The Singareni Collieries Company Limited proposed to mechanise the new underground mines coming up soon while introducing machines in the existing ones.

Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy laid the foundation stone for the Caparo industrial park and a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) here on Thursday. Speaking after the ground breaking ceremony, the Chief Minister said these two facilities would herald a new beginning in the domain of manufacturing as the UK-based Caparo group would set up a world-class auto and aerospace component hub with an investment of Rs 3,500 crore in a phased manner. Luxury bus unit

The Hinduja group plans to go ahead with Rs 25,600-crore refinery at Kakinada even if its indecisive project partner Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) opts out. "We have given in writing to the Andhra Pradesh chief minister that we are keen to set up the project, with or without ONGC," Hinduja Group chairman G.P. Hinduja said.

Nandan Biomatrix, a Hyderabad-based agri-biotechnology and medicinal plantation company, is planning to set up bioinvestment eco-industrial zones (BIEZs) across the country. The project aims to bring fallow land under jatropha cultivation, which will be used to make biofuel.

Power equipment major Bharat Heavy Electricals (BHEL) is all set to finalise separate joint ventures with the Andhra Pradesh Power Generation Company (APGenco) and the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board, close on the heels of its first joint venture company, NTPC-Bhel Power Projects, which was formed last month. As a first step, the country's largest power equipment supplier will sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the APGenco for supplying equipment for a 125-mw plant, which is expected to come up at Vijaywada, Andhra Pradesh, shortly.

After the UK-based Hinduja group, Oil and Natural Gas Corporation's (ONGC) proposed Rs 26,500-crore refinery at Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh, has found new suitors in Reliance Industries (RIL) and Essar Oil. This is despite ONGC maintaining its stand that the refinery is not financially feasible unless the Andhra Pradesh government gives it more incentives.

The World Bank has started "reviewing and updating" the Rs 1,300-crore Andhra Pradesh Urban Reforms and Municipal Services project. APURMS had been undertaken jointly by the World Bank and the state government but has not been implemented in real earnest. The re-evaluation was necessitated as four years have elapsed since the project was first conceived.

The proposed coastal industrial corridor by the Infrastructure Corporation of Andhra Pradesh Ltd (INCAP) along the Andhra Pradesh coastline from Srikakulam to Nellore has attracted objections from the environmentalists, mass and some rights organisations.

The Telugu Desam state president, Mr Nara Chandrababu Naidu, on Tuesday found fault with the Godavari water policy of the Congress government. Speaking to newsmen, Mr Naidu said that the government has no vision in using Godavari river water for the purpose of irrigation. He said that the projects taken up by Dummugudem Link Canal Project and Indirasagar Irrigation Projects were not pragmatic and the government is wasting crores of rupees by going to impractical projects.

State medical and health director general Dr Ramesh Chandra deplored the poor maintenance of sanitation in villages and municipalities and felt the need to sensitise the general public on cleanliness of environs to keep diseases at bay. The director general chaired a regional task force meeting of officials from the medical and health and other connected departments in both East and West Godavari and Krishna districts here on Tuesday. Speaking on the sidelines of the meet, the director general felt the need for creation of awareness on health and hygiene among the public.