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.