Students contribute for cash-strapped Govt hoste

Some government welfare hostels in the city are not being run by the government but by the inmates themselves! With government funds not coming in for the past few years, the students have taken up the responsibility of running the hostels themselves by pooling in money. Though the role reversal happened a couple of years ago, the authorities concerned, happy as they are for getting away without discharging their responsibilities, have preferred to turn a blind eye to the goings-on. Meanwhile, the poor students who have joined the hostels in the hope of getting some government help, are caught in a bind - neither can they bear the increasing cost of the hostel maintenance nor are they prepared to quit the hostel and discontinue their education.

According to C Padma Priya, who is preparing for civils by staying in the Scheduled Tribes (ST) hostel in Musheerabad, Rs 500 is collected from each student to maintain the hostel as the government is not providing sufficient funds. “About 100 students are staying in the hostel and some of them are taking coaching for competitive exams. For the past two years, we have been contributing money for paying electricity and water bills, food and other expenses related to maintenance of the hostel,’’ she says. The situation now is so grave that the hostel owes Rs 1 lakh to the local grocer for the provisions supplied by him. Another hostel at Neredmet near Malkajgiri also faces a similar fate. Students of the DIET hostel, Neredmet too claim that they have been footing all the hostel bills with no funds coming from the government. About 300 students are staying in the boys and girls’ hostels on the campus. K Venkat Ramana, a student, says only those who pay can stay in the hostel. “Most of the students have left to their native places for Ugadi and Sri Rama Navami festival holidays and a majority of them might not come back as the hostel authorities are forcing them to contribute money for hostel maintenance,” he adds. The hostel buildings have been dilapidated due to zero maintenance. With heaps of garbage, gutkha spits and cigarette butts all around, the place looks like a virtual dust bin. Visitors are greeted with heavily stinking toilets that have not been cleaned for years. The interiors of the rooms resemble ghost houses with cobwebs all over. With filthy surroundings, the campus turned into a breeding ground for mosquitoes and other creatures. According to R Sudarshan, Superintendent of Scheduled Tribe (ST) Welfare department, Hyderabad and Ranga Reddy districts, the ST hostel located at Musheerabad is under the jurisdiction of the District Rural Development Agency (DRDA) and was built with the MP funds of Rajya Sabha member Jairam Ramesh. Admitting that the department has received a few complaints regarding the maintenance of the hostel, he says the department will consider bringing the matter to the notice of higher officials to provide sufficient funds to the hostel.

By Mouli Mareedu

‘Hang them or burn them’

Battling for life in the burns ward of the Gandhi Hospital, the 15-year-old girl, who was set ablaze by three youngsters for resisting their attempt to sexually assault her, wants stringent punishment for the accused who ruined her life and dreams.

“I want to see the accused hanged or set on fire publicly. They tied my hands and legs and confined me in a dark room. They harassed and burnt me. Police should give them a stringent punishment,’’ the girl from Padmarao Nagar told the magistrate who recorded her statement on Thursday. The girl was confined in a room in Kushaiguda for three days before she was set afire on Wednesday. “She is very active and always wanted her brother, Raju to study well so that he can become a doctor. Due to poverty, she could not continue her education. But since then, she has been helping out Raju with his studies,” T Jaya Babu, the girl’s uncle, told Expresso. Jaya Babu said the girl had asked the magistrate to arrange for an identification parade of the accused so that they would not escape the law. The girl also told the police that she could easily identify the three accused -- Anil Kumar, Charan and Ajay. Kushaiguda police inspector A Muthyam Reddy said a special team has been constituted to nab the accused at the earliest. “She wanted to work as a domestic help to help her brother continue his studies in a nearby convent. She also promised him to buy new school dress and books. But all her dreams have been shattered,’’ Jaya Babu lamented. He recalled that it was because of her efforts that her father, Ch Krishna, had stopped consuming liquor and started giving money to support the family. The girl was spotted at Vijayawada railway station by a family friend, Kotaiah, last Saturday. Even as he was enquiring about her presence there, a phone call on his mobile diverted his attention and this was enough for the accused to whisk her away, Jayababu said.

 

By Mouli Mareedu

Curbs likely on ACs, coolers in IT companies

Employees of Information Technology (IT), IT-Enabled Services (ITES) and Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) companies will have to sweat it out in their offices soon, as the power utility is gearing up to regulate use of air-conditioners and coolers during peak hours. Facing a power crisis, officials of the Andhra Pradesh Central Power Distribution Company Limited (APCPDCL) are all set to write letters to hundreds of IT and ITES company managements not to use air-conditioners and coolers between 6.30 PM to 10.30 PM due to acute power shortage. The move comes after the State government imposed a blanket two-hour power-cut in the twin cities besides one-day power holiday for industrial sector. Vidyasagar, Deputy Engineer (DE), Monitoring Cell, APCPDCL told Expresso that the department is planning to ban use of ACs and coolers in IT and other private companies scattered all over the city as they are putting a heavy load on the system with their roundthe- clock operations. “We are going to write letters to at least 300 private companies directing them not to use air-conditioners and coolers between 6.30 pm and 10.30 pm, the peak hours for power consumption. Later, we want to implement the same in government offices,” Vidyasagar added. If properly enforced, the steps are likely to ease pressure to some extent and ensure uninterrupted power supply to residential and small-scale industrial sectors. “The decision has been taken by the department in view of acute shortage of power due to a sharp rise in demand. The city usually faces a deficit of around 700 megawatts during every summer, but this year the shortage has touched 1000 mw,” he said. There are about 30 lakh residential connections in the Greater Hyderabad limits and more than one lakh industrial connections - big, medium and small-scale. As of now, the ban is expected to remain in force till May-end. It could be further extended depending on the then prevailing situation

By Mouli Mareedu

School, college kids getting hooked to hookah!

Cyberabad police are all set to crack down on illegal hookah bars that have mushroomed in the twin cities.

The illegality of these bars is not the only concern. The more serious issue is that some of these bars, especially those on the outskirts, are attracting college and school-going kids with their offers and getting them addicted to the vice. Syed Rafeeq, Inspector, Pet Basheerabad told Expresso that they were shocked to see schoolboys enjoying hookah parties during a raid recently on an illegal bar. Eleven people, including the staff and four minor girls, who were present at the bar, were arrested. “In another raid based on a complaint by a parent complaint, we raided a hookah bar and apprehended 11 students and counselled them,” he added. Santosh Kumar, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Alwal said a special team had been constituted comprising senior police officials to unearth hookah bars running without permission from police and the GHMC. The hookah bars offer tobacco flavoured with honey, molasses or fruit and various combinations. Starting from Rs 250 per couple, they have different packages to suit customers budgets. The hookah bars have come up as a cheaper alternative to pubs and restaurants and their business has really taken off after recession has set in. Decked out like restaurants and nightclubs, they promise to offer smokers the experience and true pleasures of the hookah. Some bars also provide DJ music. The bars are mushrooming in suburbs like Rajendranagar, Shamshabad, Kompally, Alwal and other parts of the Cyberabad. Recently, the Cyberabad police raided on Quill Hookah bar at Vensai Apartments near Kompally. The police estimate that nearly 500 hookah bars are running their business illegally in the Cyberabad limits. “We discovered that several hookah bars have been functioning illegally. These bars attract a huge number of school and college-goers. We conducted raids on two bars and the owners could not produce any licence. Strict action will be taken against them,’’ Santosh Kumar said. He warned cases would be registered against them for sale of adulterated, noxious food and drink.

 

By Mouli Mareedu

Newlywed pros locked in ego wars

Most of the newly-married working couples appear to be having complaints against each other. At least, this is the indication from the increasing number of cases of marital discord that are pouring in at the fully operational Mahila Support Centre at the Central Crime Station (CCS). And if you thought that it is only the poorer sections of the society that are turning up at the support centre, then you are wrong. Most of the young couples are either doctors or are working in BPOs and reputed IT firms! “Ego clashes and gender issues are the key factors that are driving a wedge between the couples. In most cases, both wife and husband are professionals and draw equal salaries. They are highly educated,” explains Ch V Sunitha, incharge of the Mahila Support Centre. She told Expresso that they were receiving about 15 cases pertaining to family disputes and most of them were being solved through counselling. “We try our best to create an amicable atmosphere between wife and husband when they approach us for help. On an average, 45 cases are registered per month under categories like alcoholic husband, extra-marital affairs, financial issues, ego clashes and gender issues,’’ she said. About 1,227 cases have been handled by the social workers at the CCS Mahila police station. Of them, 531 couples have decided to live together, 174 cases have gone for divorce, 352 cases have been booked under section 498 A, 112 cases were referred to Protection Officer for Domestic Violence (DV) Act, 68 cases were referred to short stay homes and rest of the cases were referred for psychiatric help, Sunitha said. Kota Sivakumari, secretary, Society for Women’s Awareness and Rural Development (SWARD), an organisation which is assisting the support centre, said the support centres provided multi-pronged support required for survivors and complainants of violence to prevent and counter crime against women.

By Mouli Mareedu

moulimareedu@gmail.com

I-T alert on fake email seeking key data

Are you receiving email requesting your PAN, TIN and bank account details for processing of IT refund? Then you had better delete them forthwith or complain to the Income Tax officials as they are fraudulent email sent by unidentified persons. With several taxpayers lodging complaints about fraudulent email flooding their mail boxes seeking their bank account, PAN and TIN details for transfer of tax refund, the Chief Commissioner of Income Tax,  Hyderabad, Radha Srivastava has ordered an inquiry into the matter. The Chief Commissioner told Expresso that a number of customers had received such email, some of which had sought to know even the credit and debit card details of customers. “An investigation by the Income Tax officials revealed that customers received fake mails from email IDs like lhxbkw@accounts.net, cvfvs@accounts.net and onozml@accounts.net,” she said. Apart from using e-mail IDs that were similar to that of the Income Tax department, fraudsters were also including a few images copied from the official website of the Income Tax department. “Even as the investigation into the cyber fraud is at an initial stage, we have learnt that several such e-mails have been sent to tax payers, whose addresses can be obtained easily from social networking sites,’’ Radha Srivastava said. Reiterating that the Income Tax Department never sought such details through online mails, the Chief Commissioner said refunds are issued through refund banker scheme wherein the amount is either credited directly into the bank account mentioned by the taxpayer in the return or a cheque is sent by post to the taxpayer’s address. “Customers are cautioned not to click on any link that has come through email from unexpected sources. There is no need to provide any information on a page that might have come up as a pop-up window. Always remember that information like password, PIN, TIN are strictly confidential and should not be even disclosed to employees or service personnel of the IT department,” she said

By Mouli Mareedu

moulimareedu@gmail.com

Mostly newcomers to city turning chain-snatchers

Bina Patnaik, a resident of Tilaknagar near Kachiguda, has been relieved of her three-tola mangalasutra by two motorcycle-borne robbers near the Golnaka bridge while she was walking back home from work. A number of women have been robbed of their valuables in a similar fashion at Malakpet, Amberpet, Saidabad, Nallakunta, Kanchanbagh and other places in the city. Cracking such cases is proving to be a big challenge to the police as first-time offenders are said to be involved in many of the offences. The Uppal police arrested recently a four-member gang of women allegedly involved in chain-snatching cases in running buses. The police recovered jewellery worth Rs 1 lakh from them. In another bust earlier, Saidabad police arrested two youngsters, Mohammad Jahangir and Meer Mustafa Ali. The duo revealed that they decided to commit offences as they were in a financial crisis. East Zone DCP Mahesh Chandra Laddha told Expresso that some special teams were constituted with the assistance of Task Force. “Divisional teams, sub-divisional teams, Task Force and local police teams have been formed to identify chain-snatchers.’’ He said 756 cases of chainsnatching were registered at various police stations in East Zone in 2009. Of those, over 500 were cracked and booty was recovered. “Most of the youngsters involved in chain-snatching cases are first-time offenders. Students who come to Hyderabad for employment opportunities turn chainsnatchers when they fail to get jobs,” he added. Some offenders used cutting pliers to remove chains. In an attempt to apprehend the habitual offenders, police have planned to deploy plainclothed policewomen as decoys. Areas where chain-snatching occurs frequently have been identified and surveillance enhanced there.

By MOULI MAREEDU

moulimareedu@gmail.com

Cops on drive to check air, sound pollution

People joyriding in their chokers emitting thick smoke clouds or enjoying honking their fancy horns much to the discomfort and often confusion of the other road users are going to invite trouble if they don’t mend their ways.

Failure to get their pollution certificates immediately or change their noisy horns, might leave them paying hefty fines or even getting their vehicle seized in a special 15-day drive launched by the police against violators of air and noise pollution norms. “With the Hyderabad Traffic Police receiving a number of complaints on air and noise pollution from the public, we have decided to launch a 15-day special drive to create awareness on the issue,” said Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic) N Hanumantha Rao. “We are concentrating on heavy vehicles as they ply on the city roads emitting a lot of smoke. Trucks, private buses, school buses and vans, two, three and four-wheelers that ply without a pollution certificate will also be fined,” he added. Stating that motorists should keep the `Pollution Check Certificate’ with them while driving, he said they should not equip their vehicles with any multi-toned horn giving a sequence of different tones or any other sound-producing device giving an unduly harsh, shrill, loud or alarming noise. Two-wheelers, three-wheelers and fourwheelers that violate the above norms will be fined Rs 300 for each offence. In the case of medium and heavy transport vehicles, the fine will go up to Rs 600 per offence, the police officer said. With the police already on the checking job and registering around 400 cases a day, vehicle riders have started making a beeline for pollution check-up centres. “There’s a good response from bike and car riders. We are issuing more than 200 pollution certificates a day,” said V Santhosh, owner of a mobile pollution check-up centre at Banjara Hills. Amongst the major localities observed by the Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board (APPCB), Punjagutta Junction continues to remain the noisiest area in the city.

 By Mouli Mareedu

moulimareedu@gmail.com

Gangs eyeing kitchen treasure!

If denizens think that it is only cash, jewellery and electronic gadgets that need safe keeping, then be warned that there’s another prized possession of yours that has been lying unprotected in your kitchen - the LPG cylinder! Though it may sound strange, data show that cooking gas cylinders are next only to the above mentioned three categories of valuables on the priority list of thieves.

In fact, police issued an alert saying a gang specialising in cylinder thefts in locked houses has been on the prowl in the city. Police stations in the Cyberabad and Hyderabad Police Commissionerates have reported a rise in cases of housebreaks for LPG refills. Recently, a gang struck at the residence of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) State president Bandaru Dattatreya at Ramnagar in Musheerabad and made away with four cooking gas cylinders. Cyberabad Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Crimes, G Surya Prakash Rao said more cases of cylinder thefts were being reported on the outskirts. “Apart from electronic gadgets like TV sets, music players and mobiles, robber gangs are keen to decamp with gas cylinders ,’’ he added. The reasons behind the interest in LPG refills among the gangs is not difficult to trace. According to police and civil supplies officials, their is a huge demand for gas cylinders in the market. “In view of their short supply, people are willing to buy them in black market at an exorbitant rate,’’ they said. Instant and easy disposal coupled with high returns without coming under the hawk eye of the police make cooking gas cylinders a try worth the toil for robber gangs. OA Prasad of Suraram Colony in Jeedimetla is a victim of one such offence. Robbers had broken into his locked house and made away with the domestic gas cylinder. He filed a police complaint, but there has been no trace of the cylinder and getting a replacement from the gas company is a tedious process. Private commercial establishments are the prime market for stolen cylinders. According to District Civil Supplies officials, a crackdown has already started on those using domestic gas cylinders for commercial purposes. Hyderabad District Civil Supplies Officer MM Ali and his team raided several small-scale establishments at Yousufguda, Rehmathnagar, Yellareddyguda and Motinagar and seized as many as 130 domestic gas cylinders being used for commercial purposes recently. Under the circumstances, police advise that people should keep their LPG cylinders safely inside the house, preferably by locking them with a chain - a kitchen treasure indeed!

moulimareedu@gmail.com

Forced couples readying for gala first anniversa

Have you ever tried defining the correlation between love and marriage? Well, love is a dream and marriage is just a means to turn the dream into a reality.

But when love marriages take place against the wishes of parents and that too in the most unusual circumstances, they are bound to raise curiosity about their success.

Expresso meets two couples whose wedding was performed by the right-wing Bajrang Dal and Viswa Hindu Parishad a year ago on the Valentine’s Day.

The two organisations are opposed to expressing love just on one day (Valentine’s Day) and have been forcing unwed couples moving intimately on that day to tie the nuptial knot.

The VHP performed as many as 15 weddings on the Valentine’s Day across the State last year. The organisations have renewed their threat this year too.

“We never expected that we will get married and lead a happy life as our parents were against our relationship. With God’s grace, we settled well,” say S Srinivas and Lavanya, who were married off on the Valentine’s Day in Hyderabad last year by the VHP and Bajrang Dal.

The couple is eagerly looking forward to celebrating their wedding anniversary on Feb 14 with their parents at a family get-together.

“My marriage has been performed in an unconventional and unforgettable manner in a tense atmosphere and against the wishes of our families. Now, I am settled down in life working as a medical representative in a private company,” says Srinivas smugly. The couple is settled in Nizamabad.

Another couple, Keerthi and Vishnu, residing in Old Mallepally, too admit that they indeed have been leading a happy life without any disputes and burdens.

“Our wedding on the V-Day is the most memorable incident of our life,” they declare.

Interestingly, many of the couples who got married in such fashion seem to be enjoying their lives and are preparing to celebrate their wedding anniversary, some with their newborn babies.

Explaining the rationale behind their VDay campaign, Bajrang Dal State president T Yemen Singh reiterates that they are not against love but have only been opposing western culture. “We always strive to preserve Bharath culture and its traditions, where there is no place for things like Valentine’s Day,’’ he says.

“Our work doesn’t end with marrying off lovers. We maintain a record and monitor whether they are living happily,” reveals Bharath Vamsi, Co-Convenor of Bajrang Dal city wing.

The saffron brigade is all set for its campaign on Sunday. The activists, equipped with all the paraphernalia for a marriage, will move around popular joints and remote locations frequented by lovebirds to perform instant weddings.

moulimareedu@gmail.com

Fight for fancy car nos to go cyber

WITH the increasing craze among VIPs and VVIPs for fancy registration numbers for their vehicles, the Regional Transport Authority (RTA) has hit upon the idea of shifting the auction to cyber space for convenience and also to rake in more moolah.

The RTA anyway was planning to issue all kinds of permits for vehicles through an online process in the near future and curb the role of middlemen. Simultaneously, it wanted to make the number bidding online in order to avoid rush at the office during the auctions, said B Venkateswarlu, Joint Transport Commissioner.

The demand for fancy numbers such as 1, 9, 999 and 9999 can be gauged from the fact that a large number of customers participate in the auctions to secure them by paying a deposit of Rs 50,000 per head.

Tollywood star Junior NTR has recently bid a whopping Rs 4.99 lakh for number 9999 for his newlybought vehicle. Jr NTR has competed with three businessmen in the auction to secure his favourite number.

According to sources, Jr NTR has a strong liking for that number which adorns his old ambassador car, 500 Cubic Capacity (CC) Royal Enfield bullet and his sports bike.

“Every month we put on sale numbers from 1 to 1,000 for four and two-wheelers and there is always a race to bag the fancy numbers, ’ ’ Venkateswarlu said.

Earlier, there was good competition from IT professionals for these special numbers but not anymore.

These days it is the film personalities who are keen on getting the `lucky’ numbers.

Meanwhile, the RTA has decided to crack the whip on those replacing ‘AP’ on their vehicle number plates with TG and other letters.

The traffic police, in fact, have already started booking those violating the rules regarding number display.

Also, the RTA officials launched a special drive against private buses carrying containers and other cargo along with passengers. “Most of the private bus operators on the Hyderabad-Mumbai and Hyderabad- Bangalore routes overload their vehicles with goods and passengers in violation of rules. The RTA officials have booked 3 to 5 cases against such buses in the last two days,’’ Venkateswarlu said

moulimareedu@gmail.com