The Pioneer                24.05.2013

Leakage main culprit in water crisis

Additionally, more concrete steps are yet to be taken by the department concerned for replacing old tube-wells in the region. Despite the fact that new potable water pipelines were laid by the nodal agencies in the length and breadth of the capital city, the shortage of potable water in the region has become a perennial problem as more steps are yet to be introduced by the nodal agency to connect the lines.

Besides, the department concerned is yet to take effective steps to keep a tab on unauthorised water tankers that are using the Government potable water supply to top up their water tankers. Since the water supply is being done to Nehru Colony, Sanjay Colony and adjoining places through Parade Ground based tube-well, the disrupted supply of potable water has become a regular feature in the region due to frequent power cuts.

Well established sources told that the problem of shortage of potable water would be easily overcomes, if the Jal Sansthan take effective step for the installation of mini tube-wells at Preetam Road, Mohini Road, Green View Colony, Race Course, Raja Road etc. The large area that are facing the acute shortage of potable water would be easily solve, if the department concerned installs tubewells at Dangwal Marg, Kalika Mandir and Neshvilla road. Additionally, residents would surely get respite from the shortage of potable water, if the state government installs handpumps at Race Course, Dalanwala, Old Dalanwala, Karanpur, Chukhuwala Mohalla, Khurbura, Jhanda Mohalla etc. It is to be noted that Dandipur Mohalla, Khurbura, Jhanda Mohalla, Indresh Nagar, Dhamawala, Old Dalanwala, Naya Nagar, Paltan Bazar, Luniya Mohalla, DL Road, Tilak road, Macchi Bazar, Subhash road, Bengali Mohalla, Raja Road, Ghosi gali, Kedarpuram, MDDA Colony, Rajpur road and adjoining localities are facing the problem of acute shortage of potable water.

Besides, the problem of shortage of water is also worst in the tough hilly terrains parts of State as more potent steps are yet to be introduced by the department concerned to repair those water pipelines that were damaged in the natural calamites that struck in the last year.

After expressing concern over the acute shortage of potable water in the capital city, Raj Kumar, MLA, Rajpur Road said that memorandum was submitted to Uttarakhand Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna to redress the problem of acute shortage of potable water in his constituency.  He said the population of the State has increased in the last one decade, hence, the State Government should also take effective steps to introduce new schemes for overcoming the problem of shortage of potable water.

The Hindu                   09.05.2013 

All for making the king of fruits sweeter

Firstly, it is an eye-opener to the public that the practice of artificially ripening mangoes is rampant in the trader community and secondly, it is to create awareness among the farmers on naturally ripening the fruit using ethylene to offer ‘non-toxic’ produce to the customers.

Mango growers from Chittoor, Nellore, Anantapur, Kadapa and Prakasam districts converged at Lalithakala Pranganam at the Municipal Corporation of Tirupati (MCT) compound for the five-day “Carbide-free mango mela” that began on Wednesday. Organised by the Department of Horticulture, the event showcases the range of mangoes available in the Rayalaseema districts.

12 varieties

The greenish fruit on display at the 20 stalls appear semi-ripe, but they are sweet and healthy too, claim the farmer-turned-sellers. There are 12 mouth-watering varieties like Banganapalli, Khadar, Pullura, Neelam, Benishan, Dil Pasand, Reddy Pasand and Rasaalu, while more are expected to arrive by Thursday. “We have provided all facilities to enable the farmer sell up to two tonnes of mangoes a day,” explained Deputy Director (Horticulture) M.K.V. Srinivasulu. It is true that the absence of rains throughout the year and the untimely thunderstorm during the flowering and fruition stages played triple havoc on the farmers.

Faced with the uncertainty of price fixation, the farmers are a worried lot about the unexpected turns the price could take in the coming days. In the words of the Mines and Geology Minister Galla Arunakumari, who inaugurated the fair, “the mangoes are set to taste sour this year.” Herself a mango grower and owner of a large-scale fruit processing unit, the Minister regretted that the nature failed the farmers yet again.

The ‘Mela’, which is meant to be a major intervention to better the lives of farmers, would have added greater value, had the officials involved more farmers in the event.

Additional Joint Collector P. Venkatasubba Reddy hoped that not only the denizens, but also the pilgrims visiting the temple city would benefit from the ‘Mela’.

‘Carbide-free mango mela’ held to create awareness among farmers on ripening the fruit naturally.