Category Archives: Travel

Growth can’t be at the cost of natural heritage

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Hyderabad:

The KBR Park is known for its bio-diversity and wildlife. Spread over 400 acres, it is a virtual forest in the midst of a burgeoning metropolis, home to hundreds of species of flora and fauna. It is a part of Hyderabad’s over 400-year-old heritage – which includes gardens, lakes and its cosmopolitan culture.

Originally known as Chiran Palace, the park was the residence of Prince Mukarram Jah and was later rechristened after former chief minister Kasu Brahmananda Reddy after its acquisition under the Urban Land Ceiling Act.

Till the late 1990s, I remember, the KBR Park was surrounded by a nine-kilometre compound wall. This wall was demolished when the then TDP government in united AP began road widening around the park, and NTR Trust Bhavan and a cancer hospital of NTR family came up nearby.

This was the first blow dealt to the park, a mini-Deccan ecosystem.

It is true that the city has grown manifold in the last six decades.

As an economic hub, Hyderabad has great potential to become a global city. It needs a massive step-up in its civic infrastructure to cater to the burgeoning population. An upgradation of road network and better traffic management are key elements of de velopment plans envisaged for this sprawling city .

For this, government has drawn up the Strategic Road Development Program to meet the longterm needs of the city.

However, while taking up these works, the government has to ensure that the eco-system of KBR Park remains unaffected as it is the city’s natural heritage.True, development of civic infrastructure is the need of the hour.

But equally imperative is the preservation of this natural habitat in the midst of urban sprawl.I would urge the authorities to ensure that the eco-system of this natural heritage be preserved, not harmed in any way .

Without eating into land spaces of the park, the authorities need to work out alternative proposals for the six multi-level grade separators to be constructed at six junctions around KBR Park.

Already , disappearance of gardens and lakes from this city over the decades has turned it into a tropical hotbed. Every successive summer seems to make the city hotter with soaring temperatures.

We definitely need better roads and junctions and traffic management but not at the cost of our natural, cultural and architectural heritage. KBR Park and all other green spaces in the city must be preserved to make Hyderabad a liveable city again.

(The author is MIM president and Lok Sabha MP)

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Hyderabad / Asaduddin Owaisi / May 26th, 2016

Dream-come-true for spirited climbers

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Doodi Bhadraiah of Koya tribe during a training session at Bhongir Rock Climbing School in Nalgonda district of Telangana. Photo: Special Arrangement
Doodi Bhadraiah of Koya tribe during a training session at Bhongir Rock Climbing School in Nalgonda district of Telangana. Photo: Special Arrangement

Woman police officer among those who scaled the Everest.

A woman working as Additional Superintendent of Police in Adilabad of Telangana, G.R. Radhika, a member of the Koya tribe, Doodi Bhadraiah hailing from Kothapally of East Godavari district in Andhra Pradesh, were among five persons who scaled Mount Everest on Friday morning.

Others who were part of the expedition were a Maharashtra cadre Indian Police Service officer, Suhail Sharma, Karnataka cadre Indian Forest Service officer S. Prabhakaran and a native of Tamil Nadu working in Dubai for Emerson Climate Technologies, Balan Sivaraman. Regrettably, an amputee from Maharashtra, Ashok Munne returned from the summit camp set up at a height of 8.500 meters. He could not claim the distinction because returned due to bad weather.

One-year training
The expedition led by the founder of the Bhongir Rock Climbing School in the district, Shekharbabu Bachenapally, comprised a doctor and eight Sherpas for logistic assistance till the summit camp. In a Facebook chat with The Hindu, Mr. Shekharbabu said the victory came after an arduous year-long training at the School.

Describing their adventure, he said the team had left for Nepal from Hyderabad on April 7 and after the paperwork that included getting a Chinese visa, flew to Lhasa on April 13. With the help of the Sherpas and the doctor, they trekked up to reach an altitude of 5,200 meters on April 18 and 19, coping with low oxygen levels and the cold weather conditions. April 20 saw them reaching the North Base Camp of Mount Everest and acclimatising themselves further, upto 6,200 metres. Then began the march towards the Advance Base Camp, on what is described as the ‘Miracle Highway’ on April 27.

Red letter day
Mr. Shekharbabu said on May 3, they climbed a 500 metre high, ice wall and returned to the North Base Camp, after which ascended another 300 meters and came to the Advance Base Camp. May 19, saw them ascending on the last leg, the final climb and they scaled the world’s tallest peak on Friday morning.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Telangana / by T. Karnakar Reddy / Nalgonda – May 21st, 2016

Temple artefacts unearthed near Medak

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Sangareddy :

A Trikutalayam or a three-shrine temple is said to have been discovered on Friday during canal digging works for Mission Kakatiya in Pedda Kodur village of Medak.

ArtefactsTELAN15may2016

A Dhwaja Stambham (temple flag post) and Shiva and Hanuman idols surfaced during the excavation works. The digging is being carried out on Ranganaik Sagar reservoir.

Officials feel that the temple could be as big as an acre. Villagers meanwhile say that these idols might belong to Trikutalayam and that they were constructed by Kakatiyas. The public has appealed the archeology department to protect the idols and if possible, reconstruct the temple.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Telangana / by Express News Service / May 14th, 2016

Martyr’s memorial to come up on Hussainsagar bank

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The environs of Hussainsagar lake in the heart of Hyderabad are set to undergo one more change in near future with the Telangana Government deciding to locate a massive martyrs’ memorial on a 12-acre land to be reclaimed by shifting out Buddha Purnima project, tourism and electricity department offices.

The decision was taken by Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao at a review meeting held here on Tuesday on conducting the State Formation Day celebrations falling on June 2 and laying foundation stone for the new martyrs’ memorial. Accordingly, he would participate in the ground-breaking ceremony for the memorial on June 2 on the bank of Hussainsagar.

He directed the officials to design and construct the memorial in such a way that the spirit of the movement for statehood to Telangana and the sacrifices made by activists were remembered by future generations. Stating that the memorial would be the tallest one, the Chief Minister asked Engineer-in-Chief I. Ganapathi Reddy to take the responsibility to construct the memorial and develop a memorial park.

Mr. Chandrasekhar Rao suggested that the memorial centre also have un-published literature on Telangana history, culture and the movement so that it could be a major literary centre. Giving an example, he said the literature should comprise the biography of Telangana ideologue Prof. K. Jayashankar who spent all his life in the movement for statehood. “If one visits the memorial, one should long for spending more time there. The ambience should reflect the self-respect of Telangana. The Buddha statue would be in front and the Ambedkar statue would be in the back with Secretariat building on the other side. The memorial should be very tall,” the Chief Minister said. He told Mr. Ganapathi Reddy to start supervising the work immediately so that ground work could be taken up at the earliest.

The Chief Minister directed the officials to organise the State Formation Day celebrations in districts, the State capital and the national capital with innovative programmes.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Nwes> Cities> Hyderabad / by Special Correspondent / Hyderabad – May 04th, 2016

A showcase of biodiversity of vegetation

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Steeped in history:The entrance of Gandhari Vanam in Adilabad district – Photos: S. Harpal Singh
Steeped in history:The entrance of Gandhari Vanam in Adilabad district – Photos: S. Harpal Singh

Gandhari Vanam in Mancherial town will soon have a museum showcasing millions of years of biodiversity of Adilabad.

Gandhari Vanam, a nature park near Mancherial town in Adilabad, is where you can go millions of years back in time. The 174-million-year-old tree fossils to be exhibited in a section of the soon to come up facility will help you visualise what the district must have looked like back then.

Steeped in history: Mancherial Divisional Forest Officer B. Prabhakar observing a Jurassic-era tree fossil at the nature park.– Photos: S. Harpal Singh
Steeped in history: Mancherial Divisional Forest Officer B. Prabhakar observing a Jurassic-era tree fossil at the nature park.– Photos: S. Harpal Singh

“That was the time when the giant dinosaurs roamed here, thriving on these coniferous trees. The Pranahita-Godavari valley of upper Gondwana is unique as it has preserved many of nature’s components from the era in its 3,000-metre thick sediments deposited over a period of 200 million years,” said Mancherial Divisional Forest Officer B. Prabhakar, pointing out the uniqueness of the nature park being developed by the Telangana Forest Department at a cost of Rs. 3.6 crore.

The park, located on the Mancherial-Mandamarri main road on the fringes of the coal town, is named Gandhari Vanam as the Gandhari fort is located close to it. It is a 350-acre facility divided into three parts.

“A 20-acre plot on the left side of the road (coming from Mancherial) has been developed as a picnic spot with ornamental plants, apart from a host of things. At least 500 visitors come here on weekends,” the DFO said.

The second 50-acre enclosure will become a good forest, and the department has plans to make it a deer park and an aviary in the near future. The third section, and the most important one, is the 280-acre facility on the other side of the road. It is like a repository and museum of the huge local biodiversity in terms of vegetation.

“Adilabad forests at one time had boasted of at least 500 types of trees, and we are planting many of these, which, for the sake of awareness and convenience, have been segregated into a few sections. For instance, we will have a medicinal plant section with 250 species, and others which will have trees linked with horoscope and nine planets,” Mr. Prabhakar disclosed.

For nature enthusiasts, Gandhari Vanam also has a walking track, while a boating facility and a couple of check dams are coming up. The authorities have also put up boards with information regarding the given sections, trees and fossils for the benefit of people. “We have designed the park to be educative too. People should know about nature, what it was and what it should be,” the DFO said.

The 280-acre facility is like a repository and museum of the biodiversity in terms of vegetation

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Telangana / by S. Harpal Singh / Mancherial (Adilabad District) / April 25th, 2016

Megalithic site holds link to a hoary past

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Historic find:Kendra Sirak, a researcher from United States, keenly watching a dolmen at the megalithic site near Kachanapalli.— Photo: By Arrangement
Historic find:Kendra Sirak, a researcher from United States, keenly watching a dolmen at the megalithic site near Kachanapalli.— Photo: By Arrangement

Kachanapalli continues to attract history enthusiasts and research scholars from far-off places

The vast megalithic site at Kachanapalli, known for its rich archaeological heritage and hoary past, nestled in bushy forests of Gundala mandal in Kothagudem division continues to attract history enthusiasts and research scholars from far off places.

The site has shot into limelight after its chance discovery by a team of undergraduate, PG and Ph. D students in history from University of Hyderabad and Khammam-based SR&BGNR Government Degree and PG College during a field trip to Kachanapalli in 2012.

Located about 75 km from Khammam, the sprawling site encompasses close to hundred megaliths comprising one female anthropomorphic statue in the vicinity of Batannanagar near Kachanapalli. One of the striking features of the site is the rock engraving of a person holding a baby right in front of a dolmen. A three-member team comprising experts in human skeletal biology and ancient DNA study had visited the megalithic site at Kachanapalli over a week ago.

The team included Assistant Professor Dr. Veena Mushrif Tripathy, Human Skeletal Biologist, Deccan College Postgraduate and Research Institute, Pune, Niraj Rai, Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad, and Kendra Sirak, Ph.D candidate in anthropology at Emory University, Atlanta, United States. Assistant Professor of History at SR&BGNR College Lt. K John Milton also accompanied them.

The team also visited the megalithic site on the campus of SR&BGNR College in Khammam. The college Principal Dr U Veerabhadraiah apprised them of the various types of pottery and iron implements unearthed from the megalithic site on the college campus a few years ago.

When contacted over phone, Dr Veena told The Hindu that the dolmens found at the site at Kachanapalli were very important from both archaeological and anthropological aspects. These megalithic monuments should be conserved for posterity. They will shed light on megalithic culture which was around 1000 BCE, their architecture, its development, mortuary practices and their beliefs about dead and their emotional behaviour, she noted.

The physical anthropological analysis will be helpful in understanding the adaptations, their morphology, pathology (ancient diseases) and their way of life, she said, adding that the megalithic monuments of Khammam will play a vital role in understanding local history.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Telangana / P. Sridhar / Khammam – April 20th, 2016

Dual delight intrigues botanists

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Bi-coloured wonder:A mahua tree with dual coloured foliage.–Photo: S. Harpal Singh
Bi-coloured wonder:A mahua tree with dual coloured foliage.–Photo: S. Harpal Singh

The mahua or ippa tree can be seen on the Utnoor-Asifabad road in Adilabad

Many miss this natural wonder while zooming past on the Utnoor-Asifabad road in Adilabad, but those who do spot the colourful tree, stop to marvel at its beauty. A majestic mahua or ippa tree, located about 500 metres from Heerapur village in Utnoor mandal, towards Jainoor, is a visual delight and scientific curiosity — half the tree has red-brown leaves while the other half has green leaves.

The tree retains this dual foliage from the end of March for about a month, soon after it sheds its flowers.

Adilabad has an estimated five lakh mahua trees, mostly in the tribal belt. The mahua flowers have medicinal value and form a major non-timber forest produce for the forest dwelling Gond and Kolam tribal communities.

The tree bears two differently coloured leaves at the same time apparently because it has a dual leaf development stage. “This could be because of two different seeds joining at the time of germination but retaining individual characteristics of growth on maturity,” said a forest department official of the rare phenomenon.

The tree is about 40 years old, according to villagers. “It was a young tree when I was a child,” recalled Atram Shankar, a 40-year-old Gond farmer from Hasnapur village, about 2 km from the bi-coloured beauty.

The Forest department has taken note of the tree with the rare foliage and Forest Range Officer of Utnoor, P. Ramesh Rao and others have visited the place to document the occurrence.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Telangana / by S. Harpal Singh / Adilabad – April 18th, 2016

SCR bags laurels for best performance

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South Central Railway (SCR) has set a record of sorts by bagging All India Performance Efficiency Shields in six disciplines for the year 2015-16. General Manager-SCR Ravindra Gupta attributed the achievements to the commitment and duty-mindedness of the work force.

The six disciplines include those for comprehensive healthcare, stores, civil engineering, commercial, safety and environment management. With this, SCR made its mark at the national-level, on Indian Railways. The awards are to be presented by Minister of Railways Suresh Prabhu at the Central function of the Railway Week celebrations by Indian Railways on April 16 at Bhubaneswar.

General Manager-SCR, Ravindra Gupta attributed the success to the commitment of the work force. It was their zeal that led to the SCR attaining such results, by overcoming challenges, he said, addressing a large gathering of railway officers, staff and their family members at the 61st Railway Week Zonal-level celebrations held here on Monday.

Later, Mr. Gupta gave away 164 individual awards to officers and staff, 31 Efficiency Shields to departments and divisions, seven group awards and two special awards.

The function came to an end with the General Manager’s Efficiency Shield for over all best performance going to Secunderabad Division.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Hyderabad / by Special Correspondent / Hyderabad – April 12th, 2016

Rare copper, lead coins unearthed

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The copper and lead coins found during an excavation at Pazzur archaeological site in Nalgonda district on Wednesday. Photo: Singam Venkataramana / The Hindu
The copper and lead coins found during an excavation at Pazzur archaeological site in Nalgonda district on Wednesday. Photo: Singam Venkataramana / The Hindu

The coins belonged to Mahatalavara, feudal lords who ruled parts of Telangana under Satavahana

The archaeology officials excavating the early historic site located between Pazzur-Yarragaddagudem villages unearthed one copper and two lead coins probably belonging to Satavahana and post-Satavahana period.

“Mahatalavara, a feudatory family that ruled parts of Telangana under Satavahana and also during post-Satavahana period, had minted these coins, the archaeology officials said.

The archaeologists identified the coin belongs to Mahatavalaras since the two lead coins were having horse symbol on obverse side. They could not identify the symbol on other side of these coins. The copper coin was rusted and they could not identify anything on it.

Speaking to The Hindu , Assistant Director of Archaeology and Museums, P. Nagaraju said that they would send both the lead coins and copper coin for chemical treatment to further identify the symbols on them.

Conarium rod

They have also unearthed a crystal-made 0.06 cm long conarium rod, which the ancient women used for decoration of bindi on their forehead. And they have also found big size bangles made of shell.

Retired Chief Curator Yerramraju Bhanu Murthy said that they had also found similar coins at Dulikatta, Peddankuru, Kotilingala in Karimnagar district and Phangiri, Yeleshwaram in Nalgonda district.

Mr. Bhanu Murthy said that after finding these coins they came to a conclusion that Mahathalavaras also ruled Pazzur area apart from above places.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Telangana / by T. Karnakar Reddy / Nalgonda – April 07th, 2016

Chicken rice at only Rs. 15 per plate

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In this world of inflation when an ordinary tea costs Rs. 10 per cup, here is a Good Samaritan who is feeding hungry stomachs, and that too at an affordable cost of Rs. 15 per plate for non-vegetarian dishes – chicken baghara rice or egg baghara rice – opposite the Huzurabad bus station complex in Karimnagar district.

Nampally Venkateshwaralu of Kothapalli locality in Huzurabad started eking out his living by providing food to his customers at an affordable cost since the last 15 years. Initially, he served chicken baghara rice at Rs. 10 per plate. With the escalation of prices of rice and chicken, he is serving the same for Rs. 15 per plate. Labourers, auto-drivers, and farmers, among others, patiently wait at the bus stop for Mega Chicken Hotel to open at 8 a.m. It shuts around 11 a.m., and the customers relish the delicious chicken or egg baghara rice. Instead of eating breakfast, the customers directly eat the chicken baghara rice and start their daily activities.

Clarifying that serving chicken rice was possible at Rs. 15 per plate, he said that he reduces labour cost by cooking, serving, cleaning, etc. all by himself. Through this, he is earning a profit of Rs. 500 and per day and eking out a living.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Telangana / by K.M. Dayashankar / Karimnagar – March 20th, 2016