Date:18/10/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/10/18/stories/2006101811340400.htm

Award for RTC

HYDERABAD: Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy presented the Promotion of Quality Circles Award to Andhra Pradesh State Road Corporation here. Chief Mechanical Engineer (Operations) P.D.V.Jaya Sankar Prasad received the award on RTC's behalf. . — Staff Reporter

Ganja haul

Sangareddy: Ganja crop costing Rs. 26.55 crores in the international market was seized from 25 acres on Tuesday in Karazgutti of Manoor mandal. This is the second such raid in a fortnight. More than 17,000 Ganja plants were found in the operation. — Staff Reporter

Man dies of dengue

Rajahmundry: P. Gurraju (60) of Talluru village of East Godavari district died of dengue fever on Tuesday. According to GSL Medical College Hospital Superintendent Dr. Venkateswara Rao, the patient was admitted with high temperature. — Staff Reporter

YSR's medical advice

HYDERABAD: Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy donned the role of a doctor and advised an elderly villager suffering from abdominal pain caused by ulcers to avoid eating spicy food. Interacting through video conference with the patient, P. Rama Reddy, who was at Tandrapadu village in Kurnool district, after launching `Rural Health Care Project' of Asian Institute of Gastroenterology here on Tuesday, he asked him if he was in the habit of eating spicy food for many years and advised him to stop it immediately. He asked him to consume only bland food, including idli and curds. — Special Correspondent

Special Correspondent

Arms dump unearthed

VISAKHAPATNAM: Police parties reportedly apprehended a member of CPI (Maoist) and unearthed a dump containing a weapon, ammunition and explosive on the Visakhapatnam-East Godavari border on Tuesday. One hundred gelatin sticks along with some ammunition were also in the dump.

The police also detected three landmines planted in a guest house and defused them. — Special Correspondent

Inter student ends life

VIZIANAGARAM: A first year Intermediate student of AP Residential Junior College, Thatipudi, allegedly committed suicide by consuming poison.

Police said that the 18-year-old girl, B. Anusha, an MPC student, took the extreme step since she could not secure admission in the BiPC stream. She had secured a good rank in the Intermediate as well as APRJC exams. — Correspondent

BJP incharges named

HYDERABAD: State BJP president N. Indrasena Reddy on Monday appointed three incharges for the graduates' constituencies for the Legislative Council elections. Party general secretary K. Laxman named G.R. Karunakar (for Mahabubnagar, Ranga Reddy, Hyderabad), G. Narsayya (Warangal, Khammam, Nalgonda) and K. Kapileshwarayya (Kadapa, Anantapur, Kurnool). - Special Correspondent

Farm workers' meet

HYDERABAD: The 24th State conference of the Andhra Pradesh Vyavasaya Karmika Sangham will be held at Kodad in Nalgonda district from October 27 to 29. Union Minister S. Jaipal Reddy will participate in the inaugural while Kerala Chief Minister V.S. Achutanandan will attend the valedictory. Former IAS officials and senior CPI (M) and sangham leaders will attend. - Special Correspondent

Awareness camp

Kakinada: The Reliance Industries Limited management has organised a dengue awareness camp at Pedavalasala village on Tuesday.

A team of doctors from Rangaraya Medical College screened over 500 persons and administered medicines free of cost. They educated people about preventive measures such as checking the mosquito menace and keeping the environments clean. - Correspondent

Woman ends life

Kakinada: Medisetti Lakshmi, 28, allegedly committed suicide by hanging herself to the ceiling with a saree at her house in Ippanapadu village under Mandapet rural police station limits on Monday. Chronic abdominal pain is stated to be the cause for the extreme step. - Correspondent

Dharmana's visit

SRIKAKULAM : Revenue Minister Dharmana Prasada Rao will come on a five-day visit of the district on Wednesday. On arrival, Mr. Rao will inaugurate a private health centre and review the activities of the Health Department at the Collectorate. The Minister will be hosting Iftar at his office in the town in the evening.He will leave for Hyderabad on Sunday.

Dalit meet

ELURU: The first State conference of the Andhra Pradesh Dalita Hakkula Porata Samithi will be held in Visakhapatnam on October 22, according to its spokesman Boda Vajram. CPI all-India deputy general secretary D. Raja will speak. - Staff Reporter

Lifer for murder

ELURU: Fast track court Judge K. Ramakrishnaiah on Tuesday awarded life imprisonment to two persons— Sade Bullaiah of Pangidigudem under the Jangareddygudem police limits and Arigela Narasimhamurthy of Tamarada village under the Penugonda police limits-- for their involvement in different murder cases.

According to the prosecution, Bullaiah suspected the fidelity of his Lakshmi and hacked her to death in 2002. Narasimha Murthy killed his six-year old son in 2006 as a sequel to a dispute with his wife. - Staff Reporter

BSNL offer

Vijayawada: In a bid to serve more rural users, the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited has introduced a special scheme called "Rent-free rural fone". It requires the user to make a one-time payment of Rs. 1,200, which is non-refundable. The user can enjoy free incoming for two years.

BSNL General Manager P. Balagangadhara Rao says free calls will be offered for the first 1,800 units and these units remain valid for two years.

Awareness camp

Kakinada: The Reliance Industries Limited management has organised a dengue awareness camp at Pedavalasala village on Tuesday.

Woman ends life

Dharmana's visit

Medical camp for beedi workers

NIZAMABAD : A special medical camp will be conducted for the benefit of beedi workers at Government Hospital, Balkonda on Friday. Assembly Speaker K.R. Suresh Reddy will inaugurate the camp. According to an official press release, the camp is being conducted as part of series of medical camps at different places. The beedi workers have been asked to avail themselves of the facility.-Staff Reporter

R&B engineer in ACB net

NIZAMABAD: Anti-Corruption Bureau sleuths led by Deputy Superintendent of Police K. Koteswar Rao on Tuesday raided the house of G. Hanumantha Rao, Assistant Engineer in Roads & Buildings at Marwari Galli in the town and found assets worth about Rs.80 lakhs, disproportionate to his known sources of income.

Giving details, the ACB Deputy SP said the seized property included Rs.24,000 in cash and 46 tolas of gold. The rest was immovable property.-Staff Reporter

Signature campaign

ANANTAPUR: The district unit of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) has collected signatures of some two lakh workers in the district as part of `Shramika Samarabheri'. They will be presented to the Government seeking solution to their problems like denial of minimum wages, lack of healthcare. A protest will be held in Hyderabad on October 19. - Staff Reporter

CITU activists held

KADAPA: The police arrested 35 CITU activists who staged rasta roko at ITI circle here on Tuesday demanding cancellation of a contract awarded for outsourcing of contract employees in Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences. - Staff Reporter

Red sanders seized

KADAPA: Forest officials seized a lorry and 233 red sander logs worth Rs. 6 lakhs in Sogalapodu and Chenchaiahgaripalle in Porumamilla forest range limits. However, no one was arrested in the two seizures, according to Porumamilla ranger Ravindra Reddy. - Staff Reporter

Scholarships sought

KADAPA: SFI activists staged rasta roko at Chennur bus stand on Tuesday demanding release of scholarships of Rs. 148 crores. SFI district president Ravisankar said the Government released only Rs. 32 crores out of Rs. 180 crores due for 2005-06. - Staff Reporter

Blast on paddy crop

KURNOOL: Agriculture officials noticed the incidence of blast on paddy crop in parts of Kurnool district. Joint Director G. Rajesham said occurrence of blast was noticed much early this time. The Agriculture Department suggested drying and dewatering of field for a few days and reduction in urea application. - Staff Reporter