YSRC verge of losing sheen in N Andhra

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, June 17, 2014:  YSRC seems to be facing its worst leadership crisis in the two districts of north Andhra-Vizianagaram and Vizag. In Vizag after former MLA, Malla Vijay Prasad resigned as city president of the party none came forward to take up the job.

Malla Vijayparasad, who was made party city president just before the polls resigned owing responsibility to the party defeat in the district, especially of parry honorary president, YS Vijayalakhsmi, who lost Vizag lok sabha.

 Though the post was said to be offered to either the Dadi Ratnakar or to his father Dadi Veerabhadhra Rao, both refused. In fact, Rao, unleashed a tirade against, party chief, YS Jaganmohan Reddy for the party’s debacle and quit YSRC recently.

After its embarrassing defeat in Vizag, where only, YSRC won only 3 out of 15 assembly and 1 out of 3 parliament segments, no candidate who contested or any prominent leader was seen at the party office. A few attended the two day meeting held by Jagan last week to asses the party performance.

Party rural convenor, Chokkakula Venkat Rao, who, lost to BJP candidate, P Vishnukumar Raju, in Vizag north assembly segment is also nowhere to see after the polls.

Same is the situation in Vizianagaram, though, Bobbili MLA, Sujay Krishna Venkata Ranga Rao, is considered as an active leader, he is made party convenor of three districts of north Andhra districts and the rural party president, P Sambasiva Raju, is said to be facing age related issues to be active. In Vizianagaram too out of, 9 assembly segments, YSRC candidates won only 3.

 “It’s very sad that party office is seen always empty ever since the poll results are out. Except during Jagan’s recent two day tour, no leader is showing interest in motivating the cadre or grass root leaders. Party is directionless in north Andhra, especially in Vziag and Vizianagaram,” said a YSRC leader. 

Capital talk: Locals see conspiracy

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, May 14, 2014: Locals are fuming at the reports emerging that, the expert committee appointed by the union government to identify suitable city as capital for successor state of Andhra Pradesh, has ruled out Vizag due to the presence of naval base in the close proximity.

The members of Sivaramakrishnan committee, during their visit to Vizag on last Saturday for firsthand assessment also held a meeting with the officials from the Eastern Naval Command (ENC).  “The committee members already had information with them on various issues from the state government. They have come prepared with around 140 proforma on various issues. They also held a closed door meeting with the ENC officials where local officials were also not allowed to attend it. Not sure what transpired between the ENC officials and Committee members,” said a top bureaucrat of Vizag.

Highly placed sources, in the ENC pointed that, there were no such objections raised by them on setting up capital in Vizag. They have also quoted the example of Mumbai having western naval command being the capital of Maharshtra.

“There is a well orchestrated conspiracy to deprive Vizag, the jewel of the east coast, of its legitimate due in the event of bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh. A section of top political leaders, capitalists and lobbyists have hatched a conspiracy by forming a group to undermine the chances of locating capital in Vizag. Various groups which have been working against interests of North Andhra in general and Visakhapatnam in particular has stepped up misinformation campaign against advantages of the city though the fact that Visakhapatnam emerged has top contender for capital in the recent survey initiated at national level. This is the high time to counter this Goebbels propaganda to keep chances Vizag as capital alive, said DVT Ganesh of Vizag citizen’s forum.

In the race for the capital of the state, Vizag and Vijayawada stood 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.

“What we lack here in Vizag is strong leadership and political will to fight for the city. Vizag also has abundant land available. The argument of Vizag is on the one corner of the state is simply absurd.  Capital cities like Trivandrum, Banglore, Chennai, Jaipur, Gandhinagar and Mumbai are all on the one corner in their respective states,” said O Naresh Kumar of Vizag Development Council (VDC)  

Cuttack kidney racket: Vizag top doctor held

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, June 17, 2014:  The infamous Odisha illegal kidney sale racket seems to have links to Vizag. Odisha cops with the help of local police, here on Tuesday have arrested one of the directors of famous corporate hospital in the city- Seven Hills hospital, Dr N Prabhakar Babu for allowing the kidney transplantation at the hospital.

Cuttack police last month busted an illegal kidney sale racket where mediators have been luring members from the poor families for organ donation bypassing the stipulated norms of Odisha’s State Authorisation Committee on Human Organ Transplant.

It is learnt that the racket came to light when a woman victim who gave kidney lodged a complaint with Cuttack police that she was paid paltry some while she was promised around Rs 10lakh and was duped. According to police sources, the alleged kidney transplantation was done at city’s Seven Hills hospital and its medical director, N Prabhakar Babu was said to be responsible for the operation.

To avoid the possible arrest, Prabhakar said to have got himself admitted at King George Hospital (KGH) complaining chest pain, four day ago. However, a special police team from Cuttack had taken him into custody after a team of doctors certified he was fit.

He was arrested under 320B, 18, 368, 471 and 420 sections of IPC for performing the organ transplantation for not verifying the facts.

 Meanwhile, hospital representatives said that, they have performed operation after they were shown all the necessary documents that the kidney donor and the patient are both related to each other. 

Health city not yet grounded, Naidu wants to make Vizag health hub

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, June 13, 2014: AP chief minister, N Chandrabbau Naidu had laid down an ambitious plan to make Vizag a medical and health hub in the state, but the past experiences with the earlier government in this sector in the city proves that it was only tall talks and no action.

           

The Health City mooted at Adarshnagar, way back in 2006 during YSR government, aimed at promoting health tourism is still at a nascent stage. Barring a few hospitals at the verge of completion of the construction, in the more than 100 acre land earmarked for the private hospitals to set up their units, rest of them are still at nascent stage.

 It was around 2005, that the then state government had planned health city making APIIC as a nodal agency to develop it and allot plots to private hospitals. More than 100 acres of land was identified adjacent to Visakhapatnam Institute of Medical Sciences (VIMS), and it was divided into around 28 plots.

An upset of price of Rs 3 to 4 crs was fixed. Though initially giant quality health care chain like  Apollo Group had evinced interest and 10 acres was allotted, there were no many takers of the rest of the plots.  Government also wanted to generate money by selling the plots to private parties.

Subsequently around, barring 2 plots, rest were allotted to various, private hospitals. But only five hospitals are at the final stage of completion and ready to offer services, remaining are all still either at foundation stage or at ground level. It will take at least,  another  3 years for those to get operational.

 According to sources in APIIC, it was fear of cancellation of the allotment that some hospitals have begun construction as a token.

 The Health City was aimed to promote health tourism in Vizag as medical and health facilities in countries like US, the UK and Middle East are very high and NRIs can be attracted to Vizag if the high class medical facilities are made available here.

“I think those hospitals have bagged those plots keeping the future potential of Vizag. There needs to be promotion also from the state government in terms of Vizag as destination for health tourism. Once, patients from foreign shores start coming, all these hospitals will come up in no time. For all this there needs to be a firm commitment from the state government, otherwise nothing will move forward,” said a senior official of a multi speciality hospital, who wished not to be identified. 

Naidu’s grandiose plan: Brand Vizag needs to be created

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, June 13, 2014:  AP Chief Minister, N Chandrababu Naidu, has grandiose plan for Vizag. Ever since he has sworn in as the new chief minister of AP he has time and again assured that Vizag, will be made an IT destination in the new state for which he has to really strive hard and begin right from the scratch.  

The ground seems to be not so conducive too. For instance forget about big players in the sector, no IT entrepreneur either medium or small has come forward to take plots at IT SEZ in Gambheeram 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. Experts in IT field are of the opinion that a brand for Vizag on the lines of Hyderabad is needed to be created besides its promotion. Lack of proper social infrastructure, plug and play space like Cyber towers in Hyderabad and poor airport facilities are said to be bottlenecks in creating Brand Vizag as a next IT destination in the new state.

There are around 100 medium, small and big IT and ITES firms operating in Vizag employing around 17,000.  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.

While the IT turnover from the earlier entire Andhra Pradesh was Rs 64,354 crs with Rs 51,300 crs export and Rs 13,000 cr of domestic business, only Hyderabad’s contribution was 97 percent and the rest of the state is only 3 percent.

Of the total 13lakh employed in IT sector only 23,000 are from rest of Andhra Pradesh. Employment is less than 2percent in the new Andhra Pradesh when compared to Hyderabad. 

 As per 2013-14 estimates, while Vizag’s IT sector turnover is Rs 1,445 cr and employs around 17,000, Vijayawada’s turnover is a meager Rs 115 crores employing only 2900.  Kakinada  IT companies does Rs 61 crores and employs 1900.  Tirupati IT sector makes a turnover of Rs 7 cr.  

 “There should be brand for Vizag and it should be promoted well. Vizag already has location advantage. There needs to be at least 15 lakh sft plug play facility on the lines of cyber towers and Raheja IT towers of Hyderad,” said Rushikonda IT Park Association (RITPA), vice president, O Naresh Kumar. 

3 Mega cities in AP: Naidu

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, June 12, 2014: Andhra Pradesh chief minister, N Chandrababu Naidu, has assured 3 mega cities and to make towns coming under 14 municipal corporations into smart cities. “State government would develop, Vizag, Vijayawada and Tirupaty as mega cities. Also steps will be taken to turn those towns coming under municipal corporations into smart cities. I have pleaded the earlier government to do justice to Andhra Pradesh during bifurcation. But they have done it in the most unreasonable manner. After bifurcation, AP has around 15, 900 crs of deficit budget. We need at least Rs 4 to 5 lakh crs to build our capital. We will seek Centre’s help,” Naidu said.

The chief minister also said that, they would seek Centre to extend the special status accorded to the state as part of bifurcation deal from 5 to 15 years. Terming AP as sunrise state for being on the east coast and in middle of the country, Naidu said, efforts would be on to establish 13 to 14 ports on war footing to trigger economy. He said many industries in the sectors like ferro alloys, fertilizers and many other are ready to come up in the state. 

Stating that AP is facing acute power shortage, Naidu, said steps would be taken for uninterrupted 24 hrs power supply to industries and households and 9 hours to agriculture needs by establishing a separate load dispensing centre by connecting power generated by  the new power plants that are coming up. If needed government will ask power from Centre, he added.

“Earlier Congress government had done gross injustice to AP. They have divided assets according to location and debt and liabilities as per population. During my regime, I have strived hard to make AP both budget and power surplus. During my earlier stint, I have taken over when the state was not even in a position to pay salaries to staff and I made it a power and budget surplus. But the Congress government destroyed the state. I will strive hard to make AP power surplus,” he added.

He further said state government will take steps to regularly monitor prices of essential commodities and will develop a price mechanism with marker intervention. 

Cabinet decides to seek Centre’s help to waive farm loans, 3 sub committees appointed, No vendetta in appointing cabinet sub committee on corruption, says Naidu

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, June 12, 2014: The seven hour long marathon maiden historic cabinet meeting of the state government held in the Port City on Thursday,  has decided to appoint three subcommittees to look into various issues. State Cabinet also decided to seek Centre’s assistance on waiving farm loans after the committee appointed by the state government to look into the issue submits report on June 22.

While one sub committee was appointed to finalise the modalities on grounding long pending LNG project at Gangavaram Port in Vizag, another one for the implementation of NTR Sujala Sravananthi scheme, which is one of the top five priorities of the Naidu government, the third one is to review the corruption that took place during 10 year Congress rule and take back the properties, lands from those who got them through corrupt practices.

 “It’s an historic cabinet meeting as it’s the first one after the state is divided. I have decided to hold the first cabinet meeting here in Vizag is to send a message to public that state government will show equal importance to all the regions and the overall development of the state. We have held party meet Mahanadu at Hyderabad, CLP meeting at Tirupaty, swearing in of the new government near Vijayawada and the first cabinet meeting here in Vizag,” he said.

 Naidu said that, under NTR Sujala Sravanthi, 20lts of mineral water will be supplied at a cost of Rs 2 and it will be implemented through integration of irrigation, municipal administration and rural development ministries. To finalise the modalities and implementation of the scheme, a cabinet sub committee was formed, he said. He added that also under the new water scheme, households in towns and rural tracts will get round the clock water supply for which water from irrigation projects would be used.

“A cabinet sub committee is being appointed to look into the corruption during 10 years of Congress rule. The committee will also take steps to take back the government properties, lands and assets from those who got them through corrupt practices. There is no hidden agenda or vendetta in appointing such committee. It’s only to make sure the state government functions in transparent manner. While the central Agencies like CBI does its works, this is an initiative by the state government to weed out corruption,” he said.

Naidu further said that, the Cabinet has decided to prepare 5 white papers to show public on how the Congress government has destroyed the state pushed it into crisis. The White Papers will be on social sector, infrastructure and employment, Irrigation projects, power and financial status of the state.   The state level bankers committee meeting will be convened as and when the committee on loan waiver submits its report and after seeking Centre’s help modalities will be worked out on how to implement it  He assured that Bans do not send notices to farmers for non payment of loans and they get fresh loans by Khariff.  

Cabinet also discussed at length, the remaining of the top five priorities of the state government, enhancement of retirement age of  state government staff, eradication of belt shops, pensions for elderly and handicapped.

“ There is some technical problem in implementing the enhancement of retirement to those Andhra employees who are now working temporarily in Telangana government. We will offer the same benefit to them also without any service break after they are allotted to us permanently. Until now the state government employees and central services staff are allotted to state temporarily,” he added. 

LNG project to boost AP economy

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, June 12, 2014: With state reeling under severe financial crisis, state government is looking for various means to generate revenue and boost state economy. AP chief minister, N Chandrababu Naidu, on Thursday said that industries would boost economy and the long pending LNG project proposed by Petronet would generate revenue for the state government.

 Addressing a press conference, here on Thursday after the maiden state cabinet meeting, Naidu, said, “Industries are need of the hour for both revenue and employment generation. State government would get around Rs 3,000 crs annually if the proposed LNG project by Petronet at Gangavaram Port is grounded. A cabinet sub committee is being appointed to workout modalities for the immediate grounding of the project. It’s been pending since more than 3 years. Besides, revenue from the LNG project, it will also help many gas based industries to come to the state. The project should be completed within 3 years.”

Naidu felt that LNG project will also help in establishing PCPIR planned between Vizag and Kakinada, which was also hanging in limbo since very long.

He further said that, from Visakhapatnam Steel Plantm (VSP) with the present capacity of 4 MT production, state gets revenue of Rs 700 crs in the form of various taxes and if the capacity is further enhanced by 4 MT, state would get Rs 700 crs revenue. He assured all help from the state government for VSP to enhance its production capacity.

“Since the earlier government had done gross injustice to AP during bifurcation, we will ask Centre’s help till the state comes to a level playing field in all sectors,” said Naidu.   

APIIC serves notices to 100 firms

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, June 11, 2014: With the number of investment proposals the new state government has mooted to give a boost to the local economy in the wake of state bifurcation, availability of land has become crucial.

The officials of APIIC, the nodal agency of the state government that facilitates land and other infrastructure for setting up of industries, has begun an exercise to identify the unused land that was allotted to various firms to start their activities.

In Vizag, there are three SEZs or industrial parks for IT and ITES activities, five are general or multipurpose parks, one is earmarked as health city and another as apparel city. 

Around 11,000 acres of land was earmarked for various SEZs, Industrial parks and clusters and most of the firms have launched activities. APIIC officials have recently served cancellation notices to at least 80 firms for not grounding their respective projects.

The officials said, most of these firms are either small or medium scale enterprises into manufacturing, IT and other sectors. Each firm was allotted land from 1 to 2 acres.  Of the 80, around 50 firms have responded to the notices served and an extension of one year was given after they paid penalties.

“We will wait for some more time for the responses from the remaining firms and then go ahead with the regular procedure laid down and cancel the allotment. Most of them have paid penalties and sought extension,” said  APIIC, Zonal Manager, V Nagabhushan Reddy.

APIIC Vizag zone is also planning two more industrial parks and an Electronic Manufacturing Cluster (EMC) in Vizag. Around 1,000 acres in Bheemili and 200 acres in Pedagantyada near Gajuwaka was identified to develop these industrial parks aimed at attracting investments from various sectors.  In Pedagatyada industrial park, nearly 50 acres was earmarked exclusively for women entrepreneurs.

To develop an EMC under union telecom policy  APIIC had identified around 100 acres near Jaganandhapuram in Parawada in the district. The EMC would come up at a cost of Rc 20 crs. 

Dadi Veerabhadhra Rao slams Jagan, walks out of YSRC

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, June 11, 2014: Even as YSRC chief,  YS Jaganmohan Reddy, was reviewing the party performance and its drubbing in the just concluded general elections in the city, senior politician, Dadi Veerabhadra resigned from the party, here on Wednesday.

Stating that he had committed a big blunder by joining YSRC, Dadi Veerabhadhra Rao said to rectify it he had decided to  quit the party. He came down heavily on Jagan, saying, YSRC doesn’t have any principles and it’s all a one man show by Jagan. He further said the party’s existence in coming days was doubtful and Jagan would either windup the party or merge it into another.

“Its all one man show in YSRC. Everything is Jagan in the party. No other leader gets importance or prominence.  Party lost due to his dictatorial attitude and arrogance. How many hours did he spend in Vizag for his mother Vijalakshmi’s poll campaign? He was the main reason behind his mother’s embarrassing defeat. He felt insecure that his sister would become another power centre in the party and didn’t make her contest in the polls,” he said.

 Rao added that, Jagan can’t run the party and he had ditched the party workers. He further said that, Jagan was over confident that public would vote to party candidates due to his charishma and gave party tickets to his jail mates.

As expected, Rao, who was sulking from the party activities since the poll results, gave a miss to Jagan’s meeting held in the morning at a private function hall. His son Dadi Ratnakar was given, Vizag West ticket where he lost to a TD candidate.

Dadi Veerabhadhra Rao, has been keeping away from parry activities and is said to have openly expressed displeasure over  the way electioneering was handled by certain group belonging to Jagan in the district keeping aside experienced and senior leaders like him.

He had also denied being party district president when it was offered to him recently after former MLA, Malla Vijay Prasad resigned from the post.

Rao quit TD and joined YSRC a few months before general polls. He was the leader of opposition in the state legislative council when he was in TD. 

Games they play: TD woos YSRC to hit opposition

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, June 29, 2014:  Though the Telugu Desam (TD) does not need YSRC ZPTCS’ support as the party bagged, Zilla Parishads of Vizag and Vizianagaram, efforts are on to lure them in both districts to weaken the opposition party at grassroots and also to make it a unanimous election of ZP Chairman which is going to take place on July 5.

In Vizag TD members won 24 ZPTCs out of total 39 in the district YSRC candidates bagged 15 ZPTCs. It will be the second time in the last 30 years that TD person will be the Vizag ZP chairperson. It was in 1987 last time TD bagged ZP chair. TD senior leader Lalam Bhaskar Rao’s wife, Lalam Bhavani, who won Rambilli ZPTC is likely to be the ZP chairperson. Bhaksar Rao contested on a TD ticket for Yelamanchali assembly segment in 2009 polls and lost to, Congress candidate, UV Ramanmurthy Raju (Kannababu).

In Vizianagaram,  TD candidates won 24 ZPTCs out of 34 and YSRC candidates won 10. TD state women wing chief, Sobha Hymavathi’s daughter Sobha Shanti Rani who won Vepada ZPTC is expected to be Vizianagaram ZP chairperson.

ZPTCs coming under, Anakapalle and Vizg Agency, YSRC senior leader Konatala Ramakrishna and union minister, Kishorechandra Deo having clout respectively have gone to TD leaving a  huge embarrassment to both.

“What’s wrong in admitting them into our parry fold when they are interested? We are not luring them,” said a district senior TD leader.

 While polls were held for two municipalities- Narasipatnam and Elamanchali, in Vizag, TD candidates won maximum councilor seats and their men are set to become the municipal chairpersons respectively, in the indirect poll that is going to be held on July 3.

In Vizianagaram, polls were held for four municipalities- Vizianagaram town, Bobbili, Parvathipuram and Saluru, TD candidates comfortably won maximum councilor seats in all the municipalities and set to become the municipal chairpersons. 

Sontyam, new hotspot

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, June 29, 2014:  Sontyam, around 30kms away from the city, seems to have emerged as the latest hotspot for those who want to own a piece of land in only metropolis in Andhra Pradesh- Vizag.

A square yard was sold at minimum Rs 7,500 and maximum Rs 9,500 at Sontyam layout of the Vuda, which is far away from the city outskirts, during the two days auction held on Saturday and Sunday. Until now, Pendurthy, Madhurawada and few other places were considered as hotspot and the sites there were always in demand.

The demand for Sontyam land sites was so much that, Vuda had to postpone the auction of the plots in other layouts in different locations as many participated for Sontyam plots auction. Sontyam layout being on the road side on the proposed 6 lane highway and 7 kms from Ananadapuram, said to be factor that attracted possible buyers. Other factors like surrounded by hills full of greenery and having many educational institutions in the vicinity also added to the demand.

The auction was held to allot 244 plots in 13 layouts.  Among all the 13 layouts, Sontyam layout received immense response both in number of applications and also bidding for each plot in auction.

Of the 244 plots, 165 are in Sontyam.   “Intentional hype creators, if any, participated in the auction with a strategy of developing artificial boom in price will be booked under criminal case. Such participants will be charged under intentional mischief and cheating sections,” said Vuda vice chairman, Dr N Yuvaraj.

He was responding to objections raised by some applicants in the auction on some miscreants trying to create artificial hype of the area.  Yuvaraj said vigorous steps were taken to avoid all kinds of unwanted participants in the auction and to protect the interest of genuine buyers.

Location of plots inside the layout and away from the main road, vaastu defects and other factors influenced in balancing the price of certain plots auction on Sunday from Rs 6,000 to Rs 8,000 per square yard.

Total 120 plots in Sontyam layout were disposed through the auction on both days fetching revenue of Rs. 25crs crores to VUDA. Yuvaraj said major share of the revenue will be spent for developing infrastructure in the same layout.

Auction for plots in Cyber Valley, Madhurawada Government lands, Bheemunipatnam, Chinamushidiwada, Kanapaka Ayyanapeta, MVP Colony, Kapuluppada Chilukuri Joint Venture Layout, Kurmannapalem Town Center and Phase-V layouts, Kummaripalem and Adibhatla Nagar will be conducted on July 5 and 6 at Swarna Bharathi Indoor Stadium.

Auction for balance plots in Sontyam will also be conducted on next Sunday afternoon at the same venue. Applicants whose names are remaining with the database at the time of closing auction on June 29 will only be allowed to participate in the auction for balance plots in Sontyam layout, Yuvaraj said.

APIIC sits on Rs 80cr R & D facility by SAMEER at Vizag

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, June 27, 2014:  While the state government has been taking steps to attract investments in every sector, bureaucratic hurdles, seem to be the norm, which is said to have been dissuading the prospective and enthusiastic entrepreneurs.

Delay in setting up of R & D facility by Society for Applied Microwave Electronic Engineering and Research (SAMEER), stands a classic example of red-tapism. Its been more than a year that SAMEER that comes under, union ministry of communications and information technology, applied for 20 acres of land at one of the SEZs of APIIC, to set up  its campus in Vizag with an initial investment of Rs 80 crore, but they were not unable to ground the facility.

The extension centre of SAMEER Electromagnetic Environmental Effects (E3) Lab will have at least 300 employees.

Initially in Oct 2013 SAMEER officials were shown land at Duvvada for which they have given their consent after the site visit. But later it was informed that it comes under Forest land and in Feb this year it was indicated as Makavaripalem, for which the SAMEER have submitted is reservation for the location after the site visit on Mar 5.

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.

It 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.

Though the APIIC, CMD had given a letter of consent allotting 20 acres of land at Gambheeram, which was discussed at the Standing Finance Committee (SFC) of SAMEER held in April, the officials had to run from pillar to post since then for the actual allotment.

 “Since long we have bee following up with the AP government,  but so far there is no positive response. Now administrative approval has been granted, the project clock has started from June 2014. We are unable to proceed due to non availability of land,” said a senior official of SAMEER.

 They have also approached local IT related associations and forums seeking help in resolving the issue and for immediate allotment and grounding of the facility.

A local IT company, Symbiosys Technologies offered help to SAMEER.   “I have offered my personal office space for at least one year or till they get their land allotment and other things settled. The readymade office space with AC and Internet free of cost are available to start their operations immediately,” said Symbiosys Technologies CEO and Rushikonda IT Park Association (RITPA), vice president, O Naresh Kumar.

Out of the total outlay of Rs 80.02 crs for four years, an amount of Rs 59cr is estimated towards meeting the capital expenditure like test instrumentation, anechoic chamber, 3D EM modeling tools and various modeling lab and an amount of Rs 21.2cr is estimated towards recurring expenses. An amount of Rs 5.90cr  is provided by SAMEER as their contribution of the project towards recurring expenditure. And after taking this into account Rs 74.12cr will be from the department of IT under Grants-in-Aid. 

Land sinking in K-G Basin may have caused explosion

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, June 27, 2014:  While the reasons like, corrosion and usage of substandard material are being pointed  at the gas pipeline leak which led to a blast that killed at least 15 persons in East Godavari, experts are also pointing at the possibility of land subsidience also one of the reasons for the pipe leak.

Retired professor of Andhra University’s geology department DR G Krishna Rao, who  has done many studies on KG Basin and other sites of gas exploration near Kakinada, observed that about 60pc of the gas pipeline failures are said to be due to excavations in their vicinity while 20pc accounts for corrosion problem.

“Similar to excavation situation arises in the K-G Basin where land subsidence or sinking is taking place. Thereby, the pipeline loses its base support which was laid about 20 to 25 years back. In such places, the ground below the pipeline has to be grouted with soil or elevated with supports to restore horizontal alignment of the pipeline. There are also reports of pipe line breakages due to land subsidence in some countries,” he added.

Prof Krishna Rao, further observed that While attending to the causes like mechanical problems in pipeline fittings, quality of pipes and corrosion, the major problem in oil and gas fields related to land stability and subsidence should be thoroughly investigated through surveying of the land for its elevation changes and areas prone to pipeline failures should be identified and remedial measures should be taken where necessary to avoid future pipeline breakages.

Land Subsidence is the major disaster in the production of natural gas from semi-consolidated sandstone reservoir rocks. As this parameter has been ignored in the earlier production activities in the KG Basin, he added.

An EIA report submitted by ONGC on expansion of Odalarevu Onshore Terminal in East Godavari district last year, the ONGC have quoted some lines from the report submitted in October, 2009 by a Sub-Committee,  constituted by the MOEF on the direction of High Court to look in to land subsidence. The sub-Committee clearly written in their recommendations that oil and gas extraction has led to land subsidence in many parts of the world and therefore this factor is to be taken in to consideration while taking up any project. The committee suggested to get this KG Basin investigated by an expert Central Institute on existing or likely land subsidence in the region. It seems this suggestion has not yet been complied with, he added. 

Iraq crisis: Vizagites shifted to Karbala, no signs of help from authorities

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, June 26, 2014:  It’s been more than a week that 19 Vizagites are languishing in civil war ravaged Iraq, which is being highlighted by this newspaper, and there are no signs of any help from the authorities.

Those Vizagites, who reached the holy city of Al Najaf, without having the knowledge about the anarchic situation in Iraq have been stranded there since last Thursday and were looking for help to come back to India.

Ever since they have reached the project site of Baghdad based 4th Dimension Company at Al Najaf, Vizagites are said to have been protesting demanding the employers to ‘release’ them, give their passports and send them back to India.

 According to one of those stranded there, they have been now shifted to another project site in Karbala city, which is 100kms from capital city Baghdad, where they don’t have any Indians around.

Earlier, they were having Indians, especially Telugus with them at the project site where they were deployed by the workers in Al Najaf. Now they fear for their lives in the wake of separating them from the fellow Indians. They allege, they were shifted by the employers to Karbala in the guise of taking them to the nearest airport to send them to India.

“We have firmly told them that we are not going to work and send us back. Thinking that other Indians, who are also not interested in continuing the work there would join us, they have brought us here to Karbala, where there are no Indian workers at all except a few Iraqi men. They have brought us here saying we are being taken to airport to go back to India. They have deceived us. Now we fear what they are going to do us. We want to come back,” Garikana Prasad told this correspondent from Iraq over phone.

The local authorities only collected details about the names provided by the Ministry of External affairs for the purpose of cross checking but ignored to offer any help to the 19 Vizagites who have recently reached Iraq.

Around 19 persons, mostly between 20-25 age group from various mandals coming under Anakapalle parliament constituency have reached Al Najaf through, a Tanuku based agent, Medapati Venkata Krishna, to work at various construction sites of 4th Dimension Company. The group of welders, electricians, fitters, plumbers, labourers from Vizag district has reached Al Najaf after each of them paid Rs 1.5 lakh to the local agent for jobs in Iraq.

  List of the stranded passengers along with passport numbers:

Name                                    Passport number

Surisetti Poornachandra Rao  L 4386950

Chilluri Satti Babu L 5020125

Garikana Prasad L 6471380

Sivarchana Adiganesh K 9435567

Sarasa Ramesh J 9214264

Maddala Srinivas K 2287393

Baddi Dora Babu K 3415404

Gorle Shiva K 8548358

Chilluri Satish K 8545553

Gompa Chinna Rao K 8532921

Goddu Nookaraju K 2287195

Koda Bandaiah K 9433197

 Cheyyari Appanna L 6731231

Myalapalli Gurumurthy L 6731232

 Vasupalli Nookaraju L 4385223

Pothireddy Gopala Krishna K 2208944

Karri Govind K 9435922

 Golagani Venkat Rao K 5699752

Sivakoti Lakshmi Nrayana K 3772852

Tollywood eludes Vizag!

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, June 26, 2014:  While Vizag has been pinning hopes of total Tollywood shift from Hyderabad, to city, which is expected to boost, local economy, and provide jobs to locals in the wake of state bifurcation, there are no signs of the same and a recent observation by the industry heavy weight, actor and producer Murali Mohan that the industry will not move to Vizag, has disappointed locals.

Vizag MP Kambhampati Haribabu and state HRD minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao, both have been pitching for Vizag as the new Tollywood destination and have plans to lobby hard for shifting Telugu film industry to Vizag. In fact they have earlier assured of holding a meeting with top honchos of Tollywood to motivate them to set up various facilities related to film Industry in Vizag, by explaining them the advantages of Vizag over Hyderabad.

Muralimohan said that it took around 20 years for the total Tollywood to shift from Chennai to Hyderabad and they were all only settling now. He also added, they can’t afford to undergo the same again for another 20 years to shift to Vizag.

Ever since the separate Telangana movement took steam from 2002 onwards, many Telugu film personalities started eying Vizag. As per highly reliable sources in the revenue department, many film personalities- Nagarjuna, Balakrishna, Muralimohan, Rajamouli, Puri Jagannath, Ramana Gogula, RP Patnaik, comedians Ali and MS Narayana have already bought huge chunks of lands with a foresight of Telugu film industry shifting to Vizag  from Hyderabad and to set up studios, other industry related facilities.

The favourite spots for them are Bheemili, sagar Nagar, Kapuluppada, Rushikonda. Last year during the inauguration of actor and film producer Murali Mohan’s business venture, he said that there will be rapid changes in Vizag in the coming five years and buying lands here.

Though there were reports that many Tollywood personalities, including former union minister, Chiranjeevi, bought large tracts of land in Vizag and planned to build film studios and other movie related facilities like dubbing studios, sound recording theathres,  but works on not even one studio or facility has begun until now.

“No doubt Vizag is the best and right destination for Telugu film industry. As far as my knowledge goes everybody is interested in coming to Vizag. We will very soon hold a meeting with the Industry heads,” said HRD minister, Ganta Srinivas Rao.

Already star producer amd movie mogul Ramanaidu has opened his studios on the beach road on a hilltop in the 100 acres of land allotted by the state government.

Congress candidates prudent, spent less in 2014 polls, YSRC candidate tops assembly list

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, June 25, 2014:  A look at the election expenditure of the Congress candidates of various assembly segments proves that they are very wise. Predicting misfortunes and debacle most of the candidates spent money ‘modestly’.

As per the report of the district election officer on election expenses accounts by candidates who contested 2014 polls, Congress candidates spent minimal amounts among the other prominent parties like YSRC and TD.

While they might have spent a few more lakhs of rupees to lure voters interestingly as per ‘official’ records no candidate crossed the expenditure limit prescribed by Election Commission of India. As per ECI guidelines a lok sabha candidate can spend Rs 70 lakhs and an assembly candidate Rs 28lakhs for campaigning and publicity.  

Vizag West candidate Pedada Ramani Kumari topped among the Congress candidates in the 15 assembly segments coming under Vizag district on spending money. She spent Rs 14,97, 136 lakhs. Next comes the Payakaraopeta Congress candidate, Y Krishna Murthy who spent around Rs 11, 19, 408 lakhs. 

Former tribal welfare minister who contested for Paderu assembly segment, stood third in the list by spending Rs 8, 35, 481. Vizag East contestant D Prabha Goud spent Rs 5,08, 933 lakhs and stood last in the list.  

Interestingly in Vizag west, the winning TD candidate, PVGR Naidu had spent only Rs 9, 91, 382 lakhs, less than the Congress candidate Ramana Kumari. For Vizag parliament, BJP candidate, Kambhampati Haribabu, who won the seat, had spent Rs 25, 51, 607 lakhs and the Congress candidate Bolisetty Satyanrayana too spent almost the same amount- Rs 25, 57, 973 lakhs.

YSRC candidate, party honorary president, YS Vijayalakshmi submitted accounts to have spent Rs 35, 66, 642 and Jai Samaikyandhra Party (JSP), candidate, Sabbam Hari, who has withdrawn from the race in the last minute, two days before the poll day, spent Rs  8, 31, 189. Vizag Lok Sabha candidate, NRI, Budha Chandrsekhar, spent around Rs 9, 33,000 lakhs and topped the independents list.  

Among the YSRC assembly candidates, in fact among all the candidates cutting across part lines, Chodavaram contestant, Karanam Dharma Sri spent the highest amount of Rs 20,20, 440 lakhs who lost to a TD candidate. Among the TD candidates, the highest amount spent was Rs 19, 53,889 by Payakaraopeta (Reserved for SCs) candidate, Vangalapudi Anita.

AAP candidates who were in fray for Vizag Lok Sabha and 7 assembly segments that come under it spent the least followed by independent candidates. Most of them spent a few thousands and the expenses put together by all the AAP candidates comes less than Rs 1 lakh.

  In Araku Lok Sabha, Congress candidate, former union minister, V Kishore Chandra Deo, who lost to YSRC candidate Kottapalli Geeta spent Rs 13, 27, 724 lakhs. Geeta spent Rs 11, 79, 536 lakhs and TD candidate Gummidi Sandhya Rani, spent Rs 7, 76, 089 lakhs.

AP loses Rs 100crs Tuna exports to Kerala port

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, June 25, 2014:  While every rupee of revenue is important at the time when the state is split and AP has got deficit budget, state is losing indirect revenue in the form of various local taxes from Vizag port as it is losing around Rs 100 crs of business every month to Kerala’s Cochin port due to lack of value addition facilities to the seafood that is exported to Japan and other Far East countries.

While at present around 20,000 tonnes of various seafood like various varieties of shrimp and tuna are exported from Vizag port to European countries and Japan every month, around an additional 10,000 tonnes worth Rs 100 cr catch is going from Vizag coast to Cochin port for export, where value addition facilities to seafood, especially, tuna are available.

Interestingly the seafood caught on east coast (Vizag and Odisha coast) is being exported to Far East from west coast (Cochin port), pinning holes in the pockets of exporters as it is considered as detour. While, the state gets revenue through various taxes on seafood biz, it also provides local employment in allied industries.

Products that have been modified by cut shape, coating, preparation or packaging to improve handling, presentation, profitability and convenience is called value addition, for which it needs assistance from the concerned government agencies for expertise.

“We found that lack of facilities for value addition here in Vizag half the present cargo which is being exported from here is going to Cochin where such facilities are available. On an average at least 1,000 containers are sent to various countries from here to many countries like Japam, Taiwan and of Europe. We will be very soon taking up the issue of establishment of facilities for value addition, with all the stakeholders and the government. As per our estimates around 500 such containers of Tuna of Vizag coast are going from Cochin port,” said an official of Vizag Container Terminal.

Value addition is primarily done to Tuna as it takes minimum 4 days to come to shore after the deep sea fishing. Japanese and Taiwanese either like a fresh Tuna, which is flown in a few hours after it was caught, or a value added fish.

 A tonne of fresh Tuna which is considered first quality is priced at a bomb, the tuna which is being caught on Vizag coast and exported through Cochin Port, is considered third grade and costs around  Rs 1 lakh per tonne. Around 500 tonnes of such tuna is going to Cochin from Vizag.

“Here in Vizag the tuna long line fishing is done individually and that’s the reason why the fish caught in the high seas takes at least 4 days to come to the shore, whereas Japanese and Taiwanese like fresh fish that has to be flown within hours it is caught. Or else value addition should be done to the 5 day old Tuna to export it to those countries. To send the tuna as and when it is caught we need to adapt  group fishing.  We neither facilities here in Vizag to send fresh Tuna or the one with value addition,” observed, Dolphin Boat Owners Welfare Association, president, Ch Satyanarayan Murthy.

Among the shrimp that is exported from Vizag, 80 pc is headless pink brown variety, which is priced at Rs 4.5 to 5 lakhs and the premium variety Tiger prawns are exported at Rs 10 to 12 lakhs per tonne. White and flower prawn is exported at Rs 5 lakh per tonne. 

AP needs Nalgonda village for Pulichintala

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, June 24, 2014:  After, Polavaram, another irrigation project Pulichinthala, which is under construction and spread in Telangana’s Nalgonda district and AP’s Guntur district seems to be the new bone of contention between the two states.

Pulichinthala was taken up by the then state government in 2004 to  improve the irrigation to a high level of sustainability in the Krishna delta, and to complete it in 5years.   The project was in Guntur district on right side and in Nalgonda district on the left. The length of the dam is 1290mts with height of 37mts. The storage capacity of the reservoir is 45 tmc. The reservoir is to be kept full to facilitate early transplantation by June every year in Krishna delta.

The working group of Vizag based Forum for Action Research and Policy Analysis (FARPA) having retired chief irrigation engineers, have visited the project site recently and found that unless one of the villages coming under Nalgonda district is transferred to Andhra Pradesh like a few villages in Khammam were merged to AP for the completion of Polavaram, the AP government can’t go ahead with the construction of the Pulichintala project.

The relief and rehabilitation problems due to submergence of total 28 villages, 13 falling in  Nalgonda and 15 coming under Guntur totaling a population of 12904 and submergence area of 28446 acres was the main cause of delay in completion of the project as the process itself and the claims and counter claims of the project affected people have delayed this project, observed FARPA, chairman, Prof RV Rama Rao.

“The project got delayed due to frequent agitations from those villages that face submergence particularly in Nalgonda district. It is to be noted that the left side of the project is in Telanagana where as the right side is in Andhra Pradesh. The project site is to be approached only through Vajenepalli village of Nalgonda district in regard to the left bank works.  As Pulichintala project is exclusively for the purpose of stabilizing the Krishna delta in Andhra Pradesh, there should not be any interference from Telangana so as to ensure and obtain the desire levels of irrigation potential on sustainability in Krishna delta. In this context, Vajanepalli village is to be transferred to Andhra Pradesh,” added Prof Rao. 

The Pulichintala dam works were completed to a major extent. Four river sluice gates were erected and they are in operation to draw water from Pulichintala reservoir stored at crest level. There are some more minor items to be completed which are expected to be completed by August of this year. 

Iraq crisis: Vizagites ordeal continues, survive on bathroom water

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, June 24, 2014: The ordeal of Vizagites, who are stranded in the holy city Al Najaf in the civil war ravaged, Iraq, is continuing. As per the fresh communication from them on Tuesday, they have been put near the gate of the project site without proper food and water by the employer as they refused to go for work. They have been demanding to send them back to India as they fear for lives in the wake of ongoing civil war in the country.

“We have been subjected to punishment since yesterday as we started demanding and protesting that we won’t attend work, to give back our passports and send us back to India. We are now near the gate of the project site with our bags and don’t even have proper water to drink. We are using water from the restroom for all our needs. Pothireddy Gopalakrishna, a welder from Munagapaka has fallen unconscious unable to bear the heat last night and there was none to give us even first aid,” Gorrela Siva of Rambilli told this correspondent from Iraq over phone.

Around 19 persons, mostly between 20-25 age group from various mandals coming under Anakapalle parliament constituency have reached Al Najaf through, a Tanuku based agent, Medapati Venkata Krishna, to work at various construction sites of 4th Dimension Company, which is an Iraqi group of companies based in Baghdad with regional branches in most of the provinces of the country.  The company is presently engaged in reconstruction and rehabilitation projects throughout Iraq with a total value in excess of USD 950 millions.

“We are losing hope as the local supervisors are treating us badly. Nobody is helping us. If this continues it will be very difficult for us to survive. Why is our employer insisting us to work when we are not willing I don’t know? We want our passports back and want to come back to India. Most of them here have already resigned and wanted to come back,” said Chilluri Satish of Mungapaka.

The group of welders, electricians, fitters, plumbers, labourers from Vizag district has reached Al Najaf on last Thursday, when the civil war started unfolding in the country, after each of them paid Rs 1.5 lakh to the local agent for jobs in Iraq. While unskilled were offered pay of USD 350 to 400 skilled workers around USD 750 and 800 per month.

Iraq crisis: More than 40 Vizagites have lucky escape, allege agent duped them

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, June 23, 2014: While a total of 60 belonging to various mandals of Vizag district were actually supposed to fly to Iraq, in February, only 19 have reached Al Najaf of the civil war ravaged country on Thursday.

All the 60 were kept in various lodges in Delhi by the Tanuku based agent, Medapati Venkata Krishna of West Godavari. Dream of making some good money have prompted these skilled, semi skilled and unskilled workers from Vizag to approach the agent to go to Iraq.

Most of them are welders, electricians, fitters and daily labour. Now, those who have been in Delhi pressurizing the agent to send them to work in Iraq feel they are lucky after hearing the gory tales of their colleagues who have reached Iraq last Thursday.  

They also said that the agent threatened them of not returning the passports if they don’t fly to Iraq, which actually forced the 19 to go to Al Najaf.  They all have paid around Rs 1.5 lakh to the agent for these jobs in February. They also don’t have clarity on the type of Visa they were given to enter Iraq.  Unskilled were offered pay of USD 350 to 400 and to the skilled workers around USD 750 and 800 per month.

 “We have been here since February. The agent said he will send us to Iraq, now and then. Finally he has sent some of us last Wednesday and they reached Iraq on Thursday. We have pledged gold, land and other things to pay the agent thinking that we can pay the loan back to the private lenders. But we have been paying them interest but no work since February. Now we don’t want to go to Iraq and we also want the government to help our colleagues who are there in Al Najaf,” Malla Uma Maheswar Rao of Mungapaka coming under Anakapalle, who is mow in Delhi, told this correspondent.

While they have started demanding their money back after hearing the crisis in Iraq since sometime, the agent pressurized some of them to go to Al Najaf threatening that they won’t get the passports if they don’t heed to him.

Another person from the same area, Appa Rao, who also paid money to go to Iraq said that the agent was successful in sending three such batches earlier and seeing  that they too have paid money. “We are now completely duped. The agent is nowhere to see. He changes his phone number very often. We don’t how to contact him. But we need our money back,” said Krishna. 

Telugus SOS from Iraq: Please get us out of this hell, 19 Telugus reached Al Najaf last Thursday without any idea of civil war, their passports seized

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, June 23, 2014: Hundreds of Telugus in the holy city of Al Najaf, of the civil war ravaged, Iraq are caught between the devil and deep sea. They are spending sleepless nights ever since the civil war broke in the crisis ridden Muslim country since a few days, with militant ISIS groups started attacking army battalions and occupying various vast swaths in the country.

The condition of around 19 Telugus, belonging to Vizag district, who have reached Iraq after the civil war started unfolding in the country on June 19, is unexplainable. On one hand, they are not treated properly with poor living and working conditions and on the other the fear of civil war reaching Najaf, which is roughly 160 kms south of Iraq capital, Baghdad, is what making their life miserable.

 “Though we know there is some crisis here in Iraq we never thought it is so serious. Agent, who facilitated us get the job, has said there is absolutely no problem and the situation there is absolutely fine. After we came here we felt that everything is shattered. All the seniors who have been working here since a few months have already resigned their jobs and have been demanding the management to send them back to their respective countries due to the deplorable situation here due to the civil war. There are already some Telugus working here,”  Surisetty Poornachandra Rao, 22, an electrician of Vizag told this correspondent from Iraq over phone.

Rao, who, earlier worked at a windmill in Tamil Naidu, added that some of the seniors who were hell bent on not going to work as they were not sent back to India, were given punishment of standing out in open under red hot sun. Average temperatures range between 41 to 44 degrees during June in Al Najaf. Poornachandra Rao, further said that due to the punishment two unidentified persons from Uttar Pradesh died a few days ago. 

Around 19 Telugus from various mandals coming under Anakapalle, have reached Al Najaf through, a Tanuku based agent, Medipati Venkata Krishna, to work at various construction sites of 4th Dimension Company, which is an Iraqi group of companies based in Baghdad with regional branches in most of the provinces of the country.  The company is presently engaged in reconstruction and rehabilitation projects throughout Iraq with a total value in excess of USD 950 millions.

In Al Najaf last Saturday groups of volunteer fighters joined the army for helping them fight terror groups and held a parade. It is worth mentioning here that global human rights group  Amnesty International on Friday claimed in London that several hundred Indians were trapped in Al Najaf without their passports.

The 19 are the latest lot of Telugus to reach Al Najaf whereas there are already many from various parts of Andhra Pradesh, who have been working there since a few months. “There is no proper food, water and shelter. We were all accommodated in a shed and given a thick sponge material to sleep. They said we need to work at least 12 hours, but our seniors hinted the working hours may go up depending upon the day’s work. They have scolded us why we are here when the country under threat. More than the living and working conditions we are now scared of the military operations and civil war. Our lives are definitely under threat and we desperately need government’s help. Please get us out from this hell,” another Telugu Chilluri Satish, a welder, told this newspaper from Al Najaf.

The Telugus also said that the management representatives have seized their passports as and when they reached the workplace and cautioned that they will get them back only after two years of work.

Dream of making some good money have prompted these skilled, semi skilled and unskilled workers from Vizag reach Al Najaf. Most of them are welders, electricians, fitters and daily labour.  They also said that the agent threatened them of not returning the passports if they don’t fly to Iraq. They all have paid around Rs 1.5 lakh to the agent for these jobs in February. They also don’t have clarity on the type of Visa they were given to enter Iraq.  Unskilled were offered pay of USD 350 to 400 and to the skilled workers around USD 750 and 800 per month. 

Vizag airport: ‘Shift INS Dega to NAOB, upgrade present airport’

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, June 22, 2014:  There are reports that the new state government is planning for a new Greenfield airport for Vizag leaving the present airport entirely for the naval operations. However local frequent highflyers are opposing the move.

They are of the opinion that the present airport be upgraded to the international standards, which involves no much money, and the land is also abundantly available in and around to improve the present runway and create some more for the land of larger aircraft.

Whereas, for a new airport lot of money has to be spent and take up the daunting the task of land acquisition of at least 5,000 acres. Instead, Navy’s air station INS Dega shifted to the Naval Alternative Operations Base (NAOB) coming up near Ramabilli-Nakkapalli.

 Vizag airport is also being used by Indian Navy for its air operations and all the operations are controlled by Eastern naval Command (ENC). After a lot of hue and cry by the locals on the Navy operating extended houts from 8 am to 11pm only three days a week for lack of man power, recently, the airport is now opened for 24/7 operations.

Now that the Vizag airport is open 24x7, many international airlines are interested in connecting Vizag to their circuit. Already Air India operates flight to Dubai and Silk Airways to Singapore thrice a week. Both international flights reached the target of 70 percent load factor. Air Arabia also evinced interest  in launching it’s service from here to Sharjah and other Gulf countries.

 “ A fully green field airport takes lot of time, money and land. But we have a readymade airport in front of us which can be upgraded to international standards within no time by just spending a few hundreds of crores. Besides, there is also land abundantly available in and around the present airport for expansion. Many international airlines have lined up their proposals to introduce air services connecting many international destinations,” said Vizag airport committee member and Vizag Development Council (VDC), convenor, O Naresh Kumar.

There is also popular demand to shift Navy’s INS Dega air station to NAOB where a few thousands of acres of land was allotted to Indian Navy by the state government. 

AP youngsters beat Centre ‘Smartly’

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, June 20, 2014: The union government is yet to finalise the actual concept of ‘Smart City’, which AP chief minister, N Chandrababu Naidu assured, 14 such cities in the state, but Seemandhra youngsters have already got onto the ground and started designing the concept literally right from the scratch.

They want, even streets in the new Mega Cities and Smart Cities that are going to be virgin and fresh be designed properly allowing all the stakeholders like private vehicles, public transport, pedestrians and also hawkers, on them.

A group got “Seemandhra Street Design’ done by renowned Non Motorized Transport (NMT) expert in the country, Sandeep Gandhi. They have also showed interest in finalizing the plant variety for better greenery without obstructing traffic and pedestrians.

“While we have specifications of designs for laying a highway, unfortunately, we don’t have anything such for normal streets and internal roads of a town and city. If these streets and roads are organised in a better manner, it makes a smarter city,” said Suresh Raju of Vaada Foundation that has designed Seemandhra Streets.

The NMT expert in the presentation has suggested to use narrow “columnar” trees, where pavement space is limited and also those that can be “pruned bottom-up” to allow vision clearance.

He also suggested universal accessibility is required for all sidewalks, crossings, parks, public spaces and amenities – for people using wheelchairs, strollers, walkers, crutches, handcarts, bicycles, aged people, visually or hearing impaired, and pedestrians with temporary mobility impairment or injury.

“Fences are futile if placed on the median. The best use of medians is planting of trees, which will reduce Heat Island effect and ambient temperature for the street and increasing its ecological value by treating and filtering storm water on site. With these plantations we can actually reduce temperatures by at least 2 to 3 degrees.  Our chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu’s son Lokesh is also very keen on this concept, after he went through it. We hope the new state government takes it up and the new capital with these designs will be the role model for all the smart cities planned by the union government,” added Raju.

The design work was also recently sent to the union urban development ministry that was given the mandate of creating smart cities across the country. 

Red sanders smugglers turn to Vizag port

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, June 19, 2014: While the II town police late on Wednesday night apprehended a lorry with the load of around 10 tonnes of red sanders, the sleuths of Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), on Monday, have confiscated a heavy duty container having red sanders of around 26 tonnes, that was ready to be loaded into a Hong Kong bound ship PASSAT SPRING.

While the investigation is on, the incident once again throws light on how smugglers have these days turning towards Vizag port to smuggle most valuable red sanders to China and Arab countries, where the sandalwood has always been in demand, via countries like Malaysia, Dubai and Hong Kong.

The DRI officers have also taken two local private Custom House Agents (CHA), of a shipping company who were responsible of handling the consignment. According to sources in Vizag Port, the consignment was booked by a Srikakulam based granite company and the cargo was declared as granite.

Of the 28 tonne capacity of the heavy duty container, 26 tonnes of red sanders were stuffed and the upper layer was covered with tiles of granite to hoodwink authorities. The container was confiscated just right after it entered Vizag port’s container terminal and about to be loaded into the Hong Kong bound vessel. The red sanders that were seized are said to be worth around Rs 12 crs in the open market.

 To the dismay of the enforcement officials, the total documentation, including the seals, signatures, stamps of the central customs authorities are fake. “The consignment was said to have come to Vizag from Mumbai by road. From Mumbai, the lorry that carried these red sanders could avoid so many check posts including the inter state one and enter Vizag.  Acting on a tip off, DRI sleuths could intercept the container and seize the most valuable red sanders,” said a source in shipping industry to this correspondent.

A good amount of cash was also said to be found from the two private persons who were taken into custody in connection with the smuggling. This is said to be the fourth such seizure since one and half year at Vizag port.

 It is learnt that due to increased vigilance and tightening the security at Mumbai and Tuticorin ports that were once safe haven for red sanders smugglers, the activity has now shifted towards Vizag. However, the vigilance and DRI sleuths are able to crack certain cases. But there are also reports that many such consignments go unnoticed.

Last May, DRI officials seized 16 tonnes of red sanders from a container that was about to be loaded into Malaysia bound vessel.

While the container has the capacity of carrying 28tonness the Rourkela based shipper declared 18 tonnes of refractory mortar as cargo. But to their surprise when opened the container had 400 logs of red sanders weighing an approximate 16 tonnes.

The container was stuffed and sealed at the premises of the shipper in Rourkela in neighbouring Odisha. Later it was sealed with the permission of central excise sleuths. The container was later brought to Vizag Container Terminal by road and the local shipping agent loaded into the ship to Malaysia.

Red sanders are smuggled to Malaysia and Dubai from there transported to China where sandalwood is widely used for making musical instruments, medicines and also furnishing homes of the rich.   

Kidney racket: Committee has no idea of renal transplantations

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, June 18, 2014:  While there are reports that more than 30 kidney transplantations take place in the corporate hospitals in the city in a month, the district level Authorisation Committee that has to approve the renal transplantation as per the guidelines issued by the state government based on the Transplantation of Human Organs Act of the union government, get only 3 to 5 such requests in a month.

It shows that most of the kidney transplantations either go unnoticed or unreported. The local general hospital head acts as the chairman of such committee. In Vizag the King George Hospital (KGH) superintendent acts as the Committee chairman and professors of urology, nephrology, medicine and related subjects are the other members.

“After thorough verification of the applications and cases that come to us in all angles we give a go ahead nod. Without scrutiny we don’t process any applications. On an average we get around 3 to 5 such applications in a month. Not sure if any transplantations go unreported. We do an intense verification of the applications we get beyond any doubt on social parameters also,” said KGH in charge superintendent, Dr B Uday Bhaskar.

The DNA profiling of the donor and acceptor as suggested by some experts to avoid any illegal sale of kidneys sometimes fails in the case of wife and husband and sometimes during critical cases as the process is time consuming due to non availability of forensic labs locally.

“If the donor is a wife and to cross check it we can’t rely on DNA profiling. Sometimes in critical cases, it takes lot of time to get it done as the samples need to be sent to Hyderabad forensic labs. A thorough background check is the only possible solution to check such thriving illegal trade,” said a nephrologist. 

Kidney sale racket thrives in Vizag

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, June 18, 2014: Tuesday’s arrest of medical director of Seven Hills Hospital Dr N Prabhakar Babu by Odisha police in connection with a case related to illegal kidney sale racket has come as a jolt to the local medical fraternity and also unmasked the ugly face of such renal transplantations in the city which is going on unabatedly since sometime in a clandestine manner. 

The kidney racket incident came to light in the second week of May in Cuttack area of Odisha when Namita Nayak of Cuttack, who donated her kidney to one Mohan Chandra Lenka of Bhubaneswar, lodged a police complaint against few people at Mangalabag station citing that she was lured into the surgery and was duped.

Odisha and Vizag police said that a local mediator Sharmistha Nayak along with her husband Dileep Nayak lured Namita into the kidney sale promising Rs10 lakh and post surgery that took place in Seven Hills Hospital in Vizag. However she was paid only Rs 2 lakh. Police also said that the entire deal was worked out by one Biswaranjan Khatua another middleman for Rs 25 to 30 lakhs.

There are more than a dozen super speciality corporate hospitals in Vizag and around 6 of those are actively involved and better equipped with facilities and specialists to do renal transplantations for those who are in need.

And most of these patients at the hospitals are either from Odisha or Chattisgarh. These corporate hospitals also do aggressive campaigning in those neighbouring states attracting patients to their respective hospitals offering world-class treatment with affordable financial packages.

On record these hospitals claim to do 3 to 4 such transplantations each in a month and it was done without much scrutiny or verification of the applications. But inquiries by this newspaper revealed that at least 40 to 50 such kidney transplantations take place in a month in the city in all such hospitals put together involving handsome figures in lakhs being shared by many middle men.

“While most of the hospitals strictly adhere to the set norms of the organ transplantation Act guidelines no doubt there are certainly some black sheep. A new system with background check of the donors and acceptors has to be evolved to put an end to such illegal activities,” said, top executive of a famous corporaete hospital chain in the country, who wished not to be named. 

AP first cabinet meet: TLN Sabha Hall jinxed !

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, June 10, 2014: While the local officials have got onto the ground and started preparations to conduct the maiden state cabinet meeting at TLN Sabha Hall of Andhra University, the place seems to be jinxed.

The first Andhra Assembly session was held in May 1954 at the same TLN Sabha Hall and during those sessions, a no confidence motion was served to the Tanguturi Prakasam’s government and subsequently the motion won.

Prakasam’s government fell with shortage of one vote. Though the government fell in the subsequent Assembly session held at Kurnool, the first government of Andhra which has begun its activities at TLN Sabha Hall had to windup in les than a year. The next state Assembly polls were held in February, 1955. 

After the new Andhra state was formed on October 1, 1953 with Telugu speaking 11 northern districts, of erstwhile madras state, the first summer session of the state assembly was held at Vizag’s TLN Sabha Hall, though the capital was Kurnool.  The then chief minister of Andhra state, Tanguturi Prakasam has taken the decision to hold the Assembly session in Vizag in May, 1954. 

A few days after the Assembly session has begun at TLN Sabha Hall on May 27, Legislative Communist Party (LCP) leader Tarimela Nagi Reddy has moved a no confidence motion against the government, on the then Prohibition Bill. As per records, it was the first no confidence motion moved in the Andhra Pradesh Assembly and so far, 10 such motions were moved. 

The 1954 no confidence motion was supported by Gouthu Lachana of Krishikar Lok Party and P Venkateshwarulu of LCP.  However the House has accepted the Motion on Nov 3, 1954 during the sessions held at Guntur and the then Speaker of the Andhra Assembly, N Venkataramaiah has allowed discussion on it from Nov 4 to 6.

After the discussion in which 46 out of the total 140 members of the Assembly have got the chance to express their views, 69 MLAs voted in favour of the Motion. As many as 68 voted against the motion and one member abstained from the voting which led to the fall of Tanguturi Prakasam's government.

 “It has a history of doom to the new government. The then state government had to fall in less than a year. Its better the venue for the maiden state cabinet meeting is changed. We have come to power after a long gap of 10 years,” rued a TD leader about the TLN Sabha Hall.

 The Hall in the Andhra University came into existence from 1939. 

After Polavaram, Naveen’s objections on rail division

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, June 9, 2014:  More trouble seems to be in the offing for the new chief minister of Andhra Pradesh, N Chandrababu Naidu from his counterparts in the neighbouring states of Tamil Nadu and Odisha.

After raising red flag against, the construction of lifeline of Andhra Pradesh- Polavaram multipurpose project, Odisha chief minister, Naveen Patnaik, has objected ceding of Vizag’s Waltair Division of East Coast Railway (ECoR), having headquarters at Bhubaneswar, into the new state.

Union government assured a separate railway zone to the new state as part of the bifurcation deal and it is expected that Vizag’s Waltair Division would be merged into the new zone that will come into existence in the new state.

Naveen Patnaik is not at all interested in losing Waltair Division, which is the highest revenue getter among all the other divisions coming under ECoR. Jayalalitha, has recently, dashed a letter to the prime minister, Narendra Modi raising objections over including AP’s Tada to Nellore cluster as part of Banglore-Chennai industrial corridor.

Though, Jayalalitha and Naveen Patnaik were, invited for Naidu’s swearing in on Sunday, both gave a miss to the historic event.  Vizag’s Waltair Division is the fourth highest revenue earning of Indian Railways among 70 odd such divisions across the country. With the revenue at Rs 6, 265. 28 crs between 2013-14, Waltair Division tops among the other divisions- Sambalpur and Khurdha- in the ECoR. 

In fact, Naveen Patnaik during his visit to Delhi on last Wednesday, also met new railway minister Sadanada Gowda and raised his objection on ceding of Waltair Division, among other issues. He had also openly stated that, state’s interest would be protected at any cost and the Odisha government would take steps in this regard.

“Though Waltair Division has been the highest revenue earner Vizag never got its due share whether in terms of passenger amenities, new trains. City always got a raw deal. Its not fair that the Odisha government doesn’t want to  Waltair Division to be ceded from ECoR of Odisha. In fact, we want a separate railway zone with Vizag as headquarters,” said Vziag Development Council (VDC), vice president, O Naresh Kumar.

 There has been a demand even before the state division issue cropped up that a new railway zone with Vizag as headquarters with the alleged discrimination towards Vizag by the ECoR of Odisha.

 In a related development a group of persons, staged a protest at Vizag railway station against  Naveen Patnaik’s  remarks on Waltair Division.