Latest news with #SrinivasaRao
Hans India
a day ago
- Business
- Hans India
Palla seeks recalibration of Vizag Metro alignment
Mangalagiri: In a move underscoring growing public unease over the alignment of the Visakhapatnam Metro Rail Project, TDP State president and Gajuwaka MLA Palla Srinivasa Rao, on Tuesday held deliberations with the Managing Director of Andhra Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation Limited (APMRCL), N.P. Ramakrishna Reddy, seeking a comprehensive reassessment of the proposed route. The meeting, which took place at the APMRCL headquarters in Mangalagiri, comes amid mounting representations from local stakeholders — including members of the Gajuwaka Building Association, residential communities, and small business owners — who have raised red flags about the potential displacement and land acquisition implications of the current metro alignment. Srinivasa Rao, voicing these apprehensions, contended that the existing alignment, originally drawn up in 2015, may no longer reflect the realities of Visakhapatnam's evolving urban fabric. Citing rapid infrastructural expansion and shifting land use patterns, he urged that the design be revisited through an updated field inspection and ground-level verification. He further emphasised that while the metro project was an indispensable infrastructural leap for the city, its implementation must be people-centric and sensitive to livelihood concerns. 'Development cannot — and should not — come at the expense of public welfare. The metro must be designed with the citizen at its core, ensuring minimal disruption and maximum benefit,' Srinivasa Rao stated. In response, Ramakrishna Reddy assured the formation of a fresh technical committee to undertake a holistic review of the alignment, with a mandate to assess social impact and optimise land acquisition. The review is expected to balance engineering feasibility with socio-economic considerations, thereby charting a course that is both progressive and equitable. The Visakhapatnam Metro Rail Project, in its first phase, envisions a 46.23-kilometre network comprising 42 stations. The revised Detailed Project Report (DPR), recently approved by the State government, has paved the way for tender issuance on July 28. The Rs 11,498-crore initiative will necessitate the acquisition of 99.22 acres of land. Social Impact Assessment (SIA) consultations held from July 16 to 18 identified 204 project-affected families and 108 families facing displacement. As the project progresses towards execution, Wednesday;s dialogue underscores the critical importance of sustained engagement between policymakers, implementing agencies, and the public to ensure inclusive and harmonious urban transformation.
The Hindu
a day ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Gajuwaka MLA seeks reassessment of Vizag Metro route to safeguard public interests
VIJAYAWADA/VISAKHAPATNAM Telugu Desam Party (TDP) Andhra Pradesh unit president and Gajuwaka MLA Palla Srinivasa Rao on Tuesday held deliberations with Andhra Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation Limited (APMRCL) Managing Director N.P. Ramakrishna Reddy, seeking a comprehensive reassessment of the proposed route of Metro Rail Project in Visakhapatnam. The meeting, which took place at the APMRCL headquarters in Mangalagiri, comes amid mounting representations from the local stakeholders, including the members of the Gajuwaka Building Association, residential communities, and small business owners who have raised red flags about the potential displacement and land acquisition implications of the current metro alignment. Mr. Srinivasa Rao, voicing these apprehensions, contended that the existing alignment, originally drawn up in 2015, may no longer reflect the realities of Visakhapatnam's evolving urban fabric. Citing rapid infrastructural expansion and shifting land use patterns, he urged that the design be revisited through an updated field inspection and ground-level verification. Emphasising that the metro project is an indispensable infrastructural leap for the city, Mr. Srinivasa Rao said its implementation must be people-centric and sensitive to livelihood concerns. In response, Mr. Ramakrishna Reddy assured the formation of a fresh technical committee to undertake a holistic review of the alignment, with a mandate to assess social impact and optimise land acquisition. The review is expected to balance engineering feasibility with socio-economic considerations, thereby charting a course that is both progressive and equitable. The Visakhapatnam Metro Rail Project, in its first phase, envisions a 46.23-km network comprising 42 stations. The revised Detailed Project Report (DPR), recently approved by the State government, has paved the way for tender issuance on July 28. The ₹11,498-crore initiative will necessitate the acquisition of 99.22 acres of land. Social Impact Assessment (SIA) consultations held from July 16 to 18 identified 204 project-affected families and 108 families facing displacement.
The Hindu
a day ago
- General
- The Hindu
Srisailam hotel managements asked to maintain hygiene
Srisailam temple executive officer (EO) M. Srinivasa Rao said that food inspectors and officials from the Revenue and Sanitation departments would conduct surprise checks on hotels in the town twice a month and check the quality of food served there. Action would be taken against the hotel managements who do not maintain their premises properly and serve quality food. The hotels would also face action if repeated complaints are being received against them. For the first three times, a penalty would be imposed on the erring managements for failing to adhere to norms, Mr. Srinivasa Rao said. If the violations continue, their hotel lease would be cancelled, he added. Mr. Srinivasa Rao, along with the temple officials, food inspectors, and Legal Metrology Department officials of the district held a meeting with the representatives of hotel managements in Srisailam on Wednesday. Mr. Srinivasa Rao asked the managements to maintain hygiene at their hotels. 'Do not cook food in open places, in excess, and serve food that has been stored for a long duration to the customers,' he told the managements. He said that all the ingredients used for cooking should be of good quality and not stored at untidy places. 'The hotel staff should behave politely with the devotees and the age of the working staff should be more than 18 years. Hotels should not serve any food that is banned in the temple town as per the Endowments Act,' he instructed the officials. The EO said that plastic usage has been banned and the managements should not use them. Tea, coffee and drinking water should be served in glass or steel glasses only. He wanted dust bins to be placed at all hotels to dispose used articles. Meanwhile, the food inspectors told the hotel managements to obtain Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) licence without fail and warned of stern action if they received any complaints. Legal Metrology Department officials, on the other hand, informed the managements to sell the food as per the MRP.
Time of India
2 days ago
- General
- Time of India
Govt permit brings cobras back to Battis Shirala after 23 years; activists report violations at Nagpanchami event
1 2 3 4 5 6 Kolhapur: Live snake displays returned to Battis Shirala on the occasion of Nagpanchami after a gap of nearly 23 years as govt employed an "educational purposes" workaround to a 2014 Supreme Court ban on capture, display and worship of the reptiles. In this Sangli district town, located 50km from here, 21 men handled live Indian cobras (Naja naja) on Tuesday after obtaining special permits. The permits, issued by Srinivasa Rao, the chief wildlife warden and principal chief conservator of forests, Nagpur, on Monday (July 28), allowed the capture of the cobras solely for educational purposes aimed at promoting traditional knowledge on snake conservation. The permits are given to 21 residents of Battis Shirala to capture the snakes over five days starting July 27, under Section 12 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, and Maharashtra Wildlife Protection Rules, 2014. Each permit holder has paid Rs 1,427 to the forest department and is required to release the snakes back into their natural habitat without any mortality. However, despite the ministry of environment, forests and climate change's explicit stipulation that "no commercial or entertainment of any kind shall be permitted," animal rights activists reported some violations at the event. Sangli-based animal rights activist Koustubh Pol, who witnessed the Nagpanchami celebrations in Battis Shirala on Tuesday, criticised the event. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Why are some Chinese youth calling themselves 'rat people', and what issues does it surface? CNA Read More Undo "Strangely, the permission was given on the eve of Nagpanchami, and yet almost a hundred Nag mandals had cobras on the morning of the festival. If all this is for an educational purpose, then why was the permit given only for Battis Shirala village? This looks pre-planned for political benefits. Though permission was given for 21 snakes, almost 100 Nag mandals took part in the celebrations with live cobras." Rahul Shinde, an ophiologist based in Solapur, argued that the display of snakes during the festival violated the Supreme Court order. "The permits were issued in haste. Those who are really into snake conservation efforts are punished for handling the snakes. At the same time, such permissions are granted. This is not okay. Did the authorities check whether the snakes are fed well and looked after before granting the permission? The snakes get stressed when they are surrounded by humans; they are cold-blooded animals and cannot withstand the high body temperature of humans. Also, ground vibrations due to the high-decibel sounds make snakes susceptible to strokes. They may ultimately die," he said. The TOI team visiting Battis Shirala also observed snakes being removed from pots and crowds dancing to high-decibel music. Informational posters were displayed only when snakes were taken out of the pots. Officials had expected the snakes to be showcased on platforms with informative boards in the background, with only the permit holders handling the snakes and providing oral information to the public. Jaysing Mahadik, forest ranger of the Shirala forest range, said, "The 21 mandals were given specific places to display one snake each and make people aware of the importance of the snake. The permission was given to do away with the misconceptions, which lead to the killing of snakes. We will gather all details on if the permit rules were violated after all teams sit together and will subsequently proceed with the action prescribed. " Bajrang Tukaram Kadam, a 35-year-old member of the Shri Ganesh Nagraj Mandal, adhered to the directives by explaining the ecological importance of snakes to visitors. "Snakes do not drink milk. They are friends of farmers. There are very few species that are venomous; however, due to fear and superstition, people tend to kill all snakes. Snakes are an important part of the ecosystem," he said. Battis Shirala had not displayed live cobras for 23 years before this year's event. The town is renowned for its long-standing tradition of worshipping live cobras during Nagpanchami. According to Siddharth Patil, a young resident, the community ensures that no snakes are harmed during the capture and worship process. "My father told me that experienced people associated with nag mandals used to go out after the Bendur festival, around two weeks before Nagpanchami, to catch the snakes. No snake was harmed. The snakes were nurtured, and after worship, they were released into their habitat. We consider the snake a god, and no one wants to harm snakes in any way," he said. Local residents, including women from the town's population of 35,000, consider cobras their brothers. Sadhana Naik, a resident, expressed gratitude towards govt for facilitating the worship, saying, "For us, the snakes are brothers. We thank govt for finding a way out to help us worship our brother." In 2014, the Supreme Court ruled that capturing, displaying, or worshipping live snakes was not protected as a fundamental religious right and violated wildlife protection laws. Cobra and other venomous snakes such as Russell's viper, spectacled cobra, and monocled cobra are listed as Schedule I part C animal in the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, to ensure their conservation.
The Hindu
3 days ago
- Business
- The Hindu
CPI(M) demands scrapping of G.O. 137 allotting land to Lulu Group in Andhra Pradesh
The Andhra Pradesh State Committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has strongly opposed Government Order (G.O.) 137, which allots valuable government and APSRTC land to the multinational conglomerate Lulu Group. In a statement issued on Monday, CPI(M) State Secretary V. Srinivasa Rao demanded the immediate cancellation of the G.O., calling it a threat to small and medium businesses and employment in the State. He said the G.O. facilitates the allotment of 13.83 acres of prime government land in Visakhapatnam and 4.15 acres of APSRTC land in Vijayawada to the Lulu Group for commercial development, including the construction of a Lulu Mall. 'The government, which is supposed to protect public sector assets, is now surrendering them to corporate entities under the guise of development,' Mr. Srinivasa Rao alleged. He took strong objection to the 99-year lease granted on nominal terms, describing it as virtually handing over the land for free. He warned that the entry of large multinational retail firms like Lulu would deal a severe blow to small and medium-scale traders, many of whom are already struggling. 'The retail sector is already reeling from the entry of corporate giants. Encouraging such firms will lead to massive job losses and the closure of local businesses,' he said. Mr. Srinivasa Rao urged the State government to reconsider its decision, revoke G.O. 137, protect public assets, and take proactive steps to support small and medium businesses.
