March 12: The fire and emergency department is planning to issue notices to several super-specialty hospitals in the city that are blatantly violating fire safety norms.These hospitals have been functioning happily without obtaining the mandatory no-objection certificate from the department. They also have branches all over the city.
The department had issued alerts to more than 20 such hospitals in city and is now planning to issue them notices asking them to comply with fire safety norms within 30 days.If the hospitals don’t take necessary steps, the department will launch prosecution. As per rules the defaulting hospitals can even be seized.“An opportunity will be given to all hospital authorities to install fire safety measures,” said the additional district fire officer, Mr P. Mohan Reddy.
“If that is not done, we will prosecute them. The Act has enough teeth and we can even seize and close the premises if the instructions are not complied with.”Sources said that the department may even extend the deadline to three months to give ample time to the hospitals to implement safety measures. Rules stipulate that every hospital must have at least three fire extinguishers in its premises and proper emergency exit. But no super-specialty hospital has followed these rules.Fire officials warn that a major disaster would occur if fire breaks out in any of these hospitals.
Friday, March 27, 2009
Thunderstorms may not bring down heat
Hyderabad, March 20: Meteorologists have predicted thunderstorms in the coming days, but the temperature has been soaring in the city and other parts of the state.The average maximum temperature is three degrees above normal during daytime whereas nights are warmer by an average of four degrees in the city.“We have already moved into the summer season and even if temperatures come down, it will only be by a couple of degrees and not more,” said an official of the meteorological centre.
“Now, the days will only get warmer.”Weather has been dry all over the State. On Thursday, the maximum temperatures rose at a few places over Telangana and changed little over coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema.The highest maximum temperature of 40ยบ Celsius was recorded at Anantapur, Hanamakonda and Kurnool. Minimum temperatures rose at one or two places over coastal Andhra Pradesh and changed little over Telangana and Rayalaseema.
Isolated rain or thundershowers likely to occur in Telangana and mainly dry weather is likely to prevail over Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema.“The city and neighbourhood generally will see cloudy skies,” said Mr M. Satya Kumar, director of the Indian Meteorological Department in the city. “There are chances of rain or thunderstorms in some parts of the city too.”
“Now, the days will only get warmer.”Weather has been dry all over the State. On Thursday, the maximum temperatures rose at a few places over Telangana and changed little over coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema.The highest maximum temperature of 40ยบ Celsius was recorded at Anantapur, Hanamakonda and Kurnool. Minimum temperatures rose at one or two places over coastal Andhra Pradesh and changed little over Telangana and Rayalaseema.
Isolated rain or thundershowers likely to occur in Telangana and mainly dry weather is likely to prevail over Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema.“The city and neighbourhood generally will see cloudy skies,” said Mr M. Satya Kumar, director of the Indian Meteorological Department in the city. “There are chances of rain or thunderstorms in some parts of the city too.”
No radiation proof in cellphones: Trai
Hyderabad March 21: The Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited launched its personalised ring-back tone services for landline connections on Saturday. This facility will be extended to about 2.65 lakh customers in Hyderabad and Secunderabad on a fixed monthly subscription of Rs 25 and Rs.12 for song selection.As of now this service will be available in six languages—English, Hindi, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and Tamil.
In its first phase, the service will be launched in 12 cities in the state.Customers can get free services if they avail the scheme before April 30.While launching the service, Mr T. N. Sudhindra Kumar, chief general manager of BSNL in Andhra Pradesh, dismissed reports that that mobile signals radiated by cellphone towers affected the health of general public.
“There has been no authentic report so far,” he said. “The radio frequency emissions from mobile phones and base stations are 50,000 times lower than the levels at which the first health affects begin to be established.”He pointed out that mobile handsets radiated only 0.2 to 0.6 watts of power, which was lower than the power radiated by microwave, radio transmitter and TV transmitter.
In an earlier report, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India had also declared that there was no conclusive study confirming that health was adversely affected by radiation emitted by mobile phones.“The Kerala, Haryana and Punjab High Courts have also dismissed these allegations,” said Mr Sudhindra Kumar.
In its first phase, the service will be launched in 12 cities in the state.Customers can get free services if they avail the scheme before April 30.While launching the service, Mr T. N. Sudhindra Kumar, chief general manager of BSNL in Andhra Pradesh, dismissed reports that that mobile signals radiated by cellphone towers affected the health of general public.
“There has been no authentic report so far,” he said. “The radio frequency emissions from mobile phones and base stations are 50,000 times lower than the levels at which the first health affects begin to be established.”He pointed out that mobile handsets radiated only 0.2 to 0.6 watts of power, which was lower than the power radiated by microwave, radio transmitter and TV transmitter.
In an earlier report, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India had also declared that there was no conclusive study confirming that health was adversely affected by radiation emitted by mobile phones.“The Kerala, Haryana and Punjab High Courts have also dismissed these allegations,” said Mr Sudhindra Kumar.
BSNL delays IPTV by 6 months
Hyderabad, March 22: The Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited’s (BSNL) which delayed the launch of the full-fledged Internet Protocol TV (IPTV) service in the city has now deferred it by another six months.
The IPTV services were to be launched in Hyderabad last year. The delay was because the BSNL was searching for a content partner even as the purchase process for the equipment required for downloading signals and distribution is underway.
IPTV allows users to get television programmes through their broadband Internet connection. Currently, we are receiving television signals in India through cable lines. IPTV will give the user a lot of flexibility than the cable TV. Television viewing can become highly interactive and personalised.
However, the tariff of IPTV subscription from BSNL is likely to be highly competitive to grab a sizeable share in the market and preempt users from subscribing to new players.
BSNL planned to release 3.3 million broad band connections in urban areas and two million-plus connections in the rural areas.
The IPTV services were to be launched in Hyderabad last year. The delay was because the BSNL was searching for a content partner even as the purchase process for the equipment required for downloading signals and distribution is underway.
IPTV allows users to get television programmes through their broadband Internet connection. Currently, we are receiving television signals in India through cable lines. IPTV will give the user a lot of flexibility than the cable TV. Television viewing can become highly interactive and personalised.
However, the tariff of IPTV subscription from BSNL is likely to be highly competitive to grab a sizeable share in the market and preempt users from subscribing to new players.
BSNL planned to release 3.3 million broad band connections in urban areas and two million-plus connections in the rural areas.
Star hotels not fire-safe
Hyderabad ,March 25: At least five star hotels in the city such as Taj Banjara, Mariott, Golconda at Masab Tank, Green Park and Amruta Castle opposite Secretariat are yet to obtain the No Objection Certificates (NOC) from the state fire and emergency department.According to fire department officials, they only have the provisional NOC, which was issued during the construction of the hotels.“We had suggested some basic fire norms to them to abide for the provisional NOC,” said the district fire officer, Mr P.V. Ramana.
“The fire NOC is required if the hotels have to apply for further upgradation,” said Mr Ramana.Officials said these hotels did apply for a fire NOC in the last two years but they were turned down due to lack of sufficient information related to fire safety measures in the hotels.“We had asked them to furnish sufficient information based on which we will conduct our inspections and if deemed fit, they will be provided the certificates,” added Mr Ramana.
Officials also mentioned that the hotel managements have been served notices to apply for the NOC’s at the earliest.According to rule, every hotel must have at least three fire extinguishers on its premises and a proper emergency exit.“We will ensure that the hotels obtain the required certificates from the concerned department at the earliest,” said Mr Pradeep Dutt, the secretary general of the Hotels and Restaurants Association of Andhra Pradesh.
“The fire NOC is required if the hotels have to apply for further upgradation,” said Mr Ramana.Officials said these hotels did apply for a fire NOC in the last two years but they were turned down due to lack of sufficient information related to fire safety measures in the hotels.“We had asked them to furnish sufficient information based on which we will conduct our inspections and if deemed fit, they will be provided the certificates,” added Mr Ramana.
Officials also mentioned that the hotel managements have been served notices to apply for the NOC’s at the earliest.According to rule, every hotel must have at least three fire extinguishers on its premises and a proper emergency exit.“We will ensure that the hotels obtain the required certificates from the concerned department at the earliest,” said Mr Pradeep Dutt, the secretary general of the Hotels and Restaurants Association of Andhra Pradesh.
Beware of con SMSes
Next time you get an SMS on your mobile, be on your guard lest your account balance becomes zero in a jiffy. Con SMSes are doing rounds in the name of Chiranjeevi Foundation and YSR Foundation and taking gullible cellphone users for a ride.
These SMSes claim to be promoting websites like http://www.chiranjeevifoundation.com/ and http://www.ysrfoundation.com/. The SMS claims that if the recipient forwards it to 16 friends, he or she will be rewarded with a free recharge worth Rs 42.55 and Rs 221.55 respectively. At the end of the message, there is an affirmation that says “It’s for real, I got the balance...”
The sms also claims that this is an offer from Y.S. Jagan and t. Devender Goud. But those who got lured by the message and forwarded it to 16 friends have been taken for one big ride.
Sougat Roy, an MNC employee, says, “There was no re-charge in my account balance as was promised. I got this message from a lot of friends so I thought it must be true. Later I found out that were were all fooled and no one knows the origin of these messages,” he said.
Some also tried to log in to the sites mentioned in the SMS but in vain. Vikky Dalmia, a student says, “I got the message and I forwarded it to 20 people. I was just testing my luck. When I realised I was fooled, I logged in to register a complaint on the site mentioned, but to no avail. Even the customer care executives said they have nothing to do with it.” When contacted, Praja Rajyam party leader, E. Peddi Reddy said, “We are not aware of these SMSes. people should not to waste money and get fooled by scamsters.”
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