Daily Archives: October 14, 2015

It is a Celebration of Being Alive

Arts, Culture & Entertainment
Nizamabad MP Kavitha preparing Bathukamma at Narsampet in Warangal district on Monday | Express Photo
Nizamabad MP Kavitha preparing Bathukamma at Narsampet in Warangal district on Monday | Express Photo

Hyderabad :

Setting the tone for Dasara festivities, women, dressed in their best, danced to the songs of Bathukamma, from villages to cities across the State on Monday. The floral festival spread the fragrance of a variety of flowers – from tangedu to marigold – bringing in much-needed optimism among every section of the society, including the farming community to some extent. The State government declared a holiday to enable people to participate in the ‘celebration of life’ and released funds for beautification of important installations in the State.

Telangana Jagruthi, headed by Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao’s daughter and Nizamabad MP K Kavitha, spearheaded the festivities. Kicking off the celebrations at Narsampet in Warangal district, Kavitha said it will take some time for the realisation of ‘Bangaru Telangana’ (Golden Telangana) and sought to dispel the pall of gloom that has enveloped the farming community. Notwithstanding her words, the festive air was conspicuous by its absence at villages, where there have been suicides of farmers in the last few months.

In the State capital, family members of ministers participated in the festivities at the ministers’ quarters. All the government departments too joined in on the directions of the government. However, the opposition parties took Telangana Jagruthi to task for monopolising the festival.

“Kavitha is giving the impression that it is she and the TRS, who have brought Bathukamma festival to the state. Bathukamma is an integral part of Telangana,’’ TTDP women’s wing president B Shobha Rani said and questioned the rationale behind the government’s spending spree on Bathukamma at a time when farmers were committing suicide. Congress MLC Akula Lalitha alleged that Kavitha was trying to derive political mileage.

Former Nizamabad MP Madhu Yashki Goud said the `10-crore allotted to the fest should have been spent for farmers’ welfare.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Hyderabad / by Express News Service / October 13th, 2015

Solar power lights up Banjerpally village

Science & Technology
Solar panels erected on houses in Banjerpally village in Medak district.-PHOTO: Mohd Arif
Solar panels erected on houses in Banjerpally village in Medak district.-PHOTO: Mohd Arif

In Banjerpally village, located in Siddipet mandal, around 150 km from the district headquarters and close to Kaimnagar, R. Shankar is a happy resident and like him other villagers also.

Reason being, for the past three months, they have been paying between Rs. 100 and Rs. 120 towards the power bills in spite of using all electrical gadgets such as TV, fridge, lights and fans. Some of them also use single phase motors to pump water.

Thanks to the solar initiative taken by Irrigation Minister T. Harish Rao.

The village has 121 houses and as many as 95 households got the solar power connections.

Meanwhile, for the rest who lost the chance to set up solar power connections in their houses on the Central government’s subsidy, the district administrators have been trying to provide with alternatives.

The total cost of the solar power system for each house was Rs. 85,000 whereas each beneficiary had paid an amount Rs. 8,500 (ten per cent of the total project cost) as their contribution, while the remaining amount was subsidy from the government.

This is part of bigger plan that was in store for the village to transform it as complete solar village, if possible seeing that without poles.

Once all the house were connected with solar power, the second phase of work for solar street lights would commence for which while the State government will provide a fund of Rs. 5 lakh as its contribution followed Rs. 5 lakh from NABARD.

In the final phase, solar power would be supplied to run bore wells in the village if farmers come forward.

“The second phase work will be commenced in next month. We are trying to exhibit a picture to the world on how we can depend on nature for our energy requirements,” G. Ramesh Kumar, AGM, NABARD, told The Hindu .

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Telangana / by R. Avadhani / Banjerpally (Medak District) / October 13th, 2015