The Commission is also in-charge of examining matters involving the inclusion of individuals and communities under SC and ST categories.

The Andhra Pradesh Social Welfare Department has re-appointed former IAS officer JC Sharma as the head of a one-man commission to address issues regarding the Scheduled Caste list in the state, particularly the inclusion of the Beda/Budga Jangam community. With a few changes in responsibilities, Sharma will be in charge of examining matters involving the inclusion of individuals and communities under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes categories. The commission will look into the inclusion of the Beda/Budga Jangam community people under the Scheduled Castes category. The community, which reportedly has a population of more than 2.5 lakh in the state, falls under the SC category in Telangana, but not in Andhra Pradesh. The commission, which was previously appointed in November 2017, is yet to resolve the matter. Apart from the SC status of the Beda/Budga Jangam community, the commission will also be responsible for issuing ST certificates to the Bentho Oriya community in Srikakulam district. JC Sharma will also be responsible for dealing with issues related to obtaining false caste certificates by members of non-SC communities who avail opportunities meant for SC members. The measures will include prevention of such cases, cancellation of false certificates which have already been issued, and initiation of disciplinary action against government officials who have issued such false caste certificates without proper verification. When the commission was first appointed in 2017, it was noted that the issue of false certificates was “more rampant in the case of the Chambadi/Ayodhya Kapu, Jangam /Jangam Devarlu, Dasari, Medari, Kunapuli, Barika and Kuruba/Kuruma communities”, were allegedly obtaining false certificates belonging to the SC communities of “Samban, Beda(Budaga) Jangams/Beda Jangams, Holeya Dasaris, Mala Dasaris, Kolpulavandlu, Barikas and Madasi/ Madari Kuruvas communities respectively.”

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Crime

Stating that he had to discharge his constitutional duties as the Chief Minister, Jagan urged the court to allow his lawyer to represent him.

IANS

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has filed a petition in the special CBI court, seeking exemption from appearance in an alleged disproportionate assets cases. Jagan pleaded that he be exempted from the weekly hearing as he was unable to attend the court since he had to discharge his constitutional duties as the Chief Minister. He urged the court to allow his lawyer to represent him. The petition is likely to come up for hearing on Friday. Jagan has not appeared in the court since he became the Chief Minister in May as he was granted exemptions. But the YSRCP President has to present himself in the CBI court every Friday in the cases filed against him in 2011. The Andhra Pradesh High Court had in 2017 rejected Reddy's plea to exempt him from personal appearance in the special court. He had pleaded for exemption, citing his duties as a legislator and the leader of opposition. The High Court had ruled he could apply for exemption on a week-by-week basis. The allegations against Jagan relate to the period 2004-2009, when Jagan's father YS Rajasekhara Reddy was the chief minister. The CBI and Enforcement Directorate (ED) which are probing the cases, said that Jagan, in criminal conspiracy with others, received bribes from various persons/companies in the guise of investments in his group companies as 'quid pro quo' for undue favours granted to them by the then Andhra Pradesh government. Jagan was arrested in May 2012 in the DA case when he was an MP. In 2013, the special CBI court had granted conditional bail to Jagan, after he spent 16 months in jail. Read: Jagan Mohan Reddy declares assets worth Rs 375 crore, 31 criminal cases

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YSRCP meanwhile has called this drama to ‘protect thieves’.

TNM Staff

The Telugu Desam Party in Guntur has set up a ‘rehabilitation shelter’ for victims of attacks by the YSR Congress Party. TDP State President Kala Venkata Rao and General Secretary Nara Lokesh visited ‘victims’ at the camp on Friday. Sharing a video of his visit to the camp, Lokesh tweeted, “I visited the rehabilitation camp for the TDP sympathisers’ families who were victims of the YSRCP’s vile political vendettas. It was heartbreaking to hear each person’s account. I have assured them that there will be no fear of such attacks from now on, that we will give a firm response, and the party will stand by all of them.” వైకాపా నీచ రాజకీయ కక్షలకు బలైన తెదేపా సానుభూతిపరుల కుటుంబాల పునరావాస శిబిరాన్ని సందర్శించాను. ఒక్కొక్కరి బాధ వింటుంటే గుండె తరుక్కుపోతోంది. ఇకపై ఇటువంటి దాడులకు భయపడేది లేదని, గట్టిగా సమాధానం ఇద్దామని, అందరికీ పార్టీ అండగా ఉంటుందని భరోసా ఇచ్చాను. pic.twitter.com/b1YmtjvPdg — Lokesh Nara (@naralokesh) September 6, 2019 Earlier in July, TDP had launched a toll-free number in order to 'safeguard' party workers and supporters who were allegedly being attacked by the YSRCP across the state. Lokesh had also asked the party cadre to post about the alleged violence that they were facing on social media. After the election results to the state Assembly and Lok Sabha were declared on May 23, parts of the state witnessed post-poll clashes between YSRCP and TDP workers for more than a month. Even the day of the elections witnessed as many as 25 incidents of violence. Lokesh on Friday insinuated that the police had turned one-sided under the YSRCP. “Mr Jagan, your workers and leaders have been acting like animals, committing monstrosities on the public. But you have been completely indifferent, leaving matters of peace and security unattended. The police who are supposed to stand by the public, has been silent and unilateral. Is this democracy?” .@ysjaganగారు.. మీ కార్యకర్తలు, నాయకులు అచ్చోసిన ఆంబోతుల్లా ప్రజలమీద పడి రాక్షసత్వాన్ని ప్రదర్శిస్తున్నారు. మీరేమో నిమ్మకు నీరెత్తినట్లు వ్యవహరిస్తూ శాంతిభద్రతలను గాలికొదిలేశారు. ప్రజలకు అండగా ఉండవలసిన పోలీసు యంత్రాంగం మౌనం వహించి ఏకపక్షంగా వ్యవహరిస్తున్నారు. ఇదేనా ప్రజాస్వామ్యం? — Lokesh Nara (@naralokesh) September 6, 2019 Speaking to a local media outlet, Gurajala MLA from YSRCP Kasu Mahesh Reddy said that the rehabilitation camp was part of ‘drama’ being done in Guntur by Chandrababu Naidu. “For five years, TDP MLAs were let free like dacoits in the Palnadu region. They were involved in corrupt activities like illegal mining, gambling, fake seeds and liquor. People from SC and BC communities have been threatened and exploited in the region. The murders of YS Raja Reddy and YS Vivekananda Reddy occurred during Naidu’s term, even the murder attempt on Jagan Mohan Reddy happened during his term. There was no semblance of law and order during Naidu’s term,” Mahesh Reddy said. Alleging that ex-Speaker Kodela Siva Prasada Rao, former Gurajala MLA Yarapathineni Srinivasa Rao and other TDP leaders were all involved in corrupt activities, Mahesh Reddy said that the camp was meant to ‘protect thieves’. “We invite them (TDP leaders) to Palnadu villages to participate in public discussions and find out how much injustice was done in the five years of their term, and the last 3 months. We assure to give them protection,” he said.

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News

Sabi Giri, who was a sailor with the navy before she transitioned, has been told to appear for an exam, and if she qualifies, she will be eligible for the post of a lower division clerk.

Priyanka Richi

Sabi Giri, a trans woman who was fired from the Indian Navy two years ago, may soon be able to get another job in the force. The navy has agreed to take Sabi back into the force, provided she clears an exam for the post of a lower division clerk. While she was a sailor in the navy before she transitioned, and the job which she will now be considered for is a desk job, Sabi’s lawyer says she is happy that she will at least be getting her pay and other benefits. According to reports, officials from navy have also confirmed the same to media. In 2017, Sabi, who was assigned male at birth, transitioned and had a gender confirmation surgery – also known as sex reassignment surgery. At that point, she had been working in the navy as a sailor for seven years, since the age of 18. But because she identified as a woman, the navy dismissed her from the job; they said that according to the Navy Act of 1957, women were ineligible to be appointed to the Indian Navy except in certain departments as mandated by the Union government. Following the dismissal, Sabi took the case to court, and a legal battle on wrongful termination is still underway. Meanwhile, the Delhi High Court had asked the navy to accommodate her in some division at the navy if not in the armed services. Speaking to TNM, Sabi’s lawyer Amritananda Chakraborty said that following the orders of the Delhi High Court, the navy has now asked Sabi to appear for an exam, qualifying which she will be eligible for the post of a lower division clerk. “The job offer is independent of the case challenging her dismissal. Her termination is still unlawful and we hope to win the battle,” the lawyer said, adding, “The date of the exam is yet to be announced by the navy.” Amritananda also pointed out that since Sabi had joined the navy at a young age, this affected her chances of getting another job after being dismissed. “She served in the navy for seven years and this has to be taken into account while deciding a job for her. In 2017, the navy had offered her a private job on a contractual basis, but Sabi rejected it outright. If she hadn’t joined the navy at 18, she could have pursued higher studies and landed a better job now,” the lawyer said. Sabi was working with the marine engineering wing at the Eastern Naval Command in Visakhapatnam before she was moved to the administrative wing after her sex reassignment surgery, and was later dismissed. Though the navy claimed to have paid all her dues, Sabi’s lawyer said that she wasn’t compensated adequately. “She faced a lot of trouble after being dismissed from her job. There was conflict regarding her identity in her village. Since she couldn’t pursue even a graduation degree, she had to stick to odd jobs,” Amritananda said. Speaking to the Hindustan Times, Sabi said she was happy to get her job back. “I am so happy to have my job back. I won’t be a sailor anymore but at least I will have my pay and all my benefits,’’ Sabi told HT.

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Controversy

The decision to pay a monthly honorarium was one of the campaign promises made by Jagan Mohan Reddy earlier this year.

TNM Staff

The Jagan Mohan Reddy government in Andhra Pradesh has decided to pay Rs 5,000 as a monthly honorarium to pastors, evoking a strong reaction from the BJP. The minorities welfare department has asked all district collectors to enumerate the pastors through village volunteers and submit a report within 15 days. An order was issued on August 27 mentioning that providing honorarium to pastors was one of the promises made in the manifesto regarding Christian minorities. It also says that no survey on the number of pastors had been made so far in Andhra Pradesh. The YSRCP had promised honorarium to pastors during the election campaign earlier this year. Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party has condemned the latest government move. The party's state unit alleged that the Jagan government is misusing government-paid village volunteers to identify pastors and pay a monthly stipend to them. BJP leaders said that the government can't align with one faith and make others feel like outsiders."It's blasphemous on the part of a government to favour one religion over another using state funds, especially when pastors mock and proselytize deprived and poor people of other religion," tweeted BJP national secretary Sunil Deodhar, who is also co-in-charge of party affairs in the state."Monthly stipend to pastors will add fuel to fire. What's the real agenda?" he asked Jagan Mohan Reddy. This is the latest in a series of moves by the government which attracted criticism from the opposition, especially BJP, which dubbed him 'anti-Hindu'. An advertisement of a Jerusalem yatra and Haj pilgrimage on bus tickets in the temple town of Tirupati had sparked a row last month. The advertisements were found on back of tickets of state-owned Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC). The government ordered a probe and promised to take action against the officials for their lapse. BJP leaders have been upping the ante, alleging that Jagan, a Christian, visited Hindu temples during elections only to garner votes. Read: BJP hopes to use Jagan’s faith against him in Andhra, but will it work? IANS inputs

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Crime

The police said that the 'cross' was an iron pole erected for fixing a CCTV camera and not a church-like structure, as messages falsely claimed on social media.

TNM Staff

The Tirupati police in Andhra Pradesh have arrested three people, for allegedly posting a misleading photo of a 'cross' and spreading misinformation that church-like structures were coming up in the Hindu temple town of Tirumala. Police said that the 'cross' was just a pole on top of a forest watchtower. They added that the photo was taken from a distance, and at an angle, which could easily mislead viewers. The photo was posted on social media with the caption 'Yedukondalapai Velusthunna Yesuprabhu Mandiraalu', which translates to 'Churches coming up on the seven hills'. As the image was widely shared on social media, the vigilance wing of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) had filed a police complaint on August 30. Police said that they swung into action and visited the spot, even as they began tracing the IP address of the people who first made the post, and managed to track down the three accused. They have been identified as Arun Kumar, Karthik and Chakravarthi. Speaking to reporters on Friday, Tirupati Urban Superintendent of Police KKN Anbu Rajan said, “Taking the issue seriously, the DGP directed us to investigate the incident thoroughly and apprehend the culprits. Without verifying the facts, a few people have spread the news on Facebook and other social media platforms. The building houses a forest watchtower, and the iron pole erected for fixing CCTV camera was wrongly projected.” A case has been registered under Section 500 (Defamation) and 505 (2) (Statements conducing public mischief) of the IPC. The SP also warned others that the police would act strictly against those spreading misinformation in any form, and advised youth against indulging in such activities. The TTD has been witnessing several controversies, ever since Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy took charge in May. Last month, an advertisement of Jerusalem yatra and Haj pilgrimage on bus tickets in the temple town of Tirupati had sparked a row, compelling the state government to order a probe. Read: Employment of non-Hindus in Tirumala Tirupati temple becomes a controversy again Ads for Hajj, Jerusalem pilgrimage on bus tickets to Tirupati triggers row, AP govt clarifies Old video from UP spread as Tirumala devotees manhandled by ‘Christian police’

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Animals

The female langur was mauled to death by stray dogs, leaving the children and teachers heartbroken.

Nitin B.

A file photo of Lakshmi at the school

On Saturday, a pall of gloom descended over the Government Primary School in Vengalampalli in Andhra Pradesh's Kurnool district, as the students and staff mourned a loved one. Several students were dejected and some even broke down over the loss of someone they had treated as a 'classmate'; a langur fondly called Lakshmi. Last month, Lakshmi, a female grey langur, had taken the internet by storm, after photos and videos showed the animal regularly visiting the school and even sitting in classrooms along with the children, and playing with them during their breaks. Unfortunately, Lakshmi was mauled by a pack of dogs on Saturday afternoon. Speaking to TNM, the school's headmaster, S Abdul Lateef says, "A youth from the village saw the attack and called me. By the time I reached, the dogs had already killed the monkey." The sorrow is evident in Lateef's voice, as he speaks like a teacher who has lost a favourite student. He says he hadn't seen Lakshmi in 10 days."Around 10 days ago, some person put Lakshmi in a sack and took the langur away when we were not there, to scare some monkeys in his garden. We were hopeful that Lakshmi would come back soon. The langur came back to the village last night, and even visited the school in the morning and left," Lateef says."I was sure Lakshmi would return again in the evening as usual, so I even ordered for some bananas. But before that could happen, I received the call," he adds. The headmaster and his assistant, along with a few youngsters from the village, held a small burial ceremony for Lakshmi at the outskirts of the village."The children are devastated. They have been dull since they received the news. Two of the children, the ones to whom Lakshmi was most attached, broke down and were crying. Lakshmi was a close friend to everyone. The langur didn't harm anyone, and would sit close to the children; sometimes even climb on top and sit on their shoulders," Lateef says. He recollects many memories, including how Lakshmi used to longingly stare into class whenever they used to lock the monkey out as the children were getting distracted."Whenever we would lock Lakshmi out, she would listen to the teacher from the window like a sincere student," Lateef says. He also remembers how the monkey would curiously peek into textbooks that the children were reading from, and at other times, jump up on his desk, where he would feed the animal bananas. In fact, Lakshmi was such a sincere student that the school's absentee rate came down - more children wanted to go to school to be with Lakshmi."The entire school got very attached to her. Because of her, our school got to be known across the country. Now we're all heartbroken," he says. Read: Meet Lakshmi, the langur, most sincere student in a govt school in Andhra Pradesh

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Politics

Andhra Pradesh after the April elections in 2019 has been caught in a battle between warlords of rival parties to promote the legacy of their respective patriarchs.

Gali Nagaraja

In Andhra Pradesh, a legacy war is brewing and it appears to be following in Tamil Nadu’s footsteps. Tamil Nadu has been witness to a legacy conflict among the ideological descendants of CN Annadurai, a protégé of social reformer EV Ramasamy (Periyar) for more than half a century: M Karunanidhi, MG Ramachandran and Jayalalithaa in the past. And at many points, the legacy war has crossed the boundaries of civility and decency. Andhra Pradesh is taking a leaf out of Tamil Nadu’s book, but with a degree of variation. In contrast to the war of succession in Dravidian politics in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh after the April elections in 2019 has been caught in a battle between warlords of rival parties to promote the legacy of their respective patriarchs. TDP’s N Chandrababu Naidu, who left the indelible imprints of his mentor NT Rama Rao and himself in governance, development and public welfare, went into oblivion after his party’s rout at the elections. Naidu was succeeded by a young YS Jagan Mohan Reddy as Chief Minister whose YSRCP won 151 Assembly and 22 Lok Sabha seats with a landslide victory. He came to power with a promise of maintaining the legacy of his father and former Chief Minister of united Andhra Pradesh late YS Rajasekhar Reddy by establishing “Rajanna Rajyam.” Soon after Jagan’s ascendance to power, the shape of the YSR legacy started to emerge in the ruins of his rivals. The Praja Vedika building constructed next to the residence of former CM Naidu on the Krishna riverbed gave way to Jagan’s feverish bid to erase the images of his rival a month after he assumed charge. It was followed by scrapping of contracts related to Polavaram Irrigation project under construction on the Godavari river; a port at Machilipatnam; Anna canteens, named after NTR with an aim to serve poor with food at Rs 5; Chandranna Bhima, an insurance scheme named after Chandrababu Naidu; and Chandranna Kanuka, another scheme carrying the Naidu tag aiming at distributing essential commodities to low income group families for free during Ramzan, Sankranti and Christmas. The capital building in Amaravati and farm loan waiver scheme introduced by the TDP government to free farmers from debts also met with the same fate. The Jagan Mohan Reddy government is planning to label all these welfare schemes under his own brand of “Navaratnalu.” Legacy: A semblance of Tamil politics A political analyst who did not wish to be quoted told TNM that the legacy war in Andhra Pradesh under the stewardship of Jagan Mohan Reddy has gone to a new level with the undermining of infrastructure projects that remained symbols of his TDP rival. In one sense, it is part of building his own party’s political culture. Karunanidhi during his period as Chief Minister in Tamil Nadu built a new Assembly-cum-secretariat complex in Tamil Nadu with Rs 1,200 crore. His rival Jayalalithaa of AIADMK who succeeded him in 2011, converted the complex into a multi-super speciality hospital, but did not demolish the swanky building unlike Jagan, the analyst commented. Jagan appears to have taken a cue from Prime Minister Narendra Modi who is out to erase images of Nehru from public minds. “Congress Brand” giving way to NTR legacy The advent of NTR’s TDP replacing the monolith Congress in Andhra’s power play in 1983 had brought in a new and alternative political culture. The Congress established its authority surrounded by images of its iconic leaders Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi. Erasure of Congress symbols associated with welfare and development schemes was not overtly observed after NTR came to power. After Naidu took over the reins from his mentor in the August 1995 coup, he confined himself for the most part to assert his position, trying to come out of NTR’s shadow up until 2004. When he lost the election in 2004 to the Congress led by YS Rajasekhar Reddy, Jagan’s father, Naidu began to fall back on NTR’s legacy. By then, YSR as Rajasekhar Reddy came to be known widely, started naming schemes and projects after his party stalwarts Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi – like the Indira Sagar irrigation dam and Rajiv Aarogyasri. Jagan emerging as YSR’s heir apparent YSR’s death in a helicopter crash in September 2009 triggered a legacy war within the Congress between his son Jagan Mohan Reddy and others trying to capitalise on his charisma in the public. As part of claiming his father’s legacy, Jagan embarked on Odarpu Yatra, involving the families of YSR fans who were shocked and saddened by his demise, against the wishes of Congress President Sonia Gandhi, who oversaw his resignation from the grand old party in November 2010. During the so-called Odarpu Yaatra, Jagan saw hundreds of statues of his late father installed in every nook and corner of undivided Andhra Pradesh. In 2014, TDP came to power with Naidu as first Chief Minister of the bifurcated state which eventually saw all the schemes that carried the tags of Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi re-named after NTR. Jagan is now ensuring that all the schemes are tagged with his father Rajasekhar Reddy’s name. Gali Nagaraja is a freelance journalist who writes on the two Telugu states. Views expressed are the author's own.

Body 2:

Politics

204 Anna Canteens were set up by the previous Chandrababu Naidu government across 13 districts in Andhra.

TNM Staff

An Anna canteen that was shut in July

A committee appointed to audit the Anna Canteens set up by the previous Telugu Desam Party (TDP) government accused it of misusing public money worth Rs 53 crore. The committee that was set up Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy submitted its report to the Andhra government on Saturday. The committee allegedly found that the cost of items was inflated because of defective estimates. According to the expert committee, there were two classifications under which the procurement of raw materials was done. However, a common cost estimate was allegedly prepared for all 204 canteen locations instead of a detailed estimate for each location based on ground conditions. The committee called this technically incorrect, reported Deccan Chronicle. All canteens were operated through tenders given out by municipal administrations. Anna Canteens fashioned after Tamil Nadu's Amma Canteen was a poll promise of the former Chief Minister and TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu in 2014. He, however, opened 204 canteens across 13 districts in the state only by 2018, a few months before the 2019 Assembly Elections. The canteens were to supply breakfast, lunch and dinner for Rs 5 a meal. The canteens were run by Akshaya Patra Foundation. At its peak, the canteen was serving food to over 2.15 lakh people daily. The YSRCP government after coming to power scaled-down the operations and finally gave orders to shut the canteens on July 31. The state government then formed a committee to review the final count of assets and stock handed over by the Akshaya Patra Foundation to the respective municipal administrations. The committee conducting the audit, however, allegedly found that the practice resulted in unwanted expenditure at each canteen building to the tune of Rs 3.80 lakh. The money was allegedly spent mostly on beautification with Rs 1.54 lakh spent at each canteen for photographs engraved in concrete and Rs 2.9 lakh for providing glazing panels and Rs 74,000 for paving outside the premises. The committee accuses the TDP government of allegedly spending Rs 8.98 lakh in excess at each canteen. The report also pointed out that it could have saved Rs 20.25 lakh per canteen building.

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Water levels are rising in the Bhadrachalam, Kunavaram and Polavaram reservoirs.

TNM Staff

Dowleswaram Cotton Barrage/Credit:Chakkirala Vijay

Barely a month after the villages in Andhra Pradesh’s Godavari district were flooded by the Godavari river, a first-level flood warning has been issued for the Dowleswaram barrage in East Godavari district on Sunday. At 12 pm on Sunday, the Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (APSDMA) issued a second-level warning at the Bhadrachalam dam in Telangana, with the Godavari water levels at the dam reaching 48.09 ft. Water levels are continuing to rise in the Bhadrachalam, Kunavaram and Polavaram reservoirs. A first-level flood warning has also been issued at the Gotta barrage in the Vamsadhara river basin. The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) has deployed 127 personnel in East Godavari. While two teams are located in Veeravaram, one team is in place in Chinturu. As of 12 pm, the inflow and outflow at the Dowleswaram stood at 10,32,623 cusecs. A second level warning will be issued when the outflows cross 13 lakh cusecs. Earlier in August, heavy rains in the catchment area of the Godavari basin had led to flash floods in East and West Godavari districts, resulting in water rising in the Dowleswaram barrage. The floods had reportedly affected nearly one lakh people in the East and West Godavari districts. According to officials, about 19,000 were evacuated from low-lying areas and shifted to relief camps. A major political controversy followed after the floods over the construction of the Polavaram Irrigation Project in the state. The YSRCP government claimed that it was the previous Telugu Desam Party (TDP) government’s move to construct a cofferdam and increase its height without completing work on the spillway, which led to the flooding. The TDP dismissed the allegations, claiming that the increase in height was done after approval from the Dam Design Review Committee (DDRC), the Polavaram Project Authority (PPA) and the Central Water Commission (CWC).

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Health

Last week a 74-year-old woman from Andhra Pradesh delivered twins after undergoing one cycle of IVF treatment.

Dr Nimeshika Jayachandran

Image for representation

The recent ‘success’ story of a 74-year-old woman from Andhra Pradesh, who delivered twins following in vitro fertilisation (IVF) has left many in awe and shock. While the successful implementation of IVF on an elderly woman has been recognised as a scientific advance, several others have criticised the hospital’s decision to allow a 74-year-old woman to undergo IVF. On September 5, 74-year-old Mangayamma a native of Andhra Pradesh's Guntur town, delivered twin girls via a c-section. She and her husband, 80-year-old Sitarama Rajarao, decided to undergo IVF after 57 years of being childless. While she may be the oldest woman to have had children via IVF, it has also raised ethical questions. Doctors from the Indian Society for Assisted Reproduction (ISAR), Indian Fertility Society, and the Academy of Clinical Embryologists have issued a joint statement, rebuking the hospital for its decision. “We are deeply appalled in knowing about such unprofessional conduct of some health providers in misusing the current ART procedures. It is deplorable omission of ethics, morality and misuse of the Assisted Reproductive Technologies,” reads the letter. Citing a section of the Artificial Reproductive Technology (ART) Bill, 2017, the statement also adds that ART should not be made available to women below the age of 18 and above the age of 45. “This isn’t a random number, if you look at the rules and regulations for couples in India who are looking to adopt a child, there is a rule that the combined age of the parents cannot be more than 100. This is to ensure that the child is taken care of in case of the loss of life of one of the parents,” explains Dr M Gouri Devi, president of the Indian Fertility Society (IFS). According to the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA), a combined age of upto 90 years is permitted for a couple adopting children up to the age of 4. Those with a combined age of 100 can adopt a child above 4 years of age and up to 8 years of age, while 110 years old is an acceptable combined age for anyone looking to adopt a child over the age of 8 and under 18. What is the ART Bill? The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) was the first one to grow concerned with the idea of artificial reproduction measures and tried to introduce a bill to regulate this growing trend. Though the ART bill was drafted in 2008, it wasn’t passed in the Lok Sabha until 2019. The Bill aims to cover all aspects of artificial reproduction and surrogacy. It seeks for the implementation of Surrogacy Boards at both national and state levels and to have officials to oversee the regulation of ART and surrogacy practices. It has been stated that lack of regulation of ART has led to a surge in commercialisation of IVF, unethical practises and other issues, which is what the Bill aims to fix.

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Controversy

This comes after the BJP reacted strongly and alleged that the government was aligning with one faith while alienating others.

TNM Staff

Days after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) reacted strongly to a decision of the Jagan Mohan Reddy government in Andhra Pradesh to pay Rs 5,000 as a monthly honorarium to pastors, the YSRCP clarified that Hindu priests and Muslim clerics were also extended similar benefits. An order was issued on August 27 from the minorities welfare department, which asked all district collectors to enumerate the pastors through village volunteers and submit a report within 15 days. The BJP took up the issue and alleged that the government was aligning with one faith and making others feel like outsiders. However, sources in the YSRCP clarified that there were notes sent to different departments. While one note went to the Minority Welfare Department, another went to the Endowment Department. Sources said that this had resulted in a misunderstanding, on which the BJP cashed in, by being selective in its outrage. The YSRCP also pointed out that the scheme had been implemented by the previous Telugu Desam Party (TDP) government, and they had just increased the honorarium given to all religious heads. The note sent to the Endowments Department states that the the state government had decided to enhance the renumeration for archakas (Hindu priests) to 25%, over and above the rates fixed in a Government Order issued in March 2019. It also decided to allot house sites and construct houses for them. "The Commissioner, Endowments Department is requested to obtain particulars relating to the above said items from all the districts, at the earliest, and submit to the Government for taking further necessary action in the matter," the note states. BJP leaders have been upping the ante, alleging that Jagan, a Christian, visited Hindu temples during elections only to garner votes. Read: BJP hopes to use Jagan’s faith against him in Andhra, but will it work?

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Floods

Officials said that as of Monday morning, the water level at Polavaram and Dowleswaram barrage continued to rise.

TNM Staff

The Dowleswaram barrage. Image: PTI

Water levels continued to rise at the Polavaram and Dowleswaram barrages in Andhra Pradesh's East Godavari district on Monday morning, due to heavy rains upstream in the catchment area of the Godavari basin. According to a press release by the Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (APSDMA), as of 7 am on Monday, the second-level warning continued at Bhadrachalam in Telangana, though the water level was falling. At Kunavaram, the water level was steady, while at Polavaram and Dowleswaram, the water levels continued to rise, resulting in the second-level warning continuing to be in place. The APSDMA said that the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) had deployed 167 personnel in East Godavari. While two teams are located in Veeravaram, one team is in place in Chinturu, while another was deployed to Rajahmahendravaram. They are equipped with life jackets, boats and other rescue material to avoid any untoward incidents. 30 personnel of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have also been deployed, with one team stationed in Rampachodavaram, besides 90 personnel of the Fire department, stationed at their respective location on stand by. Earlier in August, heavy rains in the catchment area of the Godavari basin had led to flash floods in East and West Godavari districts, resulting in water rising in the Dowleswaram barrage. The floods had reportedly affected nearly one lakh people in the East and West Godavari districts and officials had stated that 19,000 were evacuated from low-lying areas and shifted to relief camps at the time. The YSRCP government had claimed that it was the previous Telugu Desam Party's (TDP) government’s move to construct a cofferdam and increase its height, without completing work on the spillway, which led to the flooding. Read: Godavari floods: Did increasing height of Polavaram's cofferdam intensify damage?

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Prisoners of the District Jail will be trained to make cloth and paper bags, to support the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation in its enforcement of the ban on single-use plastic.

TNM Staff

Image: Wikimedia Commons/Yedla70

The Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) is set to partner with prisoners of the District Jail, in its move to ban single-use plastic in the city. Prisoners will now receive skill training for a new livelihood - making of paper, jute and cloth bags as alternatives to plastic ones. Jail authorities have said that the move will provide an income source for prisoners, which will be used to provide better infrastructure facilities and other needs of prisoners. The products will be available to local businesses and consumers. District Jailor G Ravi Babu and representatives of the NGO Prison Fellowship India, met with VMC Additional Commissioner (General) K Shakuntala to discuss the partnership. At the meeting, the jail authorities asked the VMC to provide support in skill training for prisoners. Ravi Babu said that the training program is set to begin soon, in District Jail, located in Gandhinagar, Vijayawada. “There are about 250 prisoners in the jail. The training program will go on for 15 days. After that, we will be ready for production based on orders received,” said Ravi Babu. VMC officials have also suggested that once large scale production begins, the cloth bags can be bought by women’s self-help groups (SHGs) and sold at local bazaars organised by MEPMA (Mission for Elimination of Poverty in Municipal Areas). The VMC has assured support for the initiative, suggesting that it’s an opportunity for prisoners to learn a new skill which can be an income source, and could also change the course of their lives. The ban on single-use plastic was implemented across the Krishna district, from the second week of August. District Collector Md Imtiaz had told the media that special measures will be taken to enforce the ban, including ensuring the availability of cotton and cloth bags, paper bags and paper glasses. District officials had earlier said that almost 150 tonnes of single-use plastic was being generated in the city each day.

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Politics

"The people of two Telugu states will be affected because of uranium mining and Krishna waters will get polluted," Pawan Kalyan said.

TNM Staff

Actor-politician and Jana Sena Party (JSP) President Pawan Kalyan on Monday joined hands with senior Congress leader V Hanumantha Rao in expressing his concern over Centre’s plan to mine uranium in Telangana's Nallamala forest. Stating that it would badly damage biodiversity apart from affecting the environment, Pawan Kalyan worried that the uranium mining would generate radon, which was a product of the radioactive decay of uranium. V Hanumantha Rao called on Pawan Kalyan at the JSP office in Hyderabad."Underground uranium mines may have high concentrations of radon. People who inhale this may be affected with lung cancer and kidney issues may arise when people drink water with uranium waste," the JSP said in a statement. Speaking on the occasion, Pawan Kalyan said, "The people of two Telugu states will be affected because of uranium mining and Krishna waters will get polluted. If pregnant women drink the polluted water, there is a major threat that looms large. Many people belonging to the Chenchu tribe have already brought the issue to JSP's notice.""An all-party meeting on the ill-effects of uranium mining will be organised and also be discussed with environmental scientists and experts before going to the people. The party will announce in a couple of days when the round-table conference will be organised," he added. Congress senior leader V Hanumantha Rao said uranium mining was an issue concerning both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh because effluents generated from uranium processing could potentially join the Krishna river nearby, which both states depend on."The biodiversity of Nallamala would be affected and the animals will face a threat to their lives. The lives of the Chenchu tribe would become worse and no crop can be grown after the mining of uranium, as water would get polluted and may not be suitable for agriculture," the JSP statement added. Read: India’s rush for nuclear power may destroy Nallamala forest ecosystem

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This is not the first time that the Centre has voiced unhappiness with the YSRCP government in Andhra Pradesh on its stand to cancel the power purchase agreements.

TNM Staff

The Union government has once again expressed dissatisfaction over the YSRCP government’s decision to review Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) signed by the previous TDP-led government in Andhra Pradesh. Union Minister for Power and New & Renewable Energy RK Singh on Monday called the review decision ‘unfortunate,’ expressing fear that the move would affect foreign investments in the renewable energy sector. According to The Hindu, Singh said that Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy was informed even during his Delhi visit last month, that the cancellation of PPAs was a wrong move. Singh reportedly said that it would be more advisable to take action in particular cases when there was concrete evidence of illegality, rather than cancelling all contracts without proper evidence. “If you start abrogating contracts, then people will stop coming and investing… I had told him (Jagan) that this will disrupt the investments and that has happened,” Singh said, according to TNIE. Read: Explained: The tussle between Andhra govt and renewable energy producers In his first few months in office, Jagan reviewed many decisions made by his predecessor, Chandrababu Naidu, which included the PPAs. PPAs are agreements made between a company that generates electricity and a power purchaser. In effect, the government is seeking to withdraw 21 PPAs with renewable energy companies. The government had claimed that the DISCOMs (power distribution companies) in the state were going through a financial crisis and one of the main reasons for this was the higher tariffs in the wind and solar PPAs. Minister RK Singh had earlier written to the state government requesting not to cancel the agreements, but Jagan remained defiant, saying, “We have inherited a bankrupt exchequer with a huge deficit of Rs 2.62 lakh crore, the DISCOMs’ unpaid generator dues of Rs 20,000 crore and accumulated losses of DISCOMs of Rs 15,000 crore.” Commenting on the DISCOMs’ unpaid dues towards renewable energy producers, Singh said on Monday that he had discussed the matter with the state government and he was confident that they would pay the dues.

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Although the levels in Dowleswaram barrage are steady, the second-level warning continues to be in place, with a water outflow of more than 15 lakhs cusecs.

TNM Staff

Dowleswaram Cotton Barrage/PTI

Two days after a flood warning was issued for the Godavari river basin, water levels in reservoirs have started to fall, bringing respite for people in low-lying regions. Water levels have begun to fall at the Polavaram reservoir in East Godavari district while the levels in Dowleswaram barrage are now steady, according to a press release by the Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (APSDMA), as of 7 am on Tuesday. According to The New Indian Express, 44 villages in West Godavari district and 87 villages in East Godavari district were flooded on Monday. A first-level warning continued at Bhadrachalam in Telangana, though the water level was falling there as well. Although the levels in Dowleswaram are steady, the second-level warning continued, with outflows of more than 15 lakhs cusecs. The water level was falling at Kunavaram too. The APSDMA has continued to station 167 personnel of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) in East Godavari. While two teams are located in Veeravaram, one team is in place in Chinturu, and another was deployed to Rajahmahendravaram. They are equipped with life jackets, boats and other rescue material to avoid any untoward incidents. 30 personnel of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have also been deployed, with one team stationed in Rampachodavaram, besides 90 personnel of the Fire department, stationed at their respective location on stand by. Meanwhile in the Krishna river basin, with the Pulichintala reservoir reaching FRL (full reservoir level) on Monday, Prakasam Barrage authorities have been instructed to be prepared to handle the release of additional water, according to TOI. Krishna District Collector Md Imtiaz has reportedly instructed officials to inform people downstream of the Prakasam Barrage about the possibility of floods. Earlier in August, heavy rains in the catchment area of the Godavari basin had led to flash floods in East and West Godavari districts, resulting in water rising in the Dowleswaram barrage. The floods had reportedly affected nearly one lakh people in the East and West Godavari districts and officials had stated that 19,000 were evacuated from low-lying areas and shifted to relief camps at the time.

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Law

Justice Lakshmana Reddy had begun his career as an advocate in the Kadapa district court and he worked his way up to the High Court

TNM Staff

Image: Screenshot/Sakshi TV

Retired Andhra Pradesh High Court Judge Justice P Lakshmana Reddy was appointed as the state's new Lokayukta on Monday and will be holding the position for the next five years. He is the first Lokayukta to take charge in Andhra since the state's bifurcation in 2014. Hailing from Kadapa district, Justice Lakshmana Reddy had begun his career as an advocate in the district court, before he worked his way up to the High Court. According to media reports, he had unearthed the Yeleru land compensation scam and taken it up in the 1990s, where funds worth several crore rupees, released by the state government as compensation for land to farmers, were allegedly misappropriated by people unconnected to the acquired land. Media reports also state that he also served as the vice-chairman of the central administrative tribunal in Hyderabad in the 2000s, during which time he quashed the appointments of several senior IAS and IPS officers, who were given postings contrary to cadre rules. Justice B Subhashan Reddy served as the last Lokayukta for the combined states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh after he was appointed to the post in 2012. However, since he stepped down from office, the institution had remained without a chief. While cases were being heard till December 15, 2017, since then, not a single case has been heard. The Lokayukta, an autonomous anti-corruption body, is yet to be appointed in Telangana, despite the state government being pulled up for the delay by the High Court. With no Lokayukta, Upa-Lokayukta or a Registrar appointed, all petitions in the premises located at Basheerbagh in Hyderabad are presently being handled by the Sub-Registrar. An RTI response to TNM from the Public Information Officer of the Lokayukta earlier this year showed that the total number of complaints pending with the institution was a staggering 5,283. Read: No SHRC, no Lokayukta and a defunct SCPCR: Why justice is elusive in Telangana

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Environment

The region around Kadapa in Andhra Pradesh has been witnessing a strange phenomenon as the ground has been giving way and collapsing, during the monsoons each year.

Nitin B.

As Kadapa in Andhra Pradesh receives monsoon rains each year, villages nearby have been witnessing a strange phenomenon; in some isolated areas, massive sinkholes have appeared overnight. The latest sinkhole has opened up in the ground close to the ST colony in Ippapenta village in Kadapa district, which is giving locals sleepless nights."After heavy rains lashed the region, the soil sank in and it kept sinking in further. We were worried about how deep it was and whether it has made its way to the village. We were confused. The officials come, take photographs, and leave, but don't tell us anything. They are not telling us about the severity of this and if we should vacate our village," says Mallam Kondaiah, a resident of the ST colony. In 2015, the residents of Nayanoripalle were evacuated after a huge sinkhole appeared within the village, devouring a ground-level water tank and part of a school compound. Close to four years on, residents say that the government is yet to make an alternate arrangement for water or a school. Cracks have also appeared on the houses here."In nature, a sinkhole is formed in areas which are limestone rich. Due to rainfall and precipitation, it dissolves the limestone (underground), producing a cavity. The ground water flow increases the cavity and if it can't sustain the overlying load, the soil falls in and produces a sinkhole," Dr Anand Pandey from the National Geophysical Research Institute in Hyderabad tells TNM. Meanwhile, the government says that it is considering the latest sinkhole as a calamity and added that an enquiry is ongoing. Speaking to TNM, Kadapa Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO), A Malola, says, "When people are scared, we have an obligation to quell their fears. As soon as the (enquiry) report comes, we will all sit down and speak to the Collector. We will identify why this happens and if there are areas where it may happen, satisfy the doubts of locals, and take action accordingly." While the government can study the sinkholes and mitigate the issue, there is no real solution, at least not right now. Precaution seems to be the only option. Watch the video below.

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As part of the ban on single-use plastic, a penalty of Rs 50,000 was also imposed on wholesale shops in the One Town area that are continuing to stock plastic materials.

TNM Staff

In a move to enforce single-use plastic ban in the city, Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) officials seized 700 kgs worth of disposable plastic goods on Monday. Health Officer Iqbal Hussain, who conducted inspections in the One Town area along with a few sanitary inspectors, found that 12 shops were still selling single-use plastic items, even after a gazette notification regarding the ban was issued. A total penalty of Rs 50,000 was imposed on the shops. The seized plastic goods included plastic carry bags, disposable glasses and thermocol plates. Hussain said that in spite of conducting awareness programs and meetings with wholesalers and retailers from two months before the ban was officially implemented, some of the businesses had failed to comply with the ban. “We have organised meetings with the Commissioner to raise awareness. They say that they have stocks left, but they were informed about the ban well in advance. They had said they would cooperate, but some of them have continued to keep their plastic stocks, instead of providing alternatives like jute and paper bags as instructed,” Hussain said. He added that businesses found to be selling single-use plastic items even after seizing of goods and being warned, will have their shops sealed, and would have to take up the matter with higher authorities. VMC has conducted awareness programmes with local businesses like tiffin centres, and has also met with mall authorities and food delivery service providers like Zomato, to ensure that the ban is effectively enforced. “All single-use plastic is banned, regardless of thickness, micron count, etc. Such inspections are going to be a routine process, so businesses must voluntarily give up the sale of plastic materials,” Hussain said. The VMC is also conducting street plays in all divisions of the city to communicate the environmental and health concerns of plastic use to citizens. The ban on single-use plastic was implemented across the Krishna district, from the second week of August. District Collector Md Imtiaz had told media that special measures will be taken to enforce the ban, including ensuring the availability of cotton and cloth bags, paper bags and paper glasses. District officials had earlier said that almost 150 tonnes of single-use plastic was being generated in the city each day.

Body 2:

Andhra re-appoints commission to look into SC status for Beda/Budga Jangam community

Jagan's disproportionate assets case: Andhra CM seeks exemption from court appearance

TDP sets up ‘shelter’ for party sympathisers allegedly attacked by ruling YSRCP in AP

Trans woman dismissed by Indian Navy two years ago may get a job in the force

Andhra govt to pay Rs 5,000 monthly honorarium to pastors, BJP dubs Jagan 'anti-Hindu'

For spreading false news of 'cross' at Tirumala Tirupati temple, 3 held by AP police

Goodbye Lakshmi: Langur 'student' of Andhra school, who took internet by storm, dies

The legacy wars in Andhra are increasingly resembling Tamil Nadu’s battles

Naidu’s Anna Canteens misused Rs 53 crore, alleges expert panel set up by YSRCRP

Flood warnings issued for Godavari and Vamsadhara river basins in Andhra

Cap age limit at 45 for IVF, doctors demand after 74-yr-old AP woman delivers twins

Not only pastors, AP govt to pay honorarium to Hindu priests too: YSRCP clarifies

Flood warning continues for Godavari river basin in Andhra, authorities on alert

Prisoners in Vijayawada to supply local businesses with alternatives to plastic bags

'Stop uranium mining in Nallamala forest': Pawan Kalyan to organize round-table meet

Will hurt investments: Union Power Min on Andhra govt cancelling power agreements

Godavari flood warning: Respite for residents as water levels in 3 reservoirs fall

Andhra finally gets a Lokayukta as state appoints Justice P Lakshmana Reddy

Watch: The mysterious sinkholes of Kadapa

Plastic ban: 700 kgs worth of disposable goods seized during raids in Vijayawada