Andhra Pradesh introduces putti boating in Kakinada beach resort

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Nature
Putti boating has been introduced by Haritha Beach Resorts at Kakinada. (Photo: DC)
Putti boating has been introduced by Haritha Beach Resorts at Kakinada. (Photo: DC)

Kakinada:

The Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation is throwing open its facilities at the newly constructed beach  resort ‘Haritha’ at Vakalapudi Beach near Kakinada.

The APTDC has constructed 10 resorts here with air-conditioned facility at a fixed price of Rs 1,500 including food, games and other entertainment facilities.

The APTDC has made arrangements for tourists to have a cruise in the creek and the Bay of Bengal. There are small creeks between the resorts and the sea. Boating  facility  using  puttis (a round shape wooden boat) on the creeks has also been introduced.

“For the first time in Andhra Pradesh, the puttis facility has been provided at a beach resort,” said  G. Ramakrishna,  divisional manager, APTDC. He said that the facility is open to all. Jet skiing and other rides are also available.

source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com / Deccan Chronicle / Home> Nation> Current Affairs / DC Correspondent / October 29th, 2014

Acme Group wins bid for 160 MW solar projects in AP

Business & Economy, Green Initiatives / Environment, Science & Technology

Projects will require estimated investment of Rs.1,250 crore

Acme Cleantech Solutions will sign a 25-year power purchasing agreement with Southern Power Distribution Co. Ltd in Andhra Pradesh. Photo: AFP
Acme Cleantech Solutions will sign a 25-year power purchasing agreement with Southern Power Distribution Co. Ltd in Andhra Pradesh. Photo: AFP

Hyderabad:

Acme Cleantech Solutions Ltd. on Monday said it has won a bid to develop 160 megawatt (MW) of solar power projects in Andhra Pradesh.

The projects will be set up in the Anantapur, Kurnool and Chittoor districts in Andhra Pradesh and will require an estimated investment of Rs.1,250 crore, the company said in a statement.

“This win is the country’s largest win by any private solar developer,” Manoj Kumar Upadhyay, founder and chairman of Acme Group said in the statement. “With this addition, our solar power portfolio has reached 422.5 MW and we are on way to generate 1000 MW by year 2017,” Upadhyay added.

The company will sign a 25-year power purchasing agreement with Southern Power Distribution Co. Ltd in Andhra Pradesh.

A total of 51 bidders participated in the tender process.

Bifurcated Andhra Pradesh is one of the three states chosen by the union government for the power for all scheme that will ensure 24X7 power supply. The N. Chandrababu Naidu government is keen on harnessing solar energy for electricity generation.

Public sector National Thermal Power Corp. (NTPC) recently signed a memorandum of understanding with the Andhra Pradesh government to develop a 1,000 MW solar park on a build-own-operate basis with an investment of Rs.7,000 crore. The Union government also agreed to grant Rs.500 crore to Andhra Pradesh to develop 2,500 MW of solar energy, PTI reported on 24 October.

Acme Group has solar power projects in the states of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Odisha and Chhattisgarh.

source: http://www.livemint.com / Live Mint / Home> Industry / by Yogendra Kalavalapalli / Tuesday – October 28th, 2014

Heritage school faces demolition threat

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Historical Links, Pre-Independence

Visakhapatnam :

Heritage activists from the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (Intach) are apprehensive that the century-old Queen Mary’s Government High School (QMGHS) in Old Town would be pulled down citing reasons like natural calamities in the near future. During a recent visit to the school, in the aftermath of Cyclone Hudhud, education department officials from Hyderabad had suggested bringing down a portion of the school instead of wasting money on repair.

Though the cyclone partially damaged the old building, especially the roof and wooden staircases, heritage activists feel the structure is quite sturdy and can be easily restored with the help of some repairs and renovations instead of demolishing it and replacing with new constructions.

“Recently, officials from the education department in Hyderabad visited the school. It has come to our knowledge that after seeing the damages caused by Hudhud, the officials publicly expressed their intention to replace the damaged heritage structure with new constructions. However, despite being one of the oldest buildings of Vizag, the lime and mortar structure is quite sturdy and can withstand the ravages of time. It only needs some repair and renovation of the roof and staircases,” Intach’s Vizag chapter convener P V Prasad said.

According to government sources, some months ago a sum of Rs 32 lakh was sanctioned by the state education department for construction of a new school building in the existing premises but the funds were later diverted to other “needy” schools. The century-old school has a strength of 1,300 students and around 60 teachers, besides 15 non-teaching staff. The building, which now houses the school, was earlier a medical school and before that housed the Old Collectorate in the early 19th century.

When contacted, school staffers admitted that while there was some talk of carrying out construction work in the premises, they said they are not aware of the detailed plan.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Visakhapatnam /  TNN / October 29th, 2014

Kursura faces erosion threat

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Records, All, Science & Technology

Visakhapatnam :

Vizag’s pride, the Kursura Submarine Museum may have stood tall against burly 200kmph winds unleashed by Cyclone Hudhud, but the threat of erosion is now posing a danger to one of the city’s biggest attractions with morning walkers on Tuesday observing waves lapping right at the base of the submarine.

According to oceanography experts, the area around the only submarine museum in South Asia may witness further erosion – especially the area north of Kursura and up to 50 metres behind the museum.

In fact, post cyclone Hudhud, erosion is being witnessed all along the coast, including behind the Vuda Park near the East Point Lighthouse and also a nearly 200-metre stretch in Bheemili.

Experts said that the Visakhapatnam Urban Development Authority (Vuda) in consultation with the Indian Navy should immediately take up measures to protect Kursura, which was India’s fourth submarine and served for nearly 31 years.

“In the last two days, high winds have been hitting the coast due to the onset of the north-east monsoon due to which the sea waves are also increasing. A situation similar to the one that took place earlier this year, when one portion of Beach Road collapsed, may occur in the next few months,” said an oceanography expert from Andhra University.

Concurring, another ocean scientist warned: “Earlier the protection wall served as a defence for the submarine, but now the northern side is also exposed. In the next four months, due to the sea currents flowing from north to south, the area in front of Kursura and immediately behind it is likely to witness more erosion.”

“We are noticing that now the sand deposition is taking place near RK Beach and Coastal Battery side due to coastal currents,” he said while pointing out that the rate of deposition is less than the rate of erosion.

Meanwhile, sources at Vuda lamented that the lack of a full-time vice-chairman was hampering the urban development body from taking any decisions. A Vuda official said, “We have cleaned up the submarine museum premises, but we can’t allow visitors from a safety and security point of view because the sea side stretch is now open without the protection wall.”

“Even though the Indian Navy is regularly monitoring the situation, we have to take up work immediately for raising the protection wall failing which it can cause further damage.”

“About 275 metres length of wall has to be built and landscaping needs to be taken up, but as of now the in-charge vice chairman (who is also the EPDCL CMD) is himself busy with restoring power lines across north coastal districts, so the state government has to understand the situation and depute a full-time VC.”

Meanwhile, a Navy spokesperson said the Navy was planning to do the needful and something more “permanent and lasting” to secure the unique museum.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Visakhapatnam / by Manish, TNN / October 29th, 2014

15-year-old helps save the day

Education, Inspiration /Positive News and Features, Science & Technology
Executive Vice-chairman and Director of National Institute of Amateur Radio S. Ram Mohan and Tom K Jose of Hyderabad who played an active role in the relief works of the recent Hudhud Cyclone. Photo: Nagara Gopal / The Hindu
Executive Vice-chairman and Director of National Institute of Amateur Radio S. Ram Mohan and Tom K Jose of Hyderabad who played an active role in the relief works of the recent Hudhud Cyclone. Photo: Nagara Gopal / The Hindu

Uses his Ham radio skills to gather vital information during Hudhud. One contact talked about trees falling at a Jain temple in Bhimli and resulting in precarious conditions. The young Ham immediately passed on the information to senior officials, who in turn directed their field personnel.

For a week, Tom K. Jose kept his studies aside, travelled to a cyclone-hit city and used his Ham radio skills to contribute to disaster management.

When Hudhud swept through Visakhapatnam disrupting its communication network and a team of amateur radio (Ham) operators from the city were sought, the 15-year-old student of Little Flower Junior College, Uppal, volunteered for the task.

With his call sign, VU3TMO, Tom was stationed in the control room set up at Visakhapatnam Police Commissionerate and spent long hours collecting messages from other team members spread over the cyclone affected areas and passed them on to the administration for relief measures.

The intermediate first year student, who got his Ham licence at the age of 13, along with colleagues, operated under adverse conditions, often skipping meals and spending long hours before the radio, waiting for it to crackle with messages. “For seven days, I was at the Visakhapatnam Police Commissionerate and one day at the District Collector’s office at Srikakulam and made anywhere up to 500 contacts,” says Tom.

One contact talked about trees falling at a Jain temple in Bhimli and resulting in precarious conditions. The young Ham immediately passed on the information to senior officials, who in turn directed their field personnel, and the situation was attended to. Another was a contact from Bangalore who was desperately trying to locate his brother and sister in the Hudhud affected area. “We operated without checking the watch or caring whether it was day or night. We had to just sit in front of the radio and wait for a contact,” he says.

Tom, who got his licence when he was in class 9, explores the Ham world and so far, has contacted more than 150 countries and received appreciations for his operational skills from Ham associations from different parts of the globe, including US, Germany and Japan. He comfortably juggles his hobby with studies and says, “Each night after studies I spend 30 minutes to 45 minutes with the radio apart from a brief tryst in the morning before going to college.”

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Telangana / by T. Lalith Singh / Hyderabad – October 26th, 2014

Andhra Pradesh gets its own Film Chamber

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Records, All
Andhra Pradesh Map
Andhra Pradesh Map

Guntur:

 A separate film chamber was launched for AP state on Saturday at Tadepalli of Guntur district.

Film director Dileep Raja said that in view of bifurcation, Seemandhra Film Chamber of Commerce was formed for the welfare of AP film industry with the cooperation of producers and directors. He said that disputes are common in the film industry and various organisations work to resolve them.

Welcoming the new capital at Vijayawada, he said that there were lots of chances for development of the Telugu film industry in Vijayawada and Guntur.

source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com / Deccan Chronicle / Home> Nation> Current Affairs / DC Correspondent / October 26th, 2014

Varun group starts work on 5-star hotel in Vijayawada

Business & Economy

Visakhapatnam-based Varun group has started work on its five-star hotel project in Vijayawada, according to the Managing Director V Prabhu Kishore.

He said in an interview that more than ₹100 crore would be spent on the hotel and “it may be completed in three years or so”. He said the group had first built a five-star hotel on the beach road — Varun Beach Novotel — here; this hotel suffered minimal damage during the recent cyclone due to precautionary measures.

“Fortunately, we weathered the storm and we did our best to provide all comforts to our guests even on the cyclone day. It is the worst natural disaster to have befallen the city at a most crucial time in its history but we will overcome it,” he said, adding that it was a blow to the tourism and hospitality sectors.

However, he said, the outlets of Varun Motors and other units of the group suffered considerable damage from Hudhud in the districts of Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam and “we estimate the loss to be ₹8.5-9 crore. We expect insurance companies to settle claims quickly.” He said the Varun Group would carry on undaunted in spite of the cyclone and contribute its mite to the relief work.

source: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com / Business Line / Home> Companies / by CH Sharma / Visakhapatnam – October 26th, 2014

First Case Under ‘FIR at Doorstep’ Registered in Vijayawada

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Records, All

Vijayawada :  

The Vijayawada Police today filed the first case under the ‘FIR at doorstep’ initiative.

A case of suicide was registered by Penamaluru police and copy of the first information report or FIR was handed over to the deceased man’s relatives on the spot, said sub-inspector Murali Krishna.

The deceased was identified as U Sanjveev Kumar, an auto rickshaw driver

The ‘FIR at doorstep’ initiative was launched by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on October 21 in Vijayawada, under which the victims or their relatives do not have to visit the police station as police visit the place of crime and complete the formalities on the spot.

source: http://www.ndtv.com / NDTV / Home> Sections> South / Press Trust of India / October 25th, 2014

PricewaterhouseCoopers to hardsell ‘Brand Andhra Pradesh’ to Far East

Business & Economy, Nature, World Opinion

Hyderabad :

In his maiden visit to the Far East after taking over as chief minister, Chandrababu Naidu  will don the role of chief executive officer of Andhra Pradesh  in clinching business deals and attracting investors to the state.

Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu.
Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu.

There is nothing new in this. Even during his last tenure Naidu played the role of a CEO but what is new is that he has hired leading consultant PricewaterhouseCoopers Pvt Ltd (PwC) to sell ‘Brand Andhra Pradesh’ to the governments and investors in China, Japan and South Korea when he visits these countries in November-December.

Hired at a cost of Rs 47 lakh, excluding applicable service taxes, PwC will in its capacity as Content Developer and Investment Facilitator prepare the ground for the CM’s visit, fix the appointments and sell the state in order to mop up investments. As per the GO issued on Saturday, PwC will bring out an attractive investment booklet for the AP government and prepare an infrastructure opportunities profile of the state. “The Knowledge Consultant Provider will also extend all support for the delegation planning. PwC team members will also accompany the Naidu’s delegation comprising ministers, state government officials and representatives of the industry from the state,” sources in the Naidu government told STOI.

CorporateANDHRA28oct2014

Naidu, who has prepared a massive plan to bring in investments to his proposed industrial hubs and corridors, wants to conduct negotiations with the government and corporate bosses in these countries not like a chief minister of a small state in India but like head of a global corporate brand. “Naidu does not want to depend wholly on bureaucrats, who are known for quoting rules and introducing impediments. The Far East visit is on a business mission, not a diplomatic one which is why Naidu wants to project himself as a corporate personality rather than the political head of a south Indian province,” remarked sources in the government.

A PwC team will shortly be placed at the disposal of the Chief Minister’s Office, the sources added. Given the success of his business delegation to Naya Raipur in Chhattisgarh last month, officials here are hopeful that Naidu’s visit will be fruitful.

Naidu during his first tenure had successfully sold Hyderabad and secured investments from top IT companies like Microsoft that gave a new meaning to the erstwhile Nizam’s city and created a new image. In fact he was the first chief minister to take advantage of liberalization in the 1990s. Other chief ministers – including now Prime Minister Narendra Modi followed in the footsteps of Naidu.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> India / TNN / October 26th, 2014

Trimex Sands Ltd. to build cyclone shelters

Business & Economy, Green Initiatives / Environment, Science & Technology
Trimex Sands Private Limited Managing Director Koneru Prasad handing over a demand draft for Rs. 50 lakh to Chief Minister N.Chandrababu Naidu during latter's visit to Srikakuam, towards relief operations in cyclone-hit areas.PHOTO: By Arrangement
Trimex Sands Private Limited Managing Director Koneru Prasad handing over a demand draft for Rs. 50 lakh to Chief Minister N.Chandrababu Naidu during latter’s visit to Srikakuam, towards relief operations in cyclone-hit areas.PHOTO: By Arrangement

Cyclone shelters have been planned in Gara and Srikakulam mandals with a fund of Rs. 3 crore

Trimex Sands Private Limited (TSPL), which is worrying with the suspension of its operations due to protests by the local residents, is trying to win hearts of both locals and the administration with a series of CSR activities. It came forward to construct cyclone relief shelters in Gara and Srikakulam mandals with an involvement of an expenditure of Rs.3 crore.

TSPL Managing Director Koneru Pradeep has already shown the designs for the cyclone shelters to Chief Minister N.Chandrababu Naidu during the latter’s visit to Srikakulam and handed over Rs.50 lakh for carrying out immediate relief operations in the cyclone-hit areas of the district.

He also promised the Chief Minister that the company would supply safe drinking water by constructing reverse osmosis plants under the NTR Sujaladhara programme.

“We will cover 30 villages under this programme. The company has already constructed an English medium school with a fund of Rs. 2.5 crore. We have planned to improve health and education in fishermen villages,” said Mr. Pradeep.

Labour Minister Kinjarapu Atchannaidu, Srikakulam MP Kinjarapu Rammohan hailed the move by the company. They suggested other companies to follow the suit since more funds were needed to improve civic infrastructure in the coastal villages.

Meanwhile, Srikakulam District Industrial Centre has planned to organise another meeting with various industries in Srikakulam for taking up CSR activities in a big way. DIC General Manager B.Gopala Krishna said that the companies, with their constant efforts and social service activities, should instil confidence among the local villagers.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Andhra Pradesh / by Staff Reporter / Srikakulam – October 25th, 2014