MONDAY, MAY 27, 2013
news
YESTERDAY’S QUESTION
IS THE COUNTRY HEADING TOWARDS MID-TERM POLLS? YES (A) NO (B)
48% 52%
TODAY’S QUESTION
WILL INDO-PAK RELATIONS IMPROVE UNDER NAWAZ SHARIF? A)
YES
B)
NO
To vote visit www.postnoon.com
CIVIC
3
GHMC’s Tughlaq-esque work Suddenly, officials are seized by the desire to remove and relay well-laid footpaths without the chief engineer’s consent. The intention is clear: To fill private pockets with public money. M ANIL KUMAR
Md NIZAMUDDIN nizamuddin.a@postnoon.com
A
huge sum is being wasted on relaying City footpaths to “bring about uniformity!” And the icing on this scandalous cake is that the GHMC chief engineer says he has no knowledge of all the works undertaken! Several beautiful footpaths that were laid with colourful inter-locking tiles a few years ago are being removed. Stretches extending several kilometers are being replaced with Shahabad stones. Senior officials say the commissioner has given orders to bring in uniformity in footpaths that are in bad shape. But even those that are in good condition are being removed.
CONFLICT
Shepherd kills attacking bear with axe SARAJEVO: A Bosnian shepherd who killed with an axe a bear that attacked him overnight was hospitalised and his condition was described as serious, a local TV station reported Sunday. Blazo Grkovic, who was attacked by a brown bear, a protected species in Europe, as he was guarding his flock of sheep at the foot of southern Bosnian mountain Volujak, told local BN television, “I had an axe in my AROUND THE
WORLD
hand and I managed to hit it in the neck. It fell and we fought close up." "It bit me, and I hit it until it died. I have injuries everywhere, especially in my left arm where he bit me twice or thrice," Grkovic said. Although seriously injured, Grkovic managed to call his brother who came to find him with emergency services. Police are investigating the incident. AFP
“We have given permission to the engineers to take up work where footpaths are in bad shape. They must be bringing uniformity there. I am not sure,” says Suresh Kumar, chief engineer. Expressing ignorance over the works being taken up on main roads in areas like Hyderguda, Basheerbagh, Lower Tankbund and RTC cross roads, Kumar said
AROUND THE
CITY
it could be part of “junction improvement”. “They directly take works from the zonal officer, as he has the drawing rights upto `10 lakh.” Postnoon found out that the entire footpath is being removed to replace a ‘curb’ that gives a
CITY BRIEFS AP police on high alert at borders
T
he Andhra Pradesh police have gone on high alert on the borders with Chhattisgarh and Odisha in the wake of Maoist attack on Congress leaders in Chhattisgarh. Director general of police V Dinesh Reddy said the police force was on alert in AndhraOdisha Border (AOB) area. Dinesh Reddy has, however, no knowledge of AP cadres participating in the Chattisgarh carnage.
Ambedkar Open University test on June 7
YSRC to hold march today, protest tomorrow
D
Y
r. BR Ambedkar Open University will conduct its eligibility test for the second time on July 7 for admissions related to UGC programmes. Candidates wishing to apply may do so by visiting APOnline franchise centers from May 27 by paying a fee of `235. Further details can be found at www.braou.ac.in
SR Congress today put off its plan to conduct a protest rally in the City today against YS Jagan Mohan’s continued imprisonment. Terming it ‘unlawful and a political conspiracy’, the party will organise a candle march this evening and a protest in Indira Park tomorrow. Party members said the protest will be held throughout the State.
Talks to check liquor consumption
A
n open discussion on the existing prohibition and excise policy is being convened by Madya Niyatrana Udyama Committee on June 4 at Ravindra Bharathi. N Chandrababu Naidu, Botsa Satyanarayana, Kishan Reddy, Y Vijaylakshmi and B Raghavulu, leaders from across the State political spectrum, will participate in the programme. The discussion is being held to find out ways to restrict liquor consumption.
curvature on the edges towards the road. But even then, Kumar is unable to explain why tiles are being replaced with the more commonly used Shahabad stone. The footpath at Lepakshi near Nizam College is one of the finest with interlocking tiles. But the contractor has arranged for old tiles to be replaced with Shahabad stone. At Liberty, the contractor
has removed the entire stretch of tiles. People at Tirumala Temple must stand over the debris for darshan. “Even God is helpless before the avaricious officials who go in for Tuglaq type works,” remarked Ramesh Raj, a devotee. “All this junk is lying over the road for more than a month. Not only do pedestrians face a problem, but no one is able to park vehicles in front of the complex,” says Rajender, parking contractor. With monsoons approaching, there is no reason for the GHMC to undertake a work that would take months to complete “Why is the corporation wasting money like this? I will be filing an RTI to find out why they have taken this up in first place,” says Kanthimathi Kannan, convenor, Right to Walk Foundation.