UntitledBHUBANESWAR RANCHI DEHRADUN VIJAYAWADA
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COMPENSATE KIN OF FARM PROTEST VICTIMS FROM PM CARES FUND: RAUT
C laiming that more than 700 farmers died during the year- long protest against the three contentions farm laws, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Sunday demanded that the kin of
the deceased be given financial assistance from the PM CARES Fund, two days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a repeal of the three legislations. Speaking to reporters here, Raut claimed that many tillers had died at the protest site near Delhi while some committed suicide and others killed in police firing. Some were crushed to death in Lakhimpur Kheri. All of them were protesting against the farm laws, he said.
CHILD ABUSE EVIDENT IN PROSPEROUS FAMILIES TOO, REMINDS SMRITI IRANI
T here is a presumption amongst many that child abuse is limited to families that are poor, but in reality it is as much evident in prosperous families too, Union minister Smriti
Irani said on Sunday. Addressing the National Workshop on Child Rights with Emphasis on Preventive Aspects of Child Protection Issues, she urged participants to look into abuse that happens in prosperous families, powerful organisations and in childcare institutions. "And how can we not as administrators, but as citizens find solutions," the Union Women and Child Development minister told the participants.
RAJ CABINET REJIG: PILOT'S PEOPLE GET BERTHS, BIGGER SAY FOR SCs
F ifteen ministers took the oath in Rajasthan on Sunday in a Cabinet expansion that included 12 new faces, fulfilling a key demand of former Deputy CM Sachin Pilot whose
rebellion last year shook the state's Congress government. The 11 cabinet-rank and four ministers of state (MoS) sworn in by Governor Kalraj Mishra included five considered to be in the Pilot camp. Among them were Vishvendra Singh and Ramesh Meena, back now as cabinet-rank ministers after being sacked during the revolt. The list included three MoS, all Dalits, from the old team who were elevated to the cabinet rank.
CRYPTOCURRENCY-FUELLED ‘BITCOIN CITY’ TO COME UP IN EL SALVADOR
E l Salvador President Nayib Bukele announced that his government will build an oceanside Bitcoin City at the base of a volcano. Bukele used a gathering of Bitcoin
enthusiasts to launch his latest idea, much as he used an earlier Bitcoin conference in Miami to announce in a video message that El Salvador would be the first country to make the cryptocurrency legal tender. He said that 60 days after financing was ready, construction would begin. The govern- ment will provide land and infrastructure and work to attract investors and the only tax collected will be the value-added tax.
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MONEY 8 MARUTI TO STAY AWAY FROM DIESEL SEGMENT
SPORTS 12 INDIA BEAT NZ,
SEAL SERIES 3-0
K VENKATESHWARLU n HYDERABAD
TRS supremo K Chandrasekhar Rao has finalised the list of 12 can- didates to contest the forthcoming elections to the State Legislative Council under the Local Authorities Constituencies’ quota before leaving for Delhi, sources in the TRS said. It is also learnt that KCR has even handed over the ‘B’- forms to several of these 12 candi- dates.
The party high command is expected to make a formal announcement on Monday. While the last date for filing of nomina- tions is November 23, some of these 12 candidates are expected to do so on Monday itself, while the others would do so on Tuesday i.e. the last day of filing nominations.
According to TRS insiders, KCR has more or less decided to send his daughter K Kavitha to the Rajya Sabha, in place of Banda Prakash. It may be recalled that KCR pro- posed the name of Banda Prakash
for the Council seat under the MLAs’ quota.
According to TRS sources, the 12 names KCR has finalised for elec-
tions to the State Legislative Council under the Local Authorities Constituencies’ quota are: Dande Vittal (Adilabad), Sai
Chand and Kasireddy Narayana Reddy (Mahabubnagar), Thatha Madhu (Khammam), Shambipur Raju and Patnam Mahender Reddy (Rangareddy), Dr Marri Yadava Reddy (Medak), Pochampally Srinivas Reddy (Warangal), MC Koti Reddy (Nalgonda), L Ramana, Bhanu Prasada Rao (Karimnagar), Akula Lalitha (Nizamabad).
Going by this list, Kasireddy Narayana Reddy, Shambipur Raju, Patnam Mahender Reddy, Pochampally Srinivas Reddy, Bhanu Prasada Rao and Akula will be the fortunate ones who contin- ue to find favour from KCR.
Thatha Madhu, Dande Vittal, Sai Chand, MC Koti Reddy, L Ramana and Dr Marri Yadava Reddy are new faces.
Interestingly, the list contains the names of five Reddys— Kasireddy Narayana Reddy, Patnam Mahender Reddy, Dr Marri Yadava Reddy (Medak), Pochampally Srinivas Reddy, MC Koti Reddy.
PNS n HYDERABAD
Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Sunday left for New Delhi, where he is scheduled to meet Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat over water allocation in Krishna and Godavari basins, besides requesting the Centre to set up a tribunal.
He is expected to stay put in Delhi for three to four days.
During his stay in the national capital, if necessary, KCR will also call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss the issue and also demands to declare an annual tar- get on paddy procurement from the state.
Alleging that the NDA govern- ment has been dragging its feet on Telangana's share in Krishna and Godavari river waters, the Chief Minister had said he would meet the Union Jal Shakti Minister dur-
ing his visit to Delhi and demand that the State's share be decided.
Telangana and neighbouring Andhra Pradesh have had sharp di- fferences over river water sharing.
“If the Centre does not form a tribunal and refer the matter to it, the TRS would launch a massive
agitation, besides raising the issue in Parliament,” KCR had warned and sought to know what was pre- venting the Union government from referring the matter to the Tribunal.
KCR had also demanded that the Centre convey the annual target for paddy procurement from Telangana, adding a delegation of ministers, MPs and officials would leave for Delhi soon to get clarity on the extent of procurement and also on the paddy cultivation.
The ruling TRS held a dharna at the Dharna Chowk in Indira Park on Thursday over the issue.
KCR is also expected to ask the Centre to clear the SC Reservations Categorisation issue besides dis- cussing the BC castes census issue.
Ministers—Singireddy Niranjan Reddy and Gangula Kamalakar, as well as Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar and other officials accom- panied the Chief Minister.
KCR reaches Delhi, to press for water-sharing
Union Cabinet to approve Bill to repeal farm laws PNS n NEW DELHI
The Union Cabinet is likely to take up for approval on Wednesday the Bills for with- drawal of the three farm laws, sources in the government said.
These Bills shall then be intro- duced in the forthcoming session of Parliament, they added.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on Friday announced on the occasion of Gurupurab the gov- ernment's intention to withdraw the laws in the interest of the nation.
The winter session of Parliament would commence from November 29.
Demanding the withdrawal of the laws, agitating farmers sitting at three sites on Delhi's borders since November last year have said they will stay put till Parliament repeals them.
The government will now bring Bills for the withdrawal of the three farm laws in Parliament fol- lowing the Prime Minister's announcement.
SKM hails KCR’s Rs 3 lakh ex gratia offer, to give list of deceased farmers PNS n NEW DELHI
Welcoming Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao’s announce- ment of Rs 3 lakh ex gratia to the kin of each of the over 750 farm- ers who died during the year-long protest against the farm laws, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) on Sunday said that it would soon pro- vide a list of the deceased farmers to the Telangana government.
The SKM, which met at the
Singhu Border on Sunday, congr- atulated the farmers and workers of India for their historic victory, and said that a decision was taken to send an Open Letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi raising pending demands.
The SKM said that while Modi or his government has not ackn- owledged the avoidable sacrifices made by around 700 farmers of the Kisan Andolan, the TS government has stepped forward to extend
support to the kin of the martyrs. “While announcing a support of
Rs 3 lakh to the family of each mar- tyr, the Telangana Chief Minister also demanded that the Govern- ment of India pay Rs 25 lakh for each farmer family and also with- draw all cases unconditionally. SKM will provide the list of mar- tyrs to the Telangana government for this ex gratia support to be extended to the martyrs' families,” the SKM said in a statement.
Telangana fresh water fish bags award PNS n HYDERABAD
Telangana has bagged the Best State Award for producing fresh water fish.
Union Minister Purushotham Rupela handed over the award to the State Animal Husbandry De- partment Secretary Anitha Raj- endra and Fisheries Department Commissioner Lachiram Bhukya on Sunday at Bhubaneswar.
Sunday was observed as World Fisheries Day. The programme was organised by the National Fisheries Development Board.
State Animal Husbandry Min- ister Talasani Srinivas Yadav said this achievement was possible on- ly due to Chief Minister K. Cha- ndrasekhar Rao’s special initiative.
PNS n HYDERABAD
Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister KT Rama Rao on Sunday said Telangana Government’s commit- ment towards overall develop- ment was helping urban local bodies achieve targets and this was being reflected by the awards being won at the national level.
The Minister congratulated the Mayors, Municipal Chairpersons, Commissioners and officials who bagged awards at the Swachh Survekshan-2021 and brought lau- rels to the State.
KTR met officials and public representatives at New Delhi soon after they received the awards.
KTR pats officials, stakeholders for Swachh Survekshan Awards
Municipal Administration Minister KT Rama Rao poses with representatives of Urban Local Bodies that won various Swachh Survekshan-2021 awards, in New Delhi on Sunday.
Floods bring AP to its knees, death toll climbs to 31 PNS n AMARAVATI
In Andhra Pradesh, hundreds of vehicles and passengers were stranded, traffic was either closed or suspended in arterial highways and over 100 trains cancelled snap- ping rail-road link between south- ern and other parts of the country as the Penna river in spate caused heavy destruction on Sunday.
Toll in rain-related incidents in different districts of Andhra Pradesh touched 31 as more bod- ies were retrieved from the flood- ed streams.
The Chennai-Kolkata National Highway-16 remained cut off for traffic between Nellore and Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh as was the Chennai grand trunk rail route severing the all important link between the southern and eastern
and northern parts of the country. The South Central Railway
informed that more than a 100
express trains were cancelled because of the damage caused to the rail track at Padugupadu near
Nellore and 29 more diverted via other routes.
Their supply routes blocked, Maoists facing difficult times G RAVI KIRAN n HYDERABAD
Are Maoists facing the toughest time in their history? The police strategy of blocking the supply routes of Maoists during the coro- na pandemic affected them a lot.
As the police offer of surrender for getting medical treatment was unacceptable to them, the Maoists suffered considerable casualties. The focus of the police on urban Maoists also hit the Maoists.
The Central Military Commi- ssion of the Maoists released a note on Saturday admitting that they had suffered 116 casualties last year. Although there is no official confirmation from the Maoists, the
figures mentioned in the statement are very close to actuals.
In July 2021 itself, the Maoist Central Committee had said that they lost around 160 leaders and cadres. Of them, 95 were killed in encounters. Of the 95, 42 were killed in fake encounters.
Telugu CMs meet at wedding of Telangana bride, AP groom SNCN ACHARYULU n HYDERABAD
After more than a year, the two Telugu Chief Ministers – K Chandrasekhar Rao and YS Jaganmohan Reddy – met on Sunday in Hyderabad to bless the union of a girl from Telangana and groom from Andhra Pradesh.
The bridegroom was Rohit Reddy, the son of Jagan’s Officer on Special Duty P Krishna Mohan Reddy and the bride was Snigdha Reddy, the granddaughter of Telangana Assembly Speaker Pocharam Srinivasa Reddy.
While the presence of the two Chief Ministers multiplied the joy of the newlyweds, it also brought a smile to the face of all those pres- ent since the relations between KCR and Jagan have been strained for some time now.
However, bonhomie was visible on Sunday at the wedding venue where KCR reached before Jagan. After some time, Jagan arrived at the venue and he went straight to the Telangana Chief Minister and shook hands. The two Chief Ministers sat side by side and blessed the newlyweds together.
This was the first meeting of both the Chief Ministers after the dispute over water sharing between AP and Telangana escalated and the launch of a political party by YS Sharmila.
Apart from sharing of waters, there are other differences between KCR and Jagan. A political contro- versy has been brewing between
the ruling parties of AP and Telangana after KCR made a state- ment that some people from AP had asked him to launch the TRS in their state.
Addressing the TRS plenary in October, KCR had said that he has been receiving requests to launch a unit of the TRS in Andhra Pradesh.
Even earlier during the GHMC elections, TRS working president KT Rama Rao had said that the party was contemplating extending to AP and also changing the name of Telangana Rashtra Samithi as Telugu Rashtrala Samithi.
They were expected to meet at least on two occasions in the recent past, but that did not materialise.
The first instance was when Union Home Minister Amit Shah convened a meeting of Chief Ministers of Naxal-affected states. KCR attended, but Jagan was forced to cancel his trip to Delhi for the meeting at the last minute due to a sprained leg.
Later, KCR skipped the Southern Zonal Council meeting held in Tirupati that Jagan attended.
Among the dignitaries who att- ended the function on Sunday were Andhra Pradesh Assembly Speaker Tammineni Sitaram, TRS Secretary General and MP K Keshav Rao and other prominent personalities. The function was held at VNR Farms near Shamsh- abad on the Outer Ring Road.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy explains a point to his Telangana counterpart K Chandrasekhar Rao at a wedding function at VNR Farms near Shamshabad on the Outer Ring Road on Sunday.
Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao soon after reaching Delhi on Sunday.
TRS finalises names for Council polls from LAC quota o Kavitha likely to be sent to RS; list has 6 new faces; 5 candidates are Reddys
L Ramana
Dr Marri Yadav Reddy Dande Vittal
Floodwater gushing out from the Veligallu reservoir washes away a bridge on river Papagni cutting off road link between Kadapa and Anantapur districts on Sunday.
AP deluge: The dam that became the sorrow
2
FFoorreeccaasstt:: Thunderstorm TTeemmpp:: 28 HHuummiiddiittyy:: 79% SSuunnrriissee:: 6:24 am SSuunnsseett:: 05:39 pm
AALLMMAANNAACC
TTOODDAAYY
(Bad time to start any important work)
Rahukalam : 7:51 am - 9:15 am
Yamagandam : 10:38 am - 12:02 pm
Varjyam : 8:11 pm - 9:59 pm
Gulika : 1:25 pm - 2:49 pm
Good Time : (to start any
important work)
Abhijit Muhurtham : 11:39 am - 12:24 pm
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hyderabad 02HYDERABAD | MONDAY | NOVEMBER 22, 2021
EGG
RATES
(IN HYDERABAD)
K VENKATESHWARLU
n HYDERABAD
The Telangana BJP has at last responded to the withdrawal of farm laws by the Centre by asking Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao whether he had staged his Maha Dharna for Telangana farmers or for Punjab farmers.
Speaking to the media here on Sunday, Telangana BJP chief Bandi Sanjay wondered whether the Centre withdrew the farm laws due to KCR’s Maha Dharna at Dharna Chowk.
Is there any connection between KCR’s Maha Dharna and the repealing of farm laws by Prime Minister Modi, he said, and asked the CM to explain why he went to New Delhi now. Sanjay said that KCR staged his Maha Dharna at Dharna Chowk for millers.
He said that KCR had once removed Dharna Chowk and now he had staged a dharna at the same place.
He said the KCR Government is deceiving farmers by colluding with millers and made it clear that the BJP is the only party that bothers about farmers.
Wondering at KCR’s announcement that he will give Rs 3 lakh each to the fam- ilies of the 750 plus farmers who died while participating in the 13-month long protest on the outskirts of New Delhi,
Sanjay asked the CM to explain whether he would give the same amount to the families of the farmers who had committed suicide in Telangana.
He said that Telangana is fourth in suicides by farmers. He said that farmers were fac- ing a lot of problems due to the foolishness of the Chief Minister. Declaring that his party has succeeded on many issues, he said that the BJP forced KCR to come out his farmhouse.
The BJP made KCR, who had removed Dharna Chowk, to stage a dharna at the same Dharna Chowk, he added.
In fact, farmers are suffer- ing huge losses due to the delay in paddy procurement, he pointed out. He alleged that the Chief Minister had made TRS activists throw stones at farmers and BJP activists.
Sanjay asked KCR to reveal
whether the Centre had informed the State that it will purchase 40 lakh tonnes of paddy or not.
He said the Chief Minister is least bothered about farm- ers’ problems as the paddy was getting washed away in the heavy rains.
Pointing out that Telangana is fourth in suicides by farm- ers he asked the Chief Minister who has been demanding that the Centre should give Rs 20 lakh each to the families of the farmers who died during the stir in New Delhi, to pay Rs 20 lakh ex-gratia each to the families of Telangana farmers who had committed suicide.
Stating that 419 farmers had died in 2019 and 471 in 2020, Sanjay asked KCR whether he will give Rs 20 lakh each to the families of the farmers who had ended their lives in the State.
MAHAPANCHAYAT TODAY
Farmers to keep up the pressure on Centre PNS n LUCKNOW
The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of farmers unions, will hold a mahapanchayat in Lucknow on Monday to press for law guaranteeing MSP and the sacking of Union Minister Ajay Mishra, whose son is an accused in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence.
The gathering, scheduled to be held at Eco Garden in Uttar Pradesh capital, was planned months before Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday announced repealing the three contentious agri laws. The SKM, at a meet in Delhi on Sunday, decided to stick to the date.
Despite the Prime Minister's surprise announce- ment, farmer leaders have maintained the protesters won't budge until the three contentious laws are formal- ly repealed in Parliament. They have also indicated the sir for a statutory guarantee of Minimum Support Price (MSP) and withdrawal of the Electricity Amendment Bill will continue.
In a tweet on Sunday, Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU)
national spokesperson Rakesh Tikait gave a call to farmers to gather in Lucknow for the 'Kisan Mahapanchayat' demanding statutory MSP guarantee.
In another tweet in Hindi, he claimed, "The farm reforms being talked about by the government is false and cosmetic. These will not end the plight of the farmers. The biggest reform for the farm- ers and agriculture will be to make a law guaranteeing min- imum support price."
Vice-president of the BKU's Uttar Pradesh unit Harnam Singh Verma told PTI, "The prime minister has announced the repeal of the three farm laws, but he did not say when the MSP law will be made. Until a law is made guaranteeing MSP and Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra is removed from his post, the agitation will continue."
Four farmers were alleged- ly mowed down by an SUV in the Lakhimpur Kheri district, the native place of the Union minister on October 3. In the ensuing violence, four people, including a journalist and two BJP workers, were also killed.
Monday Mirchi Swachh Sansar and
babus in Telugu States World Toilet Day, observed on 19
November every year under the aegis of the United Nations, is intended mainly to raise awareness about the importance of sanita- tion and inspire collective action to tackle the global sanitation crisis. This year's World Toilet Day (WTD) theme is "valuing toilets". The theme aims to stress the absolute neces- sity of toilets in our lives. In other words, it is Swachh Sansar or the equivalent of Swachh Bharat -- Clean India Mission, a country-wide campaign initiated by the Government of India in 2014 to eliminate open defecation and improve solid waste management - on a global scale. At least two babus in Telugu States hogged the limelight on WTD this year: one for setting up pub- lic toilets and another for cleaning a com- mode ostensibly to dispel the stigma. ASCI Professor V Srinivas Chary was all praise for Special Chief Secretary Arvind Kumar. Terming him as "A true ambassador of pub- lic health", the ASCI Professor thanked Arvind for his immense contribution and support for promoting safe sanitation, hygiene and, environmental protection. Another retired IAS officer Murali Aknuri went to a government school and cleaned its toilet, which appeared to be clean already. Murali said that there was stigma about cleaning toilets. He went a step further and praised the AP Chief Minister for being high- ly humane in talking about maintenance of school toilets.
Collectors go beyond call of duty
The world may not change if you adopt a child, but the adopted child's world will change for sure. This happened recently when Nirmal Collector Musharraf Ali Faruqui adopted an orphan from his district, amid encomiums. IT Minister KT Rama Rao, upon coming to know that both parents of the child died due to unfortunate circum- stances, had asked the Collector to take care of the child's well being. This also moved Bharat Biotech's JMD and co-founder Suchitra Ella, who was all praise and said "Humility touches humanity". She too offered to support the girl child. Likewise, Mahabubnagar Collector came forward to help a girl pursue MBBS with the help of the Red Cross Society. Collector S Venkata Rao, at the behest of KTR, said that they would take care of the girl's education and other needs 100%.
Differing styles of digital media directors of TS and AP
Digital media directors of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana State were no doubt hand- picked by AP Chief Minister Jaganmohan Reddy and TS IT Minister KT Rama Rao respectively. Yet, their styles of functioning present a starkly contrasting picture. Being in government service, TS Digital Media
Director Dileep Konatham does not active- ly contribute to TRS' party trends on social media platforms. On the other hand, his AP counterpart Devender Reddy Gurrampati has been more of a spokesman of YSRCP than a government servant at least on Twitter. Netizens are critical of the AP Director as he has not been fulfilling his job as chief of the digital wing of the Government of AP. For instance, they point out, when parts of AP were facing the worst rains and floods in many, many years; there were no tweets from him on weather alerts, rehabil- itation etc.
Nose for news-making action
Babus shine when they cultivate the nose for news-making action that brings glory to the government, be it at the state or central level. This explains why senior bureaucrat Praveen Prakash is bandied about as the "most trusted aide of Chief Minister YS JaganMohan Reddy". One incident that took place recently demonstrates his quick reflexes upon Jagan's orders. While going to the Gannavaram Airport, the Chief Minister was offended by stench emanating from a particular stretch of the road leading to the airport. He asked his team to check the rea- son. Praveen jumped into action, threw prakash (light) on the spot in question, and, along with a battery of senior bureaucrats, combed the area to pinpoint the source of the stench. The babus found that the stench was due to sewage entering a stream. Thanks to Praveen's perceptive intervention, it is being repaired now.
The all-weather trouble-shooter
It is hard to come by committed and accomplished bureaucrats who, with con- summate skills, excel in their work always; regardless of the department to which they are posted and the number of portfolios they already hold. The quintessence is the multi- tasking, senior bureaucrat Dr KS Jawahar Reddy, who is deemed to be an efficient offi- cer by his peers and political bosses alike. In the recent reshuffle of bureaucrats, Jawahar Reddy was appointed as Special Chief Secretary of the crucial Andhra Pradesh State Water Resources Department. Not unexpect- edly, he will continue to hold the coveted post of TTD Executive Officer. The talk among his peers is that either the government boss- es could not find a suitable replacement for him or there is too much competition for the coveted post, making it difficult for the gov- ernment to zero in on the right person. Jawahar Reddy was the man of the moment in the past too. He was appointed as chair- person of the Covid Command Control cen- tre upon its revival during the second wave of Covid-19. He was asked to join the con- trol centre immediately. He had then shift- ed his TTD camp office to Vijayawada so as to work on both the jobs simultaneously.
—Yours truly
Revanth doubts KCR’s ex gratia offer of Rs 3L PNS n HYDERABAD
TPCC chief A. Revanth Reddy has expressed doubts about Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao’s offer of Rs 3 lakh each to the families of the 750-plus families of farmers who died during the protest by farmers on New Delhi’s outskirts as KCR had failed to fulfil the assurances given by him to the people of Telangana.
Speaking to the media here on Sunday, the TPCC chief alleged that the TRS govern- ment had failed to identify the families of Telangana mar- tyrs. The TRS Government has not given any ex-gratia to the families of Telangana mar- tyrs, he alleged.
Revanth alleged that the KCR government didn’t extend any help to the 7,500 farmers who had died in TS as per the records of the National
Crime Records Bureau (NCRB).
He alleged that the KCR government failed to give the compensation assured to the flood victims of Hyderabad before GHMC elections.
Revanth said that KCR had not fulfilled any assurance given to the people. “How can we believe KCR’s promise that he will give Rs 3 lakh each to the families of the 750 plus farmers of Punjab who died during farmers’ stir on New Delhi’s outskirts,” he asked.
Revanth tweeted, “No com- pensation for all the martyrs who gave up their lives for Telangana and the 7,500 farm- ers who died in the state according to NCRB. Unofficially the figure is 40,000. Rs 10K for the flood- affected families of Hyd, but Rs 3 lakh to the farmers of Punjab… How do we believe Telangana CMO.”
Was Maha Dharna for TS or Punjab farmers, Sanjay asks KCR
KTR pats... Continued from page 1
“After the formation of Tela- ngana, the government is ensuring comprehensive development in both urban and rural areas,” he said, ad- ding that rapid urban devel- opment will pave the way for prosperity of the State.
Towards this, apart from extending special funds to towns, many development programmes were taken up specifically for the towns, the Minister said.
After formation of the State, Telangana Government had taken up several innov- ative initiatives and this resulted in a qualitative change in the towns and the ULBs approach towards san- itation, the Minister said.
KTR also said that Telangana was not only excelling at the State-level in urban administration, but also was performing well in PM Svanidhi and other pro- grammes at the national level.
He said that Telangana had bagged second place in the Safai Mitra, besides bag- ging 11 other Swachh Survek- shan awards at the national level. “All this was possible because of the dedicated efforts of Municipal depart- ment staff, he said.
TRS finalises MLC... Continued from page 1
This is in addition to the three Reddys who are set to make it to the Council under the MLAs’ quota – Gutta Sukhender Reddy, Padi Kaushik Reddy and P Venkatrami Reddy.
While the TRS sources are quite confident about the remaining 12 candidates, they say that KCR gave a chance to Akula Lalitha as he wanted to send Kavitha to the Rajya Sabha, keeping in view the political developments and the equations between TRS and BJP.
TRS insiders say that KCR’s final decision regarding Kavitha’s candidature could well indicate how he plans to take on the BJP both at the State level and at the national level.
Meanwhile, there is talk in
certain sections of the TRS that KCR has several times assured D Damodar Rao of a Rajya Sabha ticket but this time too, Damodar Rao has not given the ticket. Kavitha may play a major role in the Rajya Sabha along with K Keshava Rao.
Meanwhile, sources say that L Ramana will file his nomi- nation papers on Tuesday at the Karimnagar district collec- torate. Patnam Mahender Reddy will file his nomination at Rangareddy district collec- torate on Monday and Pochampally Srinivas Reddy will file his nomination on Monday and singer Sai Chand will file his nomination at Mahabubnagar Collectorate on Monday, it is learnt.
Voting will be held on December 10 and the results will be announced on December 14.
Their supply routes... Continued from page 1
Thirteen Maoists died due to ill health including Telangana secretary Hari Bhushan.
As per their statement 101 died in the Dandakaranya region of Chattisgarh, 11 in Bihar and Jharkhand, one in Odisha, eight in Maharastra, Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh, 11 on the Odisha- Andhra Border and 14 in Telangana.
The Maoist Central Committee observed a Martyrs’ Week from July 28 to August 3.
After this statement, key Maoist leader Rama Krishna died of ill health. Last week, 26 Maoists died in an encounter at Gadchiroli.
Maoist leader Teltumbde was also killed in this encounter.
During the corona pandem- ic, the police offered treat- ment to Maoist leaders and cadres but asked them to sur- render. The Maoists alleged that the police had blocked all ways through which help reached them in the forests.
The doctors and others who used to help the Maoists were blocked by the police, the Maoists said. After the death of Rama Krishna, his wife Sirisha said the police had blocked
medical support for her hus- band and that he died due to that.
Before the corona pandem- ic, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs had taken steps to block external help and had started arresting urban Maoists. In August 2018, the police raided urban intellectuals who were helping the Maoists.
After the Koregaon Bhima case, many arrests were made including that of Varavara Rao. Recently, NIA teams raided 14 locations in the two Telugu States which exposed their strategy.
A Maoist sympathiser said, “This is only a temporary phe- nomenon for us. Recruitments are going on. Due to the poli- cies of various governments and the mining mafia a new generation is coming towards our party. This will go on till the system gives justice to the people, particularly adivasis.”
Ganapathi serious Maoist General Secretary Ganapathi is in his last days, sources said. He is unable to walk. Maoist cadres are taking him on a doli in the forests now. He is also not getting medical treatment due to the police blockade.
PNS n MUMBAI
INS ‘Visakhapatnam’, India’s first indigenously built P15B stealth guided missile destroy- er, was on Sunday commis- sioned into the Indian Navy in the presence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh at the Naval Dockyard, Mumbai.
The event marks the formal induction of the first of the four ‘Visakhapatnam’ class destroyers, indigenously designed by the Indian Navy’s in-house organisation Directorate of Naval Design and constructed by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited, Mumbai.
While commissioning the ship, the Defence Minister
said that ‘INS Visakhapatnam’ is a symbol of the growing maritime prowess of the coun- try and a major milestone in achieving Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of
‘Make in India, Make for the World’.
Rajnath Singh exuded con- fidence that the state-of-the- art ship, equipped with latest systems and weapons, would
strengthen maritime security and protect the interests of the nation. He described the ship as one of the most technolog- ically advanced guided missile destroyers in the world which would cater to the present and future requirements of the Armed Forces and the Nation.
“The carrier will increase our reach from the Indian Ocean to the Pacific and Atlantic Ocean. Its commis- sioning will be a golden moment in the history of the Indian Defence. It will be the best occasion to celebrate the 75th anniversary of India's independence and the 50th anniversary of India's victory in 1971 war,” Rajnath Singh said.
The steps include simplifica-
tion of licensing process; speeding up Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) and Request for Proposal (RFP) process; setting up of Defence Industrial Corridors in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu; pos- itive indigenous lists of over 200 items; Defence Acquisition Procedure 2020 and earmark- ing around 64 percent of its modernisation funds under capital acquisition budget for 2021-22 for procurement from domestic companies, the Defence Minister claimed.
INS Visakhapatnam mea- sures 163 m in length, 17 m in breadth with a displacement of 7,400 tonnes and can rightful- ly be regarded as one of the most potent warships to have been constructed in India.
INS VISAKHAPATNAM
Bhanu Prasada Rao
Floods bring AP to its... Continued from page 1
In Kadapa district alone, at least 18 people were dead, crops on hundreds of acres destroyed, heads of cattle washed away and tens of hous- es in villages were reduced to rubble as flash floods due to a breach of the Annamayya pro- ject's earthen bund on Cheyyeru river caused havoc.
In Kadapa city, a mother and child, who were trapped on the second floor of a build- ing were rescued in the nick of time by police and fire services personnel, just before the three-storied building folded like a pack of cards in the wee hours. Floodwater gushing out from the Veligallu reser- voir led to the collapse of a bridge on river Papagni cut- ting off road link between Kadapa and Anantapur dis-
tricts. As floods caused devasta-
tion, the Chennai-Kolkata National Highway-16 had to be closed down for traffic in SPS Nellore district following a heavy breach at Padugupadu.
The State Disaster Management Authority said more than two lakh cusecs of floodwater flowed out of the Somasila reservoir in SPS Nellore district, leading to the deluge. This caused breach of the National Highway-16 at Kovuru as well.
Consequently, traffic on the NH-16 between Nellore and Vijayawada has been suspend- ed, leaving hundreds of vehi- cles stranded for kilometers on either side.
Hundreds of passengers were stuck in the Nellore RTC bus station as bus services were disrupted.
Telangana fresh water fish bags award Continued from page 1
He said the fisheries sector developed only to due to KCR’s policies.
In a statement, Talasani said that lakhs of people were get- ting employment in the State’s fisheries sector after the forma- tion of Telangana. The govern- ment is distributing fish hatch- lings freely in lakes across the State.
The State used to produce 2.27 tonnes of fish in 2014-15.
It has increased to 3.37 lakh tonnes now. Fish production has increased by 1.50 lakh tonnes in the last seven years, the minister said.
Water sources increased a lot after the construction of new irrigation projects in the State. As per the directions of the Chief Minister, the Department has been distributing fish hatch- lings free to raise them in freshwater lakes across the State resulting in the huge develop- ment of fisheries, Talasani said.
AP deluge: The dam that became the sorrow PNS n KADAPA
The Annamayya project on Cheyyeru river has turned out to be the sorrow of many a vil- lage in Rajampet Assembly constituency in Kadapa district of Andhra Pradesh.
Togurupeta, Mandapalli, Pulapathur and Gundlur pre- sented a picture of haunted vil- lages in the wake of the devas- tation.
The flash flood caused due to a breach of the project's earthen bund caught at least 18 people in a watery grave and left many others missing in these villages.
A sudden gush of about two lakh cusecs of floodwater on Friday, with the level reaching up to 10 feet height, caught the villagers unawares and scam- pering for their lives.
Tens of houses in these vil- lages downstream the project were reduced to rubble. The villagers literally lost every- thing, except the clothes on their person.
Agricultural crops in hun- dreds of acres stood destroyed. Tens of cattle heads were washed away. Nothing of the household items was left as the deluge gulped them.
It all happened in a flash. There was no warning whatso- ever about the impending dis- aster and we were left to face the fury. Now, our lives are in total ruin, the sobbing villagers of Togurupeta and Mandapalli said.
HYDERABAD | MONDAY | NOVEMBER 22, 2021 hyderabad 03
PNS n HYDERABAD
Is the GO issued by the Government of Telangana on collection of parking fee at standalone theatres being mis- used by some people?
Vijay Gopal, the founder of the Forum Against Corrupt- ion, has cited an example of misuse. He has written a let-
ter on that issue to the Princ- ipal Secretary of Home Dep- artment and copies of that were sent to the Commis- sioner of Police and others.
Gopal said they have to obey the GO issued by the government that no parking fee must be collected from vis- itors in multiplexes. But they are collecting parking fee from
people who are coming to see movies, he added.
Gopal said the theatre has a license for running Cinepolis, a multiplex, and ticket charges start at Rs 200.
He also said that the theatre management had argued that they don’t have shopping cen- tres, hotels or cafeterias on their premises and so the free
parking fee order does not apply to them.
But as per the GO, it is clear that they have to offer free parking for the multi-screen exhibition of movies. If it is only a standalone theatre they can collect only Rs 30 to Rs 112 from viewers for tickets, but they are collecting Rs 200 as in a multiplex, he said.
PNS n HYDERABAD
Telangana High Court Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma here on Sunday stressed the need for all stakeholders to maintain cleanliness in the city and to protect the environ- ment.
Speaking at an event, Justice Sharma said he was shocked to learn that the stream flowing next to the Telangana High Court is not a 'nala' but Musi river.
"When I was coming to the High Court I asked why the High Court is next to a nala...these were the words I
used. (Then) I was told no sir it's not a nala...It is Musi river. I was
shocked...shocked." "...So, my request with fold-
ed hands is that please make
your city clean and do what- ever is possible to protect the environment," Justice Sharma said. Justice Sharma also recalled that when he was coming to Hyderabad, he was told that there is a very beau- tiful lake in Hyderabad--(the historic) Hussain Sagar.
"When I went to see Hussain Sagar, trust me I was not able to stay there for more than five minutes. This is what we have done to our environment," he said.
On October 11, Justice Satish Chandra Sharma was sworn in as the Chief Justice of the Telangana High Court.
G RAVI KIRAN
n HYDERABAD
The traffic police are creat- ing jams in the city. The police are creating traffic jams by setting up check posts on the streets to check for drunken drivers in the evenings instead of at night. The public is getting irritat- ed by this policy of the police.
Earlier, the traffic police used to check for drunk dri- vers after midnight and later they started from 10 pm onwards. But, now in some areas, they are starting checks in the evening itself.
On some days the checks
start at 6 pm and sometimes at 7 pm. This is the time when most people return home from work. Due to this traffic jams are seen on the roads in the evening.
The traffic police are run- ning special drives daily in the evening to catch drunk motorists on Langer House Narsing Road and at Durga Matha Temple where a fruit market also exists.
Naveen, who works in a pharma company said, “When we are returning home from office we face traffic jams. Usually, jams have to be cleared by the traffic police, but here they themselves are creating
jams. Generally, even regu- lar drunkards get drunk only at night. They take drinks during the day only on special occasions. This kind of checking at odd times is not right.”
Traff ic Inspector Ch. Shanker Reddy said, “There is no fixed time for checking. We will check according to our duty plans.
We usual ly conduct checks only after 7 pm. At the same time, we are taking care of the traffic too. There are no big traffic jams, except small ones. We will definitely change the time of checking considering public opinion.”
PNS n HYDERABAD
Telangana on Sunday recorded 103 fresh coron- avirus cases and one relat- ed fatality taking the total positives in the State to 6.74 lakh and the toll to 3,981 respectively.
The number of active cases stood at 3,575, a State government bulletin said.
The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation reported the highest num- ber of 49 cases followed by
Rangareddy district 13. Out of the 33 districts-- 14 rec- orded zero new infections.
A total of 22,902 samples were tested today. Cumul- atively, the number of sam- ples tested was 2.82 crore.
A total of 153 Covid-19 recoveries were reported today taking the total num- ber of recoveries to 6,66,999.
The recovery rate and case fatality rate in the state was 98.87 percent and 0.59 percent respectively, the bul- letin said.
Telangana adds 103 new Covid cases
‘Shocked’ by dirty Musi, HC CJ stresses on cleanliness
Parents, teachers get tips on child health care PNS n HYDERABAD
Around 80 parents and teachers on Sunday received invaluable guidance from experts from various paedi- atrics-related branches of medicine and surgery about various common child health related aspects and preventive healthcare.
Close to 80 participants attended and they received certificates. Funds raised at the event were handed over to ‘Advocates for Babies in Crisis (ABC), an NGO that helps with hospitalisations of orphan children.
Among the experts were Dr Sivaranjani Santosh, Dr Sharmila, Dr Ramesh Konanki, Dr Harish Jayaram, Dr Rajetha, Dr Ramesh Sri- nivasan, Dr Gayatri, Dr Rac- hna, Dr Aloka, Dr Murthy, Dr Jyotsna, Dr Spurthi, Dr Sirisha, Dr Harikumar, and Dr Satyaprasad.
“It is very important for us to empower parents with the right knowledge about
child health and preventive child health, and to train them in First Aid and CPR. Empowered parents will any day take better care of their children, avoid unnecessary medicines and hospitalisa- tions, and will be in a posi- tion to handle emergencies much better,” said Dr Sivar- anjani, a pediatrician who working on empowering the parents with the right knowledge about child health for many years now.
"Empower by Dr Sivar- anjani - I believe that this pr- ogramme should be manda- tory or at least highly rec- ommended for everybody. It allows each of us to be pre- pared for any adverse situ- ation and make informed decisions,” said Radhika Re- ddy, one of the participants.
She said that as a parent of a young child, it gave her a lot of comfort to know how to handle common but life threatening situations like seizures, choking, bites, burns, etc.
Evening drunk driving checks causing traffic jams
Parking fee being collected at Cinepolis against rules
Ravinder Reddy, Goutham Kumar elected TRESA President, GS PNS n HYDERABAD
Vanga Ravinder Reddy and K. Goutham Kumar were on Sunday elected unopposed as the president and general secretary of the Telangana Revenue Employees Services Association (TRESA) for a second consecutive term.
The elections were held at the Revenue Bhavan here on Sunday. The 33 district pres- idents, secretaries and exec- utive committee members of TRESA and CCLA partici- pated in the elections. The new executive committee was elected unanimously.
The committee members are Vanga Ravinder Reddy (president), K. Goutham Ku- mar (general secretary), Man- ne Prabhakar, P. Raj Kumar, MD Riyazuddin, Phool Singh Chouhan (associate presi- dents), B. Venkateshwar Rao (treasurer), LB Shashtri, Banala Ram Reddy, K. Srinivas Rao, A. Rajeshwar, D. Madhusudhan, K. Niranjan Rao, K. Nagamani, MD Anwar (vice-presidents).
State coordinator M. Narayana Reddy was the elec- tion officer.
HC grants bail to realtor Sreedhar Rao PNS n HYDERABAD
After being arrested a sec- ond time in two weeks, the Telangana High Court has granted bail to Saranala Sreedhar Rao, the Managing Director of Sandhya Conventions and Constructions & Estates Private Limited.
In the latest case, Rao was arrested in Bengaluru by the Cyberabad Police on November 17 after a cheat- ing complaint was filed against him.
The court granted Rao bail as proper procedure was not followed by the police during his arrest although Rao has 17 other cases and complaints against him.
The public prosecutor's argument that Rao was absconding from the time
he got the first court relief was rejected.
In the latest case filed against the realtor, his per- sonal trainer had com- plained that he was sexual- ly assaulted by the business tycoon.
Based on the victim’s complaint, the police booked a case under Sections 377 (sexual act against the order of nature), 341 (wrongful restraint), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC.
The Sanathnagar Police said that a detailed investi- gation was being carried out in the case and an arrest would be made if concrete evidence is found.
The victim was sent for medical examination at the Gandhi Hospital. The police are awaiting the report.
Murdered boy’s uncle detained PNS n HYDERABAD
The Pahadi Shareef Police have reportedly taken the main suspect involved in the murder of a 4-year-old boy into custody on Sunday.
The suspect, Veeresham, is the boy’s uncle, the police said. The victim, Lucky’s mother, Maheshawari, had
married Vinod, against her parents’ wishes and the cou- ple had a son.
Apart from the couple’s disputes, Maheshwari’s younger sister, who married Veeresham, also had prob- lems in their marriage.
Sources said that after Maheshwari intervened in the couple’s disputes, her sis-
ter wanted a divorce. This angered Veeresham. However, Maheshwari maintained that she had warned Veeresham to mend his ways and to treat her sister properly.
After Maheshwari’s con- versation with him, Veeresham developed a grudge against her and threat- ened her.
04HYDERABAD | MONDAY | NOVEMBER 22, 2021
PNS n NAGARKURNOOL
The employees posted in var- ious departments are worried about their futureas the state government appears to annul various corporations, headed by government officials, and send the outsourced employees and others employed in them to home, according to various trade union leaders of govern- ment employees associations. The state government recent- ly closed the housing depart- ment and merged the employ- ees with the 2BHK housing scheme. Afterward, the ser- vices of VROs were dispensed with. It has plans to adjust them in various government departments. Currently, it is toying with the idea of closing the BC, SC, ST, Minority, Toddy Tappers, and Nayee Brahmin, and Weaver's welfare departments and is apparent- ly about to drive employees working in them to the streets. The government is accused of firing outsourced employees in various government depart- ments at will and not showing
them any alternative and adopting dilly-dallying tactics. As a result, their families have been driven onto the streets. The unemployed youth who applied for loans to the BC, SC, ST, Minority, Toddy tappers, Washermen, Nayee Brahmin Welfare departments are appre- hensive of their future if loans are not sanctioned to them.
Trade union leaders of
Government employees and associations have been describ- ing it as inhuman. The merg- er of housing department employees with the 2BHK scheme led to confusion in ascertaining who are the real beneficiaries and who are not. As the VRO services were dis- pensed with; the people have to approach the Dharani portal to resolve their problems. But, the
portal is full of technical prob- lems, it is lamented. In case of defects in land records, VROs used to inquire into the lapses and rectify them. They used to play a significant role in the correction of names, identifi- cation of boundaries of lands, and so on. Farmers, landlords, and villagers lament that the revenue transactions have totally derailed with the dis- pensing of VRO services. As the government has dispensed with various corporations meant for various communities and drove the employees onto the streets, the unemployed are not able to get any livelihood through self-employment, according to leaders of various caste associations. Two years ago, 8300 unemployed in Nagarkurnool, 5684 in Narayanapeta, 5712 in Gadwal have applied for self-employ- ment loans to various caste- based corporations, but there is no sign of sanction of loans. Farmers” bodies, unemployed and educated threaten agitation if the government does not mend its ways.
PNS n WARANGAL
CPI has demanded the TRS Government rope in all rele- vant departments to procure paddy from farmers on a war- footing and warned that it would have to taste the ire of the farmers if it wants to shirk its responsibility passing the buck to the Centre.
Addressing media after visit- ing the paddy procurement center at Bhattupalli near here on Sunday, CPI leader Chada Venkata Reddy, who inspected the damp paddy and learned the problems of farmers at the procurement center, observed that the state government established only 5000 centers against the demand for 7000
leading to farmers waiting at these cen-
ters endless for the officials to procure the paddy.
Turning his attention to the Centre, Chada demanded the Centre to make it clear whether it is ready to procure paddy or
not. He alleged that the state and central governments have been extending step-motherly treatment to the farmers and felt that it was high time they came to the rescue of the farm- ers. The Centre stifled the voice of the Opposition parties
and passed the three agricul- ture laws, he said adding that the farmers were protesting for the past year against the laws and the event went to the extent of laying siege to the Red Fort in Delhi. Modi opened his eyes after over 700 farmers died, he said recalling how the son of a minister was respon- sible for the death of eight farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri by driving his car onto the peace- fully protesting farmers. For the first time in the history of inde- pendent India, farmers protest- ed for about one year forcing Modi to bow his head to them and withdraw the controversial laws, he said.
He demanded Rs 50 lakh ex- gratia to the next of kin of the
farmers died during the course of the protest.
Similarly, the Centre is going to pass an amendment to the Electricity Act soon to the detriment of the farmers, he said appealing to the Centre to withdraw it.
If the Centre did not with- draw it, the CPI would protest on the lines of the protest
staged at Basheerbagh long back, he threatened. It was atrocious on the part of Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao's stake claim for the PM withdrawing the ‘black laws’ to the protest staged by him, he said adding that Modi with- drew the agriculture laws as five stages are going to polls soon.
Referring to KCR offering Rs 3 lakh ex-gratia to the next of farmers who died during the course of agitation on Delhi outskirts, Chada Venkat Reddy demanded him to pay ex- gra- tia to the farmers who died for want of delay in paddy pro- curement and delay in getting title deeds for their Podu lands.
KCR said no to protests in the state, but had to launch dharna, he said adding that at last KCR realized that the problems would be resolved only through movements. That is why he asked the CM not to stifle the voice of the protest- ers. CPI state council secretary Takkallapalli Srinivas Rao and other party leaders were also present.
PNS n SIDDIPET
District Collector M Hanumantha Rao on Sunday advised farmers to bring paddy to the procurement centers after two days in view of rains predicted in the district. He asked the officials to take steps to lift the paddy brought to the procurement centers by the farmers immediately in view of the rains and enter the data into the tabs on the same day. Moreover, he asked them to generate a truck sheet imme- diately. He paid a surprise visit to the paddy procurement center at Tunkibollarum in the district and inspected the paddy procurement there. He asked the personnel there to enter the data in the tabs on the same day and warned them of disciplinary action if found negligent in entering data in the tabs.
He asked the revenue divi- sional officials, those responsi- ble for the procurement in the constituency, Mandal special officials who are cluster in-
charges, tahsildars, MPDOs, MAOs to remain alert for the next one week and immediate- ly take steps to get the paddy brought to the procurement center weighed, arrange to send the paddy to the rice mills and make payments for the pro- cured paddy. He said that the RDO would have to be held responsible in case of any hic- cups in the paddy procurement in the revenue division.
He asked the DROs and DRDOs to review the paddy procurement from weighing to making payments in their con- stituency by holding meetings with cluster in-charges and pro- curement center authorities.
He asked the authorities to procure the required number of gunny bags assessing the quan- tity of paddy weighed so far and the paddy to be brought to the procurement center. He asked them to make available the required number of lorries to transport paddy. The already weighed paddy at the procure- ment centers should be trans- ported to rice mills immediate- ly. He asked them to ensure that the farmers face no problems in the procurement of paddy. Mulugu in charge of tahsildar Raghuveer Reddy apprised the district collector of the progress of paddy procurement by vari- ous centers in the district.
PNS n WYRA
In all, 27 students of Telangana Residential School and College in Wyra ofKhammam district has tested positive for Covid-19. When one of the students whoupon returning to the hostel from home com- plained of ill-health, she was tested for Covid. The test yielded a positive result. When the principal of the educational institution Lakshi got all students test- ed, 27 tested positive for the virus.
She sent home all the stu- dents suffering from Covid- 19 symptoms. Upon learningabout it, parents of other students have taken their wards along with them to their homes.
27 students test positive for Covid-19 in Wyra
Outsourced employees face uncertain future
Bring paddy after two days in view of rains
n DC advises farmers n Asks officials to lift paddy already brought
PNS n HYDERABAD
Senior Congress leader V. Hanumantha Rao staged a dharna at the villages of Asnad and Sankaram in Chennur mandal in Mancherial dis- trict demanding that the State Government should procure paddy fast as it is getting sprouted.
The farmers said that they have been at the procurement centres since 30 days, but the government is not procuring the paddy and as a result the paddy was sprouting due to the rains. VH staged a sit-in at the procurement centres along with local Congress leaders and farmers. VH also spoke to district Joint Collector Madhusudhan Naik and brought the plight of the farm- ers to his notice. Reacting to VH’s phone call,
Madhusudhan Naik assured that the government will pro- cure paddy from Monday onwards at all IKP centres.
Naik also assured that they will keep gunny bags, trucks and other needed equipment at IKP centres. VH ended his dharna after the Joint Collector’s assurance.
Later, speaking to the media, VH alleged that it was a failure of the government as the farm- ers had brought their produce to the procurement centre a month ago. The government was not taking the paddy and due to that the paddy had sprouted. VH demanded that the government should pro- cure the sprouted paddy too.
He said that he will stage a dharna again if the Joint Collector failed to fulfil his assurance to procure the paddy from Monday onwards.
VH stages sit-in over paddy
PNS n MAHABUBNAGAR
The BJP SC Morcha has warned Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao of serious consequences if the Dalit Bandhu is not implemented across the state.
Addressing media here on Sunday, BJP SC Morcha pres- ident Koppu Basha said that there were no signs of imple- menting Dalit Bandhu even after several days of concluding the Huzurabad by-elections. He pointed out how KCR made a promise to implement the scheme in the state at the time of the elections. It was atrocious that there were no signs of implementing it even now.
People of the state are observing gimmicks being played by KCR, he said point- ing out that there is no impor- tance to Dalits in the state even seven years after KCR promised to make a Dalit the CM of Telangana.
He pointed out that KCR promised to implement Dalit Bandhu from November 4.
There were no signs of KCR
visiting the families of over 1200 who had sacrificed their lives for the sake of Telangana. But, he promised to pay com- pensation to 700 farmers who sacrificed their lives during agitation to repeal agriculture laws of the Centre. How far the CM is justified in doing so, he questioned. He clarified that nobody would oppose paying compensation to the bereaved farmer's families at the nation- al level, but it would be better for the KCR government to come to the rescue of the bereaved farmers’ families in the state too. KCR is apparent- ly unmoved by the difficulties being faced by the farmers at
the procurement centers. He called it atrocious. Fearing that the people of the state replicate the Huzurabad verdict across the state during the next elec- tions, attacks on BJP leaders are being encouraged, he said referring to how TRS activists attacked Bandi Sanjay’s convoy with stones recently.
The BJP is not cowed down by such attacks. If attacks on the BJP cadre are not stopped immediately, he threatened the KCR government of retaliation. BJP State SC Morcha general secretary Jalal Sivudu and SC Morcha leaders of Mahabub nagar and Wanaparthy dis- tricts were also present.
PNS n MULUGU
A 20-member team belonging to a Hyderabad-based NGO - - Society to Save Rocks -- vis- ited Pandavulagutta in Bhupalapally district and Ramappa temple in Mulugu district and rated the tourism potential of the two districts as very high.
The team observed, “Bhupalapally and Mulugu districts will thrive as great tourist centers.”
Rocks of Pandavulagutta are not merely lifeless objects, but standing testimony of great natural beauty. The nat- ural beauty of the district is sure to attract nature lovers from all parts of the world, they said. On Ramappa tem-
ple getting recognition as a world heritage site, the team members remarked that it stands as a testimony to the great Kakatiyan style of archi- tecture. Guide Vijay explained the significance of the temple. Save the Rocks Society secre- tary Frauke Quader eulogised the extraordinary sculpture of the Ramappa temple.
The team members thanked District Collector Krishna Aditya. Additional Collector Ila Tripathi and district machinery’s support to them.
DPRO Prema Lata, Venkatapur Tahsildar Manjula, Save the Rocks Society vice-president Aparajita Sinha, joint secretary Sangeeta Varma, and others were present.
PNS n PEDDAPALLI
In full view of the public, a 28-year-old person invited death walking on the railway tracks in front of the moving super fast Bangaluru-Delhi Rajadhani Express at Ramagundam railway sta- tion on Sunday, panicking people present at the railway station.
The Government Railway Police said that he was iden- tified as Sanjay Kumar Behera from Odisha. He used to work in a hardware shop along with his grandfather in Secunderabad. He was appar- ently of unsound mind and his family is getting him treated, head constable Suresh said. He died on the spot run over by the train. Railway employees and com- muters present on the railway platform raised an alarm to wean him away from the suicide attempt. Also, the train’s pilot tried to stop the train, but in vain.The railway police said that he left home on Saturday taking leave from his grandfather and com- mitted suicide on Sunday.
Man ends life walking in front of Rajadhani Express
PNS n MULUGU
ZP Chairman Kusuma Jagadishwar on Sunday asked the TRS rank and file to work for the electoral success of the official candidate, whomever the party leadership selects, in the local bodies’ constituency MLC election.
Addressing the TRS elected representatives, party cadres of the Mulugu constituency here, he asked the MPTCs to exercise their franchise in favor of the party candidate as a mat- ter of responsibility. He said that the directions of the TRS lead- ership are binding on all and added that there is no scope for implementing personal agenda in the party. He appealed to the
MPTCs, ZPTCs, MPPs, Mandal presidents, and impor- tant leaders of the party should take part in the nomination programme of the party candi- date on Monday.
ZP Vice-chairperson Bade Nagajyoti, district MPTCs’ Forum president Porika
Jayaram Naik, Mulugu
Mandal ZPTC S Bhavani, Mandal TRs president B Praveen, MPTC Macharla Prabhakar, Venkatapuram Mandal president Lingala Ramana Reddy, MPP Burra Rajita Sammaiah, MPTC Togari Ashok, and other func- tionaries of the party took part in the meeting.
Give up personal agenda, vote for TRS nominee: ZP chief Kusuma
Don't test farmers’ patience, says CPI PNS n SURYAPETA
District SP Rajendra Prasad said that the Telangana state police department is at the top position in the country.
Speaking on the occasion of the completion of Probationary Sub-Inspectors (PSIs) training in Suryapeta on Sunday, he said that “ From now you have a very good opportunity to perform duties as SIs in the state of Telangana. The state government has partnered with the police in the development of the state with friendly policing.
SP said that the State DGP provided the latest technolo- gy to the police department to make it function very effec- tively. People in the society are in dire need of police services and people come directly to
the police stations when prob- lems arise, he said.
SI suspended
Damaracharla Mandal Wadapally SI Vijay Kumar has been suspended by the IG on Sunday. Constable Shravan Kumar of the same police sta- tion was arrested while trans- porting liquor cartons from Telangana to Andhra Pradesh by police patrolling vehicle. In this connection after inquiry SI was also suspended.
‘TS police top in the country’
PNS n PEDDAPALLY
M andhani MLA Duddilla Sridhar Babu on Sunday vis-
ited the paddy procurement- center at Khanapur and inspected the damp paddy there. He demanded the state government commence pro- curement of the paddy at the MSP. The government should pay the farmers for the paddy procured without any con- nection whatsoever with the millers.
Unlike the TRS govern- ment, the Congress govern- ments in undivided AP dis- bursed money, crediting it directly into bank accounts of farmers, for the paddy lifted without any connection what- soever with the rice miller.
The rice millers are terror-
izing the farmers by discount- ing paddy at the rate of 30- 50 bags for every 500 bags that reach the millers. Because of the inefficient of the govern- ment, the farmers are at the mercy of the millers, he alleged.
The state and central gov-
ernments have been advising farmers to go in for cropsalter- native to the paddy without specifying the incentives, the MSP, the mode of procure- ment and other modalities, he said accusing the state and cen- tral governments of staging histrionics competing with
each other in the name of protests.
The Congress has been tak- ing up the cause of the farm- ers, who has been sandwiched in the protest programme of the state and central govern- ments, he said.
He alleged a clandestine
agreement between the BJP and the TRS and playing gim- micks as the farmers are shed- ding tears.
He said that Congress would fight with the government till the last grain is procured. He demanded the government to procure paddy without any restrictions on damp paddy. He said the TRS government did not pass a resolution in state assembly against the black agriculture laws in spite of Congress demanding the gov- ernment to do so. Is it not a fact that the Speaker of the House sent the Congress MLAs for pressing for the res- olution, he questioned. He said that KCR has no option except relent on the farmers’ problems, he said predicting that the farmers would teach a lesson to KCR.
Make procurement unconditional : Congress
Mulugu, Bhupalapally have high tourist potential
‘Implement Dalit Bandhu or face consequences’
nation 05HYDERABAD | MONDAY | NOVEMBER 22, 2021
I N D I A C O R N E R Renowned Punjabi singer Gurmeet Bawa dies at 77
R enowned Punjabi folk singer Gurmeet Bawa passed away on Sunday following prolonged illness. She was 77. The folk artist breathed her last at a city hospital here, said family friend Bhupinder Singh Sandhu. "She was taken to the hospital on
Saturday evening after she complained of difficulty in breathing," Sandhu told PTI. Gurmeet Bawa, wife of Punjabi folk singer Kirpal Bawa, was best known for her long 'hek'
(opening of a song while singing to create a melodious voice with an unbreakable wave) for about 45 seconds. She came to limelight when she started performing on Doordarshan. She was the first Punjabi female singer to appear on the national television channel. Born in 1944 in Kothe village of Punjab's Gurdaspur district, Gurmeet Bawa became popular across the country after singing the Punjab folk song “Jugni".
Yogi tweets photos of him taking a walk with Modi, captions ‘New India’
A head of the Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, two photos of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on a stroll with his hand on Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's shoulder has created quite a buzz. Sharing the photos on Twitter, Adityanath also wrote a poem about the
commitment of making a new India. The photos of Modi with his hand on Adityanth's shoulder deep in conversation were snapped at the Uttar Pradesh Raj Bhavan. The prime minister, who is in Lucknow to attend the DGPs' conference, is staying at Raj Bhavan since
Friday night. Adityanath had gone to meet the prime minister on Sunday morning. However, it is not known what discussion took place between them. Along with the photos, Adityanath wrote a poem in Hindi, which roughly translates to: "We have started a journey with a pledge, dedicating our mind and body, to make the sun rise; rise high above the sky and make a new India".
TMC leader Sayani Ghosh detained for questioning in Tripura
T ripura police on Sunday detained West Bengal Trinamool Congress leader Sayani Ghosh for questioning following a complaint by a ruling BJP worker that she had disturbed a street corner meeting of Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb on Saturday
night, according to an official. She was detained 24 hours before a planned visit by TMC's national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee after being called in for
questioning in a police station. TMC leaders alleged that their workers were also roughed up by BJP supporters outside the East Agartala Women's police station. Banerjee in a tweet accused the BJP government in Tripura of brazenly disregarding Supreme Court orders on rights of political parties to hold peaceful protests. "@BjpBiplab has become so UNABASHEDLY BRAZEN that now even SUPREME COURT ORDERS DOESN'T SEEM TO BOTHER HIM," Banerjee tweeted.
Cong asks PM to break ‘silence' on Chinese ‘intrusion' in Arunchal PNS n NEW DELHI
The Congress on Sunday accused the BJP government of deception and deliberate distortion over alleged Chinese intrusions in Arunachal Pradesh and ques- tioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "silence" on the issue.
The opposition party also accused the BJP of giving lessons on national security to the entire country while digressing from addressing the serious issue that affected India's integrity and sovereign- ty.
Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi shared satel- lite images to claim that China has built another village six to seven kilometres inside Indian territory in Arunachal Pradesh with over 60 structures.
He also claimed that the Chinese president had visited a few kilometres north of this spot a few days ago.
The Congress leader demanded that Prime Minister Modi address the issue and tell the nation about steps he is taking in this regard.
"We condemn the prime minister's silence. It is culpa- ble. It is a negative eloquence
which we can do without. It is inexcusable," he told reporters.
There was no response from the government on the issue.
The Congress has been attacking the government con- sistently over its handling of border tensions with China.
"We don't understand this definition is national security, where you berate, browbeat, intimidate the whole country on national security issues and keep silent on this kind of things," Singhvi said, claiming the prime minister never said a word "on the January 2019 and September- October 2021 intrusions".
"It is a sad case of deliber- ate distortion, digression and diversion on an issue affecting
India's integrity and sovereign- ty," he alleged, hitting out at the BJP government.
The satellite images shared by Singhvi, sourced from some professional websites, pur- portedly show images of the same spot in Arunachal Pradesh in April 2019 and then in September 2021 with around 60 structures or habi- tats built up.
He also cited a statement of BJP MP Tapir Gao from Arunachal Pradesh made in Parliament over a year ago where he alleged that the sec- ond Dokalam will be in Arunachal.
He said the BJP should at least listen to its MP, if not the opposition party.
AGRA: Union minister of Law and Justice Kiren Rijiju on Sunday said Rahul Gandhi had no knowl- edge about border security and responding to his questions on China's infractions in the border regions would be to undermine national security. "It is a sensitive issue. Rahul Gandhi has no knowl- edge about the bor- der security and other sensitive matters." "If we begin replying to Rahul Gandhi's questions, it would not be good for the nation. Rahul Gandhi's words have no sense and we should not pay attention to his words," Rijiju said during a press interaction here. The minister was replying to a question that elicited his views on the Congress leader's attack on the Center over China's colony- building activity on Arunachal Pradesh border. Rijiju was in Agra to inaugurate the 'Run for Greenery', a mini-marathon organised under the 'Sansad Khel Spardha'. He flagged off the mini-
marathon from the Agra College Sports ground in the morning. Hundreds of students, NCC cadets, scout guides, sportsper- sons, NGO workers, and many dignitaries of Agra took part in the marathon. Expanding further his
comment, Rijiju said if the government starts reply-
ing to Gandhi's queries, it will not be able to do its work. "We have to work for the nation,” he said. Asked about
his views on the repeal of the three farm
bills, the union minister said the topic doesn't require any further commenting since Prime Minister Narendra Modi has already made an important decla- ration on the matter. Talking about the Agra lawyers' demand for the establishment of a High Court bench in the city, Rijiju said the matter will be studied first before any action is taken. Rijiju praised the efforts of the partici- pants in the mini-marathon and said that in coming days Uttar Pradesh will go a long way.
‘Rahul Gandhi doesn't know about border security issues’
PNS n MUMBAI
Taking a dig at China, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday said "some irresponsi- ble nations" for the sake of their narrow partisan interests and hegemonic tendencies are com- ing up with inappropriate inter- pretations of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
It is a matter of concern that UNCLOS is being repeatedly weakened by arbitrary interpre- tation of its definition by some nations, Singh said, after com- missioning of Indian Navy's destroyer Visakhapatnam here.
As a responsible maritime stakeholder, India supports con- sensus-based principles and a peaceful, open, rule-based sta- ble maritime order, Singh said.
India envisions a rule-based Indo-Pacific, with freedom of navigation, free trade and uni- versal values, in which the interests of all the participating countries are protected, he added.
Singh underscored the importance of a rule-based freedom of navigation and security of sea lanes in the pre- sent era of globalisation to ensure stability, economic progress and development of the world. The UNCLOS 1982 specifies about any country's territorial waters, exclusive eco-
nomic zone and good order at sea, he said.
“The arbitrary interpreta- tions create obstacles in the path of a rule-based maritime order,” he said. “There are some nations - I would like to say irresponsible nations – (who) for the sake of their narrow par- tisan interests, keep on giving new and inappropriate interpre- tations to these international laws from hegemonic tenden- cies,” Singh said without nam- ing China.
China has been militarizing islands in South China, a move that has attracted global criti- cism. The area has overlapping claims of several East and Southeast Asian nations.
In 2016, an international tri- bunal rejected China's argument that it enjoys historic rights over most of the South China Sea -
- a region known to be rich in hydrocarbons and also hosting an important Sea Lane of Communication.
Following the order, China said the award is "null and void and has no binding force" and it neither accepts nor recognis- es it.
Noting that the Indo-Pacific is important for the whole world, Singh said the region sees passage of two-third oil ship- ments of the world, one-third of the bulk cargo and more than half of container traffic.
Singh said as an important country in the region, the Indian Navy's role assumes a more crucial role for the region's security.
“It becomes the primary objective of the Indian Navy to keep the Indo-Pacific open, safe and secure,” he said.
‘Some irresponsible nations distorting UNCLOS’
PNS n NEW DELHI
Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Sunday said "communal poli- tics" over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act has begun again with some calling for its repeal and asserted that the law is not about taking away citi- zenship but about providing it to Hindus, Sikhs and other oppressed minorities in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh.
Naqvi said some have also called for the restoration of Article 370 and stressed that with its abrogation, more than 370 problems in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh have been resolved with people join- ing the mainstream of progress.
Talking to reporters after attending a mass marriage function in Uttar Pradesh's Rampur, the minister said that
the era of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has demolished the “legacy of cut, commission and corruption".
He said the Modi and the Adityanath governments have brought an end to the politics promoting "riots and mafia".
"The Modi and Yogi era has created fear among the corrupt and the mafia," he was quoted as saying in a statement issued by his office.
Referring to the discourse in some quarters following the government's decision to repeal three farm laws, Naqvi said that "communal politics has begun on Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and Article 370".
"Somebody says CAA should be repealed and Article 370 should be restored. These people know very well that CAA isn't about taking away citizenship but providing citi-
zenship to Hindus, Sikhs and other oppressed minorities in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh," he said.
The minority affairs minis- ter said that with the abroga- tion of Article 370, over 370 problems have been resolved in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, and people have been brought in the mainstream of development and progress.
After Prime Minister Modi announced the repeal of farm laws, prominent Muslim organisation Jamiat Ulema-e- Hind on Friday had urged the government to take back the CAA as well.
BSP MP from Amroha Kunwar Danish Ali also called for the repeal of the CAA "without further delay".
The CAA was notified on December 12, 2019, and came into force from January 10 last year.
‘Communal politics’ has begun: Naqvi on call to repeal CAA
PNS n NEW DELHI
An ongoing exhibition here turns the spotlight on the expo- nents of sufi qawwali music and shows images of them weaving magic through their spiritual per- formances across shrines in India.
"The Qawwali Photo Project - An Untold Story", presently underway at the India International Centre, is curated by Kathak dancer Manjari Chaturvedi.
Featuring photographs by Dinesh Khanna, Mustafa Quraishi and Leena Kejriwal, the photo exhibition aims to give shape to the sounds and identi- ty to the faceless people behind the devotional sufi music -- the qawwals.
"The qawwals of the subcon- tinent have largely remained faceless, of course a name and a music that people associate with,
but not the face of the man. This is what led to the formation of this project, to show the real faces behind this music"
"As part of the project, the photography exhibition explores the art form through the power of images as a means of expres- sion and communication. The images of the qawwali practition- ers are uniquely shot amidst the people in an organic, non-com- mercial set up," said Chaturvedi
in a statement. While Khanna's stories tra-
verse the important shrines of Delhi, Amritsar, Jaipur, Hyderabad and Ajmer; Quraishi's photo story is shot in the two prominent shrines of Uttar Pradesh -- Dewa Sharif and Safipur.
Unlike Khanna and Qureshi, Kejriwal's work specifically doc- uments the presence of women qawwali performers in what is
largely considered as an andro- centric performance art.
The 10-day show also features a unique self-documentation initiative titled "I am a Qawwal", in which the qawwali practition- ers take their own selfie photos, or have friends take their photos and send them to the Qawwali Project for documentation.
Having already received 50 photographs, the goal, according to Chaturvedi, is to collect doc- umentation of 500 such artists and more.
"The self-photographs we have received reveal something about the various characters of these men who are so integral to car- rying on this generations-long androcentric performance tradi- tion. Some are old, some are barely past boyhood. Seeing these pictures, we get a rare glimpse into their lives as viewed on their own terms," explained Chaturvedi.
Show puts spotlight on qawwals of India
PNS n NEW DELHI
From Dutch-era Patna Collectorate to iconic 86-year-old Asiatic Building in Bengaluru, thousands of architecturally and historically significant heritage buildings stand unprotected presently, many of which are "fac- ing decay or demolition" amid rapid urbanisation, say experts.
A top-level official of the Archaeological Survey of India on Sunday lamented the situa- tion, saying the ASI has "sever- al constraints" in taking up new sites, but just because a building or a monument is not listed under the ASI or any other agency, "it does not mean that the particular structure has no her-
itage value". As the World Heritage Week
is being marked across the globe from November 19-25, heritage custodians, INTACH officials and other experts highlighted the plight of "unprotected heritage buildings" of the country, which often get "overshadowed by well- protected and much-celebrated cultural sites" year after year.
Centuries-old Patna Collectorate, which is spread over 12 acres and despite being one of the last surviving signa- tures of Dutch architecture in Bihar and endowed with high ceilings, huge doors and hanging skylights, is not protected under the ASI or the state government.
The Bihar government had in
2016 proposed to dismantle the collectorate located on the banks of Ganga, and replace it with a new complex, a move that had triggered a public outcry, with appeals to save the landmark coming from India and abroad, including the then Dutch ambas- sador. A Supreme Court stay since September 18 last year has
halted the bulldozers. Several iconic buildings,
including over 100-year-old Gole Market, old Baoli Hall, 1885-built Anjuman Islamia Hall, District and Sessions Judge Bungalow, Civil Surgeon's Bungalow, City SP Bungalow, New Police Lines, have already been demolished in the past several years by the state government authorities.
The Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH), started in 1925 as Prince of Wales Medical College, Bihar and Orissa's first medical college, is also pro- posed to be razed for a new state- of-the-art hospital complex, despite appeal from historians, heritage lovers and INTACH to preserve its historic buildings.
ASI and INTACH officials decry decay of unprotected structures
PNS n AIZAWL
The Mizoram Excise and Narcotics department has seized over 15 kg of heroin and arrested 493 people in drug related cases this year, an offi- cial said on Sunday.
Excise and Narcotics department spokesperson Peter Zohmingthanga said 15.420 kg of heroin was seized from January to October this year.
Quoting the department's record, he said a total of 39.72 kg of heroin was seized in three years from January 2019 to October 2021.
The official said 12.59 kg of heroin was seized in 2019 and 11.71 kg in 2020.
Besides, 612 kg of ganja
(cannabis) was seized during three years (2019 - October 2021), methamphetamine tablets (210.87 kg), opium (2 kg), Pseudoephedrine tablets (9 kg), Alprazolam tablets (12.62 kg) and Dextroproproxyphene tablets (25 kg), he said.
At least 2,120 people were arrested and 1,572 cases reg- istered in connection with drugs during the same period, he said.
According to the official, a total of 16,88 people have died due to drug abuse since 1984 to 15 November 2021.
Of the 16, 88 people, 340 died of heroin, 1,161 died due to Dextroproproxyphene and 187 died due to other drugs, he said.
Over 15 kg heroin seized by Mizoram Excise Dept in 2021
PNS n SRINAGAR
PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday said Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor Manoj Sinha should apolo- gise to the families of the per- sons killed in the Hyderpora encounter as well as to the entire population of the Valley and called for strin- gent punishment to those involved in the incident.
Mehbooba, who led a protest march of her party activists from her 'Fairview' residence at Gupkar Road to the Raj Bhavan here, also demanded that the body of the third person -- Amir Margay from the Ramban area of Jammu -- killed in the encounter be returned to the family.
“Innocent people were killed in Hyderpora encounter. As LG is the head of the unified command, he should apologise to the kin of the killed persons and take back the blot on
them of being militants or hybrid militants or OGWs.
"They should return Amir's body, give compensa- tion and the unified com- mand should seek an apolo- g y from the people of Kashmir,” she told reporters.
The PDP president demanded a judicial probe into the incident to bring the facts to the fore.
“A judicial inquiry be con- ducted and stringent punish- ment be given to those involved in this (incident),” she said.
Mehbooba said there were “doubts” whether there real- ly was a militant who the police claim was killed in the encounter.
“We have not seen the body or the fa