Date:13/12/2004 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2004/12/13/stories/2004121305610400.htm

Cardiologists visit SVIMS

TIRUPATI: A team of cardiologists from Chennai-based K. M. Cherian International Institute for Cardiovascular and Thoracic Diseases visited the Sri Venkateswara Institute of Medical Sciences (SVIMS) here on a two-day trip that concluded on Sunday. The team examined 50 children with heart ailments, who attended the paediatric cardiology camp here.

Singing competition

TIRUPATI: In connection with the 82nd birth anniversary of singer, Ghantasala Venkateswara Rao, Sree Sai Kalaa Bharati Cine Orchestra will conduct a music competition at Thyagaraja mandapam here on December 15. Male singers are required to sing songs rendered by Ghantasala, while female contestants can choose from any of the film songs sung by reputed singers. Playback singer, S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, will be the chief guest. Details can be had from K. Satheesh Reddy (phone 98482-79443).

Office-bearers elected

TIRUPATI: The town panel of the All-India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) unanimously elected on Saturday the new office-bearers. They are: Aswartha Narayana (honorary president), Balasundaram (president), Ramana (vice-president), P. Murali (secretary) and Srinivasulu (joint secretary).

Train halt

NELLORE: The railway authorities have reportedly agreed for a halt at Venkatagiri station by the Sabari Express plying between Kochi and Hyderabad.

Selection of beneficiaries

NELLORE: Selection of beneficiaries relating to Rajiv Yuva Shakti programme will be held at the MDO offices of Gudur and Chillakur from December 14 onwards. All those who have applied for the scheme have been asked to appear for the interview along with the necessary call letters.

Distribution of medicines

MADANAPALLE: Free medicines will be distributed to schoolchildren on December 15 as a precaution against elephantiasis, the Regional Joint Director, M. Prabhakar Reddy, has said. The Chittoor DEO, C. Ramalingam, said the camp would be organised in all the anganwadi centres and in all schools during the midday meals. In the district over 7-lakh schoolchildren will be given the medicines.

Aksharabharati programme

MADANAPALLE: The Aksharabharati programme will be conducted here on December 15. Prior to that on December 13 and 14, rallies will be held in villages, The Regional Joint Director, M. Prabhakar Reddy, has said.

Minister rules out sanction of junior colleges

VIZIANAGARAM: The Minister for Higher Education, P. Venakteswara Rao, has ruled out sanctioning of Government junior colleges in future as the existing 226 colleges lacked buildings and other facilities.

At a press conference here on Sunday, Mr. Rao said that the existing junior colleges had been functioning in shifts in high schools and hence no new colleges would be sanctioned until infrastructure facilities developed in these colleges.

The Minister warned lecturers, who have been working simultaneously in private colleges, of stringent action. The Minister said that a uniform fee structure would be adopted in all private colleges from next academic year.

M.S. Subbulakshmi's death condoled

HYDERABAD: The Governor, Sushil Kumar Shinde, has expressed grief at the passing away of Carnatic musician, M.S. Subbulakshmi.

In a condolence message, he said MS was "undoubtedly the greatest of all classical singers of her time."

The Chief Minister, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, while condoling the death of Subbulakshmi, showered praises on her describing her as a top performer who took Carnatic vocal music to international level. Her performances would not only remain fresh with lovers of music but also inspire the future generations.

The TDP president, N. Chandrababu Naidu, stated that in the death of Subbulakshmi the country had lost one of the rare toppers who brought it fame. He said MS was perhaps the only Indian who had the unique distinction of bagging the Bharata Ratna, Magsaysay and other top awards.

The BJP leader, B. Dattatreya, said a golden chapter in the world of music had ended following the death of Subbulakshmi.

Release APCLC leaders: OPDR

HYDERABAD: The Organisation for the Protection of Democratic Rights (OPDR) on Sunday criticised the police action of taking the two arrested Andhra Pradesh Civil Liberties Committee leaders to a secret place for interrogation.

The OPDR State Executive, which met here, adopted a resolution condemning the arrest of the APCLC leaders, N. Purushotham and G. Ravi. It said the two were detained when they had gone to Kodasilakuntla village in Warangal district. The meeting demanded unconditional release of Purushotham and Ravi.

Land for tribals demanded

HYDERABAD: Midiam Babu Rao, MP, has been unanimously elected president of the Andhra Pradesh Girijan Sangham at its meeting here on Saturday. Ramavath Sriram Naik is the new general secretary.

The meeting resolved that all landless Girijans should be allotted three acres and the surplus land in the agency should be distributed only to them. It said activists of the sangham would submit applications at the meetings to be convened by the Revenue Department this month demanding allotment of land.

Mr. Sriram Naik said in a press release that the sangham would launch an agitation next month to press its demand for converting Girijan thandas into panchayats.

CPI opposes privatisation

Hyderabad: The CPI State secretary, Suravaram Sudhakar Reddy, said that left parties will oppose privatisation of public utilities and other public sector organisations `tooth and nail'.

Speaking at a conference of the Railway Mail Service and Mail Motor Service Employees' Union here on Sunday, Mr. Reddy said that utilities like the postal service, transport, education and health were public services and it was immoral on the part of the Government to weigh their performance on profit and loss basis.

He warned that the Government was allowing creeping privatisation of the postal department by encouraging couriers in the name of efficiency and competition, while handicapping the postal department by refusing to fill vacancies and posts.

Y. Nagabushanam, Andhra Pradesh Circle president, raised their demands regarding ban on recruitments, lack of promotions, curtailment of retirement benefits and constitution of sixth pay commission.

Genco meet reviews time-table for projects

Hyderabad: The first unit of 210 MW of the Rayalaseema Thermal Power Project-II is likely to be commissioned by March 2006 and the second unit by July 2006. The first unit of the Jurala Hydro Electric Station is expected to be commissioned by March 2007.

Providing this information during a review of its performance by the Chief Minister, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, here on Sunday, Genco officials said that they were on course to add 4790 MW of generating capacity by 2008. This would bring the total installed capacity of Genco to 11,351 MW.

They also updated Dr. Reddy regarding the works on VTPS-IV, Bhoopalapalli thermal power plant, Pochampad hydro electric scheme stage-II, the Lower Jurala hydro electric scheme, the Pranahita hydro electric scheme as well as the two 1,400 MW capacity power projects based on Reliance gas.

He directed the officials to take up work on the Nagarjunasagar Tail Pond Dam at the earliest.

Huge haul of explosives

VIZIANAGARAM: The police seized explosive material in huge quantity while it was being transported in an auto trolley and arrested two persons in the early hours of Saturday near the Collectorate.

According to the Deputy Superintendent of Police, T. Bhaskara Rao, the police during a routine check up of vehicles found the explosive material -- 3,000 electric detonators, 3000 non-electric detonators and a huge bundle of fuse wire.

The auto driver, O. Nageswara Rao, and the other person, O. Rambabu, both residents of Kasimkota in Visakhapatnam district, were arrested on the charge of possessing explosives without valid licence, he said.

Ayyappa devotee dies on way to Sabarimala

HYDERABAD: A city-based advocate, J. Kushagiri Rao, 48, who was on Ayyappa `diksha', died of cardiac arrest near Pampa in Kerala while going to the Sabarimala temple on foot on Saturday.

Rao had a standing of over 20 years in the Ranga Reddy court. His body is being brought to the city.

The Ranga Reddy District Court Bar Association president, R. Mahender Reddy, conveyed his condolences to the bereaved family members of Rao.

Congress leader dead

KURNOOL: The senior Congress leader and former MLA, K.R. Hanumantha Reddy, passed away at Halaharvi, a mandal headquarters in Kurnool district, last night. He was 91.

Mr. Reddy, who was elected to the Assembly from Yemmiganur constituency in 1973, handled many political assignments.

The Chief Minister, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, expressed grief at the death of Reddy.

In a condolence message, he praised Reddy for solving the problems of his constituents.

Ex-MLA passes away

VISAKHAPATNAM: The former Yelamanchili MLA, K.K.V. Satyanarayana Raju, died at his native place Marturu in Achutapuram mandal in the district in the wee hours of Sunday following respiratory problem.

He was 83. Popularly known as KKVS, he was active in the Congress. He was elected to the Assembly as an Independent in 1972 and on Telugu Desam ticket in 1983.

Meanwhile, the Visakha-I MLA and senior Congress leader, Dronamraju Satyanarayana, condoled the death of KKVS and said that he rendered selfless service to the people of the district for over four decades.