Rich tribute paid to ‘Mahakavi' Sri Sri

Poet Sri Sri's daughters Manjula, Mala and Mangala, with Kalyana Rao and Vara Vara Rao
HYDERABAD: The birth centenary of ‘Mahakavi' Sri Sri aka Srirangam Srinivasa Rao was celebrated with fanfare in city on Friday with his fans going all out to relive the poet/writer's extraordinary literary works.
A series of programmes were held in different parts of the State too. Abhyudaya Rachayitala Sangham (Arasam) organised a programme on Tank Bund here, where floral tributes were paid at the statue of the popular poet. The 31st re-print of his epic-work ‘Mahaprasthanam' was released on the occasion. Praja Natya Mandali organised another fete in Ravindra Bharati.
Speakers at different programmes recalled how Sri Sri transformed into the first modern Telugu poet, whose writings reflected the contemporary issues confronting the day-to-day to life of common man. They also referred to how ‘Mahaprasthanam', an anthology of poems published in 1950, rocked the Telugu literary world.
Chief Minister K. Rosaiah led the State in paying tributes at a function in Jubilee Hall here to the outstanding poet terming him as one of the top litterateurs of 20 {+t} {+h} century. He referred to the exceptional talent of the popular writer, who penned his first poem at the age of eight years. Recalling the sensational ‘Mahaprasthanam', Mr. Rosaiah said the epic work brought name and fame to Sri Sri leading to the title of ‘Mahakavi'. Much to the surprise and delight of the audience, the Chief Minister recited a portion of the popular work.
He said the poem ‘Maro Prapancham, Maro Prapancham' inspired lakhs of people. This was evident from the fact that ‘Mahaprasthanam' had gone for over 30 re-prints. The Chief Minister also spoke about lyrics penned by Sri Sri for Telugu films. Later Mr. Rosaiah released a compilation of ‘Sri Sri Prathana Thriyam'. Praja Rajyam President K. Chiranjeevi also graced the occasion. Sri K.R.K.M. Memorial Academy of Fine Arts Mahakavi gave away Sri Sri awards here.

Polavaram: TDP faults petition by Congress MPs

HYDERABAD: The Telugu Desam Party has found fault with the Telangana Congress MPs' action in petitioning Prime Minister Manmohan Singh against Polavaram project.
Addressing a press conference here on Thursday, TDP leaders -- Kodela Sivaprasada Rao, G. Butchaiah Choudary and Umareddy Venkateswarlu -- said it was unfortunate that the ruling party MPs were playing politics by linking Polavaram which got all the clearances with securing national project status for Pranahita-Chevella.
While making it clear that TDP favoured projects for all regions, the action of these MPs was against the interests of the State and people, they said. They were also critical of the TRS for toeing the same line as that of these MPs and opposing Polavaram.
Criticise KCR
Replying to questions, they said it was wrong on the part of TRS president K. Chandrasekhar Rao to continue to hold threats of civil war over Telangana. The TRS president should not forget that violence had no place in democracy and that he was bound by the Constitution.
When media persons pointed out their own party leader Nagam Janardhan Reddy too said violence would be inevitable, they said even these comments as well as the harsh language used by Congress MP Lagadapati Rajagopal too were condemnable.
They, however, claimed that Mr. Janardhan Reddy had issued a clarification saying his comments were misinterpreted.
Seed Bill
Mr. Venkateswarlu said the party would launch a struggle against the Seed Bill as well as the penal provisions of the Biotechnology Regulatory Authority Bill, both of which exposed the anti-farmer attitude of the Central government.

Rosaiah launches YSR scheme

ANANTAPUR, April 25: The Chief Minister, Mr K. Rosaiah, visited Anantapur district as part of his two- day programme and inaugurated the Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy drinking water scheme constructed at an outlay of Rs 46.5 crores in Rayadurg on Sunday.
Speaking on the occasion, he said that Rayadurg would be developed as an industrial corridor. Responding to the minister for agriculture, Mr N. Raghuveera Reddy’s plea to expedite works of the Handri Neeva Sujala Sravanthi project works, Mr Rosaiah assured that balancing reservoirs of the projects such as Chagallu and Jidipalle would be completed by August this year.
After formally launching the scheme, he declared that it was being named as Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy drinking water scheme. The Chief Minister recalled his proximity to local Congress leaders, especially Anantapur MP A. Venkatarami Reddy’s father, the late A. Venkat Reddy. He said that the ongoing Praja Patham programme was a success except for some protests in the Telangana districts.
Earlier, Mr Raghuveera Reddy said that Mr Rosaiah had played a key role in sanctioning the Indian Institute of Science Technology in Anantapur district.
The minister for municipal administration, Mr Anam Ramnarayana Reddy, the minister for minor irrigation, Ms Sunitha Laxma Reddy, MP Anantha Venka-tarami Reddy, whip S. Sailajanath, ZP chairperson T. Kavitha, local MLA Ramachandra Reddy, local municipal chairman Upendra, district collector B. Janardhan Reddy and others were present.

Tribals thirst for a pot of water

MISERY CONTINUES: Tribal women of Kotha Tanda in Nalgonda district are forced to trek long distances in the searing heat to fetch drinking water.
Kotha Tanda (NALGONDA DT.): Despite their proximity to Krishna River, several tribal hamlets in Nereducherla mandal are reeling under acute scarcity of drinking water ahead of the summer.
Tribals living at Kotha Tanda under Jan Pahad gram panchayat limits where they were re-settled after displacement by the construction of the Nagarjunasagar project nearly four decades ago, are still awaiting a lasting solution to their recurring drinking water woes.
Depletion
Over 350 tribals are gripped by drinking water shortage mainly due to depletion of groundwater which is their only source of drinking water. The low yield from the existing borewell of the gram panchayat and erratic power supply has made the Elevated Level Service Reservoir in the hamlet virtually defunct.
“We have given up our ancestral lands for the Nagarjunasagar project, the lifeline of the State,” said Ramavath Saida, an elderly resident of Kotha Tanda. “Now, we are forced to fetch water from far off places. Often, we are at the mercy of the owners of agriculture wells due to water scarcity,” he said.
We spend hours to draw water either from the hand pump in the village or the wells at distant places,” bemoaned Ravi Naik, the sarpanch of neighbouring Bette Tanda.
‘Piped water'
“The Over Head Service Reservoir built last year has served little purpose due to inadequate water supply.
The old tank (Cistern) is unable to meet the drinking water needs of over 1,400 population of the hamlet,” he said.
“The government should implement a piped water supply scheme to find a permanent solution to our water problems,” he said.
New borewells
When contacted, Dy. Executive Engineer (RWS), Huzurnagar sub-division, P Venkat Reddy told The Hindu that new borewells were dug -- one at Kotha Tanda and Bette Tanda -- to augment drinking water supply. “Efforts are underway to lay pipelines and bring the newly drilled borewells into use,” he said.
A proposal for providing Krishna water to 55 habitations in the mandal at an estimated cost of Rs. 27.5 crore has been submitted to the government for approval, he added.

Chiru's Polavaram yatra from May 5

HYDERABAD: Praja Rajyam president K. Chiranjeevi will undertake Polavaram Sadhana Yatra by bus from May 5 to 16 to build pressure on State and Central governments to resume construction of the project and declare it as national project.
The tour will commence from Antarvedi in East Godavari district and conclude with a public meeting at Polavaram either on May 16 or 18 after covering Visakhapatnam, West Godavai, Krishna, Guntur and Prakasam districts. The party will take up the issue of implementation of improved relief and rehabilitation package for people of about 250 villages in Khammam district who are likely to be displaced with submergence.
A meeting of party leaders chaired by Mr. Chiranjeevi was held here on Sunday where the tour programme was chalked out. Jyothula Nehru, former MLA, was chosen as the president of Polavaram Sadhana Committee.
Briefing media persons, Mr. Nehru and K. Vidyadhara Rao stated that Mr. Chiranjeevi would meet farmers and explain them about the necessity of Polavaram project during the tour. Cost of the project was just Rs. 125 crore in 1946 and it went up to Rs. 600 crore when the then Chief Minister T. Anjaiah laid foundation stone for it along with Jurala. Now, the cost was estimated to be Rs. 14,000 crore, they said.

All set for Praja Patham launch

HYDERABAD: The stage is all set for the launch of Praja Patham, the month-long mass contact programme aimed at taking administration to the doorstep of people, on Monday, amid a call for its boycott by the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS). Separately, the TDP has asked its cadre to confront the Congress leaders for the government's failures.
Chief Minister K. Rosaiah will formally kickstart the programme at Katarivaripalem in Vetapalem mandal of Prakasam district, setting the tone for officials to work out on the spot solutions addressing the immediate needs of the people.
Praja Pratham was a brainchild of the late YSR who wanted elected representatives to go to the people during the difficult summer months and redress their grievances pertaining to drinking water and Arogyasri and other health related services.
The Chief Minister has instructed the Finance department officials to release sufficient funds for attending to the grievances of “emergency nature.
He asked Ministers, MLAs and MLCs to be present in their respective areas and ensure that people took maximum advantage of presence of officials in their midst, rather than delivering long winding speeches and making lofty claims.
Advance teams had to be deployed by the district authorities to ascertain the issues that are likely to come up during the programme and efforts made to ensure that grievances of immediate urgency were attended to on the spot, said Mr. Rosaiah.

Rosaiah for road safety panel

K. Rosaiah
HYDERABAD: Chief Minister K. Rosaiah has favoured constitution of a Road Safety Coordination Panel comprising senior officials from the departments concerned to chalk out steps to bring down the road accidents in the State.
Expressing serious concern over the rising number of fatalities due to road accidents, Mr. Rosaiah at a review meeting with Transport Minister S. Vijayarama Raju, Commissioner, Transport, Raymond Peter and other officials on Sunday said: “There is a spurt in the road accidents in which precious lives are lost. I want all the departments concerned like traffic, police, roads and buildings to work in close coordination and to bring down the number of accidents.”
Review meeting
He will shortly hold a high-level review meeting with ministers and senior officials and follow it up with interaction with the district officials, highway patrolling police and other departments. He wanted road rules like the lane system, driving regulations and parking to be strictly implemented while highway patrolling should be further intensified.
Mr. Rosaiah lamented that in 10 major road accidents this month in Nalgonda, Kurnool, Khammam, Nizamabad, Nellore and Warangal districts about 43 people lost their lives. The latest was the ghastly mishap in Mydukur in Kadapa on Saturday that claimed nine lives.
The Chief Minister directed that the District Collectors to regularly hold District Road Safety Committee meetings and take immediate steps to identify accident prone areas and take remedial measures.