Date:18/11/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/11/18/stories/2006111807810400.htm

Assembly session

HYDERABAD: Legislative Affairs Minister K.Rosaiah said here on Friday that a 10-day-long winter session of the Assembly would be held from December 11 to 21.

Speaking to reporters after a meeting with Chief Minister Y. S.Rajasekhara Reddy, he said the notification convening the House would be issued by the Governor shortly. A number of bills would be taken up during the session, many of them replacing ordinances. One such ordinance would be the one which was promulgated by the Government empowering itself to take over assigned lands. - Special Correspondent

Farmers detain MRO

ELURU: An angry mob of non-tribal farmers on Friday detained Jeelugumilli Mandal Revenue Officer M. Bapuji at Lankalapalli, seeking protection to their properties from tribals.

A police team led by Jangareddygudem SDO Chaganti Rama Rao reached the scene and ensured the safe release of the MRO after an hour. The MRO had gone to the village following a complaint by non-tribals that Adivasis had trespassed into their lands and destroyed tobacco and maize. - Staff Reporter

Ex gratia released

KHAMMAM: The Singareni Collieries Company Limited released the special ex gratia announced by the State Government for the families of the four mine workers killed in the Venkateshkhani at Kothgudem, according to Chief General Manager (Personnel) Gangi Reddy. Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy announced an ex gratia of Rs. 7 lakhs while Union Minister of State for Coal Dasari Narayana Rao assured of further help from the Prime Minister's Relief Fund. - Staff Reporter

Power plant survey

HYDERABAD: A proposal is being considered to set up an atomic power plant in Srikakulam district. Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy is learnt to have hinted about this to a delegation of Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited officials, which met him on Thursday. Seeking the cooperation of the corporation, Dr. Reddy is understood to have suggested that a survey be undertaken to identify the best location for establishing a nuclear power station. He reportedly asked APGenco to conduct a preliminary survey to assess feasibility of the project. - Special Correspondent

SRI to be promoted

HYDERABAD: The State Government is taking steps to acquire plots of one or two acres in all gram panchayats to promote the system of rice intensification (SRI) on a trial basis, according to Agriculture Minister N.Raghuveera Reddy.

Inaugurating a two-day national symposium on `SRI-present status and future' here on Friday, he observed that 30 per cent water used in raising crops could be saved if SRI was promoted. - Special Correspondent

DNA test conducted

VISAKHAPATNAM: A DNA test confirmed that K. Amaladevi is the mother of a baby boy born more than two weeks ago in the Government Victoria Hospital (Ghosha Hospital) here. K. Amaladevi and G. Bhavani gave birth to a baby boy and baby girl in a gap of a few minutes on November 4.

There was confusion as to who gave birth to the boy.

This situation forced the hospital authorities to make both the women undergo DNA test to determine the baby boy's mother. K. Amaladevi was declared the mother of the baby boy. - Special Correspondent