Monthly Archives: June 2015

Traditional knowledge on biodiversity in Telangana being gathered

Agriculture, Green Initiatives / Environment, Nature, Records, All, Science & Technology

Hyderabad :

In the fledgling Telangana State, the aged are being approached to find out from them traditional knowledge pertaining to medical plants and the richness of the bio-diversity in the areas.

The Telangana State Biodiversity Board (TSBB) which was formed after the bifurcation of united AP, has sent well-equipped teams with technical knowledge to fan out into bio-diversity rich areas to gather complete information about forest areas, government land, lakes, and rivers. Specifically, photographs are to be taken of plants and animals.

Dr Shilpi Sharma, a regional biodiversity coordinator said considering the importance Ayurveda has gained, the aged are being specifically approached to find out from them about the medicinal value of plants in the area they live.

Talking to them about traditional knowledge and their experiences, the teams will document everything with photographs and statements.

The idea behind gathering all the information is to record the rich biodiversity in the areas, and check if still exists. The information will also help in taking measures to preserve the bio-diversity in the specific areas.

The TSBB constituted Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs) to prepare what are called “People’s Biodiversity Registers” (PBRs) in 50 areas at the gram panchayat level in Adilabad, Karimnagar, Khammam, Mahbubnagar, Medak, Nalgonda, Nizamabad, Ranga Reddy and Warangal. Scientific institutions, NGOs and community-based organisations are also involved as Technical Support Groups (TSGs) with the BMCs to gather what will be a mine of information.

According to official sources a lot of information has been gathered at various places, even pertaining not only to the plant life but also insect life and microorganisms in the areas.

Interesting information also is coming out from people who are said to be parting with the traditional knowledge that they have acquired. Drying of fish today is mainly done by customized solar dryers but traditional knowledge provided an insight into how to do it in a better way without the use of solar dryers. The findings and knowledge will be well documented.

The National Biodiversity Board (NBB) has asked the biodiversity boards of all the states in the country and it has been going in for some years. Prior to united AP bifurcation in June last year, work pertaining to preparing “People’s Biodiversity Registers” had been taken up in all the districts.

However, with Telangana becoming a separate state, a fresh programme was begun a couple of months ago. Some preliminary information in the form of the PBRs is expected to be submitted in the next six months or so.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Hyderabad / by Ch. Sushil Rao, TNN / June 18th, 2015

An architect with broad vision

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Leaders, Records, All
Charles Correa envisioned the Hussainsagar lakefront for the common man.– File Photo
Charles Correa envisioned the Hussainsagar lakefront for the common man.– File Photo

But for Charles Correa’s ideas, Hyderabad would not have been what it is today. Charles never forgot to joke that he had arrived too late in Hyderabad.

The city’s youth are in architect Charles Correa’s eternal debt. For, the seeds of his vision gave Hyderabad its favourite haunt in the modern day – The Necklace Road. It was in 1970s that Mr. Correa’s ideas for developing Hussainsagar lakefront were solicited by the State. The then newly-formed Hyderabad Urban Development Authority (HUDA), however, differed with the architect’s ideas.

V.K. Bawa, who headed the HUDA after it was formed, recollects that he and Mr. Correa differed on architectural matters but interactions with the latter and his peers of the time including B.V. Doshi and Laurie Baker helped him cultivate an understanding of architecture. Reminiscing about his interactions with Mr. Correa during his years in service, Dr. Bawa calls the latter “flamboyant”.

“Charles never forgot to joke that he had arrived too late in Hyderabad, when reminded by people that he should have seen the city during the Nizam era,” he said. Mr. Correa was born in Secunderabad in 1930, but his formative years were spent in Mumbai.

His professional association with Hyderabad began in 1963 when he designed a battery plant for Union Carbide. In 1965 came the ECIL Complex, a successful experiment for its time as it was said to have been designed to conserve energy, when energy conservation or the concept of ‘green buildings’ was decades away. More than two decades later, he designed the Jawaharlal Nehru Institute for Development Banking in Gachibowli.

Noted architect G. Srinivas Murthy terms this futuristic vision of Mr. Correa endearing to both students and professionals.

“We were awed as students given his stature in the profession. He was the first architect to think of architecture in the larger context. It was not just the building. Its utilisation, environs, policy and people were all part of his plans,” Mr. Murthy, who attended Mr. Correa’s funeral on Thursday, said.

In late 1990s, Mr. Correa was again approached by the erstwhile Andhra Pradesh to develop Hussainsagar’s lakefront. The government had several projects planned. He envisioned a lakefront for the common man. Though his ideas were not built up on, Mr. Murthy said the idea of space for public, with venues like People’s Plaza and Jal Vihar incorporate, were seeds of the famed architect’s vision.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Hyderabad / by Rohit P.S / Hyderabad – June 19th, 2015

Bengaluru misses Charles Correa too

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Leaders, Records, All, World Opinion

CharlesTELAN19jun2015

The Hyderabad-born architect had strong links with Bengaluru too.

“One has to open up to the skies… only then will your buildings look up to light and ventilation in a scientific way,” renowned architect Charles Correa, who passed away at 84 in Mumbai yesterday, had said during one of his visits to Bengaluru.

He had many ideas on art and architecture and their role in shaping the building environment and urban landscape at large, particularly public spaces of Bengaluru. He passionately combined old-world charm and new age design philosophies that spoke of his strength to retain green values. His book, “A Place in the Shade” strongly exhort habitats to “respond to the overriding parameters of climate, culture and financial resources”.

He was known for his forthright comments on changing Mumabai’s landscape and bringing in local sensibilities into its architectural make-up. The Hyderabad-born architect had strong links with Bengaluru too.

Some of Correa’s buildings well-known in Bengaluru are the Jawaharlal Nehru Science Centre, off Jakkur, his own house that he built for his daughter at Koramangala where Fab India presently operates from, and the renowned LIC Tower or the Vishweshwaraya Centre where his exposed concrete work comes into reference even after 40 years of its historic handling for architects today.

He had strong views on the laying of Metro on M.G. Road. “The track on M.G. Road should have gone underground; or at least the elevated part should have been in steel instead of the ugly concrete expressions with gigantic pillars running all along,” Mr. Correa had said in an interview with The Hindu.

He, however, wanted the metro running elevated especially on the Vidhana Soudha Road. “Although I haven’t studied the buildings and the flow pattern near the Vidhana Soudha, it could have proved a heavenly addition to be above-ground. I can visualise the rail running 20-feet above the ground in steel, this gossamer being a typical contemporary narrative adding to the drama amidst the traditional looking State Assembly and the Karnataka High Court,” he had said.

Architects mourn death

Well-known architect Nagaraj Vastarey says about Correa: “There would never be a masterly figure as him in architecture anymore. Correa, apart from Balakrishna Doshi, was a point of reference to most of us growing up as architects.” Mr. Vastarey explained that in those days studying architecture was different as there wasn’t much of theory, but practical buildings from Correa meant lessons to all of us for references.”

Says architect Sandeep J. of Architecture Paradigm, “Correa rode the architectural world like a colossus, leaving behind a trail of master-pieces that are hard to match. The very aura around the man indicated that you were in the presence of a master architect, making you think twice before you decided to start a conversation.”

We have many architects who create wonderful forms and also those who create great spaces. “Charles Correa stands tall in Indian architecture as a creator of both form and space, as could be seen in Bharath Bhavan, Bhopal,” says Architect Sathya Prakash Varanashi. “His sense of scale, colour and visual aesthetics compliment the overall design, which together resulted in projects like Jawahar Kala Kendra in Jaipur, adding a new dimension to the history of modern architecture in India.”

Mr. Varanashi explained that Correa did not experiment with innovative structures or international styles, which possibly helped him to perfect his ideas across varied building locations and types. Alternately, he explored each project without getting stuck to the earlier projects, to the extent where one building appears totally different from the other. The Bengaluru projects Vishweshwaraya Tower opposite Vidhana Soudha and Jawaharlal Nehru Center for Advanced Studies may not even appear as designed by same architect. Correa had a mind that never got stuck, letting him explore designs like very few world architects could.

Those who have frequented the earlier Fab India showroom in Koramangala, Bengaluru have walked into the house which Correa designed for his stay in Bengaluru! “The fact that a house gets the new avatar as a shop, without losing its spirits, shows the flexibility with which the house has been conceived,” said Mr. Varanashi.

The early buildings of Correa, including the famous Gandhi Smarak Sangrahalay at Sabarmati Ashram, synthesized his international exposure with the local contexts, charted a new road map for architecture in India. His fluency in dealing with residential houses – from LIC Colony in Bengaluru to Kanchanganga Apartments in Mumbai – shows a variety very few architects have been able to even think of.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Bengaluru / by Ranjani Govind / Bengaluru – June 17th, 2015

Ancient fish market on the road to restoration

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Historical Links / Pre-Independence, Records, All, Travel

Hyderabad :

Set to be razed to the ground by the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) to make way for a modern structure only a few years ago, the ancient fish market in Begum Bazaar is now all set to get a new lease of life. And restoring it back to its past glory is city-based conservation architect Anuradha S Naik, who drew up an assessment report in 2011 on the market that was built by the erstwhile City Improvement Board (CIB) in the 1930s.

“This market is largely run by third generation vendors. After I submitted my analytical report, the GHMC stalled its plans of pulling it down,” the Edinburgh University-educated architect said. Highlighting the “beautiful synchronization of spaces” that the “triangular shaped” market, with courtyards in the middle, showcases, she asserted: “Yes, it needs a lot of repairs, but it definitely can be restored.” The project is being undertaken by the GHMC.

This apart, Naik has a bunch of other exciting projects in her kitty too, and implementing a heritage management plan in the town of Amaravati in Andhra Pradesh is one among them. As a representative of the Indian Heritage Cities Network (IHCN), which was recently appointed by the central government to implement its HRIDAY scheme in the heritage town, Naik, along with her team, will develop some of Amaravati’s distinct heritage sites, create a city museum and enhance the infrastructure in the area to facilitate better tourist inflow.

HRIDAY — the Heritage Development and Augmentation Yojana was launched by the Union ministry of urban development earlier this year with the objective to “preserve and rejuvenate the rich cultural heritage of the country”. The 12 cities selected under this scheme are Varanasi, Amritsar, Warangal, Ajmer, Gaya, Mathura, Kanchipuram, Vellankanni, Badami, Dwaraka, Puri and Amaravati.

“We are collaborating with the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) for this project that has just taken off. It is a two-year programme for which we have been sanctioned a fund of Rs 22.3 crore,” Naik said.

“We will also be working closely with the government of AP as it has already done some work in terms of identifying the heritage sites. It is definitely going to be a very interesting project as it is very close to the new capital of the state. We will have to adopt a multi-layered approach so as to ensure that the heritage development project seamlessly merges with the master plan of the area,” she added.

Another ongoing project that Naik fondly talks about is the Domakonda Fort in Nizamabad. She was appointed consultant for the restoration of this approximately 300-year-old structure in 2011 by the Kamineni family to whom this ancient fort belongs.

“Along with using locally available material so as to reduce energy consumption, my focus has also been on creating jobs for locals. The restoration is being done in a very sustainable manner, courtesy the encouragement that came from my client,” Naik shared, stressing the need for focus on ‘environment conscious’ ways of restoration. “In fact, restoration, if carried out properly, drastically reduces energy consumption. Therefore, focus on repairs is the way forward. It is no longer an option but a necessity,” she reiterated.

GRAPHIC

Ongoing projects

* Begum Bazaar fish market: Built by erstwhile City Improvement Board (CIB) in the 1930s, the triangle-shaped market, with a courtyard in the middle, is run by third generation vendors

* Amaravati: As representative of the Indian Heritage Cities Network (IHCN), Naik will develop the Buddhist town’s heritage sites, create a city museum and enhance infrastructure, all in keeping with the new AP capital’s master plan

* Domakonda Fort, Nizamabad: Naik is a consultant for restoration of the nearly 300-year-old fort which belongs to the Kamineni family

QUOTE

We are collaborating with the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) for this project that has just taken off. It is a two-year programme for which we have been sanctioned a fund of Rs 22.3 crore Anuradha S Naik, conservation architect

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Hyderabad / TNN / June 14th, 2015

KCR hardsells Brand with 15-day formula

Business & Economy, Leaders, Records, All

Hyderabad :

Unveiling what is being billed as the ‘game-changing’ industrial policy, Telangana became the first state in the country to bestow on investors the right to get clearance of their projects within a set time frame.

The new industrial policy unveiled by chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao at a gala event here on Friday makes the state liable for penal action if it fails to respond to investment proposals within the time frame.

Under Telangana Industrial Project Approval and Self-Certification System (TS-iPASS), all the mega projects (over Rs 200 crore) will get clearance in 15 days, while the other projects will be approved in a month. The chief minister, addressing a gathering of nearly 2,000 industry representatives, including several CEOs and company heads, promised corruption-free and hassle-free business environment.

“If you apply online to set up your industry, we will give all approvals and make allotments within 15 days. The chasing cell will see to it that the clearances are given within the set time frame. If the deadline is missed, then the officer concerned would be asked to pay a fine of Rs.1,500 for each day’s delay,” KCR said at the mega event held at Hyderabad International Convention Centre (HICC) in Madhapur.

The chief minister’s announcements got a big thumbs up from industry captains. Describing the policy as “fantastic”, Pawan K Ruia, chairman of Ruia Group, said “such a policy is unprecedented. We have only seen deadlines fixed for investors to start their projects. We had never seen a deadline fixed for the other side. The penalty clause alone makes the policy game-changer.”

Apart from TS-iPASS, the policy framework announced on the occasion includes T- IDEA (Telangana Industrial Development and Entrepreneur Advancement) to help micro, small, and medium enterprises, and T-PRIDE (Telangana Program for Rapid Incubation of Dalit Entrepreneurs).

Chandrasekhar Rao also launched the TSICC (Telangana State Industrial Infrastructure Corporation) website where industrialists can apply online for single window clearance. The industrial policy framework, which was approved by the Telangana assembly in November 2014, also promises minimum inspections and maximum facilitation.

The government has identified 14 core areas for a focused approach for industrial development. The sectors include life sciences, pharmaceuticals, information technology, aerospace, automobiles, textiles, minerals and transportation and logistics.

The policy prescribes norms for giving permissions to mega (with investments of Rs. 200 crore and above), large (Rs 10 crore-Rs 200 crore) and small and medium sized projects and each industrial park will provide a ‘plug and play’ environment. In addition, the government was also planning to develop industrial townships near such parks for easier commute to work.

Stating that the government was pulling out all stops to make it easy for investors to come to Telangana, Chandrasekhar Rao said anyone seeking to invest in the state would be attended to at every stage by a special team of protocol officers.

“On receiving your application, we will invite you to Telangana. A protocol officer will escort you straight from the Shamshabad Airport to my chambers. You will meet me and the industry secretary for a small discussion. You will be invited again within 12-15 days and the protocol officer will receive you. I will hand you over a cover containing all allotments and clearances,” Chandrasekhar Rao said.

The chief minister also unveiled the Telangana solar power policy which promises single window clearances to solar power projects.

Chief secretary Rajiv Sharma, who made opening remarks, said with a land bank of about 1.40 lakh acres in the state, the government will provide a hassle-free environment for the investors allowing them to focus on their core activities.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Hyderabad / TNN / June 13th, 2015

Celebrating Women’s Empowerment in Hyderabad: Devi Awards

Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Records, All
The swish of chiffon, zari and designer wear and clink of champagne flutes was the mood at the Devi Awards of The New Indian Express at the ITC Kakatiya on Wednesday evening. The audience and the awardees were treated to a Carnatic classic rendition by Pantula Rama | RVk rao, a suresh kumar
The swish of chiffon, zari and designer wear and clink of champagne flutes was the mood at the Devi Awards of The New Indian Express at the ITC Kakatiya on Wednesday evening. The audience and the awardees were treated to a Carnatic classic rendition by Pantula Rama | RVk rao, a suresh kumar

It was a celebration of women power as 20 women from Telangana and Andhra were honoured with the prestigious Devi awards instituted by The New Indian Express at a gala evening on Wednesday at ITC Kakatiya. As women and men cheered, clapped and whistled, the awardees walked up to the stage to receive the awards from Deputy Chief Minister Mahmood Ali. The awards were to be given away by Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao but he could not make it as the cabinet meeting stretched into the night.

Speaking on the occasion, The New Indian Express Editorial Director, Prabhu Chawla laid out the raison de etre for the awards: “India is changing. It is no longer political power that is pushing the nation ahead but brain power and entrepreneurship. In this context we decided to honour women as they are the prime moving force in this changing country.”

“India is moving very rapidly. We are now a society where 900 million people have cellphones out of a population of 1.25 billion! And Hyderabad is part of this growth engine which contributes 10 per cent of the business made by IT industry. These awards are a toast to the role women are playing in the new economy,” said Prabhu Chawla.

While congratulating the The New Indian Express’ efforts to encourage women from different walks of life, Deputy Chief Minister Mahmood Ali said that TRS government in Telangana State too was also committed to women’s empowerment.

Ali said that TRS government was encouraging women in a big way in agriculture and in industrial sectors. He explained the recently launched Shaadi Mubarak programme, in which girls get Rs 51,000 at the time of their marriage.

“In distribution of social security pensions – Aasara – women were accorded top priority,” the Deputy Chief Minister said. He said that women would get 50 per cent reservation in the elections of local bodies. He said that the TS government was giving Rs 1 lakh to 10 lakh to those girl students pursuing higher education abroad.

He also explained the steps taken for the safety and security of women in Hyderabad. He said that the government recently launched patrolling vehicles for the security of the women. He thanked The New Indian Express Editorial Director Prabhu Chawla for taking the initiative to honour women achievers from 20 different fields

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Telangana / by Express News Service / June 11th, 2015

Foodie awards

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hym-food award
hym-food award

There were so many enthusiastic participants at the Telangana Food Fest, that the judges confessed it was a tough job to pick the best. Nevertheless a few have scored better than others and walked away with the awards.

The awards were presented to participating hotels in different categories.

In the five-star hotel category, Marriott won the first prize followed by ITC Kakatiya (second prize) and The Park (third prize). The best in four-star category included Hotel Aalankrita (first), Hotel Daspalla (second) and Hotel Golkonda (third) while three-star category winners were Best Western Ashoka (first), Central Court (second) and Hotel Katriya (third).

The winners in the Food Courts category were Aahar bistro (first), Hotel Vivera (second) and Sridevi Swagruha (third) and those adjudged for Best Ambience were Hotel Marriott (first), Aalankrita (second) and Aahar bistro (third).

The Best Food Service category selections went to ITC Kakatiya (first), Aalankrita (second) and Aahar bistro (third) while the best chefs chosen were M.V. Naidu (Marriott), Lakshit (ITC Kakatiya) and Thimma Reddy (The Park).

In the Restaurant category, Dakshina Mantapa (Taj Tristar) was selected as first, Pickles (Basera) as second, and Haritha, Pragnapur, as third.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> MetroPlus / June 11th, 2015