All the crest gates of the Almatti, Narayanapur and Tungabhadra dams (Karnataka), and Jurala, Srisailam, Nagarjunasagar and Prakasam barrage were simultaneously opened on Thursday to release the surplus waters downstream.

Passenger held for misbehaving with air hostess on flight

An air passenger was arrested by the Cyberabad police in the early hours of Tuesday for allegedly misbehaving with an air hostess in the Hyderabad-bound Emirates flight.

The passenger identified as Biyad Khalfan (35), a native of Abu Dhabi, allegedly harassed the air hostess after he boarded the EK-524 flight at Dubai on Monday night. Though she requested him not to misbehave with her, he continued to behave badly with her, police said.

Unable to bear the misbehaviour, the air hostess alerted the flight captain who informed the matter to the Air Traffic Control (ATC) at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Shamshabad.

The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) accompanied by the ground-handling staff stood guard when the flight landed around 3 a.m. on Tuesday. They took him into custody and handed over to the Shamshabad police.

Shamshabad Airport Sub-Inspector P. Anjaiah said a case under Section 354 (assault a woman with intent to outrage her modesty) and 509 (an act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) was booked against Mr. Khalfan based on a complaint lodged by the air-hostess. Passport and other documents were seized from his possession. He would be produced in the court at Rajendranagar on Wednesday. “Mr. Khalfan is speaking in Arabic language. He told us that he worked in the police department in Abu Dhabi and at present he is looking after his agriculture land,” the SI explained. He said efforts were on to verify his antecedents.

Pilgrims injured as elephant runs amok in Tirumala

Seven pilgrims attending the Brahmotsavams in Tirumala were injured in a stampede after a temple elephant ran amok just before the Unjal Seva around 9.20 p.m. on Monday. The temple elephant Vaishnavi was leading the “Aswa Vahanam” procession on the penultimate day of the on going annual Brahmotsavams of Lord Venkateswara.

As Vaishnavi ran amok and broke the barricades, the pilgrims ran helter-skelter and in the resultant stampede seven were injured. The baby elephant ran amok due to the beating of drums. Those injured in the stampede were rushed to TTD run Aswini Hospital for medical care.

The mahout immediately rushed and took control of Vaishnavi and Brahmostavams attended by a large number of people continued peacefully.

Keywords: Tirumala, elephant, pilgrims, accident

Passenger held for misbehaving with air hostess on flight

An air passenger was arrested by the Cyberabad police in the early hours of Tuesday for allegedly misbehaving with an air hostess in the Hyderabad-bound Emirates flight.

Unable to bear the misbehaviour, the air hostess alerted the flight captain who informed the matter to the Air Traffic Control (ATC) at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Shamshabad.

Centre to set up NID in state

Anand Sharma , Union Minister for Commerce and Industry having a word with Chief Minister K. Rosaiah at the Indo-Africa Pharma Business Meet in Hyderabad on Friday. Photo: P.V. Sivakumar

The Hindu Anand Sharma , Union Minister for Commerce and Industry having a word with Chief Minister K. Rosaiah at the Indo-Africa Pharma Business Meet in Hyderabad on Friday. Photo: P.V. Sivakumar

One of the four new National Institutes of Design (NID) will be located in Hyderabad in deference to the wishes of former Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy, Union Minister for Commerce and Industry Anand Sharma announced here on Friday.

At a press conference here, he said Dr. Reddy had written to him before his tragic death urging the Centre to set up the institute here. He had subsequently replied to him agreeing to the proposal. The other three would be located in Assam, Madhya Pradesh and Western India.

Mr. Sharma said that he discussed the project proposals with Chief Minister K. Rosaiah on Friday morning and added that all steps would be taken for its early implementation. It would be of great help to the industry and entrepreneurs.

Decries campaign

Earlier inaugurating the three-day Indo-Africa Pharma Business Meet organised by Pharmexcil, he decried the campaign against Indian-generic drugs in some regions and called for countering this effectively as it was important to inform the public. It (the campaign) would not hurt companies, but would hurt the poor if affordable drugs were not available to save their lives.

Recalling the long-standing relations between India and African countries, he said “India is the pharmacy of the poor.”

Referring to the phenomenal growth of the Indian pharma industry, he said that 20 per cent of the world’s generic drugs were made here. When the poor countries faced the challenges of serious diseases like HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, it was Indian pharma and generics which came to their aid. Indian pharma brought down the price of anti-retrovirals close to $1,000 when it used to be around $13,000 for a year for a patient.

Advising Pharmexcil to organise a healthcare summit in Africa, he said that another major contribution from the Indian pharma industry would be a vaccine against drug-resistant malaria. He said that a breakthrough was expected soon as research was in an advanced stage.

The Chief Minister readily agreed to the request of Pharmexcil Chairman Venkat Jasti to provide land in the financial district to construct a state-of-the-art convention centre.

Kenyan Minister for Medical Services Peter A Nyongo urged Indian pharma companies to invest in his country and outlined the measures being taken to promote the sector.

Sensor-based gates can prevent flooding

Hong Kong cybertect James Law suggests use of new technology

to check water-logging during rains.(ENS)

HYDERABAD: James Law, the cybertect from Hong Kong who’s making waves across the globe with his unique and unconventional building designs packed with high technology, suggests adoption of latest technology to overcome civic problems like flooding of drains and traffic chaos that plagues the Twin Cities.

“I’ve been to quite a few world class cities and am quite impressed by the planning of Hyderabad and its infrastructure
, especially in the new districts.

But the city needs to go for automation to grow into a truly intelligent city,” Law said in an interview with Expresso.

Explaining automation, he says sensor-based flood gates can be installed which will detect rain and open automatically to drain out the water. For designing effective systems for traffic management, pollution check etc, nodal point technology can be used wherein hi-tech poles are located at various points in the city to collect data.

For example, if the data shows that 10,000 cars ply in a particular area, accordingly the road width and traffic management can be planned. Depending on the data on emission levels in

industrial areas, controls can be imposed, he explained.

The cybertect also has some plans for the city airport. Though he is happy with its overall plan, Law feels the traffic has outgrown the plan. Given an opportunity, he wants to make an extension by adding a new terminal to the airport.

“The design of the existing conventional building is too tight. Through cybertecture, it can be made more hitech with better and faster security check-in, cleaner and more efficient, spacious and interactive for the users,” he feels.

The airport, being a window to the world for Hyderabad, should give a taste of the city to visitors, he says.

Law is keen to employ students from India to work for him on various projects.

“Students are the future. The company always supports and encourages students to build a better future and better India,” he reveals.

Replying to a question if he would be interested in collaborating with any educational institution in India, especially after the JNA and FAU architecture school principal expressed his desire to have such an arrangement with him, Law says he is game provided the proposition is good.

Having visited the city twice, James Law has a wish, “I’m quite interested in taking up a project in the city if someone comes up with a proposal.”

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Suri’s death leaves residents in shock

HYDERABAD: The Vani Nagar locality in Malkajgiri was lulled by shock on Wednesday evening as the news of ‘Braveheart’ Major J Suresh Suri’s death came in. “He was here just a couple of weeksback,” is what everyone in the locality could say about the 30-year-old Major Suri.As the news of his death flashed on TV channels, locals started gathering at the Vigneswara Residency in Street No 3 of Vani Nagar. Major Suri fell to the bullets of militants in a gun battle in North Kashmir. He had visited his mother, Girija, during the Ganesh Chaturthi. “Suresh Suri along with his wife, Pallavi, came to the city for the Ganesh Chaturthi. After the festival, the couple left to their respective places,” Vani Nagar Colony Welfare Association president Ashok Kumar said. Pallavi is pursuing her studies in Mumbai while Major Suri is posted in Kashmir.Major Suri’s mother Girija works as a teacher in the Golconda 1, Kendriya Vidyalaya. She stays alone while her daughter resides in the nearby Gowtham Nagar locality.Girija was shocked when media suddenly stormed the house and sought her reaction to the ‘incident’.“She was not aware of her son’s death at the time,” Ashok Kumar said. Girijawas taken to her daughter’s house later.Major Suri’s mother moved to Vani Nagar after his father, Subba Rao, who used to work in Indian Air Force, Dundigal, passed away. Major Suri’s younger brother, Sunil Suri, works as a software engineer in Pune. “Sunil Suri was also in the town till recently. He went back to Pune on Monday evening,” said a woman of thelocality. Recalling his last meeting with Major Suri, Gandhi, an elderly person who also resides in the same apartment said: “I asked him to move to seek a posting in some other place as the border (Jammu and Kashmir) is not safe. Why should you stay at a place where there is nothing butbullets and bloodshed, I asked him. Major Suri’s reply was just a smile. He’s a brave young man who sacrificed his life for the country.”

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Flu virus forces hasty funerals

HYDERABAD: The swine flu virus does not cease to be any less deadly once it claims its victim. The virus reportedly stays in the body for eight hours even after the person expires.Some funeral rituals require physical contact with the body and this can actually increase the chances of the spread of virus. As the swine flu victims details are being kept confidential so that the family does not have to undergo a social boycott, there also chances of a large number of people turning up for the funeral. Dr Vedagiri Rambabu, media manager, Global Hospitals says, “It is true that the virus stays inside the corpse for long hours. There are chances of discharge from nose or elsewhere which can act as a spreading medium. The body should not be exposed to open air.” Dr Rambabu informs that the relatives or kin of the dead are counselled prior to handing over of the body. “We advise them on the precautions to be followed to stop any more spread of the flu virus from the body.” Such a situation is making things worse for the family who feel that traditional norms are beingviolated if the body is taken directly to the cemetery.Ch Jayakumari, District Medical & Health Officer assures that all the necessary steps are being taken by the health officials. “The body is being handed over after it is packed in hypochloride solution and the relatives are being strictly instructed not to open it.” She adds, “To the best of our knowledge, people are abiding by our instructions and completing the funeral proceduresas soon as possible.”Some citizens feel that the government should take up awareness programmes on the procedure to follow when handling the bodies of those who have expired from swine flu.“Though it is very painful to deal with the loss of a human life, at the same time people should also forgo customs in such exceptional cases for the welfare of the society and people around,” opines R Balan, Spanish Professor, ISB.

Thousands of devotees converge at Tirupati for Brahmotsavam

Tirupati (Andhra Pradesh), Sep 24 : Thousands of devotees converged at the Tirumala Venkateswara Temple in Andhra Pradesh’s Tirupati hills on Wednesday to take part in the religious processions during the nine-day Tirumala Brahmotsavam.

Tirumala Brahmotsavam, celebrated on the occasion of Dussera festival, commenced today and will culminate on September 27.

It is an annual festival and millions of devotees witness the processions and participate in the celebrations.

The Utsavs are carried out on different chariots, in which the idols of the presiding deity for the procession are taken around the temple premises to the music of Nagaswaram and the beats of the drums.

The shrine of Lord Venkateshwara atop the 860 metres high hills of Tirumala in Tirupati is the revered by Hindus as one of the most venerated pilgrimage centres in the country.

Tirumala, tirumala brahmotsavam

Government still undecided on special forces against Maoists

On Board Air India One, Sep 23 (IANS) The government is yet to take a firm view on using special forces against the Maoist rebels whom Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has called the ‘gravest threat’ to the country’s internal security.

According to a top official, a major problem the government was facing while dealing with leftwing radicalism was the tacit support the movement was getting from the civil society and NGOs.

As a result, the official said, the views expressed by Home Minister P. Chidambaram, who has indicated the use paramilitary commandoes to flush out Maoists, were being discussed but no decision had been taken as yet.

‘The home minister said we ‘may’ employ special forces. Of course, what the home minister said will have a major impact,’ the official said on condition of anonymity during an informal chat with journalists accompanying the prime minister on way to the G20 Summit in Pittsburgh.

‘But you need to break an egg to have an omelet,’ he said. ‘You also need two hands to clap,’ he said, adding thus far none from the movement had come forward to hold talks with the government.

The official’s remarks came against the backdrop of Chidambaram’s comments that the government will not deploy the regular army for surgical strikes on Maoists but could use special forces like paramilitary commandoes to supplement the efforts of the local police.

The comments also came a day after Delhi Police said they had nabbed Kobad Gandhi, a politburo member of the banned Communist Party of India-Maoist, who was educated at the Doon School and trained as an accountant in Britain.

Non-bailable cases should be registered, says Sabita

HYDERABAD: Taking a serious note of the continuing attacks on women, home minister P Sabita Indra Reddy on Saturday directed the police to

The home minister held a review meeting with police top officials before leaving for Rajahmundry to console Anusha, who was attacked by a spurned youth and lost her parents while they tried to protect her. Expressing concern over the continuing attacks on women, she said that there is a need to promulgate an ordinance to curb the rising crime against women.

“The police should not show any negligence when a victim lodges complaint with them about harassment. Stringent action against the culprits would help prevent crime against women,” she said. She directed the department to set up a grievance cell under the superintendent of police (SP) to receive complaints from students at the colleges within 10 days.

The minister said that a counselling centre would be set up in every college, and the government will also request the High Court to set up fast track courts in the districts to deal with these cases.

TTD gold coating project poses threat to inscriptions

TIRUPATI: The glorious history of the reigning deity of Tirumala, Lord Venkateswara, and of the richest hill shrine is known to the world, thanks

to hundreds of inscriptions engraved on the walls of Tirumala as well as in other TTD-run temples here.

But blame it on TTD’s mega Ananda Nilayam Anantha Swarnamayam (gold coating) project of the temple, about 80 inscriptions are going to disappear permanently from the public view.

It was Mahant Prayagdas who started it all by doing a thorough research on the inscriptions in 1920. Later, epigraphist and archaeologist Sadhu Subramanya Shastri took over the mantle as he did a serious research for a period of 11 years from 1922 to 1933 by translating hundreds of Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu and Kannada inscriptions to English using the `eye copy’ technique.

Shastri brought to light several inscriptions engraved on temple walls, pillars and gopurams. About 640 inscriptions in Tirumala shrine, 340 in Sri Govindaraja Swamy temple, 170 in almost half a dozen temples of TTD located in and around Tirupati saw the light of the day.

All these 1,150 inscriptions were later brought out in the form of voluminous books by Shastri, which is considered one of the greatest works done on the Tirumala inscriptions till date. Of these, 236 belonged to Pallava, Chola and Pandya dynasties while 169 belonged to the age of Saluva dynasty. While 251 belonged to Achutaraya period, 130 to Sadasivaraya period and another 135 originated in Aravidu dynasty.

A majority of these inscriptions are in Tamil followed by Kannada and a few in Telugu. The inscription belonging to 830 AD during the time of Pallava king Vijayadanti Verman is considered the oldest one.

With the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) launching the gold coating works last year amidst much fanfare, serious doubts cropped up over the safety of the inscriptions. However, the TTD took care to digitize all the inscriptions present inside the walls of sanctum of first prakaram and handed over the estampage works to the Archaeological Survey of India, Mysore.

Senior epigraphist K Muniratnam Reddy told STOI that 80 inscriptions engraved on the north, south and west walls of first prakara inside Tirumala sanctorum have been estampaged (taking the imprints of the inscriptions before gold malam works are carried out) for the purpose.

“We have done the process on 80 inscriptions. Of which, 43 measured over 16 ft in length so that the letters engraved on them would not get destroyed. Of the total 80 inscriptions, 55 are in Tamil, 15 in Kannada and 10 in Telugu which include the enumerable and precious donations done by Pallava Samavai (9th century AD), Pridhivi Mahendra Verman, Cholas of Tamil Nadu, Vijayanagara rulers of Andhra and Karnataka,” Muniratnam said.

A TTD official said these estampages were digitised in the TTD central library, which is expected to run into over 500 pages.

TTD, TIRUPATHI

Power project inaugural hit by political crisis

HYDERABAD: The inauguration of the prestigious NTPC-BHEL joint venture power project that is slated to come up at Mannavaram near Srikalahasti in

Chittoor district is getting further put off. According to sources, the PMO is believed to have conveyed to the state government that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will not lay the foundation stone for the project until the political stalemate in the state following the death of Y S Rajasekhara Reddy is resolved.

Just last week, chief minister K Rosaiah had said that the PM is likely to lay the foundation stone for the project before September 20. “However, with a political stalemate on here, the PMO does not want the Jagan camp to embarrass the PM in any manner if the ceremony is held before a final decision is taken on the chief minister issue. This was conveyed to us and chief minister K Rosaiah is in full concurrence with it,” a state government official told TOI.

The Rs 6,000-crore project appears to be getting mired in one hurdle after another. After the Centre decided to locate the project in AP, the Rajasthan government had raised objections following which a technical committee was appointed to examine which of the two locations would suit the project best.

After the technical committee recommended in favour of AP, the foundation stone laying ceremony was slated for September 5-6 by the PM when he was slated to also inaugurate the Tirupati international airport. But with financial closure still pending for the airport venture, the PM’s trip was rescheduled and he was to inaugurate the joint venture project on September 17. However, the sudden demise of Rajasekhara Reddy threw all plans into disarray.

The latest decision of the PMO was conveyed to the state after the chief minister’s office wanted the dates for the PM’s visit to AP finalised. However, the PMO declined to entertain the request on the grounds that intelligence inputs pointed to possible disturbances by the supporters of Jagan if the Prime Minister visits the state at a time when Jagan loyalists are extremely angry over the stand taken by the Congress high command.

The PMO’s decision was also based on the incident that took place last Wednesday during the visit of Union minister for new and renewable energy Farooq Abdullah when Jagan loyalists stormed the Fab City venue and raised slogans demanding that he be made the chief minister.

Power project, power project hyderabad

Over one lakh visit Durga temple on Day 1

VIJAYAWADA: Devotees thronged the Durga temple atop Indrakeeladri here on Saturday on the first day of Navaratri celebrations. With most of the

arrangements in place, pilgrims had a peaceful and jostle-free darshan despite turning up in large numbers.

According to initial estimates, over one lakh devotees completed darshan by the evening itself. The numbers swelled by the night as the crowd continued to pour in to have a darshan of Goddess Durga.

Dairy development minister K Pardha Saradhi, district collector Piyush Kumar, city police commissioner K V Rajendranath Reddy were among the first to have the darshan of Durga, decorated in Swarna Kavacha alamkaram on the first day.

“It was a wonderful experience as I could complete the darshan within two hours after standing in the queue, that too without much trouble. I had such a peaceful darshan for the first time since I started visiting the temple during the Navaratri about 15 years ago,” said a visibly buoyed Narasimhacharyulu of Kakinada.

Many of the pilgrims praised the temple authorities for erecting high level tents to protect them from both the heat and rain. A local NGO supplied face masks for the police personnel who were posted at various key points. About 2,000 police personnel were deployed at different points to manage the devotees at the temple.

Rosaiah to visit Durga temple on Sept 25

VIJAYAWADA: Chief minister K Rosaiah is likely to begin his district tours with a darshan of Durga temple atop Indrakeeladri on September 25. The

chief minister is believed to have expressed his wish to present silk clothes to the deity on Mulanakshtram day, said to be the most auspicious day during the 10-day long festival.

Traditionally, the endowments minister presents the silk clothes to the deity during the annual festivities at Durgamma temple. The chief minister normally makes offering to deities only during Bramhotsavams and Sri Ramanavami celebrations at Bhadrachalam. However, Rosaiah’s decision to begin his out of the capital visits after assuming charge as chief minister following the sudden demise of Y S Rajasekhara Reddy with a darshan of Kanakadurga Devi has led to an interesting debate in the temple circles because Goddess Durga is considered to be the goddess of power and strength and also the killer of evil forces.

The chief minister, after his visit to the temple, is likely to take stock of the developmental works including the flood banking works in the city. Many of the areas in One Town area were recently inundated in flood waters following the blockage of drainages and the government asked the civic administration to complete all the drainage works within the next six months. Then chief minister YSR had also dispatched a high level committee to probe the reasons for such flooding in the city.

Now, Rosaiah ready for his next move

The Hindu Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Rosaiah. Photo: Nagara Gopal

Having steered the Congress government with a steady hand for a fortnight, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister K. Rosaiah’s next step forward will be a visit to New Delhi to thank the AICC leadership for reposing confidence in him and seeking advice on important issues.

“Ours is a national party and we have a strong leadership in New Delhi to guide us,” said Mr. Rosaiah in an interview during which he sported an air of self-confidence in contrast to his low profile in the aftermath of Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy’s death in a helicopter crash on September 2.

With the truant Ministers falling in line and the political turbulence over, Mr. Rosaiah was asked whether he was satisfied with the party high command’s support to him.

“No absenteeism”

“I am not dissatisfied. All the Ministers attended my video conference and there is no absenteeism at review meetings,” he said.

On whether he was in sync with the chorus in the State Congress for anointing Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy as Chief Minister, Mr. Rosaiah replied, “As an individual, I feel Jagan is a young and enthusiastic leader. He has inherited certain good qualities from his father. To appoint him as Chief Minister or as something else is, however, the affair of the Congress high command.”

But, did he approve of hereditary politics? “We don’t have to look at it from that angle. The ability to handle issues, loyalty to the party and commitment to work matter above everything else,” he asserted.

Mr. Rosaiah maintained that his self-effacing action in not occupying the Chief Minister’s chamber in the Secretariat was out of deference for Rajasekhara Reddy. Strongly disagreeing with the suggestion that his reluctance conveyed a picture that he was Chief Minister in the interim, he said, “I do not suffer from any feeling of insecurity.”

He justified his resolve to work from the chamber he occupied as Finance Minister.

“It is not important where I sit. I am meeting officers everyday and discharging all duties of a Chief Minister. I have no aversion to occupying the ‘C’ block office but it stirs up memories of YSR as I still visualise him sitting there,” he said.

Yet, he did not seem to foreclose the option of shifting when he pointed out that, apart from the above reasons, the fortnight-long ‘pitra pakshalu’, considered inauspicious, ended only on Friday.

Mr. Rosaiah was quite convinced that the former Chief Minister’s Bell 430 helicopter was in good condition.

Keywords: Rosaiah, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, AICC, Congress, YSR

Ministers cooperating with Rosaiah, says Moily

Union Law and Justice Minister and Congress general secretary in charge of Andhra Pradesh M. Veerappa Moily on Saturday made it clear that the party high command had no say in Chief Minister K. Rosaiah’s hesitation to occupy the CM’s chamber that was once used by late Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy at Hyderabad Secretariat.

“Mr. Rosaiah is the Chief Minister and it is for him to take his decision. The Congress high command cannot give any direction to him on the issue,” he told The Hindu here.

He said everything in the Andhra Pradesh government was going on smoothly and Ministers were cooperating with Mr. Rosaiah in running the administration.

Mr. Moily replied in the negative when asked whether the high command had asked Mr. Rosaiah to come to Delhi next week for talks. “He may be coming on his own. I have not asked him to come here.”

Asked whether the present arrangement — with Mr. Rosaiah as Chief Minister, would continue at least till the completion of Assembly polls (October 13) in three States, he quipped: “all I can say is that no decision has been taken as of now (in view of demand for making Reddy’s son Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy as Chief Minister)”.

Meanwhile, a senior Congress leader, who once looked after party affairs in A.P., pointed out that since the party spokesman had already made it clear that Mr. Rosaiah was the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader there was no need for convening the CLP meeting now.

The meeting of the CLP to elect its leader was only a formality for the party. “It is an internal matter of the organisation and not a constitutional obligation.” Since Mr. Rosaiah had already been declared as the CM what was the hurry to convene such a meeting, he asked.

Keywords: Veerappa Moily, Rosaiah, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, YSR, CLP, AICC, Congress

Swine flu vaccine to arrive from US

After lengthy discussions with a team from Center for Disease Control of Atlanta Health Minister D. Nagender here on Friday announced that swine flu vaccine was available in the US and it might arrive in India in a month or two.

L.V. Subrahmanyam, secretary, Health who is monitoring the disease in the State, later explained that the Federal Drug Authority of the US Government had cleared the vaccine only a few days ago.

He, however, ruled out the possibility of its use in India for the time being as the trials of the vaccine would have to be carried out in the country.

US Consul General in Hyderabad Cornelis Keur led the team. The Center for Disease Control is a premier health agency in America guiding the WHO on control of vector-borne and communicable diseases, and is presently working in liaison with AIDS Control Society of Andhra Pradesh.

Mr. Cornelius Keur, who was accompanied by Dr. Richard Keenlyside of CDC Atlanta and others, offered cooperation to the government to build up data on swine flu and other communicable diseases and provide the fruits of analysis made based on that data.

Following a request made by him, the Minister offered to provide suitable accommodation to CDC Atlanta at Andhra Pradesh Vaidya Vidhana Parishad office complex at Kothi in Hyderabad.

Speaking to reporters later, Mr. Nagender claimed that swine flu was on downward trend as a result of dry conditions prevailing in the State for three days now.

The government, after examining all aspects, had permitted sale of Tamiflu tablets at some identified medical shops, he said, warning that the licence of the shop would be cancelled and criminal case booked if substandard Tamiflu tablets were sought to be sold out, taking advantage of the permission.

Mr. Nagender said a medical team was rushed to Karimanagr district where dengue fever had broken out in a virulent form.

The district was so badly affected that there were as many as 42 dengue patients from this area alone in Yashoda Hospital. Special teams were also being sent to educate public about the preventive steps.

Meanwhile, city-based NATCO Pharma has launched NATFLU (Tamiflu) capsules to cure swine flu, a release from NATCO Pharma informed on Friday. The medicine, whose maximum retail price is fixed at Rs. 489 for a bottle of ten capsules, is available in all licensed pharmacies, release added.

L.V. Subrahmanyam, Swine flu, Dr. Richard Keenlyside, Disease Control, NATCO Pharma, Tamiflu

Central govt will modernise police mechanism

Minister of State for Home Mullappally Ramachandran has said that law enforcement systems in the country will be modernised to equip them to deal with crimes involving terror groups, drug mafia and cyber criminals posing grave threat to national security.

Speaking at a meet-the-press organised by the Press Club here on Sunday, Mr. Ramachandran said that the Crime and Criminal Tracking Networking System (CCTNS) launched by the Central government with the

objective of networking 14,000 police stations in the country was a comprehensive project to tackle crimes whose characteristics were changing rapidly. The Rs. 2000 crore project would be implemented without any delay, he said adding that the States and Union Territories were expected to sign memorandum of understanding with the Central government in this regard by September 30. He said that use of science and technology for tracking criminals had to be strengthened as the number of crimes having inter-State and international links was growing. The CCTNS would introduce transparency in police force and make it more people-friendly, he added.

The Minister also said that the Central government had conceived a Rs. 400 crore project for constructing cyclone shelters in the coastal areas of the State as part of the disaster management initiative of the government. He said that the shelters would be used as multi-purpose community halls. The estimated cost of the shelters was between Rs. 80 lakh and Rs. 1 crore each, he said. The formal inauguration of the shelter project would be held at Chemanchery panchayat in Kozhikode soon, he added.

Panels to evaluate functioning of tiger reserves

A file photo of a tiger in Nagarahole. M.A. Sriram

The Hindu A file photo of a tiger in Nagarahole. M.A. Sriram

To bring accountability and transparency in the hugely-funded big cat conservation programmes in the country, the Centre has constituted five committees for evaluating the management and functioning of 38 tiger reserves across 17 states.

The evaluation of tiger reserves will be done on the basis of parameters set by Dehradun-based Wildlife Institute of India and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), an international NGO.

The evaluation by the independent wildlife experts such as Belinda Wright comes at a time when as many as 16 tiger reserves including Panna in Madhya Pradesh and Valmiki in Bihar are in crisis as pointed out by Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh in a recent session of Parliament.

Five three-member teams have been set up to assess the 38 reserves situated in five zones.

Besides Ms. Wright, among the experts are Jamal A Khan, Eruch Bharucha, Rajeev Sharma, M. Madhusudan, R. K. Dogra, Biswajit Mohanty, E. A. Jayson, D. S. Srivatava and Aparajita Dutta who have to submit their reports to the WII within six months.

“The panels would evaluate whether the chosen approaches in the reserves management are adequate, sound and appropriate,” Ms. Wright, who has been entrusted with the task to assess management in most of the reserves in northern states, said.

Keywords: Panels, evaluate, working, tiger, reserves

AP police on alert on Chattisgarh border

A file picture of Andhra police keeping vigil on the Andhra- Orissa border. Photo: K.R. Deepak

An alert has been sounded on Andhra Pradesh’s borders with Chattisgarh and Orissa in view of the fierce gunbattle between police and naxalites in Dantewada district of Chattisgarh in which six security personnel had been killed.

Police in Khammam and Srikakulam districts have been instructed to keep strict watch on the borders connecting Chattisgarh and Orissa states, a senior police official said.

“We have intensified the patrolling on Andhra—Chattisgarh border after the major incident in Chattisgarh,” Khammam district Superintendent of Police Anil Kumar told PTI over phone.

All the vehicles coming from Chattisgarh were being checked, he said adding that a combing operation had also been in the forest areas near the border.

Srikakulam SP M Naganna said a close vigil was being kept on the state’s border with Orissa to thwart any attempt from Maoists to sneak into Andhra Pradesh.

Keywords: Andhra Police, Chattisgarh, Maoists, Alert

Seven more swine flu deaths, toll reaches 247

Swine flu on Monday claimed seven more lives in the country taking the toll to 247 even as 228 fresh cases of the viral disease were reported.

Out of the seven deaths, three each were reported from Maharashtra and Gujarat and one from Andhra Pradesh.

Of the 228 cases reported during the day, five are imported, rest are indigenous.

With the fresh cases, the number of people infected by the virus has reached 8,153.

The health ministry said samples from 34,376 persons have been tested for H1N1 in government laboratories and a few private laboratories across the country and 8,153 of them have been found positive.

Four deaths have been reported from Karnataka, but laboratory confirmation of the H1N1 virus is awaited for them.

The deaths include an infant who died at a private hospital in Gulbarga on September 17 and two women who passed away at a government hospital in the city last week.

Twelve more persons were tested positive for the H1N1 virus, including 11 from Bangalore and one from Bijapur, as per the latest report.

The total number of confirmed swine flu cases in Karnataka has gone up to 899, they said.

Fans immortalize YSR through temples, films and even tattoos

The late Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh Y S Rajasekhara Reddy is being immortalised by his admirers who are building temples, making films, installing statues and even getting tattooed.

In a manifestation of his huge popularity, which is drawing comparisons with legendary N T Rama Rao, hundreds of distraught fans of Reddy were claimed to have committed suicide in the aftermath of his death in a helicopter crash, though there was no official confirmation.

Soon after his death on September 2, the state government had announced that grand memorials would be built for YSR in Hyderabad and at the site in Nallamala where his chopper crashed.

The government had also decided to rechristen Reddy’s native Kadapa district as YSR district, while his brother-in-law and Kadapa Mayor P Ravindranath Reddy said an important traff ic junction in the town would be named as YSR Circle.

School Education Minister D Manikya Vara Prasad announced that the Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan would be renamed as YSR Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan.

Meanwhile, efforts to built temples in the memory of YSR are underway at several places in the state.

Tirupati, Vanamvari Kistapuram in Khammam district, Miriyala in Guntur district are some of the places where the YSR temples are coming up.

A die-hard supporter of Reddy and chairman of Tirupati Urban Development Authority (TUDA) Ch. Bhaskar Reddy has announced that he would build a grand temple in YSR’s name at the temple town of Tirupati.

Residents of Vanamari Kistapuram and Miriyala villages have already started building temples for their political hero who they hail as their benefactor.

Meanwhile, actor-couple Rajasekhar and Jeevitha, who had joined Congress ahead of the general elections, have announced their plan to make a full-length feature film on the life of Rajasekhara Reddy.

Noted Telugu director Puri Jagannath, who made the block-buster Pokiri (re-made in Hindi as ‘Wanted’ with Salman Khan in the lead), would direct the film on the former Chief Minister.

Shooting for a documentary on the life of Rajasekhara Reddy began yesterday at Chevella in Ranga Reddy, where the former CM had launched his famous Padayatra that catapulted him to power in the 2004 elections.

Natco to make 10mn strips of generic Tamiflu available by October

City-based drug firm Natco Pharma Limited (NPL) will make ten million strips of its generic version of Roche’s swine flu medicine Tamiflu available by October.“We are fully equipped to meet the demand and by October end about ten million doses (a strip of ten capsules taken twice a day for five days) will be available,” Natco Pharma Director and Chief Financial Officer P. Bhaskara Narayana told reporters here on Monday evening.The company, which last evening launched Natflu—generic version of oseltamivir, (branded as Tamiflu)—will start selling to licensed chemists in Andhra Pradesh by the end of this week.

“It will shortly be marketed throughout the country,” he said, adding that currently it was difficult to estimate the demand but the company could supply whatever the demand may be.

He said a strip of ten tablets of Natflu will cost Rs. 480 in the retail market whereas for government purchase it will be priced at Rs. 275.

Mr. Narayana said many chemists, including pharmacy chain Medplus, have applied for the license to sell the drug.

Medplus has 630 outlets across the country and in Hyderabad Natflu will be available at 25 Medplus shops.

When asked about paediatric patients, Mr. Narayana said the drug for the children will be available within 45 to 60 days.

Keywords: Tamiflu, oseltamivir, Natco Pharma Limited, Natflu, Medplus

Kolhapur court issues NBW against Hyderabad woman

A Maharashtra court has issued a non-bailable warrant (NBW) against a city woman who allegedly cheated three farmers and an agricultural firm of the neighbouring state to the tune of Rs. 27 lakh over a deal on purchase of greenhouse structures.

The Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) Court in Kolhapur district on Monday issued the NBW against the Managing Director of Indus Floritech Ltd Shailaja Mahaveer Golecha, a resident of Banjara Hills here, in a cheque bounce case.

The court directed the Central Crime Station—a wing of the Hyderabad Police, to arrest Golecha and produce her before it on or before November 3.

Earlier, the court had issued summons twice—on July 17 and September 1—directing her to appear before the court, police sources here said, adding “Shailaja is absconding as the previous summons issued by the Kolhapur court were not delivered as she was not present at her residence.”

Giving details of the case, a police officer here said three Kolhapur farmers and a Pune agricultural firm struck a deal in July 2006 with Golecha for buying eight greenhouse structures set up on her agricultural field at Medchal on the outskirts of the city.

The farmers S. Patne, R. D. Patil and A. Patne and the firm paid Rs. 40,000 as advance and later paid Rs. 27 lakh through demand drafts. However, she demanded an additional Rs. 15 lakh above the agreed amount, he said.

Golecha sold the greenhouse structures to another party when the Maharashtra farmers refused to pay the extra amount, the police officer said.

On the persistent demand to return the money, Golecha issued six post-dated cheques for an amount of Rs. 27 lakh to the farmers and the Pune firm during 2007 and 2008, the officer said, adding that all the cheques were dishonoured for want of cash.

Following the bouncing of the cheques, the farmers approached the courts at Pune and Kolhapur last year.

“While Shailaja appeared before the Pune court, she failed to attend in Kolhapur court and hence a NBW was issued against her,” the police officer said.

Keywords: NBW, cheating, farmers, Kolhapur, bounced cheque

Calling all quiz buffs

Here’s good news for all you quiz-buffs. The Hindu Young World is back with its annual quizzing competition. The tenth edition of the Quiz will be held on October 6 in the city while the All-India Finals are slated to be held on November 6 in Coimbatore.

The quiz will be held in 13 centres across south India. There will be a written preliminary round at each centre to select six teams for the regional finals which will be held on the same day. The winning team from each region will be eligible to participate in the grand All-India Final at Coimbatore.

Teams

Each school can send a maximum of four teams, with two participants in each team. The participants should be students of standard seven to nine. Schools in Hyderabad and Vishakapatnam need to enter their teams for the competition by September 30 and those in Vijayawada by October 1. The application forms can be obtained from The Hindu offices in the respective cities. Schools can also register online by emailing their entries to ‘ hydcirc@thehindu.co.in’. Registered team members must bring their ID-card along with letter of nomination from schools to the venue.

The quiz will be held at Hari Hala Kala Bhavan on October 6 from 10 a.m. onwards. The Hindu will meet the cost of travel, boarding and lodging for the teams outside Coimbatore that make it to the All-India Final. For details log on to this website or call 040- 23403902.

Keywords: The Hindu Young World Quiz, Hari Hala Kala Bhavan

H1N1 trial results in children show promise

The vaccine did not cause any serious adverse reaction even in children only a few months old. In this file photo, a dose of the experimental vaccine for the H1N1 flu virus is prepared at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, U.S. Photo: AP

AP The vaccine did not cause any serious adverse reaction even in children only a few months old. In this file photo, a dose of the experimental vaccine for the H1N1 flu virus is prepared at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, U.S. Photo: AP

Early results from vaccine trials undertaken in 10-17-year-old children show similar results as seen in adults. A majority of the children produced immune response to H1N1 virus in 8-10 days after vaccination. The immune response was seen after just one dose of 15-microgram vaccine. The vaccine used did not contain any adjuvant — a substance added to a vaccine to improve the body’s response.

Very importantly, the vaccine did not cause any serious adverse reaction even in children only a few months old.

Though the immune response seen in children are generally less robust compared to adults, the H1N1 vaccine was able to elicit sufficient immune response to the H1N1 virus in children.

However, the immune response produced by children did vary by age. While 76 per cent of children in the 10-17-age group showed maximum protective immune response, this was 36 per cent in the case of children in the 3-9 age group, and 25 per cent in the 6-35-months age group.

There were 25 participants in the 10-17-years and 3-9 age groups, and 20 in the case of 6-35-months age group.

According to Anthony S. Fauci, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), the reducing immune response in children in the lower age group is not totally unexpected. The trend is similar to what is seen with seasonal vaccines, NIAID release noted.

“It is anticipated that the immune response to the 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine will be similar to that of seasonal influenza vaccination and will continue to rise for several weeks following vaccination,” said Dr. Fauci.

The lower immune response seen in younger children is probably because their immune system is not fully developed. Hence the vaccine is unable to prime the immune system. Most importantly, the immune response may depend on which part of the immune system is activated by the vaccine. Younger children may require a booster dose to increase their immune response.

According to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, children between six months and nine years would require two doses of flu vaccine the first time they get vaccinated.

“If possible, the first [flu] dose should be given as soon as vaccine becomes available. The second [flu] dose should be given 28 or more days after the first dose. The first dose “primes” the immune system; the second dose provides immune protection. Children who only get one [flu] dose but need two doses can have reduced or no protection from a single dose of flu vaccine. Two doses are necessary to protect these children,” notes CDC.
Keywords: A(H1N1), H1N1, A(H1N1) vaccine, Vaccines, Swine flu vaccine, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIAID, Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC, U.S., healthcare, immunisation

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Panels to evaluate functioning of tiger reserves

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Seven more swine flu deaths, toll reaches 247

Fans immortalize YSR through temples, films and even tattoos

Natco to make 10mn strips of generic Tamiflu available by October

Kolhapur court issues NBW against Hyderabad woman

Calling all quiz buffs

H1N1 trial results in children show promise

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