Students eat beef in Osmania University hostel rooms

Hyderabad: Police on Thursday thwarted efforts to conduct the beef festival in Osmania University. The festival was planned at the Arts College to observe Human Rights Day by 24 Dalit and Left wing student organisations. The police ensured that the event was not held.

However, students claimed that they prepared beef items and consumed them in their hostel rooms. Pictures of students consuming beef in the hostel were circulated on social networking sites and mobile apps.

Some arrested students even posted pictures of themselves eating beef inside the Amberpet police station.

Cops ensure students don’t leave hostels

Police ensured that none of the students living in hostels where the festival organisers stayed stepped out of their rooms.

Mussavir Mohammad, one of the organisers at Ambedkar hostel said, “The police arrested anyone who stepped out of the hostel regardless of whether the student was an organiser or not. Even mess workers were not allowed into the hostel to prepare dinner.”

The pork festival too was not allowed to take place which was to be conducted at Arts College on Thursday. Solanki Srinivas, the organiser, was arrested on Wednesday evening.

OU registrar Prof E. Suresh Kumar said, “University was peaceful and I thank the police for upholding court orders.”and not allowing any untoward incident to take place in the university."

Outside the university campus too there was high drama as groups of people belonging to Hindu organisations shouted “Jai Sri Ram” slogans and made sporadic appearances near the NCC gate.

While the police detained a few, others escaped. In one incident a cow was brought near the gate to conduct “gau puja” but that effort too was thwarted.

All entrances to OU were sealed for outsiders and police were deployed to ensure that only those with university identity cards were allowed to enter.

As per sources, only students who had exams were allowed to move about subject to scrutiny. While a final semester theory exam which was to be conducted in the Technology department was cancelled, exams in the Engineering College were conducted peacefully.

After online, traders offer huge discounts

Hyderabad: The rising food prices have forced middle and lower income families to spend less for this Diwali. Families are spending 43 per cent less this Diwali, a survey conducted by Assocham has found. The high cost of basic food and an unstable economy have pulled the consumer back from spending during this festive season. The survey showed that during the festival season, people spent 90 per cent of their income on sweets, 86 per cent on clothes and 53 per cent on gifts. These three are priorities and if any funds are left over, only then do they go for electronic goods. But, 70 per cent respondents said they are not going to indulge in unwanted spending this year. Amit Dixit, a cloth merchant at M.G. Road said, “This Diwali has been rather cold as the customer is not willing to spend more than what is necessary. The mood is downbeat and any amount of deals is not coaxing them to go ahead and purchase.”  

 

Most customers are looking for 50 per cent discount, while 29 per cent go for “buy one get one free” offers and 15 per cent look out for “buy two for the price of one” deals.  Off-line traders are desperate, as they have seen a dip of 40 per cent in sales.  Mukund Reddy, a retailer at Abids said, “The discounts offered online have forced us to slash our prices on products. The number of customers has dipped and those who come compare prices online and then bargain. This is becoming a major problem. Most of the dent is being seen in clothes, electronic goods and fashion accessories, and stocks are not selling like last Diwali.” 

 

Indulgence seems to be a no-no this year as many families in residential colonies and apartments are not willing to organise lavish parties as they did in the last few years. Sujatha Sharma said, “For many women, managing the grocery bill has become the priority. Earlier, the expenses were managed in Rs 4,000 per month but now they have jumped to Rs 6,000. If there are guests add another Rs 2,000, which is forcing us to slash all other unwanted expenses.” 

Telugu Desam corners Telangana Rashtra Samithi on unkept promises

Hyderabad: Indicating that it intends to corner the TRS at every given opportunity in the run-up to the Warangal LS bypoll, TS TD on Sunday posed a series of questions designed to leave the ruling party leadership squirming.

TD politburo member and former MP Ravula Chandrasekhar Reddy and party spokesperson Rajaram Yadav demanded the TRS leadership explain to people of Warangal on what ground was it seeking votes in the byelection.

“It’s quite amazing on the part of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao to avoid facing the Constitutionally obligatory bypoll for the Sanathnagar and other Assembly constituencies held by Opposition MLAs who have switched over to the TRS and are facing disqualification, but force a bypoll for the Warangal LS,” they said.

The TD leaders accused Mr Rao of forcing elected MP Kadiam Srihari to resign solely to settle scores with former Deputy Chief Minister T. Rajaiah.

“You will have to explain why should the people of Warangal vote for the ruling party? Is it for flouting the double-bedroom housing scheme and converting it to make one model house in each village in TS?” they asked.

“Should the people vote for the failure of the government to address farmer problems and being responsible for the suicides of 1,700 farmers at the rate of 100 per month, during the TRS’ 17-month rule? Or is it for the failure to provide three acres of land to each Dalit and Dalit Christian family in the state? Is it for not implementing the free KG to PG education? Is it for increasing chain snatchings and atrocities on women in Hyderabad, having promised security to the women?” they questioned.

“We will raise all these issues during the Warangal bypoll campaign and see that the people insist on answers from the Chief Minister,” Mr Chandrasekhar Reddy said.

Talasani Srinivas Yadav: Son wrongly named in assault case

Hyderabad: Denying that his son was involved in the assault case at Marredpally, minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav on Sunday said that the complainant had wrongly named his son in his police complaint in place of another person with the same name being involved in the fracas.

“I and my son have no involvement in that quarrel,” Mr Yadav said, accusing the media of unnecessarily highlighting the issue.

He agreed that a fight broke out near his house between Abhinav Mahendra, the complainant, and a group led by one Mahendra Nath Reddy.

“There was a person named Sai Kiran among them. Abhinav named my son instead of that Sai Kiran,” Mr Yadav said.

Meanwhile, Mahendra Nath Reddy’s daughter Bhuvana, who had married Abhinav without her parents’ consent, alleged that that her husband had been torturing her for weeks.

Bhuvana, a state-level tennis player, and her father lodged two separate complaints against Abhinav in the women’s police station and with the Marredpally police.

Her relatives alleged that Abhinav had sought Rs 3 crore for her release, and had beaten up Mahendra Nath Reddy.

Bhuvana and her parents claimed that they have audio evidence to prove that Abhinav demanding Rs 3 crore from them in dowry.

Telangana to list 210 mandals drought-hit

Hyderabad: The TS government is all set to declare the list of drought-hit mandals in a day or two. Officials identified 210 mandals in all the districts in the state, barring Hyderabad, which recorded deficit rainfall and where crops were badly damaged during the kharif season (June-September 2015).

Incidentally, this is for the first time that drought-hit mandals are being declared in TS.

The list has been sent to the CMO where Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao is expected to approve it on Monday. It will be then sent to the Centre, seeking special financial assistance to drought-hit mandals.

“The CM is expected to approve the list in a day or two after holding meetings with ministers and officials,” said state agriculture minister Pocharam Srinivas Reddy.

Though several mandals faced severe drought during the last kharif in 2014, the government avoided declaring a drought after Mr Rao said that hardly any substantial help could be expected from the Centre once drought is declared. He had said that central teams would take months touring mandals to assess the situation.

Though the Opposition raised a hue and cry over the issue, the government ignored it.

However, farmer suicide being reported for the past few months, changed the government’s mind.

2 TS farmers end life

Two more farmers committed suicide in TS on Sunday due to crop failure and indebtedness. In Adilabad district, Mengani Rayamallu, 40, of Kadem mandal hanged himself from a tree. He suffered financial losses after his crop on six acres withered due to drought.

According to his family members, he had a debt burden of over Rs 5 lakh and was worried over repayment of loans.

In another incident, Gundeboyina Yadaiah, 40, of Marriguda mandal in Nalgonda district, committed suicide by consuming pesticide.

According to his family members, Yadaiah sowed cotton crop in 10 acres which was damaged due to drought. He took loans of over Rs 12 lakh for the purpose.

Child rights panel takes up murder of 3-year-old girl at Pallecheruvu

Hyderabad: The State Commission for the Protection of Child Rights has taken suo motu action on the alleged murder of a three-year-old girl at Pallecheruvu.

“It was brought to the notice of the commission that a three-year-old girl named Lakshmi was allegedly tortured by her stepfather Bala Swamy and mother Jayamma. We saw reports that the girl was allegedly murdered by them on October 30,” said Mr Achyuta Rao, a member of SCPCR.

The State Commission for the Protection of Child Rights has issued a notice to Shamshabad DCP and asked him to send a report within two weeks on the incident

Hyderabad Metro will follow old alignment in city areas

Hyderabad: The buzz in government circles is that the old alignment will be followed as L&T Metro Rail is being given the go ahead verbally. Reliable sources in the state government said, “The survey has revealed details of the utilities which will have to be shifted and government departments connected with that have been asked to cooperate in the execution of the works. Details of waterlines, sewage lines and electric cables which cross project areas are being collected.”

The old alignment is in the middle of the road where yellow markings are seen on the road. But both L&T Metro Rail and Hyderabad Metro Rail are not confirming or commenting on the issue. A senior officer said, "No work can begin till written orders are received. We are waiting for that.”

Work on Hyderabad Metro Rail slows down

Hyderabad: The acquisition of properties for Metro Rail at Begumpet and Ameerpet has seen a major slowdown in the last two months. The demolition machine has been lying on the road since the last four months near RAK Ceramics in Begumpet to demolish the building but the process of acquiring the land is still not complete.

Similarly, there are government properties at Ameerpet and Madhapur which have still not been acquired despite several reminders.

A senior government officer said, “The works have been pending for long. Chief Secretary Rajeev Sharma has asked twice for a meeting for the acquisition of properties and for discussing and clearing hurdles. But the list of properties to be acquired is not forthcoming. Since the last two months only two properties have been acquired. All others are pending.”
L&T Hyderabad Metro Rail has been raising issues connected with acquisition from time to time at meetings. According to a senior officer, “We have been constantly referring to the Padma Hansa Apartments at Secunderabad, Sree Sampata Building at Hi-tech city and other government properties which have not been handed over. These blocks are creating a major problem and bringing work, man and machinery to a halt. Once machines are brought to the worksite it is not possible to take them back until the works are completed. So there is no option but to keep them around. This is escalating costs. Hence there is constant pressure to acquire the properties.”

The weekly meetings have now become less due to the festival season and also due to time constraints of senior officials.

This has halted updates on the acquisition process and officers allege that it will make the departments further lax.

Hyderabad Metro Rail MD N.V.S. Reddy refused to comment on the delay in the process to acquire properties slated for demolition.