*TOIH140611/ /05/C/1* /05/K/1* /05/Y/1* /05/M/1* THE TIMES OF INDIA, HYDERABAD TUESDAY, JUNE 14, 2011
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Expert panel slammed for CM wary of Kapus? backing ECEPL at Kakarapalli
Four bodies found in Godavari
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Rajahmundry: Four bodies, including that of a woman, were found floating in the Godavari river under the road-cum-railway bridge in Rajahmundry on Monday. "The deceased woman appeared to be hailing from a well-off family going by the sari she was wearing," a police official said. There were bloodstains on the body of one of the men who was wearing a lungi and a Tshirt. The police are investigating whether the person was murdered or the body was eaten by any creature in the river. "None of the bodies has been identified. We are trying to match with the available photographs filed in various police stations as missing persons," said E Ramanamma, II Town station house officer.The police have found 11 bodies in the Godavari since June 1. All the bodies, except these four, were identified and handed over to their relatives.
ANDHRA PRADESH
‘Panel Did Not Mention About The Precious Wetland In Report’ TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Hyderabad: Rights groups, civil society organisations and environmentalists have questioned the recommendation of the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) to the ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) to allow East Coast Energy Private Ltd (ECEPL) set up the 2,640 MW thermal power plant at Kakarapalli in Santhabommali mandal of Srikakulam district. The Human Rights Forum (HRF) said EAC did not mention a word about the precious wetland where the project would come up. "EAC's sub-group in November 2008 had suggested that the project must not come up in a wetland area. In fact, environment minister Jairam Ramesh had made a statement in Parliament following the police firing that the ECEPL project was located in precious wetland," said HRF leader V S Krishna. Following the police firing on
Following the police firing on February 28 this year leading to the death of three farmers, the Centre had suspended the ongoing work at the Naupada wetland and referred the matter to the EAC February 28 this year leading to the death of three farmers, the Centre had suspended the ongoing work at the Naupada wetland and referred the matter to the EAC. Asserting that EAC has disregarded green regulations, an environmentalist said the committee did not bother to consider how an industry could come up in a wetland in contempt of laws and environment norms.
The civil society organisations said it was shocking that EAC has accepted the false reports and arguments of the project proponent presented by state government officials and ECEPL management. "Both are in collusion and falsified the ecological significance of the wetland and concealed sensitive details," alleged Suggu Ramireddy of the anti-thermal power plant agitation committee.
Kiran neglecting ryots: Jagan TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Chittoor: Taking his fight to Kiran Kumar Reddy's home turf, YSR Congress president Jaganmohan Reddy launched a broadside against the Congress government for failing to provide succour to the farmers in the state. He said the helpless farmers were contemplating suicide, with no help coming from the government. "Farmers want to sow paddy but the situation is forcing him to hang himself," said Jagan, while addressing party workers and followers at the collectorate here where he staged a sit-in as part of his party's 'Sagu Poru' to highlight the grievances of the farmers. Jagan lambasted the government for completely neglecting the problems of the farming community. "Even the ryots in Chittoor district are suffering, but the CM doesn't seem to care much," he alleged. He said that no government would survive if it fails to address the problems of the farmers. "Those who ignore the ryots' welfare would bite the dust," he said. He said his late father Y S Rajasekhara Reddy always had a special place for the
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seed stocks. "While the need is 90 lakh seed packets, only 40 lakh packets have been supplied. This government has mortgaged the interests of the farmers," he alleged. He didn't spare TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu either. Launching a tirade against him, the YSR Congress chief said: "Naidu is shedding crocodile tears for the farmers. But they would teach him and the Congress, a befitWOOING THE MASSES: Jaganmohan addresses ting lesson, in the farmers in Chittoor on Monday coming elections." farming community in his heart. Earlier, his mother and Puliven"They were the biggest beneficiar- dula MLA Y S Vijayamma said ies during his regime. But now, farmers would benefit only if Jafarmers are reduced to standing in gan comes to power. Addressing queues, for several hours, to get a party activists at the collectorate bagful of seeds," he said. in Kadapa, where she took part in He charged that both the gov- the dharna and later submitted a ernment and seed traders were memorandum to the collector, she hand in glove while the ryots were said the plight of farmers in the fighting on the roads to get their present Congress regime is pitiable.
He said no effort was made to consult the local communities like fisherfolk, farmers and artisans and take note of their concerns. Sources said MoEF has also chosen to ignore the January 29, 2011, directive by the Supreme Court that such ecologically significant commons should not be diverted for industrial purposes. "We demand that MoEF stop ECEPL from restarting work at the site. To accept EAC recommendation would be tantamount to jettisoning its constitutional obligations," HRF state secretary K V Jagannadha Rao said. Meanwhile, the agitation committee leaders said that all clearances given to ECEPL should be scrapped so as to protect the interests of the locals. "Punitive measures should be initiated against officials for colluding with the project management," Ramireddy said. They demanded that the Naupada wetland system should be declared a conservation reserve.
Vijayawada: Kapu leaders in the coastal region are growing restive even after Botsa S a t y a narayana, a To o r p u Kapu, was made the state Congress chief, Chiranjeevi as they are not able to reconcile with the the delaying tactics of the party high command in accommodating PRP leaders in the state and Union cabinets. According to highly-placed sources in the Prajarajyam Party, party chief Chiranjeevi might not get a berth in the soon-to-be reshuffled Union cabinet at the end of this month. Sources said chief minister Kiran Kumar Reddy was arguing against the inclusion of Chiranjeevi in the Union cabinet. Party sources believe that the CM's argument is not based on any antipathy to the cine star, but because he doesn't want to face another byelection -this time in his home turf of Chittoor district -- after the Kadapa poll deba-
cle. Chiranjeevi, who is a legislator from Tirupati assembly constituency in Chittoor district, might have to quit the assembly if he were to join the Manmohan Singh cabinet. After the humiliating defeat in the Kadapa bypolls, the CM is said to be against facing another election in his home turf where he has more foes than friends. The Congress nominee also lost the election at the hands of YSR Congress leader Tippareddy in the legislative council election from the local bodies constituency, which was conducted before the Kadapa byelections. "The Kiran camp knows it well that it might not be easy to face Jagan group in Tirupati as Jagan has strong following there," Congress party insiders said. In addition, Kiran's arch-rival and former minister Peddireddi Ramachandra Reddy is ready to extend his support to the Jagan group to ensure another defeat for the CM on his home ground, PRP circles suspect. "We have information that Kiran has sought the support of petroleum minister S Jaipal Reddy to delay Chiranjeevi's entry into the Union cabinet. He has already played many tricks, but could not prevent Botsa from becoming the PCC chief. He is anti-Kapu," complained a senior PRP legislator from the coastal region.
Telugu student missing in Oz Hyderabad: A student from Andhra Pradesh pursuing his MS in Australia went missing after a boat ride in the sea waters off the Queensland coast on Sunday. Venkata Teja of Jaggaiahpet in Krishna district is a student of Queensland University.
He went for a boat ride in Auxbury on Sunday evening. Reports said the boat capsized due to the force of a strong tide and Teja went missing. It is feared that he might have drowned in the sea as the tide hit the boat with force, sources said. TNN
Tension in Warangal as YSR Cong men, KU students clash TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Warangal: The YSR Congress Party's 'SaguPoru' stir, turned violent in Warangal district on Monday, when the party workers beat up students of Kakatiya University at the collectorate where they were staging a dharna in support of farmers. In retaliation, the agitators burnt a vehicle belonging to the YSR Congress at Adalat junction in Hanamkonda. Angry Telangana activists torched YSR Congress party flags and festoons, and shouted slogans against YSR Congress leader and Jagan loyalist MLA Konda Surekha. It all started when the KU students JAC tried to obstruct the YSR Congress Party's dharna at the collectorate. The students were conducting a rally by carrying Jagan's effigy. Enraged over this, the YSR Congress men started beating them up. Police came to the scene and lathicharged the agitators. Over 20 students were injured. KU students JAC convener Valivullah Quadri, who was also injured, gave a bandh call for educational institutions on Tuesday, in protest against the attack on students. He alleged that MLC Konda Muralidhar Rao and Surekha were responsible for the attack. Meanwhile, Surekha assured the party activists that Jagan would talk about the Telangana issue at the party plenary meeting in July. In Anantapur, the YSR Congress Party leaders slammed the Congress government for failing to solve the problems of farming community. Party district chief P Narasimhaiah alleged that the Congress government had cheated the farmers. In Eluru, the party dharna programme received muted response from the farmers.
TDP MLA begins fast TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Podili (Prakasam): Demanding an immediate solution to the ongoing tobacco price crisis, Markapuram legislator Kandula Narayana Reddy of TDP began a 48-hour hunger strike here on Monday. Addressing farmers at the Podili auction platform, Narayana Reddy said he would soon launch an indefinite hunger strike if the Tobacco Board did not come to the rescue of the farmers. He alleged that the board officials' negligence had resulted in the steep fall in the price, which came down to Rs 50 per kg from Rs 110 last month. He said the state government had failed to take timely decisions to bail out the farmers."The amount of Rs 20 crore granted by the chief minister to the societies would suffice to purchase just about one million kg whereas more than 100 million kg of stock is lying with the farmers," said former legislator Divi Sivaram. He wanted the government to grant Rs 50 crore and the Tobacco Board another Rs 50 crore to tide over the crisis. Karanam Balaram formally launched the fasting camp.
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