Infrastructure Development Model for Telangana:Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao

Infrastructure Development Model for Telangana

Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao

            Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao unveiled the Infrastructure Development Model for Telangana as a whole and for Hyderabad in particular. The CM disclosed details of this in a meeting with representatives of a China based leading infrastructure company namely Anju Infrastructure. It’s Director Yogesh Wagh along with his colleague Director Manoj Gandhi and Chairman of Radick Consultants Raj Kumar its sister concern called on Chief Minister on 23^rd and 24^th September 2015. Earlier when CM visited China during 2^nd and 3^rd week of September to attend the World Economic Forum meeting, Yogesh Waugh along with his team had an interaction meeting with him. At that time his team evinced keen interest in Telangana Industrial Policy and expressed his preparedness to invest in the state. CM invited him to visit the state.

            Details of CM’s Development Model: Hyderabad, one of the largest cities in India, is also the largest city in Telangana. It is administered through two bodies known as Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) and Hyderabad Metro Development Authority (HMDA). GHMC has 640 Square Kilometers area and forms part of HMDA which is covered by an area of 7200 Square Kilometers. Hyderabad has an outer ring road and within 50 Kilometers radius from the city on all sides there are 9 towns and it requires infrastructure development altogether. The towns within 50 KM radius are: Shadnagar on the Hyderabad-Bangalore Highway, Choutappal on the Hyderabad-Vijayawada Highway, Bhongir on the Hyderabad-Warangal Highway, Gajwel on the Hyderabad-Karimnagar Highway, Sangareddy on the Hyderabad-Bombay Highway, Vikarabad on the Hyderabad-Gulbarga Highway, Medchal up to Toopran on the Hyderabad-Nagpur Highway and Narsapur on the Hyderabad-Bodhan Highway. CM said that as Hyderabad city is expanding towards these towns, the master plans should be prepared in that direction. Telangana government had decided to construct express elevated highways along the highways leading to Warangal, Karimnagar and Nalgonda.

            Chief Minister said that Hyderabad and its surrounding cities need to be developed in a decent and scientific manner. The master plan should include construction of flyovers, expressways, skyways, roads, provision of sewerage, drinking water and housing in all these towns. Besides Hyderabad, cities like Khammam, Warangal, Karimnagar, Nizamabad and Ramagundam which are corporations with nearly a million populations and are second layer towns too would be developed with international standards. Besides these the 67 municipalities would also be developed in a phased manner. CM recalled his request made to the New Development Bank (NDB) Chairman KV Kamath during his China Visit for financial assistance of Rs. 25, 000 Crores for projects relating to roads, sewerage, drinking water etc. The Chairman then clarified to CM that the focus of NDB is on Lending to developing countries and the focus will be on setting up infrastructure.

            CM through a video presentation and with the help of Google Earth Map explained in detail about the Strategic Road Development Plan proposed in Hyderabad to the visiting delegation and how Government wants to develop Hyderabad into a global and Smart City. Hyderabad has a comfortable climate, cosmopolitan nature and uniqueness in many ways. CM briefed them his plans and expectations of a new way of urbanization and how Telangana State Government is providing right environment to entrepreneurs. CM’s comprehensive development plan of Hyderabad includes constructing 5 Skyways of 100 KM length, 11 major corridors of 184 KM length, 60 major roads of 360 KM length, other roads of 1400 KM length and 50 grid separators across Hyderabad as well as going for a special emphasis on Bus Bays. As the pressure is on the increase on the existing infrastructure in Hyderabad, it requires a world class infrastructure facility felt CM.

In addition to these CM also mentioned about the Government plans to construct 42-Kilometer long six-lane road from east to west on Musi and to construct a suspension bridge on Durgam Cheruvu in the city besides four major bridges across Godavari River. Chief Minister recalling his meeting with Indian Ambassador in China Ashok k Kantha during his visit said that, development plans for major cities in China like Dalian, Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen and Hong Kong were designed by Government Companies. In view of this a team of Officers will be visiting China to study the pattern and if necessary to draft the consultancy companies that prepared plans for these cities for preparing similar plans in Telangana.

Director Yogesh Waugh of Anju Infrastructure and representatives of the other construction companies who took part in the meeting with CM, expressed readiness to take part in the construction of roads, bridges, suspension bridges, urban planning and Bridge Designing. They told CM that they are willing to partner in the developmental plans and would once again meet the state government officials and decide on the works to be taken up. Yogesh who is also the Senior Investment Advisor to the Government of China said that his company is a world class one with Government support. According to him China Companies think that India is a big market and as a pool of several manufacturing companies would like to participate in India Infrastructure market more and more. A beginning with one or two projects in Telangana is their choice. Their participation in state infrastructure projects will also bring new technology and new innovations in to Telangana State.

The Chinese infrastructure group made an aerial survey on the following day along the course of Musi River in Hyderabad and also the proposed irrigation projects, roads and bridges in Karimnagar district including Dharmaram and Choppadandi to see the tunnel works there. Pipelines for diverting Godavari water to Mid-Manair will pass through these villages. The tunnel work includes constructing pump house and erecting pump also.

On their return the Chinese delegation discussed about the plans to construct the tunnels for diverting the Godavari waters, construction of four major bridges on Godavari River and road along Musi. The CM also discussed with them the proposed skyscrapers around Hussainsagar Lake. They explained to them the revolutionary changes in construction technology known as China’s New Normal Technology which had the capability to build three floors of a structure within a day by pre-casting method. The towers would be a typical mix of multipurpose floors that will have hotels, malls, residential accommodation and an observatory.

The China Team will give a detailed report in a month’s time on the proposed 42-km road along Musi, construction of tunnels to divert Godavari waters to Mid-Manair in Karimnagar and construction of four major bridges on Godavari. The Chinese construction companies evinced keen interest in taking part in the development activities of the State.

The other members of delegation who met CM include, Zhai Zhen, Wang Peidong, Cui Bohan, Li Li, Li Xiaohong, Shi Yungang, Wuhao, Anesuman krsushnu, Manoj Kumar, Amit Agerwal, BP Singh, Sabyasach Haldar and PV Sherma. End  

Ronald Ross who discovered malarial parasites : Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao

Ronald Ross who discovered 

malarial parasites in Secunderabad

Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao

Few people are aware that it was in a house in Begumpet near Hyderabad airport that a great scientist lived and made a great discovery for which he was awarded the Nobel Prize in physiology and medicine. It was here about 130 years ago, on August 20, 1897, that Sir Ronald Ross discovered the malarial parasites in a dissected anopheles mosquito.

            This house  situated in a sprawling compound with an area of about 12,000 square feet became the proud possession of the then Andhra Pradesh branch of the Indian Red Cross society in 1986.

            The otherwise close building since then had became a busy center from the Independence day on August 15, 1986 with the inauguration of Red Cross Rakshak (security services), St John’s ambulance services, Institute of Traffic Safety and Training and Institute of first aid training, thanks to the efforts made by Red Cross authorities of that time. It continued for couple of years.

            Sir Ronald Ross was born in India in 1857 at Almora in present day Uttarakhand and passed medicine studying at St. Bartholomew’s hospital. He was a member of the Indian medical service. While in Hyderabad, he made the historic discovery and demonstrated the malarial parasites in various forms in the female anopheline mosquito in 1895. In 1897, he found the pigmented cells of the parasite in the mosquito stomach. His success in verifying the theory of a mosquito vector in the transmission of malaria was prompted by Patrick Manson’s research and counsel.

            The day Ross discovered the malaria parasite he wrote a poem and sent to his wife. It reads like….

This day relenting God
Hath placed within my hand
A wondrous thing; and God
Be praised. At His command,
Seeking His secret deeds
With tears and toiling breath,
I find thy cunning seeds,
O million-murdering Death.
I know this little thing
A myriad men will save.
O Death, where is thy sting?
Thy victory, O Grave?

            This important discovery made by Sir Ronald Ross helped eradicate malaria from most parts of the world. Sir Ronald resigned from the Indian Medical Service in 1899 at the age of 42 to join, at Liverpool, the Institute of Tropical Medicine. In 1902, he received Nobel Prize.

            He died in London in September, 1932.

            The Indian Red Cross Society, AP Branch (then) spotted this building which had been lying without any use for almost 15 years.

            All that one could see there was a watchman, who faithfully protected it from unauthorized occupation. In memory of the great scientist while the Secunderabad cantonment authority erected a gablet in 1935, Indian airlines had this under its control until about 1960. Then, thanks to the initiative of Dr Gopala Rao and Prof S. N. Singh, the Sir Ronald Society was formed with a view to commemorating his epoch-making discovery in Hyderabad of malarial transmission by mosquito.

            Like many other Societies this one also suffered from lack of funds, except the long grant from the Nizam Trust Fund in 1974.

            The Ross memorial institute setup by this society could not function from here due to lack of infrastructural facilities. It functioned from the Osmania university zoology department.

            Thus the building was not under use and was left deserted for several years. However, 1980 the then health minister proposed to take over the building for advancement of malaria research in the state and also to locate the central malaria laboratory, museum and the research wing. It, however, remained a mere proposal.

            The Red Cross proposed to organize in this building “Sir Ronald Ross institute of tropical medicine and national health programmes” to create awareness about the national health programmes; to establish an institute to train medical and paramedical personnel; to impart continued education in fields of tropical medicine and also to conduct correspondence-cum regular courses. This was readily accepted by the sir Ronald Ross society at the time of handing over to Red Cross.

            Once again the house of Sir Ronald Ross who was not only a great man in the field of medicine but also excelled in mathematics, music, novel-writing and invented a system of shorthand and discovered a method of phonetic spelling was pressed into useful social activity.

            For the next couple of years the building was bubbling with activity. Later what happened is not known and under whose control it is now is also to be known.

            On enquiry it is learnt that the building and premises is under the control of Osmania University Zoology Department who visit now and then and conduct few workshops or seminars. Notable among them is celebrating the event of discovery of malarial parasites on every August 20. End

Role of Agriculture Department and University is crucial : Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao

Role of Agriculture Department and 

University is crucial

Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao

The history of agriculture in India dates back thousands of years. Agriculture has undergone significant developments and shifts over the past century in response to new technologies and due to development of world markets. Human labor is replaced by synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. Technological improvements also caused ecological damage and negative human health effects to some extent.

Telangana is situated on the Deccan Plateau and two important rivers of India, the Godavari, and Krishna flow through the state for providing irrigation. Apart from major rivers, there are small rivers such as Tunga Bhadra, Bhima, Dindi, Kinnerasani, Manjira, Manair, Penganga, Pranahita, peddavagu and Taliperu. Telangana has a predominantly hot and dry climate. Summers start in March and peak in May. The monsoon arrives in June and lasts until September. The normal rainfall is from the southwest monsoons but also gets considerable rains from cyclones. Various soil types abound, including chalkas, red sandy soils, dubbas, deep red loamy soils, and very deep soils. Rice is the major food crop and staple food of the state. Other important crops are Maize, Tobacco, Mango, Cotton and Sugar cane as well as mangoes, oranges and flowers.

With interest in cultivation decreasing day by day, agriculture is facing crisis. There is scarcity of persons in farming and related activities. Farm labour migration and diversion to other trades also posed a threat to agriculture. In the technology based world, the younger generation is looking at public and private sectors as they are offering reliable sources of income whereas agriculture is seen as a non-profitable one. In districts like Mahaboobnagar, Karimnagar and Nalgonda large number of people migrated to the Middle East and other parts of the world in search of employment. Only a minor section of people are getting into farming. People should be taught that agriculture always stands first ahead of all fields. After the present day generation who are experts in certain farming activities like paddy transplantation retire, probably in the days to come it would be impossible to find replacement to them. Mechanization and micro irrigation to some extent could be an answer to sustain agriculture and hence a strategy has to be drawn for that. 

With the state being newly carved out, says the Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao, that farmers will have a good benefit of the irrigation projects. He desires that a functional change should be seen. He wants that Agricultural university and department of Agriculture should work in hand-in-hand to make farming a profitable venture in the state. Strategies should also be drawn to make surplus production, so that they could be marketed properly which eventually makes farmers having an advantage. 

The City of Hyderabad is one of the fastest growing cities in the country. Today the population in the HMDA area is about 1.42 Crores and it is inching every year with a million people shifting their base. It is a growing city on all the four sides and is one of the five major metro cities in the country. It is barely 10% of city’s requirement of vegetables is met now. Despite having Mahaboobnagar, Medak, Nalgonda, Rangareddy and Karimnagar districts surrounding Hyderabad only 10 percent of city’s requirement of vegetables are met. From many places of those districts to the city there is quick transportation system. Lands and climatic conditions there suit for vegetable production.

The Chief Minister is of the opinion that, Professor Jayashankar Telangana Agricultural University should play a vital role in evolving a strategy for encouraging vegetable production and should step in to take measures to bring back the past glory of agriculture in the new state of Telangana. Research activity in the university needs to be strengthened. Every bit of land in the state has to be subjected to soil testing and the details are to be computerised. Vegetable hubs are to be developed around Hyderabad. University may also study the aspects of producing exotic vegetables and ways and means to export them. Different places in Telangana have to be divided in to particular crop colonies. The University needs to pay attention on the cropping pattern and types of crops that should be produced in different lands.

Apart from this, the agricultural university should also undertake extensive research on mechanization aspects. Students of the university should be given free hand in doing research. They should be on the move to interact with farmer on go forward basis.  The university should have a clear idea of soil, technique, crops and others available in each and every mandal of the state. Probably a control room kind of campaign centre should be set up in each mandal that addresses the problems of the farmers and giving quick solution will make things quite easy.  

In fact there was a time when the university played a crucial role in farming. The kind of researches, training camps and many were widely done in the university. Farmers and officers were given special training to know about the latest methods in agriculture. Farmers in batches used to go to Agricultural University to learn about the advanced methods of farming. But over the period of time, this practice has been ignored and now barely any farmer reaches the University to learn the new techniques in agriculture.

It is also the responsibility of Agriculture University to restore the faith in farmers and bring back the past glory. Keeping the weather conditions and kind of soil available in every corner of the state, university should draw strategies in developing crops as per conditions demand. For instance, “Imam Pasand” mangoes which are produced only in Telangana State could be made a monopoly crop and the university should take steps to encourage the farmer to reach a stage where exports gain demand. Similarly research could be done on the type of mangoes that can be produced in Telangana soil. MARKFED has to step in and rectify why the agriculture lost its way in the state of Telangana.

So is the case with the Department of Agriculture. There were days when agricultural university used to train officers of the department and these officers used to interact with farmers and sketch out strategies. It is almost given-up now. The Chief Minister says that the department should have suitable extension officers and if need be through recruitment. It is also time to ensure adequate numbers of AD, DD, JD etc. and also to see that they perform the job related work efficiently. They should be properly and systematically trained in the University. Only after completion of adequate training they must be assigned job work. They are to be in a position to suggest to the farmer about the usage of fertilizer and the type of fertilizer for a particular land. Some of the Agricultural Officers on obtaining training in University may have to become Agronomists and to become experts in science of soil management, land cultivation and crop production. Department has to asses as to what should be their number.

They should be in constant touch with farmer and mingle with them always. Collectively they should draw a comprehensive strategy for the entire state of Telangana for the betterment of agriculture. For instance, they should think about a strategy on the rice or pulses production. What sort of soil suits most and where are the lands available for either rice or pulses or any other crop and what category it should be so that it is advantageous to the farmer has to be thought of. Similarly in the case of oil seeds production a strategy has to be drawn.

Ultimately the department has to come up with a plan to decide as to what should be the agriculture face of Telangana. Similarly the University should give a serious thought as to what should be its role towards that direction. Both department of Agriculture and University are expected to play a greater role than now. Both University and Department should work hand in hand and establish a live contact with farmer. End

Haritha Haram Largest green drive in India:Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao

Haritha Haram Largest green drive in India

Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao

The Hans India (01-07-2015)

http://www.thehansindia.com/posts/index/2015-07-01/Haritha-Haram-Largest-green-drive-in-India-160617

The stage is set and everything has been put in place to launch the prestigious people centric program of Telangana ku Haritaharam on July 3, 2015. The program was conceived a year ago by the Chief Minister Sri K. Chandrashekhar Rao with an objective of improving green cover, maintain ecological balance and to ensure sustainable livelihoods. While conceiving and designing the program Chief Minister said that due to shortage of forests and increasing deforestation there is an increasing need to go for massive plantation as well as regeneration of the forests. Growing of trees is the only alternate to increase rainfall and reduction of monkey menace.

Telangana ku Haritaharam is one of the flagship programs announced by the Chief Minister envisaging increase of the tree cover of the state from 24% to 33% of geographical area. As part of this, in the coming three years 230 Crore seedlings are proposed to be added to the greenery of Telangana State. Out of this 130 Crore seedlings are proposed to be planted outside the notified forest areas including 10 Crore within HMDA limits. It is also proposed to rejuvenate with 100 Crore plants inside the notified forests by way of intensive protection of the forests and encouraging the live root stock. This means 40 Crores plants every year at the rate of 40 lakhs saplings to each of the Assembly segments. Accordingly, nurseries have been developed and the seedlings are ready for plantation all over the state. The trees proposed to be planted in forest would be of wild fruit bearing ones. They also include medicinal and aromatic plants. The Haritaharam shall be a people’s movement according to Chief Minister. “Haritham, Shivam, Sundaram” is the motto of the program. The massive plantation program has to be viewed in the context of overall development of Telangana state as well as Hyderabad brand image development.

The program as envisaged aimed at schematic plantation as was done in Singapore unlike the old fashioned avenue plantations. People should have a feeling that they are walking in the forest. It is also envisaged to go for plantations all around rivers, rivulets, banks, tank bunds, compounds of all institutions, institutional areas, industrial areas, factories, University campuses etc.

In order to make this a successful and long term sustainable program the Chief Minister reviewed its progress from time to time with the concerned Minister, Senior Officials of Forest Department, District Collectors, Superintendents of Police, Forest officers like Rangers, DFOs, Conservators and others. For taking forward the program without any hurdle CM enquired from the field level forest personnel their problems and offered solutions. In one of the review meetings with forest officers, when it was brought to the CM’s notice about the unauthorized occupations of the forest area by some and timber smugglers, he promised full support to them from Government to act tough with occupants and smugglers. The CM also offered gunmen facility to forest staff wherever required. To strengthen the plantation program and make available the forest land, CM suggested that District Collectors and Forest Officers should conduct a joint survey of forest lands for fixing boundaries.

In subsequent review meetings the Chief Minister has also given a call to increase the number of plantations to 320 Crores to make it more effective. CM suggested increasing the number to 60-70 crores from next year. The Chief Minister said that the first or second week of July every year shall be observed as Haritaharam week as a participatory program and Collectors should evince keen interest in plantation.

In the latest review meeting with Collectors, SPs and Forest Officers the CM said that there has been lot of praise for the Haritaharam program all over the country. Several people are mentioning that such a program has never been conceived and implemented as is done in Telangana. This has to be carried as a people’s movement. CM made a special mention about the keen interest being evinced by Police officers. This is not merely a forest department program but belongs to all. It is decided to plant trees on National and State Highways.

Against this background, on the whole, 39.60 Crores of seedlings have been raised in the state. District wise, Constituency wise and Village level plans for planting is ready with the collectors. Planting sites have been identified. Outer Ring Road thematic planting is being covered in Haritaharam Programme. Funds tie up made through NREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act), Afforestation funds through the Forest Department, Industrial funds through Industrial departments and Municipality funds through Municipality Department. “Gram Panchayat Harita Rakshana Committee” have been constituted. The committee is headed by village Serpanch and include among others MPTC, Panchayat Secretary, SHG leader, ANM and Anganwadi Worker. The committee besides ensuring successful implementation of the program will also ensure protection of the plantations and involve people through motivation. Publicity started in the form of short films like TV ads, Radio Jingles, campaigns and flickers. Posters, Pamphlets, stickers for vehicles have been prepared. Samskritika Saradhi teams are active. Kavisammelanams, avadhanams, mushairas etc. are being organized. Meetings have been taken place through State level, District Level, Mandal level and Village level elected representatives. Meetings with all the central and state Government institutions including army officers and cantonment boards were also conducted to enlist their support and participation.   

Haritaharam nursery directories have been printed district wise giving details of seedlings available nursery wise and constituency wise. The same has been sent to all the elected representatives and to all Gram Panchayats. Detailed guidelines have been issued by the General Administration Department regarding the roles and responsibilities of various participating departments.

An Officer on Special duty to C.M. is monitoring the programme in each district.

Haritaharam reminds a similar program wherein China has been engaged in a massive tree-planting program that has helped to offset tropical deforestation. China’s reforestation program known as the “Green Great Wall” is said to be the world’s largest ecological engineering project. After three years Telangana ku Haritaharam will become one of the Best Practices in green cover efforts. End