Date:02/05/2004 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2004/05/02/stories/2004050202830400.htm

Former APCC SC Cell chief's missive to Sonia

HYDERABAD: G. B. Shyam Rao, who was recently removed from the post of chairman of SC Cell of APCC, has shot off a letter to the party president, Sonia Gandhi, seeking justice and cancellation of the termination letter.

At a press conference here on Saturday, he denied the allegations levelled against him by the chairman of the AICC's SC Cell, G. Venkatswamy, of having indulged in `anti-party activities'. He said that Mr. Venkataswamy bore a personal grudge against him. Mr. Shyam Rao said that he had subsequently met Ms. Gandhi when she came for campaign in Vijayawada and was given to understand that the decision was taken without her knowledge.

Transco losses: CBI probe sought

CUDDAPAH: The District Congress Committee president, Shaik Hussain, on Saturday demanded an enquiry by the CBI or a sitting judge into the causes for AP Transco incurring heavy losses.

Addressing a press conference here, he alleged unauthorised power drawal by Cuddapah Spinning Mills, belonging to the Telugu Desam Party Politburo member and candidate for Cuddapah Assembly constituency, Kandula Sivananda Reddy, for four years which ran into crores of rupees. He charged Transco officials with being lackadaisical all along fearing him as he was a ruling party leader. The officials raided the mills and slapped a fine on it last week, fearing action as the Congress Government was set to regain power, he alleged.

98.5 p.c. hostellers pass SSC.

Hyderabad: The AP Residential Educational Institutions Society has announced that 98.5 per cent of its students have passed the SSC examinations with 94.9 per cent achieving a first class.

A total of 5,660 students from 84 schools appeared for the public exam, according to a press release. Of these, 57 schools achieved a cent per cent pass rate and 28 schools had all students passing in first class. Five of its students ranked in the top ten.

In the 49 general schools, 99.1 per cent students passed the exam and 99.4 per cent of the 27 BC schools passed the exam, while 82.3 per cent of the students in the eight Urdu schools were successful. The percentage of students getting first class was above 96 per cent in the first two category schools. In Urdu medium schools, 53 per cent students secured first class.

Textbooks at schools urged

HYDERABAD: The State Council of Andhra Pradesh State Teachers' Union has demanded supply of textbooks to students of standards I to X at schools before they reopen. The Government itself should ensure that the books reach the institutions, a resolution adopted at the two-day meeting of the council, which concluded at Ramachandrapuram on April 30, stated.

It said the Government should take suitable steps to expeditiously dispose of the case pertaining to common service rules pending in the Supreme Court.

The meeting unanimously elected A. Anantaramulu as president and P. Subba Reddy as general secretary of the union, according to a press release.

Barnala condoles MP Governor's death

HYDERABAD: The Governor, Surjit Singh Barnala, expressed shock and deep grief over the death of his counterpart in Madhya Pradesh, Ram Prakash Gupta, at the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi, today.

In a condolence message, Mr. Barnala described Gupta as a highly disciplined pracharak of the RSS, an able parliamentarian, efficient administrator and a true nationalist. "He was groomed as a dynamic public-spirited leader who served Uttar Pradesh in various capacities, including chief minister.

BIS raids water packaging unit

HYDERABAD: Officials of the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) raided Neelam Beverages which was reportedly manufacturing packaged drinking water with fake BIS mark. In a press release issued here, the BIS said that a large quantity of packaged water was seized during the raid.

The BIS said units should not use the BIS mark without a valid BIS licence and appealed to the general public to pass on the information on any such misuse to its office located at Nampally Station Road, fax at 23201241 or email at `hyd2_bishbo@sancharnet.in'.

Vedic Sammelan on May 8, 9

VISAKHAPATNAM: Vedic sammelan will be held on May 8 and 9 at Bobbili in which 60 Vedic scholars of all four Vedas will participate. About 30 Vedic students belonging to Vizianagaram, Srikakulam and Visakhapatnam districts and studying in Veda pathasalas and gurukulas in Kanchi, Srisailam, Madipadu, Kapileswarapuram, Annavaram, Mahanandi, Rajahmundry, Vizianagaram will take examinations during this meeting. Raja of Bobbili, R.V.G.K. Ranga Rao will be the chief guest. Sadguru Kandukuri Sivananda Murthy will honour the scholars, said D. Bhaskara Murthy, secretary of Uttarandhra Veda Vidya Trust.

One hurt in bomb attack

KURNOOL: A person identified as Timma Reddy (40) was hurt in a bomb attack at Yanagandla village near Banaganapalli in Kurnool district on Friday night. According to reports, the victim had a dispute with the family of one Sambasiva Reddy over sinking of a borewell in the field. The latter allegedly threw a crude bomb at Timma Reddy causing him splinter injuries.

S. M. Krishna at Tirumala

TIRUMALA: The Karnataka Chief Minister, S.M. Krishna, accompanied by his wife, Prema, and other family members, offered prayers in the temple of Lord Venkateswara on Saturday morning. Mr. Krishna, who turned 72, had made it a practice to offer prayers at the temple on his birthday every year.

Winding up his two-day visit, the Chief Minster and his entourage left Tirumala in the afternoon.

Two die in road mishap

KURNOOL: Two persons died in a road accident near Alur in Kurnool district on Saturday. According to reports, the mishap occurred when an auto and scooter collided. The auto driver, Gopal, and the two-wheeler rider, Hussain, died. Four others were injured and they were shifted to hospital.

Booty recovered

TIRUPATI: Sleuths of the Central crime station recovered stolen articles worth Rs.1.35 lakhs in gold and cash by arresting a person here on Saturday. Arcot Shankar (28), hailing from Venkatagiri town in Nellore district, was arrested by the crime police on Tiruchanur road here this morning. Gold jewellery worth Rs.95,000 and Rs.40,000 in cash were recovered from him.

Model ICET

CUDDAPAH: Model ICET will be held here on May 16 and candidates should submit applications with a fee of Rs. 20 on May 16 before 9 a.m. before the District Employment Officer, C. Mani. He said in a statement on Saturday that he would issue the admit cards for the model ICET.

Grievance cell meet

CUDDAPAH: The Collector, Jayesh Ranjan, said in a statement on Saturday that the grievance cell meeting in the Collectorate would not be held on May 3, as it was declared a Government holiday on account of Milad-un-Nabi festival.