The state archaeology and museums department does not have land records of archaeological and historical sites in the state. Heritage sites like Qutub Shahi tombs, Paigah tombs, Toli mosque, Hayat Begum Bakshi mosque and Hasmathpet megalithic burial compound have been encroached upon. Residential colonies have sprung up on the land belonging to these sites.
The department does not have land records to stake claim on these lands. In the absence of records the department is unable to evict the encroachers.
“There is, however, no comprehensive record in the form of database by which we can prove that the encroached land belongs to the archaeological department. As a result this finite, non-renewable and irreversible resource of our state is fast disappearing without any record for posterity,” said Mr P. Chenna Reddy, the director of state archaeology and museums department.
Mr Chenna Reddy admitted that there was an urgent need for a proper survey of such resources. “Many of the sites belong to the period of Nizams and there were no records maintained since that period. In some areas the land has been sold by the revenue officers to the local residents without the consent of the archaeology officials and now they are not ready to vacate the area. We feel helpless,” said Mr G. Ramakrishna, the deputy director of the state archaeology and museums department.
“Action will be initiated to remove the illegal structures at the earliest with the assistance from the revenue and police officials. Once the encroachers are evicted we will start the documentation of these sites for future reference,” said Mr Chenna Reddy.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Aila sucks up monsoon
The southwest monsoon, which was expe-cted to enter the state three days ago, will get delayed by a few more days.Aila, the recent cyclonic storm in the Bay of Bengal has put the brakes on the advance of monsoon into Andhra Pradesh.
“There was no further advance of monsoon till Friday,” said Mr G. Subba Rao, meteorologist at the Hyderabad Meteorological Centre. “Numerical weather prediction models indicate that further advance of monsoon is not likely during the next 4 to 5 days. Monsoon activity is likely to remain subdued.”
The southwest monsoon advanced till Monday, when Aila began to form in the Bay of Bengal. By the time the storm dissipated, the damage had been done. Sweltering heat continues in AP. In fact, the weather men issued a heat wave warning in Adilabad, Nizamabad, Karimnagar, Warangal and Medak. Hyderabad recorded maximum temperature of 42ºC on Friday. The weather will remain the same in the next two days.
The highest temperature of 45ºC Celsius was recorded at Adilabad and Rentachintala, though the days began to get cooler in coastal AP. Meteorologists also predict some rain over coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema
“There was no further advance of monsoon till Friday,” said Mr G. Subba Rao, meteorologist at the Hyderabad Meteorological Centre. “Numerical weather prediction models indicate that further advance of monsoon is not likely during the next 4 to 5 days. Monsoon activity is likely to remain subdued.”
The southwest monsoon advanced till Monday, when Aila began to form in the Bay of Bengal. By the time the storm dissipated, the damage had been done. Sweltering heat continues in AP. In fact, the weather men issued a heat wave warning in Adilabad, Nizamabad, Karimnagar, Warangal and Medak. Hyderabad recorded maximum temperature of 42ºC on Friday. The weather will remain the same in the next two days.
The highest temperature of 45ºC Celsius was recorded at Adilabad and Rentachintala, though the days began to get cooler in coastal AP. Meteorologists also predict some rain over coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema
Ban goes up in smoke
The ban on smoking, which came into force from October 2008, remains ineffective. The Union health ministry’s directive seems to have gone up in smoke in the state.Even as ‘No Tobacco Day’ will be observed on Sunday, the state government has not done enough to enforce the law. The government is caught between the compulsions of making money and playing the moral police.
The state government has neither assigned any special officers nor has it strictly implemented the ban. So far, only 39 cases have been registered and Rs 3,900 was collected as fine by the Hyderabad district medical and health office.Unlike other states where state tobacco cells have been formed, the state government is yet to come up with its own structured tobacco cell despite such a provision being compulsory for every state. There are clear-cut rules on making “no smoking signboards” with certain dimensions but in most public places in the city these norms are not complied with.
Speaking on the initiative taken by the district medical and health officer, Ch. Jaya Kumari, said, “We are opening Tobacco Intervention Initiative Centre (TIIC) and Exclusive Tobacco Cell in the district medical and health office as directed by the WHO.”
The state government has neither assigned any special officers nor has it strictly implemented the ban. So far, only 39 cases have been registered and Rs 3,900 was collected as fine by the Hyderabad district medical and health office.Unlike other states where state tobacco cells have been formed, the state government is yet to come up with its own structured tobacco cell despite such a provision being compulsory for every state. There are clear-cut rules on making “no smoking signboards” with certain dimensions but in most public places in the city these norms are not complied with.
Speaking on the initiative taken by the district medical and health officer, Ch. Jaya Kumari, said, “We are opening Tobacco Intervention Initiative Centre (TIIC) and Exclusive Tobacco Cell in the district medical and health office as directed by the WHO.”
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Structures razed at heritage site
The State Archaeology and Museums department inspected the Hasmathpet megalithic burial site near old Bowenpally on Friday and removed some encroachments.
The protected site covers in an area of 28.27 acres of land and is spotted with cairn circles dating back to 1000 BC. Some of the burials were excavated by the department in 1934. It later erected a shed on one of the excavated burials for the benefit of the scholars and visitors.
When the department tried to construct a compound wall around the protected area in 2003, people staying near it filed a petition in the High Court. The High Court then passed orders to both the parties to maintain status quo.
Over the years, many encroachers made attempts to occupy the peripherals of the protected site by constructing sheds. But on receiving information, the department immediately removed the structures.
On Friday too, officials of the department removed some temporary structures with the assistance of the police. “There are more illegal structures to be removed,” said,” said Mr P. Chenna Reddy of the State Archaeology and Museums Department.
“Several boulders have also been deposited on the protected site. We will take steps to remove the illegal structures within a week with the assistance of revenue and police departments.”
The protected site covers in an area of 28.27 acres of land and is spotted with cairn circles dating back to 1000 BC. Some of the burials were excavated by the department in 1934. It later erected a shed on one of the excavated burials for the benefit of the scholars and visitors.
When the department tried to construct a compound wall around the protected area in 2003, people staying near it filed a petition in the High Court. The High Court then passed orders to both the parties to maintain status quo.
Over the years, many encroachers made attempts to occupy the peripherals of the protected site by constructing sheds. But on receiving information, the department immediately removed the structures.
On Friday too, officials of the department removed some temporary structures with the assistance of the police. “There are more illegal structures to be removed,” said,” said Mr P. Chenna Reddy of the State Archaeology and Museums Department.
“Several boulders have also been deposited on the protected site. We will take steps to remove the illegal structures within a week with the assistance of revenue and police departments.”
Trai notice to help Netizens
Internet service providers and telecom operators will now be forced to ensure minimum required broadband speed to their customers because of the latest regulations from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai).
Recently the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) issued guidelines to ensure that internet service providers and telecom operators provide the minimum required broadband speed to their customers.
The regulator has fixed a minimum ‘contention ratio number’ of users who can share the same bandwidth to ensure that customers get better and higher broadband speeds. Earlier, there was no such restriction on operators and they were offering service at a contention ratio of 1:80 to 1:100. Under the new guidelines, the contention ratio for broadband at home has been fixed at 1:50 and for business at 1:30.
With this regulation the customers fear that there will be an increase in the broadband tariffs as operators will have to buy more bandwidth to maintain the new norms which may lead to increase in rates.
“There will be no increase in the tariffs. Its obvious that we need to buy more bandwidth to combat the customer ration but if we provide good speed connectivity automatically it increases our customer ratio, so there’s no query of increasing the tariff” said, V.V. Prasad, Divisional Engineer, BSNL Broadband Services.
In its guidelines, Trai has stated that, “There have been complaints from the subscribers regarding inadequate broadband speed being provided by the internet service provider (ISPs) and majority of the complaints allege that the available broadband speed is lower than the subscribed speed. Following complaints from subscribers TRAI has issued guidelines for better Internet or broadband services.
We have not yet started implementation of the new guidelines from TRAI. It is a time taking process most probably by next month we may start, but one thing is for sure as of now we are not going to change the tariff rates” said, official from Airtel Broadband Service.
Recently the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) issued guidelines to ensure that internet service providers and telecom operators provide the minimum required broadband speed to their customers.
The regulator has fixed a minimum ‘contention ratio number’ of users who can share the same bandwidth to ensure that customers get better and higher broadband speeds. Earlier, there was no such restriction on operators and they were offering service at a contention ratio of 1:80 to 1:100. Under the new guidelines, the contention ratio for broadband at home has been fixed at 1:50 and for business at 1:30.
With this regulation the customers fear that there will be an increase in the broadband tariffs as operators will have to buy more bandwidth to maintain the new norms which may lead to increase in rates.
“There will be no increase in the tariffs. Its obvious that we need to buy more bandwidth to combat the customer ration but if we provide good speed connectivity automatically it increases our customer ratio, so there’s no query of increasing the tariff” said, V.V. Prasad, Divisional Engineer, BSNL Broadband Services.
In its guidelines, Trai has stated that, “There have been complaints from the subscribers regarding inadequate broadband speed being provided by the internet service provider (ISPs) and majority of the complaints allege that the available broadband speed is lower than the subscribed speed. Following complaints from subscribers TRAI has issued guidelines for better Internet or broadband services.
We have not yet started implementation of the new guidelines from TRAI. It is a time taking process most probably by next month we may start, but one thing is for sure as of now we are not going to change the tariff rates” said, official from Airtel Broadband Service.
Monday, May 18, 2009
Fire fighters to get special training !!!!!
About 21 fire-fighters in the State Fire and Emergency Department will be given a week-long training in combating fire using hydraulic platforms at the Fire Training Centre at Vattinagulapalli. The department recently acquired three state-of-art hydraulic platforms to beef up its fire-fighting prowess in high-rise buildings and malls.
The training would enable them to deal with fire accidents in high rise buildings, particularly of the kind witnessed in the Secretariat recently, more efficiently than by the conventional methods adopted till now.
The sophisticated hydraulic platforms and turntable ladders provide greater flexibility and manoeuvreability in fire fighting operaions. These platforms can reach up to 54 meters height to put out fire. The department work, hitherto, is severely hampered by lack of advanced equipment to deal with fire accidents.
"The department has just one snorkel which can reach up to 10-storeyed buildings. The new imported platforms can reach up to 18 floors within three minutes to rescue people in case of any fire mishap. The vehicles are at present kept at the Fire Training Centre, Vattinagulapalli. Once the training is over, the vehicles will be stationed one each at Madhapur, Gowliguda and at the training school at Vattinagulapally, " said Mr P. Deen Dayal, district fire officer.
The hydraulic platforms cost Rs 5 cr each. The specialised vehicle `Hazmat,' from Germany costing Rs. 5 crore, which is equipped to deal with chemical, biological and nuclear disasters, is on the way, and it will be stationed in the new fire station at Secretariat.
Nearly 21 senior fire fighters will be trained in the hydraulic platform operations at the AP Fire and Emergency services Home guard Training School in Vattinagulapally under the supervision of Sunil Kaul, Engineer, Brijbasi from Delhi. The firemen will require a week long training to operate the vehicle and each of the vehicles will require seven firemen for operation.
The training would enable them to deal with fire accidents in high rise buildings, particularly of the kind witnessed in the Secretariat recently, more efficiently than by the conventional methods adopted till now.
The sophisticated hydraulic platforms and turntable ladders provide greater flexibility and manoeuvreability in fire fighting operaions. These platforms can reach up to 54 meters height to put out fire. The department work, hitherto, is severely hampered by lack of advanced equipment to deal with fire accidents.
"The department has just one snorkel which can reach up to 10-storeyed buildings. The new imported platforms can reach up to 18 floors within three minutes to rescue people in case of any fire mishap. The vehicles are at present kept at the Fire Training Centre, Vattinagulapalli. Once the training is over, the vehicles will be stationed one each at Madhapur, Gowliguda and at the training school at Vattinagulapally, " said Mr P. Deen Dayal, district fire officer.
The hydraulic platforms cost Rs 5 cr each. The specialised vehicle `Hazmat,' from Germany costing Rs. 5 crore, which is equipped to deal with chemical, biological and nuclear disasters, is on the way, and it will be stationed in the new fire station at Secretariat.
Nearly 21 senior fire fighters will be trained in the hydraulic platform operations at the AP Fire and Emergency services Home guard Training School in Vattinagulapally under the supervision of Sunil Kaul, Engineer, Brijbasi from Delhi. The firemen will require a week long training to operate the vehicle and each of the vehicles will require seven firemen for operation.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
GHMC undecided over Pushpanjali
Few months back, when the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) had declared the Pushpanjali Complex in Koti, which houses more than 200 shops unsafe, it had also issued notices to the shop owners to vacate the premises in three days.
However, even after three months the GHMC is still sleeping on the issue.According to the notice, the shop owners were told to vacate as the Pushpanjali Complex was to be sealed off.Since, the building was in a dilapidated condition and did not possess proper fire-fighting equipments, the civic body had ordered for its closure.
The first major fire had broken out in the complex on February 5, 2006 causing severe damage to property and the building. The second fire mishap took place on February 4 this year.After the first incident, a technical committee was appointed by the GHMC to make a report on the structure and take a decision on the restoration.The report stated that structure was “very weak and unsafe” and suggested its strengthening.But, the GHMC officials are now delaying the matter with their excuses.
“Since we were short staffed and busy with election work, Pushpanjali Complex was not on our priority list,” said Mr Purusotham Reddy, the chief planning officer, GHMC.
Meanwhile, the shopkeepers too are not ready to vacate their shops. “We have been running our shop here for several years. We will experience heavy losses if the shops are shut down. We shall seek legal aid if we are forced to vacate,” said Mr Chandhrabhan Singh, owner, Rajhdhani shop.
However, even after three months the GHMC is still sleeping on the issue.According to the notice, the shop owners were told to vacate as the Pushpanjali Complex was to be sealed off.Since, the building was in a dilapidated condition and did not possess proper fire-fighting equipments, the civic body had ordered for its closure.
The first major fire had broken out in the complex on February 5, 2006 causing severe damage to property and the building. The second fire mishap took place on February 4 this year.After the first incident, a technical committee was appointed by the GHMC to make a report on the structure and take a decision on the restoration.The report stated that structure was “very weak and unsafe” and suggested its strengthening.But, the GHMC officials are now delaying the matter with their excuses.
“Since we were short staffed and busy with election work, Pushpanjali Complex was not on our priority list,” said Mr Purusotham Reddy, the chief planning officer, GHMC.
Meanwhile, the shopkeepers too are not ready to vacate their shops. “We have been running our shop here for several years. We will experience heavy losses if the shops are shut down. We shall seek legal aid if we are forced to vacate,” said Mr Chandhrabhan Singh, owner, Rajhdhani shop.
Power cuts halt ticket booking
Frequent power failures are playing havoc with the computerised reservation system at the Kacheguda Railway Station. This is not only delaying booking of reservations but also compounding the suffering of people.
Mr Binoy Jacob, an employee with a multi-national company said, “I came to the station at 7 am for tatkal reservation of a ticket to Kerala. It is more than two hours and still did not get the reservation as the system broke down due to power failure. It is annoying and I have no idea how much more time it will take. It seems the systems here have no back-up power facility.”Adding to the woes only four counters are working at any given point of time of the seven existing ones.
“Whenever I come here for reservation, I find myself stuck in the queue for not less than two hours. Last week, I had to wait in the queue for more than 90 minutes to book a ticket to Delhi. I need to take time off from my office everytime I have to book tickets,” said Mr Ravi Kumar, a marketing executive in a pharmaceutical company.
The chief station inspector, Mr K. Srinivas Rao, said, “There is rush at the counters because of summer season. Normally, it does not take more than 20 minutes for one to get ticket. When there is power cut, the systems go out of order. We have brought the problem of frequent power tripping faced by the station to our headquarters.”
“There is need for opening more counters, keeping in view the rush. There is also need for regulating the queues at the station,” said Mr Tarun Rao, an employee with GMR.
Mr Binoy Jacob, an employee with a multi-national company said, “I came to the station at 7 am for tatkal reservation of a ticket to Kerala. It is more than two hours and still did not get the reservation as the system broke down due to power failure. It is annoying and I have no idea how much more time it will take. It seems the systems here have no back-up power facility.”Adding to the woes only four counters are working at any given point of time of the seven existing ones.
“Whenever I come here for reservation, I find myself stuck in the queue for not less than two hours. Last week, I had to wait in the queue for more than 90 minutes to book a ticket to Delhi. I need to take time off from my office everytime I have to book tickets,” said Mr Ravi Kumar, a marketing executive in a pharmaceutical company.
The chief station inspector, Mr K. Srinivas Rao, said, “There is rush at the counters because of summer season. Normally, it does not take more than 20 minutes for one to get ticket. When there is power cut, the systems go out of order. We have brought the problem of frequent power tripping faced by the station to our headquarters.”
“There is need for opening more counters, keeping in view the rush. There is also need for regulating the queues at the station,” said Mr Tarun Rao, an employee with GMR.
One in five teen surfers falls prey to paedophiles
Children, particularly teenagers, who browse Internet regularly, are falling prey to paedophiles. According to recent survey by International Telecommunication Union [ITU], over 60 per cent of children and teenagers talk in chat rooms on a daily basis. Three in four children on-line are sharing the information about themselves and their family in exchange for goods and services. And one in five children are being targeted by a predator or paedophile each year.
Teenager from 14 to 18 years are the worst affected due to large usage of community sites like Orkut, Face book ,Hi5, Beebo, MySpace and many more. "Even bullying has become a common phenomenon in cyber space with nearly 72 percent of teens reporting at least one incident of cyber bullying every month. Most of the bullied teens don't tell their parents about the on-line incidents. They try to deal with the problem on their own with a fear of parental restrictions on Net use. This some times leads to social mishaps, sometimes with tragic consequences," said Mr Suraj Prasad Agarwal, President, Federation of Andhra Pradesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry.
"Because of the generation gap in electronic communication, however, parents and educators need to better understand both the positive and negative functions of teen on-line behaviour. Websites that give such dangerous information to children can cause much harm, and while such sites have to be regulated, parents should be alerted about what children are doing in their free time," added Mr Agarwal.
To combat with the increasing number of such cases the ITU's Child On-line Protection (COP) initiative is in line with its mandate to establish the foundations for a safe and secure cyber world for future generations and in this view a seminar is organised in city on Sunday to celebrate the World Telecommunication and Information Society Day. Every year a specific theme is chosen to celebrate this day and this year because of the importance and urgency for preventive measures for children and teenager from cyberspace the theme is, "Protecting Children in Cyberspace".
"To ensure that children and teenagers can safely access the net and its valuable resources without fear of falling prey to unscrupulous predators in cyber space this seminar is being organised. The seminar discussions are meant for ICT professionals, sociologists, lawyers, parents, students, teenagers and law-makers and enforcers."
Teenager from 14 to 18 years are the worst affected due to large usage of community sites like Orkut, Face book ,Hi5, Beebo, MySpace and many more. "Even bullying has become a common phenomenon in cyber space with nearly 72 percent of teens reporting at least one incident of cyber bullying every month. Most of the bullied teens don't tell their parents about the on-line incidents. They try to deal with the problem on their own with a fear of parental restrictions on Net use. This some times leads to social mishaps, sometimes with tragic consequences," said Mr Suraj Prasad Agarwal, President, Federation of Andhra Pradesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry.
"Because of the generation gap in electronic communication, however, parents and educators need to better understand both the positive and negative functions of teen on-line behaviour. Websites that give such dangerous information to children can cause much harm, and while such sites have to be regulated, parents should be alerted about what children are doing in their free time," added Mr Agarwal.
To combat with the increasing number of such cases the ITU's Child On-line Protection (COP) initiative is in line with its mandate to establish the foundations for a safe and secure cyber world for future generations and in this view a seminar is organised in city on Sunday to celebrate the World Telecommunication and Information Society Day. Every year a specific theme is chosen to celebrate this day and this year because of the importance and urgency for preventive measures for children and teenager from cyberspace the theme is, "Protecting Children in Cyberspace".
"To ensure that children and teenagers can safely access the net and its valuable resources without fear of falling prey to unscrupulous predators in cyber space this seminar is being organised. The seminar discussions are meant for ICT professionals, sociologists, lawyers, parents, students, teenagers and law-makers and enforcers."
Careless smoking causes fire
Rise in fire accidents due to careless smoking in public places, residential buildings and commercial complex in city is giving sleepless nights to the State Fire and Emergency Department.
The department had so far recorded more than 200 fire accidents in this year due to careless smoking at public places. Last year out of 1002 fire mishaps recorded 681 were incidents were caused due to careless smoking in twin cities.
The department officials say, luckily major disasters have not taken place so far this year since many of the incidents is either being reported at night or in the early hours when the offices are shut or less public is present at the spot.
The officials from department also say that the health officials should be strict on awareness programme of Ban on Smoking in public places once the law is fairly implemented the accidents can be reduced to a extent because most of the incidents recorded are in public places only.
Careless smoking is the main factors for increasing fire accidents in twin cities this year. This was confirmed by the Fire and Emergency Services Department after a detailed study conducted on the reasons for fire accidents that were reported during the last five months.
"Whether it is a residential building or commercial complex or a public place, smoking causes a majority of accidents and huge loss of properties too. Smokers casual in extinguishing the strike also contributed to the mishaps as thrown away butts still alight could spark the fire especially in open places" said, District Fire Officer, P.Deen Dayal.
Shockingly so far after the implementation of Ban on smoking in public places only 39 cases from twin cities have been booked by health officials. However District Medical and Health Officer Dr. Ch. Jaya Kumari, says "We can’t stop people smoking in public garden, railway platform or other open places we can only file cases against people smoking in pub, office or malls, not other places".
"Recently the fire accident in Falaknuma timber depot and Osmania university where people were present in large number cause due to careless smoking must have turned into major incident if the fire fighters would have not done fast action. Recently more than 30 huts in Shamshabad area was gutted due to careless smoking" said, official from fire department.
The department had so far recorded more than 200 fire accidents in this year due to careless smoking at public places. Last year out of 1002 fire mishaps recorded 681 were incidents were caused due to careless smoking in twin cities.
The department officials say, luckily major disasters have not taken place so far this year since many of the incidents is either being reported at night or in the early hours when the offices are shut or less public is present at the spot.
The officials from department also say that the health officials should be strict on awareness programme of Ban on Smoking in public places once the law is fairly implemented the accidents can be reduced to a extent because most of the incidents recorded are in public places only.
Careless smoking is the main factors for increasing fire accidents in twin cities this year. This was confirmed by the Fire and Emergency Services Department after a detailed study conducted on the reasons for fire accidents that were reported during the last five months.
"Whether it is a residential building or commercial complex or a public place, smoking causes a majority of accidents and huge loss of properties too. Smokers casual in extinguishing the strike also contributed to the mishaps as thrown away butts still alight could spark the fire especially in open places" said, District Fire Officer, P.Deen Dayal.
Shockingly so far after the implementation of Ban on smoking in public places only 39 cases from twin cities have been booked by health officials. However District Medical and Health Officer Dr. Ch. Jaya Kumari, says "We can’t stop people smoking in public garden, railway platform or other open places we can only file cases against people smoking in pub, office or malls, not other places".
"Recently the fire accident in Falaknuma timber depot and Osmania university where people were present in large number cause due to careless smoking must have turned into major incident if the fire fighters would have not done fast action. Recently more than 30 huts in Shamshabad area was gutted due to careless smoking" said, official from fire department.
No foul play in ‘D’ block fire
The three-member official committee headed by the principal secretary (political), Mr R.M. Gonela, on Friday, ruled out any sabotage in the fire accident in the ‘D’ block of the state Secretariat.
The committee, in its report to the government, has suggested implementation of fire safety measures in all the blocks in the Secretariat at the earliest. It also wanted rectification of electric wiring system as a short circuit caused the mishap.
“No important files or data stored in computer was destroyed and net connectivity has been fully restored to all the 400-odd computers in different sections of the two floors. A detailed report will be submitted by the CID investigating the case,” said Mr Gonela.
“The Secretariat will have an exclusive fire station on its premises. Two garages, office and storerooms will come up on a 1,000 square yards land adjacent to the ‘K’ block. It will be operational in a couple of months. A ‘Hazmat’ emergency vehicle, which is used to respond to hazardous material accidents, and two more fire tenders will be stationed in Secretariat,” the director-general of fire services, Ms Aruna Bahuguna, said
The committee, in its report to the government, has suggested implementation of fire safety measures in all the blocks in the Secretariat at the earliest. It also wanted rectification of electric wiring system as a short circuit caused the mishap.
“No important files or data stored in computer was destroyed and net connectivity has been fully restored to all the 400-odd computers in different sections of the two floors. A detailed report will be submitted by the CID investigating the case,” said Mr Gonela.
“The Secretariat will have an exclusive fire station on its premises. Two garages, office and storerooms will come up on a 1,000 square yards land adjacent to the ‘K’ block. It will be operational in a couple of months. A ‘Hazmat’ emergency vehicle, which is used to respond to hazardous material accidents, and two more fire tenders will be stationed in Secretariat,” the director-general of fire services, Ms Aruna Bahuguna, said
Files gutted at Secretariat
Fire broke out in the D-Block of the Secretariat housing finance and information technology departments on Thursday afternoon destroying computers and peripherals.This is the fourth fire that broke out in the Secretariat this year. The Mahakutami was quick to allege that the fire was deliberately triggered by the ruling Cong-ress which wanted to dest-roy “sensitive” documents as it faced electoral defeat.
The senior Telugu Desam leader, Mr Kodela Sivapra-sad Rao, said he suspected foul play behind the fire and demanded a high-level inquiry. “The IT department is under scanner for the Satyam and Maytas deals, forest department for Obulapuram mining and finance department has key papers on the economic situation,” he said.
In the wake of these allegations, the state government asked the CBCID to constitute a Special Investi-gation Team to investigate the fire mishap.The fire broke out in the computer server room in the second floor at 2.30 pm. Soon thick smoke engulfed the whole area, causing suffocation to four employees who were rushed to the Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) for treatment.
Though the building has been issued no-objection certificate by the Departm-ent of Fire and Emergency Services, it did not even have mandatory fire sprinklers.Firefighters broke the window panes of the second floor to let the smoke out. It took nearly two hours for 12 firefighters to bring the flames under control. Three of them sustained minor injuries in the incident.
It took nearly half-an-hour for the fire department to bring its newly imported snorkel right behind the D-Block where the flames were coming out of windows. “Several employees including women were trapped inside the building and some were caught in lifts,” said Mr G. Jacob, director of the AP Secretariat Employees’ Cooperative Society. “All were rescued.”
“We suspect that it was a short circuit in the server room which caused the fire but it needs a full investigation,” said Ms Aruna Bahuguna, DG, Fire and Emergency Services.
The senior Telugu Desam leader, Mr Kodela Sivapra-sad Rao, said he suspected foul play behind the fire and demanded a high-level inquiry. “The IT department is under scanner for the Satyam and Maytas deals, forest department for Obulapuram mining and finance department has key papers on the economic situation,” he said.
In the wake of these allegations, the state government asked the CBCID to constitute a Special Investi-gation Team to investigate the fire mishap.The fire broke out in the computer server room in the second floor at 2.30 pm. Soon thick smoke engulfed the whole area, causing suffocation to four employees who were rushed to the Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) for treatment.
Though the building has been issued no-objection certificate by the Departm-ent of Fire and Emergency Services, it did not even have mandatory fire sprinklers.Firefighters broke the window panes of the second floor to let the smoke out. It took nearly two hours for 12 firefighters to bring the flames under control. Three of them sustained minor injuries in the incident.
It took nearly half-an-hour for the fire department to bring its newly imported snorkel right behind the D-Block where the flames were coming out of windows. “Several employees including women were trapped inside the building and some were caught in lifts,” said Mr G. Jacob, director of the AP Secretariat Employees’ Cooperative Society. “All were rescued.”
“We suspect that it was a short circuit in the server room which caused the fire but it needs a full investigation,” said Ms Aruna Bahuguna, DG, Fire and Emergency Services.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
State evicts 17 families from Paigah Tombs site
About 17 families staying on the premises of Paigah Tombs at Ghouse Nagar were evicted from their houses and the government took possession of the land.Descendants of the 17 families, to whom the plots were sold by the nobles of the erstwhile Nizam state, have been residing at the Paigah Tombs site.
The property came under government control following court intervention.“Without notice, we were evicted from our homes in which we have been staying for the last 25 years. We bought these plots long ago and have all the papers with us. The government promised to provide us with flats, but single room units were provided at Ghouse Nagar.
These dwellings lack basic amenities,” said Mr Lateef Anees, one of the evictees.“I was allotted a dwelling six years ago. We had paid the amount to the government. We have not shifted to the dwelling as it lacks basic amenities. We locked the house. We were shocked to find the locks broken and others in there,” said, Ms Rehmati Bi.
“We have shifted the families to Ghouse Nagar Colony temporarily. Basic amenities will be provided soon. It’s not our fault that the plots were sold to them decades ago by the Paigah nobles of the Nizam state. The Paigah Tombs are under the control of state archaeology and museums department,” said, Mr Naveen Mittal, the district collector.
Meanwhile, the museums department has begun the demolition of houses in the Paigah Tombs. “We have been trying to evict these people for decades. The families will be rehabilitated after eviction and this takes time. We have already started demolition of Paigah Tombs. Once the demolition is completed, restoration will be taken up,” said Mr P. Chenna Reddy, the director of state archaeology and museums department.
The property came under government control following court intervention.“Without notice, we were evicted from our homes in which we have been staying for the last 25 years. We bought these plots long ago and have all the papers with us. The government promised to provide us with flats, but single room units were provided at Ghouse Nagar.
These dwellings lack basic amenities,” said Mr Lateef Anees, one of the evictees.“I was allotted a dwelling six years ago. We had paid the amount to the government. We have not shifted to the dwelling as it lacks basic amenities. We locked the house. We were shocked to find the locks broken and others in there,” said, Ms Rehmati Bi.
“We have shifted the families to Ghouse Nagar Colony temporarily. Basic amenities will be provided soon. It’s not our fault that the plots were sold to them decades ago by the Paigah nobles of the Nizam state. The Paigah Tombs are under the control of state archaeology and museums department,” said, Mr Naveen Mittal, the district collector.
Meanwhile, the museums department has begun the demolition of houses in the Paigah Tombs. “We have been trying to evict these people for decades. The families will be rehabilitated after eviction and this takes time. We have already started demolition of Paigah Tombs. Once the demolition is completed, restoration will be taken up,” said Mr P. Chenna Reddy, the director of state archaeology and museums department.
Elephant carvings on Tank Bund wall
The state archaeology and museums department has found carvings of elephants and lions on the abutting wall of the Tank Bund. These carvings were found on two sides of the wall.The department, however, is yet to ascertain the origin of these carvings.
“We have started the verification process. It may take some time to find out the origin of these carvings. As of now, we can say that these carvings must have been brought from some other place to be incorporated into the wall,” said P. Chenna Reddy, the director, state archaeology and museums department.
The officials say that there is no specification of these carvings. They may even belong to the 14th century they say. A sweeper, who saw these carvings, informed the department.
“We have started the verification process. It may take some time to find out the origin of these carvings. As of now, we can say that these carvings must have been brought from some other place to be incorporated into the wall,” said P. Chenna Reddy, the director, state archaeology and museums department.
The officials say that there is no specification of these carvings. They may even belong to the 14th century they say. A sweeper, who saw these carvings, informed the department.
Fire department to crack whip on towers
The state fire and emergency department has issues with cellphone towers being installed on residential buildings. The department along with the GHMC has decided to come up with rules for putting up towers in the city.
According to the officials, at present there are no rules which deal with tower installation in the city and there is no provision for taking No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the GHMC or the fire department.On Wednesday, a fire broke out on a Vodafone cell tower at Ashoknagar due to short circuit.“We have taken up this issue on priority basis as these cell towers can prove to be dangerous to people residing there. Wednesday’s fire accident would have turned into a major mishap if the fire fighters had failed to put off the flame in time” said, Mohan Reddy, additional district fire officer.
We will also ask the telecom authorities so as to formulate rules for installing cellular phone towers on vacant land, taking into consideration proper structural standards with proper fire safety measures, added Mr Reddy.Meanwhile, the residents of Ashoknagar have decided to cancel their lease with the authorities of Vodafone cell tower.
Many cell towers in city are erected in the residential areas or in commercial areas. The towers were not constructed in such a way that it is difficult to facilitate free movement of fire service vehicles in case of any emergency.
According to the officials, at present there are no rules which deal with tower installation in the city and there is no provision for taking No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the GHMC or the fire department.On Wednesday, a fire broke out on a Vodafone cell tower at Ashoknagar due to short circuit.“We have taken up this issue on priority basis as these cell towers can prove to be dangerous to people residing there. Wednesday’s fire accident would have turned into a major mishap if the fire fighters had failed to put off the flame in time” said, Mohan Reddy, additional district fire officer.
We will also ask the telecom authorities so as to formulate rules for installing cellular phone towers on vacant land, taking into consideration proper structural standards with proper fire safety measures, added Mr Reddy.Meanwhile, the residents of Ashoknagar have decided to cancel their lease with the authorities of Vodafone cell tower.
Many cell towers in city are erected in the residential areas or in commercial areas. The towers were not constructed in such a way that it is difficult to facilitate free movement of fire service vehicles in case of any emergency.
Two more days of heat for city
The Indian Meteorological Department has issued a heat wave warning in Adilabad, Karimnagar, Nizamabad and Warangal districts.Officials from the city Meteorological department predicted similar weather conditions in the rest of the state for the next two days.
There would be no relief from the scorching sun with temperature likely to touch 41 degree Celsius.The strong north-westerly winds are said to be the reason behind the increase in temperatures in the state.The maximum temperatures rose at one or two places over coastal Andhra Pradesh and changed little over Telangana and Rayalaseema.
They were significantly above normal at one or two places over Coastal Andhra, above normal at many places over Rayalaseema and at many places in the remaining districts of Telangana.The maximum temperature of 46 degree Celsius was recorded in Adilabad and Rentachintala.However, for the past one week the state has been recording five degrees above normal temperature. This has led to heat wave conditions.
On Thursday the maximum temperature recorded in city was 42 degree Celsius.Meanwhile, the department also issued a warning of severe heat wave conditions in some parts of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Vidarbha and Delhi, some parts of Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, south Uttar Pradesh, north Madhya Maharashtra, interior Orissa, Jharkhand and Jammu and Kashmir and isolated heavy rainfall is likely over Assam, Meghalaya and Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura.
There would be no relief from the scorching sun with temperature likely to touch 41 degree Celsius.The strong north-westerly winds are said to be the reason behind the increase in temperatures in the state.The maximum temperatures rose at one or two places over coastal Andhra Pradesh and changed little over Telangana and Rayalaseema.
They were significantly above normal at one or two places over Coastal Andhra, above normal at many places over Rayalaseema and at many places in the remaining districts of Telangana.The maximum temperature of 46 degree Celsius was recorded in Adilabad and Rentachintala.However, for the past one week the state has been recording five degrees above normal temperature. This has led to heat wave conditions.
On Thursday the maximum temperature recorded in city was 42 degree Celsius.Meanwhile, the department also issued a warning of severe heat wave conditions in some parts of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Vidarbha and Delhi, some parts of Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, south Uttar Pradesh, north Madhya Maharashtra, interior Orissa, Jharkhand and Jammu and Kashmir and isolated heavy rainfall is likely over Assam, Meghalaya and Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura.
City sweats out at 43.1 degrees
The city is sweltering under the summer sun with the maximum temperature touching 43.1ºC on Saturday, the highest in this season.
Officials from the city meteorological department have predicted the possibility of severe heat wave conditions in city if the high temperatures persist for the next two days. The city had last suffered heat wave conditions in 2003 and 2005.
Mercury soared high and is hovering above 40ºC at a number of places in the State as a result of dry north-westerly winds blowing from the Thar Desert in Rajasthan and from Maharashtra.
Districts such as Adilabad, Ramgundam and Rentachintala are already in the grip of heat wave and the maximum temperature may touch 45ºC if the dry winds continue.
Temperatures are two to three degrees above normal in several places in Guntur, Krishna, Prakasam, Nellore, Nalgonda and Warangal districts. Last year, the highest maximum temperature recorded in city was 41.9ºC in May end but this time the temperature had already crossed 43.1ºC on Saturday.
“It is not possible to predict whether there would be any sudden fall in temperature after two days,” said Mr Subbarao, assistant meteorologist of Hyderabad. “Fall or rise in temperature depends on the change in wind pattern.”
On Friday, the maximum temperatures rose at a few places over Telangana, at one or two places over Coastal Andhra Pradesh and changed little over Rayalaseema. They were significantly above normal at one or two places over Coastal Andhra Pradesh, above normal over Rayalaseema and in the remaining districts of Telangana. The highest maximum temperature of 46ºC was recorded at Adilabad and Rentachintala.
Officials from the city meteorological department have predicted the possibility of severe heat wave conditions in city if the high temperatures persist for the next two days. The city had last suffered heat wave conditions in 2003 and 2005.
Mercury soared high and is hovering above 40ºC at a number of places in the State as a result of dry north-westerly winds blowing from the Thar Desert in Rajasthan and from Maharashtra.
Districts such as Adilabad, Ramgundam and Rentachintala are already in the grip of heat wave and the maximum temperature may touch 45ºC if the dry winds continue.
Temperatures are two to three degrees above normal in several places in Guntur, Krishna, Prakasam, Nellore, Nalgonda and Warangal districts. Last year, the highest maximum temperature recorded in city was 41.9ºC in May end but this time the temperature had already crossed 43.1ºC on Saturday.
“It is not possible to predict whether there would be any sudden fall in temperature after two days,” said Mr Subbarao, assistant meteorologist of Hyderabad. “Fall or rise in temperature depends on the change in wind pattern.”
On Friday, the maximum temperatures rose at a few places over Telangana, at one or two places over Coastal Andhra Pradesh and changed little over Rayalaseema. They were significantly above normal at one or two places over Coastal Andhra Pradesh, above normal over Rayalaseema and in the remaining districts of Telangana. The highest maximum temperature of 46ºC was recorded at Adilabad and Rentachintala.
Bid to evict mosque encroachers
The state archaeology and museums department has written to the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) and the state government seeking eviction of ten families residing on premises of the Hayat Bakshi Begum mosque in Hayathnagar.
The encroachments have been hampering the department’s plan to take up renovation works on the mosque, which is in a dilapidated state.The department had faced similar problems when it was trying to renovate the Paigah tombs sometime ago.
Mr P. Chenna Reddy, director, State Archaeology and Museums Department, said the families have been staying illegally in the area for many years.“They refused to move out when they were told to do so. We will take up the renovation work once these people are shifted,” he said.
The department’s restoration work involves clearing wild shrubs and debris, strengthening the foundation of the monuments and the peripheral wall on the mosque’s premises using traditional methods.It will also recast the worn-out ornamental works and remove the decayed plaster on the walls. Other works the department plans to carry out are construction of internal pathways with granite slabs, providing public amenities and rest house and interpretation centre.
Hayat Bakshi Begum mosque is a fairly large mosque with a façade of five arches.It was constructed in 1672 during the reign of Abdullah Qutub Shah. It has a large Caravan Sarai and Hathi Bauli, a very large structure in the north-east of the mosque.
The encroachments have been hampering the department’s plan to take up renovation works on the mosque, which is in a dilapidated state.The department had faced similar problems when it was trying to renovate the Paigah tombs sometime ago.
Mr P. Chenna Reddy, director, State Archaeology and Museums Department, said the families have been staying illegally in the area for many years.“They refused to move out when they were told to do so. We will take up the renovation work once these people are shifted,” he said.
The department’s restoration work involves clearing wild shrubs and debris, strengthening the foundation of the monuments and the peripheral wall on the mosque’s premises using traditional methods.It will also recast the worn-out ornamental works and remove the decayed plaster on the walls. Other works the department plans to carry out are construction of internal pathways with granite slabs, providing public amenities and rest house and interpretation centre.
Hayat Bakshi Begum mosque is a fairly large mosque with a façade of five arches.It was constructed in 1672 during the reign of Abdullah Qutub Shah. It has a large Caravan Sarai and Hathi Bauli, a very large structure in the north-east of the mosque.
Files gutted at Secretariat
Fire broke out in the D-Block of the Secretariat housing finance and information technology departments on Thursday afternoon destroying computers and peripherals.This is the fourth fire that broke out in the Secretariat this year. The Mahakutami was quick to allege that the fire was deliberately triggered by the ruling Cong-ress which wanted to dest-roy “sensitive” documents as it faced electoral defeat.
The senior Telugu Desam leader, Mr Kodela Sivapra-sad Rao, said he suspected foul play behind the fire and demanded a high-level inquiry. “The IT department is under scanner for the Satyam and Maytas deals, forest department for Obulapuram mining and finance department has key papers on the economic situation,” he said.
In the wake of these allegations, the state government asked the CBCID to constitute a Special Investi-gation Team to investigate the fire mishap. The fire broke out in the computer server room in the second floor at 2.30 pm. Soon thick smoke engulfed the whole area, causing suffocation to four employees who were rushed to the Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) for treatment.
Though the building has been issued no-objection certificate by the Departm-ent of Fire and Emergency Services, it did not even have mandatory fire sprinklers.Firefighters broke the window panes of the second floor to let the smoke out. It took nearly two hours for 12 firefighters to bring the flames under control. Three of them sustained minor injuries in the incident.
It took nearly half-an-hour for the fire department to bring its newly imported snorkel right behind the D-Block where the flames were coming out of windows. “Several employees including women were trapped inside the building and some were caught in lifts,” said Mr G. Jacob, director of the AP Secretariat Employees’ Cooperative Society. “All were rescued.”
“We suspect that it was a short circuit in the server room which caused the fire but it needs a full investigation,” said Ms Aruna Bahuguna, DG, Fire and Emergency Services.
Earlier this year, three minor fire accidents took place in B-block. A few weeks ago, another minor fire broke out in the B-block due to electrical short-circuit. The electrical wiring in the block, which was done decades ago, has developed several defects due to voltage fluctuations caused by installation of a large number of air-conditioners.
The senior Telugu Desam leader, Mr Kodela Sivapra-sad Rao, said he suspected foul play behind the fire and demanded a high-level inquiry. “The IT department is under scanner for the Satyam and Maytas deals, forest department for Obulapuram mining and finance department has key papers on the economic situation,” he said.
In the wake of these allegations, the state government asked the CBCID to constitute a Special Investi-gation Team to investigate the fire mishap. The fire broke out in the computer server room in the second floor at 2.30 pm. Soon thick smoke engulfed the whole area, causing suffocation to four employees who were rushed to the Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) for treatment.
Though the building has been issued no-objection certificate by the Departm-ent of Fire and Emergency Services, it did not even have mandatory fire sprinklers.Firefighters broke the window panes of the second floor to let the smoke out. It took nearly two hours for 12 firefighters to bring the flames under control. Three of them sustained minor injuries in the incident.
It took nearly half-an-hour for the fire department to bring its newly imported snorkel right behind the D-Block where the flames were coming out of windows. “Several employees including women were trapped inside the building and some were caught in lifts,” said Mr G. Jacob, director of the AP Secretariat Employees’ Cooperative Society. “All were rescued.”
“We suspect that it was a short circuit in the server room which caused the fire but it needs a full investigation,” said Ms Aruna Bahuguna, DG, Fire and Emergency Services.
Earlier this year, three minor fire accidents took place in B-block. A few weeks ago, another minor fire broke out in the B-block due to electrical short-circuit. The electrical wiring in the block, which was done decades ago, has developed several defects due to voltage fluctuations caused by installation of a large number of air-conditioners.
GHMC undecided over Pushpanjali
Few months back, when the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) had declared the Pushpanjali Complex in Koti, which houses more than 200 shops unsafe, it had also issued notices to the shop owners to vacate the premises in three days.
However, even after three months the GHMC is still sleeping on the issue.According to the notice, the shop owners were told to vacate as the Pushpanjali Complex was to be sealed off.Since, the building was in a dilapidated condition and did not possess proper fire-fighting equipments, the civic body had ordered for its closure.
The first major fire had broken out in the complex on February 5, 2006 causing severe damage to property and the building. The second fire mishap took place on February 4 this year.After the first incident, a technical committee was appointed by the GHMC to make a report on the structure and take a decision on the restoration.
The report stated that structure was “very weak and unsafe” and suggested its strengthening.But, the GHMC officials are now delaying the matter with their excuses. “Since we were short staffed and busy with election work, Pushpanjali Complex was not on our priority list,” said Mr Purusotham Reddy, the chief planning officer, GHMC.Meanwhile, the shopkeepers too are not ready to vacate their shops.
“We have been running our shop here for several years. We will experience heavy losses if the shops are shut down. We shall seek legal aid if we are forced to vacate,” said Mr Chandhrabhan Singh, owner, Rajhdhani shop.
However, even after three months the GHMC is still sleeping on the issue.According to the notice, the shop owners were told to vacate as the Pushpanjali Complex was to be sealed off.Since, the building was in a dilapidated condition and did not possess proper fire-fighting equipments, the civic body had ordered for its closure.
The first major fire had broken out in the complex on February 5, 2006 causing severe damage to property and the building. The second fire mishap took place on February 4 this year.After the first incident, a technical committee was appointed by the GHMC to make a report on the structure and take a decision on the restoration.
The report stated that structure was “very weak and unsafe” and suggested its strengthening.But, the GHMC officials are now delaying the matter with their excuses. “Since we were short staffed and busy with election work, Pushpanjali Complex was not on our priority list,” said Mr Purusotham Reddy, the chief planning officer, GHMC.Meanwhile, the shopkeepers too are not ready to vacate their shops.
“We have been running our shop here for several years. We will experience heavy losses if the shops are shut down. We shall seek legal aid if we are forced to vacate,” said Mr Chandhrabhan Singh, owner, Rajhdhani shop.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Beware of fancy mobile numbers
Think twice before buying a fancy mobile number since they seem to attract more blank calls and SMSes than ordinary numbers. Though owning a fancy mobile number adds to your status, it comes at a price. And we are not talking about the hefty amount you pay for the number. Service providers get sundry complaints from customers who have fancy or unique numbers about blank calls and SMSes at odd hours.
“I bought a Tata Indicom fancy number paying Rs 1 lakh but now I regret it,” said Mr Vimal Kumar, manager of Hot Tracks. “I am fed up with the daily SMSes and blank calls. I have complained to the service providers but to no avail.”
Vodafone, Spice, BSNL and Tata Indicom have all raked in additional revenues by auctioning VIP numbers. Last week BSNL closed its auction of numbers for pre-paid cellular subscribers. The numbers up for sale were 94928-88888, 94927-44444 and 94927-77777. The auction was closed with highest bidding rate of Rs 1.7lakh for the number 9492888888 against the reserve price of Rs 25,000. The auction was done on SMS.
“Three months ago, I bought a postpaid premium number from BSNL by paying Rs 1.12 lakh thinking that it will add to my status but unfortunately it gave me sleepless nights with continuous calls,” said Mr Suman Kumar, proprietor of Suman chit fund. “Finally I deactivated my number.”
Mr. G. P. Reddy, general manager, Cell One, said that high-class consumers were going for fancy numbers since owning a mobile was no more a status symbol.
“I bought a Tata Indicom fancy number paying Rs 1 lakh but now I regret it,” said Mr Vimal Kumar, manager of Hot Tracks. “I am fed up with the daily SMSes and blank calls. I have complained to the service providers but to no avail.”
Vodafone, Spice, BSNL and Tata Indicom have all raked in additional revenues by auctioning VIP numbers. Last week BSNL closed its auction of numbers for pre-paid cellular subscribers. The numbers up for sale were 94928-88888, 94927-44444 and 94927-77777. The auction was closed with highest bidding rate of Rs 1.7lakh for the number 9492888888 against the reserve price of Rs 25,000. The auction was done on SMS.
“Three months ago, I bought a postpaid premium number from BSNL by paying Rs 1.12 lakh thinking that it will add to my status but unfortunately it gave me sleepless nights with continuous calls,” said Mr Suman Kumar, proprietor of Suman chit fund. “Finally I deactivated my number.”
Mr. G. P. Reddy, general manager, Cell One, said that high-class consumers were going for fancy numbers since owning a mobile was no more a status symbol.
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