Karimnagar, Aug. 18: Even while various trade unions are trying to ensure the participation of the Singareni coalminers in the ensuing nation-wide strike call on August 20, the Singareni management has launched a campaign to persuade the workmen to desist from the one-day strike.

Hyderabad, July 20: Taking strong exception to the Andhra Pradesh government's aversion to displaced tribals from Chhattisgarh, the Human Rights Watch organisation has charged the state police and forest officials of direct involvement in destroying nine tribal habitations. A 182-page report titled, Human Rights Watch documents how since mid-2005, the state government has failed to provide indigenous tribal communities displaced from Chhattisgarh with basic assistance, including food, water, shelter, medical services, sanitation, and livelihood opportunities.

Warangal, July 16: A special action plan was prepared to prevent the possible outbreak of viral diseases in the district during the monsoon season. The action plan stressed the importance of maintaining better sanitation, chlorination of water bodies, and creation of awareness on personal hygiene.

Warangal, July 8: The minister for agriculture, Mr N. Raghuveera Reddy, and the minister for major irrigation, Mr Ponnala Lakshmaiah, had a tough time in pacifying the irate farmers, who took the ministers to task on the shortage of fertilisers and the irregular power supply. The ministers had an embarrassing time in answering the farmers on various problems at the Rythu Sadassu meet at Agriculture Research Station here on Tuesday. The farmers challenged the agriculture minister to come along with them to the market and find for himself whether the fertilisers were available or not.

Warangal, July 6: Backpackers who want to trek through deep forests and nature lovers who love to slowly sail across waters are flocking to the district, which is fast turning into a favourite eco and adventure tourism destination. Enchanting locations such as the Lakhnavaram Lake, the Pakhal wildlife sanctuary, and the mysterious Pandavulaguttalu are attracting hundreds of visitors every day.

Bringing cheer to the farmers in the district, the Devadula lift irrigation project authorities on Sunday succeeded in releasing the water into the Dharmasagar reservoir near here. The release of water into the Dharmasagar this time is really a big success for the authorities as there were no hiccups in the entire stretch of pipeline from the main intake well at Gangaram to the Dharmasagar reservoir, which is 132 kilometres away.

The district in-charge minister and endowments minister, Mr J. Ratnakar Rao, on Thursday directed the district authorities to initiate steps to ensure the waiver of crop loans to all the farmers in the district. The minister said that all those farmers who come under the loan waiver scheme announced by the Centre should get the benefit of the waiver in the district. He was reviewing the crop loan waiver scheme implementation along with the district ministers Ponnala Lakshmaiah and D.S. Redya Naik at the district collectorate here.

The minister for major irrigation, Mr Ponnala Lakshmaiah, said on Thursday that tenders wo-uld be soon called to launch a water project to supply Godavari water to seven mandals in Mulug division. The minister said government was keen to fulfil the wish of the division peoples' long-pending demand for supply of Godavari water.

The farmers of three mandals of Tirumalayapalem, Khammam Rural and Kusumanchi, who were not getting irrigation water to their fields through the stage two of Sriramsagar Project demanded water from Rajivsagar Lift Irrigation Scheme (RLIS) or from Krishna-Godavari link canal project.