Volunteering catches up in Vizag, youths are into social activities as it adds to their resume

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, Dec 30, 2013: Volunteering and campaigning for social causes is catching up among Vizag youth. They are making beelines to offices of NGOs and voluntary organizations offering their Good Samaritan hand, all for a participation certificate.

Youth feel that a participation certificate will be an ‘add on’ to their Curriculum Vitae or resume and that it would land them in a plum job. With more youth coming forward offering help, some voluntary organaisations in the city are clearly under pressure to organize more service oriented programmes every month.

Ken Foundation Society, which has been into conducting beach clean up drives, heritage sites restoration, teaching classes to poor children and other programmes has recently introduced 120 hr volunteer internship programme.

“The response has been very good. Earlier we used to find it very difficult to find people for the voluntary programmes but now the scene has changed. They are coming forward asking us to conduct programmes regularly. Normally, students spend 2 hours in a week to participate in voluntary programmes. We issue participant certificates to them which they add it to their accomplishments and resumes,” said Santosh P of Ken foundation.

 The Foundation collects one time fee of Rs 100 as registration amount to enroll for the volunteer internship programme.

“When competing with freshers, there would be a significant 30 to 40 percent advantage that those who do a social internship would hold, as they would come across as being more committed and inspired,” said, Kiran Dasari, Vizag head of Adecco, a Swiss multinational human resource consulting company.

Some students are also taking up the voluntary activity as a recreation besides building up their resumes.

“Its fun to be part of such voluntary programmes and the satisfaction we get is immense. The certificates issued by the NGOs helped some of my seniors to get a job,” said Ram Vikas of MVGR engineering college.

Hair matters: Coastal hair is world’s crowning glory

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, Dec 30, 2013: The economy may be in a slump, but the one sector that is doing booming business is the export of human hair. Some 3,000 tonnes of human hair have been exported so far this year to various European countries, China and the USA, from Vizag port. At a rough estimate, this bizarre export is worth Rs 1,500 crore.

Traders dealing with hair from five districts — Vizag, Vizianagaram, Srikakulam, East and West Godavari — have been exporting from Visakhapatnam Container Terminal since the last three years. Earlier, they were exporting from Chennai port.

The trade in human hair has been on the upswing — it was 2,240 tonnes in 2011-12 and 1,500 tonnes in 2010-11.

One tonne of human hair costs Rs 50 lakh in the international market, though the price varies according to length, density, volume and quality. Hair that is over 18 to 30 inches-long sometimes costs $300-$450 per kg.

The traders get the hair from thousands of hawkers who collect it from roadside haircutting saloons, households and temples where tonsuring takes place.

“There is a lot of demand for virgin remy hair (quality hair) in European countries like Switzerland, Italy and France. We get the remy hair from temples like Simhachalam, Dwaraka Tirumala and Annavaram. Non remy, which is inferior quality, goes to China,” explains Y.V. Rao, member of the human hair exporters’ association and owner of Golden Hair Company.

He said that a kilo of hair is bought in the domestic market for an amount ranging from Rs 50 to Rs 50,000 depending on the quality of the hair.

Hair auction brings Rs 5 crore every year

Visakhapatnam: A senior official of the Visakhapatnam Container Terminal Pvt. Ltd (VCTPL) says that every month at least eight to 15 containers of human hair weighing 20 tonnes each, are exported. “Besides European countries, the containers go to Jebel Ali port in Dubai, UAE, and Port of Busan in South Korea and to many South Asian countries,” he said.

Seeing the demand and to cash in on it, officials of the famous north Andhra Varahalakshmi Nrusimhaswami Temple in Simhachalam are planning a global e-auction of the human hair that is offered at the hill shrine by lakhs of devotees.

For the past few years, Simhachalam temple has been selling hair offered by devotees through offline tenders which brings in Rs 5.7crore annually.

The Endowment Department is planning e-auctions of the hair through the Metal and Scrap Trading Corporation (MSTC) Ltd, a Central government enterprise.

The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams is already into global e-auction of human hair.

Every day about 1,200 local devotees and about 3,000 devotees from other parts of India get their hair tonsured at Simhachalam as offering to the presiding deity Sri Varahalakshmi Nrusimhaswami.

Seemandhra ministers differ on T

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, Dec 24, 2013:  Differences among Seemandhra ministers over the AP Reorganisation Bill came to the fore in Vizag. Minor irrigation minister, TG Venkatesh, a strong votary of Samaikyandhra and health minister Kondru Murali who has softened his stance on Samaikyandhra, expressed divergent views on the Bill while addressing media persons at a programme organised here on Tuesday. Ministers Yerasu Pratap Reddy, and Ganta Srinivasa Rao also participated in the programme. The ministers laid foundation stone for a farmers training centre in the city.

While Venkatesh found fault with the Bill stating there was nothing in it that would help the development of the region, Murali hoped that Seemandhra region would prosper after the division, given the proposals in the Bill.

Venkatesh reiterated the need to delay the discussion on the Bill in the state assembly to stop the state bifurcation. “We will stop the Bill, which is against the aspirations and sentiments of the Seemandhra public. If the Bill is passed in the Parliament Seemandhra will be at loss. To stop the Bill from being passed public should go to Delhi and besiege Parliament. If the discussion on the Bill is taken up a wrong message will go to public that Seemandhra ministers, MLAs have accepted to the bifurcation. Everyone should come forward irrespective of political parties to stop the Bill at every stage,” said Venkatesh.

Murali said that Seemandhra would be benefited, if  the proposals by the GoM in the Bill be implemented. “Am confident that Seemandhra will  benefit with the 8 proposals made by the GoM in the Bill. A new railway zone, IIT will come up in the region,” he said and added that he will continue in Congress party even if the state is divided. Murali exuded confidence of Congress winning maximum seats in Seemandhra too even after state bifurcation.

Meanwhile, law minister, Yerasau Pratap Reddy, who also spoke to reporters, said that they would strive to stop bifurcation of the state.

Naidu tries to boost cadre's morale

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, Dec 25, 2013 : TD chief N Chandrababu Naidu, who was in Vizag to attend the wedding of Minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao’s daughter, used the opportunity to interact with local party leaders in the region and set them going for the 2014 polls.

Interestingly, he allowed almost everyone who desired to meet him a chance to do so and made efforts to boost the morale of the grassroots leaders who were worried over their sagging fortunes in the event of bifurcation, and the alleged dubious stance of Naidu on it.

He held a series of meetings with the party leaders of the district at a hotel after attending the wedding.

There were said to be enough fireworks during the interactions. Former minister and TD politburo member Ch Ayyana Patrudu, who met Naidu, said to have expressed his strong opposition to Ganta Srinivasa Rao’s rumoured entry into the party.

Rao and Patrudu are known rivals in the TD since the former was in the party before joining the erstwhile PRP. Patrudu has been openly expressing his opposition towards Rao’s re-entry. There are speculations that Ganta Srinivasa Rao due to the virtue of PRP merged in Congress has become a minister in the state cabinet has decided to return to TD.

 “Legendary NTR has launched TD 38 years back with so many good ideals. I wish that opportunists would not be entertained in the party. And it’s up to our leader N Chandrababu Naidu if he wants to take take in leaders who change colours too often,” Ayyana Patrudu told reporters after meeting Naidu at the hotel making indirect reference to Ganta Srinivasa Rao.

Meanwhile, TD MLA Payyavula Kesav hoped that the 2014 polls would be held in united Andhra Pradesh and the TD would regain its strength in both the regions of Seemandhra and Telangana. He stressed for the need to discuss the AP Reorganisation bill in the state assembly which he fely had many loopholes that needed to be pointed out. Rajyasabha member, CM Ramesh was confident that the state would not be divided before 2014 general elections. 

VIP rush in Vizag for big wedding

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, Dec 23, 2013: Police and district officials of various government departments were kept on tenterhooks due to the last minute arrangements for the visit of VIPs to attend a high profile wedding on Wednesday.

More than half the state Cabinet ministers, MPs, a few Union ministers, and around 50 MLAs, bureaucrats, leaders of various political parties are going to reach Vizag from Tuesday to attend wedding of ports and infrastructure minister, Ganta Srinivas Rao’s daughter.

Police and other district officials were busy in security arrangements, to provide accommodation and other protocol obligations to the VVIP guests on the list.

The high profile wedding is slated to be held on Wednesday morning.  Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, Governor, E.S.L. Narasimhan and Tamil Nadu Governor K. Rosaiah have confirmed their coming.

With the government circuit house having limited accommodation and given the long list of the guests, officials had to find rooms for them at star hotels on the Beach Road and at guest houses belonging to various PSUs located in the vicinity.

To avoid any embarrassment, GVMC staff had worked overtime to repair the potholes on the road leading to the wedding venue — AU Engineering College Grounds — where a huge film set was erected.

Artisans and Tollywood workers from Hyderabad were sweating it out for a week to construct the venue. Union tourism minister K. Chiranjeevi would be the main attraction at the wedding while political observers are waiting to see if TD chief N. Chandrababu Naidu would attend the wedding or not.

Ganta Srinivasa Rao has begun his political career as a TD MP from Anakaplle and there are speculations that he is likely to switch over to the regional party shortly due to the Congress decision to  bifurcate the state. Rao too personally visited Naidu to invite him to  the wedding.

There were many rounds of meetings by the senior district officials  and the police on the arrangements. "We have entrusted the job of  accommodation of a minister to the respective department staff. However, we are reviewing and monitoring the protocol and other issues  from time to time so that there will not be any lapses," said a senior  district official.

Tourism projects in Vizag in limbo, no pacts inked

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, Dec 22, 2013: The state government’s ambitious tourism projects in Vizag, to showcase the city as the tourists’ next destination in Andhra Pradesh are in a limbo. The increased land prices and policy of state tourism department to entrust the projects to private players on lease basis instead of Hyderabad model of revenue sharing, had discouraged many potential private parties to take up the projects.

The consultant appointed by the Centre and the state government, IL&FS prepared more than 11 Detailed Project Reports (DPR), two years back and 29 firms responded to the global expression of interests called last year for five of the DPRs. However, none came forward to sign the agreements with the state government to kick start the works.

After identifying the city’s tourism potential and its rich natural resources, the union government in 2011 entrusted the job of preparing a blue print of ‘attractions’ to be set up in Vizag to India's leading infrastructure development and finance firm, Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services Limited (IL&FS).

Except offering tour packages on a couple of websites of the tourism department there was no attempt to make outsiders know about Vizag. Apart from 17 tourist spots in the city, besides enchanting Araku valley, centuries old Borra caves, the north Andhra region has more than 100 heritage sites.

Of the 100 heritage sites more than 12 are age old Buddhist monuments which can attract tourists from most Asian countries.  Except Visakha Utsav which was held last in 2005 no event was held, even planned in recent times to showcase the city.

The IL & FS officials have prepared DPRs for around 11 mega tourism projects at a cost of Rs 1,800 cr. Of the 11, around 5 projects at a cost of Rs 850 cr were approved in principle by the union tourism ministry.

Global tenders were also called for 5 projects. Around 29 submitted their technical and financial bids, out of which, 28 were qualified. The tourism department had also finalised the tenders after receiving request of proposals from the successful qualified bidders.  But no firm has evinced interest in signing the agreements after looking into the actual modalities of handling the project.

The state government had fixed the land price at Rs 4 crs per acre and asked the successful bidders to pay 5 percent of the price as an annual lease amount per acre. The lease policy has discouraged the potential bidders.

The IL & FS has recently written to the state government to review the policy to attract investors. “The lease model is not at all viable. Each project requires at least 20 acres of land and after that they need to pump in so much of money to develop the tourist attraction. Whereas in Hyderabad, state adapted revenue sharing model for projects like HICC, Samshabad airport, which is viable and encourages investors. Unless state government changes the policy no project can be grounded in Vizag. We should have actually signed the agreements and grounded the projects by now. Hope we get a positive response from the state government for the letter we have written on change in the pattern. We are waiting for that to go ahead,” a top official at IL &FS told this correspondent.

The 5 DPRs belonged to Multi Theme Park at Madhurawada in 100 acres, Wonders of the world park at Yendada in 40 acres, international convention centre at Madhurawada in 20 acres, science city near Thotlakonda in 25 acres and Arogyadham-traditional health care centre at Madhurawada in 20 acres.

The remaining 6 projects are giant Ferris wheel, Vizag Eye, on the lines of London Eye,  fourth generation aqua Marine Park with 180degree view, for which a suitable location is identified at Endada, a sea cruise terminal, dedicated tourism train to Araku, rope way at Meghadrigedda and another theme park. All the works would be taken up under PPP mode.

Vizag’s debutant MLAs uncertain about their political future

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, Dec 22, 2013: The debutant MLAs, irrespective of political parties, in Vizag district are at crossroads and worried lot what with their future seeming uncertain.

The emergence of YSR Congress, as a strong force in the region, and the Congress led UPA’s decision to bifurcate the state have made things worse for these budding politicians.

 As many as 11, out of the total 15 MLAs of Vizag, are new entrants to politics, having contested for the first time in 2009 polls. These legislators have lost hopes on switching loyalty as ‘berths’ in the other parties are full.  

Of the, four belong to Telugu Desam and seven to the Congress and they are considering it the end of their political career, which had begun five years back though.

MLAs Muthamsetti Srinivasa Rao, Panchakarla Ramesh Babu, Chinthalapudi Venkataramaiah have switched loyalty to the Congress from PRP, after its merger with the grand old party. They contested the 2009 polls on PRP tickets.

Payakaraopeta, MLA, Golla Babu Rao had jumped the fence long back from Congress and was reelected during a by poll on the YSR Congress ticket. Rest of the Congress MLAs including, Tainala Vijay Kumar, Bolem Mutyala Papa and Malla Vijay Prasad are perturbed about their future, in view of the misrule, anti incumbency wave in the region, which has grown more strong following the Centre’s decision on Telangana.

Similar is the condition of TD MLAs, G Ramu Naidu, KSN Raju, Siveri Soma and V Ramakrishna Babu. They feel that that the ongoing Samaikyandhra stir and the ambiguous stance of their party supremo N Chandrababu Naidu on state division would dent their prospects in 2014 polls, if they contest from the state party.

Political observers are pointing that most of these MLAs of both TD and  Congress have no option than stick to their respective parties and rue at their fortunes, wait for another round of assembly polls to come in 2019.

“We are literally at crossroads. We don’t know what to do and where to go. Public mood is clearly against us. There is no doubt about it and at the same time we are not sure which party has the edge. Even though there is an offer from a party am not sure whether I can win on that ticket. Some of us even don’t have any offer or invitation from other parties and their situation is most pathetic,” a ruling party’s first time MLA told this correspondent.    

BJP fights for Seemandhra

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, Dec 21, 2013: In a bid to change its pro-Telangana image and increase political prospects in Seemandhra, the BJP leaders from the region have vowed to mount pressure on the party central leadership to demand justice to the region, when the AP Reorganisation Bill comes for discussion in the Parliament.

Expressing displeasure at the raw deal meted out to Seemandhra region without any time-bound committed assurances in the Bill, BJP national disciplinary committee member Kambhampati Haribabu hoped that the party leadership would definitely fight for the rightful share of Seemandhra, in the event of bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh.

Terming the assurances given to Seemandhra in the Bill as ‘hollow promises’, Haribabu, speaking to mediapersons here on Thursday, came down heavily on Jairam Ramesh, a member of the GoM appointed by the union cabinet to look into the bifurcation process, for allegedly acting in favour of Telanagana on construction of Polvaram project.

“Ramesh had openly said that he is against the Polavaram project. And instead of including Polvaram as multi-purpose project in the Bill, it was termed as just any ordinary irrigation project. There is no firm assurance how the Centre would fund the project. The Bill also says that the project can be taken up with the consultation of both the states. How can we expect that the Telangana government would support construction of Polavaram, when everyone in that region is opposing it.”

Haribabu said Polavaram project can be a reality only if Bhadhrachalam division, some parts of which fall in the submergence area of Polavaram, can be given back to Seemandhra.

He reminded that until 1959, from 1840, Bhadhrachalam was part of EG district and that it was made part of Khammam, only for the administrative convenience, three years after Andhra Pradesh was formed.

The BJP on Friday staged demonstrations and protests across Viziangaram and Vizag, demanding justice to the region in the event of the bifurcation of the state. Party cadres in large numbers took part in the protests, burnt copies of AP Reorganisation Bill and effigies of Union rural development minister, Jairam Ramesh for ignoring the interests of the Seemandhra people.

Issues raked up by them include, the multi-purpose Polavaram project, addition of Bhadrachalam division to Seemandhra, Hyderabad revenue sharing and development of infrastructure and institutes of excellence. The Polavaram project was initially envisaged as a multi-purpose project covering power, irrigation and drinking water but now they claim, the Congress has reduced it to a mere irrigation project.

“Being a member of the GoM, Jairam Ramesh should be neutral but he is acting in favour of Telangana,” said BJP national disciplinary committee, member, K. Haribabu. The BJP activists gathered in large numbers at the Mahatma Gandhi statue opposite to GVMC office and raised slogans against Jairam Ramesh.

They demanded the Centre announce time bound committed assurances on the financial package for the development of Seemandhra and its capital. They also demanded inclusion of Bhadrachalam division into residuary state for the completion of Polavaram project.

Vizag IT facilities fail to attract entrepreneurs

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, Dec 11, 2013: Contrary to the demand from IT companies to set up operations in Vijayawada and Guntur considering them low cost destinations, there is no demand from IT entrepreneurs to start their units in Vizag, which is considered as next IT destination in Andhra Pradesh after, Hyderabad.

Blame it on state government policy, there are no takers for the plots at the IT/ITES SEZ in Gambheeram, which was notified by the union ministry of commerce, way back in April 2009.

No IT entrepreneur has come forward to take these plots at IT SEZ in Ganbheeram which was developed by the APIIC, in an extent of 51.28 acres around 20kms away from the city. All the 28 plots are still vacant since 5 years.

Interestingly the Gambheeram IT Park proposal has created real estate boom in the surroundings. Realtors use “near Gambheeram IT Park’ in their brochures to attract people to buy plots in the layouts developed by them in the area.

The APIIC also fixed an upset price of Rs 3,140 per square meter that has to be deposited to get the lease at Gambheeram IT Park.

“The SEZ policy for IT parks should be blamed for this situation. This is pathetic that even after 5 years not even a single company has come forward to begin the operations. Even after paying so much money as deposit it is conditional lease and there is no land ownership. The lease holder can’t sub lease it. Most of the IT companies that are actually looking at Vizag are domestic and midsized.  These factors are discouraging them. There is also no social infrastructure around. Upon that the land upset price at Gambheeram is also too high,” said Rushikonda IT Park Association (RITPA), vice president, O Naresh Kumar.

At present there are two IT parks in Madhurawada and one in Duvvada SEZ. The IT entrepreneurs are asking the authorities to de notify these IT Parks from being SEZ to encourage new investments.

There are around 100 medium, small and big IT and ITES firms operating in Vizag employing around 10,000.  Most of the units functioning in Vizag, deal in end-to-end business integration, medical billing, financial information processing, ERP product, content management, networking, business, recruitment process outsourcing, and medical transcription.

“There were only a couple of applications for the plots at Gambheeram IT SEZ and they couldn’t be processed due to various reasons including lack of interest too from the applicants. After seeing the abysmal response we wrote to our higher authorities seeking to de notify Gambheeram IT SEZ and also Rushikonda IT SEZ to encourage IT entrepreneurs and we are waiting for further orders,” said APIIC Zonal Manager, V Nagabhushan Reddy told this correspondent. 

AP split: Ganta justifies defying party high command

SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, Dec 10, 2013: Ports and infrastructure minister, Ganta Srinivasa Rao, on Tuesday, upped his ante against the Congress central leadership over its decision to bifurcate the state.  This comes after the chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy had openly raised a banner of revolt, a few days back in Vijayawada.

There are also speculations that Ganta Srinivasa Rao, who joined the Congress after PRP’s merger with the grand old party, is ready to leave the party to join either YSRC or TD.

The minister attended a conclave organized by the Andhra Pradesh Journalists Forum on the state reorganization bill here on Tuesday. He said “No doubt we should abide by the  high command but if they take anti people decisions, we will defy the party leadership. For me, people, their aspirations and sentiments are high command. From the beginning, the Centre has been undemocratic over state bifurcation issue. Centre brought up issues like Hyderabad as UT, common capital and Rayala Telanagana only to create confusion and rift among MLAs. On all the issues high command has been biased towards Telangana and it’s justifiable to defy the leadership.”

He further suggested that other elected representatives of his party, who are toeing the party high command line on bifurcation, to defy the central leadership for the sake of Seemandhra public. He lamented lack of unity among the public representatives of  Seemandhra region, which prompted the Congress led UPA go ahead with the bifurcation. He said, whereas for the Telanagana cause cutting across the party lines all the public representatives fought with single voice in the region.

Ganta Srinivasa Rao also observed that the Centre without considering the views expressed by national IB chief Ibrahim on threat to national security if Telangana is created and attorney general Vahanavathi on amending constitution, was going ahead with the division. He opined that there should be a national policy on dividing the states. He also warned of many extreme steps if the Centre goes ahead with the bifurcation move.

Other MLAs who took part in the conclave lamented raw deal to the Seemandhra region in the draft bill. TD MLA, G Ramunaidu, Congress MLAs, Malla Vijay Prasad, Panchakarla Ramesh Babu,  Chinthalapudi Venkata Ramaiah made a strong pitch to garner support of national parties for Samaikyandhra stir. Malla Vijay Prasad said that they would be remembered as traitors in the history if they allow Andhra Pradesh be divided. 

Seemandhra MLAs raise pitch on Bill, Congress men to move Supreme Court

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, Dec 10, 2013: Even as Congress state affairs in-charge Digvijay Singh is set to reach Hyderabad to build consensus among the party MLAs over the AP reorganisation bill, which is most likely be introduced in the state assembly for discussion in winter session, Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy’s camp seems to be working overtime to garner the support of  MLAs from Rayalaseema and coastal Andhra, cutting across the party lines, to defeat the bill and then approach the apex court  against bifurcation.

After the Congress MPs, who moved a no-confidence motion in the Lok Sabha, its the turn of party legislators to embarass the high command. They have decided to further defeat the bill in the Assembly.

Further, the MLAs are also mulling to approach the apex court with views expressed against the Telangana bill by the majority of the state Assembly members. The apex court had already, in a petition filed against the state bifurcation by a group, stated that it was premature to seek a legal remedy, but left the option of approaching it at an appropriate time.

Ports and infrastructure minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao, who has been strongly pitching for united Andhra Pradesh, on Tuesday, dropped enough hints in this regard.

“We are approaching every MLA and preparing a list district-wise who will be on board in opposing the draft bill in the state Assembly. The Supreme Court had already left an option for approaching it at an appropriate time. We are confident that at least 60-70 per cent MLAs, including those belonging to Hyderabad, Ranga Reddy and surrounding districts, would oppose the bill. It will be a strong point for our case when we approach the apex court. This is one of the options we have,” he said.

Ganta Srinivasa Rao, a strong votary of Samaikyandhra, has been backing the chief minister’s moves on the issue. He lamented that lack of unity among elected representatives of the Congress was impeding them in their fight for Samaikyandhra cause.

“Some MLAs of our party talk about special packages for regions like north Andhra and Rayalaseema, others talk about Rayala Telangana. But with regard to Telangana, all elected representatives, cutting across party lines, voice only one opinion and this helped them push their cause,” he added.
  

Illegal sand mining rampant in Vizag

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, Dec 9, 2013: Despite the National Green Tribunal’s (NGT) order in August banning sand mining without environmental clearance, across the country, the activity is going on unabated in many places in Visakhapatnam district.

Illegal sand mining is rampant along the banks of Varaha, Tandava and Sarada rivers in Anakaplle, Chodavaram, Mungapaka, Payakaraopeta, S Rayavaram and Yelamachali mandals.

Environmentalists are of the opinion that indiscriminate sand mining will lead to ecological imbalances and also affect environment.

In August, the NGT, while hearing a petition on rampant sand mining on the banks of Yamuna, Ganga, Chambal, Gaumti and Revati, passed orders restraining any person, company, authority to carry out any mining activity or removal of sand from river beds anywhere in the country without obtaining environmental clearance from MoEF or State level Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) and license from the competent authorities.

However, sources in the pollution control board office here said that there were no applications from any prospective miners in the district nor has the SEIAA accorded EC to any person or firm. But the mining activity is going on under the nose of the authorities.

Interestingly, the sleuths of the vigilance and enforcement wing, revenue, mines and mineral department, who are to check the illegal mining, have not booked even a single case so far since the Tribunal award was out.

“We have not booked any cases regarding sand mining so far,” said a senior officer of vigilance and enforcement. Illegal river sand mining or quarrying can be witnessed in Juutada, Amberapuram, Chadavad under Chodavaram mandal, Seetanagaram, Venkatapalem in Anakapalle mandal, Payakaraopeta, Aratla, Pedabhadhrapuram in Paayakaraopeta mandal. 

“It’s unfortunate that officials are ignoring the tribunal’s order. Rampant illegal sand mining, in the long run, would lead to environmental havoc,” pointed environment rights activist J.V. Ratnam.

Eastern Naval Command to strengthen force

By SNV Sudhir

On Board INS Sahyadri, Dec 3, 2013: The Eastern Naval Command (ENC) will induct more ships, aircraft and submarines in the coming days to strengthen the force.  ENC commander in chief, vice admiral, Anil Chopra, addressing newspersons, here on Tuesday, said that with the world’s focus shifting to the eastern side from the Middle East, waters to the east of India have become critical mainly in the wake of many conflicts of territories, maritime and historical in nature.

 He said that ENC’s role includes safeguarding economic assets of the country and establish control on sea, as and when required, to ensure security of sea lanes of communication and protect Indian merchant ships.  

The ENC, he said, is also creating infrastructure and acquiring lands for the airfields from Tuticorin to Visakhapatnam as the eastern region has gained strategic and economic importance it deserves over the last few years.

“ENC has responsibility to safeguard Indian’s maritime interests along a coastline of 2,600 kilometers and an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of 6 lakh square kilometers. We are also sharing these waters with countries on the eastern Indian Ocean with Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Mynamar and Bangladesh. We are also conducting naval exercises with the neighboring countries and maintaining good diplomatic relations,” he said.

Basing of the Shivalik class stealth frigates, the nuke powered submarine, INS Chakra as an indigenous aircraft carrier, a good number of advance ships, submarines and aircraft assigned to the command are a testimony to the growing stature of the Eastern seaboard, he said.

On nuke powered submarine INS ARihant, vice admiral Anil Chopra, said the submarine was launched two and half years ago and it was put to harbour trails and would shortly go to sea trials.

Responding to a query on threat from ships deployed by China, the vice admiral said China’s economic interests are different from India. “China’s ships are going all over the world. Our ships too go to China for exercises and their ships come to Indian waters. We have also conducted joint naval exercises with the Chinese navy,” he said.

He further said that the Indian navy was capable of acquiring ships and aircraft ingeniously.  “The Indian shipyards are capable of building war ships. All the 46 ships of the Indian navy were in different stages of construction by the Indian shipyards,” he added.

ENC celebrates Navy Day every year on December 4 as it was on this day in 1971 that the missile boats of the Indian Navy carried out a deadly attack on Karachi Harbour during the Indo-Pak War.

Ayyana says ‘no’ to Ganta Srininvasa Rao

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, Dec 3, 2013: Ports and infrastructure minister Ganta Srininvasa Rao might have not taken a decision on whether to join the TD but his opponents in the opposition party had already started raising red flag to his entry.

Rao’s bête noire in TD, party’s politburo member, Ch. Ayyana Patrudu said Ganta Srinivasa Rao’s entry will be an ‘unfortunate’ thing to happen, if he joined their party.

Patrudu said Ganta had criticised TD president N. Chandrababu Naidu many times after he quit their party and joined the PRP.

“How can he join back our party? I leave it to Naidu’s decision whether he would re-induct Ganta, despite the latter levelling charges of corruption against him,” Patrudu told reporters at the district collectorate.

Further, Ayyana Patrudu said Rao has always diminished the prospects of political parties, whichever he entered.

“When he was in the TD, our party suffered a set back in Vizag. Then he joined the PRP, which has sunk into oblivion. Now he is in the Congress, which is in dire straits in Seemandhra. Congress will face rout in Seemandhra,” the TD politburo member said.

The scathing attack by Ayyana Patrudu on Ganta comes at a time when the speculations are rife in political circles that Rao is likely to quit the Congress and join the TD.

Ever since the minister started opposing the Congress decision on bifurcation of the state, there was speculation that he would quit the Congress and join either the YSRC or the TD.

Ganta Srinivasa Rao entered politics as a TD MP. Patrudu also lambasted Congress senior leader and former minister Dharmana Prasad Rao for taking a decision to join the YSRC even while having criticised its president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy earlier.

Fire on Naval minesweeper ship; 20 choke, hospitalised

By SNV Sudhir

Vishakhapatanam, Dec 4, 2013:  Three and a half months after INS Sindhurakshak was gutted in a blaze at Mumbai, the Indian Navy’s minesweeper INS Konkan caught fire and suffered major damage at the Naval Dockyard here on Wednesday.

There were no fatalities; but about 20 personnel were choked by the smoke and taken to the hospital.

The mishap took place at the dry docks of the dockyard when Naval personnel elsewhere were celebrating Navy Day, with an operational display at the Ramakrishna Beach.

The Eastern Naval Command (ENC) refused to specify the extent of damage, but sources at the dockyard said that the ship had suffered more than 70 per cent damage, including to its engine.

 City police commissioner B Shivadhar Reddy told this newspaper, “Preliminary reports said an electric short circuit led to the fire. Though there is no loss of life, due to thick smoke around 20 persons who were there at the mishap site suffered suffocation. They were immediately rushed to the hospital.”

It was reliably learnt that fire broke while workers are engaged in welding work. Only the personnel working on the INS Konkan were in the dockyard, the rest of workers had been given a holiday from afternoon on the occasion of Navy Day.

At least 15 fire tenders belonging to Ship Building Centre, Hindustan Ship yard Ltd, other neighbouring industries like HPCL and from the city were rushed to the spot to control the fire, along with the Navy’s own fire fighters.

The INS Konkan is a Pondicherry class minesweeper built for the Indian Navy by the Soviet Union. The 891tonne ship was inducted into the Navy on October 8, 1988. 

The vessel was undergoing a mid life refit to extend its operational life. It is learnt that the sonar suites and combat systems were to be replaced, which will give the upgraded vessel leading edge capabilities.

Fingers were being pointed at the inexperienced outsourced manpower working at the Naval Dockyard for the fire mishap. “We have been always against the outsourcing and warned not to engage the contract labour in the defence  sector when the work is perennial in nature,” said Bharat Mazdoor Sangh leader K. Bhavani Shankarudu.

End of the road: Rajeev Swagruha dreams dashed

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, Nov 29, 2013: The dreams of Vizagites from middle income group to own a flat under government’s ‘Rajeev Swagruha’ have come crashing what with the government scrapping the scheme due to fund crunch.

Now, the AP Rajeev Swagruha Corporation Ltd (APRSCL) staff is working overtime to finalise the procedure and modalities to refund the payments made by the applicants who booked flats in ‘Adraja Township’ in Yendada. Efforts are also on to auction the land where the housing project was envisaged.  

A cabinet sub committee appointed by the state government to study the situation, analyse the problem and help the Corporation to come out of the financial crisis has recommended that projects across the state be categorised.  

The committee recommended that those projects coming under category I and II be given stimulus by providing loan to the tune of Rs 105 cr and projects under category III may be scrapped and the installments paid by the applicants be fully refunded.

 Vizag’s Adraja  Project falls under category III and it was decided to be scrapped.

It’s been more than 5 years since the much hyped Rajeev Swagruha housing for the middle class was first launched and except four model houses on display for the applicants nothing has come up at Yendada’s Adraja Township, where government allotted around 57.3 acres of land for the project.

A demand survey for city’s Rajeev Swagruha scheme was done in 2007 and around 57.73 acres of land was taken possession by the APRSCL in 2009, to construct around 2, 588 under Adraja township. The proposed township is located close to Rushikonda.

Earlier authorities were confident of finishing the first phase by constructing 800 flats but nothing has moved positively except foundation for 6 blocks. Due to non availability of river sand it was delayed for more than year and later funds crunch hindered the housing scheme.

The digging of 30m depth to make the terrain suitable for construction, took many years. Initially the Rajeev Swagruha Corporation had received around 13, 045 applications for flats at Adraja township of three different categories but some of them backed off initially due to delay in grounding the project and the escalation in the upset price.

Subsequently the allottees of flats had lost interest in the scheme. Most of the allottees who paid an initial amount of Rs 25,000 as confirmation had lost interest in owning a flat by the Corporation and backed off. They were reluctant to pay the remaining installments which pushed the Corporation into financial crisis delaying the project.

“Many allottees backed off which pushed the project into financial mess. There are no hopes of revival and government decided to scrap the project as it’s is not viable though we spent very good amount on foundation. The 57.3 acres will be disposed in an auction. We have divided the entire land into 8 bits. The auction date and also the repayment schedule will be announced very soon,” said an APRSCL senior official told this correspondent.

APRSCL authorities last year has taken up first phase of constructing 896 flats in six blocks, with G+ 13 structure each. The first phase itself was supposed to be grounded in August 2009 as envisaged initially, but it was delayed till 2011. 

No 'Real' biz in Vizag, realtors first time offer sops to attract buyers

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, Nov 25, 2013: The Centre’s exercise to divide the state failed to spur the real estate business in the city.

Realtors hoped that the Centre’s move to split the state would infuse a fresh lease of life into their business. However, there are no signs of it and in despair, realtors, for the first time in Vizag, had begun giving special offiers to the buyers.

The sops include free registration of plots etc. Realtors are of the view that these offers would help them make some money at least than being dry, if none of the plots are sold.

They are ready to bear 8 per cent of the total value of the plot that has to be paid to the land registration department.

There are more than 100 such layouts, that are lying idle without many transactions across the district. First, it was global economic slowdown, later, ambiguity over the fate of Andhra Pradesh since 2009, that has pushed the realty sector into slump.

The UPA’s flip flops over its decision after 2009, regarding division,  has made buyers adopt the ‘wait and watch’ policy.

As ambiguity still continues over the location of the capital of the residuary state, there are not many land transactions in the revenue department. This is mounting the financial burden on small and medium scale realtors, who invested in the business borrowing money from private lenders at high interest rates.

“We hoped that Vizag would be the dream destination for investors and started investing in developing layouts from 2008. But most of plots remained unsold and now, we have started this offer to attract buyers,” said a real estate agent Bhaskar Rao, who developed two ventures of 40 plots each near Kottvalasa, Viziangaram.

He also added that they need not be surprised if some of the realtors go a step ahead and announce that they would furnish the new homes, offer fridges other home appliances if buyers booked a plot.

“The real estate sector in Vizag, witnessed a slump after 2008. Since then, the situation has not improved. Our members are now desperately looking for alternative ways to dispose the plots,” said APREDA local chapter member.

Some real estate firms are also offering ‘arrangement of bank loans’. There are around 100 realtors doing business in Vizag.

Property prices have witnessed a sharp rise in Pendurthy zone, Dakamarri zone, Anandapuram, Yendada, Madhurawada, Thagarapuvalasa, Bheemili, Kottavalasa since 2009, when the Centre announced that Telangana would be carved out and that the process would begin.

Heritage lovers fume at civic body for Kurupam arch demolition

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, Nov 24, 2013: Heritage lovers in the city are up in arms over the demolition of a heritage structure by the civic authorities. GVMC staff have demolished historic market gateway, famously called Kurupam arch- gateway in the One Town. The market was donated by Raja Vyricherla Veerabhadra Raju of Kurupam to the then Vizagapatam Municipality on September 1, 1914, to commemorate the coronation of King Edward VII.

It was also marked as one of the 50 odd heritage sites in the district and is crying for the attention of authorities for restoration, as it is already partially damaged. It was only recently that a delegation of The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) visited GVMC office requesting the officials to take measures to restore the neglected heritage structure.

A  GVMC team led by its additional commissioner M Janaki visited the site and assured INTACH members that they would take up the restoration work after consulting the experts of Andhra University’s architecture department as suggested by the INTACH fraternity.

“We thought she (Janaki) was so sincere and take up the restoration work. But we are now shocked to see that the entire gateway-arch was demolished instead of restoring or reconstructing it. It’s very unfortunate that such an old, important heritage structure was simply razed. They don’t have any concern towards the heritage structures,” INTACH Vizag chapter convenor, MV Prasad told this correspondent.

 GVMC sources said that since the market arch was in a dilapidated condition they wanted to raze it totally and build shopping facility for the local vendors.  Prasad added that the conservative architects at Andhra University were ready to help restore the heritage site.

“We will be very soon holding a meeting with all the members of INTACH and going to raise the issue in an appropriate manner. We fear they don’t understand the difference between an old building and a heritage structure and are just razing everything stating they are dangerous as they collapse,” added Prasad.  

ODI used to raise united AP demand

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, Nov 24, 2013: Samaikyandhra protagonists, especially youngsters, chose venue of the ODI match between India and the West Indies as a platform to show case their aspirations of United Andhra Pradesh. Students flashed placards like “Save Andhra Pradesh“, “Jai Samaikyandhra” during the day and night match, held at ACA VDCA YSR Stadium, in Madhurawada on Sunday.

Along with the national flags and cheering team India, city youth raised slogans of united Andhra Pradesh.

 “We felt it's our duty to rise for the occasion and highlight our cause for which, every section of the society, took to streets demanding that Union government take back the Telangana decision. We tried to highlight our issue and cause by grabbing attention from national and international media,” said Rajesh, who is studying engineering at a city college.

The Samaikyandhra votaries were divided vertically on organising ODI match in Vizag. A few objected and vowed to stop the match stating that the people of Vizag are not in a mood to enjoy such matches, due to the on going stir for Samaikyandhra, some argued that cricket matches should be taken in sporting spirit and such acts would only dent the image of the city.

They opined that the match should be treated as an opportunity to showcase their aspiration. Ports and infrastructure minister, Ganta Srinivasa Rao also wrote a letter to the match organizers seeking to either postpone the match or change the venue from Vizag. However, ACA and VDCA members approached, the minister requesting him to cooperate with them in organizing the match.

“It’s actually a bad idea to demand to cancel the match. It sends wrong signal about Vizag. See, now we could use this as a platform to highlight our cause. A few persons from north India who came to city to watch the match and sitting next to us inquired why were giving slogans like Save AP and we could give them a clear perspective about the ongoing issue,” said Teja.

 Police too were seen deployed in good numbers to thwart any attempt by the Samaikyandhra agitators if they tried to disrupt the match and create trouble. Senior police officials also on Saturday cautioned the Samaikyandhra votaries not to disrupt the match but can showcase their feelings in a democratic and peaceful manner. 

Bhadradri demand splits BJP in Andhra Pradesh

By SNV Sudhir

 Visakhapatnam, Nov 24, 2013: When it comes to the demand for inclusion of Bhadhrachalam into residuary state of Andhra Pradesh in state’s bifurcation issue, the BJP which claims to be very clear on the division is also divided on the regional lines.

While the BJP’s Seemandra leaders are demanding inclusion of Bhadhrachalam and Palvancha divisions into Seemandhra, their counterparts in Telangana want both divisions remain with Telangana.

The BJP Seemandhra leaders are maintaining that their central leadership is yet to take a view on it and are hopeful that they would insist on Bhadhrachalam inclusion, as part of the ‘justice for Seemandhra’ stance the BJP central leadership taken recently, before passing the Telangana Bill when it comes to Parliament.

Apprehensions are being raised in Seemandhra region that the Telangana state government, after the bifurcation, may create hurdles to the completion of the Polavaram project, which can provide irrigation water to 7.2 lakh acres in upland areas of coastal Andhra, as the villages that may face possible submergence are located in the Telangana region.

As per the estimates of irrigation experts and the state government, Polavaram project submerges 276 villages with an average population of 642 per village. Of the 276 villages, 204 are in the present Khammam district of Telangana. Out of these 204 villages, 121 are in Bhadrachalam revenue division and the remaining in Palvancha.

“No doubt our party is committed for division of the state. There is no going back on that. At the same time, we are very confident that our central leadership would definitely stand by us on the inclusion of villages coming under Bhadhrachalam and Palvancha divisions to the residuary state.

We were already assured that the central leadership would stress, pressurise for ‘justice’ to Seemandhra during discussions on Telangana Bill in Parliament,” BJP national executive member and former MLA Kambhampati Haribabu told this correspondent.

Though BJP Telangana leaders were reportedly miffed with their central leadership’s now tough stance on ‘justice to Seemandhra’ thinking that it will send adverse message in Telangana region, they toed the party line later. 

The state level leaders from the Telanaga are openly talking about problems, apprehensions, issues of public from Seemandhra region.  

AP bifurcation: Vizag, Vijayawada vie for new capital, Report suggests Vijayawada

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, Nov 20, 2013: In the race for the capital of the residuary state, after Andhra Pradesh bifurcation, Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada stand out to be possible final contenders.

A study conducted by, Delhi based Innovative Transport Solutions (iTrans), an urban transport consultancy, formerly an incubation unit in the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT Delhi), in association with a local NGO Vaada Foundation found that these two cities have much better existing infrastructure and have the potential to take in more growth over the future.  iTrans has experts from IIT Delhi.

Vizag, Vijayawada, Guntur, Kurnool and Ongole were assessed by the group for three months and studied the aspects of - existing population and city area, presence of a thriving economy, and regional connectivity i.e. air, rail and road connectivity.

The existing city area of Kurnool and Ongole is very less and hence creating the new capital is like creating a new city altogether, which is not a good choice, said the report. As per the excerpts of the report, which was prepared by Vaada Foundation, accessed by this newspaper, it involves huge land acquisition and investment requirements from the centre if Ongole or Kurnool is considered. 

Interestingly between Vizag and Vijayawada, even though the former has better existing infrastructure and economy, Vijayawada is a city with good connectivity to all the Seemandhra districts including Rayalaseema, said the report. The report suggested and recommended Vijayawada as a best choice for capital as it has access to two national highways, better rail connectivity.

Barring better air connectivity, Vizag, which is almost on the eastern corner of the state scored less on rail and road connectivity to other districts in Seemandhra. The distance from far off areas like Srikakulam, Chittoor, Anantapur and Kurnool districts to Vijayawada-Guntur is around 450 km to 500 km.  And need to develop infrastructure from the scratch has deprived Ongole and out from the race. 

“Presence of a thriving economy is very important because the experience of creating new cities like Gandhinagar, Mohali and Naya Raipur is not very encouraging. It is observed that the development in these cities continues to happen in the nearby old city which has some base development in place. Cities grow organically over a period of time and they can’t be manufactured instantly,” observed Vaada Foundation founder, P Suresh Raju.

The study was recently submitted to the Group of Minister (GoM), appointed by the union government to look into the process of Andhra Pradesh bifurcation.

Vizag and Vijayawada have the required area within the city limits to build the new infrastructure needed for the capital. Vijayawada and Guntur are both part of the Vijayawada-Guntur-Tenali-Mangalagiri Urban Development Authority (VGTMUDA) which has a total of 706 sq. km. 

Between Vizag and Vijayawada, even though Visakhapatnam has better existing infrastructure and economy, Vijayawada is a city with good connectivity to all the Seemandhra districts including Rayalaseema.

Based on this criterion the study suggested that Vijayawada should be made as the capital for the new state being formed. In case the existing area is deemed to be insufficient the VGTMUDA jurisdiction shall be taken up for the capital.  “It is to be noted however that various other factors like physical feasibility etc. have not been considered as a part of this study,” added Raju. 

Earlier the same group submitted another report to the GoM  stating that the Seemandhra government will have to spend at least Rs 2.5 lakh crore to develop a capital city with proper infrastructure.

The earlier report said that a minimum long-term investment of  Rs 2.5 lakh crore would have to be made for the new city.

The most important requirement would be extensive transport facilities like an international airport, road transport and connectivity to all towns and cities of the state. 

Other important infrastructure requirements would be power transmission and distribution grids, backup supply facilities, underground sewerage and water supply lines and solid waste management facilities.

Ganta Srinivasa Rao bats for Kiran

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, Nov 19, 2013: A day after tribal welfare minister P. Balaraju launched a tirade against Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy for ignoring him, ports and infrastructure minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao, on Tuesday, batted for Reddy.

Rao said there was no truth in Balaraju’s claim that he was not invited for the chief minister’s programme. The tribal welfare minister was informed and invited four days in advance to the Rachchabanda programme in Chodavaram.

Bickering in the Congress in Visakhapatnam district came to the fore again with Balaraju’s diatribe against the chief minister for allegedly favouring his arch rival, ports and infrastructure minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao.

Though Balaraju has not taken Ganta Srinivasa Rao’s name at the press conference held at Hyderabad on Monday, wherein he charged the chief minister with ‘ill-treatment’ and ‘discrimination’ against him, it is seen as indirect reference to the proximity Rao and Reddy enjoy.

“There is no truth in his (Balaraju’s) claims that he was not informed or invited for Rachchabanda programme held at Chodavaram. I was told by the district officials that the minister was informed in advance about the programme,” Ganta Srinivas Rao told media persons here on Tuesday.

Rivalry between the two state cabinet ministers, hailing from Vizag, was exposed very recently, on November 8, when both of them held review meetings separately with the district officials on the same subject.

Rao and Balaraju never see eye to eye. It is rare to see them together at any programme. Balaraju had even skipped Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy’s  programmes in the district last month twice.

The minister was also absent from Rachabanda programme in Chodavaram on November 15, in which Rao was seen taking part actively. Both had differed on many issues from merger of Bheemili and Anakapalle municipalities.

Ganta creates flutter, opposes ODI, backs celebrity match

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, Nov 10, 2013: While the support for India Vs West Indies ODI scheduled to be held in Vizag on Nov 24 is growing among the locals, ports and infrastructure minister, Ganta Srinivas Rao, who had opposed the match has drawn flak after he lent his support for a celebrity cricket match in the city on Dec 21.

The minister attended the unveiling of the “Crescent Cricket Cup”, the trophy for the celebrity match, in Hyderabad on Saturday night.  He was the chief guest at the programme that was attended by Tollywood bigwigs like Nagarajuna and a good number of heroines.

The celebrity cricket match will be played between Tollywood and Bollywood teams,  led by Srikant and Suniel Shetty respectively. The match will be played in a 10 over format and the organizers made it a free entry for all. Organisers earlier held similar celebrity cricket matches at Anantapur in 2011 and Hyderabad last year.

 The minister, a few days back, openly opposed conducting the match when tempers were very high in the backdrop of ongoing agitation for Samaikyandhra after the union government decided to divide Andhra Pradesh. He said people are not in a mood to enjoy the match or celebrate. However, the day after his remarks many Samaikyandgra JACs came in support of the match and felt it would enhance the image of Vizag at global level.

Rao also asked the ODI organizers BCCI and ACC to either postpone the match to some other day or shift the venue. On Sunday, more than half a a dozen student outfits affiliated to various political parties held a meeting and pledged their support on conducting the match. Representatives from AISF, SFI, TNSF, BJYM and Loksatta took part in the meeting. “This exposes his (Ganta) double standard attitude. The minister opposes ODI and lends his support openly for a star match. What kind of message is he sending? We condemn his attitude,” said Samaikyandhta student JAC state convenor, Adari Kishore.

Meanwhile, Telugu Shakthi, a voluntary organization conducted a signature campaign on the beach road in support of the match. Public in large numbers signed in support of the match.  

'Decentralise growth'

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, Nov 10, 213: With Hyderabad becoming a contentious issue in division of the state, people are of an opinion that the union government should plan cluster development by creating more growth corridors.

Parting with Hyderabad, the only developed city in the entire state, has turned a sticky issue and people in Seemandhra argue that it is not fair, as they too have invested in its development.

The development should be decentralised. Growth should be scattered in different cities in Seemandhra to prevent another Hyderabad-like situation, said Uttarandhra Rakshana Vedika president S.S. Shivasankar.

BJP national executive member Kambhampati Haribabu felt that the union government should come up with growth corridors along  Visakhapatnam – Kakinada, Kakinada – Eluru, Eluru – Guntur, Ongole – Nellore – Tirupati, Anantapur – Kurnool for future development.

“All the adminstrative bodies like the legislative Assembly, Secretariat, quarters for ministers and legislators should be at one place and the High Court can be in another city or town,” he said. Secretaries of various departments can stay in the capital but offices of heads of various departments can be located at different places.

For example, the headquarters for endowment can be at Tirupati, fisheries at Kakinada, agriculture at Anantapur and ports at Visakhapatnam.

“Decentralisation should not pose any problem to smooth adminstration as many facilities like video conferencing are available,” said Haribabu.

He also suggested that the location of the new capital should be finalised in three months after bifurcation and the construction of buildings must begin forthwith. “The provision of 10-year common capital might lead to different problems,” he added.

Clear Danger: Abandoned vessel threat at Vizag Port

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, Nov 9, 2013: An unlit and abandoned cargo vessel, MT Pratibha Neera, anchored in the busy shipping lane in the approach routes of Vizag port, has turned out to be a potential threat to the safe passage of regular cargo vessels and also in a worst scenario may bring entire shipping activity at the port to a standstill.

The likelihood of the anchor chain breaking, due to severe weather conditions, is also a possibility. In a worst case scenario, it can lodge itself in the entrance to the breakwater, bringing shipping activity in the port to a complete standstill until the wreckage is
removed.

The ship belonging to Mumbai based Prathibha Shipping Company Ltd run by the kin of Maratha strongman, Sarad Pawar has arrived in the Port of Visakhapatnam in the October last year.  It is almost a year since the ship has been in the port limits of Vizag left abandoned.

The ship seems to be now unseaworthy on many counts. Last year another ship belonging to the same shipping firm, MT Prathibha Cauvery stoked a controversy off Chennai coast while it ran aground and its crew members jumped for safety when the low intensity Cyclone Nilam hit Tamil Nadu coast. Prathibha Neera has embroiled in a legal battlebetween the shipping firm and a Singapore based supplier on payment ofdues and is stranded at Vizag port.

And it’s a moment for the Vizagites to heave a sigh of relief as the recent severe cyclone Phailin spared Andhra Pradesh and so Prathibha Neera averting a major mishap to occur.

Bombay High Court in June this year, ordered the arrest of the cargo vessel anchored at Vizag port. And as per the order, the ship won’t get clearance from the port authority to move until further orders.

Prathibha Neera has come to Vizag port on Oct 29, 2012 to take an approximate 20,000 tonne of Light Sulphur High Speed Diesel Oil from a local refinery. Ever since the case taken a legal turn, the ship was said to be abandoned by the owners.

Presently coast is experiencing a spell of cyclones and storms in the area. Due to the age of the ship and the prevailing weather conditions, it’s a strong possibility that the vessels anchors may drag or in a worse case, break leaving this big mass of metal to float around uncontrolled, says Capt Sebastian Ravi Fernandes, Master Mariner who has been in the sailing profession for nearly twenty years on various types of tankers.

“Should this happen, other installations in the area - breakwaters, submarines, naval ships, merchant ships in the area, etc are all put through dangerous situation,”  he adds.

More than 10 vessels from various countries reach Vizag port in a day carrying different cargo.  Prathibha Neera is a double hull oil tanker built in 1986 at USSR.

“To a layman, this could be compared to a situation if you have a boulder lying unlit on a busy highway. Until such an obstruction is removed, the likelihood of an accident is more or less definite and imminent. In 2002, a vessel Tricolor sank in the English Channel after colliding with the Kariba. The Tricolor sank in the busy shipping lane. In the days that followed before the wreck was removed three ships collided with the sunken wreck. Given the present conditions, the likelihood of an incident occurring are definite and imminent. The authorities need to act before a situation that is already bad does not deteriorate,” Ravi added.

If the ships sink in a busy shipping route, the wreck would lie below the water surface, reducing the amount of safe water below the keel for ships to enter and leave port. In such a scenario, wreck removal costs would have to be incurred to render the shipping lanes safe. Wreck removal costs often run to the tune of millions.

“The owners seem to be running the vessel on a skeletal staff and that’s the reason why it is not event lit. On humanitarian grounds we are providing safe drinking water to the crew. Acting on their requests we have sent a tug to reposition the ship during the cyclone Phailin warnings,” said a senior official of the traffic department of
Vizag Port.

Ganta – Balaraju rivalry reaches flash point, puts officials to trouble

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, Nov 8, 2008: Rivalry between two state cabinet ministers hailing from Vizag,  Ganta Srinivasa Rao and P Balaraju seems was exposed  again here on Thursday with both of them holding review meetings with district officials  separately on the same subject.

Ports and infrastructure minister, Ganta Srinivasa Rao held a review meeting with the  district collector, Solomon Arokia Raj, GVMC commissioner, MV Satyanarayana along with heads of various other departments on the proposed Rachabanda programme scheduled to begin on Nov 11, at the conference hall of the government circuit house. The meeting lasted for close to two hours and arrangements for the programme were discussed elaborately.

Soon as Rao concluded the meeting and left the place, tribal welfare minister P  Balaraju held a meeting with the same set of officials at the same place on the  same issue. Officials were forced to discuss the same programme twice. “It was so tiring to discuss and repeat the same issues twice that too without any gap. They should have buried their differences and could have held the review meeting jointly,” felt a district official.

Interestingly, Balarju waited in a suite until Ganta Srinivasa Rao held the review  meeting and entered the conference hall only after Rao left. Rao and Balaraju are known  arch rivals in the district politics and never see eye to eye. It is rare to see then together at any programme. Balaraju had also skipped the chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy’s  proghrammes in the district in the last month twice where Rao was seen actively taking part.

While Balaraju said he would abide by the party central leadership’s decision on state bifurcation, Ganta Srininivasa Rao had openly found fault with the decision and actively took part in Samaikyandhra agitation related programmes.

The proposed ODI match between India and West Indies on Nov 24 has also exposed the rift and rivalry between the two ministers. While Ganta Srinivasa Rao opposed conducting the match in the backdrop of popular mood prevailing in this region over AP bifurcation, Balaraju welcomed the proposal.

Rao, on Thursday appealed the BCCI and ACC officials to shift the match venue. But  Balaraju on Thursday made a strong pitch to hold the match and also assured security to  hold it. “It’s a prestigious match and we should all feel proud that Vizag is hosting  such an international match. It will enhance the image of the city in the international  arena,” said Balaraju after the review meeting on Rachabanda.

IT R&D campus for Vizag

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, Nov 8, 2013: Amid uncertainty triggered by the union government’s decision to divide Andhra Pradesh there is a positive news.

As a breather, the Society for Applied Microwave Electronic Engineering and Research (SAMEER), which comes under the purview of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, has decided to set up its campus in Vizag with an initial investment of Rs 80 crore.

SAMEER was set up as an autonomous R&D laboratory at Mumbai, under the then department of electronics, Government of India, with a broad mandate to undertake R&D work in the areas of microwave engineering and electromagnetic engineering technology.

SAMEER has facilities in Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata. It has decided to set up its second facility in south India at Vizag. The R&D facility will also provide employment for technicians and engineers.

According to informed sources in the state Information Technology and Communications (IT&C), the Government of India enterprise had applied to the APIIC to provide 50 acres of land recently to set up its campus.

The SAMEER Vizag campus is likely to come up on the lines of its Chennai facility, which serves Indian and global industries in applied research and development, design consultancy, testing and training with the state-of-the-art infrastructure.

“Over 50 per cent of the work and business for this company comes from the defence  industry and navy here. We are confident that this will create more employment and provide a big boost for new units in the proposed ITIR  and electronic manufacturing clusters (EMC) at Vizag. We hope SAMEER investments will lead to more investments in our city, especially after the sanction of 24/7 operations of our airport and an international convention and science centre,” said RITPA and Vizag Development Council (VDC) vice-president O. Naresh Kumar.

Split woes: Polavaram, a sticky issue

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, Nov 6, 2013: It’s not just Hyderabad that is a contentious issue in bifurcation of the state.  There is another thorny issue- multi purpose Polavaram irrigation project, which may prove to be a ‘headache’ for the union government in the division process.

If the apprehensions of the Seemandhra people on completion of Polavaram project are to be addressed, Bhadhrachalam revenue division that also houses famous lord Rama’s temple should also be included in residuary state post bifurcation.

At present, Bhadhrachalam is in the limits of Khammam district, which is in Telangana.

The Congress Working Committee (CWC) resolution on creation of Telangana basing on which the union cabinet had begun the bifurcation process, has assured that the Polavaram will be declared as a national project and that it would be completely funded by it.

However apprehensions are being raised in Seemandhra region that the Telangana state government, after the state bifurcation, may create hurdles to the completion of the multi crore project which can provide irrigation water to 7.2 lakh acres in upland areas of coastal Andhra, as the villages that may face possible submergence are located in the Telangana region.

Polavaram project is already mired in controversies with governments of Odisha, Chattisgrah and Maharashtra approaching appropriate legal entities to stall the project showing many reasons and it is felt another state government Telangana would add to the list of woes. To assuage these apprehensions a demand is growing in this part of Andhra Pradesh that those villages that may face submergence be included in the residuary state.

Polavaram project is also vital to provide water to Rayalaseema through inter-basin transfer of 45 TMC, to generate 960 MW hydropower, to stabilize and secure the present Godavari and Krishna delta systems, considered the rice bowl of the nation, besides controlling the periodic flood devastation in coastal areas.  The project is also as important as Bhakra-Nangal and Nagarjuna Sagar, the two mighty irrigation projects in the country in the view of interlinking of river waters across the country.

As per the estimates of irrigation experts and the state government Polavaram project submerges 276 villages with an average population  of   642 per village. Of the 276 villages 204 are in the present Khammam district of Telangana.  Out of these 204 villages 121 are in Bhadrachalam Revenue Division and the remaining in Palvancha division.  Bhadhrachalam revenue division was part of East Godavari district in Seemandhra region until 1959.

“We have this apprehension that the future government of Telangana State would not allow Polavaram project because of the submergence. The new Telangana government may create hurdles in land acquisition and rehabilitation to halt the progress of the construction of the project as these are the state subjects.  This concern of Seemandhra people can be addressed only by transferring the land under submergence of the reservoir and land earmarked for rehabilitation of the displaced to the new Andhra Pradesh state,” pointed BJP national executive member, Kambhampati Haribabu, who was the member of Task Force on Interlinking of Rivers.

The Task Force on interlinking project was set up during NDA rule in December, 2002 on the recommendation of the apex court.  However the task force was cancelled when the UPA came to power in 2004.

It would be interesting to see if the Telangana votaries would be ready to forego Bhadhrachalam revenue division which also houses famous lord Rama’s temple.

AP bifurcation: Samaikyandhra stir fizzles out; Vizagites send suggestions to GoM on Seemandhra devpt

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, Nov 5, 2013:  With the Samaikyandhra stir fizzling out, various sections seems to be coming to terms and accepting that the state bifurcation is imminent. Many  have started preparing and  drawing plans for the development of  Seemandhra region.

In a significant development, the CII members and  representatives of Vizag Development Council (VDC) held a brainstorming session on Tuesday on the representation to be forwarded to GoM set up by the Union government to oversee the bifurcation process. They prepared a charter of demands for the development of Seemandhra region.

This comes close on the heels of a closed door meeting called by Union ministers D.  Purandheswari and M.M. Pallamraju with the select industrialists in the city a few days ago seeking opinions and suggestions to develop residuary state.

The two union ministers were very vocal in support of the decision taken by their party led UPA government on division of Andhra Pradesh. Both were first among the Seemandhra leaders to talk about plans on development of Seemandhra region after bifurcation and need to approach GoM.

“The union government should take every possible step to protect the interests of the people of Andhra and Rayalaseema who are worried on account of division of state. Besides granting special package, which is yet to be announced, the government must clear some of the pending demands of Andhra and Rayalaseema which are sectorally divided into Fund based and Non Fund Based expectations from the Government in our report to the GoM.  Regional Development Council which includes the representatives of trade and commerce bodies should be formed with appropriately to expedite development and enforce Single Window clearances,” said VDC and Rushikonda IT Park Association (RITPA), vice president, O Naresh Kumar.

With November  5  deadline for sending suggestions to the GoM, VDC  along with CII  sent their proposals through email.

Their demands included allocation of power from Central Grid until proposed new units meet the requirement on date to domestic, industry and agriculture 24X7, adequate gas from KG basin should be allocated to Andhra Pradesh Power Plants and Industries on priority, incentives and special tax concessions such as VAT, excise, central sales tax, Income tax and service tax etc. for new units as well as the ones being relocated to this region, creation of Free Trade zone at Vizag and Kakinada with concessions and facilities like in Singapore or Dubai, facilitate early sanction of ITIR in Vizag including National Manufacturing Investment zone among others.

Meanwhile a Vizag based NGO Chaitanya Sravanthi, working for women empowerment also sent a report to GoM on Tuesday demanding special, exclusive package for north Andhra.

“The Congress led UPA Government is going ahead with its proposal without taking concern and fears of people in the region. It is very important to win confidence of people to go ahead with it, without allaying their fears and doubts, the proposal will receive stiff résistance from people. As people are not ready to believe the political parties any assurance or package will not be of much use. Hence it is important to involve all stake-holders and take their views before finalizing the GOM report .This will go a long way in winning the trust of people, and for this the government should be sincere and should not give priority to political consideration,” said  Chaitanya  Sravathi, chair person, Shireen Rehman.

She added that if the UPA succeeds in finalizing  the bifurcation it should consider an exclusive development package for north Andhra, which is the most back wards region not only in the state but also in the Country.

To give a fillip to development in North Andhra, Visakhapatnam, Which has all infrastructure facilities, should be made capital a part from locating a high court bench in this region, said that report of Chaitanya Sravanthi.