Monthly Archives: March 2015

World Bank’s facelift for Kambalakonda eco-tourism park

The Kambalakonda eco-tourism park is all set for a facelift and will soon sport dedicated conservation and visitor zones thanks to World Bank funding.
The Kambalakonda eco-tourism park is all set for a facelift and will soon sport dedicated conservation and visitor zones thanks to World Bank funding.

Visakhapatnam :

The Kambalakonda eco-tourism park is all set for a facelift and will soon sport dedicated conservation and visitor zones thanks to World Bank funding.

If the plans of the forest department are anything to go by, the Rs 8.45 crore World Bank funding given to the Kambalakonda forest reserve for Cyclone Hudhud relief will be used to create dedicated conservation and visitor zones as well as restoration work.

For the conservation zone, the forest department plans to spend Rs 2.95 crore in setting up a butterfly park, lay a self-guided nature trek path and create an arboretum for display of medicinal plants and biodiversity of the Eastern Ghats, said forest department officials.

“The department will also spend around Rs 1 crore for creation of 10-metre wide view-cum-fire lines, construction of trenches and check dams to harvest rain water,” chief conservator of forests Ampili Bharat Kumar told TOI.

As part of the visitor zone, the authorities plan to invest Rs 5.5 crore in creating facilities like eco-friendly cottages (20), multi-cuisine food court and amphitheatre for interactive animal shows. Plans are also afoot to set up a Bio-Park with evolution as its theme at a cost of Rs 1 crore. For the convenience of visitors, wash rooms, rest shelters and benches, drinking water facilities among other things will also be set up, sources said.

The eco-tourism park, spread over around 40 hectares, is part of the 7139-hectare Kambalakonda reserve forest area and wildlife sanctuary that was devastated by the cyclone that hit the Port City in October last year.

The cyclone caused damages of nearly Rs 15 crore to the Kambalakonda eco-tourism park, wrecking many boats, cottages, observation towers and uprooting thousands of trees. The wildlife sanctuary houses many animals such as leopard, spotted deer, jackals, sambars, among others

Kambalakonda, which was declared a wildlife sanctuary in 2002 to protect the flora and fauna of the region, is part of the Eastern Ghats. Surrounded by many villages, Kambalakonda sanctuary falls under the Greater Visakha area but is under the control of the forest department.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Visakhapatnam / by Siva G, TNN / March 18th, 2015

Coastal Museum to be named after film maker Bapu

NaiduANDHRA30mar2015

The Coastal Museum that is coming up on the premises of the 127-year-old Victoria Museum on M.G. Road will be named after late film maker Bapu. During his visit to the city a few months ago, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu had mooted the proposal to name the museum after Bapu who was also a music director, illustrator and cartoonist.

After the Chief Minister’s proposal, the Department of Archaeology and Museums prepared a report and sent it to the government.

Instead of naming the museum after the legendary director, the department, in another report sent to the government, said that a new museum coming up at Eluru in West Godavari district could be named after Bapu, as it was his native place.

“We are waiting for approval from the Chief Minister’s office on the issue,” the official said.

The construction of the museum is taken up at a cost of more than Rs. 4.8 crore.

The new three-storeyed structure, once completed, will be the biggest museum in the State. Rare coins, instruments and other artefacts of Palaeolithic, Mesolithic and Neolithic periods will be showcased in the museum.

Galleries for coins

Interestingly, the new building will be three times bigger than the Victoria Museum, and it will house separate galleries to display coins used by various dynasties, besides paintings and stone-carvings.

Bronze sculptures, clothes used by the Mughal emperors, stones and label inscriptions, copper plates and ancient scripts will also be displayed. Weapons used during Vijayanagara and Nizam eras will be the other attractions, officials said.

They added that the construction of the museum was hit by shortage of sand, but works were on at a brisk pace. “We are hopeful of completing the works within a few months,” they said.

Sources said the government had planned to name the museum after Bapu who won international acclaim for his cartoons on Telugu women (Bapu Bommalu).

Through his unique style, he blended Telugu culture with modern techniques.

He also had an enormous impact on contemporary Telugu arts and movies, they added.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Vijayawada / by M. Srinivas / Vijayawada – March 27th, 2015

Now, Rooftops Turn into Gardens

A garden being raised on the terrace of a house at Brindavan Colony in Vijayawada | Express Photo
A garden being raised on the terrace of a house at Brindavan Colony in Vijayawada | Express Photo

Vijayawada :

The Horticulture Department has launched a new initiative called ‘Terrace Gardening’, under the ‘Rashtriya Krishi Yojana, with a view to encourage people to grow their own vegetables, according to a source.

The source told Express here on Saturday that as part of the initiative, the department was also providing a ‘Do it yourself’ kit to the interested people for their kitchen garden with a 50 per cent subsidy.

The source said that as gardening was a favourite pastime for most of the housewives and retired people, the department had initiated this programme and added that it was providing the kit, consisting of seeds, fertilizers and pesticides besides some gardening tools, with a 50 per cent subsidy. He added that it was targeting those who were averse to spending huge amounts for buying vegetables from the market.

“The kit consists of five varieties of vegetable seeds like brinjal, tomato, etc., according, pesticides, fertilizers, four silkolene covers, two cages for plants like tomato, red sand, neem cake, a water-sprinkler and other gardening tools along with a technical booklet with instructions, totally costing `6,000. This will be provided at a cost of `3,000 to the applicants, with the remaining `3,000 being borne by the Horticulture Department.

This has been introduced to provide a platform for the city-dwellers to cultivate their own vegetables on their rooftops,” said Krishna district Horticulture Department assistant director S Sujatha.

She said that the residents of Vijayawada, who wanted to avail themselves of the scheme needed to have 50-100 square feet of space on the roof of their houses and an overhead water tank. Taking into consideration the climatic conditions of the city, the Horticulture Department was issuing lightweight containers, waterproof covers, bio-pesticides, water-soluble pesticides and fungicides and thus providing an opportunity to the people to cultivate pure organic vegetables in the available space.

The officer said that the initiative was evoking a good public response and added that more than 50 persons had started cultivating vegetables on their roof tops and balconies.

She added that her department’s new initiative has not only provided a satisfying hobby to the people but also helped them cut down their spending on vegetables from the market.

“As they need to invest little money and can grow their own choice of vegetables, people are showing interest. Terrace gardens also go a long way in reducing air pollution and heat in the house even as they and give the grower a chance to taste real organic produce,” Sujatha said.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Andhra Pradesh / by Sai Durga Gona / March 30th, 2015

New lease of life for Emu farmers

EmuANDHRA30mar2015

It is no longer an endless struggle for Emu farmers in the State. They were in doldrums a few years ago, and most of them had given up the vocation and moved on.

However, some managed to continue, thanks to help from LB Processors, a US company, and they have now reached breakeven.

In line with a five-year contract between LB Processors and Emu Farmers Cooperative, the former will provide specialty oil to cosmetic and dietary supplement industries. It will also refine emu oil supplied to it by farmers before offering it to cosmetic industry.

LB Processors founder president Paul Binford and chief operating officer Caleb Binford, a father-son team, said they would buy a minimum of 12,000 gallons and a maximum of 20,000 gallons of oil a year from the oil extraction facility owned by the cooperative at Agiripalli in Krishna district.

Emu Farmers’ Cooperative Company CMD M.R. Rao Prasad said farmers had been struggling feed birds owing to financial constraints a couple of years ago. With bankers abandoning them, most farmers moved to other vocations. However, a group of 16 farmers, with the help of CMI, a consultant, set up a quality extraction unit and worked out a way to air-lift emu oil to the United States in May 2013.

They have exported 18,350 gallons (68,730 litres) of oil since then, Mr. Rao Prasad said. CMI US director Rajan Eadara said LB Processors made use of an all-natural process to refine the oil. Meanwhile, the number of emu farmers in the cooperative has gone up from 16 to 40.

The cooperative also plans to sell ready-to-cook frozen meat shortly. “There is a growing market for emu skin also, and, in future, the cooperative is planning to sell cosmetics made from emu oil,” Mr. Rao Prasad said.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Vijayawada / by G. Venkataramana Rao / Vijayawada – March 29th, 2015

New president of EDGCA named

Executive committee member of the East Godavari District Cricket Association K.S. Kiran Raju was co-opted as president of the association in the place of Dr. K.T. Mathews, who passed away recently, during an executive committee meeting of the association held in Kakinada last week.

EGDCA passed a resolution hailing the services rendered by the late Dr. Mathews and conveyed its condolences to his family.

Mr. Kiran Raju will function as president of the association till the residuary period of the 2011-15 term for which Dr. Mathews was elected in the past, secretary K. Bapiraju informed. Mr. D. Ravikumar was co-opted as a EC member in place of Mr. Kiran Raju.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Visakhapatnam / by Special Correspondent / Visakhapatnam – March 27th, 2015

Farmer scripts his way into Telugu literary world

 

Indian cricket captain Mithali Raj with author Vattikuti Sambasiva Rao in Hyderabad.– PHOTO: V.V. SUBRAHMANYAM
Indian cricket captain Mithali Raj with author Vattikuti Sambasiva Rao in Hyderabad.– PHOTO: V.V. SUBRAHMANYAM

For someone whose first love is agriculture, Vattikuti Sambasiva Rao, a farmer hailing from Guntur district, has scripted his way into the Telugu literary world by penning two unique books on cricket – Bharat Ratna and Jayaho Bharat . While one signals the end of the Sachin Tendulkar era, the other is on India’s performance graph in recent times. Interestingly, this 65-year-old, whose earlier notable contribution to literature was his book on late Chief Minister and Telugu matinee idol N.T. Rama Rao, developed an interest in cricket only a decade ago. But it seemed enough to spur him to try his hand at writing books in cricket, which he says is his ‘first love’.

Encouraged by his children, he seems to have mastered the art of interspersing his knowledge in the language with cricketing terms, which catch the imagination of the average cricket lover.

The books were formally released by Indian women’s cricket captain Mithali Raj and Andhra Jyothi  Editor K. Srinivas here on Monday.

‘Huge Tendulkar fan’

“I am a huge fan of Sachin Tendulkar and am longing to meet him at least once. I consider it God’s grace that I wrote my first book on him,” he remarked. Mr. Rao said that he was almost ready with another book on India’s progress in the ongoing World Cup.

Pens two unique books on cricket – one signalling the end of the Sachin Tendulkar era and the other on India’s performance graph in recent times

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Andhra Pradesh / by Special Correspondent / Hyderabad – March 27th, 2015

Kotappakonda to Turn ‘Tourist Haven’

Thrikuteswara Swamy temple at Kotappakonda in Guntur district | Express Photo
Thrikuteswara Swamy temple at Kotappakonda in Guntur district | Express Photo

Kotappakonda  (Guntur):

The famous hill shrine of Trikuteswara atop the Kotappakonda in Guntur district witnesses lakhs of devotees during ‘Maha Sivaratri’. But on normal days, though it has much to offer to tourist year around, there are lesser takers.

In a bid to change this and ensure that Kotappakonda comes alive with tourists and pilgrims, efforts are being made to make the place a ‘tourist haven’ and make the tourists visit again and again. It is not just the endowments or tourism department, but every department is chipping in and taken up projects worth several crores, which are nearing completion.

According to the temple officials, the devasthanam with the help of endowments department has taken up beautification works at the cost of Rs 2.86 crore. The flooring of the temple premises has been changed with non-slippery tiles. In front of the temple entrance, the moving area has been extended and the area between Lord Ganesha statue and Gollabhama temple have been fortified with railing and a pathway of 17-foot width having interlocked bricks has been developed. Pilgrims visiting the place can have an unhindered view of the scenery from the place.

To facilitate those trekking to the hill shrine from foothills, a 40 feet shed covered with galvanised sheets is under construction. The exit area on the north side of the temple is being extended. ‘Pravachana Mandap’, ‘Yagasala’ and ‘Navagraha Mandapam’ are under construction. “We are also constructing a pilgrim hall, ‘Potu’ (temple kitchen), ‘prasadam’ counters and coconut breaking points,” explained temple executive officer D Srinivas Rao.

He added that a proposal for constructing a 300 m-long ropeway from foothills to the hill shrine will be taken up under public-private partnership mode and the works are expected to be completed in a year.

Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) has chipped in for the development of the region and is setting up a ‘Veda Pathasala’ aside from a pilgrim amenities complex with more than Rs 10 crore.

The forest department, on its part, has taken up development of the ghat section by working in tandem with the road and buildings department. An eco-park and a children park have also been constructed, which have giant working models of dinosaurs. The R&B, on its own, is constructing an island and waterfalls, while the tourism department is engaged in constructing Pagoda-style waiting halls and the RWS department has undertaken the beautification works of the temple.

Once all the works are completed, the temple will emerge as a major tourist attraction, much near to the proposed capital city on the banks of River Krishna in Thullur, the temple officials hoped.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Andhra Pradesh / by S Guru Srikanth / March 19th, 2015

Tributes paid to Kavitha Prasad

Schoolchildren and Telugu movement leaders paying tributes to Telugu scholar Rallabandi Kavitha Prasad in Vijayawada on Monday.—Photo: Ch.Vijaya Bhaskar
Schoolchildren and Telugu movement leaders paying tributes to Telugu scholar Rallabandi Kavitha Prasad in Vijayawada on Monday.—Photo: Ch.Vijaya Bhaskar

Floral tributes were paid to Rallabandi Kavitha Prasad, Joint Director of Social Welfare Department, who died in Hyderabad on Sunday.

Leaders of the Telugu Movement G.V. Purnachand and Congress party official spokesperson Kolanukonda Sivaji said the contribution of Mr Prasad to the enrichment and promotion of Telugu language was immeasurable.

He was a key member in the task force constituted by the State government to strive to get classical status for Telugu language. He was also a key person for making the World Telugu Conference held in Tirupati a great success.

With his head in Andhra Pradesh and feet in Telangana, Mr Prasad was popular with people of both the States, they said. Former MLA Malladi Vishnu, other leaders like Chennupati Seenu, ‘Hindi’ Vallabha Rao and others paid floral tributes at Prasad’s portrait placed behind Hanumantharaya Grandhayalam. Mr Prasad’s death was a big shock to Telugu language admirers, they said.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Vijayawada / by Special Correspondent / Vijayawada – March 17th, 2015

Students show the beautiful way

A girl bringing water to fill earthen pots kept for birds at Indigo Street of Balayya Sastry Layout.— Photo: C. V. Subrahmanyam
A girl bringing water to fill earthen pots kept for birds at Indigo Street of Balayya Sastry Layout.— Photo: C. V. Subrahmanyam

Taking forward the initiative of the residents of Indigo Street in Balayya Sastry Layout, students of architecture have taken up beautification.

The transformers and electric poles had been beautified with art work which students took up with their hands.

The beautification had been taken up as a part of “Urban design learning process” by students of Varaha College of Architecture and Planning.

To improve greenery in the street after the devastation caused by cyclone Hudhud, residents launched a plantation drive in December last.

To give it a character, they had planted saplings that give indigo flowers. The beautification was a continuation of that.

The students also conveyed a message to residents by painting a slogan thanking Hud Hud for reminding them of the value of nature’s motherhood.

With summer setting in, in a timely gesture, they have also put earthen bowls to provide water and grains to birds. The exercise is aimed at inculcating a sense of ownership among residents of the street, says architect Y. Narasimha Rao who lives there.

The entire exercise was carried out on Saturday and Sunday and residents were quite supportive by providing snacks, tea and butter milk and encouraged them.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Visakhapatnam / by Special Correspondent / Visakhapatnam – March 17th, 2015

Virtusa’ BPM Centre of Excellence at MVGR

(Left) MVGR College of Engineering principal KVL Raju and Virtusa Consulting Services vice-president Madhavan Seshadri (centre) releasing a brochure in Vizianagaram on Monday. MVGRCE correspondent A Raghava Rao is at right | Express Photo
(Left) MVGR College of Engineering principal KVL Raju and Virtusa Consulting Services vice-president Madhavan Seshadri (centre) releasing a brochure in Vizianagaram on Monday. MVGRCE correspondent A Raghava Rao is at right | Express Photo

Visakhapatnam :

A Head Start Programme for engineering students in Business Process Management was inaugurated at MVGR College of Engineering (MVGRCE) in Vizianagaram by Madhavan Seshadri, vice-president of Virtusa Consulting Services (Business Consulting and BPM). Aimed at improving the readiness of students in BPM technology, Virtusa Corporation, under the aegis of Pegasystems, launched the programme through Virtusa’s Centre of Excellence sanctioned to MVGRCE. Virtusa has five such centres in the world.

Speaking on the occasion, Madhavan Seshadri said that around 6,000 Pega experts are available in the world, and students of MVGRCE would be joining this elite group. It is one of the best starts for any career in IT industry as the demand for Pega experts is going to increase throughout the next decade.

“Pega experts may also get onsite job opportunities much earlier than other students,” he added. The Centre of Excellence will be instrumental in student level certification, live projects, direct employment opportunities, faculty certifications, and technology conferences.

Pega certified faculty R Ravikanth and Chaitanya from the CSE department at MVGRCE were instrumental in developing the course contents for the upcoming training modules. Principal KVL Raju and correspondent A Raghava Rao were present during the signing of the MoU between Virtusa and MVGRCE for setting up the Centre of Excellence Monday.

In an interactive session with parents and students who got placed in Virtusa, the company’s Graduate Talent Programme manager R Subramanyam Saraswathi Sarma explained the uniqueness of this initiative.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Andhra Pradesh / by Express News Service / March 10th, 2015