AP medical students stranded in Ukraine

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, June 29, 2012: Around 50 medical students belonging to various parts of Andhra Pradesh, who have been stranded in Ukraine for two days, now fear that they will lose an opportunity to appear for the Medical Council of India’s eligibility test.

The students, some from Visakhapatnam, had completed the six-year medical course at various varsities in Ukraine and were supposed to reach New Delhi on Thursday morning to submit their application to attend the MCI’s eligibility test in India.

The last date to submit the application is June 29. Any delay in submission will result in the loss of one year for all the students.

However, they are now stranded at Kiev airport after they were not allowed to board a Delhi-bound flight without any valid reasons by the AeroSvit airline company on Wednesday evening.

“We really don’t know the reasons why they were denied boarding passes. They promised to accommodate the students in other flights. But, unfortunately, no flight is a direct one other than the service booked by them. They will have to take a connecting flight at either Istanbul or Moscow, which will be too late for them to reach India and submit MCI application. They do not have proper internet facilities to scan their original certificates to apply online,” P. Veerabhadra Rao, whose son P.S.K.S. Praneeth is one of the stranded students, told this newspaper.

Mr Rao raised doubts about the accommodation provided by the airline, which promised a connecting flight to Moscow on Friday morning.

“Very bad accommodation has been provided by the airline and neither transportation nor food has been given to the stranded students. The airline staffers are not at all responsive since the passengers as young students,” said Mr Rao.

On Thursday, Mr Rao, who works as an assistant engineer at Military Engin-eering Services wrote to the external affairs ministry seeking its intervention to resolve the issue.

No open space in Asia's 2nd largest MVP Colony

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, June 26, 2012: As the CBI is gearing up to probe a case where a building came up on a vacant public site earmarked for a community hall in MVP Colony as per the original layout plan, fingers are being pointed at many such open spaces which have fallen into the hands of private individuals.

The CBI has taken up the probe as per the recent directions of the High Court into a case related to construction of a building by private individuals on land allotted by Vuda authorities which was originally earmarked for a community hall or a public utility.

In MVP Colony, which is considered as Asia’s second largest colony in terms of area, a meager 2 per cent of the land was left as open space, though 10 per cent is the norm.

For instance, a huge chunk of land which was earmarked as a HUDCO zonal park in sector 7 was later allotted to a private educational society where colleges are being run and in the same sector, another piece of land which was identified as an open space was allotted to some employees’ association as plots. There are also allegations that half of the 16 acres earmarked as naala was also illegally occupied.

Except for a few parks in sector 2, no prominent open spaces are seen in the colony. “We have not got any specific information about such open spaces allotted as plots. The probe, ordered by government into various alleged illegal allotments is underway. We will definitely look into this issue also,” Vuda, vice-chairman, Kona Sasidhar told this correspondent.

No takers for PCPIR

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, June 21, 2012: Not able to find any takers for the much hyped Petroleum, Chemicals and Petrochemical Investment Region (PCPIR) due to various reasons, state government is now attempting to show already existing industries in Vizag to Kakinada as part of the PCPIR and going ahead with the proposed planning to provide infrastructure worth around Rs.19,000 crore.

The Vuda vice chairman who is also vice chairman of the Visakhapatnam- Kakinada PCPIR Special Development Authority (VK PCPIR SDA), Mr K. Sasidhar, said that there was no need for people of 110 villages to have any apprehensions of losing their land, as most lands were already acquired by the APIIC. “It is planned that 40 per cent of the total region will be a processing area; of this, 35 to 36 per cent industries are already there,” said Mr Sasidhar.

The PCPIR is aimed at attracting global investments in the petroleum, petrochemical industry, keeping in mind the vast reserves in the KG basin and HPCL was supposed to be the anchor project of the PCPIR.

However, recently after HPCL authorities expressed their helplessness to set up the project due to lack of partners to ground it, APIIC cancelled the allotments made to the oil company. Earlier, the ONGC which initially evinced interest too, backed out. Though APIIC officials are in consultation with Saudi and Kuwait-based oil companies, nothing has yet been finalised.

Now as per official details, non petroleum, petrochemical entities like Ramky SEZ (Pharmaceutical), Andhra Pradesh SEZ (Multi product), Hetero drugs SEZ (Pharmaceutical), Brandix SEZ (Textile and apparel) coming under the Vizag cluster, Kakinada SEZ (Multi product) are shown as part of the PCPIR, along with projected investments by the GMR group in petroleum and petrochemical industry besides the Kakinada Refinery and Petrochemicals Pvt Ltd (KRPL).

Mishap may delay VSP plan

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, June 19, 2012: The ambitious expansion of the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant which was already delayed by three years is likely to be further delayed by one more year at a time when almost all projects have come to the stage of commissioning.

Now, workers have given an ultimatum to the management that they cannot go ahead with the works unless there is a third party check by experts in the field.

Workers said that unless experts certify quality, readiness and safety, after physically examining the projects already commissioned and nearing on stream, they will not go ahead with the works. A discussion in this regard also took place at a meeting of trade unions with the chairman and managing director of RINL on Monday.

Most projects under the expansion are commissioned and the rest almost completed. The raw material handling (RMH) system and blast furnace are alre-ady completed and commi-ssioned. The two steel mil-ls are 70 per cent and steel melt shop 90 per cent completed. The sinter plant is also almost completed.

As per the original plan, expansion should have been completed by 2009, but it was delayed by three years and with the present ultimatum by the strong workforce, it is said that it will be further delayed by one year.

The RINL management was often criticised for implementing the expansion plan in a hurried manner which often resulted in mishaps, ignoring the safety of workforce at risk.

“We cannot ask our colleagues to work in such dangerous conditions. We want the whole system to be safe to work. There should be a third party check. We have told the management about this very clearly. The third party check and its certification will definitely take not less than a year,” recognised trade union leader Adi Narayana told this correspondent.

Having no other go, the RINL management is said to have now decided to constitute a special panel comprising German and Russian technical experts for a third party check to have risk assessment study into the projects under expansion.

On the advice of joint chief inspector of factories, pre-start up review procedure (PSRP) will also be formulated.

Vizag new hub for surrogate moms

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, June 14, 2012:  After Hyderabad and some parts of the coastal districts, Vizag is slowly turning into a hot destination for surrogate mothers in Andhra Pradesh. Apart from local childless couples, a few from other cities are also looking for surrogate mothers here.

A 38-year-old married woman residing in Gopalapatnam, is bearing a child for a Vizag-based childless couple; another 32-year-old woman is also three months pregnant for another couple.

It is financial stress that led both to become surrogate mothers. The first woman who is a graduate, wanted money for one of her daughter’s wedding and decided to bear a child. “I got married very young and am blessed with two daughters. I want my elder daughter to be married next year and I don’t have enough money for this. There is nothing wrong in being a surrogate. In a way I feel am helping a childless couple,” said Lakshmi (name changed).

The surrogate gets a few lakh rupees along with around Rs.3,000 per month for nutritious food until she delivers and also all required medicines. Though there are a few surrogate children in the Vizag region they were born from a surrogate mother outside Vizag. Until now, couples seeking surrogate mothers were going to metro cities like Hyderabad and Mumbai, among others.

“The two women who are surrogates are educated and well aware of the system and risks of surrogacy. A surrogate mother should be respected,” core fertility specialist at the Morpheus-Padmasri fertility centre, Dr P Sudha Padma Sri told this correspondent.

She added that they strictly adhere to the surrogacy laws of India and was not willing to disclose the amount involved in hiring a surrogacy.

Congress doesn’t spare the corrupt: Chiru

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, June 8, 2012: With barely two days left for the campaigning to end, the Congress on Friday stepped up its attack on YSR Congress honorary chief Y.S. Vijayalakshmi and her daughter Y.S. Sharmila Reddy.

There was a last-ditch effort to woo voters who may have been swayed towards the YSRC after the arrest of its chief Jagan Mohan Reddy.

During his road shows in Pyakaraopeta, Congress MP K. Chiranjeevi came down heavily on Ms Vijayalakshmi, accusing her of “unnecessarily” rai-sing doubts about the death of former CM Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy.

In a scathing attack on the YSRC leader, Mr Chiranjeevi said, “She is raising unnecessary dou-bts about YSR’s death and saying that there is some conspiracy behind it. The Congress made YSR the CM twice and also made him the PCC president and the CLP leader. Why would it try to eliminate him?”

He said, “It took five years for Congress president Sonia Gandhi to take a plunge into active politics after the death of her husband Rajiv Gandhi. But it was not even five minutes after YSR’s death for Jagan and his family members (to turn to politics)”.

He questioned why Ms Vijayalakshmi did not display any sympathy towa-rds farmers who lost their valuable lands due to projects like Gangavaram Port, Vanpic and Kakinada SEZ.

Answering his own question, Mr Chiranjeevi said that it was because her son Jagan had benefited with those projects sanctioned by her husband in his capacity as the CM.

The MP also took a dig at Ms Sharmila Reddy, saying many lost their lands as her evangelist husband, Brother Anil Kumar, was allotted 1.2 lakh acres of Bayyaram mines in Khammam.

“Why are the mother and daughter not showing sympathy towards those families who lost their lands due to various projects due to which Jagan benefited. Why are they making it a big issue out of Jagan’s arrest by the CBI? There are instances where even Congress leaders were not spared for graft. Kalmadi was sent to jail. Ashok Chavan was asked to step down. A. Raja and Kanimozhi, both leaders of an important Congress ally, were also sent to jail for corruption,” said Mr Chiranjeevi.

Jagan will get 14-year jail for his offences: CM

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, June 2, 2012: Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy on Friday said that YSRC chief Jagan Mohan Reddy would be behind the bars for not less than 14 years for the economic offences he committed when his father Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy was the chief minister. He said this while adressing a poll meeting.

“Jagan did not go to jail by fighting for the rights of poor, but for amassing public wealth. Be careful while casting your votes,” he said.

Kiran Kumar Reddy tried to explain the gathering about the sections of IPC under which Jagan was booked and arrested by the CBI for graft.

He also said Vijayalakshmi was going all in town about her husband YS Rajasekhar Reddy’s death and son Jagan’s arrest with deceitful words and trying to convince public. He further said there was no difference between Chandrababu Naidu and Jagan. While Naidu backstabbed his own father n law to become chief minister, Jagan ditched the party which gave him political life for the same chair, he added.

Clearly in a counter offensive mode, chief minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy chose to attack Jagan and his family members, but spared main opposition party leader TD chief Chandrababu Naidu during an election speech at Payakaraopeta on Friday.

Of his 20minutes odd speech, he hardly mentioned about Naidu but only once and rest targeted Jagan, saying the later was targeting Congress over his father’s death, implementation of welfare schemes only for power and to become chief minister.

Addressing the gathering in Pyakaraopeta where a day before, Jagan’s mother YS Vijayalakshmi
made an emotional speech stating CBI was acting as per directions of Congress bosses against his son, chief minister said why they didn’t raise similar doubts when CBI gave clean chit to his son in Paritala Ravindra murder case.

"The then chief minister, YS Rajasekhar Reddy asked for a CBI inquiry when fingers
were pointed at Jagan over Paritala Ravindra’s murder. Jagan’s name was also mentioned in
the FIR. But, later after investigation CBI found no evidence of Jagan’s role in the murder and closed the case giving him clean chit. I wonder and ask them how they can raise doubts about the same CBI now," said the chief minister.

Vijayamma turns to vaastu

BY SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, may 30, 2012: Being on the eastern side of AP, Srikakulam is believed to be auspicious for the launch of election campaigns and that’s exactly where Y.S. Vijayalakshmi will be launching her poll campaign from

After son and Kadapa MP Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s arrest, YSRC honorary president Y.S. Vijayalakshmi is gearing up for her bypoll campaign with party cadres taking care of last-minute arrangements.

Vijayalakshmi’s maiden campaign begins at Narasannapeta constituency in Srikakulam; a favourite with many in the past as it lies on the eastern side of the state.

Many believe that initiating campaigns from Srikakulam district in the east of Andhra Pradesh is auspicious and will bring fortune.

Incidentally, her husband and late chief minister YSR culminated his historic 1,600-km padayatra before the 2004 elections at Ichapuram in Srikakulam district.

The padayatra was instrumental in bringing the Congress back to power in 2004.

In 2008, when actor Chiranjeevi launched his political outfit he undertook a statewide tour titled Praja Ankitha Yatraa, which he launched on October 9 at Arasavilli in Srikakulam.

In 2009, the Congress general election campaign was also officially launched in Ichapuram with the then PCC chief D. Srinivas and other party leaders actively taking part in a massive meeting and road shows.

Actor Jr NTR, who lent his hand to uncle and TD chief N. Chandrababu Naidu during the 2009 elections, also launched his 40-day statewide poll campaign from Ichapuram.

The actor performed Ksheerabhishekam to his late grandfather, NTR, at his native village Nimmakuru in Krishna district and later flew to Ichapuram to launch his campaign.

On May 30, Vijayalakshmi will reach Narasannapeta from Hyderabad to take part in a roadshow.

She will also address a public meeting and later in the evening she will reach Paykaraopeta, also going to the polls, to partake in the campaign for YSRC candidate G. Babu Rao.

“Vijayalakshmi will be campaigning in both Narasannapeta and Payakaraopeta constituencies and our party cadres are ready to actively support her in the canvassing,” said YSRC city convener Vamsi Krishna Srinivas.

Unused copter flew YSR: Wife

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, May  31, 2012: With her son Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy in jail, Ms Y.S. Vijayalakshmi on Wednesday kick-started her party’s campaign for the June 12 byelections with a blistering attack on the Congress and said that she had doubts about the helicopter crash that killed her husband, Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy in 2009.

Huge crowds turned up at both Narsannapeta and Payakaraopeta to watch Ms Vijayalakshmi and daughter Y.S. Sharmila Reddy, who turned out to be the new star attraction.

A debutante, Ms Sharmila won over the crowds by beginning her speech with the words: “Nenu meeru abhimaninche Raajanna biddanu (I am the daughter of your affectionate leader YSR).”

The party that had been worried about the scarcity of star campaigners after Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy’s arrest, especially since it is difficult for Ms Vijayala-kshmi to communicate fluently, found its new champion. .

Earlier, in Payakarao-peta, Ms Vijayalakshmi said, “Somebody in a high position found fault with the doubts I raised about my husband’s death. I want to know why was a helicopter that was not used for three months deployed to fly my husband.”

200 acre of forest land encroached in Vizag

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, June 8, 2012: While the forest department is striving to increase forest cover, illegal encroachment of forest tracts continues in Vizag. Despite action against these encroachers in the form of booking cases, it continues unabated.

Forest officials of Vizag division covering Choda-varam, Yelamanchali and parts of Ananthagiri of Vizag Agency, found that around 200 acres of forest land were encroached upon since five to six years in the plain areas.

Cases against 62 encroachers were booked. Unofficial sources say that encroachments are more than stated in the official statistics.

“If forest officials had started regularisation of encroached forest lands as per the Forest Act, there would not have any encroachment. As regularisation took a back seat, there is an increase in encroachment,” opined Mr G. Srinivas of Samata, an NGO working on forest rights. Encroachments prior to 2005, December are to be regularised as per the Forest Rights Act, 2006. Meanwhile, as there is a decrease in forest cover, forest officials are now busy designing strategies to increase cover.

“We have a target of increasing forest cover in Vizag division to an extent of more than 250 hectares by planting saplings of teakwood and other local species. The plan is already under process,” said divisional forest officer Shivani Dogra.

She said that remote sensing images help them to identify encroachments, enabling them to swing into action to recover the encroached lands.