Monthly Archives: January 2019

ASI faces flak as encroachments creep up around ancient Dutch Armoury

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Historical Links, Pre-Independence, Records, All, World Opinion
A cattle shed that has been built on the prohibited area of the Dutch Armoury at Bandarkota in Machilipatnam in Krishna district.
A cattle shed that has been built on the prohibited area of the Dutch Armoury at Bandarkota in Machilipatnam in Krishna district.

Excavation, construction activities in full swing on Nizam Hospital premises

Uninterrupted excavations being conducted by locals in the prohibited areas around the ancient Dutch Armoury here are posing a grave risk to the safety of the protected monument, with the Archaeological Survey of India reportedly remaining a mute spectator.

Earlier, locals bulldozed a brick wall of the old building (known locally as Nizam Hospital, according to ASI) located within the prohibited area of 100 metres from the armoury.

Illegal structures

Since last December, a cattle shed was built in the prohibited area by taking up excavation work and erecting iron poles. Plans were afoot to bulldoze another wall of the roof-less building by erecting wooden poles to build another structure.

Attempt by locals to demolish a wall in the protected area was stopped after the police intervened in 2016.

Speaking to The Hindu, ASI (Amaravati circle) Conservation Assistant Venkata Satyanarayana Murthy said, “The activities of excavation and construction of the shed have been taken up by a private party within a distance of 50 metres from the existing Dutch armoury which is under our conservation. The family that engaged in disturbing the area and the old building (Nizam hospital) did not seek permission from ASI to take up any such activity in the protected area.”

“No person, other than an archaeological officer, shall carry out any construction in any prohibited area (100 metres from the border of the protected monument,” says The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (Amendment and Validation) Act, 2010.

Communication gap

Mr. Satyanarayana Murthy said that the Machilipatnam civic body has been instructed to stop the work in the protected area.

However, when contacted by The Hindu, Machilipatnam Municipal Commissioner P.J. Sampath Kumar confirmed that he did not receive any such communication from the ASI regarding the issue till Saturday (January 12).

A three-acre site on the campus of the old building (Nizam Hospital) has been cleared by the locals for construction activity within the prohibited area in the absence of the conservation measures by the ASI.

The Monument Assistants deployed at the Dutch armoury have reportedly been threatened by the private party, restricting them from entering the premises of the protected area when they tried to stop the excavation work, they said.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Andhra Pradesh /  by Appala Naidu Tippana / Bandarkota(Krishna) – January 13th, 2019

Nellore police bag crime detection award

Records, All

The police registered a case under 302 r/w IPC and Sections 25 & 27 Arms Act 1959 and nabbed the accused Rajapurohit Vikram Singh (27) on November 25.

Nellore :

Nellore Sub-Division police bagged the Award for Best Crime Detection (ABCD) for solving a sensational case registered after a trader was shot dead by unidentified persons here on November 3, 2018. It may be recalled that trader Mahendra Singh (40) from Rajasthan was running a machine tools business in the Fathekhanpeta area.

Chinna Bazar CI M.A. Abdul Subhan and City DSP NBM Murali Krishna investigated the case and collected technical data, including call data of Mahendra Singh. “We have cracked the case with the support of Cyber Analysis Wing. We collected all technical data to investigate the case and even deputed staff to Rajasthan, native state of the deceased, to collect case details. Finally, we cracked the case,” said NBM Murali Krishna, Nellore City DSP.

The police registered a case under 302 r/w IPC and Sections 25 & 27 Arms Act 1959 and nabbed the accused Rajapurohit Vikram Singh (27) on November 25. According to the police, Mahendra employed Vikram, son of his elder brother, in Komal Power Tools shop. Further, Mahendra also extended business by opening another power tools shop in Santhapeta after Vikram got married. Mahendra then deputed Vikram as in-charge of the shop. But, Vikram who earned profits, showed losses to Mahendra and the latter moved him to Tirupati.

Mahendra had promised to construct a house for the father of the accused in Rajasthan, but failed to do so. An angry Vikram bore grudge against Mahendra and plotted to kill him. Vikram struck a deal with contract killers to murder Mahendra. On November 3 at around 10.30 p.m., miscreants fired four rounds from a pistol on Mahendra from a close range, hitting him on his chest and escaped on bikes towards Magunta layout. Mahendra died while undergoing treatment at a local hospital.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com  / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Andhra Pradesh / by Express News Service / January 11th, 2019

Kadapa schoolgirl bags national silver medal in Silambam competition

Records, All

Earlier, she won a gold medal at the state-level competition held in Visakhapatnam on December 21 and 22 and made the cut to participate in the national-level games.

KonduruAkhilaANDHRA11jan2019

Kadapa :

A girl student Konduru Akhila of Raju High School in Rayachoti won a national-level silver medal in Silambam competition which is also known as Karrasamu in the local parlance Akhila is studying sixth standard at Raju High School and participated in the 64th national school games held in Delhi from January 3 to 9 in which players from across the country participated.

She partook in the Silambam competition and stood third. Earlier, she won a gold medal at the state-level competition held in Visakhapatnam on December 21 and 22 and made the cut to participate in the national-level games for school students. She is the daughter of Konduru Venkata Rama Raju and Sunantha and has been practising Karrasamu since childhood.

Regional Joint Director B Prathap Reddy, District Educational officer P Sailaja, Coach N Narasaraju and Deputy DEO Varalakshmi lauded her. The school management felicitated coach N Narasara Raju.

Girl felicitated

Regional Joint Director B Prathap Reddy, District Educational officer P Sailaja, Coach N Narasaraju and Deputy DEO Varalakshmi lauded her. The school management felicitated coach N Narasara Raju.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Andhra Pradesh / by Express News Service / January 11th, 2019

Discover Araku from a hot air balloon in the second edition of the festival

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Records, All, Sports

HotAirBaloonANDHRA10jan2019

Floating over the skies of Araku Valley, thrill seekers will soon get a unique bird’s-eye view of familiar sights. The picturesque Araku Valley will play host to the second edition of the International Hot Air Balloon Festival. Twenty hot air balloons from 15 countries across the world will dot the pristine skies of Araku, a hill station near Visakhapatnam, from January 18 to 20 as part of the festival, organised by AP Tourism in association with E-Factor. The balloons will sail over the verdant valley with its tribal hamlets and agricultural fields.

The highlight of the festival will be the specially-shaped balloons like Baby Car and Flying Honey Bee from Brazil, Bruno Clown from Slovakia and Happy Chicken Egg from the Netherlands. The three-day festival will also see international champions and paramotorists from Europe providing some thrilling displays and stunts.

The tickets for hot air ballooning are not available for sale. However, there are lucky draws and contests available on the website visakhautsav.in and people can try their luck and win seats for the morning flights and tethers.

While the balloons will soar in the skies in the early mornings, don’t miss the Night Glow Show at NTR Grounds on all three days of the festival, when the balloons inflate and light up to the beat of music at the centre of the valley. One of the highlights of this festival is the luxury camping facility set up near the venue with around 40 well-designed tents for travellers.

Tourism on the rise

The world over, governments and promoters are recognising the importance of using hot air balloons as a tool for tourism and employment generation. Places like Cambodia’s historic Angkor Wat, Turkey’s UNESCO World Heritage site of Cappadocia and Myanmar’s ancient temples of Bagan have seen a surge in tourist inflows after hot air ballooning activities were started. According to industry figures, the Hot Air Ballooning industry has been growing in India for the last three to five years at around 20 % year-on-year growth.

“The response for the first edition was phenomenal and has helped establish the brand name Araku from a much larger national perspective.

The tourism impact of this has also been extremely positive since all the hotel inventories were sold out during the festival time. The same situation is envisaged this year as well,” says Samit Garg, CEO and co-founder of E-Factor.

Joseph Llado, a veteran ballooning pilot from Barcelona with 38 years of experience, was floored by the undiscovered charm of Araku when he came for the first edition of the festival. “This is a gem of a place for hot air ballooning. Araku’s beautiful, hilly terrain makes it a fascinating place to explore,” he remarked.

According to Rick Astral, a ballooning pilot from Chile, his visit to Araku last year opened up a new vista of adventures. “Every moment we got to experience a new splendour,” said Rick Astral, a balloon pilot from Chile. Sukhbir S. Sekhon, a Malaysian pilot, who went up to one of the highest levels on the first day of the balloon festival last year, was overwhelmed by the “spectacular” green stretches of fields and hills. “It was a sight to behold! We went across a small hill and it was quite a discovery,” he said.

Landing her compact hot air balloon on the lush fields in a village of Araku, Atiqah Khairudin from Malaysia added, “This place is a beautiful piece of jewel and a great a discovery for balloon pilots. It can be a wonderful way to showcase its beauty to people who want to experience the grand panoramic view from the hot air balloon.”

The concept of hot air ballooning was almost unheard of about a decade ago. Today, hot air balloons soar over Indian skies like colourful confetti and is fast picking up as a great adventure sport in cities like Agra,Pushkar, Lucknow, Jaipur and even Tamil Nadu.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Life & Style> Travel / by Nivedita Ganguly / January 09th, 2019

Dutch love for Andhra Pradesh’s Kalamkari

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, World Opinion

They have been learning the famous Kalamkari from the artisans of this small village.

Artists from Netherlands trying their hand at Kalamkari at Pedana in Krishna district. (DC)
Artists from Netherlands trying their hand at Kalamkari at Pedana in Krishna district. (DC)

Vijayawada:

Four artists from the Netherlands who are trying to trace the roots of textile works that are on the display at the famous Rijksmuseum of Amsterdam have reached a nondescript village, Pedana in Krishna district.

They have been learning the famous Kalamkari from the artisans of this small village.

The Rijksmuseum is the national museum of the Netherlands and contains a beautiful old collection of ‘sits’, the Dutch word for Kalamkari textiles. These four artists work in the education department of the Rijksmuseum.

“Our history says the Kalamkari artwork reached Rijksmuseum in the 17th century from this small village. Those days the Dutch settlers brought Kalamkari to the Netherlands from Andhra Pradesh. The Kalamkari used to be expensive and exclusive and not everyone used to possess them since they come by boat. Now we want to know the art for ourselves and came here,” Irma Anne De Bruijne, heads of the arts programme at Rijksmuseum told this newspaper..

“We were welcomed in this little paradise. It is very important that they make textiles in the traditional, sustainable and slow process with the use of organic cotton and natural colours and of course the technique of block printing by hand,” said Anita Manshanden, another artist with the group.

The Dutch artists were bowled over by the talent of the artisans as well as the hospitality extended to them.

“The most important motivation of the Pitchuka family is to maintain and pass this heritage on to the next generation and keep the art alive. The third generation, Pitchuka Varun, is into this traditional art, following his grandfather Pitchuka Veera Subbaiah who is the founder of Kalamkari art in Pedana and father Pitchuka Srinivas,” said team member Elma Van Imhoff

They said Kalamkari contained a great number of techniques and complex processes built up during seven generations of craftsmanship.

source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com / Deccan Chronicle / Home> Nation> Current Affairs / by SNV Sudhir / January 08th, 2019

Chandrababu Naidu inaugurates Andhra Pradesh’s seventh airport at Orvakallu

Business & Economy, Records, All

Developed on a 1,010 acre site at a cost of Rs 110 crore, the Orvakallu airport has a 2000-metre runway with four aprons for parking of aircraft.

Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu (File | PTI)
Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu (File | PTI)

Amaravati :

Andhra Pradesh’s seventh airport at Orvakallu near Kurnool city was Tuesday inaugurated by chief minister N Chandrababu Nadu, setting the stage for transforming the region into a more developed area.

The airport has been categorized as ‘3C’ and is capable of handling turboprop aircraft like ATR-72 and Bombardier Q-400.

Developed on a 1,010 acre site at a cost of Rs 110 crore, the Orvakallu airport has a 2000-metre runway with four aprons for parking of aircraft, according to Principal Secretary (Infrastructure and Investment) Ajay Jain.

The Chief Minister said the aviation sector was a key driver of the states economic growth and has the potential to generate jobs even in the backward regions like Rayalaseema and north coastal Andhra.

“Airports could act as growth hubs by providing air connectivity throughout the state and drive the growth of manufacturing sector, tourism and other commercial activities,” Naidu said.

The Orvakallu airport would go a long way in transforming Kurnool and other Rayalaseema districts into more developed areas, he said.

While Visakhapatnam, Rajamahendravaram, Vijayawada and Tirupati are major airports in Andhra Pradesh, Kadapa, Puttaparthi (not a commercial airport yet) and Orvakallu in Kurnool district are the smaller ones.

Flight services from Orvakallu airport are expected to begin from April.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Andhra Pradesh / by PTI / January 08th, 2019

GI tag fails to bring cheer to Venkatagiri weavers

Business & Economy, Records, All
The GI-tagged saris on display at the ongoing National Expo in Nellore.
The GI-tagged saris on display at the ongoing National Expo in Nellore.

‘Powerlooms are pushing us out of business’

Weavers in Venkatagiri, wedded for centuries to their craft, are slowly leaving a profession that was once patronised by kings and queens.

From a glorious past, the weaving community in the area has now been reduced to looking for unskilled jobs in order to survive, despite their exquisite saris getting a Geographical Indication tag.

“The power looms, with their mass-produced saris that come at half the price, have pushed us out of business. The pure cotton sari with elaborate zari work used to sell like hot cakes in the past. Not anymore,” lament weavers in Bangarupeta. Only elderly weavers are still in the profession, making lightweight cotton saris.

Staying afloat

Some young weavers are trying to improvise in order to stay afloat, and are relying on silk weaving as they can get decent returns as the cost of the sari goes up. Depending on the intricate work, a hand-woven sari can fetch anywhere between ₹4,000 to ₹25,000 with the entire family working for five days to make one sari.

“We are capable of making saris that will cost ₹1 lakh apiece for weddings and other special occasions. However, we begin work on such saris only after getting an advance payment,” S. Nagendra tells The Hindu. “We do our best to survive in this profession, such as learning Jacquard weaves,” Nagendra adds.

Weavers in the region have tied up with leading boutiques in Hyderabad and other cities to market their specially-woven saris with elaborate designs within the country and abroad.

Support sought

The weavers say they need more support from the government for their eco-friendly products as several schemes launched by the Union and State governments have failed to reach them in the past. Direct deposit of subsidy to their individual bank accounts would go a long way, the weavers say.

Presently, the weavers get ₹1,000 subsidy on silk yarns worth ₹25,000 per ‘Maggam’. The weavers want the subsidy to be enhanced to at least ₹2,000.

More expos should be organised in cities and towns all through the year to eliminate middlemen, and a special drive to promote saris and dress material made out of organic cotton can go a long way in improving the fortunes of the handwoven cloth makers, the weavers suggest.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Andhra Pradesh / by Special Correspondent / Nellore – January 05th, 2019

Guntur: Exporters, tobacco ryots get awards

Agriculture, Business & Economy, Leaders, Records, All

The board funded a research project for use of solar energy to cure tobacco crop by CTRI at a cost of Rs 35 lakh. 

Guntur :

The Tobacco Board has announced awards to best growers, exporters, traders, and best employees as part its 42nd Formation Day celebrations at Guntur.

Addressing a gathering on Friday, board executive director and chairperson K Sunitha said natural farming way in Flue Cured Verona (FCV) tobacco cultivation was taken up for sustainable tobacco production in the current season. Land has been taken by the board to conduct trials, he added.

The board launched massive campaign for control of pesticides and its residues on the plant to ensure pure tobacco without non-tobacco related material (NTRM), pesticide residues to improve production integrity, she added. The board funded a research project for use of solar energy to cure tobacco crop by CTRI at a cost of Rs 35 lakh.

Sunitha said, “Tobacco Board’s Growers’ Welfare Scheme is an initiative aimed for welfare of tobacco growers and their family members. Under the scheme, the board has created a Tobacco Board’s Growers’ welfare fund.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Andhra Pradesh / by Express News Service / January 06th, 2019

Polavaram project in Guinness World Records for concrete pouring

Amazing Feats, Business & Economy, Records, All, Science & Technology, World Opinion

The concrete was poured for 24 hours from 8 am on Saturday in the spill channel of the national project.

A view of Polavaram project. (Photo | EPS/P Ravindrababu)
A view of Polavaram project. (Photo | EPS/P Ravindrababu)

Vijayawada :

The attempt by Navayuga Engineering Company Ltd (NECL), the contracting agency executing the major works of the Polavaram Project, to create two world records — most concrete continuously poured in 24 hours and the largest continuous concrete pour — has successfully ended on Monday with the firm pouring 32,100 cubic meters of concrete.

The concrete was poured for 24 hours from 8 am on Sunday in the spill channel of the national project. The adjudicators of the Guinness World Records will formally make an announcement of the same shortly. Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu will receive the memento of the feat at 2.30 pm.

Even though the firm had initially planned to pour 28,000 cubic meters of concrete in 24 hours, it achieved its target by 5 am on Monday by pouring 28,357 cubic meters. In the subsequent three hours, it poured 3,700 cubic meters more. The current record is held by a Dubai-based contracting group which poured 21,580 cu m of concrete in about 35 hours.

“We are evaluating the log sheets of the concrete poured, which were entered on an hourly basis, besides examining the drone and CCTV camera footage. We will make one announcement by 10/11 am and the other will be announced at 1.30/2 pm,” the official adjudicator of the Guinness World Records, Rishi Nathan, explained. A team of 24 members is working to adjudicate the feat achieved by the NECL.

The Managing Director of NECL, Chinta Sridhar, said that the firm engaged 20 agitator trucks, which delivered concrete from 10 batching plants using 90 concrete mixers. “It is a proud moment for us. But, more than anything, it is a morale boost for us as we are running against the time to complete this mega project, which would serve the entire State. The record is a significant step towards completing the project before the onset of monsoon this year,” he said.

It may be recalled that NECL was brought on board after the termination of the contract with Transstroy (India) Ltd last year. NECL had agreed to execute the project at old rates (2014 Standard Schedule Rates).

Sridhar further explained that the cofferdams in the upper stream and the lower stream will be ready by the month of May. Speaking to TNIE, the MD said, “We have already begun the upper cofferdam works. The designs for the lower cofferdam were submitted. We will have to do 1.1 crore units of concrete works and are aiming to complete them by May.”

Terming it as a historic day, Water Resources minister Devineni Umamaheswara Rao credited Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu for facilitating the environment to achieve the feat. “It is indeed a historic feat. Despite all the challenges, we have been able to ensure that the works are expedited. We will divert the water through gravity by June this year,” he added.

Buoyed by the success of the Monday’s record, the MD of NECL, C Sridhar, said that the firm was eyeing at outdoing itself with another record soon. “We plan to attempt another record by pouring 65,000 cu m to 70,000 cu m of concrete maybe in March. We will need a month’s preparation for it and hopefully achieve it,” Sridhar told TNI

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Andhra Pradesh / by Express News Service / January 07th, 2019

Indian-American teen on a mission to fight blindness

Inspiration /Positive News and Features, Nri's / Pio's, Science & Technology, World Opinion
Sai Hitesh Vavilapalli interacting with patients.
Sai Hitesh Vavilapalli interacting with patients.

‘The I Mission’ Sai Hitesh launched supports free screening camps and cataract surgeries for the poor

A 12th grader of Indian origin from the US (Portland, Oregon) is striving to make the world a better place for the visually-impaired through a non-profit that he launched while he was all of 14 years old.

Sai Hitesh Vavilapalli, whose parents migrated from Visakhapatnam to the U.S., flew to India with his parents for the Christmas holidays when he was 14 years old.

“When we were here, my parents would engage in social work at a blind school in Kakinada. It was then I realised I should also do my best to give something back to society, and do something for the underprivileged,” Sai Hitesh said.

After flying back to Portland, Sai Hitesh organised a ‘cultural night’ and raised $4,200, which he used to float his non-profit called ‘The I Mission’.

“Next December, we came back to Visakhapatnam, which is my parents’ hometown. We organised a couple of free eye camps in association with Sankar Foundation Eye Hospital, and performed about 500 free cataract surgeries for the poor,” Sai Hitesh said.

In the last three years, The I Mission has supported over 5,000 free eye screenings, 1,719 cataract surgeries, and 13 retinal detachment surgeries, besides adopting three blind schools in India.

“To fund the camps, we not only conduct cultural events but have also tied up with brands like Nike and Intel. We intend to approach some more corporate firms in the coming years,” the 17-year-old said.

Having started out on his philanthropic journey alone, Sai Hitesh now has a team of 11 like-minded classmates based in Portland.

Cyclone relief

Apart from organising free eye camps, The I Mission also supports victims of natural calamities such as hurricanes.

Recently, the team visited Mara and Mandasa villages in Srikakulam, which were ravaged by cyclone Titli, and provided succour to victims by giving one bag of rice, two garments and cooking utensils to each affected family. “We reached out to over 200 families in both the villages,” he said.

Future plans

Sai Hitesh, who aspires to become a doctor, said he is working with a professor as a research intern at Oregon Health Science University to find out a remedy for cataract and eye problems among the tribals in the Eastern Ghats of India.

Sai Hitesh says The I Mission team intends to take the non-profit to the next level by tying up with corporate brands and spreading its wings across the world.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Andhra Pradesh / by Sumit Bhattarcharjee / Visakhapatnam – January 05th, 2019