Dam waters in rift mode

Hyderabad: State law minister Erasu Pratap Reddy has sent a special note on the request of defence minister A.K. Antony on the controversial issue surrounding the Srisailam Dam and sharing of waters among Telangana and Seemandhra.
After Hyderabad's status as a capital city, the Srisailam Dam on the Krishna River has become controversial in the backdrop of the state's bifurcation.
State law minister Erasu Pratap Reddy has sent a special note on the request of defence minister A.K. Antony on the controversial issue surrounding the Srisailam Dam and sharing of waters among Telangana and Seemandhra.
In the note, Reddy has stated that the division of AP into smaller states will give rise to a number of complications regarding sharing of waters as well as operation of the projects. The head works of the projects on Krishna River are located in such a way that one side of the river is in Telangana while the other is in Rayalaseema and Coastal Andhra.
“There are a number of such projects which gives rise to conflicts, starting from the Rajolibanda Diversion Scheme, Pothireddypadu Head Regulator, Srisailam and Nagarjunsagar. Conflicting interests with regard to quantum and time of water release for generation of hydro power, and for other purposes including flood evacuation etc. will arise,“ stated Pratap Reddy .
He also said that since a majority of the projects were in Telangana on the Krishna, it would get assured waters under tribunal awards, while Rayalaseema based projects like Telugu Ganga, Galeru-Nagari and Handri-Neva would be affected due to the allocation of “surplus“ waters.
Given the fact that Srisailam Dam, the capacity of which has already come down from 308 tmc ft to 215 tmc ft due to heavy siltation, is losing 3 tmc ft capacity each year, once the state is divided, more complications will arise in the operations of the lift irrigation schemes as both Telangana and Seemandhra regions will start lifting water without considering the demands of the lower areas.
Srisailam Dam was originally built for the purpose of generating hydro-electricity and it has not yet been officially converted into a multipurpose project so that drinking water and irrigation water got first and second priority. This is a matter of grave concern, said the note.
Telangana, which suffers from acute power shortage, will have to depend more on hydel generation. However, if the state is divided, Telangana will not be able to operate the generating stations as the state on the other bank will run the generation stations on its side.
Furthermore, drought-prone areas will not get any help during emergencies.

Fines blamed for onion price

Hyderabad: Heavy fines and restrictions imposed by the traffic police in the city has led to scarcity of onions, fuelling a price rise, say onion traders.
According to traders, Hyderabad requires 50 truckloads of onions but the city markets are receiving not even half that amount due to restrictions imposed by the traffic police on the movement of trucks on account of the Metro Rail works besides the Rs 1,000 fine for violations.
They say the trucks carrying onions coming from Karnataka, Kurnool, Mahbubnagar and  Maharashtra are being diverted to Sholapur to avoid the tough traffic rules imposed in the city, leading to shortage.
“Onion transporters are avoiding Mahbub Mansion market on account of these fresh restrictions, leading to shortage in city markets and rythu bazaars. If the onion market is shifted to Lakdaram village market near Patancheru, this problem can be overcome.
From here, onions can be supplied to city   without any traffic problems,” said Ananth Reddy, president of the Hyderabad Onion Import Merchants’ Association. The association representatives also met minister for marketing Mukesh Goud and urged him to take the initiative for shifting the market. The minister assured them that he would take up the issue with the CM.

Malakpet Andhra Bank branch gutted

 

Hyderabad: The Andhra Bank branch at Malakpet was completely gutted as a result of a short-circuit on Friday morning. Passers-by noticed smoke coming out of the premises at 7.45 am and alerted the fire control room.
A fire engine from the Malakpet fire station was rushed to the spot. Computers, air-conditioners and false ceiling inside the bank premises were badly damaged. The bank is situated on the ground floor of the three-storey building, with the first and the second floors housing a lodge.
However, the two top floors were not majorly affected.
Additional district fire officer, M. Bhagwan Reddy said the bank has not estimated the property loss yet. “The origin of fire is definitely electrical and since it was locked completely it took some time for people to notice it,” he said.

Chandrababbu Naidu, APNGOs condemn attack on buses carrying Seemandhra activists

Vijayawada (AP): Telugu Desam Party President N. Chandrababu Naidu on Sunday condemned the attack on buses from Seemandhra region, which were bringing back united Andhra Pradesh supporters.
Addressing the public at Nuziveedu in Krishna district as part of his 'Atma Gaurava Yatra', Naidu termed the incident as a failure on part of the state government.
Saturday night, unidentified persons had hurled stones at some of the buses carrying pro-AP supporters returning after APNGO meeting, near Abdullapurmet and Hayatnagar on Hyderabad outskirts, damaging their windscreens.
Naidu also lashed out at the UPA government, alleging that the decision to bifurcate Andhra Pradesh was only to get 'political advantage' ahead of next general elections.
The Congress had taken the decision only after the TDP won the majority of sarpanch and ward member seats in the recently held local body elections, Naidu claimed.
Alleging that it was taken without any commitment or sincerity, Naidu claimed the decision has led to utter confusion in the state. He alleged that Congress was 'solely responsible' for the present situation in the state.
Naidu said that though he had released a letter accepting the bifurcation of the state, he had also demanded justice for all regions of the state.
Next: APNGOs condemn attack on Seemandhra employees

Saving Hussain Sagar Lake: Hyderabad promotes eco-friendly festivities

Hyderabad, Sep 9 (IANS) With the 10-day long Ganesh Chaturthi festival beginning Monday, authorities are trying to promote more eco-friendly celebrations, including popularising clay idols and minimising immersion in water bodies, including in the famous Hussain Sagar Lake.

Considered one of the city's landmarks, the lake is struggling for revival in the face of rampant civic pollution. Authorities are therefore trying to promote small changes in the festival observances to save the water body.

Festivities surrounding the Ganesh festival have grown manifold over the years. According to R.P. Khajuria, member (environment) of the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA), this specially pertains to the size of idols and the number of celebrations at various community levels, the two counts on which the authority is now appealing for moderation.

"We have appealed to the public to reduce the size of the Ganesha idol, and immerse these smaller idols at the household level, maybe in a bucket or tub of water, and then use this water for gardening," Khajuria told IANS.

"Additionally, we have also requested people to hold collective celebrations at significant points of the city - instead of doing it at every community level - and then immerse the idols at an artificial pond," he added.

In a bid to encourage people, HMDA has promised to highlight stories of the "heroes" who practise local immersion methods.

To further encourage eco-friendly celebrations, Khajuria said HMDA has also launched a campaign for popularising clay idols.

"The Clay Ganesha campaign is in association with two NGOs, Save and Sukuki Exnora, which have taken up the responsibility of making clay idols. Anyone can register with us, and we will supply them with such idols for the festival," he said, adding that they have also collaborated with the College of Home Science in Khairathabad to provide natural colours for the idols.

Although the campaign was first launched in 2012 it had not picked up much pace. This year, however, 30,000 people, Khajuria says, have registered with HMDA for the clay idols, whose height is restricted to three feet.

He credited the Hussain Sagar Lake clubs at the school and college level, volunteers, and the campaign in the social media for the spurt in registration.

The authority's efforts are however not restricted to one festival, Khajuria said.

"A huge quantity of puja material, along with plastics, is dropped into the Hussain Sagar Lake daily because of the belief that prayer material should be immersed in a water body. To address this issue, we have established 10 puja/plastic material collection counters around the lake where people can dispose of the material in specially designed water containers," he said.

"The material collected is then used to make compost and used in gardens around the lake," he said.

The first counter was started in June this year, and 447 people used it in the first month, he said.

Built in the 16th century during the reign of Ibrahim Qutub Shah, the nearly five square kilometre sized Hussain Sagar Lake was originally built to meet drinking and irrigation needs of the city. With a large monolithic statue of the Buddha in the centre, the lake attracts both locals and tourists, although many people now complain of its deteriorating state, due to pollution that raises a stink.

Religion being a sensitive issue, Khajuria admitted that HMDA can only appeal to people to adopt environmentally conscious habits.

"People are becoming conscious, and with that thought we have appealed for the immersions (of the Ganesha idol) to be diverted to other lakes and ponds to reduce pollution in the Hussain Sagar Lake," he said.

"In any case we are prepared for the lake clearing work after the immersions in the coming days," he said resignedly.

Medical representative arrested for shoplifting at RGIA

HYDERABAD: A Bangalore-based medical representative was arrested for shoplifting at the departure lounge of RGI Airport on Sunday. Police suspect that the he may have done this several times in the past.

Cops arrested Zakirul Islam, 38, a medical representative from Bangalore. On Sunday morning, Zakirul came to RGIA to board a Bangalore-bound flight. After the check in, Zakirul went to the departure lounge and waited for the boarding call.

Once the call for his flight was announced, Zakirul quickly went to WH Smith store at the lounge and picked up a packet of imported chocolates and a small pack of toiletries worth Rs 2,000. While the store-keeper was busy, Zakirul quickly placed these items in his backpack and walked out of the shop.

"The manager of an adjacent shop noticed the theft and alerted Shiva, manager of WH Smith store. Both Shiva and the other shop manager quickly intercepted Zakirul, who was briskly walking towards the boarding gate," RGI Airport sub-inspector (SI) K Jayaram said.

After recovering the stolen items from his baggage, the shop manager handed over Zakirul to the RGI Airport police and a case was registered against him under section 379 (Theft) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

"Several shop-keepers at the airport said that in the past also they had noticed some items missing from their shops. We suspect that Zakirul may have been involved in similar offences in the past," the SI said. He would be produced in court on Monday.

Laddu weighing 7,000 kg to be offered to Ganesha in Rajahmundry

A sweet shop owner from Tapeswaram town in East Godavari district has prepared a 7,000 kg laddu to be presented to Lord Ganesha on Vinayaka Chaturthi on Monday. The laddu will be offered at a pandal in Rajahmundry set up by the Rajahmundry Ganesh Utsav Committee .

The sweet shop owner, S Venkateswara Rao, had made mega laddus during the Ganesh festivals in 2011 and 2012 as well. This year's laddu is said to be the world's biggest and Venkateswara Rao plans to enter his feat in the Guinness World Records. He spent around Rs 14.80 lakh on the maha laddu, employing 16 workers and using around 2,000 kg of sugar, 2,000 kg of chana dal flour and 1,500 kg of ghee besides other ingredients including cashew and almonds weighing