Tribal chicken recipe becomes a rage among Andhra Pradesh foodies - NATIONAL - The Hindu

Tribal chicken recipe becomes a rage among Andhra Pradesh foodies

• B.V.S. BHASKAR

A tribal youth cleaning bamboo stuffed with chicken after heating on fire in East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh.— Photo: B.V.S. Bhaskar

Bamboo chicken, a popular tribal recipe of Maredumilli agency area in East Godavari district, has become a much sought-after dish in many multi-cuisine restaurants and hotels in Hyderabad and Bengaluru.

In Andhra Pradesh, people from Tada to Itcchapuram, particularly youth from different professional colleges, visit Papikondalu and Maredumilli as part of their botanical tour or academic project and make the best of their visit.

The jungle destination is 85 km from Rajahmundry, on the way to Chinturu and Bhadrachalam.

“This place became popular mainly because of bamboo chicken, a local delicacy and the beautiful streams nearby. Between 2012 and 2014, there was a drastic decline in the number of tourists visiting this place due to the prolonged agitation that preceded the State’s bifurcation,” says senior advocate and local tribal rights activist Mokkapati Prakash.

Most vehicles passing by the Rampachodavaram road pause at the Maredumilli police station where signboards outside thatched roofs greet the travellers with the announcement Bamboo chicken sold here .

This special variety of chicken is prepared by stuffing marinated chicken pieces into bamboo stems. The stems are then placed on coal fire. The entire cooking is done without using oil and the chicken gets cooked with the moisture inside the bamboo. Varieties like bamboo shoot curry and bamboo chutney are other highlights.

“In the last one year, the price of chicken has gone up. One kg chicken is enough to sell six plates (of bamboo chicken) and we charge Rs. 70 per plate,” says Ramu, a tribal youth famous for serving the delicacy for the last 15 years.

His father Satyanarayana gathers bamboo stems from a nearby forest once in a fortnight or a month and wife Rani assists him in cooking.

Local sources indicate that fascinated by the popularity of this delicacy, representatives of a multi-national company recently descended on Maredumilli forest and stayed put at a local guest house for a couple of days and gathered a detailed information along with video clippings of processing bamboo chicken and aloo dum .

John Fredrick, who worked as a General Manager (Food and Beverages) Taj Vivanta in Goa some time ago, has decided to launch a chain of traditional food centres across the country with the support of a few NRIs. Bamboo chicken and vegetarian delicacies cooked in bamboo would comprise the menu.

Polavaram: survey for R

Polavaram: survey for R

Polavaram: survey for R&R yet to be taken up in 4 mandals

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• B.V.S. BHASKAR

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Bifurcation blues:Survey being conducted by NGOs in Yetapaka, Kunavaram and Chinturu mandals on submergence areas of the Polavaram major irrigation project before the government survey teams take up work. —Photo: B.V.S. Bhaskar

Bifurcation blues are haunting tribal people of four mandals that have been carved out of Telangana and merged into East Godavari . As a result of bifurcation, no survey for relief and rehabilitation package under Polavaram project was taken up in the newly formed Yetapaka revenue division which includes Yetapaka, Kunavaram, Vara Ramachandra (V.R.) Puram and Chinturu mandals.

According to Yetapaka Revenue Divisional Officer K. Narasimha Murthy, “in Devipatnam mandal of Rampachodavaram Agency area, revenue officials have completed implementation of R&R package in 41 habitation/villages out of 44 except Kondamodalu, Devipatnam and Ganugulagondi villages. We have given agriculture ‘land to land’, paid compensation and completed all the stipulated rules as per the new R&R Act”.

However, due to bifurcation, the Revenue officials of Telangana government have not taken up R&R works in the four mandals. “We have to start every thing afresh. There are 27 heads under the new Act which we have to comply and settle one after another. It may take at least six to seven months or more,” Mr. Murthy added.

According to the old records (2005) of the government about 1.07 lakh tribal are going to be affected in four mandals.

“This figure might increase by this year and I filed a petition before the Ministry of Environment and Forests for implementation of new R&R package to tribal of four mandals,” said Pentapati Pulla Rao, head of an NGO fighting for tribal rights.

According to official figures, around one lakh acres of agricultural lands would get submerged in as many as 276 villages in both the Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. A total of 121 villages would be submerged in Bhadrachalam division and 84 villages in Palwancha division in Khammam district. In East Godavari and West Godavari districts, the total number of affected villages will be 71. The Relief and Rehabilitation Policy states that the tribal people, who lose their fertile lands under any project, should be compensated with lands only.

However, the Revenue authorities are stating that the State government has instructed them to give compensation of Rs.5 lakh, per acre under land acquisition, but tribal farmers are demanding Rs. 7.5 lakh. Some NGOs in Chinturu and Yetapaka have started movement in all the villages in these mandals by organising awareness meeting on R&R package and its benefits.

Vehicle owners bear the brunt as stationery blues haunt RTOs - ANDHRA PRADESH - The Hindu

Vehicle owners bear the brunt as stationery blues haunt RTOs - ANDHRA PRADESH - The Hindu

Vehicle owners bear the brunt as stationery blues haunt RTOs

• B.V.S. BHASKAR

• 10,000 applications pending in East Godavari district

  
  For no fault of theirs, owners of new vehicles, especially heavy vehicles such as lorries, are forced to pay heavy penalty at various traffic junctions for not having their Registration Certificates or Driving Licence (DL) in form of smart cards.

  For the last four to five months, the vehicle owners have been bearing the brunt of the dearth of office stationery needed for making the smart cards at the respective regional transport offices such as smart cards, toners, ribbon and other equipment.

  Deputy Transport Commissioner’s (DTC) offices in all 13 districts have software to prepare the RC and DL smart cards for which the IT wing of the Road Transport Authority (RTA) supplies the needed stationery every month as per the indent made by the regional offices.

  Highly placed sources in the Transport Department say that the office stationery has been short in supply from June this year, after the contractor who is supplying the material to both Andhra and Telangana States asked for a revision of prices of the material.

  He also demanded that to the arrears pending from November last year be cleared, the officials say.

  According to A. Mohan, DTC (Kakinada), as many as 10,000 applications seeking RCs, DLs are pending with Rajahmundry, Amalapuram and Kakinada RTOs at present. Admitting that the authorities are very much aware of the woes of the vehicle owners, he said: “We are receiving the printing material once in a fortnight, that too, in a little quantity and it is not sufficient. Whenever we are getting the material, we are dispatching 1,000 to 2,000 DLs and RCs at one go.”
• 
  

Morampudi mishap: officials under fire - The Hindu

Morampudi mishap: officials under fire - The Hindu

Morampudi mishap: officials under fire

• B.V.S. BHASKAR

Authorities accused of not taking precautionary measures to curb accidents

The National Highway authorities and the local units of road transport and traffic police have come under fire, after three people, including a child, died in an accident when a school bus carrying the YSRC activists hit a car and three motorcycles at Morampudi junction on the NH5 on the outskirts of Rajahmundry.

Morampudi junction is privy to many ghastly accidents in the past. A similar trend is seen at two more junctions between Kakinada and Rajahmundry. According to the records available with the traffic police, 26 major accidents occurred at Morampudi junction, killing 8 people in 2012. Sources hint at another 10 unregistered deaths too. In 2013, 11 persons lost their lives in 39 road mishaps there. Last year, the number of deaths, however, came down to nine in 24 accidents (data till October).

In various instances, motorists blame it on the faulty design of the road here. “Morampudi is considered a dangerous stretch as the construction of the Highway is faulty. The road from Bommuru (Vijayawada side) near Horlicks factory is laid at a higher level and then it plunges to a very low point till Morampudi Junction; visa vis at the other side from Lalacheruvu (Visakhapatnam side). Heavy vehicles coming at a high speed can’t see other vehicles and the there are no barricades too,” says Goli Ramarao, a medical practitioner.

A car dealer and industrialist Kantipudi Sarvarayudu, had installed CCTV cameras at the junction by spending from his own pocket, besides spending Rs.5 lakh more to donate steel barricades to traffic police. “One of the CCTV cameras installed at the junction captured the sequence of the accident. Traffic police are not using the barricades which I gave them three years ago. The RTA, traffic police and National Highways authorities must own responsibility for the accident as they have failed in taking precautionary measures at this junction,” said Mr. Sarvarayudu.

Meanwhile, Gorantla Butchaih Chowdary, who rushed to the spot, said that he would convene a meeting with the National Highway authorities, R&B officials and the Commissioner of Rajahmundry Municipal Corporation to find out a permanent solution to the problem. He favours construction of four flyovers and four more under-bridges to address the traffic bottlenecks on this stretch.

Another Buddhist site found - ANDHRA PRADESH - The Hindu

Another Buddhist site found - ANDHRA PRADESH - The Hindu

The Archaeological Survey of India has discovered another Buddhist site on the hillocks of Ayyapparaju Kothapalli village in Tondangi Mandal in East Godavari district. Only last week a similar site was discovered near Kummarilova in neighbouring Tuni mandal.

A Buddhist Maha Stupa and other votive stupa foundations, a number of Vihara cells, Brahmi inscription with 11 letters and an important relic receptacle were found on the hillock.

Satavahana period

The site – Pedda dibba – is four km away from Annavaram Mahastupa and 8 km from the Bay of Bengal. The 100-acre Buddhist complex belongs to the early Satavahana period.

Disturbed

The Buddhist stupa complex was badly disturbed as villagers raised cashew and mango trees on it. Also, villagers removed stupa bricks for construction of houses. According to local farmers, when they removed the stone receptacle, they found that a capstone was fixed on it. When the capstone was broken three crystal relic caskets were found.

They contain a small flower, a small human bone relic, beads and precious and semi-precious stones. But, at present only the base of the stone receptacle is seen near the Maha Stupa.

S. Bangaraiah, Assistant Director, ASI, and Kadiyala Venkateswara Rao, freelance archaeologist of Tenali who spent four to five days in the village, said the Kummarilova site and A. Kothapalli are completely different and the excavations have revealed interesting things. There is strong evidence

that the stupa is provided with stone railing around it like the one at Amaravati and Bhattiprolu in the State.

There are evidences that some viharas and congregation halls were constructed on this site. Roof tile pieces, called Satavahana tiles, found on the south-eastern side and on the western side of the hill slopes and on the top of the hill add strength to this argument.

Water tank

A number of pottery pieces of conical bowls, black and red polished wares, black polished ware and red slippery wares are found mixed with white clay. Half moon stones are also found on the site. A small water tank covering an area of 0.75 cents was found on the eastern side of the hillock.

Recent excavations reveal that this Buddhist site belongs to 2 and 1 B.C. - 1 A.D. The Theravada, Mahayana and Vajrayana sects flourished on this site.

Akhanda Godavari, RUDA may take time - ANDHRA PRADESH - The Hindu

Akhanda Godavari, RUDA may take time - ANDHRA PRADESH - The Hindu

Rajahmundry takes back seat again - ANDHRA PRADESH - The Hindu

Rajahmundry takes back seat again - ANDHRA PRADESH - The Hindu

After three months of the Godavari Pushkaram, Rajahmundry has once again taken the backseat, except with regard to the change of name from Rajahmundry to Rajamahendravaram.

There are no financial statements available either with the government or Pushkaram officials who received funds to the tune of around Rs. 1,680 crore for the mega event. Except roads and ghats, no other work has been done in East and West Godavari district.

According to Rajahmundry City MLA and BJP leader Akula Satyanarayana, the Rajahmundry Municipal Corporation received Rs. 240 crore, including the 13th Finance Commission funds, during the Pushkarams, and it laid roads and took up drainage works. “Except for one drainage in the city and another on the outskirts, no permanent work was taken up during Pushkarams Phase-I. Moreover, preference was given to roads during the event, but they are all in a bad shape now,” he said. He added that no contractor was keen on completing pending works and those to be taken up under Phase-II.

Senior TDP leader and Rural MLA Gorantla Butchaiah Chowdary also expressed anguish over the R&B Department for not accepting his drainage plan connecting Ava channel and Nalla channel with the underground drainage system. “Roads in my constituency were laid in a hurried manner, and the one from Hukumpeta to East Railway Station and those in several places between the main railway station and Dowleswaram have been damaged,” he said.

Ghats ignored

“The Irrigation Department has failed to maintain as many as 267 bathing ghats along the Godavari in both East and West Godavari districts. On the 1.2-km-long Kotilingala Ghat, washermen have been drying clothes, and as a result, tiles have been damaged,” said Kantipudi Sarvarayudu, secretary of Goutami Ghat Spiritual Seva Sangh. Except Goshpadala Revu, maintenance of other ghats in West Godavari has also been poor. Moreover, Gammon India Private Limited, which has taken up the construction of the fourth bridge across the Godavari, has failed to meet the deadline several times, and it has not completed the job of strengthening the box-type bridges near Mahurapudi Airport

New facilities to make Godavari the go-to place - The Hindu

New facilities to make Godavari the go-to place - The Hindu

Farmers seek higher MSP - ANDHRA PRADESH - The Hindu

Farmers seek higher MSP - ANDHRA PRADESH - The Hindu

Govt. hospitals record 300 dog bites a month - ANDHRA PRADESH - The Hindu

Govt. hospitals record 300 dog bites a month - ANDHRA PRADESH - The Hindu

Laurus Labs, IICT ink MoAs with ANUR - ANDHRA PRADESH - The Hindu

Laurus Labs, IICT ink MoAs with ANUR - ANDHRA PRADESH - The Hindu

• SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

Adikavi Nannaya University (ANUR) on Monday signed separate Memorandum of Agreements (MoAs) with Laurus Labs and Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT) on Monday.

On the request of in-charge Vice-Chancellor Prof. E.N. Dhanamjaya Rao, Laurus Labs CEO Satyanarayana Chava has announced that his company would start M.Sc., (Pharmacy) course and 20 students who are selected on merit in the course would be given scholarships every year. He also promised that the pass-outs would be given employment in Laurus Labs and also other pharmaceutical or chemical Industries in Hyderabad or Visakhapatnam. He said that they have already designed such course for 60 students in Krishna University and providing employment to 20 students. Dr. Satyanarayana and Prof. Dhanamjaya Rao had entered into an MoA to this effect. The Vice-Chancellor and IICT Director Dr. Chandrasekhar have signed another MoA. According to it, Nannaya University chemistry students will be granted internships and training programmes in CISR-IICT and in turn university will give an opportunity to the faculty members of CISR-IICT to do Ph.D., under extra-mural category.

TDP State panel triggers dissent in Rajahmundry - ANDHRA PRADESH - The Hindu

TDP State panel triggers dissent in Rajahmundry - ANDHRA PRADESH - The Hindu

• B.V.S. BHASKAR

The constitution of a separate state committee of the TDP for Andhra Pradesh has triggered dissent within the party in East Godavari district. Ganni Krishna, an official spokesperson, has dashed off a dissent note to party president Chandrababu Naidu signalling his dissatisfaction that he has been given less than his due.

Mr. Krishna told The Hindu on Friday that when he saw on TV that he was named to the committee as a mere organising secretary, he sent off an SMS and an email to the party requesting that his name be deleted from the list. He said he felt insulted and was happy to continue as an ordinary worker without any party post.

Mr. Krishna, a close associate of Finance Minister Y. Ramakrishnudu, was also peeved that his arch rival in the TDP in East Godavari, the Rajahmundry Rural MLA Gorantla Butchaiah Chowdary has been elevated as a general secretary in the party committee.Mr. Krishna and his party associate Koneru Vivek have been in competition with Mr. Gorantla for influence in Rajahmundry and its rural hinterland. Mr. Gorantla had to fight the last election, which he won, from Rajahmundry Rural constituency as the city seat was left to the BJP, the TDP’s ally. Deputy mayor Vasireddy Rambabu, who is the TDP’s man in charge of Rajahmundry City, Mr. Krishna’s group were behind that decision to give Mr Gorantla a difficult seat.

During the last municipal elections, Mr. Krishna’s group opposed the party’s mayoral candidate initially but supported him in the last minute after a diktat from the party’s central office.

Mr. Krishna is also peeved that although he has been in the party since its inception, he has not been given any seat of importance, except the RTC zonal chairman’s post, a very long time ago.

Leave the comfort of Hyderabad, Jagan told - ANDHRA PRADESH - The Hindu

Leave the comfort of Hyderabad, Jagan told - ANDHRA PRADESH - The Hindu

Doubts expressed over deadline for LNG floating terminal - ANDHRA PRADESH - The Hindu

Doubts expressed over deadline for LNG floating terminal - ANDHRA PRADESH - The Hindu

• B.V.S. BHASKAR
• 
  The fresh memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed three days ago between Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and GAIL Chairman B.C. Tripathi to start liquefied natural gas production at the floating LNG terminal in the Kakinada deep water port (KDWP) may not come true in the next 18 months.

  Oil and natural gas analysts say the consortium – comprising the Andhra Pradesh Gas Distribution Corporation (APGDC), GDF Suez, Shell and GAIL – has previously failed to achieve that target and even basic operations have not started in 18 months, though the preliminary hurdle of a public hearing has been crossed.

  GAIL sources say last year’s MoU was only a preliminary one, and the fresh one is about a joint venture. When D. Sambasiva Rao was holding additional charge of the Industries and Investments Department, he advised the State Government to allow only the APGDC-GDF-Suez-Shell consortium to build the LNG terminal at KDWP and not any private investor.

  The government was told that the consortium would complete the task within the deadline of 18 months, but nothing happened during that period and the deadline expired in August 2015.

  The new MoU signed in Vijayawada last week, oil and gas analyst M.V.S.R. Kamesham says, gives the consortium another 18 months, starting anew.

  “It’s old wine in a new bottle. In my experience of 40 years in the oil and natural gas sector, it’s not easy for government consortiums to go for production during that short period,” said Mr. Kamesam.

  The GAIL general manager at Rajahmundry M.V. Iyer said it is lay pipelines through villages. “Village heads and political leaders are not allowing our pipelines to pass through their villages. They demand not only compensation, but also put many other demands. If the collectors and other revenue officials cooperate, the project will go smoothly,” he added.

Pump, motor hurriedly transported - ANDHRA PRADESH - The Hindu

Pump, motor hurriedly transported - ANDHRA PRADESH - The Hindu

• B.V.S. BHASKAR

Due to the delay, the sixth pump and motor of the Handri-Neeva project was hurriedly transported from Kurnool on September 12 by the chief engineer of the Handri-Neeva project.

It reached the Kalaparru toll gate on the morning of September 13 and reached Pattisam village even as engineers worked round the clock to meet the September 16 deadline. Sources said the superintendent engineer of Pattiseema was told on September 14 that release of water should be achieved on the morrow so that the Godavari-Krishna confluence could be really, and not notionally, achieved on September 16.

On the other hand, the chief engineer of Handri-Neeva is said to have been told that whenever the Chinese shipment reached Pattiseema, the two borrowed pumps would be sent back.It was learnt that the superintendent engineer of Pattiseema as well as the chief engineer of Handri-Neeva were initially reluctant about this make-shift arrangement.

As it turned out, engineers at Pattiseema were not able to fix the Handri-Neeva pumps at the site as the basement sizes and steel fixtures designed for the Chinese pumps were not suited for the local pumps from Handri-Neeva.Despite the Godavari floodwaters not arriving at the confluence point of Ferry on the banks of the Krishna, the Chief Minister went ahead with his notional celebration, and directed that Pattiseema should be operational within 24 hours.

On Friday, minister Umamaheswara Rao again did puja at Pattiseema, switched on a pump and claimed that the prestigious project was now operational.

Within 36 hours of this, the Polavaram right main canal, meant to carry the Pattiseema waters to the Krishna developed a breach due to heavy rains along the streams feeding it.Sources said the breach to the Polavaram canal is no way connected to the Pattiseema waters.

They said it was only due to the pressure mounted on engineers that the incomplete Polavaram right canal was patched up for the confluence function, and therefore was vulnerable to heavy inflows

Polavaram canal breach leaves govt. embarrassed - ANDHRA PRADESH - The Hindu

Polavaram canal breach leaves govt. embarrassed - ANDHRA PRADESH - The Hindu

• B.V.S. BHASKAR

The breach to the Polavaram right main canal on Saturday night has become the cause of embarrassment to the State government, happening as it did a little more than a day after Irrigation Minister Devineni Umamaheshwara Rao claimed to have switched on the motors to make the Pattiseema lift irrigation scheme operational.

Sources said that the pumps were not in fact put in place and that the scheme did not become operational. The completion, as claimed by the government, was only notional.

The Pattiseema project is part of Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu’s pet scheme of linking the Godavari and the Krishna. It is designed to pump Godavari flood water into the Polavaram right main canal which transports it on to the Krishna. The confluence was notionally celebrated by the Chief Minister on September 16 and certified as achieved when Mr Umamaheshwara switched on the ‘pump’ on Friday.

But the collapse of an aqueduct in the canal a day later brought to light facts that the confluence was only notional. The pumps requisitioned from China for the Pattiseema project had not arrived by the September 16 deadline set by the Chief Minister, and makeshift pumps had to be brought from the Handri-Neeva project in Kurnool district for the purpose.

Sources in the latter project site confirmed to The Hindu that they did send one of their pumps for ‘testing’ at Pattiseema.

Further, sources at the Pattiseema site said even the borrowed pumps did not achieve the government’s purpose of achieving the operationalisation of the project. Highly placed sources said no water was in fact released from the Pattiseema project as claimed by irrigation officials.

They added that installation of the 4.71 MV motor and two new pumps, each with a capacity to pump 354 cusecs of water per hour, at Pattiseema has not yet been done as the equipment has still not arrived from China.

Due to the delay, the sixth pump and motor of the Handri-Neeva project was hurriedly transported from Kurnool on September 12 by the chief engineer of the Handri-Neeva project. It reached the Kalaparru toll gate on the morning of September 13 and reached Pattisam village even as engineers worked round the clock to meet the September 16 deadline.

Sources said the superintendent engineer of Pattiseema was told on September 14 that release of water should be achieved on the morrow so that the Godavari-Krishna confluence could be really, and not notionally, achieved on September 16.

On the other hand, the chief engineer of Handri-Neeva is said to have been told that whenever the Chinese shipment reached Pattiseema, the two borrowed pumps would be sent back.

Sources said the breach to the Polavaram canal is no way connected to the Pattiseema waters. They said it was only due to the pressure mounted on engineers that the incomplete Polavaram right canal was patched up for the confluence function, and therefore was vulnerable to heavy inflows

Pump, motors yet to reach Pattiseema - ANDHRA PRADESH - The Hindu

Pump, motors yet to reach Pattiseema - ANDHRA PRADESH - The Hindu

Pump, motors yet to reach Pattiseema

• B.V.S. BHASKAR
• Farmers of Krishna and West Godavari districts are expressing doubts on whether or not the first pump of the Pattiseema Lift Irrigation Scheme (PLIS) will be installed by September 15 as the machinery shipped from China had not reached Gujarat port till the evening of September 8.
  On Wednesday morning, however, the irrigation officials received communication from Gujarat saying that one motor and two pumps were unloaded and they would be sent by road either tonight or Thursday morning.
  Ramesh Babu, Superintendent Engineer of Pattiseema Project told The Hindu that it would take at least 36 hours for the machines to reach PLIS site and another 48 hours for their installation and connection.
  “With all probabilities and if the rain god supports us, we will have two pumps ready by September 15 morning,” he said.
  The capacity of the pump is 354 cusecs per hour and if the 4.71 MV motor runs for 24 hours 0.3 tmcft water will be pumped into the canal. “We want to fix 24 pumps to lift 8,500 cusecs of water by next February,” Mr. Ramesh Babu said.
  However, the tail-end farmers in West Godavari and also some parts in Krishna district were opposed to the release of water through the right canal.

Second thoughts on deleting lessons - ANDHRA PRADESH - The Hindu

Second thoughts on deleting lessons - ANDHRA PRADESH - The Hindu

Second thoughts on deleting lessons

• B.V.S. BHASKAR

• The Andhra Pradesh Government has developed cold feet on deleting some lessons relating to Telangana from school textbooks. Last month, on August 22, it had passed an order directing the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) to cut out lessons that contain references to Telangana or Telangana writers and personalities but kept it abeyance on August 31 and withdrew it altogether on September 4.
• 
  
• Among the lessons initially sought to be deleted were a eulogy written by former Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao on Burgula Ramakrishna Rao, the first Chief Minister of Hyderabad state, and a lesson on the peasants struggle against the Nizam’s rule.
  It all started with Human Resources Development Minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao stating that “lessons which are not having native content should be deleted.” Accordingly, the A.P. School Education Department and SCERT Director issued an order (RC. No. 279/B/C&T/SCERT/2014 Dated 22/8/2015) stating that about 17 lessons that are non-relevant, beyond the comprehension of the learners and those having unfamiliar words need not be taught to pupils. The lesson relating to Burgula Ramakrishna Rao was an appreciation titled ‘Nene yerigina Burgula’ written by former Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao was to have been scrapped from the class 10 Telugu Text book (page 58-65).
  Similarly, a lesson titled ‘Khanijaalu, ganula tavvakam’ was sought to be deleted from the social studies textbook for Class 8 as it referred primarily to the Singareni coal mines in Telangana.
  Two lessons relating to the history of Nizamate Hyderabad, titled ‘Chinnappude’ and ‘Hyderabad Samsthana Vimochana Dinotsavam’ were both judged to be of no relevance to Andhra Pradesh. Within 12 days of the order, the SCERT director released another note stating, “All the District Educational Officers in the State are hereby informed that there are no changes in the present textbooks from Class V to Class X in all subjects.”
  Minister Srinivasa Rao himself said, “We have not asked to delete any lesson of Telangana from textbooks of Andhra Pradesh.”
• 
  

Security scares put police on the edge - ANDHRA PRADESH - The Hindu

Security scares put police on the edge - ANDHRA PRADESH - The Hindu

Free bus services taking pilgrims of Maha Pushkaram to ghats on the outskirts of Kovvur in West Godavari on Thursday.— Photo: K.R. Deepak

The police establishment monitoring the Pushkaram control room in Rajahmundry got into a tizzy over a series of security scares on Thursday.

Already nervous, police nerves got further frazzled after the discovery of a revolver at a bathing ghat ahead of a visit to the area by Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, a suicide attempt by a home guard, and rumours of a policeman opening fire at a bathing ghat.

Police wireless sets began to crackle early in the morning after a fisherman trying to retrieve coins thrown into the Godavari by pilgrims found a cloth bag with a revolver in it. This discovery, at the Dandakunta Revu (ghat) in Kovvur, 2 km from Goshpada Revu, which the Chief Minister was due to visit an hour later, made the police scurry to the area.

West Godavari SP Bhaskar Bhushan told mediapersons that it was of a crude make but an investigation would be carried out to ascertain its owner besides determining how it found its way to the ghats past the security ring.

The news spread like wild fire, to which rumours rising from the bathing ghats added more fuel. Rajahmundry, the main Pushkaram city, was agog with rumours that a constable had opened fire at the Pushkar Ghat, the very place where a stampede killed 28 people on Tuesday.

Police communications lines buzzed with inquiries and instructions for hours after about the incident, which turned out to be a rumour. Asked about the ‘shooting’, a police officer on duty at the ghat said the rumour probably began with a scroll run by a TV news channel.

Copter ride gives a bird’s eyeview - TELANGANA - The Hindu

The Rs. 1,999 for a 10-minute copter ride has become popular among the pilgrims visiting the pushkaralu in Rajahmundry

Copter ride gives a bird’s eyeview

• B.V.S. BHASKAR
• RAJANAGARAM (EAST GODAVARI), July 17, 2015
• 
  

Appala Naidu (56) is a daily wage-earner from Palasa in Srikakulam district. He had but one dream: to fly. He came to Rajahmundry for the Godavari Maha Pushkaram with Rs. 7,000 in his pocket, his entire savings from a life of labour. Little did he know that the Pushkaram will make his dream come true at long last. During his trips to the bathing ghats, he chanced upon a notice board advertising Pawan Hans’ helicopter joyrides over the river. The ride costs a pretty penny for a daily wager like him: Rs. 1999 for a 10-minute flight.

He jumped at it. “I thoroughly enjoyed myself. This is enough for my life,” he exulted as he got off the bird on Thursday.

Mr. Naidu was one of the 108 people who signed up the joyride in Pawan Hans’s six-seater helicopter, which started its operations on Wednesday. On the very second day, the helicopter rides have proved popular with the pilgrims who, after having performed their rituals, are looking for some excitement. There were 110 bookings till afternoon on Wednesday and the number was expected to go up to 180 by evening.

Mr. Maneesh Rokade, deputy general manager of Pawan Hans, said the response has been good on day one and two. The copter service has permission to to operate up to three choppers depending on the number of riders. Until the number reaches 200 Pawan Hans will operate just one chopper. The ride starts from the GIET Engineering College in Rajanagaram, which is about 14 km from Rajahmundry. The APSRTC has arranged buses to take pilgrims to Rajanagaram.

Collector’s report points to police failure, crowd buildup - Today's Paper - The Hindu

Collector’s report points to police failure, crowd buildup - Today's Paper - The Hi

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• M.L. MELLY MAITREYI
• B.V.S. BHASKAR

A preliminary report on Tuesday’s stampede at Pushkar Ghat in Rajahmundry by East Godavari collector H. Arun Kumar has put the blame for the tragedy at the doorstep of the police and pointed to the massing of people at the gates of the ghat while VVIPs conducted their rituals as one of the contributory reasons.

Twenty-seven people were killed on the first day of the Godavari Maha Pushkaram when pilgrims held up at the gates swelled to uncontrollable numbers and, when released, rushed out in a surge in which many women and children got trodden.

The collector’s report, requisitioned by the Ministry of Home Affairs and the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), was sent to Chief Secretary I.Y.R. Krishna Rao on Thursday.

The report will be first shown to Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, who is still in Rajahmundry, before forwarding it to the Centre. The collector may be asked to give a revised report if any important aspects and details were left out, sources said.

The Ministry of Home Affairs had sought a report on the stampede and sought to know the cause and the exact toll. The report, a copy of which is available with The Hindu states that, “Heavy influx of pilgrims started increasing as time passed, (and) by about 8.30 am crowd from all directions started breaching the barricades set up for crowd management and attempted to move in various directions.

“The police and security personnel couldn’t control this flow in front of the Pushkar Ghat, where the crowd from all directions had gathered. It resulted in a stampede at approximately 27 pilgrims were declared as ‘brought dead’ at the general hospital, Rajahmundry.”

Loopholes in crowd management fixed: Naidu - Today's Paper - The Hindu

Loopholes in crowd management fixed: Naidu - Today's Paper - The Hindu

Loopholes in crowd management fixed: Naidu

B.V.S. BHASKAR

A day after a stampede at the gates of the Pushkar Ghat in Rajahmundry, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu said all loopholes in crowd management at the Godavari Maha Pushkaram had been addressed to make it safe and secure for all pilgrims.

In an informal interaction with The Hindu on Wednesday, after he had conducted a midnight review of systems at the ghats, Mr. Naidu said, “From Wednesday, I will sit in the Central Control Room and monitor the situation myself to ensure that pilgrims are redirected from crowded ghat to less crowded ones.

“I have asked Director General of Police J.V. Ramudu to camp here along with me to effect dynamic changes to plans as exigencies arise. We will also deploy more security forces to manage the crowd through effective barricading.”

He said a comprehensive analysis of Tuesday’s horror had been done and solutions would be put into effect immediately.

A detailed enquiry has been ordered into all aspects of the case.

Did not delay rituals: Naidu - ANDHRA PRADESH - The Hindu

Did not delay rituals: Naidu - ANDHRA PRADESH - The Hindu

Did not delay rituals: Naidu

B.V.S. BHASKAR

Reacting to the criticism by Opposition parties there was a pilgrim build-up behind the gates of Pushkar Ghat on the morning of Tuesday while VIPs took inordinately long to performed their rituals, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu said he and his family completed the rituals soon after the beginning of the Pushkaram, as per the auspicious time fixed by the pandits. What led to the stampede was a sudden and unanticipated surge of pilgrims from three directions, particularly from Godavari railway station side, which led to a crush at the gates.

However, a detailed enquiry has been ordered into all aspects of the case and a preliminary report has already been submitted based upon which action has been initiated.

Asked why he had opted for the Pushkara Ghat and not the Saraswati Ghat, which was exclusively constructed for VIPs, Mr Naidu said the decision was taken much earlier and it was decided to reserve the VIP Ghat for saints, sadhus and peethadhipatis who tend to come with large entourages. Mr Naidu said the exigency plan made immediately after Tuesday’s incident would address issues from a wide perspective, including traffic inflow into Rajahmundry from the national highways, dispersal of pilgrims to dozens of ghats all along the Godavari and increasing the number of entry and exit points at each ghat.

Asked whether action would be initiated against officials responsible for Tuesday’s failure, the chief minister said, “I don’t want to be rushed into immediate action, because I want the Pushkaram works to go on normally. After the Pushkarams we will examine the whole issue.”

Naidu launches ‘Godavari harathi’ - The Hindu

Naidu launches ‘Godavari harathi’ - The Hindu

Naidu launches ‘Godavari harathi’

• B.V.S. BHASKAR
• Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu launched Godavari Nitya Harathi at Pushkar Ghat here on Wednesday. Speaking on the occasion Mr. Naidu said this was a curtain raiser for the forthcoming Godavari Pushkarams-2015.
  Mr. Naidu, who airdashed from Renigunta to Madhurapudi, reached the Pushkara Ghat where a specially decorated stage was arranged on two floating decks in the river. Mr. Naidu, who came in traditional dress, first offered pooja to goddess Godavari matha. Deputy Chief Minister N. Chinna Rajappa, Finance Minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu, Endowments Minister Pydikondala Manikyala Rao, Ministers P. Narayana, Peethala Sujatha and Chief Secretary IYR Krishna Rao, Media advisor Parakala Prabhakar were present.
  The Chief Minister said Godavari Harathi was going to be a regular event and importance of river Godavari will be spread through this event to rest of the world. He said Godavari Harati would be conducted in a unique way better than the Ganga Harati being performed at Varanasi.
  Stating that Godavari was the lifeline of the State, Mr. Naidu said the river was meeting drinking and irrigation needs of the Godavari region. “It is essential to use the river water for agriculture, irrigation, industry and drinking purposes. I want to utilise 3,000 tmc of Godavari water which is going waste into sea in other drought prone areas through lift irrigation schemes besidescompleting the Polavaram project,” he said
  Mr. Naidu said people of twin Godavari districts were known as good hosts and asked them to host lakhs of people who will be coming for Godavari Pushkarams. At the end of the event, Budhavarapu Charitable Trustconducted 12 types of Harathi.

‘No restrictions on locals’ - The Hindu

‘No restrictions on locals’ - The Hindu

Rubbishing the rumours that are doing the rounds that restrictions will be imposed on the citizens which will likely to affect the normal life during the Godavari Puskarams, Minister for Municipal Administration and Urban development P. Narayana on Monday said that the government had no such plans.

The Minister told the media that the denizens can invite their friends and relatives for the grand event. “The police top-brass in the district has been asked not to impose restrictions that would to create hurdles in day to day life of the citizens. The restrictions, if any, will be communicated to the citizens well in advance, ”he said.

Admitting that some political leaders have expressed concerns about the possible restrictions and held a meeting with the Collector and police. “The details of the restricted areas and special zones, free passages earmarked for ambulance services, sanitary vehicles and VIP moments will be made public by July 7,” he said. Referring to the ongoing renovation works for the Puskarams, Mr. Narayana said: “At any cost, all the municipal works will be completed by July 5,” he said.