June 12: Tigers are a rarity and spiders are dime a dozen. That has not prevented some forest officials from preferring the latter at the expense of the former. The Nagarjunasagar Srisailam Tiger reserve (Rajiv Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary) has been witnessing a steep fall in the number of big tigers or the panthera tigris. However, the magnificent animal's official protectors are not too bothered about this and are perfectly happy discovering new kinds of spiders and herbs.
Anantapur, June 30: The Non Conventional Energy Development Corporation of Andhra Pradesh (NEDCAP) is promoting production of wind energy to supplement state and central governments' efforts to boost power production. It is making efforts to realise full potential in the Rayalaseema districts of Chittoor, Kadapa, Kurnool and Anantapur. Presently, 200 mw are being produced by 24 developers in the region. However, potential exists for producing around 10,000 mw by tapping wind potential identified at several places in the Rayalaseema districts.
Hyderabad, June 24: It's seems that Andhra Pradesh is in a treasure hunt with more than a dozen companies hunting for diamond, gold and other precious stones and metals in the state. Among the renowned companies are De Beers India, Geo Mysore, Adi Gold Mining, Deccan Gold Mining, Amil Mining, CRA, Anglo American Exploration, NMDC, Ramgadh Mining and Navarathna Minerals.
The state government on Wednesday decided to continue the controversial cloud seeding operations for another five years. Tenders have been called to select the company which will conduct the operations. A top official said that there was actually no scientific reason for continuing the programme but added that there was
Forest officials of Srisailam Tiger Reserve have begun tiger census in the Nallamala forest. During the weeklong exercise, the teams will count the pugmarks at water-holes. Nearly 200 teams are scurrying the forest existing on 3,000 sq km. Assistant Conservator of Forest and in charge of bio-diversity wing Tulasi Rao told The Hindu that the survey was meant for annual review and updating of records. According to him, only tigers and panthers would be counted during the current exercise, which would end on May 7.
Society for Promotion of Wastelands Development (SPWD) has been working in the Rayalseema reion of Andhra Pradesh since the mid 1990s on restoration of Panchayati Raj tanks. Around 40 tanks have been restored in the region by SPWD in collaboration with local Non Government Organizations (NGOs), through formation of representative community-based Tank Management Committees (TMCs).
The government has confirmed prevalence of anthrax in Chittoor, Prakasam, Kurnool and Mahabubnagar districts and attributed its outbreak in the State to the leather industry thriving in Tamil Nadu close to the common border. Replying to a question tabled by G. Muddukrishnama Naidu (Congress), Animal Husbandry Minister M. Buddha Prasad informed the Assembly on Wednesday that disease broke out among sheep at Jandlapeta in Karvetinagar area of Chittoor Municipality close to the Tamil Nadu border. Five sheep and four cattle perished last month as a result. The incidence of the disease was also reported in Prakasam district in December and some
Farmers belonging to several villages complained to the district collector against the managements of cement factories being set up on their lands at the praja darbar held in the Collectorate on Monday. In a memorandum submitted to the collector, Mr Eddula Chennaiah, a farmer from Madhavaravam village of Pyapili mandal alleged that cement companies were forcibly occupying their land in the village.
