Iconic Kotilingala Ghat loses its sheen

Iconic Kotilingala Ghat loses its sheen

•  B.V.S. BHASKAR
• 

  Kotilingala Ghat turning into a washing ghat in Rajamahendravaram.— PHOTO.S. RAMBABU
  Kotilingala Ghat, considered the longest ghat in the country, presents an unhygienic look as river Godavari started drying up owing to summer. The government constructed the 1.2 kms ghat during the Godavari Pushkarams by spending Rs. 15 crore.

  After the pushkarams, the Municipal Corporation of Rajamahendravaram (MCR) chalked out a scheme to protect the ghat . It came up with a novel idea of converting into an entertainment zone.

  Experiment fails

  MCR Commissioner V. Vijayarama Raju arranged a large screen and screened Telugu movies. But, this experiment evoked poor response and soon the ghat turned into a washing ghat.

  Pointing to the Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu’s announcement that the ghat along with the newly-constructed VIP ghat would be developed into a picnic spot under the Akhanda Godavari Project, he said, “We have done an experiment which was not an expensive one.”

  However, he is confident that the civic body will rope in philanthropists to develop parks, entertainment projects and food courts in PPP mode in consultation with the District Collector and the Tourism Department.

  Pollution

  “It is neither an irrigation structure nor free-flow water zone. Water will not flow regularly in that area as pollutants from paper mill, sewage, accumulation of plastic waste acting as main hurdles of the flow,” said S. Sugunakar Rao, Superintending Engineer of the Irrigation Department,.

  D.V.R. Suryarao, social worker, suggested handing over of the ghat to the public sector undertakings like ONGC, GAIL or corporate companies like International Paper and Reliance Industries, for proper maintenance.

  MCR Commissioner V. Vijayarama Raju says the civic body will rope in philanthropists to develop parks, entertainment projects and food courts

  in PPP mod

Manyam Jatara to showcase tourism potential of Agency area

Manyam Jatara to showcase tourism potential of Agency area:

The three-day jatara to begin today; to reflect the customs, traditions and culture of tribals

Arrangements being made for Manyam Jatara at Maredumilli in Rampachodavaram Agency, on Friday.— PHOTO: S. RAMBABU

As part of tourism promotion, the East Godavari district administration and Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) are jointly organising a three-day tourism festival ‘Manyam Jatara’ from Saturday.

Collector H. Arun Kumar and ITDA Project Officer K. Chakradhara Babu on Friday inspected the work being done at ‘Vana Vihari’ forest recreation centre where the jatara will begin on Saturday evening. They held a meeting with forest, tourism, roads and buildings, tribal welfare and other departments.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Arun Kumar said the jatara, being organised at ‘Vana Vihari’ Tourism Park in Maredumilli, was to develop the Agency as a tourism hub. He said that the meeting resolved to construct two view-points at Ghati village on the way to Chinturu and Bhadrachalam for tourists to take a break. He also said that the Forest Department would renovate, modernise and reconstruct forest cottages in Kolluru, Rampachodavaram and Maredumilli.

He asked the officials to lay roads to Rampa waterfalls at a cost of Rs. 50 lakh, which was sanctioned already. He said the Tourism Department would operate pedal boats in Bhupathipalem Reservoir to attract tourists, besides constructing a guesthouse.

Tribals from other ITDAs

ITDA Project Officer Mr. Chakradhara Babu said that jatara would reflect the customs, traditions and culture of tribals in seven mandals in Rampachodavaram revenue division and four mandals in the newly-formed Yetapaka Revenue Division, including Chintoor, Kunavaram, Burgumpadu, Veerulapadu, Kukkanur, Vara Ramachandrapuram (V.R. Puram) and Bhadrachalam, except the temple town. Mr. Babu also said that tribals from all the ITDAs were invited to participate and exhibit their culture. The jatara would comprise 60 per cent local tribes and 40 per cent people from other districts. He said food items, products of GCC and different varieties of bamboo products would be exhibited during the festival.

M. Ravi Kumar, Conservator of Forest, Sub-Collector P. Ravi and others participated

All-time classics to liven up Godavari banks

All-time classics to liven up Godavari banks

• 
• B.V.S. BHASKAR
• 
  
• 
  

• Huge screen to be put up on a boat anchored opposite Kotilingeswara Swami temple

  The Municipal Corporation of Rajahmundry (MCR) has come up with a novel idea to protect and publicise the importance of the Kotilingala Ghat, the longest (1.2 km) bathing ghat in the country built for the Godavari Pushkarams this year.
  MCR Commissioner Vijayarama Raju, who played a pivotal role in the construction of the ghat, has suggested that the place be cleaned up and converted into an entertainment zone. At a recent meeting with Police, MCR Sanitation and Irrigation officials and some film distributors, it was decided to screen classical all-time Telugu hit movies on a large screen on a ‘pantu’ (floating boat), which would be anchored opposite the historic Kotilingeswara Swami temple.
  “A facility to watch films like Gundamma Katha, Bhoo Kailas, Karunamayudu , and Pandava Vanavasam in the evening in the open-air, sitting on the banks of the Godavari could attract movie buffs and tourists during Christmas and Sankranti holidays,” Mr. Raju said.
  He said there were complaints of the ghat being misused post-Pushkaram. Pointing to Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu’s announcement that the ghat, along with the newly-constructed VIP ghat, would be groomed into a picnic spot under the Akhanda Godavari Project, Mr. Raju said it was just a beginning. “This is a non-expensive experiment. If people start visiting the ghat, other positive activity could be taken up in the area. The MCR will rope in philanthropists to develop parks, entertainment projects and food courts in PPP mode in consultation with the District Collector and the Tourism Department,” he said.
  Feast for the eyes
  According to the schedule, Bhoo Kailas will be screened on December 24, Vijayachander’s classicKarunamayudu and Chikkadu-Dorakadu on December 26; while Thodikodalu and Pandava Vanvasamon December 28 and 27, respectively. Film shows will be on till January 15.
  The Commissioner said there would be no entry pass, and that police would keep a strict vigil on the banks of the Godavari, besides regulating traffic.

This housing project is a boon for all

This housing project is a boon for all

• B.V.S. BHASKAR
• Known as cultural capital of Andhra Pradesh, Rajamahendravaram is going to be a model for other Assembly constituencies in the country in providing affordable housing to all urban people without any discrimination between beneficiaries. The Union government’s Housing For All (HFA) scheme is going to be a boon for the people including the elected representatives, officials and implementing authorities like AP Housing Corporation.
  The HFA, though is old wine in new bottle, is aimed at rehabilitation of slum-dwellers with the participation of private developers using land as a resource. “In accordance with the Union government’s guidelines, we have chalked out a detailed action plan to provide 4,200 houses which have already been sanctioned and another 2,500, which, the Union Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu promised to give in Rajamahendravaram in Phase One,” said MLA Akula Satyanarayana.
  The first-time MLA, who won on a BJP ticket, is an orthopaedician and wants all to have a decent house.
  “We have created a separate section in the Housing Department to sort out applications which are coming on the grievances day. As on today, we have received 40,000 applications. Out of these 10,000 were found to be not eligible and another 15,000 have been found to have either a house or a house site,” said Sub-Collector Vijaya Krishnan.
  When asked how all the remaining would be provided housing, the MLA said that the HFA scheme was totally different from other housing schemes. It was not just for the slum-dwellers, but for others who could afford to build a house. He said that he had done enough home work on this and made a note of all the available sites in the city including those that were allotted for housing long ago but were still vacant. “Group housing, apartments, and satellite cities are part of the project. If the beneficiary is having own plot, he could also affordable to construct his own house with the support of this scheme,” he explained

Mudragada to study how Jats benefit from OBC status

Mudragada to study how Jats benefit from OBC status:

• B.V.S. BHASKAR
• 

  Mudragada Padmanabham
  Former MP and prominent Kapu leader Mudragada Padmanabham said he welcomed the Haryana government’s decision to bring a Bill in the Assembly on Jat reservations under Other Backward Classes (OBC) quota.

  “I want to see how the community would be benefited after the Assembly passes the bill,” he said here on Tuesday.

  “I am confident that the Kapu community will also benefit if the State government keeps its promises,” he added. Mr. Padmanabham and his wife went on an indefinite fast for four days and the emissaries from the government assured him that some of his demands would be fulfilled.

  “I still believe Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu will not ditch my community for the second time. With lot of hope and faith in the elected government, I withdrew my stir. I appealed to the State government to send Justice Manjunath Commission to tour East Godavari district to get factual details on the status of poor Kapu families.”

Science Express chugs into Rajamahendravaram

Science Express chugs into Rajamahendravaram

• B.V.S. BHASKAR

Children from various schools in and around Rajahmundry who were waiting to have a glimpse of the ‘Science Express on Climate Change’, the eighth edition of the Indian Railways, finally had a feel of it in Rajamahendravaram.

The train chugged on to Platform No: 2, and children made a beeline from morning 8.30 a.m., though the doors of the train were opened at 10 a.m.

Aiming at spreading awareness about the effects of climate change and to make the science behind it easier to understand, the Science Express, an innovative mobile science exhibition, has been revamped into a ‘Science Express Climate Action Special’ (SECAS) this year.

It is a unique collaborative initiative of the Department of Science and Technology, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and the Ministry of Railways. “The exhibition conveys a strong message about climate change and provides an opportunity to generate dialogue and discussions,” Additional Divisional Railway Manager Venugopal said while inaugurating the SECAS Express.

Rajamahendravaram Station Manager Subrahmanya Sastry, Chief Ticketing Inspector Kesavabhatla Srnivas and Health Superintendent SVS Kumari facilitated students and teachers on the occasion. The SECAS, in its current phase, is scheduled to travel across the country for seven months, halting at 64 locations in over 20 States covering 19,800 km.

“Climate change is the buzzword today, primarily due to the recent announcement of India’s stand on it and the high-profile COP 21 meet scheduled for December in Paris, where India is one of the stakeholders,” said Harshini, academic head of Future Kids’ School. Every coach has at least two exhibits in addition to LCD screens and informative banners and graphic.

SPB: do not remix Ghantasala songs

SPB: do not remix Ghantasala songs:

• B.V.S. BHASKAR

Playback singer S.P. Balasubrahmanyam garlanding the statue of Ghantasala Venkateswara Rao at ‘Ghantasala Swararchana’ in Rajamahendravaram on Saturday. —PHOTO: S. RAMBABU

Playback singer S.P. Balasubrahmanyam has appealed to Telugu music industry, including music directors and singers, not to remix ‘Gana Gandharwa’ Ghantasala Venkateswara Rao’s albums.

He was inaugurating the ‘Ghantasala Aardhanotsavalu’, which was facilitated by the Department of Language and Culture at Sri Venkateswara Anam Kala Kendram in Rajamahendravaram on Saturday.

The 24-hour ‘Ghantasala Swararchana’ was organised by Kinnera Art Theatres, Hyderabad. Mr. Balasubrahmanyam said remixing of popular albums had become the order of the day in recent times. He also took strong exception to the ‘Gana Ghandharwa’ title tagged to his name, saying only two singers -Ghantasala in Telugu and Mohammad Rafi in Hindi - deserved it. He added that Ghantasala had laid stress on modulation and language in the 3,000-odd songs he had sung in various languages. Rajahmundry Rural MLA Gorantla Butchaiah Chowdary recalled that Ghantasala’s voice was suitable for legendary actors N.T. Ramarao and Akkineni Nageswara Rao.