Tuesday 31 January 2017

Hyderabad floods: 200-km roads battered; 3,000 cars need repair

By Udumula Sudhakar Reddy

Floods in several areas of Hyderabad over the past two days caused huge monetary loss for damaged civil infrastructure like roads and financial losses to car and bike owners and also property loss, mostly due to burning of electric metres in cellars.

Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation’s initial estimates are that about Rs 60 crore will be needed to relay around 200 lane kilometres of roads that have been damaged. GHMC executive engineer (Disaster Cell) R. Srinivas Reddy said, “We need Rs 30 lakh to relay each lane kilometer of road, totalling to about Rs 60 crore.”

Outside Hyderabad, from September 11 to September 20, the government has estimated around 8,788 hectare of crop damage, mostly in Adilabad, Ranga Reddy and Mahbubnagar.

Though only five houses collapsing were reported in the city, around 3,000 cars and 5,000 bikes were damaged over the last two days in Nizampet, Bhandari Layout and Quthbullapur.

Insurance companies have been receiving claims for bikes and cars from these localities. The GHMC disaster control room informed that one car was completely washed away, in Macha Bollarum.

Hyderabad now has five sinkholes

Three more sinkholes opened up on Thursday, taking the total to five after just two days of rain. A one-metre diameter sinkhole opened up on the road opposite HDFC Bank in Basheerbagh and another one on the road at King Koti.

Earlier in the day, a four-foot deep sinkhole formed on the Shivam Road near Amberpet on Thursday, the third after two days of rain following the ones on NTR Marg and at Neredmet.

A tanker-trolley got stuck in the Shivam Road sinkhole at about 6 am on Thursday, and was cleared using two large cranes at about noon. The accident caused a massive traffic jam and congestion along the busy road from Osmania University to Amberpet. Traffic police barricaded the sinkhole, even as emergency repairs were being undertaken.

At Basheerbagh, Narayanaguda traffic inspector A. Balaji said he and his team had barricaded the sinkholes. “The road at Basheerbagh is a busy route. We have diverted traffic from one side of the road. GHMC and water works officials will begin repairs from Friday morning,” he said.

About the massive NTR Marg sinkhole that had opened up on Wednesday, Sewerage and Water Board MD M. Dana Kishore said six teams had been set up to reduce water flow into the site.

Emergency response teams have been posted at the sinkhole itself. Infrastructure Repairs will begin after the flow of water stops. Another sinkhole had opened at Neredmet on Wednesday.

GHMC forms 18 multi-disciplinary demolition squads

By Udumula Sudhakar Reddy

GHMC commissioner B. Janardhan Reddy on Sunday issued orders to all circles in the corporation limits to immediately form multi-disciplinary demolition and enforcement squads with officials of town planning, police, revenue and irrigation departments.

The squads will go into “mission mode demolition drive” from Monday, though the commissioner was not sure of actual demolition starting on the day. The squads will remove unauthorised constructions, encroachment of public spaces including on roads, nalas, parks, tanks, open lands, and demolish structurally unsafe buildings.

The 18 enforcement squads, each to a circle, will be convened by the assistant city planner of GHMC and will comprise the GHMC deputy commissioner, ACP, deputy collector or MRO, executive engineers of GHMC and Irrigation, HMWSSB manager and representatives of TS Southern Power Distribution Com-pany Ltd as members. Each squad will be provided with a mini-truck for movement of men and material, six hired labour, hammers, drillers and power saws.

Demolitions will be in many phases
GHMC commissioner B. Janardhan Reddy on Sunday issued orders to all circles in the corporation limits to immediately form multi-disciplinary demolition and enforcement squads.

Mr Janardhan Reddy said, “We have written to the police commissioner to provide policemen to tackle any resistance. The demolitions will be done in phases. We need to identify the encroachments. On Monday the process of formation of squads will begin. We have short-term and long-term goals. Zeroing in on prioritised structures that will help in reaping maximum benefits in removal of encroachments is the short-term goal. In the next few months the goal is to remove encroachments in nalas, tank beds and low-lying areas.”

He added, “Revival of nalas and tank beds by removing encroachments all over the city will take five to six years. Land acquisition, land compensation, rehabilitation are all part of the process.”

GHMC to begin using muscle that it always hid

By Udumula Sudhakar Reddy

The GHMC has been using only sparingly a 2008 amendment to the Hyderabad Municipal Corporation Act that makes constructing unauthorised and illegal buildings and adding extra floors in violation of sanctioned plan, a criminal offence. The violator can be punished with up to three years imprisonment or fine.

GHMC chief city planner S. Devender Reddy now says the civic body will book criminal cases against repeat violators and habitual encroachers under Section 461(4) which will result in the arrest of the accused and put them on trial.


He said, “We had earlier filed criminal complaints and got FIRs issued a few years ago and the same are under trial in the Kukatpally court. There are provisions to book the violators under cognizable sections in Hyderabad Municipal Corporation Act. We are getting FIRs issued now and then. It is getting difficult to get conviction.”

“Henceforth we will invoke Section 461 read with Section 596 of the Act and book repeat violators. For instance we demolished structures on nalas on Monday. If they construct again we will book criminal cases,” Mr Devender Reddy said.

The special chief secretary, municipal administration department, filed an affidavit in High Court on a writ filed in 2015 by one Jaan Mohammed alias Shahi, a victim, against unauthorised construction on Nizamshahi Road, in which he said, “As per  the request of the corporation to treat the acts of unauthorised construction a cognizable offence in 2008, an amendment was made to Section 461 of the GHMC by adding sub-section (4)  and the same shall be read with Section 596.”

The High Court, ruling on the Jaan Mohammed case on May 19, 2016, observed: “It is not clear from the reading of the sub-section which vested discretion to the court” either to sentence the guilty to jail up to three years or to levy fine. The court observed that the corporation was not invoking the penal provision against those indulging in serious violations of sanctioned plans and building regulations.

Justice C.V. Nagarjuna Reddy, who passed the judgement, ruled that the GHMC should take advantage of the provisions of Section 461 (4) of the Act and ensure registration of criminal cases and arrest of the violators, in cases of unauthorised constructions,  constructions without permission and illegal constructions, constructions made in deviation of plans, except in cases of minor deviations.
  • During 2014-15, 865 unauthorised constructions were identified by the town planning department of the GHMC. Only 31 criminal cases were registered since 2008 (when the law was amended) up to 2015.
  • 1,520 cases filed against demolition notices in the civil courts. Interim orders of either injunction or status quo were granted in 1,431 cases.
  • High Court in May 2016 ordered setting up of town planning tribunal, excluding the civil courts’ jurisdiction to prevent proliferation of illegal and unauthorised constructions.
  • High Court ordered the filling up of vacancies in the town planning department to be done in four months from the date of judgement, which was September 19. The same day the city received heavy rainfall leading to flooding in several areas. The Public Service Commission is yet to fill up the posts.
GHMC scouts for sites to dump demolition debris
GHMC officials have begun scouting for places to dump the debris from demolished structures besides seeking methods to reuse the concrete to lay roads.

Much debris is expected to pile up if the demolition drive continues, according to GHMC officials. Till now, the debris was dumped at the Jawaharnagar dump yard or taken away by private parties.

GHMC disaster cell executive engineer R Srinivas Reddy said, “We are checking various areas so that debris can be shifted there in accordance with solid waste management rules. Concrete debris can be recycled and used for laying cement roads in certain localities. The commission has ordered us to work on this.”

Demolition drive: GHMC cracks whip on illegal structures

By Udumula Sudhakar Reddy

GHMC’s demolition and enforcement squads, invoking Section 405 of the Hyderabad Municipal Corporation Act, on Monday took up demolition drives across the city and razed encroachments on nalas, lakebeds and tanks.

Section 405 has been invoked to avoid legal hurdles. Encroachers can’t approach courts for stay orders as no notices are served. According to GHMC chief city planner S. Devender Reddy, Section 405 gives powers to the civic body to remove encroachments without serving notices if the structure, temporary or permanent, is on any street, open channel, drain, well or tank.

GHMC will initially target buildings and structures in which people are not living currently — mostly commercial and upcoming residential projects. Mr Devender Reddy said, “We have prepared an unified report based on Voyants Solutions and Kirloskar, and our field officials, during the recent floods, have identified prioritised structures obstructing flow of water in the nalas.

Residences are not in first list
GHMC chief city planner S. Devender Reddy said, “At present we are not touching dwellings, residential apartments and houses where people are living as we need to work out rehabilitation. Our focus is on commercial structures and upcoming residential projects that are being constructed on nalas or abetting nalas on public land.”

He added that the GHMC need not serve notices and can directly demolish the structures. Section 405 (a) reads: “Any wall, fence, rail, post, step, booth or other structure whether fixed or movable and whether a permanent or a temporary nature, or any fixture which shall be erected or set up in or over any street, any open channel, drain, well or tank contrary to the provisions of HMC act. Section 405 of the Act enables the Mun-icipality to remove unauthorized structures where there is no dispute about the ownership of the Municipality in respect of that land or property.”

Hyderabad police commissioner S. Mahender Reddy has ordered zonal DCPs and ACPs to provide security to the demolition squads. Mr Devender Reddy said that removing the encroachments and widening the nalas as per topographical maps would be done simultaneously.

Asked whether GHMC would continue the drive or whether it was a knee-jerk reaction to the floods, Mr Reddy said, “This time we are determined. Over-night we can’t demolish all the structures. Our target is that by next monsoons we will clean up most structures on nalas, tanks and lake beds.”

Imlibun bus station is a threat to Musi river

By Udumula Sudhakar Reddy

While the Supreme Court has ruled that part of the area on which the massive Mahatma Gandhi Bus Station was built is a private property, environmentalists claim that constructing the terminal on Imlibun Island in the first place was in clear violation of the River Conservation Act and is a future environmental concern.

The MGBS — one of the largest bus terminals in the country — was constructed in 1994 by the APSRTC on around 18 acres of land on Imlibun Island — which is surrounded by the Musi River on all sides. It was leased by GHMC for 99 years. The recent master plan for improvement of storm water drains drafted by GHMC mentions: “It is interesting to note that Musi is for the city and the Interstate Bus Terminal is located on an island in this river.”

Executive director of TSRTC Hyderabad zone D. Venu said, “GHMC has leased the land to us. Recently, a private party went to the Supreme Court and won the case stating part of this area and that of Imlibun Park was his land. We are in talks with him to resolve the issue. The bus terminal is built on around 3.5 acre of land that the court had settled to be that of the private party.”

The “Mississippi” hangar was constructed in 1953 by the Nizam State Road Transport department a few metres from the Musi, allowing a sufficient buffer zone. After the construction of MGBS at Imlibun, the entire Central Bus Station was shifted there.

Environmentalist Devidas Manganani said, “Though we can do little regarding MGBS, at least in future the government should avoid islands and river buffer zones.”

Ms Lubna Sarwath of SOUL said, “The river buffer zone in urban limits has been lifted in 2015 and that outside urban areas for Musi has been decreased with a GO. This will have a devastating effect on Musi. They are also building a metro station on the river and pillars are being raised.”

Ultimate disposal points of flood water in Hyderabad like the Musi River, Hussain Sagar, Pedda Amberpet Cheruvu, Saroornagar Cheruvu, Nakka Vagu and Nagaram Cheruvu are all shrunk and encroached.

8 Hyderabad-based firms involved in New Zealand visa scam

By Udumula Sudhakar Reddy

Immigration New Zealand’s Mumbai area office has confirmed that eight Hyderabad-based consultants, who had been sending the most students to New Zealand, have been involved in the visa fraud that came to light recently.

They are Kiwi Overseas Services, Sunrise Overseas Educational Consultants, IVY Overseas of SR Nagar, FIFO Overseas, Leaf Educational Services, AR Overseas Consultants of Dilsukhnagar, Storm Atlas and V & U Intellect Consultants.

Immigration New Zealand authorities meanwhile said that the visa rejection rate and the number of students being deported were the highest among Indians. In turn, students from Hyderabad topped the list among Indians.

Around 150 students, mostly from Hyderabad, were served deportation letters as an organised financial document fraud was detected regarding the students send by Hyderabad agents.

An investigation report of NZ Immigration regarding Hyderabad consultants is available with DC. The report states: “...the fraud appears to have exploited the fact that education loan documents are normally verified at sanction stage but not at disbursal stage, therefore creating an unguarded stage in the visa process which these agents have noticed and exploited.”

For instance, Kiwi Overseas Services is one of the biggest New Zealand agents for students in Hyderabad. It had 48 out of 104 applicants approved since January 2015. Of them at least 31, around 65 per cent, were provided with fake loan disbursal letters.

8 Hyderabad agents in New Zealand visa fraud
The Mumbai area office verification support team undertook direct verifications with various banks in Hyderabad.

Migrant Workers Association of Aotearoa / NZ has been helping nine students from Hyderabad — Charan Reddy, Sunil Chinta, Shahed, Shujath Ullah Baig, Teegala Sairoopreddy, Manoj Kiran, Hafiz Syed, Ramakrishna Reddy and Pradeep Reddy. In an email response, MWA’s Anu Kaloti stated, “This investigation was carried out on some 57 agents in Hyderabad alone. It is clear from the report that the fraud was committed by the agents and corrupt bank officials in India, but the report does not reveal the names of banks. We and the students have requested help from Mr Sanjeev Kohli, Indian envoy in NZ.

“The students have also Tweeted to external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj asking for help but there was no response. The students are extremely stressed.” She added, “The report also clearly states that Immigration NZ had not been checking the loan disbursement documents thoroughly.”

When DC did a check on agents, it was found that most of the consultants had downed shutters. Some of them had brought down their websites too.

Telangana: GO 111 set for big fight at National Green Tribunal on Monday

By Udumula Sudhakar Reddy

A fight over GO 111 that had reached the National Green Tribunal will be coming up for arguments on Monday.

Lake protection activists had filed a petition against encroachments and illegal constructions in the restricted zone along Himayatsagar and Osmansagar and got a status quo order on constructions, which is being challenged by village sarpanchs and politicians who had impleaded in the case, seeking the appointment of a committee for fresh hydrological studies aimed at amending the GO or cancelling it totally.

The legal fight has now gained significance in the wake of Shamshabad being announced as a new district. The region has also become a hot-bed of real estate activity in Hyderabad.

GO 111, issued in March 1996, prohibits industries, major hotels, residential colonies or other establishments that generate pollution in the catchment of Himayatsagar and Osmansagar up to 10 km from the full tank level (FTL) of the lakes. This covers 84 listed villages falling in six mandals such as Shamshabad, Moinabad, Shabad, Shankarpalli, Rajendranagar  and Chevella.

Human Rights and Consumer Protection Cell Trust chairman Thakur Rajkumar Singh of Serilingampally filed a petition against the TS government, HMDA and Ranga Reddy revenue officials alleging that GO 111 had been violated and that there remains a clear threat to Himayatsagar and Osmansagar lakes due to construction of illegal buildings.

Mr Singh said, “The government itself had identified these illegal structures. Those who are against the GO are arguing that a committee has to be set up for a study. The GO has been tested in Supreme Court so we are arguing that it has to be strictly implemented. The case is up for arguments on Monday.”

The counter filed by Ranga Reddy collector in the NGT stated that a survey had been taken up by the panchayat staff based on the orders of the NGT in 84 villages falling within the purview of GO 111 to enumerate the structures and layouts in areas excluding gramkantam area (traditional village settlement area).

The district authorities informed NGT: “It was found that 426  layouts and 12,442  structures are currently in the GO 111 area of RR district... Shamshabad village with 2,981 structures and Palamakula village with 691 are the highest in number.”

Hyderabad: Gandipet loses to encroachers

By Udumula Sudhakar Reddy

In spite of copious rain in Ranga Reddy and Medak districts, particularly in their catchment area, the two drinking water sources  —  Osmansagar and Himayat-sagar —  haven’t filled up.

Environmentalists said encroachments and illegal constructions in the catchment area, violating GO 111 and blocking nalas and pathways, had decreased inflows.
According to the Water Board, Osmansagar had 2.06 tmc ft water against its 3.9 tmc ft capacity on Friday; in Himayatsagar had water storage of 0.7 tmc ft out of 2.9 tmc ft capacity.

While realtors, politicians and violators, along with officials, are trying to undermine the importance of the twin reservoirs and working legally and politically to cancel or amend GO 111, activists are skeptical about the Save Gandipet project being taken up under Mission Kakatiya. The authorities failed to act on the officially declared 108 encroachments in FTL of Gandipet.

SOUL convener Lubna Sarawat said: “We have sought the project report under RTI but they are refusing to divulge the details. We have been demanding that the government fence the 10-km buffer zone instead of fencing the FTL at Osmansagar, otherwise illegal encroachments would come up on large scale.”

She said Gandipet was adopted by Cyberabad police commissioner under Mission Kakatiya and approximately Rs 26 crore was sanctioned for fencing the lake and a walking track. All blockages on inflow channels must be opened and encroachments on inflow channels removed so that Gandipet survives.”

According to earlier studies, there has been a decline in water supply over the years in Osmansagar and Himayatsagar due to redu-ced inflows. Osmansagar and Himayatsagar first dried up in 2003. Osmansagar has a 56-km perimeter and fencing will cost Rs 26 crore, and cycling track and amenities would cost `9 crore.

Water Board director (operations) G. Rameshwar Rao said: "The two reservoirs fill up once in five years. These were built as flood protection reservoirs. They filled up in 2010. Singur and Manjeera were filled up due to rain in catchment areas. Though there are some encroachments, we can’t attribute the reservoirs not filling up to them.”

HMDA awaits revenue nod for tax

By Udumula Sudhakar Reddy

The revenue department is yet to allow the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority to collect Non-Agricultural Land Assessment tax from those who have sought regularisation of illegal layouts, which would earn around Rs 100 crore to the exchequer. The Nala tax amounts to nine per cent of the registration value of the property.

HMDA had written to the revenue department six months ago seeking delegation of powers to collect Nala tax.

Revenue principal secretary K. Pradeep Chandra said, “We are examining the proposal. we will take a decision after verifying the facts.”

The HMDA move was opposed by politicians including MLAs and corporators as individual buyers in illegal layouts and realtors have been opposing the tax, as a 9 per cent tax on the registration value would be an additional burden on them.

An HMDA official said, “When Nala tax is collected for legally permitted layouts, why not for regularising illegal layouts? The tax is supposed to be collected by the revenue department. We can ask the applicants to get Nala tax clearance certificates from the revenue department for regularisation.”

He said that in order to avoid inconveniencing the applicants, the HMDA had proposed to collect the tax and remit it to the government. “It would fetch the government good revenue and discourage illegal layouts.”

HMDA has received 1.29 lakh applications. HMDA commissioner T. Chiranjeevulu said, “The scrutiny of LRS applications is on. The HMDA has got Rs 160 crore through various fees and we are expecting Rs 500 crore more. The Nala tax though not specified in the LRS GO is mentioned in the Act. Earlier, the High Court had upheld the collection of Nala tax. We have sought delegation of powers from the government.”

Outer Ring Road growth corridor set to be extended

By Udumula Sudhakar Reddy

The conservation zone — mostly agricultural land along the growth corridor of Outer Ring Road — may be hit as Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority  (HMDA) is working on extending the limit of the growth corridor belt on either side of ORR from one kilometre to three kilometres.

Currently there are no conservation restrictions for real estate layouts and other residential and commercial activities within 1 km of the ORR. The HMDA has received several hundreds of applications from builders. The new move is aimed to boost the real estate sector.


The issue of extending the growth corridor on either side up to 3 km was discussed in the recent HMDA meeting on integration of all master plans and common zoning regulations for Hyderabad Metropo-litan Region and revision of master plan.

HMDA director K. Vidyadhar said, “There are five master plans for the HMDA area. We wanted to have a unified master plan. As part of this several issues including ORR belt extension are being discussed. No decision has been taken yet. We have received 1,500 suggestions from the public.”

Hyderabad: Part of Sarathi studios to make way for new mall

By Udumula Sudhakar Reddy

Part of the iconic Saradhi Studios at Ameerpet, one of the earliest film studios in Hyderabad, will give way to a commercial mall, multiplex and hotel spread over 97,442 square metres built up area.

While the original building with floors for indoor shooting will be intact, the outdoor area will be converted into a thematic mall. The Telangana State Environment Impact Assessment Authority had recommended environment clearance during the recent meeting based on an application made by Sri Saradhi Studios Private Limited. Old films like Raithu Bidda and recent ones like Gabbar Singh starring Pawan Kalyan and Janata Garage starring Jr NTR were shot at the studio.


Saradhi Studios’ chief operating officer Mr Murali Krishna Raju said, “Originally, the studio was located on more than seven acre. After losing land to roads-widening and Metro Rail, we have about six acres. The original building built in 1936 existed here. We are now constructing a mall and multiplex in the area in front of the studio. Recently, half of the movie Janata Garage was shot in the sets put up in this area.

“Once we start construction of the mall, there is no possibility of sets outside, but indoor shootings will continue.”

Saradhi Studios’ director K.V. Rao said, “We started the studio in 1956. All the four floors will be intact; we are giving two for film shootings and two for TV shootings. These days films are being shot outdoors at Manikonda. We have also modernised the studio and added digital labs for post production. The upcoming mall and multiplex will be thematic where visitors may have a view of film shoots.” According to the documents submitted to the TS PCB, the project cost is around Rs 250 crore.

Hyderabad: Police, excise clueless about operations of narcotic drugs racket

By Udumula Sudhakar Reddy

A huge racket in narcotic drugs was operating in Miyapur, Cyberabad and in IDA Bollaram right under the noses of agencies like the police and excise but they could not find it till the Narcotics Control Bureau came in.

The police and the excise are empowered under the NDPS Act and the Drug Control Administration (DCA) under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act but citing lack of intelligence, staff and jurisdictional issues they did not bother about what was happening.

On September 30, the NCB seized 221 kg of Amphetamine from Miyapur and 10 kg Amphetamine from a lab in IDA Bollaram on October 1. The value of the seized narcotic is estimated to be Rs 45 crore.

The confession of IAF wing commander G. Rajasekhar Reddy who was arrested by the NCB revealed that a drug ring had been operating in Jeedimetla and IDA Bollaram since years. Rajasekhar Reddy said that Amphetamine was made in a lab at Trident Fine Chem and Laboratories in IDA Bollaram.

TS DCA joint director M. Amruth Rao said, “We are not empowered under the NDPS Act. This happened in a chemical factory and not a pharma company. So there was no lapse from our side.”

The TS DCA has no vigilance wing like the one in AP to keep tabs on drug rackets. A DCA official said, “We are facing a staff crunch. There are no funds even to collect samples. We can book cases under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act if therapeutics are misused. Amphetamine was removed from the list of therapeutics. The NDPS Act has more teeth than the Drugs Act and the NCB can track them down. We are tied up with licensing issues.”

Monday 30 January 2017

Indigo ordered to pay Rs 70,000 for loss of student’s baggage in Hyderabad

By Udumula Sudhakar Reddy

The Hyderabad District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum-3 has ordered Indigo Airlines to pay Rs 70,000 to a BTech fourth year student as compensation for loss of baggage, mental agony and expenses.

Mr Shaik Noor Mohammed, son of Shaik Ameer Basha, of Jal Vayu Towers near Lower Tank Bund, filed a complaint against Indigo and Dnata Baggage Services alleging that they had failed to trace his baggage and settle his claim.

Mr Mohammed said he booked a return ticket with Indigo to travel to Dubai from Hyderabad on January 28, 2014. Upon his arrival in Dubai, he found that his baggage was missing and filed a complaint stating that it contained Rs 1.18 lakh worth of personal belongings. He said that he was forced to purchase clothes and toiletries during his stay and incurred additional expenses.


Indigo contended that the forum had no jurisdiction as the airline had no branch office in Hyderabad. It said: “Indigo shall not accept any responsibility for such items carried by the customers in their baggage.”

It argued that liability for loss, delay or damage of baggage would be according to the Warsaw or Montreal Conventions unless higher value was declared in advance and additional charges were paid.

Indigo said that it offered $300 as per international conventions to the complainant, which Mr Mohammed did not accept. It alleged that he failed to provide any proof of purchase made due to the loss of baggage.
The forum in its judgement on October 5 ruled that it had jurisdiction as the ticket was booked in Hyderabad and the complainant boarded the aircraft at the Hyderabad airport.

The consumer disputes redressal forum, further, observed: “When the airline accepted the baggage to be carried by them, they are the custodians of the same and a duty is cast upon them to deliver the same at the port of disembarkation. Failure to do so constitutes a case of deficiency of service.”

FBI nabs Hyderabad businessman in call centre scam

By Udumula Sudhakar Reddy

A Hyderabadi connection has emerged in the US money soliciting scam involving Indian call centres, with the arrest of city origin businessman Bhogavalli Narasimha Rao by the FBI in Irving, Texas.

Rao, 50, was arrested on Thursday for engaging in “monetary transactions in property derived from specified unlawful activity in connection with an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) impersonation scam.”

According to the US Justice Department, the victims were contacted by individuals claiming to be IRS agents and told of “outstanding warrants for their arrest” and that they would be sent to jail unless they deposited money orders or cash into accounts controlled by Narasimha Rao and other accounts used by co-conspirators.”

Call centre scam: Hyderabadi managed multiple accounts
Tipped by US agencies Indian police detected a call centre operating from Ahmedabad in Gujarat. Northern District of Texas attorney John Parker alleged that Narasimha Rao had defrauded victims, transferred the money to his accounts and wired it to India. He was produced before a magistrate who ordered his detention.

Narasimha Rao used at least two Bank of America accounts, one in the name of Tekdynamics, Inc. and the other in the name of Touchstone Commodities, Inc. The investigation revealed that he controlled additional accounts used in the scam, including a Citibank account in the name of Touchstone Commodities, it said.

It said that from November 2014 to February 2015, 242 cash deposits to the tune of Rs 11.09 crore in Indian currency was deposited in one of the Bank of America accounts and 60 money orders worth Rs 25 lakh into the second one. An amount of `64 lakh was deposited in the Citibank account

The FBI found that immediately after the victims made the deposits, the money was wire-transferred to other accounts that Narasimha Rao controlled, which he either spent or wired them to accounts in other countries, such as India.

Narasimha Rao was listed as the director of Touchstone Commodities, located in Irving, Texas, which he claimed was running an “import-export” business of iron ore, steel and wood chips.

Records showed that he was listed as president of Tekdynamics, a firm claiming to be provider of “technology, outsourcing and consulting needs” with established infrastructure in the US and India.


  • Narasimha Rao was a product of GITAM University, Visakhapatnam, in the 1980s and was the member of GITAM Alumni of North America.
  • The website of Touchstone Commodities which listed Rao as chairman named his India representative as Avutapalli Srinivasa Rao.
  • The website says Srinivasa Rao is an engineer like Narasimha Rao and was in the business of precious stones.

Roadside eateries use cheaper genetically engineered cotton oil

By Udumula Sudhakar Reddy

Oil from the genetically modified BT cotton seed is widely used at roadside eateries, a few bakeries and smalltime restaurants due to its low cost.

About 95 per cent of the cotton sown in AP and TS is of the BT (Bacillus thuringiensis) variety. Ginning mills in Guntur and other parts in the state supply BT seeds to solvent or oil extractors who supply cotton seed cake meal for fish, poultry and animal feed to dairies and edible oil for general consumption.

Interestingly, none of them is labelled as GE derivative or BT based. Executive director of Solvent Extractors’ Association of India B.V. Mehta said, “We are not labelling imported GM oils or the BT cotton oil seed produced here. There is no requirement to label them as per the procedures.”

The oil extractors are located in Bahadurpura in the city and at Adoni in Kurnool and in Guntur. Food safety assistant controller Balaji Raju said, “Cotton oil is edible and allowed. It is mostly used by small roadside eateries and some mix it with other oils and use it. Adulteration has to be checked. As per the Act, the cover should denote what is inside. So it would be legal if they label them as BT cotton seed oil.”

A gazette notification from the ministry of consumer affairs has made it mandatory for packaged foods using genetically modified products as ingredients to carry such labels from January 1, 2013.

Experts say approval for cultivating BT cotton crop is deemed to be approval for all its products and by-products. Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee member Dr S.J. Rehman said, “When the government allows commercial cultivation of BT cotton based on the recommendation of GEAC, it means all the products of the crop are deemed to be allowed. Before approving, they might have done all safety studies including of the cake and oil. Here the question is whether BT or non BT cotton oil is good for health has to be answered by medical professionals. When the bakers and eateries are using this cheap oil they should let the consumer know about it.”

Scientists say that studies revealed that there was no change in composition in the BT and non BT cotton seeds with respect to proteins, carbohydrates, oil, calories and ash content. According to Dr O.P. Govila, retired professor of genetics at the Indian Agriculture Research Institute, the seeds have passed all toxicological tests.

Biggest consumer


  • In 2015-16, India imported edible oil worth Rs 70,000 crore. Of this, 30 per cent was GM mustard oil.
  • India is one of the largest producer of oilseeds, accounting 27.51 million tonnes of nine cultivated oil seeds during 2014-15, or six to seven per cent of the world’s oil seed production.

Genetically engineered foods: Two firms in focus

By Udumula Sudhakar Reddy

GHMC food safety officials on Monday served notices to two companies involved in the distribution of genetically engineered foods in Hyderabad supermarkets. Shree Agencies and SR International were served notices, asking to explain about imports and licences based on Green Mills Chocolate Cheerios samples lifted from supermarkets.

According to GHMC assistant food controller Mr K. Balaji Raju, notices were served based on the inspection report of Balaji Grand Bazar in Banjara Hills. “We have served notices to Shree Agencies of Padmarag Nagar and SR International of New Delhi, seeking details pertaining to these companies,” he said. Meanwhile the Consortium of Indian Farmers’ Association on Monday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi asking the government to allow farmers to cultivate Genetically Modified Mustard as GM foods are approved in the US and elsewhere and are also being imported into India, though illegally.

Quoting the DC investigation story in the letter, CIFA chief advisor P. Chengal Reddy said, “GM is a silver bullet to solve highly complex crop problems and also achieve food security as well as sustain small farmers in all situations.” In another letter to the Chief Justice of India, CIFA stated, “Genetically engineered cornflakes, GM mustard sauce and many other imported foods of GM origin are sold in the private sector in India. Farmer should be given access to genetic technology.”

2008 Balimela attack which killed 37 Greyhounds is avenged: Police

By Udumula Sudhakar Reddy

A team of AP Greyhounds launched a massive attack on the Maoist state-level meet camp on October 24 morning in the thick forests on the AP-Odisha border using rocket launchers, INSAS and AK-47 rifles.

They had only one aim. Avenge the killing of their comrades in Balimela eight years ago. Around 37 Greyhound commandos were killed in July 2008 when Maoists attacked them in the Balimela reservoir.


Using the same terrain advantage that Maoists had then, the Greyhounds attacked killing 24 Maoists including two state committee members B. Venkataramana alias Ganesh and Ch. Krishnaiah alias Daya of Nalgonda, six divisional committee members and two area committee members.

Maoist military expert B. Venkataramana alias Ganesh of AOB state committee and Munna alias Vikram, son of Ramakrishna alias RK and  Maoist top gun Ramakrishna may have escaped from the scene.

A top AP police official said, “The encounter took place near the Balimela reservoir. We found 24 weapons of Maoists and lost Greyhounds weapons. It was a meticulously planned operation.”

A senior intelligence official said, “Maoists might have been overconfident that we wouldn’t reach them. It was a state committee meeting of AOB. It is true that choppers got delayed in reaching the spot as we do not have them readily available. However, it has nothing to do with the death of commando Abu Bakr as he had already died at the spot."

Revolutionary poet Vara Vara Rao said, “Munna was a 23-year-old. He went underground without writing his Intermediate exams. His mother was arrested in 2010 in Odisha when she went to meet her husband RK and son Munna. Police planned this encounter to avenge Balimela.”

Daya was underground for 27 years and had been working in the AOB area since many years and was carrying a reward of `20 lakh on his head.

Public apathy takes light out of bug in Hyderabad

By Udumula Sudhakar Reddy

Zoologists and biodiversity experts have confirmed that bioluminescent fireflies, locally called jugnu or minguru purugu, have almost disappeared from urban and semi-urban areas while their number is dwindling in villages. They are now seen only in forest tracts and undisturbed jungles.

Experts say that light pollution and excessive use of pesticides are the prime reasons for their disappearance. Andhra Pradesh and Telangana state account for 24 per cent of pesticide use in the country, the highest for any state.


Dr C Srinivasulu, assistant professor of zoology at Osmania University and member of the TS State Biodiversity Board, said, “One of the major reasons is indiscriminate use of chemical pesticides. In the city and suburbs. Environment fogging done for mosquito control has resulted in this local extinction. Even in villages and agri farms, the firefly population is going down. We have fireflies only in undisturbed forests.”

He said this was akin to the decline in population of honey bees. “It has been recorded that the decline of honey bees is affecting pollination. Government organisations are apathetic about biodiversity. Only charismatic species like tiger, elephant and lion are in focus. There is a need to identify the problem and mitigate it.”

Fireflies are a variety of beetle and there are hundreds of species across the world. Fireflies use light signals emanating from their bodies to attract the opposite sex during mating.

Mr K. Tulsi Rao, coordinator, East Godavari Riverine Estuarine Eco-system Foundation, a UNDP-funded project, said, “Apart from pesticides, light pollution is another major reason. Due to excessive use of lights in homes and on vehicles, the mating process of fireflies is affected. Fireflies or lightning bugs generate light within their bodies to attract a mate. I can confirm that the firefly population has come down to a threatening level in some areas. Much is talked about biodiversity and the theat but little is done on the ground.”

National Biodiversity Authority member Mathen Rajeev Mathew confirmed the decline of fireflies and blamed the use of pesticides.

Narcotics Control Bureau to keep tabs on all chemicals, intermediaries

By Udumula Sudhakar Reddy

After busting a ring that was planning to smuggle amphetamines worth Rs 45 crore in the city recently, the Narcotics Control Bureau has decided to keep a tab on the sales of all chemicals, including laughing gas, and intermediaries like ephedrine and amphetamine used in hospitals as well as in the pharma industry.

The NCB has listed laughing gas as one of the commonly abused drugs. Laughing gas or nitrous oxide, which is also used in surgeries, is sold on a large scale in Hyderabad. Prolonged inhalation of laughing gas could cause death.

An NCB source said, “So far we haven’t found laughing gas during raids. It is misused abroad and we suspect that it is misused here too. It is on the list of most commonly abused drugs.”

“Stimulants speed up the body’s nervous system. They are also called ‘uppers’ and make people more awake. Laughing gas is an inhalant; when sniffed it gives immediate results but damages organs as the body is deprived of oxygen. It is known as laughing gas as it creates an euphoric feeling,” said the source.

It was widely reported in 2012 that Hollywood actor Demi Moore was addicted on nitrous oxide after splitting up with her husband. A wholesale dealer of nitrous oxide cylinders at Begum Bazaar said, “We sell the cylinders to hospitals and dental clinics. Usually vigilance is less during sales. We do not check its ultimate use or misuse.”

DC investigation: Genetically Engineered food in Hyderabad is uncertified

By Udumula Sudhakar Reddy

From breakfast products to sauces, salad dressings to snack foods, certain imported products sold in city supermarkets were likely to contain Genetically Engineered (GE) food ingredients.

Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) officials said that it was illegal to sell food products with GE ingredients as they were  still restricted.


An investigation done by this newspaper in the city’s supermarkets found that food products with GE ingredients like corn, soy bean, mustard seed and canola oil from the United States and Canada were sold widely in the city.

Products of US-based companies like General Mills, including Cocoa Puffs, Honey Nut Cheerios Medley Crunch and Old El Paso Red Enchilada Sauce were  imported by Delhi-based companies and sold in supermarkets in several areas including Banjara Hills, Jubilee Hills, Madhapur and Secunderabad.



General Mills on its website said, “In Honey Nut Cheerios Medley Crunch, some ingredients (generally less than 75 per cent of the product by weight) are from plants grown using GE seeds.” It also revealed that Cocoa Puffs were produced with GE ingredients.

Restrictions on GE food to continue
According to Washington-based Environment Working Group (EWG), Old El Paso Red Enchilada Sauce, General Mills Honey Nut Cheerios, and Whole Grain Oat Cereal may contain genetically engineered or may be derived from GE crops like Modified Starch (Corn).

How to Avoid Geneti-cally Engineered Food — A Greenpeace Shoppers Guide — has red-listed Honey Nut Cheerios and Red Enchilada Sauce as they are likely to contain GE or GE-derived ingredients.

Interestingly, a company named SR International with a New Delhi address on the labels of the products of General Mills and Old El Paso has an FSSAI licence number. However, when the licence number was verified on FSSAI’s website, it was found to be licensed to a Mumbai-based company. The customer care number on the label was not working.

FSSAI deputy director Dr M. Kannan said, “Two days back, FSSAI announced that restrictions on genetically mutant or modified foods would continue. No imports will be allowed.”

Consortium of Indian Farmers; Associations chief adviser P. Chengal Reddy, who also did a research on GE ingredients, said, “In Khan Market of Delhi, Andheri of Mumbai, T. Nagar of Chennai, MG Road of Bengaluru, Jubilee Hills of Hyderabad, genetically engineered corn flakes, soy bean, corn, ready-to-eat foods are sold. Even GE pet food is sold.”

He added, “According to International Service for the Acquisition of Agribiotech Applications, 83 per cent of soy bean produced in the world is genetically engineered. Most soy bean, corn products from US and Canada contain GM ingredients. If an American food or beverage product lists corn, soy, canola, cottonseed or beet sugar as an ingredient, it is likely to contain GE ingredients.”

Hyderabad Metro Rail plans to build multi-level parking

By Udumula Sudhakar Reddy

Hyderabad Metro Rail has issued tenders to appoint a concessionaire for the development of the integrated multi-level parking and skywalks targeting commercial areas at Nampally and Abids on a Design Build Finance Operate Transfer (DBFOT) mode. The multi-level parking is to be constructed on 0.5 acres at Nampally near the upcoming Metro Rail station. The skywalks will be constructed, in general, below the viaduct along the central median, wherever piers are present for connectivity with nearby areas for Metro Rail and other road users.

According to HMR authorities, the area for the project is centered around the Nampally and Gandhi Bhavan Metro Rail stations, both located approximately 800 metre apart on the Metro Line Corridor I from Miyapur to LB Nagar. A proposed skywalk will connect the MLP to both the Nampally and Gandhi Bhavan stations. The concession period has been fixed at 25 years. HMR will provide the land for the MLP and facilitate approvals. However, it will not bear any cost. The integrated multi-level car park that will also include a commercial complex will have a minimum capacity of 350 cars and 200 two-wheelers.


“The larger project area extends to the railway station complex in the north, Abids towards the east, Moazzamjahi Market and surrounding in the south and the Gandhi Bhavan area and neighbouring Exhibition Grounds towards the west,” said a HMR source. “The area is primarily commercial in nature with wholesale shops dealing with furniture, sanitary ware, ceramics, electrical appliances etc. Due to the presence of the Nampally station, there are many hotels and lodges located within a 500-metre radius of the station complex. In addition to commercial and lodging facilities, the area houses multiple government and office buildings,” he said.

The area faces the dual issue of parking as well as sub-par pedestrian experience. Although many of the bigger government offices and hotels have their own parking, there is only one dedicated parking space available within the project area. The area also lacks proper pedestrian facilities for people wanting to visit the various landmarks.

Hyderabad school fails student, fined Rs 55,000 by consumer forum

By Udumula Sudhakar Reddy

The Hyderabad District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum 3 has ordered Jubilee Hills Public School to pay Rs 50,000 as compensation to a Class II student after it was found that the school had harassed the girl and her parents and withheld her promotion to Class III by withholding her exam result.

The forum also granted Rs 5,000 towards costs to be paid by the school, in addition to the compensation, ruling that there was a deficiency in service on part of the school. It said the school had made the complainant’s father to run from pillar to post and caused mental agony.

The school claimed that the student’s attendance did not meet the criteria and her performance was poor.

Mother was threatened: Police
The eight-year-old girl, represented by her father K. Veera Raghava Reddy, a resident of OU Colony in Shaikpet, had filed a petition against the school’s secretary, principal and the Jubilee Hills inspector of police seeking Rs 15 lakh as damages for loss of education of 86 days.

Mr Reddy alleged, “We had paid the complete fee. After conducting Class II examination, the principal did not release the progress report and did not send information regarding promotion to Class III from July 2015. They called my wife under the guise of counselling and demanded a guarantee letter towards keeping good education standards of my daughter. My wife lodged a police complaint as she was threatened. The school authorities demanded withdrawal of the complaint to give the progress report and victimised my daughter. It is a gross violation of the Right to Education Act.”

Mr Raghava Reddy filed a petition in the High Court, which ordered the school to declare the result. Following this, the school sent a letter and the parents collected the report on December 16, 2015. He said that his daughter was admitted to another school, losing an academic year.

The school said the student fell short of the mandatory 75 per cent attendance but was allowed to write the exam. “On March 26, 2015, the complainant’s mother visited the school and she was advised retest, as the performance was not good. Instead of taking it in the right spirit, the mother walked out without collecting the progress report. Apart from police complaint, the parents filed a petition with the district education officer for derecognition of school. They filed complaints on several forums. We sent reminders for payment of fee but they didn’t bother to pay. It was suggested in the letter that the parents may take away the child from the school in view of the unfortunate incidents,” he said.

The school claimed that CCTV footage was given to the police to establish that the allegations of the girl’s mother were false. Jubilee Hills inspector Venkat Reddy told the forum that a case of criminal intimidation and wrong confinement was made out against the JPS and chargesheet filed in Nampally court against the authorities. The forum found no fault with the inspector.

Back to the nature for all cures

By Udumula Sudhakar Reddy

Can consuming a simple home remedy, like papaya leaf extract, be a solution for dengue? It has often been called a ‘billion-dollar disease’ for the huge economic and medical burden it puts on the TS and AP governments annually and the patient. If the person is admitted to a city private hospital, treatment for dengue would cost no less than Rs 75,000 to Rs 1 lakh, including blood transfusion to increase platelet count and excluding non medical and indirect costs.

With deaths — and cases — reported in Hyderabad and other districts of TS and AP, mostly Anantapur, messages of natural remedies for dengue and other diseases are being circulated widely on social media. The biggest dilemma is ascertaining whether they are scientifically accurate and effective enough to bring down medical expenses.


Chikungunya is another disease that has been afflicting people in TS and AP. Doctors practising natural medicines suggest use of basil leaves (tulsi) for treatment.

Deccan Chronicle spoke to medical experts to find out their efficacy as papaya leaf extract is now available as Tab Cairpill and Tab Platimax.

Dr S.S. Paknikar’s study, Papaya Extract to Treat Dengue: A Novel Thera-peutic Option?
published on the online journal of the National Centre for Biotechnology Information, Bethesda, Maryland, analysed seven published research studies on humans and animals.

It concluded, “From the various reports published in scientific literature, it appears that papaya leaf extract does have beneficial properties in dengue. It has been shown to bring about a rapid increase in platelet count. This could be possibly attributed to its membrane-stabilising property. The flavonoids and other phenols present in the extract seem to provide the beneficial effects. The researchers suggested that the minerals may balance the mineral deficiency caused by the virus and strengthen the immune cells against it.”

Dr Paknikar said, “The picture is not entirely clear. Most of the cases were given a crude leaf extract, prepared by grinding the papaya leaves. In addition to its effect against the virus, the papaya plant also appears to be effective against the Aedes mosquito. Thus, if proved to be effective, this plant could control dengue at two levels: at the level of transmission as well at the host level. Papaya extract, no doubt, offers a cheap and possibly effective treatment for dengue, but until its benefits are established, one cannot ignore standard treatment for dengue. Large scale randomised clinical trials in dengue-confirmed patie-nts are necessary to establish papaya leaf extract’s usefulness.”

Ayurveda doctors recommend papaya leaf extract-based treatment. Some of its benefits, according to them, are that it has anti-inflammatory properties; it inhibits tumours; is antioxidant; protects the liver and kidney; controls the effect of sugar and fat in the body; and has anti-sickling properties in sickle cell diseases.

Dr S. Vidyasagar, an ayurvedic doctor and former chief superintendent of pharmacy, Government Ayurvedic Hospital, Hyderabad, said, “Tulsi and pippali (long pepper fruit) are good for chikungunya. Tulsi, pippali or papaya are considered safe remedies for dengue and will not have side affects on vital organs like the kidney, heart and liver.”

The Central Council of Research in Ayurveda and Siddha in New Delhi endorsed in its technical report the benefits of tulsi in treating chikungunya.

Allopathic doctors give such remedies a thumbs-down. Dr Hari Kishan Boorugu, a consultant physician, said, “Dengue fever has many manifestations: low platelet count is one of them.  Dengue patients do not die of low platelet count, but due to dengue shock, multiple organ failure. People panic and tend to give platelet transfusions unnecessarily even when the patient is not bleeding and platelet count is more than 10-15,000. Dengue is a self-resolving illness in most cases , and platelet count improves in almost all patients with supportive treatment alone.”

Regarding papaya leaf research, Dr Hari Kishan said, “There are two papers published about it in the Journal of the Association of Physicians of India, one of them by the manufacturers. These are small studies and their conclusions can be vouched for. They say platelet count improves faster in patients treated with this drug. but overall outcomes are not different. Papaya leaf extract has a few side effects like abdominal cramps and vomiting, symptoms also seen in patients with severe dengue, which can be troublesome. I personally do not prescribe it, but if someone wants to use it, they may. They need to understand these facts.”

Home remedies for common ailments

Do not depend on natural remedies alone as they have to be scientifically proven. Consult your doctor, take medicines as prescribed.

This could be accompanied by a cough due to an infection in the lungs, causing a secretion of mucus. Some home remedies that can be used are:
Boil water. Add a dash of cinnamon, a little piece of ginger, 1 tsp honey and drink.
Heat water with 2 tsp of lemon juice and 2 tsp of honey and sip.
Heat a glass of water, add a tsp of salt and gargle three times a day. Take 1 tsp fresh ginger juice, ½ tsp honey and a pinch of turmeric. Swallow this
mixture at least thrice a day.
Heat ½ glass milk, add less than ¼ tsp of turmeric and sugar (if diabetic, don’t add sugar). Drink while warm.
Avoid milk and milk products for some time if you have excess mucus secretion.

Blow your nose often to emit the mucus rather than sniffing it in.
Hot chicken soup with lots of garlic helps unclog the nasal passages.
Plenty of liquids are beneficial — like two or three cups of tea a day and hot soups. This will replace important fluids lost due to the cold and help flush out impurities.

Chew eight or ten mint (pudina) leaves early in the morning on an empty stomach for one month. Having raw onions along with your meals will also keep acidity at bay.
Drink a glass of lemon juice before each meal to help relieve acidity.
Avoid too much tea, coffee, fried and fermented food as they stimulate acid production.
Take a glass of water 20 minutes before each meal; avoid drinking water along with food.
Drink coconut water three or four times a day (not for diabetics).
Eat a serving of cucumber or watermelon four or five times a day.
Chew seven or eight basil (tulasi) leaves to get relief from acidity and gas.
A glass of buttermilk with little jeera (cumin seeds) added to it helps relieve acidity.

Hiccups
Take a spoonful of sugar and keep under your tongue until the sugar melts. Suck two to three pieces of ginger. This helps stop hiccups from recurring. Hold your breath for 30 seconds. If the hiccups do not stop, repeat the procedure twice.
Take a glass of water and gulp it down without pausing. Boil ½ tsp of cardamom in 1 cup of water and sip like tea.

Sinus
Soak four to five dried pieces of amla (gooseberry) overnight in water. Drink the liquid in the morning on an empty stomach. Repeat the process for at least one month.

Diarrhoea
Take 1 tsp of mustard seeds (rai) and swallow it with 1 glass of lukewarm water.
Take 1 tsp of fenugreek seeds (methi), add 1 tsp of curd and swallow.
Eat stewed apples every day. Steam the apple with the peel on till soft, then skin, mash and consume.  
Eat boiled sweet potatoes, seasoned with salt and pepper, to cure diarrhoea.
Take ½ tsp powdered nutmeg, combined with honey.
Bananas —two or three of the smaller, yellow variety or one or one-and-a-half of the regular ones — help bind stools.

Stomach ache
Add a pinch of rock salt (black salt) to 1 tsp of ajwain (carom seeds, or wamu in Telugu); chew and swallow with one glass of lukewarm water.
Boil 1 tsp of ajwain in a glass of water and keep sipping it through the day.
Take 1 tsp of mint juice with1 tsp of honey.
Sip cinnamon tea throughout the day.
Boil 1 tsp of powdered cinnamon in 1 cup of water and sip.
Chew one betel leaf with one small crystal of rock salt for instant relief.

Constipation
In addition to your regular water intake, have at least three to four glasses of warm water with honey added to it (diabetic patients should avoid the honey).
Eat apples, along with the skin, daily.
Eat bran rotis. Make them by using 50 percent wheat flour and 50 percent bran flour. It will add fibre to your diet.
Eat 1 serving of raw salads with every meal.
Eat two to three ripe bananas to add bulk to your stools (diabetic patients should avoid this).

Anaemia
Soak black raisins overnight in water and have in the morning on an empty stomach for one month.
Add 2 tsp of powdered black sesame seeds (til) to ½ glass lukewarm water and have every morning.
Eat two to three dates every day (diabetic patients should avoid this).
Vitamin C is required for iron to get absorbed in the body. Squeeze lemon juice on iron rich foods like rice flakes or dark green leafy vegetables.

Dengue fever:
Include lots of fruits in the diet. Juice from papaya leaves to be taken every day for one week to improve the platelet count.
— As told by Dr M Gayatri, clinical dietician



How much to rely on the papaya leaf?

A pilot study was conducted in Sri Lanka on 12 patients suspected of suffering from dengue on the efficacy of papaya leaf extracts. The patients received two doses of papaya leaf extract at eight-hour intervals. They also received standard symptomatic care.

The study found an increase in platelets and white blood cell count in patients administered papaya leaf extract within 24 hours of treatment with the extract.

A case report from Pakistan described papaya leaf’s efficacy in the treatment of dengue in a truck driver. He received 25 ml of papaya leaf extract twice a day for five days. A steady increase in the platelet and white blood cell count was observed after two days of treatment.

A study conducted in Indonesia used papaya leaf extract capsules, which contained 70 per cent ethanol extract of papaya leaves. The 80 patients included in the study had high and continuous fever for between two and seven days, thrombocyte count of less than 150,000/iL and hematocrit of 20 per cent or more. They were randomised into two groups; one group received CPC in addition to standard treatment, and the other received only standard treatment for dengue.

The study found that platelets increased faster in those who were administered the CPC. The authors concluded that treatment with CPC could hasten recovery of patients and reduce hospitalisation.

A report on the website of the British Medical Journal described the rapid recovery of platelet counts in two children suffering from dengue. They were administered a spoonful of paste made from ground papaya leaves every four hours. A dramatic increase in platelet counts was observed; in one case, within 12 hours the count increased to 100,000. In the second case, it increased within two days to 250,000.

The Journal of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants cited a study that reported an increase in plate-lets in five patients within 24 hours of taking papaya leaf extract for dengue.

A study conducted in Malaysia had a more systematic approach in evaluating the use of papaya leaf juice in the treatment of dengue. An open-labelled, randomised, controlled trial was conducted on 290 patients between the ages of 18 and 60 years with significantly reduced platelets than normal levels.

How to use papaya leaf extract for dengue fever patients (Not for those allergic to papaya) If the Dengue NS1 antigen test is positive and you are diagnosed with dengue fever you should immediately get treatment from an allopathic doctor. Papaya leaf extract should be used in addition to the normal course of its management. Papaya leaf extract can be given at any stage of the disease. But for best results it should be given from the first day of the fever. Papaya leaf extracts could be taken as syrup; 30ml three times a day before meals for an adult and 5-10ml three times a day for a child.

Method of preparation
50 gm fresh healthy, mature papaya leaves from a fruit-bearing tree.
Wash thoroughly, chop into small pieces, excluding the main stem.
Grind with pestle with 50ml of boiled and cooled water and 25g sugar till a uniform pulp results.
Mix this pulp well and keep for about 30 minutes.
Squeeze pulp by hand: this is the papaya leaf extract

Sunlight can wash your clothes made up of nanotexitles

By Udumula Sudhakar Reddy

Imagine your clothes are dirty and start stinking, but yuu still wear them to office. Isn’t it disgusting? Yes, it is. But it won’t be so in future when clothes made of nanotexitles enter the market. They have self-cleaning ability when they exposed to sunlight.

The nanotextiles technology is developed by Hyderabad-based International Advanced Research Centre for Powder Metallurgy & New Materials (ARCI). It will be showcased in the 104th Indian Science Congress. According to researchers at ARCI, the secret behind the self-cleaning fabric is Titanium Oxide (TiO2), which is a unique photocatalyst that decomposes organics and bacteria.


“TiO2 acts as a toxin to bacteria. When toxic ions are released, cell membrane of bacteria gets damaged. The nano-silver-based socks are proven to be effective against bacteria and effective against Athlete’s foot fungus. The product is produced under N9 Pure silver brand name,” said researchers.

Nano-coating of fibre or glass or any other material makes it wear-resistant, corrosion resistant, hydrophobic, superhydrophilic, self-cleaning and anti-bacterial. Hydrophobic means a property, which doesn’t allow a material to attract water.

If nanotextiles could be brought into commercial production, it would save millions of litres of water used for washing. Based on ARCI synthesis process, Bengaluru-based RESIL Chemical has started commercial production of antibacterial textiles. Prof. Tata Narasing Rao, head of the Centre for Nanomater-ials, ARCI will be presenting his work in the congress.

Narendra Modi moots 'Scientific Social Responsibility'



By Udumula Sudhakar Reddy

Just as we have Corporate Social Responsibility, the concept of Scientific Social Responsibility needs to be developed to connect leading institutions to all stakeholders, including schools and colleges, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said while inaugurating the 104th Indian Science Congress here on Tuesday.

“National Laboratories should connect with schools and colleges to develop appropriate training programmes. The Ministry of Science & Technology is initiating a programme focused on students of classes 6 to 10.  The programme will mentor and showcase 10 lakh top innovative ideas focused on local needs from 5 lakh schools,” he said.


He said the SCOPUS database (the largest abstract and citation database of peer-reviewed literature from science, technology, medicine) “indicates that India is now sixth in the world as far as scientific publications are concerned, growing at a rate of about 14 per cent as against the world average growth rate of about four per cent.”

Mr Modi also asked institutions to involve foreign and NRI PhD students in post-doctoral research, adding that the focus be on disruptive technologies.

One important area that needed to be addressed, he said, was the rapid global rise of Cyber-Physical Systems.

“We can turn it into a huge opportunity by training and skilling in robotics, AI, big data analysis, quantum communication and Internet-of-Things. We need to develop an Inter-Ministerial National Mission in the Cyber-Physical Systems to secure our future by creation of basic R&D infrastructure, manpower and skills,” the Prime Minister said.

Fungus cures many diseases

By Udumula Sudhakar Reddy

DRDO’s Defence Institute of Bio-Energy Research at Nainital has developed capsules out of fungus, which is grown on the insects at high altitude of the Himalayas. These drugs are used for curing several diseases. Speaking to this newspaper, Dr P.S. Negi, a scientist of the institute, said, “This fungus is grown at 11,000 feet altitude in the Himalayas in Nepal, Tibet and India. Locally called as Yarsh Gamboo or Kira Ghas, it is a parasite on lepidopteron insect larvae. It is used for curing TB, bronchitis, asthama, hepatitis and other ailments. It contains cordycepin, which has aphrodisiac value too.”

Incidentally, Chinese soldiers often used to cross over to India for this fungus, which they call ‘love flower’ as it is known for its performance enhancing properties and as aphrodisiac. A kilogram of fungus costs around Rs 8 lakh to Rs 10 lakh. “Our scientists have grown it in the lab and developed the performance enhancing nutraceuticals from cordyceps sinensis and ganoderma lucidum, high medicinal value mushrooms,” said Dr Negi.

The mushroom when eaten strengthens the immune system and promote overall vitality and longevity. The fungus had caught the attention of the world in 1993, when Chinese women athletes, who have been using it, shattered nine world records in outdoor track field championship in Germany. However, it took several years for DRDO arm to cultivate in the lab.