Category Archives: World Opinion

Andhra Pradesh: Farmers export plant material

Agriculture, Business & Economy, Nature, World Opinion

Local farmers get direct export orders from agents in the Gulf

The farmers export tall plants which grow to a height ranging from four to eight feet and aged two years and above by placing them in cocoa peat, to bring down the weight of the plant. (Representational Image)
The farmers export tall plants which grow to a height ranging from four to eight feet and aged two years and above by placing them in cocoa peat, to bring down the weight of the plant. (Representational Image)

Rajahmundry:

Given the huge demand for ornamental, fruit and ‘avenue’ plants from Kadiam nurseries in the Gulf, nursery farmers have exported plant material worth over $1.5 lakh to Dubai, Singapore and other countries in the current fiscal year, so far. Fruit plants like mango, ‘sapota’, guava, jackfruit, orange, ‘nerudu’, and ornamental plants like several varieties of colourful croton and ‘avenue’ plants like ashoka, kanuga, coconut, palm and others are being raised in plant nurseries located in several villages in Kadiam mandal in East Godavari. These plants are in huge demand in several Gulf countries. Local farmers get direct export orders from agents in the Gulf.

The farmers export tall plants which grow to a height ranging from four to eight feet and aged two years and above by placing them in cocoa peat, to bring down the weight of the plant. The farmers transport the plants in big refrigerated containers on trucks to the sea ports located either in Visakhapatnam or Chennai to export to the Gulf in cargo vessels. The plants can survive for a period ranging from 15 to 20 days in these refrigerated containers.

Horticulture authorities say that the quantum of export of plants to foreign countries from Kadiam nurseries is 0.5 per cent of the total potential and underlines the importance of enhance it to at least 10 per cent, so that local farmers benefit. The authorities also feel the need to tap the plant market in the US, as there has been no export business carried out here by Indian farmers. They say that the plant quarantine is imperative to create an export market.

This is mainly because no plant with pesticide residue will be accepted abroad. In addition, the plant must be ‘whole’, meaning its stem, branches and leaves must be healthy. They must also be free of diseases and pests and show no signs of this, in the form of scars. At present, the authorities are depending upon analysis of plant material at the Horticulture Research Station.

source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com / Deccan Chronicle / Home> Nation> Current Affairs / by Sampat G. Samaritan, Deccan Chronicle / November 27th, 2017

International air cargo complex opened in Vizag

Business & Economy, Records, All, World Opinion
In big league: P. Ashok Gajapathi Raju loading cargo onto a scanner at the international air cargo complex on Tuesday. | Photo Credit: C.V.Subrahmanyam
In big league: P. Ashok Gajapathi Raju loading cargo onto a scanner at the international air cargo complex on Tuesday. | Photo Credit: C.V.Subrahmanyam

We have achieved turnaround in the aviation sector, says Ashok Gajapathi Raju

Union Civil Aviation Minister P. Ashok Gajapathi Raju on Tuesday said the Central government had reshaped the ecosystem to make the aviation sector in the country the third largest market in the world by bringing about a remarkable improvement in its ranking.

Mr. Gajapathi Raju was speaking after inaugurating the international air cargo complex here in the presence of Visakhapatnam MP K. Haribabu, CEO and Executive Director of GSEC (O&M agency) Samir Mankad, CMD Rakesh Shah, Vice-Chairman and Managing Director of AP Trade Promotion Corporation (APTPC) M. Sadhu Sundar and Director of Visakhapatnam International Airport G. Prakash Reddy.

“Before the NDA formed the government, it was ranked 13th from the bottom. During 70 years after Independence, only 71 airports had scheduled flights. We have created 80 airports in past three and a half years improving the connectivity,” he said. A long-awaited demand, the complex is spread over 674.64 square metres at the old terminal with facilities such as cold room for pharmaceutical and perishable products, strong room for valuable cargo, X-ray machine, explosive trace detector (ETD), CCTV cameras, material handling, and fire-fighting infrastructure. The complex is fully compliant with Customs as well as the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security.

The facility is expected to give a boost to export of pharmaceuticals, seafood, garments and metallurgical products. Initially, the complex will handle five tonnes per day.

The Minister said their focus was on improving rural connectivity and offering the luxury of flying from one place to another to all sections of society.

Mr. Haribabu in his remarks recalled how the airport was developed in phases and mentioned that the work on six parking bays was almost complete and once they were open for night-time parking of aircraft, the operators could introduce late night and early morning flights to various destinations.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Andhra Pradesh / by Special Correspondent / Visakhapatnam – November 22nd, 2017

‘The Met’ comes calling to Amaravathi Heritrage Town

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Records, All, World Opinion
A file photo of Deputy Director of The Metropolitan Museum of Art Carrie Barratt and Chief Curator Dr. John Guy with Prof Amareswar Galla at the Amaravathi Museum.
A file photo of Deputy Director of The Metropolitan Museum of Art Carrie Barratt and Chief Curator Dr. John Guy with Prof Amareswar Galla at the Amaravathi Museum.

New York museum to hold exhibition on Buddhism

The historic legacy of Buddhism and the famous Amaravati School of art brought senior personnel from the New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art (‘The Met’) to the Amaravathi Heritage Town (ATH) by the banks of the Krishna river, 35 km north of Guntur. The Met, among the most renowned museums in the world, is planning an exhibition on Buddhism in October 2020. Following the Buddha’s footprints in Sarnath, Bodh Gaya, Jeta Vanam, Nalanda and other places mainly in northern India, its Deputy Director Carrie Barratt and Chief Curator Dr. John Guy spent a day in Amaravathi, with Chief Curator of the ATH and heritage advisor to the Andhra Pradesh government Amareswar Galla.

Going around the town, Ms. Barratt was particularly taken with the theme of Ma Vooru Ma Kodallu (’Our Town Our Daughters-in-Law’), an initiative mediated by local women to bring together the people of the town. “Working with local women to turn the museum into a community centre for learning and engagement is an incredible thing and very inspiring,” said Ms. Barratt.

Limor Tomer, General Manager, MetLiveArts, The Met’s performing arts programme, said such collaborations juxtapose art and sculpture with contemporary creativity and bring museum collections alive for diverse and growing audiences.

Dr. Galla said the significance of Buddhism in Andhra Pradesh is its outstanding universal value. Conservation and heritage tourism must integrate sites such as the ATH, he said.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Andhra Pradesh / by P. Sujatha Varma / Vijayawada – November 21st, 2017

How a sanctuary in Andhra Pradesh is becoming a reserve of the rare Fishing Cat

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Green Initiatives / Environment, Nature, Records, All, World Opinion

In 2008, the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) classified the rare Fishing Cat as endangered. They mostly in the vicinity of wetlands, along rivers, in swamps, and mangrove forests.

But as many as 15 Fishing Cats were recorded in the pilot project conducted at the Krishna Wildlife Sanctuary in Andhra Pradesh in 2014-16.

The sanctuary is a rare eco-region with vast tracts of pristine mangrove forests. It has the potential to become the world’s first reserve of the Fishing Cat.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Sci-Tech> Environment / November 09th, 2017

CANEUS International to set up space science and research center in Andhra Pradesh

Business & Economy, Science & Technology, World Opinion

SpaceANDHRA18nov2017

Hyderabad :

CANEUS International, involved in satellite and space technology has signed a tripartite agreement with the Andhra Pradesh Economic Development Board (APEDB) and the Andhra Pradesh State Skills Development Corporation (APSSDC) to establish a Center of Excellence on Space Sciences and Technologies for Development (CoE4SSTD) in Hindpur, Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh.

This MoU was signed by Milind Pimprikar, Chairman, CANEUS and J Krishna Kishore, CEO, APEDB in the presence of Chief Guest Simonetta Di Pippo, Director, UNOOSA (United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs) an Italian astro-physicist with over 30 years of expertise in aerospace affairs and senior officials of ISRO in Bengaluru.

The International Astronomical Union (IAU) had in fact named an asteroid 20887 “dipippo” after Pippo recognizing her contribution to space exploration.

The CoE4SSTD is expected to help build capacities and capabilities in space science and research. Andhra Pradesh will partner, collaborate and assist the CoE4SSTD and help align the state with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

It will be developed over a 60 acres of land in Hindupur, and create opportunities for 500 highly skilled direct jobs and over 1000 indirect jobs in AP and will provide the much needed fillip for the aerospace and defense ecosystem in Anantapur. It is likely to be completed by the end of 2018. Anantapur has already seen Kia motors, BEL and other major investments

CANEUS International, a non-profit organisation of professionals involved in public private partenrhsips in aeronautics, space and defence recently set up a facility for manufacturing small satellites in Nagpur.

Krishna Kishore, CEO, APEDB said, “’Fostering such collaborations remains a key focus for Andhra Pradesh. This Centre of Excellence will also build deep industry-relevant capabilities and develop a pipeline of talent to support our growing aerospace industry and create an excellent ecosystem for turning Anantapur as a manufacturing hub.”

Milind Pimprikar, Chairman, CANEUS said “This knowledge-intensive space industry is an exciting niche opportunity for Andhra Pradesh and the state has the potential to create valuable technology-based careers for those focusing on emerging technologies for solving problems while ushering in Industry 4.0.”

source: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com / Business Line / Home> News> National / by M. Somasekhar / November 17th, 2017

Rajani looks to successful foray in World Cup

Records, All, Sports, World Opinion
Etimarpu Rajani | Photo Credit: KommuriSrinivas
Etimarpu Rajani | Photo Credit: KommuriSrinivas

Plans to meet Chief Minister soon

It took 13 years for Indian Women Hockey team to break the jinx and score a historic win over China 5-4 in a nail-biting finish to lift the Asia Cup and qualify for the World Cup next year.

Recalling the glorious moments in a conversation with The Hindu here, Etimarpu Rajani, member of the Indian hockey team says trouncing defending champion Japan in the semis provided the much needed tempo to outwit China.

“Hard work paid dividends. Our coach Harendra Singh sir helped us perform to our full potential,” Rajani adds, reminiscing the win against our eastern neighbour.

Bubbling with confidence, the 27-year-old says, “we will go all out to bag gold in the Jakarta Palembang Asian games and prove our mettle in the quadrennial event as well.”

She plans to meet the Chief Minister N.Chandrababu Naidu shortly who, she says, always gives big support for sportspersons

Rajani, the second goalkeeper of the team has over 50 international caps to her credit which includes her participation in the 2014–15 Women’s FIH Hockey World League and Rio Olympic Games to which India qualified after a gap of 36 years.

She was felicitated at a function got up here on Sunday by National BC Employees Association President and Viswabrahamana Joint Action Committee Chairman Pavaluri Hanumantha Rao.

Rajani, the daughter of a carpenter from a nondescript Yerraaripalem village, near Tirupati also nurtures a goal of starting an academy to spot talented boys and girls especially from rural Andhra Pradesh and hone their skills, after playing for the country for another four or five years.

She took to playing the game in 2005 when her school Physical Education Teacher Venkat Raja spotted talent in her and her skills were honed further by hockey coach Ismail.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Andhra Pradesh / by Special Correspondent / Ongole – November 13th, 2017

This 5-Year-Old Andhra Girl Has Created Two Archery Records in a Day

Amazing Feats, Records, All, Sports, World Opinion

She created two records on Sunday to enter the Asia Book of Records and the India Book of Records, and it’s not her first time!

When Dolly Shivani Cherukuri from Vijayawada was nearing two, she became the youngest Indian archer to score more than 200 points at a trial event.

And boy was she young!

Three years later, Dolly has done it again. On Sunday, the now 5-year-old created two records to enter the Asia Book of Records and the India Book of Records.

According to Deccan Chronicle , Dolly created the first record by shooting 103 arrows to a distance of 10m in just 11 minutes, 19 seconds.

She used the Indian arrow and a compound bow – one that uses a levering system to bend the limbs.

Dolly Shivani Cherukuri. Source: Facebook
Dolly Shivani Cherukuri. Source: Facebook

She created the second record by shooting 36 arrows from a distance of 20m in 5 minutes, 8 seconds. Out of 360 points, she scored 290.

“The performance of Shivani was outstanding, and an archer in their teens cannot do the feat done by Shivani. It was a big challenge for her in this age, and we appreciate the efforts of Volga Archery Academy for their training,” B. Shravan Kumar, an official from Archery Association of India, told Deccan Chronicle.

Dolly comes from a family of archers. Her father runs an archery academy, and her older brother, who unfortunately passed away six years ago, was an international archer as well as coach.

The records certificates were handed over to Dolly’s father, Cherukuri Satyanarayana, by the officials of Asia Books of Records.

source: http://www.thebetterindia.com / The Better India / Home> Andhra Pradesh> Quick Bytes / by Deepika Bharadwaj / September 2017

A techie’s tryst with mangrove crab

Agriculture, Business & Economy, World Opinion
Pirati Kanumuru with a wild crab at his pond near Konduru village in Krishna district. | Photo Credit: T_ APPALA NAIDU
Pirati Kanumuru with a wild crab at his pond near Konduru village in Krishna district. | Photo Credit: T_ APPALA NAIDU

Reaping profits with export to China

A young Hyderabad-based techie, Pirati Kanumuru, has tapped potential of mangrove crab (Scylla serrata) cultivation in the artificial ponds near Konduru mandal headquarters in Krishna district. Mr. Kanumuru was born in Konduru mandal.

Managing to collect above 6,500 mangrove crabs from the Krishna Wildlife Sanctuary and other mangrove patches in Krishna and Guntur districts for every 90 days, the techie is reaping profits by exporting them to Singapore and China. The Yanadi tribal families collect the crab from the mangrove forest.

Fattening technology

“I have recently held talks with middlemen to export the wild crab to a few South Asian countries. The talks are in a crucial stage now,” Mr. Kanumuru told The Hindu. Beginning with a pilot project testing the survival and feasibility to cultivate the wild crab in the artificial ponds in 2015, Mr. Kanumuru had spread the wild crab cultivation in the six acres now.

The growth of the wild crab being collected from the mangrove forest is fast. The crab would gain weight of up to two kilograms within the three months in the crab fattening technology. In the fattening technology, the crab is left to grow in the floating cage.

“In the international market, a kilogram live crab fetches ₹1,000 to ₹1,200. The profit on each crab for each cultivation season (three-months) is clearly double in the existing market prices,” added Mr. Kanumuru. The techie had installed Closed Circuit cameras covering all the ponds here, inspecting the groundwork and day-to-day developments through online from Hyderabad. The crab fattening technology enables to go for any inter-crop in the same pond as the cages with crab are required to float on the pond. “The existing United Nation’s guidelines will not encourage the mass collection of the wild crab (Scylla serrata) from the mangrove crab, citing a threat to the brackishwater species. There is a need to develop hatcheries to encourage the crab cultivation,” said Mr. Kanumuru.

Hatchery in Bapatla

The State government with the support of the Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Aquaculture has proposed to set up a wild crab hatchery in Bapatla in Guntur district. In 2014, the Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture, Chennai, has introduced the crab fattening technology in Sorlagondi forest in Krishna district, involving the Yanadi tribal families those engaged in the collection of the wild crab from the mangrove cover.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Andhra Pradesh / by T. Appala Naidu / Koduru (Krishna) , October 30th, 2017

Araku Balloon Festival – Hot-air balloons to colour Araku sky!

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Sports, World Opinion

ArakuBalloonsANDHRA10nov2017

Come November 14 and colourful hot air balloons will dot the sky above the picturesque Araku Valley, the hill station near Vizag, for three days. “Araku Balloon Festival”, an international festival organised by Andhra Pradesh Tourism, is set to pull travel writers, photographers, hot air balloon enthusiasts from across the world to the valley in the mountainous range of the Eastern Ghats.

To be held till November 16, the festival will lit up the sky throughout the day and night on all the three days and enthusiasts would get to witness balloons of different shapes and sizes adorn the sky in the non-ticketed festival.

“It’s an international festival so there will be fifteen teams of balloons and their pilots from eleven countries coming in. This is a tourism department initiative and the AP tourism has launched this event to increase tourism in the area. We will also have fifteen hot air balloons flown in for the do,” says Paul, one of the organisers of the festival.

When prod, Tourism ED Sriramulu Naidu refrained from confirming any details but said that he will make everything public once he receives the information. “So far I have not received the final concept from the organisers. There are a few details that need to be ironed out. Maybe it will reach me in the next few days,” he informed.
Paul however, states that if they manage to pull off the festival as planned, it will be one of the best balloon fests in the country. “There will be balloons operating during sunrise, and also have other balloons that will operate on a night glow concept in the evening,” he says.

But what has gotten the youngsters in the city excited are the three special-shaped balloons that will be displayed at the festival. Namely a massive ‘Bee’, a seahorse shaped balloon called ‘Neptuno’ and ‘Iwi the Kiwi’, are expected to pull a large gatherings to the festival.

Apart from the colourful and dazzling hot air balloons, para-motoring displays, a hare and hound race and others events will also be a part of the festival itinerary to keep festival-goers hooked on all there days.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News> City News> Visakhapatnam News / Neeshita Nyayapati / TNN / November 03rd, 2017

Andhra Pradesh Farmers Fly To Singapore, Hotels And Food On Government

Agriculture, Business & Economy, World Opinion

Officials say the farmers are expected to learn from Singapore how to invest the funds they have earned in exchange for their land, “so that Amravati can become another Singapore”.

The first batch of farmers left this morning for the airport in a bus flagged off by CM Naidu.

Hyderabad :

Cash-strapped Andhra Pradesh is sending over 100 farmers to Singapore so they can see how the land bought from them will be used for the development of new capital Amravati, and also how they can invest their new-found wealth.

These are farmers who signed off their land to the Capital Region Development Authority for the building of Amravati after Andhra Pradesh lost Hyderabad to new state Telangana after bifurcation. Around 26,000 farmers gave up around 33,000 acres of land.

Sources say the government, in partnership with Singapore, has put up Rs. 40 lakh for the tour plan, hotels and food while the farmers, wealthier after being compensated for their land, are paying for the ticket.

The first batch of 34 farmers, selected through a draw of lots, left this morning for the airport in a bus flagged off by Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu. “These farmers have created a world record by making a success of land pooling. They should learn how Singapore has developed and their best practices,” Mr Naidu said.

There will be four batches and a total of 123 farmers will tour Singapore. Many have never gone abroad and were full of doubts.

K Adilakshmi from Tullur, who had given five acres of land, said she is happy that farmers are being made partners in the region that originally belonged to them. “I am sure we will learn a lot from Singapore,” she said.

Officials say the farmers are expected to learn from Singapore how to invest the funds they have earned in exchange for their land, “so that Amravati can become another Singapore”.

Critics say while thousands of farmers gave up their land, only those seen to be close to the ruling party were shortlisted for the foreign trip.

A consortium of Singapore firms, Surbana Jurong, is the lead consultant for building Amravati in 20 years at a cost of Rs. 55,000 crore.

The farmers’ group is expected to visit Singapore’s Centre for Liveable Cities and the Singapore Art Museum. There will also be a session on construction laws for apartments.

source: http://www.ndtv.com / NDTV / Home> Andhra Pradesh> Sections / by Uma Sudhir / October 31st, 2017