Date:23/09/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/09/23/stories/2005092312740400.htm

SEC relieves three

polling officials

KADAPA: State Election Commission relieved a Circle Inspector and two engineers from municipal election duty in Pulivendula municipality on a complaint filed by TDP in charge of Pulivendula constituency S.V. Satish Kumar Reddy and others.

Pulivendula CI Rajeswar Reddy, Roads and Buildings Junior Engineer Sridhar and Panchayat Raj Assistant Engineer Sudhakar were directed by the SEC to report back to the district headquarters, according to sources. TDP leaders complained to the State Election Commissioner, A.V.S. Reddy, that the officials were favouring the Congress. __Staff Reporter

`Golden feet' donated

to Lord Venkateswara

Tirumala: The senior pontiff of Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam, Sri Jayendra Saraswathi, on Thursday donated a pair of `golden feet' to the sacred hill temple of Lord Venkateswara, Tirumala.

The offering, made up of 3.5 kg of pure gold, was handed over to the temple authorities in the evening. __Staff Reporter

Couple commits suicide

Kakinada: Gubbala Ramu (33) and his wife Vijaya (20), agricultural labourers, allegedly committed suicide by consuming poison at their house in Malikipalli village of Razole Mandal on Thursday. The Razole Police, who registered a case, said that debts had driven them to the extreme step. __Correspondent

Medico ends life

ELURU: A first year medico, Samantapudi Nagaram Babu of Alluri Sitarama Raju Medical (ASRAM) College, reportedly committed suicide by hanging in hostel room.

Nagaram Babu, hailing from Nallamotuvaripalem in Karlapalem mandal of Guntur district, resorted to the extreme step when his roommates went to the college. The victim's friends said the management was trying to `discipline' him on the ground that he was `wayward'. __Staff Reporter

Offshore fields of

ONGC get clearance

Rajahmundry: The Ministry of Environment and Forests has granted environmental clearance to the integrated development of G -1 and GS-15 offshore fields of ONGC in Godavari Basin. It has also cleared expansion of onshore terminal facilities at Odalarevu in K.G. offshore in East Godavari. __Staff Reporter

Two Pushkar ghats

submerged in Basar

ADILABAD: Floods in Godavari upstream in Maharashtra have resulted in submergence of two Pushkar ghats at the temple town of Basar. Since Thursday afternoon the inflows, however, reduced, according to Nirmal RDO Ashok Kumar. __Staff Reporter

Exchange of fire

VIZIANAGARAM: Kondabaridi area committee of CPI (Maoists) was involved in the exchange of fire at Gandra in G.L. Puram mandal at 7 p.m. on Wednesday. The Parvathipuram DSP, N. Sudarshana Rao, said on Thursday that while STF personnel were on their way to Karlaguda village following tip-off that the committee members were organising gram sabha, the Maoists opened fire at them. The police retaliated and the exchange of fire continued for 30 minutes, he said. __Correspondent

Pranab to open

AIMA meet

HYDERABAD: The Defence Minister, Pranab Mukherjee, will inaugurate a two-day national management convention of the All-India Management Association (AIMA) here on Friday. Chairman Satyam Computers, B. Ramalinga Raju, will deliver the convention's theme address at the inaugural session. The Chief Minister, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, will also address the participants. __Special Correspondent

Elected IUNS member

HYDERABAD: The former Director of National Institute of Nutrition (NIN), Kamala Krishnaswamy, has been elected as one of the six council members of the International Union of Nutritional Sciences (IUNS). __ Staff Reporter

Two-year RI for jailor

HYDERABAD: A special court had sentenced the deputy jailor of Jaggaiahpeta sub-jail in Krishna district, Vundavalli Satyanarayana, to undergo two-year rigorous imprisonment and pay Rs. 5,000 fine following his conviction in a corruption case.

The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) officials arrested Satyanarayana seven years ago on charge of accepting Rs. 1,500 bribe from a complainant, according to a press release. - Staff Reporter

Cyclone toll up to 14

in East Godavari

Kakinada: The death roll in the cyclone in East Godavari district has risen to 14 with four more deaths reported on Thursday evening. Churapaneedi Krishnamurthy (63) slipped into the Godavari while moving in the floodwater on the outskirts of Kedaralanka village while Dodda Lakshmikantham (54) was killed when a coconut tree collapsed and fell on her house in Yenugula Vanthena area of Kothapet mandal. Two tribals - Kadabala Lakshmamma (10) and Palla Kapamma (23) of Gandikota village under Donkarayi police station limits slipped into a hill stream and were swept away in the swirling waters. - Correspondent

Medical camps

inspected

Kakinada: The district Medical and Health Officer SSC Chakrarao along with State Additional Director of health, Malaria and Filaria wing, toured flood-affected areas on Thursday and inspected the functioning of the special medical camps organised for flood-affected people. Dr Chakrarao said 169 medical camps were held and blood samples collected from those suffering from fever.

He said 425 wells were chlorinated and 27,705 chlorine tablets were distributed. - Correspondent

SBH branch opened

KURNOOL: The State Bank of Hyderabad upgraded its extension counter at Municipal Corporation to a full-fledged branch here on Thursday. The Municipal Commissioner K. Venkateswarlu, formally opened the branch and promised help to improve the business of the branch. The Deputy General Manager, M.C. Jacob, said two more new branches would be opened in Kurnool in addition to the three existing branches. The AGM Chandrasekhara Sarma, the Chief Manager Sriram Murthy, and others were present.- Staff Reporter

17 persons injured

Nellore: Seventeen persons were injured in three different accidents in the district on Thursday. At Butchireddipalem mandal, 11 persons were injured following a collision between an autorickshaw and lorry, while at Sangam, four persons sustained injuries after an autorickshaw in which they were travelling overturned. At Rajupalem village of Ogili mandal, a driver and cleaner were injured after a lorry overturned.- Staff Reporter

Property destroyed

in fire mishap

Nellore: Property was destroyed in two fire mishaps in the district on Thursday. At Pappula street of Nellore, a thatched house was completely gutted when due to bursting of crackers. At Jendadibba village of Sangam mandal, a provision store was destroyed due to electric short circuit.