Old city arsonists are from Karnataka: Cops

The conspiracy behind the sudden clashes in Old City started unravelling with police discovering that outsiders from Bidar area of Karnataka and Maharashtra and had been brought in to stir up violence in the past three days.

Sleuths are also hunting for the Telugu Desam corporator of Mangalhat, Mr Raju Singh, who is alleged to have deliberately whipped up communal tension in the area.

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Bellary hand behind clashes?

Intelligence sleuths have got information that a key Karnataka BJP minister and Bellary strongman allegedly funded radical Hindu outfits to orchestrate riots in the city.

A top intelligence source told this correspondent that the minister, who runs mines in AP, had developed a grouse against the K. Rosaiah government for its swift action in curbing illegal mining and transport of ore and for its cancellation of mine leases.

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25 hurt in city clashes

Around 25 peo ple were injured in different parts of Hyderabad on Sunday as people belonging to two groups clashed, attacking each other with knives and stones.

The trouble started late on Saturday night over putting up flags at a locality near Moosa Bowli. While people of one group were setting up the flags, another group objected to it. The disagreement soon led to violence. Police dispersed the warring groups but the violence soon spread to Charminar, Hussainialam, Chatrinaka, Gowliguda, Begum Bazaar and Siddiamber Bazaar.

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Hyderabad `free zone', Supreme Court refuses state plea

The Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected a petition filed by the AP government seeking a review of its 2009 ruling giving “free zone” status to Hyderabad for recruitment of police personnel.

Justices G.S. Singhvi and M.K. Sharma rejected the petition at a hearing conducted in their chambers.

The top court order, which leaves Hyderabad as a “free zone” will come as a red rag for pro-statehood agitators.

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Deccan Chargers slaps notice on IPL for return of matches

The Deccan Chargers on Monday threatened to pull out of IPL-3 if the six home games of the defending champions were not restored to Hyderabad, and Visakhapatnam.

Serving a legal notice to the IPL and the BCCI, Deccan Chargers Sporting Ventures Limited, the parent company of the team, contended that the decision to move the matches out was in “grave breach” of the agreement, which grants rights to the franchise to stage its home games at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Uppal.

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`Messiah' laid to rest in native Pulivendula

The state bid an emotional farewell to Dr Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy, who was laid to rest in Idupulapaya estate in his native village of Pulivendula on Friday evening amid chants of "YSR Amar Rahe".

The funeral was advanced to 4.35 pm, after warnings that the helicopters carrying the Chief Minister, Mr K. Rosaiah, and other ministers could face bad weather.

The sprawling 200-acre lush green Idupulapaya valley echoed with slogans after Dr Reddy's body was brought in an IAF helicopter from Hyderabad.

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United Kingdom shuttlers pull out

The Badminton World Federation (BWF) announced on Sunday that the nine-member English contingent had pulled out of the world badminton championships, beginning at the SAAP Indoor Stadium in Gachibowli on Monday.

Citing security and safety concerns as the reason behind the decision, BWF analysed it to be an inaccurate newspaper report that convinced the team to come up with the decision.

Badminton England, on the other hand, said the decision to withdraw was taken after media reports of a specific Lashkar-eTayyaba terrorist threat to the championships and concerns about the English team potentially being a target in the event of a terrorist act.

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Swine virus shuts Google

Search giant Google has shut down its office at Madhapur for two days after one staffer was tested positive for swine flu and five others were quarantined in city hospitals with suspected symptoms

However, the Ranga Reddy health officials were only able to give the prescribed Oseltamavir tablets for two days to the 300 other employees of Google because of lack of stocks.

The tablets should be given to those who have been in contact with infected persons continuously for 10 days to prevent them from catching the flu.

“Our officials visited Google and distributed tablets,” said Dr Shobavati, the district medical and health official. “But we could only distribute 600 to 700 tablets.”

Dr K. Subhakar, coordinator of the Chest Hospital H1N1 influenza nodal centre, said trouble started when an employee of an IT firm who returned from Houston on July 5 tested positive for swine flu.

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Centre on monsoon flu alert

Six more per sons tested positive for the A-H1N1 swine flu virus in different parts of the country on Sunday, the largest number in a single day. The total number of confirmed infections in India now stands at 23.

Three of these were in Hyderabad, two in Bengaluru and one — a schoolboy from Jalandhar just returned with a school group from the US — in New Delhi.

The Union health ministry held a high-level review meeting with officials of the National Disaster Management Authority and the National Institute of Communicable Diseases to ensure the disease does not spread with the monsoon looming.

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Lover pushes girl off Charminar

In the continuing series of attacks on women, a man pushed his 18-yearold girlfriend from the first floor of Charminar in full public view on Thursday.The girl survived the fall and is in hospital in a critical condition.

The girl, whom we are identifying as Rubaina, is battling for life at Osmania General Hospital. Rubaina told the police that she is a resident of Talabkatta in the old city and had come to Charminar along with her boyfriend, Arshad.

Rubaina said they had ice-cream and then climbed to the first floor balcony of the monument. As they were gazing at the sights, Arshad pushed the girl down and disappeared.

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Students forced to miss exam

In a shocking incident, the management of Guru Nanak Engineering College on Monday locked up about 150 students and prevented them from writing their first year annual exam.

The college officials were angry because the students wanted generators to be switched on in their hostels, which were plagued by power cuts for the last three days. Enveloped in darkness, the students could not study for the exams.

On Monday, some students broke a few windowpanes and tables in protest.The college management simply locked up about 150 hostellers to get them to identify the attackers. About 130 students were released in the evening, hours after the exam ended.

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Gilly’s smart plan led to win

The lessons of their 2008 debacle were well learnt, triumphant Deccan Chargers captain said on Monday after their fairytale win against the Royal Challengers Bangalore to win the IPL trophy.

Gilchrist said: “Just trying to create the culture of learning from our mistakes last year and trying to play a smarter brand of Twenty20 cricket rather than walking out and trying to just fire from ball one.” He emphasised: “We just got to get smarter about it.”

The skipper added: “I think a lot of the credit goes to the franchisee for turning it around. I think my catchphrase was to make sure every ball — the very next ball — was the most important thing of their lives to the players... It does sound dramatic, but there is nothing else in our lives at that moment...”

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Cop killed as gunmen fire

Two gunmen from a previously unknown outfit, Tehrik-e-Galba Islam, opened fire at two unarmed policemen, killing a home guard and injuring a constable near Falaknuma palace in the city on Monday evening, sending the police into a tizzy.

The attack occurred on the second anniversary of the Macca Masjid blast of May 18, 2007. A pamphlet left behind by the gunmen claimed that the attack was to avenge the death of five protestors in police firing that took place immediately after the blasts.

Police suspects the gunmen to be Viqar Ahmed alias Ali Khan and his brother-in-law Suleman.
They had opened fire on a police party in December 2008 at Santosh nagar.

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Dirty water kills 6 in city

In a shameful incident, six persons, three of them children, died and 200 others were hospitalised after they consumed contaminated water in Bholakpur and its adjoining areas in the heart of the new city.

They had consumed water supplied by the Hyderabad Metro Water Supply and Sewerage Board at taps in their homes. The worst affected areas are Bholakpur, Indiranagar, Gulshannagar, Tajirnagar, Musheerabad, Bangladesh and Lanka basthi.

For over 24 hours, the residents drank contaminated water in an area that is dotted with tanneries. It started at 5 am on Sunday when the area began getting black coloured water from the taps. “It is nothing new, the problem has been going on for two years,” said Mr Lokeshwar Rao, social worker and local leader in Bholakpur.

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Satyam may not cut staff

Satyam will keep its name and the company will stay headquartered in Hyderabad. Staff downsizing? Well not immediately in any case. That was the message put out by the Tech Mahindra team that took over Satyam on Monday.

Tech Mahindra, a Mahindra and Mahindra group company, raised Rs 2,910 crore in less than 72 hours to complete the takeover process, the global meltdown not with standing.

Satyam Computers has 48,000 employees on its rolls, 80 per cent of them working offshore and the rest onsite. The offshore bench staff would be around 5,000, many of them with little experience.

Dispelling rumours that Tech Mahindra would change the company name and relocate the headquarters, Mr Anand Mahindra, head of the Mahindra and Mahindra group, said he has no such plans.

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City records 39.1º, hot days ahead

The sun may be more of a deciding factor in the upcoming polls than slogans. Politicians will really have to sweat it out in the campaign trail with the mercury touching an unprecedented 39.1º celsius on Wednesday.

This is an increase of six degrees from the normal temperature during this time of the year. There are fears that the temperature in March and April may even touch 42 to 44º celsius.

Hyderabad is in the grip of north-westerly heat wave for the last few days and weather men have ruled out any possibility of rains to cool things down.

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Giant blast shakes up city

A loud explosion at a chemicals unit on Monday night triggered fears of large scale damage and sent emergency services, and the media, into a frenzy. It turned out later that two persons were injured in the explosion at SM Labs Pvt Ltd, a drug intermediates manufacturing company at Moula Ali.

The Alwal DCP, Mr Sudheer Reddy, said there were no deaths. The blast was attributed to a petrochemical-based solvent used in manufacturing medicines.

The shockwaves from the blast was felt even 10 km away. Smoke engulfed the area, window panes of many buildings developed cracks and some buildings in the vicinity shook. “I could not breathe properly,” said Mr Jitender Reddy, a local.

Five fire engines and three water tenders battled the blaze for three hours to bring the fire under control. Eight ambulances were rushed to the site.

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Petrol cut by Rs 5, diesel Rs 2

The Centre late on Wednesday night slashed the prices of petroleum products, including petrol, diesel and cooking gas, by Rs 5, Rs 2 and Rs 25 respectively.

Oil dealers were working out the new rates for for Hyderabad.

It is not clear how the AP government will deal with the cut in LPG price. It had absorbed the hike of Rs 50 the last time.

Announcing the decision of the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs headed by the external affairs minister, Mr Pranab Mukherjee, the petroleum minister, Mr Murli Deora, said, “The government has decided to reduce petrol, diesel and LPG prices to pass on the benefit of softening international oil prices to consumers.”

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Terror suspects in city shoot at unarmed cops

Two Counter Intelligence cell cops were injured after six suspected terror operatives opened fire at a police team at Santosh nagar in the city on Wednesday afternoon and escaped.

Alarmingly enough, the three-member team of police personnel were unarmed though they had come to the IS Sadan locale to nab Viqar, a Simi activist, a suspect in the Mecca Masjid blast, on the basis of a tipoff. They turned out to be sitting ducks when the armed terror suspects started shooting.

Security experts were alarmed at the incident which makes it evident that the city police has learned no lessons from the Mumbai attacks and had casually allowed unarmed cops to try to trap a terror suspect.

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City girl found dead in the United States

Arpana Jinega, 24, a software engineer from Hyderabad, was found dead in her flat in Seattle in the United States on Monday.

Her father, Dr Basvaraj C. Jinega, a professor in the Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, said the family got the information in the early hours of Monday.

Arpana is the sixth person from the state to be killed on foreign soil in the last two years. She was working as a software quality engineer in EMC Corp and called her family on Friday when she told them that she was going to a Halloween party.

“We usually get calls from her daily,” said Prof. Jinega. “But we have not heard from her since then and became anxious.” On their request, one of their friends in Seattle, Mr Jairam, went to Arpana’s flat in Valley View Apartments at Redmond Woodinville Road and found that the door had been broken open.

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Farmhouses by lakes allowed

Farm houses may appear upstream of Himayatsagar and Osmansagar lakes once the government replaces the controversial GO 111 with a subtly altered ordinance.

The GO 111 stringently restricts construction within 10 km radius of the two lakes to protect the prime drinking water sources of Hyderabad.

However, the government is planning to make changes in the GO while replacing it with an ordinance.

“Existing orders talk of residential activity, that too in a restricted manner,” said a senior official of the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority. “Now farmhouses will be allowed upstream.”

The government is under pressure to make changes in the GO, particularly with regard to constructions downstream, as its provisions have affected several major projects including the Tellapur Township.

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Kingfisher, Jet tie up

In a path-breaking move two giant rival airlines, Kingfisher and Jet, came together on Monday to share seats, ground-handling facilities and cross-selling of flights to meet the challenges of a market ridden with high fuel prices and overcapacity.

Talking to reporters after a two-session meeting, the Kingfisher Airlines chairman, Dr Vijay Mallya, said, “We are one and have a common appreciation and commitment. It is a path-breaking alliance.”

The Jet chairman, Mr Naresh Goyal, said, “It is not a cartel.” This sharing happens at the international level, but such an alliance is a first for Indian aviation.”

Dr Mallya said the issue of equity and other details would be announced in Hyderabad in a few days in the presence of the civil aviation minister, Mr Praful Patel. Dr Mallya said the two airlines would also use each others’ crews on similar aircraft.

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Renigunta airport cleared

The Centre’s decision to develop Renigunta airport at a cost of Rs 1,000 crore will boost religious tourism and develop Rayalaseema region.

Thousands of devotees from the United States, Britain and other parts of the world visit Tirupati every year for the darshan of Lord Venkateswara.

At present, they are put to hardship because of the lack of connectivity and have to catch connecting flights from Chennai, Mumbai or Hyderabad to reach Tirupati. The frequency of flights will increase once the airport is modernised and the runway is extended to 11,000 feet from 7,500 feet. The airport will also be expanded to accommodate at least 700 passengers at once. Night landing facility is already present.

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30-km flyover for Shamirpet

The state government on Thursday approved the construction of a 30-km elevated expressway from Parade Grounds to Shamirpet at a cost of Rs 500 crore.

The construction of the elevated expressway will be the part of the conversion of the Rajiv Rahadari (Hyderabad to Karimnagar) two-lane highway into a four-lane road. This will be one of the longest elevated expressways in the country. At present, the 12-km P.V. Narasimha Rao Expressway connecting the city with the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport road is the longest such construction.

The Chief Minister, Dr Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy, who approved the expressway project, also cleared the construction of three four-lane roads after discussions with the Roads and Buildings Minister, Mr T. Jeevan Reddy and officials.

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Divorce in 30 minutes in deed

Getting a divorce is a messy, lengthy and nerve-racking affair. But typists outside the Secunderabad Family Court are now providing a short cut.

More and more couples are opting to sign the unofficial divorce deed prepared by these typists. You can complete the formalities and get divorced in less than half an hour. So what if it is not completely legal?

This quickie divorce is attracting many since even mutual consent divorces take up to six months in the Family Court while contested cases sometimes take more than two years.

“Nowadays, no one is ready to wait even for six months,” said Mr Rajesh, an advocate of the Family Court.

They want divorce in no time and are even willing to settle for non-official documents to nullify their marriage.” So they pay a nominal amount to the typists who happily rattle out the deeds.

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Rs 40 crore drug racket busted: MD booked

A massive drug racket having links with the Chennai and Mumbai underworld was busted in the city by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence.

DRI sleuths seized 100 kg of Ketamine, a hallucinatory drug, Ephedrine, a sex performance enhancer, and Acetic Anhydride, which is used to prepare heroin, in raids conducted in the city and Nellore. The seized drugs are valued to be around Rs 40 crore.

Three companies, Krebs of Nellore, and SS Research and Hygia from Hyderabad, were involved in the racket. Mr P. Venkateswaralu, 42, of SS Research, Shahul Hameed, 46, Sebastian Toni Raj, 34, M. Murali, 44, and Katif Salih Shafi of Chennai, and V. Kiran Raj Bhandari, 45, of Mumbai were arrested. They were produced in a Secunderabad court on Wednesday.

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Hyderabad is before Christ

Hyderabad is not 400 years old as claimed by historians but was populated even 2,500 years ago, say archaeologists.

Excavations by the State Department of Archaeology and Museums have unearthed implements of the New Stone Age as well as Iron Age burials in Hyderabad. “The history of Hyderabad goes back to the Neolithic Period,” said Prof. P. Chenna Reddy, director of archaeology.

The department has discovered an Iron Age site studded with Cairn Circles, also called megalithic burials, close to the entrance of Ramoji Film City on the Hyderabad-Vijayawada National Highway. Similarly, New Stone Age implements were recovered from Kethepalli village.

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City rebounds, fear not a factor

Life has changed in the city a year after the bomb blasts that killed 43 persons at Gokul Chat and Lumbini Park, and yet not quite.

Security gadgets have been fitted at most outlets, guards take the trouble of frisking people. Public announcements ask the people to report suspicious objects to the police.

The city has not allowed that to cramp its style. People are out on the streets, and in larger numbers. Tourists are flocking popular places, including those where the terrorists struck last year.

Says, Mr K.T. Nath, a regular at Gokul Chat where 32 people were killed in the blast, “We don’t fear the blasts any more. I am a Hyderabadi and proud to be one. No terrorist can break the peace-loving attitude of the Hyderabadis.”

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Chiru: I’ll win 225 seats

The suspense over actor Chiranjeevi’s political entry seems to have come to an end.

The actor announced on Tuesday at an informal gathering of a few select reporters that he will launch a political party soon.

“After August 15, the announcement will be made,” the star said.

Talking to a few media persons at his film production office in Jubilee Hills, Chiranjeevi was confident that his party will win 225 seats on its own in the General elections.

He said that the media speculations about his political career since 1999 made him consider entering politics. He evaded questions on his party’s name, flag and agenda and said that he would meet the media very soon to reveal all that. He disclosed that there were around 20 names under consideration for his party.

Chiranjeevi indicated that he would announce the party through a media conference and there would a public meeting in Hyderabad and Tirupati after that.

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2-day power cut for industry

The state government has decided to ask the industrial sector to observe total shutdown for two days a week because of the worsening power crisis.

A fortnight ago, power officials had asked industries to down shutters for one day in a week.

But with the power situation continuing to be grim, the industries are set to get forced holidays for two days a week.

Thanks to official power cuts and emergency load shedding, industries across the state are already struggling to maintain the production targets.

It is estimated that the power cuts have brought down production in the cement, steel, ceramic and chemical industries in the state by around 30 per cent.

The production is set to come down further with the increase in the duration of power cuts.

These power cuts would be implemented in rotation, so the electricity system would get the required relief. “We had asked for additional 700 MW power to cater to increased demand in and around Hyderabad city but it has not materialised,” said Mr Ravinder Reddy, Director of Central Discom.

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Travails of travelling: Not a private affair

More than 500 private buses operate from the city every day without a proper bus stand or parking facility.

The transport department, which provides permits to vehicles, is not bothered about providing facilities for private bus operators to park their vehicles.

The ‘profit motive’ of private bus operators and lack of coordination between government departments are compounding the problem.

Thousands of passengers travelling in private buses are forced to wait by the roadside at Kukatpally, Ameerpet, Lakdikapul, Kothapet and other parts of the city.

“We have no other go except to depend on private buses since APSRTC operates buses only from Mahatma Gandhi Bus Station,” said Mr G. Raghunandan, a passenger. “The operators and government should do something to help poor passengers.”

Even women children and old people are forced to wait on the roads. They have neither waiting rooms nor bathrooms.

“Old people and children are forced to run through busy roads to get into buses since the vehicles are not allowed to idle on the roads,” said Ms R.Kalyani, another passenger. “Travel in private buses has become a nightmare.”

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Ministers out to provoke Chiru

State ministers seem to be taking turns in attacking film star Chiranjeevi ahead of the launch of his political party. The motive, it appears, is to provoke a reaction from Chiranjeevi or his aides and then pounce on them.

The ministers have targeted not only Chiranjeevi personally but also his social service activities, notably blood and eye donation drives.

The major industries minister, Ms J. Geeta Reddy, launched the campaign and was quickly joined by the marketing minister, Mr M. Mareppa. Ministers like Mr Aanam Vivekananda Reddy and Mr Botsa Satyanarayana too joined in.

The TRS rebel legislator, Mr T. Jayaprakash Reddy, who has virtually been sailing with the Congress, has also joined the chorus against the actor.

Chiranjeevi’s influence is restricted to three coastal districts, Ms Geeta Reddy said in New Delhi.“He is no match to N.T. Rama Rao.”

Ms Geeta Reddy criticised Chiranjeevi for keeping quiet even as his brother-in-law and brothers were speaking about the actor’s political plans.

This became a tack for Mr Mareppa. “One who cannot take his own decisions is not fit for politics,” he said. Mr Mareppa alleged that blood was being sold at the Chiranjeevi Blood Bank. “They claim to be donating eyes through cornea grafting but nobody knows where the eyes are going,” he said.

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Booze hits a new high in Andhra

The state is expected to rake in Rs 2,500 crore through auction of liquor outlets with bidders quoting rates which were 100 to 200 per cent excess of minimum bid price.

The auctions began amid attempts by Opposition parties to disrupt proceedings.

The highest bid price of Rs 2.07 crore was quoted for the outlet in Madhapur in Cyberabad followed by Rs 2.05 crore for a shop in the harbour area of Visakhapatnam. A bid of Rs 2.02 crore was made for a shop in Kothaguda and another of Rs 2.01 crore in Bandlaguda, both in RR district.

There were major bids for liquor outlets in the city too. A shop in Jubilee Hills went for Rs 1.8 crore and those in Parsigutta, Ameerpet, Yousufguda and Yerragadda went for rates ranging from Rs 1.10 crore to Rs 1.20 crore. As many as 22 shops in the city were auctioned without any competition, while all the eight shops in Secunderabad area were auctioned for Rs 1.17 crore. Because of large number of applications, the process is expected to go on till Tuesday afternoon.

The state also increased the licence fee for bars by 15 per cent. It aims to collect Rs 23.81 lakh per licence in cities with a population of above 7 lakh. Bidders have to pay Rs 9.92 lakh for bars in areas with a population of 10,000, and Rs 12.57 lakh for areas with population ranging from 10,000 to 50,000. The entire district is in high spirits. The government on Monday earned a whopping Rs 105 crore for granting permission to set up 406 liquor shops.

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Passport in week’s time

The ministry of external affairs has decided to go for outsourcing to speed up the issue of passports.

Under the new Passport Seva Project, Tatkal passports would be issued in a day and regular passports will be given in a week.

The Centre has already called for tenders to select a firm that can take care of the outsourcing needs in the entire country. It has asked officials to complete the tender process in next three months.

The selected firm will establish 64 outsourcing wings across India. Andhra Pradesh will get five outsourcing centres — two in Hyderabad and the others in Nizamabad, Tirupati and Visakhapatnam.

More than four lakh persons apply every year for passports in the state and the new project is going to be a boon for them.

At present, they are forced to wait for more than 10 days to get passports even under the Tatkal scheme and at least one month for regular passports.

Once the Passport Seva Project is launched, the processing of applications will be completely handled by private firms. Only police verification and issuing of passports will be under the control of the government.

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Flying gets costlier but no sop for city

Top airlines like Air India, Kingfisher and Air Deccan will hike fares from Tuesday.

This follows the decision by oil marketing companies to increase the cost of aviation turbine fuel by 18.5 per cent. ATF costs around Rs 69,000 per kilolitre in New Delhi and most other cities.

Air India will impose Rs 300 as additional fuel surcharge (AFS) for travel below 750 km and Rs 500 for distances beyond that.

Kingfisher and Air Deccan will charge Rs 300 for travel up to 750 km and Rs 550 for distances beyond that.

Jet Airways will impose similar surcharge from June 7. Other airlines are likely to announce a fare hike in a couple of days.

ATF is cheaper at Shamshabad airport because the government collects only 4 per cent sales tax against 33 per cent elsewhere. ATF costs Rs 52,000 per kilo litre.

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Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao kin ignore Telugu Desam

Film actor Nandamuri Balakrishna will take his time to join the Telugu Desam formally, as will his nephews Jr NTR and Kalyan Ram.

The trio donated blood at the Indo-American Cancer Hospital at Banjara Hills to mark the birth anniversary of the family patriarch N.T. Rama Rao. However, they did not travel the short distance to the Telugu Desam headquarters, as the party president, Mr N. Chandrababu Naidu, had announced previously.

The NTR Trust organised a separate blood donation camp at the NTR Trust Bhavan, besides a mass poor-feeding programme.

Balakrishna indicated that he would campaign for the Telugu Desam next year. “I had campaigned for the party even earlier,” Balakrishna told newsmen at the Indo-American Cancer Research Institute here on Wednesday.

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No land for Information Technology companies to set up shop

Several major Information Technology companies have been waiting in vain for land from the state government to set up their units around the city.

Though the government claims to have a pro-IT stance, it has not yet responded to the applications of top-notch companies such as Siemens, HCL, Applabs and Value Labs for land.

The state government did say some time back that it would not allot any more land around Hyderabad to IT firms but it made exceptions for companies such as Infosys. “We expected a positive response from the government when we proposed to set up our second centre in the country in Hyderabad,” said a Siemens official. “But it has not taken a decision yet.” In fact, the IT department does not have even a single acre to allot to the IT companies. The state government has transferred hundreds of acres to the AP Infrastructure Corporation for auction, because of the increasing pressure on land around Gachibowli and in the vicinity of Shamshabad Airport.

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City turns into hub for flight refuelling

Hyderabad has become a major hub for refuelling of aircraft thanks to the cut in sales tax on aviation turbine fuel.

The number of aircraft refuelling in Hyderabad has doubled from 60 to 120 in just two months following the government’s move to reduce sales tax on ATF from 33 per cent to 4 per cent.

ATF costs around Rs 48,000 per kilo litre in Hyderabad and Rs 60,000 per kilo litre in cities like Mumbai and Delhi. Sales tax on ATF ranges from 20 to 35 per cent in other states.

ATF intake by airlines at the Shamshabad airport has also doubled from 550 kilo litres to 1,100 kilo litres per day.

Airlines save around Rs 2.8 lakh per A-320 aircraft, which have a 24-kilo litre intake capacity, by refuelling at Hyderabad. Several airlines are opting for overnight parking and flight origination from Hyderabad.

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Murder in United Kingdom: Student from city charged

The West Midlands police of Britain has charged a postgraduate student from Hyderabad for the murder of Vempala Samrajya Jyothirmayee, 23, of Vijayawada, at her hostel in Birmingham on Tuesday night.

The arrested student, N.Nagraj Kumar, 24, who was staying with Jyothirmayee, is suspected to have killed her along with two other men, who were also living in the hostel at Handsworth. Sources said Nagraj was Jyothirmayee’s boyfriend.

Jyothirmayee, who was studying for a master’s degree in public health in the University of Wolverhampton, was found lying dead in her hostel with severe head injuries.

West Midlands police officials said they arrested the 24 year-old student on Tuesday on suspicion of murder.

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Deccan ChargersTakes Chennai

The IPL could well be a tournament decided by momentum shifts. Deccan Chargers seven-wicket win against Chennai Super Kings here on Tuesday was a tribute to their self belief.

The way the team moved in the field told the tale. There was a spring in the step that hardly indicated their tournament record thus far. This was the best chance for Chargers to stage their comeback bid.

Adam Gilchrist and his men would for a moment have thought they were in Uppal rather than in distant Chepauk as the crowd cheered every boundary or six that flowed from the blade of the Chargers.

After restricting the Kings to 144 for 7, the Chargers rode on Gilchrist’s 36-ball 54 to overhaul the target with two overs to spare. The IPL looks wide open now. Every side will now fancy their chances of making the final. Adam Gilchrist had a promise to keep. “We will do justice to the inspiring name you provided the team,” Gilchrist had said to S. Nandakumar who had won the ‘Predict the name’ contest and he did just that.

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GMR gets high rise jolt

GMR Hyderabad International Airport Limited (GHIAL) has received a setback with the Union civil aviation ministry making it clear that the power of issuing no objection certificates for high-rise buildings in the vicinity of the new airport at Shamshabad would rest with the Airports Authority of India.

GHIAL and AAI were at loggerheads on who should issue NOCs and to clear the ambiguity, the municipal administration and urban development department sought a clarification from the ministry, sources said.

In a recent communication to the state, the ministry said all the applications for NOCs should be routed through the AAI officials concerned. Accordingly, the government instructed the Hyderabad Airport Development Authority (Hada) and the director of town and country planning.

Meanwhile, the NOC affair took a new turn with the Airport Authority of India not accepting applications from the builders. Several builders rushed to Maud complaining against the standoff between GHIAL and AAI, forcing the principal secretary, Mr S.P. Singh, to convene a meeting on Tuesday to resolve the issue. Official sources told this correspondent that the meeting, however, could not take place as the AAI representatives did not attend.

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It was Devils’night out

Virender Sehwag slammed a swashbuckling unbeaten 94 to guide Delhi Daredevils to a comfortable victory over Deccan Chargers in the IPL game at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium here on Tuesday.

“If it is my day, no one can stop me,” said Sehwag who closed the match with three sixes and three fours in one over.

Set to chase a modest 142 in 20 overs, the visitors started in style with captain Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir blasting the ball around. The Chargers could not scuttle the rapid-fire rate at which the runs flowed from the Delhi willows as they overhauled the target with nine wickets and seven overs to spare.

Nothing went right for the Chargers, who kept losing wickets at regular intervals to put up a low score after electing to bat. It would have been worse but for the brilliance of Rohit Sharma, who accelerated the innings towards the end.

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Deccan Chronicle ’s B-daily brings funda into dhanda

Deccan Chronicle Holdings Ltd, one of India’s biggest media groups and publisher of the leading English daily Deccan Chronicle, today launched its newest print brand Financial Chronicle simultaneously from Hyderabad and Chennai.

At midnight, the newspaper became available on the website www.mydigitalfc.com. This is the first time in the history of journalism that a digital version has preceded the launch of the print version of a newspaper, in sync with the technological accomplishments of a nation in a hurry.

The daily business broadsheet, priced at Rs 1.50, is managed by a young team of media professionals and is mentored by one of the country’s most credible editorial advisory boards.

Well-known agricultural scientist and one of the fathers of India’s Green Revolution, Prof. M.S. Swaminathan, the TRAI chairman, Mr Nripendra Mishra, the founder and mentor of one of India’s most progressive software companies, Mr Subroto Bagchi, the member of Parliament, Mr Sachin Pilot, and the DCHL managing director, Mr P.K. Iyer, are on the board. The DCHL chairman, Mr T. Venkattram Reddy, is chairman of the advisory board.

Further, to uphold transparency and accountability, Financial Chronicle has appointed the former Sebi chairman, Mr M.Damodaran, as Ombudsman of the paper. In this capacity, Mr Damodaran will represent readers’ interest in the newsroom, forewarn the editorial team of the pitfalls of front line reporting, address readers’ grievances and uphold the values of clean and honest journalism.

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Sightseers threaten Airport security

The new international airport at Shamshabad has become a picnic spot for local people, raising many security concerns.

Thousands of people throng the airport every day to enjoy its ambience and to see flights coming in and going out. On Sunday, there was unprecedented rush of "sightseers" and some of them even came with packed lunch and other picnic paraphernalia. During peak hours, people were sitting in groups at the airport entrance having their snacks or lunch.

A majority of the visitors are local people who sacrificed their land for the construction of the airport. They feel that they have every right to enjoy themselves.

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Hyderabad to become South Asia cargo hub

Hyderabad is likely to emerge as the cargo hub of Southeast Asia with the new international airport at Shamshabad, 30 km from here, handling a bulk of express cargo and courier services from the region.

The greenfield airport, which will become operational on March 16, will have a world class cargo handling facility. The cargo handling and courier services have been planned and executed after studying similar facilities at leading international airports around the world, in Japan, the UK, the US and Malaysia.

"We have asked DHL Express, who were planning to go to Sri Lanka, to come to Hyderabad. We offered them land and they accepted Hyderabad as the centre of the their Southeast Asia operations,"

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MIM men set to start a new bangle bazaar

Jan. 17: One more bangle market is coming up in the Charminar area which already boasts the historic Laad Bazaar.

The new market, which may be named Laad Bazaar-II, will be set up in the PunchmohallaMoti Gali Road on the south of the Mecca Masjid.

Speedy work is going on in the area to create necessary infrastructure including roads and parking lots.

Most of the properties in this lane reportedly belong to leaders of the MIM and an influential business family.

It is alleged that the few others who own properties along the road are not being allowed to sell it to outsiders.

The plan is to have about 100 shops which would sell bangles of all varieties. They will come up all along the lane.

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Image and Article source: Deccan Chronicle
Article taken from the issue: 18 Dec 2008