged crops and advising farmers on steps to minimise the loss.M.V. Foundation is collecting food/clothes in Ranga Reddy, Nalgonda, Adilabad, Hyderabad and Khammam districts. Families of several policemen in twin cities dispatched six loads of relief material to the flood-hit areas in Mahbubnagar district on Sunday.
Four loads of clothes and blankets and two loads of food items, including 9,500 packed food items, 6,500 baked food sachets, 1,600 litres of mineral water and 10 quintals of rice were sent to help the villagers.
DCP (CAR Headquarters) E. Damodar said efforts were on to sent two more loads of relief material to Mahbubnagar on Monday. “We are unable to send material to Kurnool district as road connectivity was cut-off due to floods,” he said. The Agarwal Samaj has also come forward to help the people in flood-affected areas. “We have requested them to provide more blankets, bread and biscuits,” he said.
Helpline
The Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) will distribute relief material to flood victims when its MLAs visit Mahabubnagar on Monday with the stock that the party has collected from various sources.
TRS legislature party leader Eatala Rajender and another MLA T. Harish Rao told a press conference on Sunday that it was also decided to hold a health camp in Mahabubnagar as the post-flood period was vulnerable to spread of viral fevers.
The party has set up a round-the-clock help-line with phone numbers 9949411222 and 9490201066.
The TRS MLAs would contribute a month’s salary to procure additional relief material for distribution.
The party had already collected 20,000 bed sheets, clothes, bread and biscuit packets.
They criticised the tardy progress in relief by the Government but did not wish to make it an issue as this was not the time to indulge in it. They demanded a high level inquiry into the delay in discharge of water from Srisailam project and the closure of crest gates after they had been opened earlier.
They alleged that the gates were not opened until the full reservoir level was reached. This was in spite of the Central Water Commission (CWC) forewarning the State government about the likelihood of floods.
Opposition blames govt for failure to handle flood situtation
HYDERABAD: The government came in for sharp criticism from the opposition parties for lack of coordination between various departments and the
inaction of Kurnool district administration. "It was overaction at the Secretariat level and inaction at the district level," is how they described the government's response to the unprecedented floods.
If the government had paid heed to the warning by the metereological department, the central water resources ministry and released the water from Srisailam downstream when the reservoir levels were at 882 ft, there would have been some cushion in the reservoir and the impact could have been reduced. The central agencies issued the warning on September 30 but the government failed in anticipating the severity.
Talking to media after the all party meeting, TDP leader and former irrigation minister Kadiam Srihari said that the chief minister pressed the panic button on Friday night and said that the continued heavy inflows into Srisailam would maroon Kurnool town by Saturday morning causing panic in the town. Apparently, he has been misled by the officials. The flood in Kurnool was due to heavy releases from Tungabhadra river and not Srisailam. Despite release of a record 25 lakh cusecs of water from Srisailam, the water levels in Kurnool town receded by 4 feet."
Further, the CPI and CPM blamed the irrigation department for poor maintenance of the Sunkesula Barrage gates and delay in modernisation and repairs of Handri-Neeva Canal. They said the administration due to improper planning failed to even provide food packets and drinking water to the marooned people. They suggested district level all party committees to monitor distribution of relief material.
The opposition also suggested that the government should take proper care and see that once the water recedes, there are no fresh casualities due to collapse of walls and houses and asked the chief minister to ensure that proper and effective steps were taken to prevent spread of epidemics. They further demanded that 30 kg of rice, five litres of kerosene and clothes be distributed to the effected people in Kurnool, Mahbubnagar and Krishna districts.
Meanwhile, the state witnessed unprecendented floods as it lacks a proper disaster management programme, averred M Shashidhar Reddy, member National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). Reddy said that every state has been advised to keep a Special Disaster Management Force in place to meet any such eventualities but Andhra Pradesh has not complied. He told TOI that the NDMA has a special team drawn from police and other wings to take up rescue operations during natural calamaties. At least now, the government should focus on such issues and also have contingency plans in place to meet any eventuality, he said. Knee-jerk reactions do not help in effective handling of emergencies like the one faced on Friday. He said even the men and material sent by the NDMA could not be pressed into service on Friday due to logistic problems.
Meanwhile, irrigation expert C L N Shastri said that disaster management needs advance planning. He said the state has the ability to handle any kind of crisis and irrigation officials who can handle any kind of inflows and take up water management. Between 1964-2005 the irrigation officials had shown exemplary performance in water management even when the inflows were over 9 lakh cusecs. But this time, it appears the authorities were unprepared, he observed.
Andhra: 18 lakh people, 400 villages affected
In Andhra Pradesh, at least 37 people have died in the floods, and lakhs are in relief camps across the state.
The death toll is expected to be higher as the administration currently doesn't have spare officials to count the dead. Thousands are reported missing, lakhs are still stranded.
Kurnool, Mahbubnagar, Krishna and Guntur are the worst affected districts. Overall, at least 18 lakh people in nearly 400 villages of Andhra Pradesh have been affected by the floods. 180 villages in Kurnool, 89 in Mahbubnagar, 100 in Guntur and 22 in Nalgonda are in bad shape due to the flood waters.
550 army men, 6 choppers, 1000 swimmers and 254 boats are involved in the relief work.
Andhra floods and strike fuel vegetable price rise in state
BERHAMPUR: Devastating floods in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka coupled with the transport strike across Orissa have directly affected the price of
vegetables in the state.
The prices of almost all vegetables in Berhampur have increased about 50 to 70 per cent during a week. The wholesale businessmen attributed the reason of the price rise to the transport strike in the state in the past five days as well as crops damaged due to floods in southern states like Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.
"The supply of the green vegetables to Berhampur markets has dwindled due to the transport strike," said a vegetable seller. Berhampur depends heavily on farmers from different parts of Ganjam, Kandhamal, Rayagada and Gajapati districts to meet the demand. These farmers transport their produce by passenger buses. But due to the ongoing bus owners' strike, the supply has been drastically reduced. "This has hit the vegetable market hard," said Magata Pradhan, a vegetable seller at Gata Bazar vegetable market. "Not only have the daily commuters, but the vegetable consumers in the town also suffered immensely due to the bus strike," said Prafulla Kumar Padhy, an engineer.
Similarly, supply of vegetables like onions, tomatoes, cabbage and cauliflower, that regularly came in from Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, has been stopped for the past one week. It has also led to the increase of prices of vegetables.
"As onion crops were damaged in Andhra Pradesh and the supply was almost stopped from the state, we now depend on Maharastra alone," Ganjam Chamber of Commerce president Ch Rabindra Kumar said. "This has resulted in doubling the price of onions," said wholesaler Binod Sahu. The price of the onions has increased by about Rs 1,000 per quintal in a week. "When the entire country now depends on Maharastra for onions, businessmen there are being forced to increase the price," he added.
vegetables in the state.
The prices of almost all vegetables in Berhampur have increased about 50 to 70 per cent during a week. The wholesale businessmen attributed the reason of the price rise to the transport strike in the state in the past five days as well as crops damaged due to floods in southern states like Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.
"The supply of the green vegetables to Berhampur markets has dwindled due to the transport strike," said a vegetable seller. Berhampur depends heavily on farmers from different parts of Ganjam, Kandhamal, Rayagada and Gajapati districts to meet the demand. These farmers transport their produce by passenger buses. But due to the ongoing bus owners' strike, the supply has been drastically reduced. "This has hit the vegetable market hard," said Magata Pradhan, a vegetable seller at Gata Bazar vegetable market. "Not only have the daily commuters, but the vegetable consumers in the town also suffered immensely due to the bus strike," said Prafulla Kumar Padhy, an engineer.
Similarly, supply of vegetables like onions, tomatoes, cabbage and cauliflower, that regularly came in from Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, has been stopped for the past one week. It has also led to the increase of prices of vegetables.
"As onion crops were damaged in Andhra Pradesh and the supply was almost stopped from the state, we now depend on Maharastra alone," Ganjam Chamber of Commerce president Ch Rabindra Kumar said. "This has resulted in doubling the price of onions," said wholesaler Binod Sahu. The price of the onions has increased by about Rs 1,000 per quintal in a week. "When the entire country now depends on Maharastra for onions, businessmen there are being forced to increase the price," he added.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
In flooded Kurnool, ride to safety comes steep
KURNOOL: Thousands of people have started fleeing the flood-ravaged Kurnool town by whatever transport available to them. Since early morning on
Saturday, hundreds thronged the main bus stop and railway station, many others hired taxis, autos, lorries and even trucks at exhorbitant rates in a bid to get out of the inundated town.
They said the rescue operation was slow and hadn't picked up until late afternoon. "Besides, while water has receded from 20 feet to 10 feet, we would have been still surrounded by water had we stayed there," said Dr Sirisha Palla, a postgraduate dermatology student of Kurnool Medical College, who left for Dhone, about 110 km away, on Saturday morning. "The bus stop was packed with hundreds of people wanting to leave, but the only route open was the one to Anantapur, (135 km from the city)," said the young doctor.
Locals, many of whom spent nights on the rooftops shouting for help said reaching the bus stop was a costly affair as they had to go through the relatively lesser flooded areas of the city, which meant mapping the city's outskirts and over-paying the few autos and taxis still plying.
While low-lying and older parts of Kurnool such as Roja, Prakash Nagar were completely submerged, the upmarket areas of Narsing Rao Peta and Sankal Bagh, that are home to bureaucrats, politicians, mayor were inundated. Locals estimated that 50,000 houses were flooded. With the food packets reaching the flood-hit by late, and houses submerged, many residents had a tough time.
Saturday, hundreds thronged the main bus stop and railway station, many others hired taxis, autos, lorries and even trucks at exhorbitant rates in a bid to get out of the inundated town.
They said the rescue operation was slow and hadn't picked up until late afternoon. "Besides, while water has receded from 20 feet to 10 feet, we would have been still surrounded by water had we stayed there," said Dr Sirisha Palla, a postgraduate dermatology student of Kurnool Medical College, who left for Dhone, about 110 km away, on Saturday morning. "The bus stop was packed with hundreds of people wanting to leave, but the only route open was the one to Anantapur, (135 km from the city)," said the young doctor.
Locals, many of whom spent nights on the rooftops shouting for help said reaching the bus stop was a costly affair as they had to go through the relatively lesser flooded areas of the city, which meant mapping the city's outskirts and over-paying the few autos and taxis still plying.
While low-lying and older parts of Kurnool such as Roja, Prakash Nagar were completely submerged, the upmarket areas of Narsing Rao Peta and Sankal Bagh, that are home to bureaucrats, politicians, mayor were inundated. Locals estimated that 50,000 houses were flooded. With the food packets reaching the flood-hit by late, and houses submerged, many residents had a tough time.
Transport hit hard in Kurnool, Mahbubnagar
HYDERABAD: Though the situation is improving with the flood water receding slowly in Kurnool and Mahbubnagar districts, road transport services
continue to be hit hard for the second consecutive day as the Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) buses along with private buses did not operate. Several stretches were damaged on the NH-7 section due to heavy flooding in the two districts.
According to Ravindra Babu, regional director, APSRTC, Ranga Reddy division, the APSRTC had to cancel all the buses for the second day. It runs 230 buses per day on the NH-7 sector to various places like Kurnool, Kadapa, Chittoor etc. The Hyderabad-Srisailam road is still not open for traffic due to the breaches on the NH-7 route that had led to cancellation of the buses for the second day, said Ravindra Babu.
However, the APSRTC is running buses from alternative routes. "We are presently operating Volvo and super luxury buses in the Bangalore and Macherla sector," he said. He added that super luxury buses are being run on alternative routes like Bangalore, Macherla, Maidukur, Kadapa and Volvo services at Ongole, Nellore and Tirupati.
Roads, including the national and state highways also got damaged due to the floods, which overflowed on to the roads. Already several breaches appeared on the NH-7 on the Kurnool sector. The officials have identified 70 to 80 breaches in the Kurnool sector, said chief engineer R&B K Shiva Reddy. He said that Old bridge between Eeija and Emmiganoor got washed away due to the heavy floods. Roads also got damaged near Handri river. On the NH-63, breaches were noticed in the Gutti, Guntakal, Bellary sections.
Shiva Reddy said that the department could not estimate the total loss as of now because there is water on the roads. "It would take three to four days after the water recedes on the roads. The machinery has been alerted to take measures as soon that happens," he said.
Traffic on the Raichur and Makhtal road was hit as flood water overflowed on to the roads from the Magnoor bridge. There was a huge traffic jam stretching to five kilometres in the sector.
continue to be hit hard for the second consecutive day as the Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) buses along with private buses did not operate. Several stretches were damaged on the NH-7 section due to heavy flooding in the two districts.
According to Ravindra Babu, regional director, APSRTC, Ranga Reddy division, the APSRTC had to cancel all the buses for the second day. It runs 230 buses per day on the NH-7 sector to various places like Kurnool, Kadapa, Chittoor etc. The Hyderabad-Srisailam road is still not open for traffic due to the breaches on the NH-7 route that had led to cancellation of the buses for the second day, said Ravindra Babu.
However, the APSRTC is running buses from alternative routes. "We are presently operating Volvo and super luxury buses in the Bangalore and Macherla sector," he said. He added that super luxury buses are being run on alternative routes like Bangalore, Macherla, Maidukur, Kadapa and Volvo services at Ongole, Nellore and Tirupati.
Roads, including the national and state highways also got damaged due to the floods, which overflowed on to the roads. Already several breaches appeared on the NH-7 on the Kurnool sector. The officials have identified 70 to 80 breaches in the Kurnool sector, said chief engineer R&B K Shiva Reddy. He said that Old bridge between Eeija and Emmiganoor got washed away due to the heavy floods. Roads also got damaged near Handri river. On the NH-63, breaches were noticed in the Gutti, Guntakal, Bellary sections.
Shiva Reddy said that the department could not estimate the total loss as of now because there is water on the roads. "It would take three to four days after the water recedes on the roads. The machinery has been alerted to take measures as soon that happens," he said.
Traffic on the Raichur and Makhtal road was hit as flood water overflowed on to the roads from the Magnoor bridge. There was a huge traffic jam stretching to five kilometres in the sector.
Opposition blames govt for failure to handle flood situtation
HYDERABAD: The government came in for sharp criticism from the opposition parties for lack of coordination between various departments and the
inaction of Kurnool district administration. "It was overaction at the Secretariat level and inaction at the district level," is how they described the government's response to the unprecedented floods.
If the government had paid heed to the warning by the metereological department, the central water resources ministry and released the water from Srisailam downstream when the reservoir levels were at 882 ft, there would have been some cushion in the reservoir and the impact could have been reduced. The central agencies issued the warning on September 30 but the government failed in anticipating the severity.
Talking to media after the all party meeting, TDP leader and former irrigation minister Kadiam Srihari said that the chief minister pressed the panic button on Friday night and said that the continued heavy inflows into Srisailam would maroon Kurnool town by Saturday morning causing panic in the town. Apparently, he has been misled by the officials. The flood in Kurnool was due to heavy releases from Tungabhadra river and not Srisailam. Despite release of a record 25 lakh cusecs of water from Srisailam, the water levels in Kurnool town receded by 4 feet."
Further, the CPI and CPM blamed the irrigation department for poor maintenance of the Sunkesula Barrage gates and delay in modernisation and repairs of Handri-Neeva Canal. They said the administration due to improper planning failed to even provide food packets and drinking water to the marooned people. They suggested district level all party committees to monitor distribution of relief material.
The opposition also suggested that the government should take proper care and see that once the water recedes, there are no fresh casualities due to collapse of walls and houses and asked the chief minister to ensure that proper and effective steps were taken to prevent spread of epidemics. They further demanded that 30 kg of rice, five litres of kerosene and clothes be distributed to the effected people in Kurnool, Mahbubnagar and Krishna districts.
Meanwhile, the state witnessed unprecendented floods as it lacks a proper disaster management programme, averred M Shashidhar Reddy, member National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). Reddy said that every state has been advised to keep a Special Disaster Management Force in place to meet any such eventualities but Andhra Pradesh has not complied. He told TOI that the NDMA has a special team drawn from police and other wings to take up rescue operations during natural calamaties. At least now, the government should focus on such issues and also have contingency plans in place to meet any eventuality, he said. Knee-jerk reactions do not help in effective handling of emergencies like the one faced on Friday. He said even the men and material sent by the NDMA could not be pressed into service on Friday due to logistic problems.
Meanwhile, irrigation expert C L N Shastri said that disaster management needs advance planning. He said the state has the ability to handle any kind of crisis and irrigation officials who can handle any kind of inflows and take up water management. Between 1964-2005 the irrigation officials had shown exemplary performance in water management even when the inflows were over 9 lakh cusecs. But this time, it appears the authorities were unprepared, he observed.
inaction of Kurnool district administration. "It was overaction at the Secretariat level and inaction at the district level," is how they described the government's response to the unprecedented floods.
If the government had paid heed to the warning by the metereological department, the central water resources ministry and released the water from Srisailam downstream when the reservoir levels were at 882 ft, there would have been some cushion in the reservoir and the impact could have been reduced. The central agencies issued the warning on September 30 but the government failed in anticipating the severity.
Talking to media after the all party meeting, TDP leader and former irrigation minister Kadiam Srihari said that the chief minister pressed the panic button on Friday night and said that the continued heavy inflows into Srisailam would maroon Kurnool town by Saturday morning causing panic in the town. Apparently, he has been misled by the officials. The flood in Kurnool was due to heavy releases from Tungabhadra river and not Srisailam. Despite release of a record 25 lakh cusecs of water from Srisailam, the water levels in Kurnool town receded by 4 feet."
Further, the CPI and CPM blamed the irrigation department for poor maintenance of the Sunkesula Barrage gates and delay in modernisation and repairs of Handri-Neeva Canal. They said the administration due to improper planning failed to even provide food packets and drinking water to the marooned people. They suggested district level all party committees to monitor distribution of relief material.
The opposition also suggested that the government should take proper care and see that once the water recedes, there are no fresh casualities due to collapse of walls and houses and asked the chief minister to ensure that proper and effective steps were taken to prevent spread of epidemics. They further demanded that 30 kg of rice, five litres of kerosene and clothes be distributed to the effected people in Kurnool, Mahbubnagar and Krishna districts.
Meanwhile, the state witnessed unprecendented floods as it lacks a proper disaster management programme, averred M Shashidhar Reddy, member National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). Reddy said that every state has been advised to keep a Special Disaster Management Force in place to meet any such eventualities but Andhra Pradesh has not complied. He told TOI that the NDMA has a special team drawn from police and other wings to take up rescue operations during natural calamaties. At least now, the government should focus on such issues and also have contingency plans in place to meet any eventuality, he said. Knee-jerk reactions do not help in effective handling of emergencies like the one faced on Friday. He said even the men and material sent by the NDMA could not be pressed into service on Friday due to logistic problems.
Meanwhile, irrigation expert C L N Shastri said that disaster management needs advance planning. He said the state has the ability to handle any kind of crisis and irrigation officials who can handle any kind of inflows and take up water management. Between 1964-2005 the irrigation officials had shown exemplary performance in water management even when the inflows were over 9 lakh cusecs. But this time, it appears the authorities were unprepared, he observed.
Flood fury claims 35 lives
HYDERABAD: After 48 hours, the State Government was able to estimate the devastation caused by the flash floods in Krishna and Tungabhadra rivers which caused immeasurable misery to people in Krishna, Kurnool and Mahaboobnagar districts.
According to the Government, about 33 died in the last 72 hours in the three districts and one each in Guntur and Nalgonda districts. In Kurnool district about 15 persons died, 6,189 livestock perished, 42,061 houses damaged and 10 lakh people were affected in 180 villages of 34 mandals.
In Mahaboobnagar district, 13 persons and 133 livestock died, 11,680 houses were damaged and about 6.01 lakh people were affected in 89 villages of 16 mandals.
In Krishna district about 2.07 lakh were affected, three died in 131 villages of 13 mandals and in Nalgonda district about 13,700 people were affected while one died and 628 houses were damaged in 22 villages of five mandals.
As far as Guntur district is concerned, about 22 villages in 12 mandals were affected and 8,000 people were affected. As many as 83 mandals in these five districts were affected and 475 villages were submerged.
About 18.30 lakh people have suffered due to the floods.
The Government had pressed in to service about 254 boats, 997 swimmers and 550 Army personnel for undertaking rescue and relief operations.
In all these districts about 227 camps were arranged, 3.83 lakh people were evacuated and 2.43 lakh were taking shelter in the relief camps.
Meanwhile speaking to the media in the evening, Chief Minister K Rosaiah said that the inflow and outflow at Srisailam was 14.5 lakh cusecs. At Nagarjunasagar, the outflow was about six lakh cusecs, he stated.Even at Vijayawada the outflow was about 6 lakh cusecs, the Chief Minister informed and stated that the flood fury was decreasing hour by hour.
Rosaiah said that there was no forecast of rains in Karnataka.
He said that about 250 doctors were pressed into service and they would reach Kurnool by midnight.
He wanted the people to cooperate with the government and not to believe the rumors
According to the Government, about 33 died in the last 72 hours in the three districts and one each in Guntur and Nalgonda districts. In Kurnool district about 15 persons died, 6,189 livestock perished, 42,061 houses damaged and 10 lakh people were affected in 180 villages of 34 mandals.
In Mahaboobnagar district, 13 persons and 133 livestock died, 11,680 houses were damaged and about 6.01 lakh people were affected in 89 villages of 16 mandals.
In Krishna district about 2.07 lakh were affected, three died in 131 villages of 13 mandals and in Nalgonda district about 13,700 people were affected while one died and 628 houses were damaged in 22 villages of five mandals.
As far as Guntur district is concerned, about 22 villages in 12 mandals were affected and 8,000 people were affected. As many as 83 mandals in these five districts were affected and 475 villages were submerged.
About 18.30 lakh people have suffered due to the floods.
The Government had pressed in to service about 254 boats, 997 swimmers and 550 Army personnel for undertaking rescue and relief operations.
In all these districts about 227 camps were arranged, 3.83 lakh people were evacuated and 2.43 lakh were taking shelter in the relief camps.
Meanwhile speaking to the media in the evening, Chief Minister K Rosaiah said that the inflow and outflow at Srisailam was 14.5 lakh cusecs. At Nagarjunasagar, the outflow was about six lakh cusecs, he stated.Even at Vijayawada the outflow was about 6 lakh cusecs, the Chief Minister informed and stated that the flood fury was decreasing hour by hour.
Rosaiah said that there was no forecast of rains in Karnataka.
He said that about 250 doctors were pressed into service and they would reach Kurnool by midnight.
He wanted the people to cooperate with the government and not to believe the rumors
After flood, full Moon sparks fear of high tide havoc along coast
VIJAYAWADA: Pournami, or the full Moon day, is adding to the gloom along coastal areas. In addition to the flood fear, high tidal waves are
threatening habitations along the coast. Sources said tidal waves were virtually pushing flood waters back resulting in greater inundation.
Normally, the flood waters drain out into the sea easily and the impact of flooding is less in areas on the shoreline. However, the full Moon day, which fell on Saturday, is adding to the flood problem.
Though residents are not new to such waves in the sea during full Moon and new Moon days, the floods have added to their woes. They believe Gangamma talli, the sea goddess, turns furious on Pournami and Amavasya days because of which fishermen do not venture into the sea.
"The furious sea is not accepting flood waters, which have already started reaching sea on Saturday morning. It will create more trouble for rescue operations as the flood waters could swerve into new areas if the sea does not take the entire flood waters at once," said Jayaprakash Narayana, chief executive officer, zilla parishad.
According to experts, more tidal waves would hit the coast late Saturday night in Tenali division in Guntur and Diviseema, where people are rushing to relief centres.
threatening habitations along the coast. Sources said tidal waves were virtually pushing flood waters back resulting in greater inundation.
Normally, the flood waters drain out into the sea easily and the impact of flooding is less in areas on the shoreline. However, the full Moon day, which fell on Saturday, is adding to the flood problem.
Though residents are not new to such waves in the sea during full Moon and new Moon days, the floods have added to their woes. They believe Gangamma talli, the sea goddess, turns furious on Pournami and Amavasya days because of which fishermen do not venture into the sea.
"The furious sea is not accepting flood waters, which have already started reaching sea on Saturday morning. It will create more trouble for rescue operations as the flood waters could swerve into new areas if the sea does not take the entire flood waters at once," said Jayaprakash Narayana, chief executive officer, zilla parishad.
According to experts, more tidal waves would hit the coast late Saturday night in Tenali division in Guntur and Diviseema, where people are rushing to relief centres.
Power house at Srisailam submerged
HYDERABAD: The unprecedented inflows into Krishna river have submerged the 770 MW power house of Srisailam Hydro Power Project in the wee hours of Saturday.
Anticipating trouble, the officials shutdown both the 770 MW power house on the right bank and also the 900 MW underground power house on the left bank of the reservoir on Friday night itself.
Power generation at Nagarjuna Sagar Project (NSP) was also affected with heavy inflows from Srisailam. Of the eight power generating units in the NSP, the third unit was flooded with water and the officials stopped the generation.
Officials said that water may enter second and fourth units by the night and power generation in these two units would be stopped. If the inflows keep increasing, power generation may affect in all the eight units.
The inflows at NSP reached 15.75 lakh cusecs in the evening and the outflows stood at 12 lakh cusecs. All the 26 gates of the NSP were lifted up to 50 feet. The flood waters started flowing into the 770 MW power house located on the right bank of the Srisailam reservoir just beside the crest gate No:1 late night.
By Saturday morning, water level reached upto five feet and the power house was completely submerged before evening. Soon after water started entering the 770 MW power house on the right bank on Friday, the officials took safety measures to prevent water from entering the 900 MW power house by laying sandbags as bunds at the entrance. Power generation was shutdown and the staff have been asked to vacate by locking the power houses. The officials said that the damage caused by the flooding can be ascertained only after the flood waters recede in the reservoir. ``The water will be pumped out from the power house and take up damage estimations after the situation comes under control. Later, we will take up necessary restoration works,’’ said AP Genco director (hydel projects) Adiseshu.
Located just below the Srisailam dam on the right bank of Krishna river in Kurnool district, the power station generates about 3,000 million units (mu) annually. The power station is equipped with seven units of 110 MW. Another power project equipped with six units of 150 MW is located on the left bank of the project.
The 770 MW power house was commissioned during the period 1982 to 1987 in phased manner.
During the floods in 1998, the power house got completely submerged after a portion of the protection wall got collapsed. As the flood inflow increased to 7.35 lakh cusecs on October 15, the power house including generating units, auxiliary rooms, main control room, generator transformers and other equipment got submerged.
It took about ten days for the AP Genco officials to pump out the water and another two months for the BHELto restore the power project
Record inflow into Nagarjunasagar
NALGONDA: The Nagarjunasagar Project (NSP) has received a record inflow of 14.1 lakh cusecs on Saturday, the highest in its 53-year history.
With heavy inflows from Srisailam Project (SRSP) continuing to flow in, officials estimate the volume of water to rise to 15 lakh cusecs.
The NSP was designed to discharge a maximum of 15.35 lakh cusecs. According to officials, Saturday’s outflow from NSP was 9.3 lakh cusecs.
The previous record was an inflow of 7.35 lakh cusecs in 1998. Then the outflow was 7.99 lakh cusecs.
Meanwhile, A J Narasimha (45) of Damara Bheemana Palle, who was crossing a stream on his bicycle, was washed away near Chanduru.
Officials evacuated around 200 families from Kacharachapalle and Guvvalagutta hamlets in Chinnampet mandal and another 100 families from Gundlapalle near Pulichintala project. As many as 15 villages are under threat of submergence.
Officials said 148 houses were completely damaged and 430 houses partially.
Paddy and cotton crops were damaged in around 5,000 acres in Devarakonda, Chandampet and Dindi mandals
Andhra: Krishna, Guntur to be evacuated in 24 hrs
The biggest danger facing Andhra Pradesh's Krishna and Guntur districts is the 10 lakh cusecs of water that were released from the Nagarjuna Sagar on Sunday morning. In 24 hours, this water will reach the Prakasam Barrage in Andhra Pradesh's Krishna district.
Water levels are already at 18 feet; the additional water will cause an raise these by another 30 feet. Also, Prakasam Barrage has not received 10 lakh cusecs of water in one go for decades now. The Krishna Bund too is weak at several points and could breach causing flash floods.
A lakh and a half people have to be evacuated from the area before this happens. Another 1.3 lakh people from nearby Vijaywada and 45,000 from Guntur also need to be evacuated.
The administration had no choice but to release the waters to keep two critical dams out of danger - the Nagarjuna Sagar and Srisailam.
Rescue focus has shifted from marooned Kurnool to these downstream areas, as they are likely to face the full fury of the engorged and overflowing Tungabhadra and Krishna rivers.
254 boats, about a thousand divers, 550 Army personnel and six helicopters are in action. More than 200 relief camps have been set up to accommodate 2.75 lakh displaced people. A team of 250 doctors is tending to the victims.
Three districts in the state are most affected - Krishna, Godvari and Kurnool. In Kurnool, floods have left 33 people dead, though the official toll appears to be far below the actual figure.
Trafficwise, National Highway 18 has been breached, and both rail and road movement between Kurnool and Chennai is disrupted.
Andhra CM to undertake aerial survey of flood-hit areas
Hyderabad: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister K Rosaiah will undertake an aerial survey of flood-affected districts in the state on Sunday, official sources said here.
Rosaiah will visit the worst-affected Kurnool apart from Mahaboonagar and Krishna districts, they said.
The Chief Minister, who held discussion at the Secretariat here with his ministerial colleagues on the relief measures in the flood-hit areas, told reporters that the water-level in Kurnool town and some parts of Mahaboobnaar district was receding.
"Flood situation in Kurnool town and some parts of Mahabubnagar district was improving in view of gradual reduction in inflow of water from dams in Karnataka," he said.
He said so far 37 people had lost their lives due to the floods and the figure was likely to go up.
The Chief Minister will be accompanied by Revenue Minister D Prasada Rao during his tour to the flood-hit areas.
"First we will tour Vijayawada town in Krishna district and if weather permits, we will also take up aerial survey of Kurnool and Mahabubnagar districts," Rosaiah told reporters after a meeting with his ministerial colleagues.
"if weather permits, we will also hold discussion with district authorities either at Vijayawada or Kurnool," he added.
Rosaiah will visit the worst-affected Kurnool apart from Mahaboonagar and Krishna districts, they said.
The Chief Minister, who held discussion at the Secretariat here with his ministerial colleagues on the relief measures in the flood-hit areas, told reporters that the water-level in Kurnool town and some parts of Mahaboobnaar district was receding.
"Flood situation in Kurnool town and some parts of Mahabubnagar district was improving in view of gradual reduction in inflow of water from dams in Karnataka," he said.
He said so far 37 people had lost their lives due to the floods and the figure was likely to go up.
The Chief Minister will be accompanied by Revenue Minister D Prasada Rao during his tour to the flood-hit areas.
"First we will tour Vijayawada town in Krishna district and if weather permits, we will also take up aerial survey of Kurnool and Mahabubnagar districts," Rosaiah told reporters after a meeting with his ministerial colleagues.
"if weather permits, we will also hold discussion with district authorities either at Vijayawada or Kurnool," he added.
13 lakh affected by floods in Andhra Pradesh
Hyderabad, Oct 4 (PTI) Over 13 lakh people were affected in five districts of Andhra Pradesh following unprecedented floods in Krishna river basin which has claimed 37 lives so far, official sources said here today.
The flood claimed 15 lives in Kurnool, 16 in Mahabubnagar, three in Krishna, two in Nalgonda and one in Guntur district, they said, adding that the toll may go up.
According to officials 6,295 livestock also perished in the five districts with 6,189 cattle loss reported in the worst-affected Kurnool district alone.
As many as 478 villages in 87 'mandals' have been severely hit in the last four days with the heaviest flood in river Krishna in last more than 100 years.
Over 13 IAF helicopters have been pressed into service to drop food packets and water sachets in the flood-hit areas and rescue people from inundated areas in the five districts, they said.
The flood claimed 15 lives in Kurnool, 16 in Mahabubnagar, three in Krishna, two in Nalgonda and one in Guntur district, they said, adding that the toll may go up.
According to officials 6,295 livestock also perished in the five districts with 6,189 cattle loss reported in the worst-affected Kurnool district alone.
As many as 478 villages in 87 'mandals' have been severely hit in the last four days with the heaviest flood in river Krishna in last more than 100 years.
Over 13 IAF helicopters have been pressed into service to drop food packets and water sachets in the flood-hit areas and rescue people from inundated areas in the five districts, they said.
Andhra Pradesh blames Yeddy govt for its woes
HYDERABAD: Amid the floods that have left 33 people dead in the Kurnool and Mahabubnagar districts of Andhra Pradesh came a swirl of accusations
that neighbouring Karanataka was to blame.
Officials said massive inflows from Karnataka had worsened the flooding in AP. Late on Saturday, the focus was shifting from marooned Kurnool district to downstream Krishna and Guntur districts as it seemed likely they would face the full fury of the engorged and overflowing Tungabhadra and Krishna rivers.
The official toll appeared to be a gross underestimate because the state machinery is not in place to compute numbers. There has already been an exodus from Kurnool town. Andhra Pradesh chief minister K Rosaiah told
reporters on Saturday evening that he had spoken to his Karnataka counterpart B S Yeddyurappa twice during the day and been assured that the Tungabhadra and Krishna's surging waters "would be arrested" at Karnataka's reservoirs. But the promise was breached and the roiling waters continued to gush into AP.
The state government said Kurnool and Mahabubnagar districts were limping back to normalcy and 3.83 lakh people were evacuated from the affected districts. Officials said 254 boats, about 1,000 divers, 550 Army personnel and six helicopters had been pressed into service. More than 200 relief camps have been set up to accommodate 2.75 lakh displaced people. Nearly four lakh food packets and another four lakh water packets were distributed. A team of 250 doctors is tending the victims.
that neighbouring Karanataka was to blame.
Officials said massive inflows from Karnataka had worsened the flooding in AP. Late on Saturday, the focus was shifting from marooned Kurnool district to downstream Krishna and Guntur districts as it seemed likely they would face the full fury of the engorged and overflowing Tungabhadra and Krishna rivers.
The official toll appeared to be a gross underestimate because the state machinery is not in place to compute numbers. There has already been an exodus from Kurnool town. Andhra Pradesh chief minister K Rosaiah told
reporters on Saturday evening that he had spoken to his Karnataka counterpart B S Yeddyurappa twice during the day and been assured that the Tungabhadra and Krishna's surging waters "would be arrested" at Karnataka's reservoirs. But the promise was breached and the roiling waters continued to gush into AP.
The state government said Kurnool and Mahabubnagar districts were limping back to normalcy and 3.83 lakh people were evacuated from the affected districts. Officials said 254 boats, about 1,000 divers, 550 Army personnel and six helicopters had been pressed into service. More than 200 relief camps have been set up to accommodate 2.75 lakh displaced people. Nearly four lakh food packets and another four lakh water packets were distributed. A team of 250 doctors is tending the victims.
Death toll from floods rises to 205 in south India
NEW DELHI -- Medical teams rushed Sunday to flood-devastated southern India where five days of torrential rain have left at least 205 people dead and 750,000 displaced, authorities said.
The floods have submerged entire villages, snapped transport and communication links and raised fears of disease spreading in relief camps crowded with people forced from their homes. Large parts of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka states have been inundated.
Air force helicopters dropped food and drinking water packages to hundreds of villages that remained cut off after roads were submerged or washed away.
In Karnataka, the worst-hit of the two states, 168 people have died and more than 300,000 have been displaced, authorities said.
In neighboring Andhra Pradesh, 37 people have died and around 450,000 have been displaced and were sheltering in 100 relief camps, said state chief minister K. Rosaiah.
"We are rushing medical teams and equipment to the camps" to ward off outbreaks of disease in the camps, Rosaiah said.
Flooding worsened after authorities released water from rain-swollen reservoirs and dams in both states to prevent them from bursting their banks.
Army soldiers used boats to ferry villagers stranded on rooftops to government schools or relief camps on higher ground. Doctors were distributing water purifying tablets and providing medical services in the camps, but facilities were poor and crowded.
In places where villagers refused to leave their homes, drinking water was being supplied by tankers to prevent the outbreak of waterborne diseases, said D. Prasada Rao, state revenue minister in Andhra Pradesh.
Just weeks ago, most parts of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka were suffering from severe drought due to the failure of monsoon rains. Weather officials say an area of low pressure in the Bay of Bengal has caused the sudden, torrential rains.
The floods have submerged entire villages, snapped transport and communication links and raised fears of disease spreading in relief camps crowded with people forced from their homes. Large parts of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka states have been inundated.
Air force helicopters dropped food and drinking water packages to hundreds of villages that remained cut off after roads were submerged or washed away.
In Karnataka, the worst-hit of the two states, 168 people have died and more than 300,000 have been displaced, authorities said.
In neighboring Andhra Pradesh, 37 people have died and around 450,000 have been displaced and were sheltering in 100 relief camps, said state chief minister K. Rosaiah.
"We are rushing medical teams and equipment to the camps" to ward off outbreaks of disease in the camps, Rosaiah said.
Flooding worsened after authorities released water from rain-swollen reservoirs and dams in both states to prevent them from bursting their banks.
Army soldiers used boats to ferry villagers stranded on rooftops to government schools or relief camps on higher ground. Doctors were distributing water purifying tablets and providing medical services in the camps, but facilities were poor and crowded.
In places where villagers refused to leave their homes, drinking water was being supplied by tankers to prevent the outbreak of waterborne diseases, said D. Prasada Rao, state revenue minister in Andhra Pradesh.
Just weeks ago, most parts of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka were suffering from severe drought due to the failure of monsoon rains. Weather officials say an area of low pressure in the Bay of Bengal has caused the sudden, torrential rains.
187 dead as rains, floods batter Andhra and Karnataka
The flood situation in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka showed signs of improvement with water levels receding on Saturday after three days of torrential rain.
The respite came not before heavy rains left at least 187 people dead in the two southern states and the Konkan region.
The downpour was in stark contrast to a worsening drought in most parts of the country. All of India saw the driest monsoon since 1972, as the national average rainfall between June and September fell 23 per cent short of the normal level. Hit by the retreating monsoon
The northern and southern districts of Karnataka received rain in excess of 23 per cent and 30 per cent respectively.
Rescue efforts were intensified with troops backed by Indian Air Force helicopters shifting marooned people in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, the worst hit with a toll of 161, to safer areas.
“More than 350 villages were affected by the rain and subsequent floods, the worst since 1972 in north Karnataka,” said H.V. Parashwanath, the state’s top disaster management official.
At least 116,000 houses had been damaged, he said.
In neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, where the toll was 16, Chief Minister K. Rosaiah said 15 helicopters, some of them from the Army, and about 150 boats were involved in the rescue efforts.
The army has deployed around 700 troops in the flood-affected districts of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.
Rail and road transport were affected in the rain-hit districts of both the states.
The rains have also hit the Konkan region, including parts of Maharashtra and Goa, where at least 10 deaths were reported.
The respite came not before heavy rains left at least 187 people dead in the two southern states and the Konkan region.
The downpour was in stark contrast to a worsening drought in most parts of the country. All of India saw the driest monsoon since 1972, as the national average rainfall between June and September fell 23 per cent short of the normal level. Hit by the retreating monsoon
The northern and southern districts of Karnataka received rain in excess of 23 per cent and 30 per cent respectively.
Rescue efforts were intensified with troops backed by Indian Air Force helicopters shifting marooned people in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, the worst hit with a toll of 161, to safer areas.
“More than 350 villages were affected by the rain and subsequent floods, the worst since 1972 in north Karnataka,” said H.V. Parashwanath, the state’s top disaster management official.
At least 116,000 houses had been damaged, he said.
In neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, where the toll was 16, Chief Minister K. Rosaiah said 15 helicopters, some of them from the Army, and about 150 boats were involved in the rescue efforts.
The army has deployed around 700 troops in the flood-affected districts of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.
Rail and road transport were affected in the rain-hit districts of both the states.
The rains have also hit the Konkan region, including parts of Maharashtra and Goa, where at least 10 deaths were reported.
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Prakasam barrage bracing up for great deluge
HYDERABAD/VIJAYAWADA: After Krishna’s tributary Tungabhadra turned Kurnool into a hell, now the Krishna river is all set to ensure a repeat of the nightmare in Vijayawada and several villages in Krishna district.
With inflows into Srisailam and Nagarjuna Sagar not abating and the officials letting out huge volumes of water downstream of the river, Prakasam barrage appears to be bracing for the great deluge.
The water that is being released into the Krishna from Nagarjuna Sagar is now on its way to Prakasam Barrage and by night fall, the water might start hitting the barrage.
With the discharge being over 10 lakh cusecs at Srisailam and seven to eight lakh cusecs at Nagarjuna Sagar, the threat of inundation is live for Krishna district.
This apart, several streams join the Krishna a little ahead of Prakasam barrage with signifacant volumes of water.
Apprehending inundation on a large scale, the Krishna district administration has already shifted about one lakh population to about 12 relief centres, most of them in Vijayawada alone and they are making efforts to move more number of people to safer places.
The Prakasam Barrage has the capacity of handling inflows of about 10 lakh cusecs and a litte over but any inflows more than this might become a problem.
Already the officials are letting out whatever water is available in the reservoir which is always impounded to a height of 12 to help Vijayawada Thermal Power station (VTPS) draw it for use as a coolant in the condensors of the power generation equipment. As the deluge has never been this huge, the officials are letting out more water downstream so that by the time Nagarjuna Sagar water reaches Prakasam barrage there is enough room. The VTPS has no immediate threat of lack of water to run its thermal units since they have a separate channel built recently and it could use it for the puropse of cooling the condensors.
The met department’s forecast too being very grim for the next 24 hours with widespread rains lashing the State, the officials are worried how long this nightmare would last and when the inflows would abate. ``Before the inflows stop, the water would have done a damage beyond imaginable proportions,’’ an official said.
Friday, October 2, 2009
AP CM reviews rescue, relief operations in flood-hit districts
Hyderabad: Five troupes of army personnel are being sent to flood-hit Kurnool and Mahbubnagar districts of Andhra Pradesh while four defence helicopters too have been pressed into rescue and relief operations, chief minister K Rosaiah said here today.
The chief minister has been constantly reviewing the situation with officials of the state disaster management department.
A team of 120 National Disaster Response Force men from Arakkonam has been summoned to Hyderabad, from where it will be sent to Kurnool and Mahbubnagar districts to carry out rescue and relief operations. Inflatable boats are also being dispatched to the districts for the operations.
Six power boats of the AP tourism development corporation have also been pressed into service.
The State government has placed battalions of the AP special police at the disposal of the respective district collectors to aid the administration in the rescue operations. The chief minister said all arrangements have been made to drop food packets for the people stranded in floods.
Senior IAS officers have been rushed to Kurnool, Mahbubnagar and Krishna districts to oversee flood relief operations, Rosaiah added.Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition N Chandrababu Naidu has directed his party leaders and workers in the flood-hit districts to rush to the affected areas immediately and help save lives of people.
"Take active part in rescue and relief operations and provide food to the affected people," he told his party men while appealing to all ministers, MPs and MLAs cutting across
party lines to visit the field and take part in the operations.
He said the Telugu Desam Party would extend all support to the government in tackling the situation.
The chief minister has been constantly reviewing the situation with officials of the state disaster management department.
A team of 120 National Disaster Response Force men from Arakkonam has been summoned to Hyderabad, from where it will be sent to Kurnool and Mahbubnagar districts to carry out rescue and relief operations. Inflatable boats are also being dispatched to the districts for the operations.
Six power boats of the AP tourism development corporation have also been pressed into service.
The State government has placed battalions of the AP special police at the disposal of the respective district collectors to aid the administration in the rescue operations. The chief minister said all arrangements have been made to drop food packets for the people stranded in floods.
Senior IAS officers have been rushed to Kurnool, Mahbubnagar and Krishna districts to oversee flood relief operations, Rosaiah added.Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition N Chandrababu Naidu has directed his party leaders and workers in the flood-hit districts to rush to the affected areas immediately and help save lives of people.
"Take active part in rescue and relief operations and provide food to the affected people," he told his party men while appealing to all ministers, MPs and MLAs cutting across
party lines to visit the field and take part in the operations.
He said the Telugu Desam Party would extend all support to the government in tackling the situation.
Srisailam receives record inflow
HYDERABAD/KURNOOL: Thousands of people were trapped and a few lakh more were staring at a possible disaster as Andhra Pradesh witnessed unprecedented floods in the Krishna and its tributaries on Friday.
Srisailam reservoir has been receiving record inflows — over 20 lakh cusecs — and the water level has already crossed the FRL of 885 ft. With more than 10 lakh cusecs being discharged to prevent a threat to the dam, water levels in the Nagarjuna Sagar reservoir and Prakasam Barrage downstream have been rising every minute.
The backwash from the Srisailam has already left most parts of Kurnool town under a sheet of water and sensing further danger the government has advised the entire population — over three lakh — to vacate and move to safer places.
The town is already six feet under and the level is expected to rise by four more feet by morning. A similar situation prevails in Mahboobnagar district.
Thousands of people in villages of Nalgonda, Guntur and Krishna districts downstream of the Nagarjunasagar and Prakasam barrage in Vijayawada city face a similar threat. Already, over a lakh of people have been evacuated in Vijayawada.
The State administration appears to have been caught napping as Srisailam reservoir, since engulfed, started receiving inflows of over 20 lakh cusecs yesterday owing to heavy rain in the catchment areas, both in the State and in neighbouring Karnataka.
As the outflow was only half that volume, the waters in the reservoir backed into the Tungabhadra causing floods in Kurnool district. More than 25,000 people have been marooned for over 24 hours now even as the town is enveloped in darkness with power cut off. The discharge from the other big dam on the Krishna — Nagarjuna Sagar — is likely to increase to 10 lakh by this night. All 26 gates have been lifted. This poses a serious threat to Vijayawada city as the water from Sagar flows to Prakasam barrage which can withstand an inflow of only 10 lakh cusecs. However, officials claimed that there was no threat to either Srisailam or Sagar reservoirs as of now.
‘‘These are the worst-ever floods in the history of the State. We are doing all that we can to minimise loss of life,’’ said Chief Minister K Rosaiah. He had sought help from defence forces even as he briefed Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress chief Sonia Gandhi of the crisis.
Ministers camping in the worst-affected Kurnool district have openly admitted that the situation was fast slipping out of control.
Local MPs and MLAs vacated their homes and shifted to safer locations. Helicopters and fibre boats had been pressed into service but given the gravity of the situation efforts are required on an immense scale.
The temple town of Mantralayam, including the Raghavendra Swamy temple, is under water. Indian Air Force helicopters, however, managed to rescue temple chief Suyathindra Swamy and shifted him to Hospet while the rest of the town lay submerged in the floods.
By 11:00 p.m. the government grew anxious and after a review by the Chief Minister, who camped in the Secretariat for the night, the entire population of Kurnool has been asked to move out. It is not going to be an easy task as water in many areas has risen to secondfloor levels in the old town. The figure of marooned people could reach 50,000 by tomorrow.
Helicopter sorties, few and far between, were not much help with the water and food packets dropped failing to reach the marooned.
The situation began getting grim yesterday afternoon itself, and has since worsened by the minute. At several locations, power supply has been switched off, and train and road transport hit, including movement on the national highway between Hyderabad and Bangalore.
130 killed as rains wreck havoc in South India
With incessant rains lashing the southern states -- the Centre has assured assistence in search and rescue operations
as nearly 130 people have died since Wednesday ( September 30), when storms wrecked havoc in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
As the death toll cimbed to 26, the Andhra CM K Rosaiah admitted that the situation was grim. Indian airforce helicopters rescued atleast 20 people. Kurnool and Mahbubnagar distrcits were the worst hit. The government has set up relief camps on the outskirts of Kurnool.
In Karnataka 88 people have died so far, Minister of State for Railways K H Muniyappa has sought immediate intervention of the centre to tackle the flood situation in border areas of the two states. At Mantralya Matt, several pilgrims are reported to be stranded and in need of immidiate help. Mantralaya is located on the AP-Karnataka border.
In Maharashtra, 10 people have died in the Konkan region. The deaths have been reported from the Ratnagiri district which is the worst hit. Areas of kolhapur..Solapur and Satara district have also been affected by torrential rains.
And in heavy rains in Goa have hit rail and air service. The Dabolim airport has been shut down with several flights being diverted due to low visibility in the area. The army has been called in to rescue residents trapped in their houses in the Canacona region in south Goa. Train services were also disrupted aft
as nearly 130 people have died since Wednesday ( September 30), when storms wrecked havoc in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
As the death toll cimbed to 26, the Andhra CM K Rosaiah admitted that the situation was grim. Indian airforce helicopters rescued atleast 20 people. Kurnool and Mahbubnagar distrcits were the worst hit. The government has set up relief camps on the outskirts of Kurnool.
In Karnataka 88 people have died so far, Minister of State for Railways K H Muniyappa has sought immediate intervention of the centre to tackle the flood situation in border areas of the two states. At Mantralya Matt, several pilgrims are reported to be stranded and in need of immidiate help. Mantralaya is located on the AP-Karnataka border.
In Maharashtra, 10 people have died in the Konkan region. The deaths have been reported from the Ratnagiri district which is the worst hit. Areas of kolhapur..Solapur and Satara district have also been affected by torrential rains.
And in heavy rains in Goa have hit rail and air service. The Dabolim airport has been shut down with several flights being diverted due to low visibility in the area. The army has been called in to rescue residents trapped in their houses in the Canacona region in south Goa. Train services were also disrupted aft
Andhra-Karnataka floods: 100-year record
One lakh people have been evacuated from the Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh and are being sent to rescue camps. On Friday night, the River Krishna's levels are expected to hit a 100-year high.
The floods in areas along the Andhra Pradesh-Karnataka are so serious that the army, air force, and navy are all involved in rescue operations. Most-affected are the Kurnool district in Western Andhra Pradesh, and Bijapur, Belgaum, Bellary in Northern Karnataka.
Karnataka:
74 dead, 26,000 houses destroyed
Heavy rain floods Bijapur, Bagalkot, Belgaum, Bellary
Andhra Pradesh:
30 dead, 1 lakh evacuated
Excess water from Karnataka dam floods Mahbubnagar, Kurnool, Krishna
"The situation is very serious. So far 74 people have died and 26,000 houses have collapsed. The state government is in touch with the Home Ministry and Defence Ministry, and is organizing relief and rescue operations. Four helicopers of Air Force have already been put into operation and within four-five hours, another six more helicopters from the Air Force will be arranged," says B S Yeddyurappa, the Chief Minister of Karnataka.
The state will ask the Centre for help but has already released Rs 300 crore and set up 98 food distribution centres.
The floods have been caused because of heavy rainfall in Karnataka earlier this week. Andhra Pradesh officials claim that Karnataka released water from its dams, causing the Krishna river to swell. Now Andhra is worried about how much pressure the Nagarjunasagar dam and the Prakasam barrage further down in Vijayawada can take.
In Andhra, parts of the old city area in Kurnool town are under five feet of water. But it's the famous temple town of Mantralayam in this area that's the worst hit. The Raghavendraswamy temple here is completely under water. Thirty people have died across the state.
Officials confirm that there's no threat to the hydroelectric power plant at Srisailam.
Flood like situation in south Goa
Floods fury also seems to be moving to Goa-Karnataka border where five villages have been affected due to rain water.
Four hundred people have been evacuated as water is rising in the area. Administration is making arrangements to evacuate more people from the flood-affected areas.
Goa police has sought Army, Navy and Coast Guard's help in south Goa at Canacona area due to heavy raining.
The floods in areas along the Andhra Pradesh-Karnataka are so serious that the army, air force, and navy are all involved in rescue operations. Most-affected are the Kurnool district in Western Andhra Pradesh, and Bijapur, Belgaum, Bellary in Northern Karnataka.
Karnataka:
74 dead, 26,000 houses destroyed
Heavy rain floods Bijapur, Bagalkot, Belgaum, Bellary
Andhra Pradesh:
30 dead, 1 lakh evacuated
Excess water from Karnataka dam floods Mahbubnagar, Kurnool, Krishna
"The situation is very serious. So far 74 people have died and 26,000 houses have collapsed. The state government is in touch with the Home Ministry and Defence Ministry, and is organizing relief and rescue operations. Four helicopers of Air Force have already been put into operation and within four-five hours, another six more helicopters from the Air Force will be arranged," says B S Yeddyurappa, the Chief Minister of Karnataka.
The state will ask the Centre for help but has already released Rs 300 crore and set up 98 food distribution centres.
The floods have been caused because of heavy rainfall in Karnataka earlier this week. Andhra Pradesh officials claim that Karnataka released water from its dams, causing the Krishna river to swell. Now Andhra is worried about how much pressure the Nagarjunasagar dam and the Prakasam barrage further down in Vijayawada can take.
In Andhra, parts of the old city area in Kurnool town are under five feet of water. But it's the famous temple town of Mantralayam in this area that's the worst hit. The Raghavendraswamy temple here is completely under water. Thirty people have died across the state.
Officials confirm that there's no threat to the hydroelectric power plant at Srisailam.
Flood like situation in south Goa
Floods fury also seems to be moving to Goa-Karnataka border where five villages have been affected due to rain water.
Four hundred people have been evacuated as water is rising in the area. Administration is making arrangements to evacuate more people from the flood-affected areas.
Goa police has sought Army, Navy and Coast Guard's help in south Goa at Canacona area due to heavy raining.
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