B Krishna Mohan / Chennai/ Hyderabad August 26, 2008, 3:00 IST

The state may strike it rich if the Andhra Pradesh Mineral Development Corporation (APMDC) succeeds in its efforts in evolving a process for exploring fullerenes, commonly known as C-60 and associated with barytes, from the mines at Mangampeta in Kadapa district.

The product is used for defence purposes and makes solar cells more efficient. Besides, it can make missiles invisible to radars.

Khammam, Aug. 24: The farmers of the Nagarjunasagar project left canal second zone ayacut wanted the government to announce the date of releasing water to their zone. The government started releasing water to the first zone on August 13 but did not announce the details of the second zone water release. The farm operations started under the ayacut area of various minor and medium irrigation projects inclu-ding Bayyaram tank, Peda-vagu, Taliperu, Wyra, Palair and Kinnerasani.

Hyderabad, Aug. 24: Hyderabad on Sunday became the second largest city in India

Hyderabad, Aug. 24: Residents of the Secunderabad Cantonment Board have been waiting for an additional supply of 15 lakh gallons of drinking water for the last four years. The SCB presently supplies 38 lakh gallons per day but the demand is for 50 lakh gallons. Residents of over 60 localities were to be the main beneficiaries of the additional water to be supplied from the Angadi Water Project which as grounded at a cost of over Rs 2.7 crore.

August 22, 2008

Hyderabad, Aug. 22: The Chief Minister, Dr Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy, on Friday stressed the need for improving the green cover, particularly in urban areas, as part of the overall objective of transforming the state into "Haritandhra Pradesh.' The Chief Minister planted saplings at the Air Force Academy, Dundigal and launched the ambitious programme of one lakh tree plantations in a day taken up by Hyderabad Urban Development Authority (Huda).

HYDERABAD

Andhra Pradesh is emerging as the uranium and thorium hub of the country with new reserves of these rare minerals being unearthed in Chittoor and Warangal districts. Uranium has been found in Kadapa and Nalgonda districts while thorium reserves have been discovered in Visakhapatnam , Prakasam and Nalgonda districts.

Warangal Aug. 21: Rampant felling of trees in the name of podu cultivation is threatening the Eturnagaram forests. Smugglers have been cutting down trees in large numbers and have been transporting them illegally to neighbouring Chhattisgarh.

Hyderabad Aug. 21: Over 20,000 encroachments dot the 250-odd lake beds in and around the city. And this is all happening because the officials prefer to turn a blind eye to the illegal construction activities. The problem has been further compounded with the Hyderabad Urban Development Authority failing to demarcate the Full Tank Level (FTL), the dry area that submerges during rains. Sources said nearly 200 lakes in Hyderabad and Ranga Reddy district do not have the FTL markings.

M.J. PRABU

The water conservation project at Kothapally is a model to be replicated
Permanent solution: The watershed project is named Adarsha.

The monsoon came late over the semi-arid regions of central India this year. While several farming villages suffered from drought, Kothapally village in Ranga Reddy district of Andhra Pradesh had water in its wells for drinking and irrigation.

Kadapa, Aug. 20: The district administration registered criminal cases against 19 officials and people's representatives at the Veerapunayanipalle police station on Tuesday for misusing funds sanctioned for the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS).

A total of Rs 2.7 crore was spent in Veerapunayanipalle mandal under the NREGS. About Rs 60 lakh was spent at Yerramalapalle, Paya-sampalle, Ganumakulapalle, N. Palagiri and Indukuru in the mandal.