Kovvada nuke plant: Site selected based on 2001 census

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, Dec 31, 2012:  While the locals opposing the proposed Kovvada Nuclear Park (KNP ) around 120 kms from here, have just resumed their stir, a close look at the site selection process to set up the nuclear power plant itself raises many a hackles.

As per the reply given by NPCIL to an RTI query which was accessed by Deccan Chronicle shows that Site Selection Committee (SSC) constituted by Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) had just merely accepted the state government’s recommendation of site in Kovvada on the ground that it was near the coast without looking for any other alternative site.

The SSC initially recommended Nagarjunasagar site for locating the plant. However, due to proximity of Tiger sanctuary, an alternative site at Kovvada was proposed by the state government in 1994 and it was selected by the SSC in 2003. In 2007, the SSC submitted a report recommending Kovvada.

The government has just a month ago issued GOs related to the land acquisition for KNP with capacity of 9,540 mw.

Initially, Centre planned to set up a nuclear plant in Kovvada in Srikakulam district that can generate 6,000 mw with six reactors. Recently, DAE has accepted the proposal of the NPCIL to increase capacity from 6,000 mw to 9,540 mw.

According to DAE’s earlier clearances, the nuclear park’s capacity was 6,000 mw, since the DAE had, in principle, allowed the capacity of each reactor to produce above 1,000 mw.

All necessary studies like marine survey, weather conditions in pre and post monsoon and seismic studies have already been carried out for the nuclear park, to be operationalised with US-based GE Westings technological support for the reactors. Though the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA), report for KNP by NPCIL is to be submitted by August to go for public hearing in December this year, it is delayed in the wake of new guidelines related to the coastal regulatory zone (CRZ) from the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF).

“Evidently, the SSC had not considered alternative sites nor it had laid down any criteria for selecting a site for the purpose. The SSC had merely accepted the state government’s recommendation on the gro-und that it was a site near the coast, without examining the technical and environmental implications,” said former Union energy secretary E.A.S. Sarma, while speaking to this correspondent. The SSC report of 2007 recommending Kovvada that was accessed through the RTI Act reply, clearly mentioned that the population study was based on the 2001 census. For instance the report said that there are no population centres having a population of more than one lakh within 30 kms radial distance and Srikakulam with a population of about 98,448 is at a radial distance of about 28 kms. The report discussed only about the rehabilitation aspect ignoring safety. However, as per the latest 2011 census, Srikakulam town had a population of 146,988.

“There are major urban agglomerations in Srikakulam town within the 30 km range and a Fukushi-ma-like disaster could end-anger the lives of a large number of people, posing a formidable challenge in terms of emergency preparedness,” Mr Sarma said.

Centre to empower grama sabhas to combat Maoists

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, Dec 27, 2012: Centre seems to be working on empowering gram sabhas in tribal tracts, which are Maoists stronghold to combat left wing extremism. As part of such initiative, state government would be announcing bamboo as minor forest produce at Duddugula village in Nathavaram Mandal in the district in the first week of January, 2013.

Maharashtra government was first in the country to transfer full control of transit passbook for the bamboo from forest department to gram sabha of Mendha (Lekha) and it was a success story. Tribals will have rights over growing, felling and selling bamboo. According to a letter accessed by Deccan Chronicle, Union rural development minister, Jairam Ramesh wrote to chief ministers of several states including Andhra Pradesh in August urging them to replicate Mendha success story to combat left wing terrorism.

Bamboo is a traditional source of subsistence for many forest-dwelling communities of India and has immense cultural and economic significance. Bamboo forests are distributed in around 9 million hectares. Duddugula has around 200 acres coming under Community Forest Rights (CFR) where tribals can have rights on the produce. 

Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy and Jairam Ramesh are expected to take part in the programme going to be held at Duddugula in Vizag Agency, which will be the first in the state to be benefited by the Forest Rights Act, 2006.

Ramesh in his letter to N Kiran Kumar Reddy and chief ministers of Odisha, Chattisgarh, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhad, clearly mentioned that the gram sabha of Mendha (Lekha) was financially empowered to an unprecedented degree.

The union minister said that he reviewed the achievement particularly in the context of the strategy to combat left-wing extremism. “There have been recent newspaper reports that Maoists in Gadchirowli are unhappy with this revolution that has taken place in Mendha (Lekha). Am convinced that we need to create more Mendha (Lekha)’s and empower gram sabhas in order for us to successfully roll back the spread of Maoist activities in a sustainable manner,” said Jairam Ramesh.

He also urged the respective state governments to send a team of officers to Mendha (Lekha) to study success story.   

Probe on bid to pilfer lethal chemical Ammonium Nitrate

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, Dec 27, 2012: The city police is thoroughly investigating into a vain bid by a Kakinada-based petty trader to pilfer a truck load of lethal chemical Ammonium Nitrate (NH4NO3) from Vizag port in May.

Harbour station police  last Saturday arrested Syed Bazuddin, 53, a resident of Kakinada for encouraging locals to divert a truck load of ammonium nitrate that was unloaded from a vessel at Vizag port.

Though ammonium nitrate is commonly used in making fertilizers it is also used by extremists to make improvised explosives.

Earlier, in two instances Maoists in Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra have looted huge quantities of the chemical, which was loaded in trucks.

Cops have arrested Bazuddin on December 22 and produced in a local court. He was sent to 14-day remand.

Around nine locals were taken into custody as part of investigation after Visakhapatnam Port Trust (VPT) authorities lodged a complaint with Harbour police in May this year. Thorough questioning of the nine persons led to Bazuddin and he was finally caught on last Saturday in Kakinada and was later brought to city.

It was after CISF personnel intercepted a truck loaded with ammonium nitrate while going out of the port premises without valid records that the VPT authorities lodged complaint with the police.
It is now being investigated about the intention of Bazuddin to pilfer such a huge quantity of ammonium nitrate, which can be used as basic explosive to trigger mayhem.

“We have questioned around nine persons one after the other. Linking the information given by each we have arrested Bazuddin, who is a scrap dealer. Further investigation is on,” Harbour police station CI, Ch. Bapuji told this newspaper.

Dharmana's Vizag quid pro quo!

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, Dec 23, 2012: While the fate of Dharmana Prasada Rao, who resigned from the state cabinet a few months back on CBI prosecution is hanging in court, fingers are now being pointed at another G O which was issued in 2008 when he was revenue minister regularizing a piece of land to private persons under the provisions of Urban Land Ceiling Act (ULC) in Vizag.

A report by the then district collector before the GO was issued established that the private persons tried to grab the land by producing fake and fabricated documents.  An element of quid pro quo is alleged in issuing the G O as Prasada Rao’s son Dharmana Ram Manohar Naidu, purchased 2,750sft luxury flat at dirt cheap rate in an apartment complex coming up on the said land that was regularized through the G O, on the beach road.  

The flat worth crores in the market, according according to the sale purchase deed documents dated June, 2, 2010, accessed by this newspaper show M/s Virgin Rock Pvt Ltd having office in Srikakulam represented by its Managing Director, Dharmana Ram Manohar Naidu, son of Dharmana Prasada Rao purchased the flat for a paltry Rs 34, 59, 500.

As per the certified documents by the Vizag sub registrar office in I Town of the sale deed that are with this news paper, the flat no A-603 measuring super built up area of 2,750 Sft, inclusive of balconies, proportionate share in the common areas etc is in the fifth floor constructed up to the foundation level and two car parking bearing nos A-36, 37 in cellar floor of “A” block of the Residential Complex “Clover Majestic Towers” (Phase 1).

The multi storey apartment complex with more than 90 super luxury flats in three blocks valued hundreds of crores is coming up on the controversial land, which had been allotted to P Venkatapathi Raju and K Naga Kanaka Brahmam through G O Ms no. 424 issued by the revenue department on April 6,2006.  

In December 2006, the then district collector submitted a report to the government stating that P Venkatapathi Raju and K Naga Kanaka Brahmam, have managed to get the said land allotted to them by producing false documents. As a consequence of the district collector’s report, the G O was kept in abeyance.  

Later, Venkatapathi Raju and Brahmam filed representations before the then revenue minister, Dharmana Prasad Rao, and among other things, stated that they were willing to pay the highest slab rate.

The request of the applicants was considered by the state government, which decided to apply the highest slab rate of the year 2002 -Rs.1, 750 per sq.mtr, and accordingly, modification orders were issued fixing the highest slab rate under G.O.Ms.No.493, on March 26, 2008 and the abeyance order issued earlier was withdrawn.

Subsequently, the director general of the Anti Corruption Bureau, conducted discreet enquiry and recommended initiating departmental action against the two private persons, for submitting a fake and fabricated house tax book and tax receipts to the then special officer and the competent authority, Urban Land Ceiling,Visakhapatnam. The ACB also recommended that the two men be prosecuted under sections 420, 435, 465 and 471 of the IPC.

“What else it could be other than a quid pro quo arrangement a part of the bribe for regularizing the said land was in the form of a luxurious flat worth a few crores. These days you don’t get a simple two bedroom flat measuring 950sft for the amount with which son of Dharmana Prasada Rao bought a luxury 2,750 sft flat. What is the reason behind the promoters of the apartment complex sell the flat for that rate? Why Dharmana Ram Manohar Naidu is so special to them?” questioned CPI district secretary, JV Satyanrayana Murthy.

Meanwhile there was no response to the plea of former senior bureaucrat, EAS Sarma to allow him to prosecute the concerned revenue minister who issued the G O under various provisions of Prevention of Corruption Act.

In a letter to the state governor, ESL Narasimham, on Nov 24, 2012, Sarma, said “In another case relating to illegal occupation of government lands on the basis of fabricated documents, a senior revenue minister at that time and several senior officers had benefited the culprits in return for posh apartments at nominal prices, about which I had made a reference in my letters earlier. The state is yet to grant me permission under the Prevention of Corruption Act to prosecute the culprits. It clearly shows how the state government is shielding the corrupt deliberately. In a way, by shielding them, they have become abettors in the criminal offences committed by the concerned public servants.”

Dharmana in, Botsa keeps off

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, Dec 17, 2012: Putting an end to speculations about his standing in the government, Dharmana Prasada Rao took part in the Chief Minister's Indiramma Bata as minister in charge of the district. However, the absence of PCC chief Botsa Satyanarayana who belongs to neighbouring Viziangaram district, and controversial Yelamanchali MLA Kannababu, who is facing charges of graft, raised many eyebrows.

It is learnt that the CM advanced his Indiramma Baata schedule much against the wishes of the PCC chief who did not want the programme in Vizag to be held just a day after the PCC state-level meeting in Hyderabad on Sunday.

He wanted the Indiram

ma Baata in Vizag to be held according to the earlier schedule on December 25, 26, 27 so that party workers and other leaders from Vizag could attend the PCC state-level meeting in Hyderabad in large numbers.

Except tribal welfare minister P. Balaraju, no leader or party worker from Vizag took part in the Hyderabad meeting. Even Ganta Srinivasa Rao and

Government Whip Dronamraju Srinivasa Rao remained in Vizag on Sunday to oversee arrangements for the CM’s programme.

A Botsa loyalist said by not sticking to the earlier schedule, the CM was only widening the rift between the two key leaders.

Even minister Kondru Murali, of Srikakulam took part in some of the CM’s programmes.

Dharmana creates flutter at Indiramma Baata meet

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, Dec 13, 2012: Senior Congress leader, Dharmana Prasada Rao, who resigned from the State Cabinet a few months ago, sprang a surprise on Thursday by attending a meeting with top officials of the district to oversee arrangements for Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy’s proposed Indiramma Baata programme scheduled from December 17, in his capacity as minister in-charge of the district.

Dharamana Rao had resigned as roads and buildings minister after his name was included in the chargesheet filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation that was probing YSR Congress president, Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s disproportionate assets cases.

Since then, he has kept away from his ministerial duties, not attending any official meetings of his department and not going to his office in the state secretariat. Whenever he attended a programme he insisted it was as an MLA and not as a minister.

On Thursday, he took part in a meeting to review the CM’s programme, claiming it was in his capacity as district in-charge minister, even though he belongs to and was elected from neighbouring Srikakulam district.

He was accompanied by ports and infrastructure minister, Ganta Srinivasa Rao, tribal welfare minister, P. Balaraju, government whip, Dronamraju Srinivasa Rao, several Congress MLAs, the district collector, V. Seshadri, the city police commissioner, Shivadhar Reddy, and district superintendent of police, V. Sreenivas. Interestingly, a communication from the district public relations office said that district incharge minister Prasada Rao will be attending the review meet.

Indiramma Baata: Cops get a break from combing, to guard Kiran

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, Dec 13, 2012:  Special battalions will take a temporary break from their anti –naxal operations to guard the Chief Minister, Mr N Kiran Kumar Reddy when he visits Vizag Agency tracts as part of his proposed 3 day Indiramma Baata programme in the district from Dec 17.

The Chief Minister will spend a night in Paderu, a Maoist infested area and to ensure his safety around 1,500 Greyhound and special party police personnel will be deployed along the ghat road from Chodavaram, Narasipatnam to Paderu.

After cancelling the programme more than four times in the last minute, Kiran Kumar Reddy’s Indiramma Baata had been tentatively finalised on Tuesday and a review meeting on the arrangements for the programme was held on Thursday.

“Since the Chief Minister will be spending a night in Paderu, which is a Maoist dominated area, we can’t take any chances. An additional 500 trained personnel will be drawn from other battalions in the neighbouring districts,” said a district police official.

This Indiramma Baata is being held after the historic SC/ST Sub Plan Bill 2012 was passed in the state Assembly and with the Chief Minister attending more programmes in tribal areas, local officials and MLAs are trying their best to make it a grand success.

During his three-day programme, Kiran Kumar Reddy will interact with women members of various SHGs, fishermen, cycle with youngsters, play various games with tribal children and lay foundation stones for various development works, said sources.

Indiramma Baata: CM tries to woo women voters

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, Dec 17, 2012: Clearly in poll mode, with panchayat and urban local body, elections round the corner, the chief N Kiran Kumar Reddy, tried to woo women voters, who hold the ‘key’ in many households, at a meeting held with the members of Self Help Groups (SHGs) as part of his 11th edition of Indiramma Bata, here on Monday.

He said the state government was ready to hold panchayat and other local body polls in a month or two with provision of 50 percent reservations for women.  It may be mentioned here that only after an HC directive on fixing reservations to various sections, the government had announced its readiness to hold polls, which were pending for more than year.  

The government had come under fire from Opposition parties for not conducting polls to local bodies for long. While the term of elected councils in urban local bodies ended way back in Sep 2010 panchayat raj councils closed in Aug 2011. And since then, they are being run by ‘Special Officers, with an extension every six months. Though the panchayat polls are not fought on the party lines, they will hold a litmus test to Kiran Kumar Reddy’s performance as chief minister and also decides Congress party’s fate in 2014 polls. They will also show the mood of the general public both in rural tracts, urban areas towards TD, YSRC and TRS in Telangana region.

Kiran Kumar Reddy on Monday announced that another 9 lakh women across the state will be enrolled soon in Abhaya Hastham in addition to existing 45 lakh members and enhancement of bank linkage loans to urban SHGs “Our government cleared around Rs 600cr dues of several SHGs under Mission for Elimination of Poverty in Municipal Areas (MEPMA). We have also sanctioned around Rs 15 lakhs for construction buildings for the offices of SHGs in both urban and rural areas. Congress party believes in women empowerment and working according to the ideals of Indira Gandhi. SHG members can now avail loan upto Rs 25,000 for the second time,” said Kiran Kumar Reddy.  

Indiramma Baata: CM rides on SC/ST sub-plan success

By SNV Sudhir

Paderu(Vizag Agency), Dec 19, 2012:  In an attempt to ride over the success of passing historic SC ST Sub Plan Bill 2012, in state Assembly, chief minister Mr N Kiran Kumar Reddy  chose the occasion to explain its contents and importance to tribals in Dalimputt in Paderu as part of the third day of his Indiramma Baata on Wednesday.

 “Nobody knows the importance of the Sub plan. Its your right to know the contents of the Bill. Now, every rupee allocated to tribals in the annual budget has to be spent on them alone. Those funds can’t be diverted. even a normal tribal can question authorities and can book any officer if found not spending funds menat for them,” said the Chief Minister.

With most tribal areas in the state lagging behind in all sectors-health, education, roads, Kiran Kumar Reddy said that his government was trying its best to improve the standards and conditions in Agency tracts for their welfare. he said efforts were on bring down the infant mortality rate by providing better hospital facilities for pregnant women.

He also assured the tribals he would sanction a residential school in the vicinity for the benefit of their children who had to travel far to go to school and enquired about the proper implementation of the NREGS and other welfare programmes in their areas. 

Fraudulent finance firms thrive in Visakhapatnam

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, Dec 21, 2012: Finance and chit fund companies, which collect huge deposits from a gullible public, with the offer of repayment with high interest every month, are thriving in the city. In the span of a week, three scamster companies downed their shutters after duping thousands of innocent depositors to the tune of around Rs 100 crore.

Last month, police took into custody the owners of Spark Ventures, which was running similar schemes and collecting deposits as high as Rs 10 crore from many. Last week, to the depositors’ shock, the offices of the Magic Group and Airawat Associates, running similar money deposit schemes, were locked. While Magic Group reportedly collected deposits from around 15,000 depositors to the tune of Rs 75 crore, Airawat Associates collected deposits worth Rs 30 crore.

While some companies were offering Rs 18,000 per month as repayment if Rs 1 lakh was deposited for a year, few others were registering plots with General Power of Attorney (GPA). The moment the company stopped repaying the monthly promised amount, the depositor could claim the plot. However, when the depositor would go to the layout developed by the company, he would be kicked out.

According to reports, there are at least 30 such companies operating in various parts of the city and rural tracts of the district. Ironically none of the companies follow strict guidelines, norms fixed by Reserve Bank of India (RBI) like putting assets, cash deposits, and bank balance in public domain.

While such companies make hay, the police are planning to crack down on them. City Police Commissioner B. Shivadhar Reddy said, “We are not going to spare anyone. Most of the companies have not adhered to RBI norms. Hereafter, there will be regular checks and raids on companies. If we smell any foul play they will be taken into custody. It’s highly impossible for anyone to repay amounts such as Rs 18,000 for a year in return of Rs 1 lakh deposit. Public should also be cautious.”

CM Kiran's show on Deo's turf today

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, Dec 19, 2012: All eyes are now on Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy’s proposed visit to Paderu in Vizag Agency which comes under his bête noire Union tribal affairs minister Kishore Chandra Deo’s Parliamentary constituency of Araku on Wednesday. Reddy is likely to spend the entire day, taking part in several programmes organised locally in Paderu as part of the 11th edition of Indiramma Baata.

It may be recalled that Deo earlier reportedly wrote a letter to Congress president Sonia Gandhi calling Reddy “ineffective”, besides terming PCC chief Botsa Satyanarayana a ‘mafia don’. This was after there was no response from the CMO to his orders, directing the state government to immediately cancel the MoUs it signed with ANRAK and Jindals on supply of bauxite proposed to be mined in Vizag Agency by APMDC.

Deo has directed for the cancellation of the MoUs, under the special powers vested with the Centre according to the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution.

While locals are training their guns to protest CM’s visit, followers of state tribal welfare minister P. Balaraju are trying their best to make the programme a success to avoid any embarrassment as this would be the first Indiramma Baata after the prestigious SC, ST Sub Plan Bill 2012 was passed in State Assembly. Incidentally, Paderu is the home constituency of Balaraju and he earlier said that the state government was ready to cancel the MoUs. But, the CM on Monday night told reporters that he is yet to study the file to take any decision.

Barring TD, all opposition parties including CPI, CPM, YSRC, BJP, BSP, AISF, Girijana Sangham are readying their cadre for Wednesday’s bandh against CM’s indecisiveness on cancelling the MoUs. They have planned to block roads leading to Paderu to stop people going to CM’s programme. Reddy would be interacting with beneficiaries of Recognition Of Forest Rights Act and participate in various development programmes at Paderu.

GAINING GROUND: MLA’ s ‘palace’ to land GVMC in court

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, Dec 17, 2012: The GVMC town planning staff is now caught between the devil and the deep sea.

While it was confirmed that controversial Congress MLA U. V. Ramana Murthy Raju, alias Kannababu has constructed part of his palatial house in Seethammadhara on land belonging to the Simhachalam Devasthanam Board, the endowments department is now seriously contemplating approaching the court, challenging the GVMC for approving the building plan.

According to an earlier order of the High Court, construction on some of the land survey numbers in parts of urban and rural areas is prohibited, includ

ing the one on which Mr Kannababu constructed his house. Acting on the orders of the AP Lokayukta, settlement and land survey department teams here readied a report which established that the MLA constructed a part of his house in 700 sq yards of land in Survey No. 275, belonging to the Simhachalam Devasthanam.

While the encroachment was allegedly done by one Srinivasa Cooperative Society, the MLA constructed his house on 1,066 sq yards belonging to the society in Survey No. 7, and on the adjacent 700 sq yards of the Devasthanam land.

It was in June 2011 that the AP Lokayukta, on the basis of reports about some MLAs’ alleged encroachment, asked the settlement and land survey department to submit a report.

After a thorough examination of the land and related records, the survey department recently readied the report and sent it to the Lokayukta and also to the state government.

“After some reports emerged in the media, we have asked our surveyors to survey the land in which the MLA constructed his house. It was found in the survey done by us that the MLA’s house was constructed on the site belonging to Survey No. 275 where construction is prohibited. I wonder how the GVMC could give its approval for the building

plan. It’s clearly contempt of court as stated in an earlier order of the High Court, that construction in certain survey numbers belonging to the Devasthanam is prohibited,” said Simhachalam Devasthanam executive officer incharge, D. Brahamaramba.

Highly placed sources in the endowments department told this correspondent that they would be approaching the court against the GVMC soon.

The ACB has filed cases on September 24 against the MLA and his family members, including his wife, daughter and son, for amassing huge wealth using his power. The special court for ACB cases ordered the ACB to file a case and probe while hearing a petition filed by Adari Adimurthy.

MLA had an earlier tryst with ACB On October 17, the ACB had raided premises belonging to Kannababu after allegations by one Adari Adimurthy that the MLA’s assets increased manifold within a span of five to six years.

Adimurthy had submitted 28 documents.

Congress cleanses NTR statue

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, Dec 12, 2012: While family members of Telugu Desam founder N.T. Rama Rao, now divided on political lines, are engaged in a verbal duel on garnering credit on installing more than lifesize statue of the demised leader in Parliament House, scores of Congress activists, came in support of union minister of state for corporate affairs D. Purandeswari.

The war of words between the TD leaders and  Ms Purandeswari took a new turn with NTR’s son Balakrishna joining the issue.

Balakrishna, in a release on Tuesday, launched a scathing attack against Ms Purandeswari and her husband D. Venkateswara Rao. Interestingly, activists of the Congress, the party that was bitterly criticised by NTR, condemned remarks made by TD chief N. Chandrababu Naidu and actor Balakrishna.

As an act of consecration, they have performed abhishekam and  later garlanded the gigantic statue of NTR on the Beach Road.

While lauding the gesture by the Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, and the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan  Singh, for giving a nod to Ms Purandeswari’s efforts for installation of NTR statue, Congress activists criticised Balakrishna and other TD leaders alleging that they were trying to  gain political mileage out of the situation. “For nine years, Chandrababu Naidu played a vital role in national  politics but there was no effort from him on installing the statue at Parliament house,” said Intuc youth wing state general secretary Murthy Yadav.

Balakrishna in his Tuesday’s letter asked Ms Purandeswari what she had done when the then chief minister Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy had refused to give the statue on behalf of the state.

Women back suspended prof.

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, Dec 11, 2012: Three days after Andhra University senior professor J. Ramu Naidu was shown engaged in a sex act on a 24-hour-Telugu  news channel, the women of his neighbourhood came out supporting him. The professor was suspended on Dec. 7 a day after the act was aired by a TV channel.

The women asserted that the pictures shown on TV were morphed and it  was the handiwork of the builder of the apartment where he was living. The professor had disputes with the builder since long regarding alleged deviations in the  construction of the building at Siripuram in the city.

The women  demanded  that, his suspension should be immediately revoked. The residents of Siripuram Towers, where Prof. Naidu stays, said that  the pictures flashed on TV showed Prof, Naidu facing the  camera. “Do you think that anybody would pose before a camera while engaging in a compromising act? We know Prof. Naidu, since long. We are convinced that he was framed,” said Rani.

Another woman doubted the credentials of the photos. “If the photos were genuine where are the digital negatives? The TV channel crew was totally instigated by the builder of our apartment who sold away the cellar meant for parking space on which Prof.

Naidu was fighting with  him. It is only to defame Naidu and to demoralise him,”another woman said. They also termed suspension of the professor from duties as illegal. 

They have also sent a telegraphic notice to the Andhra University  registrar terming the suspension as illegal and immediately to revoke  it. 

“As per the code of conduct of government servants, a person can’t be suspended unless there is any charge or a case is pending against him/her. 

In this case there is no complaint or a case registered either at any police station or any other authorities,” said Greater Visakha Citizen  welfare Associa-tion, president and advocate, G Deveswara Rao.

Port: Vizag’s loss is Prakasam’s gain

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, Dec 7, 2012:  While Nakkapalli in Vizag district was preferred as ideal place to develop second major port in the state, PMO’s decision to set up the Rs 8,000 cr port at Ramayapatnam in Prakasam district is seen as failure local leadership in bringing pressure on the concerned.  

The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), on Thursday, said that tenders for the proposed port would be finalized by March 2013 and the works would begin from April onwards.

Though, the Indian Navy’s Eastern Naval Command (ENC), reportedly raised objections over the proposed port citing security reasons as a new submarine base is coming up in the vicinity of the proposed site Rambilli, timely intervention by the district ministers could have made the difference.

Ports and infrastructure minister, Ganta Srinivasa Rao who was elected to the Assembly from the district convened an all party meeting in September and promised to take a delegation to the chief minister to press their demand for the port at Nakkapalli, but there were no efforts in this regard.

The present Vizag port is the only major port in the state though Andhra Pradesh has tremendous potential to handle foreign trade through sea due to its vast coast line of 996kms. In order to tap the foreign trade opportunities state government has approached the union government with a proposal for a second major port when the Centre announced its maritime agenda for the next decade 2010-20.
Three places were shortlisted for the proposed port, Nakkapalli in Vizag district,
Ramayapatnam in Prakasam district and Duggirajapatnam in Nellore district. A high-level central committee visited the three places in the last six months and the report was also submitted.

Later the state government wrote to Centre recommending Ramaypatnam, which irked the opposition parties.

There were reports that ISRO and the defence officials reportedly raised security concerns as SHAR is near to Duggirajapatnam and Nakkapalli is close to Naval Alternative Operations Base (NAOB).

“Nakkapalli is the ideal place having air connectivity too which is very close to KG Basin and many industries in Vizag. I wonder why Navy raised objections over Nakkapalli port when they didn’t do to the present port which is also very close to many establishments of ENC. Another port would help economic growth in this region” said TD state vice president and former minister, Bandaru Satyanrayana Murthy.

He accused Minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao of acting in favour of his native district, Prakasam.

The main opposition TD too which promised an agitation on large scale was silent since two months and never raised the issue at an appropriate platform.

No land recovery from Kenexa unit

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, Dec 6, 2012: In a much relief to the top executives of US based Kenexa Corp’s Indian arm, Kenexa Technologies Pvt Ltd (KTPL), minister for ports, infrastructure and investments, Ganta Srinivasa Rao assured them postponement of the modification of the lease deed with Kenexa Corp which was acquired by global IT giant IBM.

KTPL managing director, Rahuveer Sakuru and director, Aneeta Sakuru waged a legal battle with their US parent over its decision to handover an approximate 21 acres of land it was allotted by the APIIC after it was slapped a penalty of Rs 81 cr for not complying with the agreement of providing ‘promised’ employment.

With IBM backtracked on paying the penalty, Kenexa Corp decided to handover 21 of the 25 acres allotted to it by APIIC through its Indian arm KTPL. And IBM reportedly not keen on expanding its operations at Madhurawada IT SEZ,  and willing to handover the remaining land than that where a building of KTPL stands, the local top executives who were not willing to part with the land had approached court in Hyderabad challenging Kenexa Corp’s decision.

It was KTPL not Kenexa Corp that reached land lease agreement with APIIC in 2008.

Meanwhile, the APIIC officials too wanted to restore the land from KTPL after serving several notices since March this year. KTPL, however, sought an extension for some more time to convince IBM to expand its business so that land is not needed to be returned.

“We want IT sector to grow in Vizag after Hyderabad that’s the reason why we have been striving hard to restore the land. Due to various reasons globally IT sector had witnessed a downturn since a few years. It had just started reviving which will help us in providing more jobs at Vizag. We need some more time. For us minister’s assurance is a positive development” KTPL director, Aneeta Sakuru told this correspondent.

She added that taking back lands from IT companies will only leave a negative impression on Tier II cities, especially Vizag, which has a tremendous future ahead.

Ganta Srinivasa Rao directed the APIIC officials to temporarily postpone the decision to take back the land and also decided to hold a meeting with the executives of IBM to convince them to expand its operations in the already allotted land for KTPL.

Andhra varsity don named in tv channel ‘sting’

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, Dec 6,2012: Visuals of a 56-year-old professor of Andhra University reportedly caught with a woman in his office were aired on a news channel here on Thursday.The telecast purported to show Prof. Jagarapu Ramu Naidu, who teaches economics at AU’s School of Distance Education, in a compromising position with the woman.
It is alleged that he sought sexual favours from the woman who had approached him for a certificate.
The woman, with the help of the news channel, is said to have filmed the professor with a hidden camera.
The professor wasn’t available for comment when the reporter tried to reach him.
Following the airing of visuals of a professor of Andhra University in a compromising situation with a married woman on a Telugu news channel, activists of several women’s welfare organisations condemned the professor’s act as “shameful”, coming from one whose job was to build the character of students. The woman, however, preferred not to come out in the open. “AU authorities should immediately dismiss him from his job,” said AIDWA member Swaroopa Rani.The professor, denying his involvement totally, said he was being framed. “We will register a case if we get any complaint,” said ACP (East) S. Venkat Rao.

Another son rise: Shashi eyes CM's post through son

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, Dec 5, 2012: Is Sanathnagar MLA Marri Shashidhar Reddy using his son Marri Aditya Reddy to pave his way to the Chief Minister's post?
The junior Reddy's presence in Vizag during AICC general-secretary Rahul Gandhi's emissary Jitendra Desh Prabhu's visit got tongues wagging and many Congressmen were of the opinion that Mr Aditya Reddy was trying to set the stage for his father.

Sources say that there is a possibility that a Reddy leader from Telangana will be appointed CM, along with a package for the region, to placate T-protagonists if the Congress high command denies Telangana.

If Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy is replaced before the Assembly polls, Mr Shashidhar Reddy, along with panchayat raj minister K. Jana Reddy, housing minister Uttam Kumar Reddy and former PCC president D. Srinivas will be among those in the running for the top post, said sources.

Despite strong denials both from New Delhi and Hyderabad, sources say that there are high chances of the CM being replaced ahead of the polls in view of growing opposition.

Meanwhile in Vizag, Mr Aditya Reddy was seen mingling with Mr Desh Prabhu during the latter's one-and-a-half day visit to the city to get feedback from Congress leaders and cadres on the party's prospects in Vizag and Anakapalle Parliamentary constituencies for the 2014 polls.

Sources inside the CM's camp said that Mr Aditya Reddy's intention was to influence Mr Gandhi's emissary and give negative feedback about Mr Kiran Kumar Reddy .

The sources said Mr Shashidhar Reddy has been lobbying hard to project the CM as a failure on one hand and himself as an efficient alternative who will be able to handle the burning Telangana issue and deliver good governance on the other.

“I think they are of the opinion that giving negative feedback about the CM's governance at ground-level to Rahul's emissary will work in their favour,“ said a Congress leader who had been accompanying Mr Desh Prabhu.

Another Congress leader from Hyderabad said, “It's not uncommon in the Congress for everybody to try their best to project themselves as efficient before the high command and show others in poor light.“

Land-grabbers nailed

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, Dec 5, 2012: The vigilance and enforcement department officials have just completed the inquiry into the illegal regularistion of Urban Land Ceiling (ULC) surplus lands in the heart of  the city Daspalla Hills, worth hundreds of crores, to private persons and submitted the report to the district administration and also the state government.

After a furore in state legislative council during last Assembly session, revenue minister N. Raghuveera Reddy had ordered an inquiry into the controversial  land regularisation.

Vigilance department prepared the report into land transactions covered by government poramboke survey Nos. 1196, 1197, 1027 and 1028.

They examined if there was any collusion  of real estate agents and officials in exempting 7½ acres from coming under the Urban Land Ceiling and Regulation Act (ULCRA) and creating fake documents and revenue passbooks to regularise layouts or building permissions.

According to highly placed sources in district administration, it was established that a few ULC officials in connivance with private real estate developers exempted the valuable piece of land from coming under the ULCRA.

It is reliably learnt that the same real estate developers produced fake documents, passbooks and got the said land registered. Later they approached the GVMC authorities for building plan approvals.

It is reliably learnt that as it was established in the inquiry that the said land was illegally exempted from ULCA and was registered later, district administration is contemplating to take back the land cancelling the registration. Action is also likely to be taken against errant staff.

Vizag's Vicky Donors disappointed: Sperm banks shun away youngsters, prefer men with proven record

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, Dec 3, 2012: If there’s a will, sometimes, there are no takers. That’s the situation with sperm donors in the city. Many, inspired by the Bollywood blockbuster Vicky Donor want to serve the social cause but local sperm banks and IVF centres are shunning them away.    

Youngsters after getting to know the process from Vicky Donor trouped to sperm collection centres to make “quick big bucks” and in the process, help childless couples.

Alas! The centres it seems, give preferences to those with a proven track record.

“We get many inquiries on a daily basis especially from college students and youngsters showing interest in donating their sperms. But we encourage only those having proven record of fertility and mostly in the age group of 30 to 45. In many cases we prefer only our panel sperm donors after conducting several tests,” says Dr Nirmala of Dr Rama’s Institute of Fertility in Madhuranagar.

With in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) fast catching up in the metros and Tier II cities, several clinics have come up in Vizag too, particularly in the last five years. Now, the city boasts of at least, half a dozen IVF centres, nearly all equipped with sperm freezing facilities to store samples. 

Post Vicky Donor’s release, the number of inquiries to the sperm banks- particularly from  those below the age of 25- have escalated, say observers. They add that the donors are guided by the misconception of ‘Quick big bucks’.

“It is a myth that one time sperm donation earns few thousands of  rupees, it is only Rs 300 to Rs 500. But certain sperm banks offer Rs 4,000 for 10 of high quality samples,” says a sperm bank doctor who preferred to stay anonymous.

Further, sources say, a donor should usually have high sperm count of over 60 to 80 million a milliliter of semen as 40 per cent of it gets lost when sorted.

Much to the dismay of the enthusiastic private donors, most sperm banks have their own enlisted donors. But that’s not dampening the enthusiasm of Vizag’s own Vicky Donors, as Dr Nirmala indicates. “These days we get email inquiries from prospective sperm donors. They feel comfortable in reaching is like this (rather) than approaching us personally or on phone. They contact us through our websites,” says the good doctor. 

Kenexa-IBM merger: Indian arm sues US parent over land

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, Dec 3, 2012: In a rather bizarre turn of events, the Indian subsidiary of the US based IT multinational firm Kenexa Corporation has challenged its parent company’s decision to handover a major chunk of government-allotted land at Madhurawada SEZ in Visakhapatnam to AP Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (APIIC).

“How can they change land agreement without our authorization as the APIIC has reached an agreement with us? No changes can be made without our consent,” Anita Sakuru, a director of Kenexa Technologies Pvt Ltd (KTPL), told this correspondent.

The parent firm had offered to restore 21 acres out of 25 allotted to I by APIIC at Madhurawada Special Economic Zone.

Ms Sakuru on Monday approached the sub registrar of Madhurawada, filing a protest petition requesting him not to register any document affecting the lease deed.

The APIIC, however, doesn’t seem to be ready to entertain the Sakurus. Sources said the APIIC would be taking back around 22 acres of allotted to KTPL in a day or two since it had failed to provide jobs as promised during the allotment of land in 2008. 

“KTPL promised to create 2,500 jobs. But they managed to provide only 384. After repeated notices, we will be taking back the remaining unused land of 21 acres. We had taken back the land allotted even from Indian IT giants such as Wipro after they failed to keep up the promise of job creation,” a senior official of APIIC, told this correspondent.

KTPL managing director Raghuveer Sakuru and director Anita Sankuru have also filed a case  in the city civil courts in Hyderabad seeking an order to restrain ist parent its parent Kenexa Corporation from merging its Indian subsidiary with IBM as part of a global corporate decision. The court had adjourned the matter to Dec 31. 

ST sub plan funds diverted in Deo's home turf: Land transfer to power plant under attack

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, Dec 2, 2012:  At the time when Congress leaders are going gaga all over town on introduction of ‘historic’ SC and STs sub plan Bill-2012 in the state Assembly, alienation of government land with irrigation facilities created with funds released under Tribal Sub-Plan in favour of a private company for a thermal power plant on the Andhra-Odisha Border (AOB) near Komarada in Vizianagaram district has come to the fore. Voices demanding cancellation of the alienation to the power plant have gained momentum. The alienation is also being very strongly opposed by bête noire of chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy, union tribal welfare minister V Kishore Chandra Deo. Demand is also gaining steam for the cancellation of the plant proposal.  

While the proposed power plant comes under his bastion Kurapam, Mr Deo wrote letter to Mr Reddy in May this year taking strong objections to the proposed power plant and urging him to cancel it.

Alpha Infraprop Pvt Ltd (AIPL) has proposed to set up 2,640 mw thermal power plant at Kotipam village in Komarada mandal. While government acquired certain portions of the land and allotted it to set up the plant, the AIPL bought some more tracts in and around four panchayats in Komarada. Nearly 1,675 acres are needed to establish the power plant.

The state irrigation department has constructed a dam across Vanakibadigedda to create an irrigation potential for SCs/STs at a cost of Rs.6.86 crores drawn from Tribal Sub-Plan budget. From the same Budget allocation under Tribal Sub-Plan, the department spent an additional amount for rehabilitating the tribal families displaced by submergence upstream of the dam.

The beneficiaries of this minor irrigation project are all STs/SCs. When AIPL approached the government for allocating this very same land of 290.77 acres, for which Vanakibadigedda dam was to provide irrigation water, the government issued an order allotting the land to the company, which was later purchased by the promoters of the power plant in the end of 2009.

The move was also opposed by the then executive engineer of the irrigation department, Mr DS Pradeep and wrote a detailed letter to the environmental and pollution engineer, Andhra Pradesh environmental and irrigation pollution control board of the state irrigation department stating that the company have not taken any permission from the irrigation department while purchasing the lands in the contemplated ayacut of reservoir in the above said villages. In the letter he also mentioned that in the interest of tribal and small farmers and for their better prosperous by providing irrigation facilities, it may not be desirable to establish the proposed coal thermal power project in Komarada Mandal.

“At least to demonstrate the genuineness of the government's intention of passing a law on SC/ST Sub-Plans, the thermal power project of M/S Alfa Infraprop should be cancelled and restore the land to SCs/STs with immediate effect. If the state shows hesitation in this, I am afraid that it will lead to an adverse inference on its intentions,” said former senior bureaucrat, Mr EAS Sarma.

Mr Deo in his letter to the Chief Minister in May stated that the proposed plant will lead to destruction of large tracts of cultivable and horticultural lands, besides causing damage to natural barriers.  He also questioned why such licenses were issued in such a hush-hush and secret manner.

Mr Deo also criticised minister for forests Satrucharla Vijaya Rama Raju for going public, saying that the plant would come up as licenses were already issued.

Earlier explaining the SC ST Sub Plan  Bill objectives, the CM said that for the first time in the country, legislative backing is being guaranteed to spend funds exclusively for the benefit of SCs and STs in proportion to their population.

“Besides, diversion of SC/ST funds/lands for this project there are many objections being raised by the locals on environment, livelihood and ecology.  We don’t want any destruction and therefore this Plant proposal should be withdrawn,” said Kotipam Thermal Power Plant Vyathireka Porata Samiti convenor Mr V Srinu Naidu, while talking to this correspondent.