Category Archives: Green Initiatives / Environment

US Telugu Group Pledges $1,00,000 for Cyclone-Hit Andhra Pradesh

As the coastal region of Andhra Pradesh reels under the aftermath of the severe cyclonic storm, Hudhud, the Telugu Association of North America (TANA), which is said to be the largest Telugu organisation abroad, has announced a contribution of $1,00,000 towards relief efforts in the state.

Cyclone Hudhud has caused heavy rain and winds in Vishakhapatnam. / Twitter
Cyclone Hudhud has caused heavy rain and winds in Vishakhapatnam. / Twitter

Several casualties and massive devastation unfolded after the cyclone struck the coast, especially hitting the port city of Visakhapatnam hard on Sunday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced an interim relief of ₹1,000 crore to the Andhra Pradesh government for relief and restoration in the cyclone-hit districts

The $1,00,000 relief amount from the Telugu Association will also aid relief measures in the state. The organisation has called out to all NRIs, especially the Telugu-speaking ones, to donate to the cause.

The details for donations to the TANA Flood Relief Funds are listed out on the website.

TANA President Mohan Nannapaneni will meet Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu to hand over the cheque, as reported by IANS.

“The current picture is grim and TANA intends to help with the rescue and rehabilitation, immediate relief for the displaced and effected people and also assist with long term rebuilding measures,” the group said on its website.

“After an emergency meeting, TANA leadership declared an initial contribution of $100,000 to the cyclone relief efforts and decided to put forward the best efforts to raise more funds for this cause,” it said.

Andhra Pradesh faces hundreds of crores worth of loss and destruction due to the cyclone.

source: http://www.ibtimes.co.in / International Business Times / Home> News> Society / by Mugdha Variyar / October 15th, 2014

‘Brahma Kamalam’ in full bloom

Brahma Kamalam flower in full bloom at a residence in Varadaraja Nagar in Tirupati. Photo: K.V. Poornachandra Kumar / The Hindu
Brahma Kamalam flower in full bloom at a residence in Varadaraja Nagar in Tirupati. Photo: K.V. Poornachandra Kumar / The Hindu

‘Brahma Kamalam’ made a surprising appearance in the Bonsai garden of Lakshmi Bharathi, a resident of Varadaraja Nagar in Tirupati on Saturday night.

The blossoming of the flower is a rare event, given the fact that it is believed to be endemic to the Himalayan region. However, it is nothing new to Ms. Bharathi, a member of the Bonsai Club, as the flower did bloom in her courtyard on October 10, 2007.

The sapling was given much earlier to her by a priest at Kedarnath temple during her Himalayan yatra. The flower did not bloom for several years in spite of her best efforts to nurture it, make her lose hope. “But one day in 2007, it was suddenly in full bloom. After that, it blossomed only now,” Ms. Bharathi told The Hindu. The snow white flower has a sweet fragrance and is known to grow only in the pure water and pristine environment at the Himalayas. “We pour water purified through Reverse Osmosis technology to this plant,” she added. The rare flower is drawing neighbours and strangers alike to her courtyard.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Andhra Pradesh / by A. D. Rangarajan / Tirupati – October 13th, 2014

Get ready for a taste of Vizag apples!

Forget apples from Jammu & Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh, soon apples from Visakhapatnam district could give them a run for their money. Hilly areas of the district are emerging as a fertile ground for cultivation of apples, which have hitherto been restricted to orchards in the chilly climes of J&K, Uttarakhand, HP and Arunachal Pradesh.

The first seeds of apple cultivation were sown by chance by Bobbili Rambabu, a tribal from the Visakhapatnam Agency area, four years ago when he tossed a few apple seeds in the backyard of his house at Lambasingi, where temperatures are known to dip below 0 degree Celsius during winter. The trees have now borne fruit, alerting researchers to the possibility of growing this delicious fruit in Visakha Agency.

Dr. N Venugopala Rao, assistant director, Regional Agriculture Research Station (RARS) at Chintapalli, said apples generally grow in the Himalayan belt because of cold temperatures, which is why places such as Lambasingi in Chintapalli mandal are also ideal for apple cultivation. He said a team of scientists from the Hyderabad-based Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) visited Lambasingi in December last year to study the feasibility of growing apples. As part of the study, they planted 100 apple saplings, shipped in from the Himalayas, over nearly one acre on the RARS premises.

Another RARS scientist, Dr. B Uma Maheswara Rao, said select varieties of apples from Shimla have been planted on an experimental basis. “While the apple trees planted by tribal Rambabu have already yielded positive results, the plants cultivated at RARS are just 10 months old. We will start studying the potential when they reach three years of age,” Rao said.

According to him, mandals like Chintapalli, Pedabayalu, G Madugula and even the tourist hotspot of Araku are suitable for apple cultivation as they are all located at high altitudes and the temperature is always below 15 degree Celsius. “After studying the apples growing on Rambabu’s tree, we feel that Vizag is suitable for apple plantation. Tribal pockets that are already cultivating coffee and pepper are viable for apple trees too because of the favourable climatic conditions. At present, coffee is being cultivated in nearly 1.5 lakh acres in the tribal pockets. If the state government pays special attention, Vizag can emerge as a fertile ground for cultivating unique commercial crops like apples,” Rao added.

A horticulture department officer, who refused to be named, said if apple cultivation takes off in a big way in the district, they might think of including apples in the list of local crops, which also includes the globally renowned Araku coffee.

While G Prabhakara Rao, assistant director (horticulture), said the department would put its weight behind the endeavour once the RARS scientists issue a no-objection certificate for apple cultivation in the district, R Lakshmanudu, joint director, agriculture marketing, said they would provide marketing support for Vizag apples.

Meanwhile, tribal farmer Biddika Kamsu said that instead of proposing projects like the Tribal University for the Agency area, the government should focus on allocating funds for growing unique plants. “Visakha Agency is one of the biggest agencies in the state and is most viable for plants like pepper, coffee, pineapple, strawberry, turmeric, rajma, broccoli, ginger and carrot,” Kamsu said.

Apples in your backyard

* Apple cultivation started by chance by Bobbili Rambabu, a tribal farmer from Lambasingi in Chintapalli mandal of Vizag Agency area, four years ago when he tossed apple seeds in his backyard. The trees have now borne fruit

* Scientists from CCMB visited Lambasingi in December last year to study the feasibility of growing apples. They planted 100 saplings shipped in from the Himalayas

* Officials say mandals like Chintapalli, Pedabayalu, G Madugula and even Araku are suitable for apple cultivation as they are all located at high altitudes, with temperature always below 15 degree Celsius

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Hyderabad / TNN / October 09th, 2014

Farmers keen to practice Israeli farming methods

Nurseries at Guntur-Vijayawada national highway near Tadepalli mandal in Guntur district. (Photo: DC)
Nurseries at Guntur-Vijayawada national highway near Tadepalli mandal in Guntur district. (Photo: DC)

Vijayawada: 

A few farmers in Guntur district are slowly adopting the Israeli farming techniques to grow hybrid saplings, seeds and crops. The Israeli farming technique, which is gaining popularity among farmers helps to increase the productivity using less space as well as less water when compared to that of traditional farming, which is largely followed by farmers.

The techniques can be used to produce anything from seeds to final products like vegetables and fruits.

Kallam Narendra Reddy, a 51-year-old farmer in Penu-maka village of Tadepalli mandal in Guntur district, started to use Israeli farming methods putting aside his two decades experience in traditional farming.
Mr Reddy grows saplings and seeds for variety of vegetables and flowers including cauliflower, papaya, plantain, brinjal, drum sticks, cabbage, tomato and others in his 2-acre land.
“With an initial investment of `12 lakh, I started to grow saplings in the one-and-a-half acre land in two different methods. While one is under nets another is under special poly house,” said Mr Narendra.
Many of my colleagues ventured to start farming in this method but stepped back as there is no support from the government, he added.
Best advantages of growing hybrid crops in trays under the specially designed houses is that productivity could not be affected by the climate and can be grown in any season of the year.
Meanwhile, the state government has no plans to encourage such farmers and provide facilities for them. Farmers have appealed to the government authorities to provide raw materials and export facilities so that more number of farmers can adopt the Israeli technique.
“Though it is one-time investment we have to spend some lakhs to start it. If the government recognizes this method and encourage farmers we can produce more number of crops,” said Mr K. Aadi Narayana, a farmer in Yerabalem village near Magalagiri.
source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com / Deccan Chronicle / Home> Nation> Current Affairs / DC Correspondent / October 07th, 2014

Visakhapatnam jailbirds to cultivate medicinal plants for Himalaya Drug Co

Visakhapatnam :

In a bid to give prisoners a second chance to rebuild their lives and enter mainstream society after release, the Andhra Pradesh prisons department on Tuesday inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with The Himalaya Drug Company for cultivation of medicinal plants in the Visakhapatnam Central Prison.

Under the PPP programme, the government would provide land and labour (prisoners) for cultivation of medicinal plants in the prison premises, while the training and rehabilitation measures for enhancing skill development among inmates and monthly stipend would be provided by the drug company.

The MoU addendum was signed by B Sunil Kumar, inspector general of prisons, the AP government and Dr VU Babu, head of phytochemistry, research and development, The Himalaya Drug Company.

As per the provisions of the MoU, the drug company along with jail authorities would impart training to prisoners for cultivating medicinal plants for Himalaya’s consumption at the Visakhapatnam semi-open Central prison. Inmates would be earning a regular monthly income and acquiring essential skills in the process.

Besides training, the drug company would also supply seeds and provide technical assistance. The government would provide infrastructure, land, irrigation facilities, electricity supply and farming implements.

Speaking on the occasion, B Sunil Kumar, IG (prisons), AP, said, “The main benefit of such collaborative projects is that the prisoners can be kept engaged and get a second chance to rebuild their social lives. They would be equipped with basic skills that open up avenues for employment after they have served their sentences. In the process, the burden on the government exchequer would also come down.”

“Already, projects such as dairy unit, and petrol bunks exist in some of the central and district prisons. A telephony system would be set up in the district and sub jails from January 2015,” added the IG.

At the Vizag Central prison, which houses 930 prisoners at present, cultivation of two species, including the bitter herb Kalmegh (Andrographis paniculata) and drumstick (Moringa oleifera), would be focused upon for the time being as the prevalent climatic conditions and soil are suited to their cultivation. “The work would be taken up just after Dasara initially on three to four acres, which would be extended gradually,” said Vizag jail superintendent Dr I Srinivasa Rao.

“Earlier too, we received a very good response from our prison farm in Anantapur and the concept has now been extended to Vizag Central Prison, which would help rehabilitate prisoners and provide sustainable livelihoods. In the future we would be looking at expansion of such programmes to other parts of the state and country for a more holistic growth.

In Anantapur open prison, alfalfa is cultivated. If farmers follow the protocol while cultivation, we would provide 100% buyback guarantee as well as employment opportunities,” said Dr Babu of Himalaya Drug Company.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Visakhapatnam / TNN / September 24th, 2014

NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH : A sight for sore eyes

A view of the APSEB Colony in Visakhapatnam. PHOTO: A. Manikanthakumar / The Hindu
A view of the APSEB Colony in Visakhapatnam. PHOTO: A. Manikanthakumar / The Hindu

APSEB Colony looks like a family get-together. The colony association has a separate wing for women headed by C. Sujani. She says, “A lot of planning goes behind every initiative that we undertake as a team.

The programme is set. Women keep a tab of their to-do list.

Men get busy, collecting funds and listing out the number of guests to send an invite.

The community hall at the Eastern Park is beaming with a fresh look as people at Andhra Pradesh State Electricity Board (APSEB) Colony bond over Navratri celebrations.

It looks more like a family get-together where every individual in the neighbourhood has a role to play. Residents enjoy taking ownership and contribute to the extent possible during special occasions. Women meet and decide on the delicacies offered to ‘Ammavaru’ to be installed and decked up in various avatars for all the 10 days at Sri Chelasani Narayana Rao Memorial Community Hall during the festival, commencing in a couple of days.

Though the 16-acre site of APSEB Colony charms one with its green canopy, well-built houses and better amenities, what makes the place more adorable is its people living here for decades. “Years before, the place was occupied by the employees of APSEB. Over a period of time, half of the colony residents have moved out to meet professional demands, paving the way for diverse communities. Despite a new breed of professionals seeping into the colony, what continued to stay is our unity,” says G.S.N. Murthy, chairman of APSEB Colony Welfare Association and a colony resident.

GlanceANDHRA03oct2014

Planning

The colony association has a separate wing for women headed by C. Sujani. She says, “A lot of planning goes behind every initiative that we undertake as a team. Be it birthday celebrations, special occasions or kitty parties, we coordinate with one another before drawing a conclusion.”

Reminiscing about the olden days, K. Kanakadurga, a retired lecturer, who has been residing in the neighbourhood for the past 33 years, says, “A dull day at work would transform into a different world as soon I reach home as the scenic beauty of the locality has its own charm to lift my spirits.”

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Visakhapatnam / by Rani Devalla / Visakhapatnam – October 01st, 2014

Eco-friendly Ganesha enters Book of Records

Picture for representational purpose.
Picture for representational purpose.

Srikakulam:

Sri Balaganapathi Uddanam Youth Club members of Borivanka village got recognition from the India Book of Records for worshippinge eco-friendly Ganesh idol on the occasion of Ganesh Chathurdhi this year. The youth club members made Ganesh idol with paddy seeds which was eco-friendly and innovative. “We used 50 kgs of paddy seeds and made 10 feet high Ganesh idol and worshipped it,” said the youth club member  B. Tirupathi Rao on Monday. “We communicated our novel idea to India Book of Records and the records team of Faridabad recognised our effort and sent a communication to us for its inclusion in their coming edition,” he added.

By the time of immersion of Ganesh idol, germination of seeds started, the member explained.

source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com / Deccan Chronicle / Home> Nation> Current Affairs / DC Correspondent / September 30th, 2014

Port City Farmer’s ‘Amrutam’ Variety Set to Rule Mango World

Kongara Ramesh at his mango orchard at Tarluwada village in Visakhapatnam district | Express Photo
Kongara Ramesh at his mango orchard at Tarluwada village in Visakhapatnam district | Express Photo

Visakhapatnam :

Amrutham Ice Fruit Mango, a new variety of the king of fruits, developed by a scientist Kongara Ramesh, is entering the international markets including the United Arab Emirates, the US and several other countries. This is the first mango created by a farmer using cross-pollination technique and can be frozen and eaten in all seasons. The uniqueness of the new mango variety is that it can be eaten like an ice fruit by peeling off its skin.

The new variety was developed three years ago after a 12-year experimentation by Ramesh. In the last three years, he planted the saplings extensively to estimate its yields. Now, Ramesh is taking care of 50,000 saplings at his own nursery at Tarluwada village in Anandapuram, just 28 km away from Visakhapatnam city.

Ramesh developed the variety by cross pollination between Amrapali and Chinnarasalu mango varieties, which are very sweet and can be frozen at sub-zero temperatures.

The Amrutham Ice Fruit Mango has been selected for the world horticulture show to be held at Germany in February, 2015. “It will be the first step to market Amrutham globally. I’m sure this will bring huge foreign currency to the country,” a proud Ramesh says.

Mass Cultivation

After the great success of Amrutham, Ramesh is wasting no time for mass cultivation of the fruit. Making use of all the 100 trees he raised initially, he had developed a nursery of about 50,000 saplings aged between six months and two-and-half years. As many as 600 trees can be raised in an acre and they will bear fruit in about three to four years. The yield of the fruit is 15 tonnes per acre. Except for using organic manure in the first year, the trees need no special care.

Assured Yield

Amrutham starts flowering from November. If the flowers are damaged in November, the cyclone season, it starts flowering in December and January with an assured yield of 90 per cent. Ramesh has also developed another variety called ‘Swagatham’. The speciality of the fruit is its aroma. One fruit of Swagatham’s aroma pervades the entire house. The variety was developed by cross-pollination between Imam Pasand and Chinna Rasalu.

Export Potential

Ramesh has plans to export the Amrutham Ice Fruit Mango to several countries. A large number of Telugu NRIs and foreigners are making enquiries about the fruit. However, surprisingly, neither the state government nor the Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry visited the place to take further steps for bulk cultivation.

The Man Behind the Magic Fruits

A Guntur-based farmer and homoeo doctor settled in Visakhapatnam about 15 years ago, Ramesh started his own research at a 40-acre land owned by a private company. Having great interest in the mango crop and its varieties, Ramesh developed his ideas by cross-pollinating Andhra’s most popular mango Nuziveedu Chinnarasalu with North India’s famous variety Amrapali. He displayed it at the All India Horticulture Exhibition held in New Delhi last year, where a large number of foreigners tasted it and lauded it. Ramesh also sold the fruit in Vizag market. Agriculture and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority witnessed the variety and congratulated Ramesh, who is set to market the fruit on a large-scale from the next season.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Andhra Pradesh / by VKL Gayatri / September 24th, 2014

City gets Andhra’s first snake saver society

Visakhapatnam :

For the first time in Andhra Pradesh, a Snake Saver Society (SSS) has been formed exclusively for protecting snakes and generating public awareness. With widespread misconception and fear resulting in many snakes getting killed, some snake lovers got together to set up the society and a snake rescue habitat, which was launched at Gajuwaka on Monday. The society will also impart training to those interested in catching snakes and releasing them into the safety of forests.

Certified snake-catcher from Andhra and SSS president Rokkam Kiran Kumar, said, “The aim is to generate awareness about snakes and train people in snake catching. We will be collaborating with the forest department and GVMC in this regard. We already have 16 members, who will visit schools, industries, residential colonies and surrounding villages to educate people.”

According to experts, only four of the snake varieties found in Vizag and the surrounding Eastern Ghats are poisonous — viper, cobra, krait and branded krait. The rest are non-venomous but end up getting killed when they venture into residential areas.

“Snakes are an important part of the environment. They they kill rats and prevent them from destroying crops,” said Kiran, who has saved 17,000 snakes in the past decade. SSS secretary Nageshwar Rao said 10 people are being trained to catch snakes in the city. “If you spot snakes, don’t kill them. Call the snake helpline: 9849140500,” Rao said.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Visakhapatnam / TNN / September 16th, 2014

Calico flower

Amateur naturalist and student of B.Sc Botany Pavani holds a Calico flower, a native flower of Brazil, that bloomed at the Biodiversity Park at the RCD Hospital compound in Visakhapatnam. Photo: C.V. Subrahmanyam / The Hindu
Amateur naturalist and student of B.Sc Botany Pavani holds a Calico flower, a native flower of Brazil, that bloomed at the Biodiversity Park at the RCD Hospital compound in Visakhapatnam. Photo: C.V. Subrahmanyam / The Hindu

Amateur naturalist and student of B.Sc Botany Pavani holds a Calico flower, a native flower of Brazil, that bloomed at the Biodiversity Park at the RCD Hospital compound in Visakhapatnam. Photo: C.V. Subrahmanyam

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Visakhapatnam / September 15th, 2014