Rayalaseem machos against unkindest cut: family planning in andhra pradesh

U Sudhakar Reddy
The macho men of Rayalaseema are shying away from vasectomy operations with districts of the region reporting the lowest number of male sterilisation operations in the stateAccording to the family planning department, only 14 men came forward in the faction ridden Anantapur district to undergo vasectomy operation in 2007-2008There were 32 in Kurnool, 13 in Chittoor and 392 in Kadapa“Fewer men take up vasectomy operations in Rayalaseema districts because of their mind-set that only women should only undergo sterilisation,” said the joint director (family planning), Dr G. HymavatiThe joint director said the department had been conducting special awareness campaigns to motivate men to take up family planning“It has increased when compared to previous years,” she addedIn 2008-09 the family planning department conducted 179 vasectomy operations in Kurnool, 156 in Anantapur and 317 in Kada pa and 452 in ChittoorIn the entire state, 29,763 vasectomies were conducted in the year. Karimnagar topped with 5,658 operationsThis year, till June 15, only six men in Anantapur, nine in Kurnool, and 22 in Kadapa had undergone male sterilisation surgeryMeanwhile, tribal men in various agency areas in the state are coming forward to undergo vasectomy operations
“We are not aggressively promoting family planning in tribal areas in order to protect the population,” said Dr Hymavati“But as the tribal society is more matriarchal, women persuade men to undergo sterilisation.”

Murders most foul: Killings over property disputes in Hyderabad

U Sudhakar Reddy

In an alarming trend, city police reveals that 60 per cent of the 2,423 murders, that take place every year in the state, are due to property rows. In many cases, people are kidnapped and mercilessly murdered. Whether it's over a small piece of land or a tiny house shared by family members, quarrels erupt, fists fly and knives appear. Some don't hesitate to even hire assassins to do the job.When larger plots of land are involved, things can get worse.Land grabbers appear and more blood is spilled.
Though the slump in real estate business has reduced the activities of the land mafia, property disputes within families and business partners have been the cause for many brutal murders in the city.
Once common only in the faction ridden areas of Palnadu in Guntur and Anantapur, murders over land disputes have now spread to urban and semi-urban areas. "Apart from sexual jealousy, property disputes are the prime reasons for murder," says Dr M. Narayana Reddy, forensics expert of the Osmania Medical College. He adds that while many murders are pre-planned, there are some that occur in a fit of rage.
In January 2009, Mohammed Ghouse and his wife Miraj Fathima were hacked to death by the latter's brothers at Old City due to a property dispute. In May, Vamsidhar Rao, a realtor, was murdered after a dispute over 250 square yards of land in Mettuguda when he was forced to sign on blank papers. In yet another incident, Kaleemullah and Sameer shot dead a businessman Aiyaz Ahmed in August, after an altercation over a land deal.
Cyberabad tops the list of property dispute murders. Around 182 murders take place here in a year.This year alone 105 murders have been committed due to property disputes.
In July 2009, the Task Force arrested Yaseen Bee who hired two assassins to kill her husband after an altercation with him over property. She had allegedly promised the assassins Rs 30,000 to do the job. A month before that, S. Janga Reddy, a ward member of Dammaiguda village, was murdered by his business partner, over a real estate deal.
"The land mafia also produces fake registration documents, registering the same property in the name of several persons, filing false cases and of course, forcible possession of land," said a senior police officer. "Most of the noted land grabbers in the city are either politicians or sons of politicians or they have strong political nexus," he adds. Thanks to this, they easily wriggle out of cases.
In fact, police does not even have a list of land grabbers of the city. The Cyberabad police, who earlier announced plans to start a rogues' gallery of land grabbers, dropped the project.
However, the Cyberabad DCP (Crimes), Surya Prakash, says land grabbing by Rayalseema gangs has reduced in the city."There were nearly 1,000 cases a year during the real estate boom,"he says, adding, "Now we are only getting 200 cases. Murders triggered by property disputes are more common in rural and semiurban areas than in urban areas."

No conviction of fake currency rackateers in Andhra

U SUDHAKAR REDDY
Though terror networks have been introducing fake currency into the Indian markets, including in Andhra Pradesh, the conviction rate remains abysmal. Since 2006, police has achieved conviction only in one case.
The Andhra Pradesh police has not been pursuing counterfeit currency cases seriously though Pakistan-based Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and terror groups are pumping in fake notes to destabilise the economy.
The conviction rate in fake currency cases in the state is abysmally low. Since 2006, police could achieve conviction only in one case.Burdened as it is with regular law and order and crime duties, police has failed to investigate such cases properly.
In 2008, out of 304 fake note cases, charge-sheet was filed only in 20 cases and 212 cases are still under investigation. As many as 72 cases are in the "undetected" category and 19 are pending for trial.
"Counterfeit currency cases are piling up in the state," said a senior police officer.
In the last eight years, sleuths have busted 10 major fake currency rackets sponsored by the ISI and arrested 25 persons. They also recovered counterfeit currency worth about three crore rupees.
In certain cases in which international gangs are involved, investigation had been extended to West Bengal and Gujarat.But no initiative was taken for this in many instances. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) files the cases with Saifabad police, which does not have the staff strength to investigate them."We are transferring the cases as we don't have staff to probe them," said the Saifabad ACP, Mr Narottham Reddy. Alarmingly, in recent instances the investigators found that some bank employees are also involved in the circulation of fake currency.
The issue came to the limelight again the other week with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) warning that ISI has pumped in fake currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs1,000.
The Reserve Bank of India has also issued a similar warning and said that certain banks are not following currency chest guidelines, allowing fake currency to slip in.
According to the city police, counterfeit cur rency is routed through Bangladesh from Pakistan.
"In the Rs 38 lakh seizure the trail lead up to West Bengal, and the accused confessed that they got the currency from Bangladesh," said Mr V.B. Kamalasan Reddy, the task force deputy commissioner of police.
He added that police had not been able to trace any links to terror groups yet. "Links with hawala operators cannot be ruled out," he said.
In another fake currency case, names of three Pak istanis have figured in the investigation. Two key racketeers, Aftab Bhatki, a native of Mumbai, and Babu Gaithan, a native of Barkas in the city, could not be nabbed. They are both in Dubai and the Andhra Pradesh police has sought the help of the Interpol to catch them but nothing has been done do far.
In August 2007, police seized counterfeit currency worth Rs 2.36 crore and arrested a UAE national and three others from the city. But the kingpin of the rack et, Kamlesh, based in Hong Kong, is still absconding.
Even as investigation remains lax, the state crime . records bureau statistics show that there is in an t increase in counterfeit cur rency cases by 66.5 per cent every year. Around 343 cases of fake currency are reported in a year., The police said that East Godavari, Hyderabad and Visakhapatnam were the nerve centres of fake cur rency circulation in the state.
Hyderabad has become a transit point for receiving consignments of counterfeit currency from UAE (Dubai) from where it is taken to various places in the coun try.
The fake currency coming to the state is of high quality and RBI officials say it is very difficult to distinguish it from the real stuff. The number of counterfeit cur rency detected per million t notes in the banking channel is only eight.
"A layman will not be able to identify the fake notes,"said the DCP. "Such is the precision with which they are made. They have most of the latest security fea. tures."

Maoist supreme commander Ganapathi looks like this

By U Sudhakar Reddy

The CPI Maoist supreme commander, Ganapati, alias Mupalla Lakshmana Rao, who has been evading cops for almost three decades appeared on You Tube and on TVs.
The video recording of his speech in the Unity Congress (the ninth Congress of the CPI Maoists) held in 2007 January-February in the forests of Bhimbund in the borders of Bihar and Jharkhand was “leaked” and uploaded on the video site.
Special intelligence branch sleuths and balladeer Gaddar have identified that it is Ganapati on the video. It is suspected that he is now based in Dandakaranya.
While police say Maoist leaders may have leaked the video clipping, there are reports it was the intelligence officials who leaked it after getting hold of the clipping from arrested Maoist leader Kobad Gandhy. An intelligence official said the police got the photograph two years ago.
“The video clipping is also with us,” he said. “No doubt it is Ganapati. He looks like a soft-spoken schoolteacher and has turned 60.” Ganapati hails from Karimnagar district and was carrying a reward of Rs 12 lakh on his head. He is a science graduate and succeeded People’s War founder Kondapalli Seetharamaiah as general secretary in 1991.

Bollywood actor Sridevi's signature forged: truth lab

By Udumula Sudhakar Reddy

The city-based Truth Labs has helped Bollywood star Sridevi and her producer husband Boney Kapoor in solving their case. They have approached Hyderabad private forensic lab in alleged cheque forgery case. The forensics lab has proved that their signatures on Rs 10 crore cheque were forged and did not belong to the film personalities.Sridevi was dragged to the court by a financier who alleged that her Rs 10-crore cheque had bounced on being presented in a bank. She had then filed a counter-complaint with the Juhu police alleging that her signatures were forged.The cheques were sent to the Truth Labs for verification. Mr K.P.C. Gandhi of Truth Labs said, “A famous Bollywood actor, who has acted in nearly 150 films, had reported her cheque book stolen. Several cheques were forged causing a loss to the tune of more than Rs 10 crore.”“These cheques were issued to film production companies. The cheques were brought from Mumbai by a representative of the actor. We gave the report in two days and the money was recovered after identifying the forger,” Mr Gandhi said.Talking of another case, Mr Gandhi said that a Bengaluru-based flying institute had forged the signature of the Karnataka governor to gain favours. That forgery was detected within a week.

Can Kurnool be saved from future floods?

Udumula Sudhakar Reddy/Kurnool

Can kurnool be saved from future floods and massive destruction? Experts and eminent citizens of the city say that government has to take tough and apolitical stand on encroachments of the river bed of Handri and Tungabadhra.The KC canal that also runs in the mid of the town apart from Handri has no space even for carrying out repair works.Retired Executive Engineer of Irrigation department of Kurnool who was the pioneer of Sunkeshula Dam construction Mr K Krishna Reddy says ,”The riverbed of Handri that passes in the city was encroached from Old Kallur to Bandimetta at the stretch of 4 km and KC Canal though not related to the latest floods was encroached from Bangarupea to NH7 and even repairs can be carried as there is no space for vehicle movement on the bund. The tungabadra was encroached from mamidalapadu to Saibaba temple. These encroachments were sponsored by the political leaders and there efforts to remove them are halted,”Experts say the flood protection wall has to be taken up on Handri river and to be strengthened on Tungbadra.Though government approved the flood protection wall in 2007 and it didn’t realise due to the legal tangles.Mr I Vijay Kumar Reddy of Kurnool chamber of commerce says ,”they are sitting on the construction of flood wall for the past two years. It shall be taken upon war footing. Shifting all those near the river bed is no solution,”Even MLA TG Venkatesh and others houses in upper class Prakash Nagar are situated near Tunagabadra river.Dr KG Reddy a noted urologist says ,”some of these colonies are 500 years old. But they have to be shifted and rehabilitated,”The former Chief Minister Mr Kotla Vijaya Bhaskara Reddy memorial is on the banks of Handri and it is submerge during low intensity floods too often.Irrigation expert Mr Krishna Reddy said ,”It was the heavy rainfall much above than expected by meteorological department has resulted in this heavy floods. Tungabadhra dam can only accommodate 5.25 lakh cusecs. If it exceeds it creates havoc. It rained heavily in all catchments areas of Krishna and Handri in Kurnool and Mahabubnagar apart from that coming from Karnataka,”

Kurnool flood: Crucial rail link ignored in sending relief

Udumula Sudhakar Reddy/Kurnool

The crucial rail link between Hyderabad and Kurnool that was restored on October 4th morning was ignored by the State government officials and didn’t use it to send the relief material and men through the trains.Experts now see this as blunder as several of the relief material was stranded on NH7 at Beechupally and officials who were using the choppers couldn’t make it in emergency situation.

Instead it was relief by NGOs and groups from Anantapur, Kadapa and Chittoor that actually saved Kurnool residents out of starvation.Railway officials at Kurnool said that there was no special relief van used to send material from Hyderabad and even they didn’t use luggage cabins of express and passenger trains moving towards Bangalore and Chennai via KurnoolAdditional DG (Law and Order) Mr A K Khan said ,”restoring road links takes time and railways doest it faster. We have been stressing on the use of trains to send the relief material.,”The rail link was also initially cut off at Tunagabadhra but it was restoredby 4th.Mr Govind Reddy of Red Cross says ,”they didn’t use railways which would have been faster and easier. The relief on road from Hyderabad didn’t reach this place so far. The officials immersed in planning of relief measures neglected the basics,”The restoration work of NH7 is still on and it would take another week days officials said.Meanwhile hundreds of passengers were walking all along the track of stretch of 10 km from Kurnool to Alampur to take a bus or auto at Alampur to reach their destinations as the road links were cut off.G Narendra Shastry a priest in Bala Tripuarasundari Ammavari Devasthanam at NR Peta says ,”The temple is in water still. I have sent my family to Dhone. As my brother at Raichur is in serious health condition I have to go there. So I am walking all along the track to reach Jogulamba junction in Alampur.On the other hand there was migration on large scale to Hyderabad from the surrounding villages of Kurnool.Mr C Mahesh a mason of Gondipalem says ,”my houses in submerge and everything is lost. So with my wife and son I am going to Hyderabad for work,”

Krishna fury: Rehabiliated villages in Kurnool submerged

Udumula Sudhakar Reddy/Srisailam backwaters

The rehabilited villages in Jupadu Bungalow mandal during the construction of Srisailam reservoir which are though to be safer places are now worst hit due to backwater floods.80 Bannur, Chabolu, Pothulapadu and Tarigopula and several other villages in the mandal are affected due to the floods where thousands of hectares of crop was damaged and villagers had left to relief camps.M Lingaswamy of Chabolu says ,”we never thought that flood will affect our village as we are settled in the safer place two decades ago. It was the huge flood which I never saw in my life,”The road connecting Kurnool to Guntur was cut off at several places including Bannur and Rudravaram paralyzing the transport.Ex MLA of Nandikotkuru Mr Byreddy Rajasekhara Reddy who was visiting the affected villages with the relief material says ,”the Srisailam backwater has inundated them. The relief help of the government is not reaching these areas.The water flow in Pothireddypadu head regulator has decreased.:”The capacity of the regulatory was only 40thousand cusecs and more than one lakh cusecs of water had flown through this.,” said Rajasekhara Reddy.On the other hand the Sunkeshula dam was emptied after the bunds broke and there is no water in KC canal.“The drinking water supply to several towns in the district ill be affected as Sunkeshula emptied. On the other hand around 2.5 lakh hectares of crop under KC canal irrigation both official and unauthorized will be lost,” said Mr Reddy.

Rayalaseema trad hub worst hit, Poolabazar is a history

U Sudhakar Reddy/Kurnool

The trade hub of Rayalaseema, Kurnool One town, is worst hit due to the floods of Tungabadhra and Handri as crores of worth of stocks of food grains, clothes are damaged.

The famous Poolabazar once known for selling flowers is stinking today as the wholesale and retail shops with hundreds of tonnes of stocks of rice, fancy, eatables cereals, sugar soaked in water and thrown out on the streets. Godowns situated on the river bed are submerged still on Monday.Many of the traders didn’t insure their stocks and the entire trading community in Kurnool has suffered a big set back financially.The Kurnool district chamber of commerce building itself was affected due to the floo and all records are spoiled.Chamber of Commerce president Mr I Vijay Kumar Reddy says that the loss would run into hundreds of crores for the 1000 shops in the trade hub of Poolabazar, Mandibazar and other areas.

Even small scale industries are affected.For instance Dinesh traders godowns all sunk in water making them to loose Rs 3.5 crore.“It is from Kurnool one town wholesale products are sent across the region to the retailers. It will take another three months for this hub to become operational. Several of them didn’t have insurance. I was told that banks which gave loans are telling that they didn’t insure the stocks,” said Mr Reddy.Mandi Bazar Kirana Merchants Association president Mr G Lakhsminarayana says ,”there are around 75shops in this bazaar and each one of have lost stocks worth Rs 3 to Rs 4 lakh. Te loss would be estimated in these bazaars would be around Rs 30 to Rs 40 crore. For the retailers there is no insurance,”The traders are after lensemen to have a record of the damage as they can show it as proof if government announces some help.An APCO run shop in Poolabazar has lost Rs 6 lakh worth of sarees says it’s manager S Nageswara Rao.

Kurnool town Dalmillers and Fried Gram sellers Association president Mr T Rangaswamy who himself is a victim says ,”there are 13 such shops here. We all have lost around Rs one crore,”The Boorgulu batti(rice based )’s famous in Kurnool also submerged in water.D Nagoji Rao of Bandimetta says ,”around 150 bags of senagalu and Rs 2 lakh batani are damaged. There are ten such battis that make rice and cereal based products. I invested in this by taking debts. There is no way for me and future appears bleak,”Chamber of Commerce of Kurnool now wants the government to waive the bank loans.“they should also pay compensation based on the Income Tax Assessment of previous years. Kurnool Municipal Corporation should not implement the proposed hike in rents of the shops in municipal buildings,” said Mr I Vijay Kumar Reddy.Onions are sold at Rs 15 per kg as against Rs 10 and even the tomatoes rates went up to 40 though Kurnool area is the place where they are grown vastly

Kurnool flooded: Young women entrepreneur dreams shattered

U Sudhakar Reddy/Kurnool

An young women entrepreneur who was dreaming to make big in saree industry never though that floods will water down her hopes. An 19-year-old K Mahadevi after the death of her father recently didn’t give up her hopes along with two other relatives she took a loan from Andhra Bank under PMRY scheme and set up a saree making and selling unit in her house in Sankalpbagh in Kurnool.

Mahadevi says ,” I took a loan of Rs 5lakh and set up this unit along with two others K Vijayalakshmi and K Swarnalatha. We have stocked up the sarees made and they were ready for sale. I was hoping that all our hard work would bail out my family. But as the area is flooded and the sarees soaked in mud water for four days and they are all spoiled unfit for sale,”Her mothr K Sivamma and maternal uncle are worried over clearing the debt.The family has invested their savings too. “we are selling the sarees in the locality on instalment basis. Already we have sold salaries and people pay us the money in instalment. Now all these colonies are damaged. We don’t have a hope that people will pay the money for already sold,” says K Sivamma mother of Mahadevi.

The family has to repay the loan in ten years. It was a common sight at several places where people are washing their clothes in Rozaveedhi, Prakashnagar, Narsingarao pet, Budhavarapet and Kummari Veedhi.Ms Ghousia Begum of Rozaveedhi says ,”we came back here today. Everything is lost. All electronic goods, clothes and material are lost,”Several of the students have lost their certificates and residents their land documents and other vital property papers in the flood mud.Mr Lakshminarayana a student says ,”my certificates got wet and they are no use now. It is difficult to get duplicate of them as I have to get a police certificate,"

Kurnool flooded: Marriage celebrations turn sour

U Sudhakar Reddy/Kurnool

The marriage celebrations of a medical college lecturer turned soar within hours as the flood hit his house on the wedding day in Kummaristreet.Happiness of the marriage in the family evaoporated as Tunagabadra levels rose on October 1st and 2nd in Kurnool. The newly wed couple Mr S Naveen Kumar and Swapna has to leave to Proddutur to relatives house from marriage hall in Venkataramana Colony without even coming back to their house.The three storied house after four days still have serial lighting bullets decked up for wedding but with the tears of the parents of Naveen who says they could not even do satyanarayanavratam.

S Manohar father of Naveen says ,”My elder son is a post graduate in Bio Chemistry is working as lecturer in a medical college at Raichur. On October 1st morning around 11.25 am we have conducted the marriage. As the talambralu is held in the function hall they have to come back home but meanwhile flood water hit our house,”Manohar’s wife who was cleaning hundreds of buckets of mud water entered into the first floor of their house ,”we are supposed to have a happy time as this is first wedding in the family. We ended up cleaning dirty water and all valuables and material including madi biyyam(marriage tradition rice) and goddess pictures also got wet and soaked. The pellipandiri(marriage tent) on the terrace has to be removed on third day after marriage but it is not done as the couple didn’t come here.

The bride and bridegroom instead of spending happier time kept calling us to find out our safety. As we have many relatives they all came but left hurriedly after the marriage,”Manohar and his wife and a few people in the locality didn’t go to the relief camp and were staying on the water tanker on the third floor for more than 48 hours fearing washed away in the floods.Mr C Kistaiah another flood victim principal in Jyothismrithi College of Pharmacy in Turkapally in Hyderabad a neighbour of the bridegroom Naveen says ,”it was pitch dark in the locality for the past four days in the nights. The power is not restored so far. My kids are studying here at Kehsava Reddy School so I come here once in a month. We were on the top of the building along with wife and children,”Several government department employees residing in these colonies couldn’t get back to their duties yet.“Mr A Krishna Assistant Registrar in Co-operative societies of Chittarigerry says ,”there was no proper information on flood. They didn’t tell it was this much serious. It came devastating. All the electronic goods, food stocks are spoiled. Here we have a habit of buying rice for a year and stocking,”

Students certificates lost in floods in Kurnool

U Sudhakar Reddy/Kurnool

Flood fury has left the students in pathetic situation in Kurnool. An engineering student of BITS College in Kurnool who was victim of floods narrates her story of woes.Ms Chaitanya Lakshmi first student of Bits and resident of Kottapeta in Kurnool says ,”My father Bhaktavatsala stays in Tirupati as he was transferred recently. He is a pay and accounts officer in Irrigation Department in Kurnool. The flood came when my fathr was away at Tirupati. We were rescued in boats. When we returned home we found all the certificates are lost,”Lakshmi’s brother Viswanath at tenth class student and her mother padma are now stayin in a relief camp at SV complex in the nights and then cleaning their house in the day.Meanwhile MLAs and MP and other prominent citizen in the Kurnool are now staying in a two star hotel after their houses are submerged and stinking with slush.Kurnool MLA TG Venkatesh , MP Kotla Surya Prakash Reddy, Several doctors, traders are now staying SV Regency a two star hotel for the past five days.

Two of Navanandis in Nandyal submerged in Kundu

Udumula Sudhakar Reddy/Nandyal

Two of Navanandis the nine nandis in Lord Shiva temples dating back to 18th century in Nandhyala town were submerged in the flood water of Kundu river.

Sri Prathamanandeeswara Devasthanam and Naganandi in Nandhyal are still reeling under water with no pooja for the past five days as the approach the temple has cut off and there is water around the temples.Pilgrims who come to Mahanandi also visit the other eight Nandis They are now asking the government to restore the approach to the temples and repair the damages on war footing.Mr A Kishore a devotee from Chittoor who came to Nandhyal three days ago says ,”we have been waiting to see the prathamanandi and start our piligirmage to navanandulu. There is no way now as the water level from the main road to the temple at a distance of half kilometre is at the level of twelve to fifteen feet.

The small bridge is also washed away in the floods,”The watchman of the Prathama Nandeeswara Temple T Thimmaiah was struck up in the temple for the past six days. His wife T Savitri said ,”the temple priest Dattatreya is safe and he is in the town as the water came on October 2nd afternoon after the pooja and priest left the temple,”Naganandi inside the Anjaneyaswamy temple in the west of Nandhyal was also inundated.Within a 15 kilometer radius from the Mahanandi temple lie eigh other Prathama Nandi, Naga Nandi, Vinayaka Nandi, Garuda Nandi, Shiva Nandi, Vishnu Nandi, Surya Nandi, and Soma Nandi.The King Nandana and his ancestors performed Pujas to Lord Shiva by constructing the nandis with Chalukya architecture.The piligirms alleged that there no efforts made by either reveue or endowments or irrigation department to take up the restoration.

Kurnool Medical College devastated in Handri floods

U Sudhakar Reddy/Kurnool

Kurnool Medical College including quarters of house surgeons and a few wards of Kurnool general hospital which are ravaged by the Handri river floods are yet to become normal to start their regular activities. The power supply to mortuary in Kurnool Medical College was cut off and bodies are putrefying emanating bad odour in the premises.

Medicos who left the hostels on the flood days are reaching one by one to search for the books and notes in the rooms which are soaked in water and slush.

A first year woman medico of the college who came along with her father to the hostel on Thursday could able to find out some books but most of them are damaged. She said that those on ground floor are totally lost.Kurnool General Hospital Superintendent Mr M S R K Prasad said ,”though the college holidays were extended till 20th we cant tell how long it will take to restart te classes. First our priority is to see that all Post Graduates and Interns quarters are cleaned up and to make them fit for inhabitation,”At present Post Graduate doctors working in the hospital are accommodated in a building still under construction and in a seminar hall.The officials are trying to clean up the building having Microbiology and Biochemistry labs in hospital to see that the tests are conducted.The anatomy and physiology labs in the college and the leprosy and psychiatry wards of hospital situated in boothbangla are also submerged in water.“there are specimen bodies in anatomy lab are preserved with chemicals so there will be no big problem for them but we have to use anti fungal agents. We have lost crores o worth of buildings, medical equipment,” said Mr Prasad.

The diarrohea cases are increasing in KGH. “Most of them are mild to moderate cases and there are no casualties so far. We are suspecting the spread of Malaria as the mosquitoes population increased,” he added.Though the central drug stores was also hit by water officials claim that there is no damage.“the power supply to mortuary is yet to be restored. There are five unidentified bodies kept in freezer but there is no power for the past week days. But there is uninterrupted power supply to hospital,” said Prasad.

Mantralayam pontiff on Tungabadhra flood fury

U Sudhakar Reddy/Mantralayam

The pontiff of Sri Madhvacharya Moola Mahasamsthana Raghavendra Swamy Mutt at Mantralayam Sri Suyateendra Teertha Swamy was initially reluctant to be airlifted from the mutt and agreed to board the chopper only after 17 hours of persuasion by his disciples and Karnataka government including Chief Minister Yeduirappa on the day on which the temple town was ravaged by Tungabadra floods.Sri Suyateendra Teertha Swamy spoke exclusively to this newspaper and shared his experience..

Sri Suyateendra Swamy said ,”It was all quiet till October first evening and we conducted all pujas and radhotsavams without interruption.. As the water levels rose on October 1st midnight along with Moola Rama diety box and 35 sishyas moved to the first floor. On October 2nd morning the water level was almost 16 to 18 feet in the main temple. I performed Pooja to Moola Rama diety at 9.00 am on October 2nd in the first floor itself. I prayed to Lord Rama and Sri Guru Raghavenda Swamy to see that there is no loss of life due to floods

He added ,” within a very short time the river water levels rose. .The banyan trees from the garden were uprooted and came floating to form like a cushion to the wall of the pooja mandir building of the mutt where I was stationed to prevent the damage due the gushing water By watching this from the top of the building I recalled sage Markandeya Purana Pralaya incident. The flood was the sample I witnessed how the pralayam could be as explained by Markandeya. I have asked my disciples to make arrangements to rescue and ferry the students in vidyapeet and residents and piligrims in the town to safety.,”One of the staunch devotees of Sri Guru Raghavendra Swami Mr Subanna called Karnataka MP Anantha Kumar and informed about the dangerous flood situation at the mutt and discussed on importance of airlifting of of Swamiji on an emergency basis,”Initially swamiji made all discplies and archakas in the temple premises to board the chopper and he took the last trip of the chopper at 5.15 pm on October 2nd.Swamiji was airlifted along with Moola Rama Deities to nearest Raichur at the distance of 40 km and landed at 5.45 pm.

At Raichur Swamy coducted pooja for Moola Rama dieties on October 3rd, 4th and he also monitored on phone the relief and rescue operations.Swamiji who returned to the mutt on October 5th visited the colonies and villages in and around Mantralayam and participated in distribution the relief material including food grains and all provisons and a cash of Rs 1000 to each victim“Swamiji assured the flood affected people of mantralayam to have food Annnapurna dinring centre inthemutt priemises. After the temple complex the cleaning of vidyapeet and cottages will be taken up on priority,” said Mr Vittal Joshi poorvasrhama son in law of Swamiji.

Trying to save crop farmer washed away in Kundu floods

Udumula Sudhakar Reddy/Bandi Atmakur(Kurnool)

A farmer who went to his field to drain out rain water was washed away in the unexpected Kundu floods in Paramatur in Bandi Atmakur in Kurnool. His body was found after two days. Relatives and Police can't reach the spot as the village Paramatur is still cut off from the Bandiatmakur.

(photo: YS Jagan Mohan Reddy consoling the victims families in Kadapa affected by Kundu river)

The deceased was identified as Mr M Venkatiaha 50 a farmer. His son Mr M Srinu told ,”my father went to the filed to drain out the water. On October 3rd the flood water suddenly increased and he was washed away in it. Later after two days his body was found entangled to trees in nearby fields. It took another two days to go to body and we buried it,”Parmaturu sarpanch Mr P Thimmapur Reddy says ,”the farmer didn’t expect the water level will raise so much,”Bandi Atmakur SI of police Mr T V Chakravarthy says ,”we couldn’t reach the spot and we haven’t issued an FIR as we couldn’t take complaint,”

Film theatres hit in Kunrool, Entertainment sector face losses

Udumula Sudhakar Reddy/Kurnool

Film theatres in Kurnool are worst hit as the Handri an Tungabadra floods wrecked havoc in the town that submerged half of the city.Many of the theatres are on the banks of handri they were inundated in October 2nd and 3rd and shows were cancelled abruptly. On the five days of floods only two theatres out of 25 operated.Interestingly some of the flood victims who ferried out of their houses to save lives purchased tickets in Prithvi and Nagasai theatres that are not affected to watch Junior NTRs movie and Nagarjuna’s Shiva screened at this two theatres.On Thursday five theatres have become operational and others are still cleaning up the halls and assessing the damages.Five theatres in Anand cine complex screening Rama Charan Tejas Magadheera and Sri Rama theatre screening Josh still didn’t resume the shows.

Mr Gopal Reddy Manager of Prithvi theatre says ,”we have screened Junior NTRs Naga and in Nagasai theatre films like Siva, Rowdy Inspector are screened in these days. The collections have come down drastically,”He added three other theatres Ravi, Ravikirhan, Radha Krishna which were closed for two days are began screening the films.

Mr Pullaiah an employee of the theatre said ,”some of the flood victims from several areas in old city and one town whose houses were inundated didn’t go to relief camps immediately instead purchased tickets and watched movies. In the relief camps they have to sit and sleep on the floor. In theatres we have at least chairs,”

Swine flu fear, Chest hospital teams deployed in Kurnool

By Udumula Sudhakar Reddy/Kurnool

Swine flu screening teams and six doctors from Erragadda chesthospital Hyderabad have arrived in at Kurnool on Friday as the fear of H1N1 spread issuspected.Kurnool General Hospital Superintendent Dr M S R K Prasad told this correspondent,""there are no cases of Swine flu reported in the city.

But as a precautionary measurethe doctors team from Chest Hospital was sent to screen the patients suffering with acuterespiratory diseases,"

After the floods on October 6th and 7th four kids died of acute respiratory disease inKurnool General Hospital and hospital authorities have termed them as regular disease.Doctors said that the slush mixed up with food grains and oil and other material is anexcellent medium for bacteria and virus.The food grains stocked in One town and godowns and cooking oil perished in water andthe residents in Kurnool stock the rice for a year and all these bags soaked in water.

"the foul smell and the presence of micro organisms in the air will cause respiratoryinfections. So we have made all arrangements to face any situation. Three psychiatristalso came here to treat the flood phobia and depression due to this. Doctors from Gandhiand Osmania General Hospital are also arriving here. Teams of KGH are going to 56villages," said Mr MSRK Prasad.Residents of Kurnool now demand the government to supply N 95 respirator mask tothem.Lakshmi Narayana Gupta of Poolabazar says ,"the stinking smell is too bad. peoplealready have throat infections. the surgical masks now available are of no use.government should supply N 95 respirator masks,"

Kurnool municipal Officials said that the drainage and sewage lines mixed up with thedrinking water supply pipes and the contamination is suspected.

AP Pollution Control Board have lifted the samples to test the water for E Coli and otherpollutants.Mr A Surendra Raju Joint Chief Environmental Engineer of AP Pollution Control Board,"our men have lifted the samples of water in Kurnool and the tests are being conducted.We are waiting for the results. We didn't collect any samples of air pollution,"The Institute of Preventive Medicine regional lab situated at Kurnool General Hospitalalso submerged in water and there no water quality tests conducted.Authorities said all the equipment was damaged in the floods.

Kurnool Archaeological museum hosting priceless antiques devastated

Udumula Sudhakar Reddy/Kurnool

Kurnool Archaeological Museum hosting prehistoric to modern periodantiques, paintings, coins, sculptures, arms, pottery and talapatras was badly damagedin the floods of Handri river.Archaeology department Anantapur region Assistant director Mr Vijay Kumar who visitedthe museum in Kurnool told this newspaper that paintings of 18th century were spoiledas the flood water engulfed the museum. Officials are now worried over the fate of otherpriceless antiques.The glass show cases containing prehistoric stone tools, coins of Ikshvaka, Moghal,Sathavahana dynasties and sculptures of Chalukya period were floating in the building.Mr Vijay Kumar said ,"the paintings belong to modern period of 18th century that mayhave spoiled are less valuable when compared to other exhibits in the museum. Thetalapatras may also have got defiled. The remaining exhibits are intact but the showcases are floating in the hall in the water and mud. We may have to do the chemicaltreatment to restore them. We don't know about the fate of Old Holy Quran manuscriptbook in the museum. Only after clearing the mud and water is totally pumped out we cancome to a conclusion to what extent they are damaged," He added that exhibits arelocked in the show cases.Even the houses of the staff of Archaeology department are affected. Officials claimedthat they have put a 24 hour guard at the museum to prevent any thefts as the exhibitsvalue hundreds of crores in international market.The infrastructure of the museum including computers, furniture and files were marred inthe flood water.AP Archaeology department director Mr P Chenna Reddy ," I am obtaining reports fromall over the state on the flood damage to the museums and historic sites. KurnoolMuseum was one among archaeological properties that are badly hit. We are sure thatnone of the displays are washed away in the floods. We are making efforts to clean upthe mud,"Mr Chenna Reddy added that two temples of Vijayanagar period which are transplantedfrom Srisailam submergence area to Bannur in Jupadu Mandal in Kurnool district weresubmerged in the water. Siddeswaraswamy temple and Bujanganadha temple weretransplanted after the construction of Srisailam reservoir were also immersed in water.Archaeological museum at Alampur in Mahabunagar district was still submerged inwater. Mr Nayak Assistant Director of Mahabubnagar and Nalgonda region said ,"thereare around 250 sculptures dating from sixth to seventh century. The registry file werelost. We can't even reach the museum yet as there is still 12 feet water," He added thatthere is no back up for the registerArchaeological officials now want government to construct new buildings by raising theheight of the ground floor to prevent being flooded.

Tungabadhra floods: Mantralayam Jumbos saved

Udumula Sudhakar Reddy/Mantralayam

Two elephants serving at Sri Guru Raghavendra Swamy temple inMantralayam were saved by mahouts who unlocked their legs as the water level rose tosix feet.The two pachyderms were shifted to Kalludevakunta a nearby village which is situatedfour kilometre from Mantralayam by Mahouts.The rabbits and deers that were in the garden were shifted three months ago as the straydogs are entering into to prey upon them.Mantralayam SI of police Mr Srinivas said ,"as the flood water level rose the mahoutsshifted the elephants. The deer and rabbits were handed over to forest department asstray dogs attacked one of them in the garden,"Mr Vittal Joshi the poorvshrama son in law of the Madhvacharya Mutt pntiff SriSuyateendra Teertha Swamy said ,"the elephants were kept in the garden just beside theriver. Initially the water was only a few feet as the levels rose the mahout took them outto safety,"There two elephants a male and a female near the mutt and they are used forgajavahana seva for the Sri Gura Raghavendra swamy.The male one named Raghunandana was donated by an NRI in 2005 and Surgarcane forthe elephants is grown near Madhavaram village.Archaka Jayteendra said ,"initially the water was only to the feets within no time thelevels rose so they were taken to the nearby village,"SI of Police M Srinivas said ,"the chopper that came on October 2nd saved three lives ofvictims stranded on a tree.,"