Monthly Archives: March 2014

Central Warehousing Corporation to celebrate Foundation Day on March 2

Business & Economy

Retired employees of various corporations in Guntur district to be felicitated

The Foundation Day of Central Warehousing Corporation (CWC) would be celebrated from 10 a.m. on March 2 at Central Warehouse, near Old Mirchi Yard in the city.

Warehousing Corporations of Pedakakani, Vadlamudi, Duggirala, Sattenapalli, Chilakaluripet, and Guntur would jointly celebrate the Foundation Day at Old Mirchi Yard on G.T. Road.

Joint Collector Vivek Yadav, District Revenue Officer K. Naga Babu, and Deputy Collector (District Vigilance Cell) E. Murali will attend the function, said CWC, Guntur Manager, G. Mohan Rao.

Retired CWC employees of various corporations in Guntur district would be felicitated during the celebrations, said Mr. Rao.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Vijayawada / by Staff Reporter / Guntur – March 01st, 2014

Hyderabad Municipal Corporation launches Rs 5 meal scheme

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Inspiration /Positive News and Features

Hyderabad :

The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) on Sunday launched a pilot centre of a scheme which would provide subsidized hot and hygienic meals to the poor for Rs 5 at Nampally Sarai.

GHMC, which plans to feed 15,000 people a day, will set up 50 such centres, each equipped to serve 300 persons.

The actual cost of the meal would be Rs 20. GHMC will bear the balance cost.

To start with, GHMC has partnered with Akshaya Patra Foundation, run by Hare Krishna Movement, which will prepare the food.

The vegetarian meal of rice, dal/sambar, sabji and pickle shall be served on first-come-first-serve basis in paper plates during 12 noon to 1 pm.

The civic body has earmarked Rs 11 crore for this in its 2014-15 budget.

GHMC commissioner Somesh Kumar said that intended beneficiaries were the migrant workerswho can not pay Rs 40-50 that a meal costs in hotels.

“I have seen many poor people at labour addas. I come from such a social background and worked with NGOs and I felt this is an opportune time,” the commissioner said when asked about the inspiration for the scheme.

As the trial run started today in collaboration with Akshaya Patra Foundation, whether it will be a single implementing agency which will prepare the food or multiple agencies will be decided in future.

Other pilot centres will come up at Koti, Chintalbasthi and Mehdipatnam, Kumar said, adding, “We will study and try to understand the issues that crop up, before feeding 15,000 people.”

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Hyderabad / by PTI / March 02nd, 2014

IIIT Students Display Their inventions

Education, Science & Technology

The International Institute of Information Technology- Hyderabad (IIIT-H) is holding a two-day exhibition titled ‘R&D Showcase-2014’ from Saturday to showcase the kind of research that is being carried by students and the works of students which have helped various businesses.

Students who are currently pursuing courses at the institute and alumni who have made it big in the outside world are exhibiting their works related to Robotics, Cognitive

Science, Education Technology & Learning Sciences, etc. ‘’Exhibiting our works at the event gives us a chance to get feedback from the industrialists and others,’’ said Akhil Nagaraya, a B Tech student who along with two others is working  on ‘Autonomous Robotic Wheelchair’, an easy-to-operate wheelchair for the disabled.

“This showcase is to demonstrate research results to technical and non-technical   people. We have invited major companies to visit the ‘R & D Showcase” said P J Narayanan, Director of IIIT-H.

“As ours is a research institute, we try to show people the technology we are  developing. It is not only about our achievements but to inspire students and others”,   said Vasudeva Varma, Dean, Research & Development.

Citing an example, Vasudeva said that in 2008, members of Rediff who had visited a   similarexhibition then had licensed the work of a student who had created a search engine which understood Indian languages. “We have also created a Centre for  Innovation & Entrepreneurship (CIE), wherein students are provided with resources to  develop their ideas” he said.

He added that when students joined the institute the institute dinned into their minds that grabbing a job in a big organisation was something ordinary but creating such an   organisation was something extraordinary.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Hyderabad / by Express News Service – Hyderabad / March 02nd, 2014

Art for Charity

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy

The present show at Taj Krishna by Hari Srinivas titled, ‘Off the walls’ is the artist’s 50th solo exhibition. The artist has decided to donate the amount from the show to the BIBI Cancer Institute and Research centre.

Trained academically as an artist, he has been working in art related streams like designing and teaching for a long time. After working within the communication stream and applied designing for almost 27 years, artist Hari Srinivas decided to concentrate completely on his paintings and is presently working as full-time freelance artist.

Srinivas refuses to adapt a single style or genre of expression for his work. He says that he enjoys the freedom to delve into multiple subjects and different styles of rendering. While some works reflect the accuracy of photorealism other works are rendered in abstract style.

The artist’s works are inspired by nature. He rejoices in creating reflections of nature through landscapes and other compositions which include natural elements in abundance. He paints portraits of men and women and also fondly recreates a few glimpses of happenings from day today life.

Through his work the artist says that he intends to bring forth to his viewers the innumerable pleasant experiences which they forget to rejoice and celebrate.

source: http://ww.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Hyderabad / by Palak Dubey – Hyderabad / February 28th, 2014

ROCKSCAPE : A Rock Solid Love!

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

RockHF11mar2014

Frauke Quader loves the rocks of the Deccan. She, along with her colleagues at the Society to Save Rocks, has been a leading force in maintaining the rock heritage of our city.

But it was not always so. Over a couple of interviews in her calmly beautiful home, she fills us in on how it all came about. The first time she came to Hyderabad was in1968, driving down with friends in her Volkswagon, from Delhi. “We stopped for lunch somewhere in North Andhra and I saw the rocks of the Deccan for the first time. I did not pay it too much mind!” It was when she got married in 1975 to a Hyderabadi and came to live here, that she started falling in love with them.

Rocks2HF11mar2014

On her walks and picnics with the family, she found many favourite rock sites. A few she mentions are, Piran Shah, a small dargah near PBEL City and its Ghar-e-Mubarak: a natural prayer room deep into the rock. In Sheikhpet, off Whisper Valley road, is the Mallikarjun Temple upon beautiful rocks. Sitting on those rocks, watching the city life unfold below, is a moment of serenity that she treasures and describes with contagious intensity!

While Hyderabad is now her home, she came from Wuppertal, a city known for lace and ribbon making and the famed dancer Pina Bausch! This is part of the Bergischesland country, which has medium size mountains of slate. She describes the soil and slate mix of the mountain side, with the slate component reflecting the sunlight, such that it is conducive to the grape vines that are grown there.

It is hard not to speculate that it is a harking back to those slate mountains that roots her love for the rocky hills here. She has been working for decades against the destruction of the rocks of Hyderabad. She tells of how prohibition of sand mining in the rivers has impacted the rocks. With rock cutters and mechanical crushers active all over the city, it is so easy to cut, crush and convert the rocks of the city into pebble and sand. Slate granite is quarried and exported. Entire hills are flattened for development.

“India has no landscape protection laws, only environment protection laws,” she says. There is a heritage protection law and Hyderabad has taken a lead in placing its stunning rock formations on the government heritage list. The Society to Save Rocks has been performing valuable service in identifying these rock formations.

For example, the Trident Hotel site in Cyberabad had some great rock formations. One of them is on the Heritage Rocks list, so it is protected. It currently forms a spectacular visual at the entrance of the hotel. Frauke tells of how this rock was named “Bear’s Nose Rock” since that is what it looked like! Perched high on a rocky outcrop it was used by walkers in the area as a “pole star” rock to find their way! While the larger formation is irretrievably gone, the heritage status of “Bear’s Nose Rock” protected it. Currently it enriches this Trident chain hotel with a uniquely Hyderabadi identity, and, keeps alive the local landscape.

Rocks3HF11mar2014

The beautiful sheet rock of Fakhruddin-gutta, which has a dargah on top and a temple inside the rocks, is also on the Heritage List. However, part of it, on one side, has been cut for an ongoing project. The Society is working to get a rock park established at Fakhruddin-gutta, to save it from any further threats. This will ensure a beautiful lung space for the city that the public can enjoy, retaining usefully the landscape heritage we have been blessed with.

Irrevocably however, too many rocks in Hyderabad are gone. Heritage precinct status has often not deterred matters. Frauke says, “What is frustrating is that the government goes against its own regulations.” While development seems unstoppable, if something is on the Heritage List of the government, it should be preserved. She describes how Venkateshwara-gutta near Shamirpet, another sheet rock formation of enormous beauty and ecological value which is on the Heritage List, is currently being broken at one end for reservoir construction. Clearly distressed, she says in a tone of forced optimism “We will have to move out of Hyderabad to Mahbubnagar to see beautiful rock formations.”

(Uma Magal is a documentary film maker, writer and teacher.)

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Feautures> MetroPlus / by Uma Magal / Hyderabad – February 27th, 2014

LVPEI plans exclusive website for visually challenged

Inspiration /Positive News and Features, Science & Technology

Will act as single platform for stakeholders to understand and exchange information about upbringing of children with vision challenges.

Eye image via Shutterstock
Eye image via Shutterstock

The rehabilitation team of Hyderabad-based not-for-profit eye care institution, LV Prasad Eye Institute (PVPEI), is contemplating developing an exclusive website for persons with visually impairment.

Apart from visually impaired , the website would also benefit those who work closely with visually impaired such as their family members, acquaintances, and professionals handling persons with vision disability, as also persons with additional disabilities.

“Our aim in developing the proposed website is to create a platform that eases access to information and knowledge related to a visually challenged person. We anticipate that this website will create a positive impact in enhancing the quality of life of a person with visual impairment, and will hopefully be an equaliser for them in the digital world,” Virender Sangwan, director (Srujana Centre for Innovation), LVPEI, said in a release on Monday.

The proposed website will act as a single platform for stakeholders to understand and exchange information about upbringing of children with vision challenges , early intervention, education, employment, low vision care, social benefits etc, both at the national and international arenas, the release said.

According to LVPEI, there are an estimated 246 million people with visual impairment globally,of whom 18 million are blind and 50 million have low vision due to untreatable eye diseases.

source: http://www.business-standard.com / Business Standard / Home> Companies> News / by BS Reporter / Hyderabad – February 28th, 2014

Mahashivarathri celebrations in Karimnagar

Arts, Culture & Entertainment
Pilgrims at Sri Raja Rajeshwara Swamy devasthanam in Vemulawada of Karimnagar town on Thursday morning on the occasion of Mahashivarathri. / Photo - by Special Arrangement / The Hindu
Pilgrims at Sri Raja Rajeshwara Swamy devasthanam in Vemulawada of Karimnagar town on Thursday morning on the occasion of Mahashivarathri. / Photo – by Special Arrangement / The Hindu

All the Shiva temples were reverberating with the chanting of “om namah shivaya”, hara hara mahadeva” on the occasion of Mahashivarathri celebrations in various parts of Karimnagar district on Thursday.

There was heavy surge of pilgrims at Sri Raja Rajeshwara Swamy devasthanam (also known as Dakshin Kashi) in Vemulawada of Karimnagar district since Wednesday onwards. The devotees formed serpentine queues since early hours after taking a holy dip in the ‘dharmagundam’.

Government Whip Arepalli Mohan, DCCB chairman K Ravinder Rao offered silk vastrams on behalf of the state government on Thursday early hours. Devasthanam chairman Bomma Venkateshwar and the temple authorities have accorded a traditional welcome to the dignitaries. Special prayers would be held at the temple shrine on Thursday evening.

Similarly, Sri Kaleshwara Muktheshwara Swamy devasthanam in Kaleshwaram of Mahadevpur mandal also witnessed heavy pilgrims rush. People took holy dip in the river Godavari and offered prayers at the temple shrine. Karimnagar range DIG RB Naik had offered prayers at the shrine. It is learnt thatthe general public faced several problems in having darshan following the authorities according priority for the VIPs.

Other Shiva shrines were also packed with the devotees in various parts of Karimnagar district including Karimnagar town.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Andhra Pradesh / by K.M. Dayashankar / Karimnagar – February 28th, 2014

170 acres handed over for new port

Business & Economy, Records, All

Nellore :

In an attempt to launch the Dugarajapatnam port works even before election notification is issued, the district administration on Tuesday handed over about 170 acres of land to the Visakhapatnam port authorities.

District collector N Srikanth said that VSP would act as nodal agency to carry out the works at Dugarajapatnam port, which is the state’s second major public sector port on which the Centre is investing nearly Rs.8,000 crore. Although, 5,028 acres have been earmarked for the construction of port near Tupilipalem village near Dugarajapatnam, the district administration handed over only around 170 acres following government instructions.

“This is only the first phase of land transfer. The remaining land would be transferred in a phased manner as we have readied the blueprint for land acquisition,” said Srikanth.

According to sources, local MP Chinta Mohan is working overtime to bring either UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi or Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to lay the foundation stone for the prestigious project before the first week of March. However, none of them have reportedly confirmed their visit to the state yet. While Sonia Gandhi wanted to visit one of the Telangana districts first, Manmohan Singh will be on a foreign tour in the first week of March.

Chinta Mohan is allegedly working hard to launch the port works before the election notification is issued and is expected to invite Union ministers and other top leaders to lay the foundation in case he fails to get the appointment of Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Hyderabad / TNN / February 27th, 2014

Political party orders keep flag making workers busy

Business & Economy
Workers at a flag-making centre in the city are busy processing the orders of various political parties on Friday | DC
Workers at a flag-making centre in the city are busy processing the orders of various political parties on Friday | DC

Hyderabad: 

With the municipal, Assembly and Parliament elections scheduled to be held in the state soon, the demand for local bands, posters, banners, pamphlets and hoardings have drastically shot up.

Twelve famous band groups have already been booked for the entire election season, hoarding manufacturers have got their hands full till March end and the prices of posters and banners have been increased by 40 per cent, especially after the creation of the Telangana state.

Famous bands like Jai Bheem Band in Khairatabad, Raj Kamal Band in Gowliguda, Pentaiah Band in Nimboliadda, Venkateshwara Band in Chintal Basti and the famous Marfa Band have all been booked in advance.

Mr Babji of Jai Bheem Band said, “A new 22 member team has been formed especially for the ensuing election season. For door-to-door canvassing, the band is charging Rs 50,000 a day while the charges for nominations and other election activities range between Rs 25,000 and Rs 30,000. Famous Hyderabadi sounds like Teen Maar, Lambadi and Marathi will be played.”

Mr Ram Singh, owner of Ram Poster & Banner Manufacture, Chapal Nagar, Mehdipatnam, said, “We are working on orders from the TRS, Congress, Telugu Desam Party, BJP, YSR Congress and even the newly introduced All India Christian Secular Party. So far the outlet has manufactured 1,200 banners for the TRS and 750 for Congress. The prices range from Rs 1,000 to Rs 10,000 depending on the size, design and quality.

Additional manpower has been brought in to complete the work on time.” Meanwhile, the demand for spray painters, car decorators and florists has shot up as well.

source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com / Deccan Chronicle / Home> Nation> Politics / by DC Correspondent / March 08th, 2014

Govt to focus on non-surgical birth control devices

Science & Technology

Visakhapatnam :

To encourage men to come forward for vasectomy, the state government has launched an extensive awareness campaign in all the districts aiming to raise the rate of procedures from 2 to 5% by March- end. While rate of tubectomy is more than 60, barely 2 to 3% opt for vasectomy due to myths associated with it. Focus is also on non-surgical ways of population stabilisation for women by popularising IUCD (intra uterine contraceptive device) method.

At present Andhra Pradesh is emphasising on population stabilisation and spacing between children since the total fertility rate at 1.8 is below the national average of 2.7.

The government also gives incentive packages to the parents, motivators and health workers worth Rs 1,000 (tubectomy) and Rs 1,500 (vasectomy).

State joint director for family welfare Dr Ch Jayakumari informed, “Under the government’s new population stabilisation policy, we have been aggressively organising special camps and awareness campaigns for men by distributing IEC (information, education, communication) material and dispelling myths so that they come forward to get vasectomy done. Only around 2-3% men undergo this operation in the state. We want to increase the rate to 5% and our expected level of achievement this year is 50,000. We want to complete at least 20,000 vasectomies by March. It’s mainly myths that one would lose his potency if operated that deter men from opting for vasectomy after birth of two children.”

Moreover, thrust is also given on non-surgical methods of spacing and birth control after the first or second Caesarian, which is also reversible.

For this, post-partum intra uterine contraceptive devices (IUCD) are being distributed to the 23 districts. The IUCDs can be inserted non-surgically for five-10 years and the woman can avoid a tubectomy.

“Health staff, nurses and gynaecologists are being trained by the family welfare department to create awareness about the use of IUCDs among women who come for delivery. This can also help check teenage or young age pregnancies by promoting spacing between children. Around 4 lakh IUCDs have been sanctioned for 23 districts and these will be distributed depending on the eligible population of each district,” added Dr Jayakumari.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Visakhapatnam / TNN / February 22nd, 2014