TRS turn tech savvy for GHMC

'No more power cuts! A promise fulfilled’ and ‘Uninterrupted power supply’ is an advertisement issued by the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) through Google Ads as part of its campaign for GHMC elections.

It is said that TRS is the first political party which used such e- advertisements as part of election campaign in the state. It seems that TRS has pinned lot of hopes on ‘power supply’ to win the elections.        

TRS which is taking much about the information technology and ‘Telangana Hub’ to encourage the ‘Start ups’ under the leadership of IT Minister K.T Ramarao took the e- mode of election campaign to attract Netizens as their number is high as voters in the elections being held for Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC).

The ruling TRS government adopted modern communication methods to reach out the voters in addition to the traditional elections campaign methods such as putting up posters, flexies and door to door campaign appealing the people for votes.

Google ads appeared on the various e- news papers appealing the people to vote for TRS by claiming that it has fulfilled the promise to supply uninterrupted power.

The ads were designed with Chief Minister K.Chandrasekhar Rao’s photo, symbol of Car and appealing for vote for car and electricity towers and Charminar and statue of Buddha in Hussain Sagar. 

On the other hand, supporters of TRS campaigned on social networking sites in support of TRS in the GHMC elections.

Kabaddi makes a comeback in state

Students playing Kabaddi at Utnoor in Adilabad district

With the entry of Professional Kabaddi League (PKL) few months ago into the country, a few months ago, the game is gaining ground in rural areas on par with cricket as large number of youth showing interest to play Kabaddi. The PKL has started showing positive impact on the rural youth and sports persons.

Some top cine actors, actress and celebrities and even some of the cricketers acting as ambassadors of the Kabaddi also created popularity to the Kabaddi in general.    

Rural youth are showing more interest in Kabaddi these days unlike in the past. Earlier, youth used to play only cricket in the agriculture fields now they are playing Kabaddi. Black soil fields are turning into Kabaddi courts in rural areas in the district.    

It was evident that, some of the pro Kabaddi players have become familiar to the rural folk thanks to the live telecast of the Kabbaddi matches and large number of rural people especially youth and students have become the fans of these Kabaddi players on par with cricket players.

The Kabaddi game became popular in rural areas now as majority of the people watching the Prof Kabaddi matches on television. Third season of Pro Kabaddi League has just started. 

Even synthetic Kabaddi courts hit the rural areas and there was good response to the Kabaddi events whenever conducted in the villages and it was seen parents thronging the grounds to see the game when their playing.   

Adilabad Kabaddi teams are performing well at various events and recently the Adilabad team has stood first in Telangana state event of Rajiv Gandhi Khel Krida Abhiyan( RGKA) held in Jatharla in Bajarhathnoor in district.

District Sport Development Officer (DSDO) N. Sudhakar said gradually school and college students are shifting to Kabaddi from cricket and it was evident in the rural areas and the professional Kabaddi league activated the change further.

He said Kabbaddi players Rahul Chowdhary, Wazir Singh, Mohith Chiller , Sukesh Hegde, Anup Kumar, Shabbir Bappu are now popular as much as cricket players Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly and Sachin Tendulkar.

‘He was proud of his students Satish, Suresh and Shiva who are representing for various teams playing in the professional Kabaddi league’, he claimed.      

Four synthetic Kabaddi mats were purchased with Rs 13 lakh MPLAD fund of Adilabad MP Gadam Nagesh and now Kabaddi players are playing the game on professional mats.

It is said many district sports development authorities are showing interest to purchase synthetic mats for Kabaddi after seeing Adilabad in the state. Adilabad MP Gadam Nagesh who himself a Kabaddi player, is encouraging the game in the district.

As many as three boys and girls each of school and colleges of Adilabad have played in Nationals of RGKA held recently at Gandhinagar in Gujarat. It is surprise to note that among them five players were Tribals.

Kabaddi coach N.  Hari Charan said awareness about Kabaddi game also increased among the people and sometimes people present at the game questing judgment given by the referees if it was wrong. 

Jatara is decoration time for cattle too

 Sambanna Nimmalwar with his decorated bullocks at Jatara

Going to any Jatara (village fair) is not just a happy time for many farmers. They also take interest in decorating their cattle and traveling in the carts driven by these animals to the Jatara from their villages and relieving the animals from their routine.

This indicates the special attachment farmers developed with their cattle. Farmers purchase special charms to decorate their cattle too, while purchasing cloths and other accessories for their family members at the Jatara.     

The farmer offer the ‘Naivedyam’ prepared as part of bonam to their cattle. This is very much evident at the ongoing inter- state Penganga Jatara on the border of Adilabad. The farmers spend a good amount on color full items to decorate their bullocks.

Telugu speaking tenant farmer, Sambanna Nimmalwar of Bori of Maharashtra, said , I decorated my bullocks with ‘Joollu’ covering body, ‘Kushatalu’ to decorate horns, ‘Morikelu’ to decorate face, ‘Gajjelu’ to legs, ‘Ganta’ and ‘Pattilu’ (belt) and colorful woolen ‘Gungurlu’ in the cattle neck and added that generally farmers brought these items at Jatara’.

The farmers even hang a small mirror on the middle of the cattle’s face for special attraction and to draw the attention of the people.

‘Their cattle are special guests for them at Jatara, said Sambanna adding that cattle work hard during the Agriculture season along with their family members and Jatara is celebration time for both’.

Most of the Telugu speaking people settled in the bordering areas of Maharashtra sell their cotton at Adilabad and also prefer matches for their children from Adilabad due to its proximity. Even Adivasis residing in bordering areas of both Maharashtra and Telangana attend the jatara.

Cable war pose law and order problem

The ongoing war between private cable Tv operators and also MSOs (Multiple system operators) in all major towns is posing a law and order problem and even taking communal shape in the district.

The private cable Tv operators are dividing the villagers and rallying behind each cable Tv MSO.        

The war reached its peak with the entry of Set-top boxes as some of the cable tv operators were offering them for free while others were reducing their prices as part of the digitalization of cable services.

In the process, cable Tv connections were getting shifted to one MSO to another or one private cable operator to another.           

The cable Tv war has started showing its ugly head, with the groups trying to have an edge over one another, which even resulted in a killing of a cable operator in Puspur village in Lokeshwar mandal few days ago.

In Adilabad, Nirmal, Mancherial in the district, local political leaders have entered into cable Tv business and become MSOs as they strongly believe that the publicity will give them political edge and mileage over their political rivals. The cable war also has caste angle too.

News is making rounds in the political circles that, political leaders have entered into the cable Tv connection business to get political mileage in the next elections.

The Cable Tv war started intensifying with the entry of more and more private companies. This was when rival groups began resorting to underhand means by cutting the cable wires of their opponents or creating disturbances to the services or to turn their rival’s cable Tv connections to their side.

Superintendent of police Dr Tarun Joshi visited the Puspur village in Lokeshwar mandal. He took the stock of the situation following stone pelting on the houses and torching the vehicles of accused B. Rajanna and Sajid Pasha in the killing of S. Pankaj Patel who was a local cable Tv operator.     

Police pickets were put up at two places in the village and section 144 was imposed and huge police force deployed in the village to avoid untoward incidents and to maintain peace. 

SP told the villagers not to resort to any retaliatory actions and that he would conduct a meeting with the villagers in two day’s time to maintain peace and harmony in the village.

Pesticides spell doom to rain bugs

 Arudra purugu (Trombidium grandissimum)

The ‘Arudra Karthe’ might come in July every year but the much fascinated insects ‘Arudra Purugulu’ (Trombidium grandissimum), also called giant red velvet mites or rain bugs, might become history in the near future. These fascinating creatures are slowly becoming extinct in rural areas. 

The appearance of these soft velvety mites is a symbol of onset of rains. In the past, some people used to even swallow then believing that it was a medicine to various ailments in monsoon.

It is also used in traditional ‘medicine’ to treat paralysis. The insects also have alleged ability to increase sexual desire and are known as Indian Viagra’. These days, are not appearing in such large numbers in agriculture fields as they used to in the earlier days, mainly due to the pollution by pesticides.

Farmers say these velvety creatures come from nowhere during ‘Arudra Karthe’ with the onset of rains and will continue till the end of July.   

Retired senior Agriculture scientist C. Narsing of Adilabad said ‘Arudra Purugulu’ are gradually disappearing from agriculture fields due to excessive use of pesticides, especially the anti weeds being used by the farmers.

But in tribal areas, we find these mites in large numbers even today”, he said adding that delayed monsoon could not be one of the reasons for the rare sight of these insects this season.

The Arudra purugulu with six legs and two antennas attract children and elders alike with their bright red body colour. When touched, they become static and draw their legs inside. Children in rural areas catch these attractive inspects and play with them confining them in match boxes.

Gunjala Ramesh of Taroda (B) in Jainad mandal said ‘he could find only three  rain bugs (Arudra purugulu) after searching for them in 10 fields around his village and added that parents made their children to swallow the Arudra purugulu as medicines due to their therapeutic value to get cured from cough, ‘Nattalu’, cold in the rainy season.

‘They rarely find the Arudra purugulu in Agriculture fields these days as they disappeared due to excess use of pesticides, said Ramesh. 

Cops ban 'civilian' drones

The Adilabad police has issued orders imposing a ban on using drones in view of the elections to the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) and the Pathankot incident.

The police say that the use of drones increased in and around the Hyderabad and this may pose dander.

Drones are being used during celebrations at engineering colleges and to photograph marriages. 

Police says anti- social elements can easily bomb targets using drones and also create tension among the various communities. Adilabad is considered to be communal sensitive district.  

SP Dr Tarun Joshi said “police will take stern action if anybody uses the drones for civilian purposes” He said the ban on use of drones will be in force till the further orders,  

It is learnt that district police have received orders from the higher ups regarding banning the use of drones. An order banning drones was issued on September 3, 2015.

Giri Ustav a riot of fun, colour and laughter

Participating in the three-day Giri Ustav is happiest movement for many Adivasi students who ate pav bhaji, ice cream and pani puri, fruits salad free of cost at Giri Ustav conducted at Komaram Bheem complex in Utnoor by the Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA).

Festive mood was in the air at Utnoor where district level tribal school sports are also being conducted. Giri Ustav was organized to give new experience to the children and students of the area.        

Giri Ustav, first of its kind event has attracted many tribal students and general children from Tribal Ashram Schools in the district. Money coupons worth Rs 50 was issued to each student of Tribal Ashram Schools to purchase food items at the stalls put up at the Giri Ustav.

The Tribal students also exposed to many new adventure sports and played them free of cost with the coupons issued by the ITDA.

Atram Nithin, of Ghanpur in Danthanpalli studying VI class, said he tasted the pav baji for the first time in his life at a cost of Rs 12.

‘He also enjoyed some adventure sports with the free coupons, said Nithin.  Coupons worth of Rs 50 was issued to each student.

Other than Ashram school children also can buy food items and also play the adventure sports with their own money.       

Adventure spots such as Water walk, Trampoline, Burma Bridge (rope bridge), Rock climbing and sumo fighting balls which were put up at the Giri Ustav were all new experiences to the tribals of the district.

Project officer, ITDA of Utnoor R.V Karnan said ‘the adventure sports will certainly boost the confidence of the students and ‘Giri Ustav’ was intended to create different experience to the Tribal students’.

Vigilance on movement of students increases

 TW Commissioner R.Laxman verifying registers 

The Tribal welfare department will enforce strict rules on permission for girl students of Tribal schools and hostels to go home, their movements being tracked on a regular basis.    

This decision comes in the wake of separate incidents in which two tribal girls were reportedly missing from tribal hostel and later found dead. Another girl eloped with a married person in Warangal district recently.

The State government took serious note of this while the opposition parties launched an agitation, alleging that the girls were raped and murdered and demanded an action against the culprits.   

Telangana Tribal welfare commissioner R. Laxman, who is inspecting the tribal welfare schools and hostels told the officials to maintain proper registers on student’s movements and their guardian’s contact information including photos.

A separate page will be kept for each student in the register and movements of the students will be entered time to time so that movement of the students will be tracked.

Tribal Welfare Commissioner R. Laxman inspected a girls’ school in Rasimetta in Jainoor mandal.

Laxman said ‘they are facing many problems with no proper maintenance of registers related to student’s movements when incidents took place like recently in Warangal and are now keeping a close watch on the movements of the students especially girls’.

Henceforth, hostel wardens and headmasters would only allow girls students to go out or to their homes in the villages with their parents’ or guardians consent.

Project officer of the ITDA, Utnoor R.V Karnan said ‘a separate page for each student would be maintained in the register and for all classes, and vigilance would be intensified’

Sukanya Yojana, a boon for girl child

The Sukanya Samruddi Yojana introduced by the Central government has turned out a boon for girl child. Most of parents preferred to open accounts on their children’s name with the minimum deposit of Rs 1,000.

One can save up to Rs 1.50 lakh through installments and this was an upper limit for year.  The lower installment is Rs 100 one time. The scheme is being implemented through Indian postal department.      

Parents have opened 12,036 accounts so far on their girl child of bellow 10 years under Sukanya Samruddi Yojana in postal department in the district and this is second highest accounts after Karimnagar in the Telangana.

According to guidelines of the scheme, account holder will get 9.2 percent interest for the scheme and the girl child should bellow 10 years and one accounts on two girl children are permitted.

One should save money up to 14 years and account holder could withdraw 50 percent amount under scheme once attained 18 years. There is exemption for the income tax under Sukanya Samruddi Yojana.      

Date of birth certificate, Aadhaar card, Pan card of the parent and three photo graphs of the girl child is required to open account of ‘Sukanya Samruddi’ in the postal department.

G. Ramarao, Assistant postmaster, who is looking after Sukanya Samruddi Yojana at Head post office, Adilabad said, ‘there is good response to the scheme and most of the parents opening accounts on their girl children as they feel that scheme a boon for girl child’. 

Rs 65 lakh bank fraud bared in Adilabad

Two staffers of Indian Bank were booked for siphoning Rs 65 lakh by mortgaging fake gold in the bank. 

The incident came to light in Mancherial town after Sumit Kumar, who was  posted as new manager of Indian Bank, lodged a  complaint with the police on January 22.

In his complaint, the branch manager stated that the amount was embezzled by mortgaging fake gold in the last three years and suspected that the involvement of retired Assistant manager of the bank Ellaiah and appraiser Thangallapalli Shravan, who values the gold on behalf of the bank.

The bank manager found this anomaly on the observing that all the customers who had taken gold loans remained defaulters. They neither paid installments nor the principal amount even after taking gold loans.

Recently, the bank staff decided to auction of the 350 packets of mortgaged gold and tried to get the value evaluate the value by another appraiser as the regular appraiser Thangallapalli Shravan was not available.

Mancherial CI Sudhakar said they booked cases against retired bank Assist manger Ellaiah, appraiser Thangallapalli Shravan and bank customers who had taken loans by mortgaging fake gold Brahmananda Chari, Pusala Shyamsunder, Pusala Rajesh and Narsingoju Satish.

It is said that retired bank Assist manager Ellaiah and appraiser Shravan siphoned off Rs 65, 33, 917 in the name of 43 bank customers by recruiting four customers as middlemen.

Investigation is on to find out how many customers secured bank loans by mortgaging fake gold and whether they did it in collusion with the bank staff. Police are also probing why the previous bank manager neglected the recovery of the loans. 

CJ: Special courts to clear women's cases

Chief Justice Dilip Babasaheb Bhosale wears the Gussadi cap  

High Court Chief justice Dilip Babasaheb Bhosale said pending women cases  relating to women including atrocities, will be cleared by establishing special women’s courts and through mediation of judiciary.

He inaugurated a women’s session court and mediation centre here on the premises of Adilabad district court on Saturday.  Mr Bhosale said there are 24,000 general cases and 17,000 civil cases were pending at various courts in the district.

High Court Justice G. Chandraiah said women courts are being established to do immediate justice to the women victims and added that already, 13 women courts were working in the state. The first women’s court was established in Hyderabad in 1987.

Another High court justice T. Sunil Chowdary, district collector M. Jagan Mohan, district incharge judge Kunchala Sunitha, former district judge G. Gopala Krishna Murthy, District Legal Services Authority secretary Ajita Simha Rao were present.

Later, Chief Justice inaugurated the newly constructed court building and District level tribal welfare schools’ spots and games at Utnoor.

Cold wave in TS causes the shivers

A cold wave is sweeping through Adilabad district, with people feeling the wintry chill acutely as the season’s lowest temperatures were recorded in the last two days.

People remained confined to their houses, abstaining from coming out early in the morning and evening.

Elderly people, who used to go on regular morning walks, have stopped due to the cold weather conditions while others warned themselves before the bonfire set up at the side of the road.

Yet others went about their chores, their heads well protected which a cap and sweaters and shawls on the body.    

Lowest temperature of 4.2 C was recorded on December 27, and there was nothing recroded as low as that until now.

The highest temperature in the day was recorded as 27.3 while 6.0 was the lowest temperature in the district on Friday. It has been forecast that the temperatures may fall further in the forthcoming three days. Low temperatures are being recorded in the forest areas as opposed to the plains and towns in the district.

The cold weather is also causing health problems, especially fevers, in the elderly and children, but it is attracting the tourists to the beautiful places located in the forest areas and also Kadam project and Kuntala waterfall and Kosai village in Talamadugu mandal, Kerameri ghats and also Kupti and Nirmal ghats in the district.

The fog enveloping the forest areas early in the morning is a sight for tourists to see, adding to the scenic beauty of these places.

Adivasis' personal invitation for Nagoba Jatara

Adivasis even today practice traditional customs by extending personal invitation to their clan in the villages in Indravelli and Ichoda mandals for Nagoba Jatara will begin on February 7.

They also gave order to pot maker family for traditional pots to be used in puja to serpentine god Nagoba. 

Mesram clan Adivasis started their journey in a ‘Chekda’ (look like bullock cart) from the temple after performing pujas to het Nagoba by dropping tobacco as mark of tradition on January 12 and returned to temple after covering nearly 100 km on January 19.

As part of their personal invitation, priest of Mesram clan of Adivasis Mesram Hanumanthrao and Pardhanji Mesram Ganapathi visited Sirikonda village in Ichoda and gave order to their ancestral pot maker family for traditional pots and later visited Sunkidi and Dhaba villages.

They also visited Sathmori, Rajampet, Soyamguda, Ginnera and Vadagoan villages in Indravelli and reached Nagoba temple.

On January 20, nearly 100 Adivasis of Mesram clan started their second journey on foot to bring Gangajal from river Godavari near Hastinamadugu in Jannaram mandal to be used in cleaning the idol of the Nagoba. They will return and stay under Baniyan trees near Nagoba temple in Keslapur village in Indravelli mandal on February 3. 

Nagoba temple committee chairman Mesram Thukaram said they have been following the custom of traditional invitation to the people of their clan for Nagoba jatara from time immemorial and added that many traditions and customs were attached to Nagoba temple and Mesram clan of Adivasis. 

The Mesram clan Adivasis will enter the Nagoba temple only February7 evening and perform special puja to serpentine god Nagoba on that night.  

Kuntala waterfall turns rock climbing site

The famous Kuntala waterfall has turned into a rock climbing site for visitors as the waterfall has dried up. People visiting Kuntala waterfall are climbing the rock easily without any rope.

Water flows into Kuntala waterfall mainly from the Kupti rivulet in Neredigonda mandal. Apart from taking a cool dip in the water, the waterfall, when it is flowing, is good place to take picture.

However, visitors fulfilling their desire taking pictures standing on the top of the water fall without facing any danger.

Birkurwar Venkatesh of Adilabad town, who visited the Kuntala waterfall along with relatives two days ago said, they climbed up the Kuntala waterfalls as it has gone dry and pose no danger to the visitors.

He said most visitors are not taking the steps and climbing down the waterfall from its top and taking photographs wherever they want on the rocky area.            

Security persons posted at the Kuntala waterfall  following the several instances of tourists  drowning , are also not imposing any restrictions on the movements of the visitors.

Tourists expressed fears that if this was the situation of Kuntala waterfall going dry for five months in the summer and the situation become worse if the proposed lift irrigation constructed on the Kupti rivulet by the state government.

R. Srinivas of Kumari village of Neredigonda mandal said, the water flow into Kuntala waterfall has started getting decreased by last September as water flow had come down from Boath and Bajarhatnoor irrigation projects.

Farmers pin hopes on good turmeric price

Turmeric farmers pinned lot of hopes on high price this time though the yield is normal. Farmers say they will get profits only if they get Rs 12,000 per quintal. Farmers are busy in digging turmeric in the Nirmal division and will boil later.

Farmer Dharawath Motiram of Kalva thanda said ‘Last time they sold turmeric for Rs 8,000 per quintal but we have invested lot of money in cultivation of turmeric this time and the cost of production has increased abnormally and they meet their expenditure and get marginal profits only when there will be Rs 12,000 price for turmeric’.

He said they have spent Rs 30,000 on dumping block soil brought from tanks and Rs 20,000 for organic fertilizers such cow dung to improve the fertility of the soil in addition to the expenditure towards chemical fertilizers, labour charges.

It is expected that an on an average farmers will get 15 quintals turmeric per acre this seasons where irrigation water facilities is available.

Cultivation of turmeric requires lot of labor and subsequently in digging turmeric and boiling the same before selling in the market.    

Most of the farmers in Nirmal division started turmeric cultivation since the price went up to Rs 17,000 four years ago as they were under impression that they will get more profits if they cultivate turmeric but there was drastic fall in the turmeric prices in het open market in the subsequent years.

Turmeric cultivated in 7,253 hectares in last Kharif in the district and among them nearly 6,000 hectares in Nirmal division alone where it was a major commercial crop. The cultivation of the turmeric is low in Adilabad and Mancherial divisions while high in Mamada, Laxmanchanda, Nirmal, Dilawarpur and Sarangapur mandals in the Nirmal division. 

Thirsty animals fall prey to poachers

Poaching incidents and forest animals coming out of the forests in search of drinking water are being reported these days as summer is fast approaching in the Adilabad district of Telangana.

Poachers are targeting the forest animals entering into the fringes of the villages in search of water. 

Drinking water sources in the forests are gradually drying up and this resulted in forest animals coming out of the forests in search of drinking water.       

It is common practice for the poachers that they set up live electric wires and also nets near water bodies targeting the animals which were landed up in the traps or were electrocuted or killed by poachers.  

‘Forest officials arrested three persons who killed Sambar in the Dharmaraopet forests in Kasipet mandal on January15. Villagers of the Dharmaraopet chased the Sambar which came out of the nearby forests in search of drinking water and was killed.        

On the other hand, a Bison came out of forests and entered into the agriculture fields in Tandur mandal headquarters two days ago. The villagers informed the forest officials who successfully drove the animal into the forests close to Dwaraka Kasipet.

The lifting of sand from the rivulets and streams located in the forests is also contributing to dipping of the capacity of water recharge of streams and rivulets. 

Failed borewells add to TS farmers' woes

 Deceased farmer's son Mangilal at failed borewell

Farmers digging borewells indiscriminately on their agriculture fields for water source but incurred huge loss as most of the borewells have failed to give water due to drastic fall in the ground water table due to successive drought conditions.

Story of the Rathod Yashwanthrao,50, of Kalva Thanda of Dilawarpur mandal is a classic example to how failed borewells turning into one of the reasons for farmer  suicides in Telangana.

He dug up four borewells on his agriculture fields in the last one month but did not get water. Rathod Yashwanthrao committed suicide by hanging himself to a tree close to his agriculture fields January9. 

More expenditure is being incur for digging borewells as most of the famers are going up to 400 feet deep to get water to find water due to drastic fall in the ground water table and an average farmers is spending more than Rs 25,000 each for digging borewell. This is result of lack of rain water conservation to increase ground water table.

Rathod Mangilal, son of deceased farmer Yashwanthrao who discontinued his Degree said, his father invested major share of loans he had taken from various sources invested on digging borewells with a hope that they may bring fortune but the failed borewells had ended up their family in now where.         

Telangana Vidyavanthula Vedika district president Dr U. Krishnam Raju said, ‘digging borewells was nothing but gambling and added that people investment money in both only with the hope but there was lot of uncertainty involved in it and observed that it is high time for the government to take steps for rain water conservation to improve the ground water table which will go a long way’.

Farmers are investing huge money on digging borewells on their agriculture lands and some of them become crazy of digging bore wells in the villages on seeing one another but the success rate is low when compared to Agriculture wells.

Rathod Yashwanthrao went to Dubai in search of job four years ago after he uncured huge loss in the agriculture in his four acre land and mainly he invested huge money on digging borewells. He returned one year ago just to start again agriculture.

Yashwanthrao was popular in his village as ‘crazy person of digging borewells’ with a hope that he too gets water for his fields like his neighbors but he could not succeed in his efforts.  

Villagers say Yashwanthrao dug up more than 20 borewells in his agriculture fields in the last 15 years. He had taken loan Rs 98,000 from local bank and Rs 5 lakh loan from private money lender.

Drought leads to distress sale

Intense drought- like conditions and the agriculture crisis have taken toll on the cattle in the Adilabad district of Telangana.

Farmers, who have been driven to penury by crop failure, are selling their bulls and bullocks in the cattle markets as they cannot afford to purchase fodder for them or even provide water.

The district is facing huge shortage of fodder and greenery is disappearing gradually.

It is learn that nearly Rs 12 lakh worth of beef is being sent to Hyderabad every day from various places in the district these days. Weekly cattle shandies are buzzing with activity at Ichoda, Utnoor, Muthnoor, Bhainsa, Nirmal , Sarangapur, Adilabad and Jainoor.

The issue of large scale beef exports came to light when a van which was transporting beef valued at Rs 3.5 lakh to the Hyderabad from Adilabad over turned near Mannur village at Gudihathnoor recently.              

Farmers generally sell their cattle in dry season only after completing their agriculture operations in the rainy season. Farmers are forced to sell their cattle at cheap as the buyers take the advantage of the farmer’s distress.

Sangepu Borranna, district convenor of Rythu Athma Hatyala Nivarana Committee, the situation was so bad that some farmers were even selling useful bulls and bullocks too’.

It was found that there was a rise in the sales of bulls and bullocks at the weekly cattle shandies in the last two months as farmers feels that there will be severe drinking water problems, shortage of fodder and lack of green grass in the coming days.

Cattle traders do not want to take risk involved in transporting cattle openly in vans to Hyderabad.

FB photo helps arrest poachers

In a first of its kind incident in Telangana, a photograph posted on the Facebook by an over enthusiastic man gave a vital clue which leading to the arrest of a gang of poachers.

One among them was accused of killing a panther one –and- half years ago in Ryalighadpur forest area in Mancherial mandal of Adilabad district.

Pasuleti Santosh,27, of Ryalighadpur village posted his photograph carrying a portion of skin of panther on Facebook a few days ago. This came to the notice of the forest officials who started investigation.

Meanwhile, forests staff come across some youth moving suspiciously in the forests and noticed that one among them had posted his photo on FB.   

Pasuleti Santosh was a friend of the prime accused Surala Srinivas,28, of Gaddaragadi village in Mandamarri who installed live electric wire in the Ryalighadpur forests to kill wild boars but accidentally a panther was electrocuted. Santosh took photos of himself with the skin of the killed panther.              

Luxettipet forest officials informed the matter to the Mancherial police who in turn took the Pasuleti Santhosh into custody which led to the arrest of all the  accused.

Luxettipet Forest Range Officer Anitha and beat officer of Hazipur Varapradayani said they got a clue from the FB post.

Undri Suresh,30, of Rajivngar in Mancherial town and  Undri Ashok,25, of ACC Mancherial purchased two nails for Rs 100 each from the Surala Srinivas.

The others who supported the prime accused were identified as Gurram Suresh,26, of Gadderagadi of  Mandamarri, Rathod Suresh,23, of Marutinagar of Mancherial and Gunda Arunkumar,23, of ACC Mancherial.

Deekshalu to protect Adivasis' unique culture

Adivasis are resorting to take ‘Jai Jango Jai Lingo’ deeksha to protect their Gondi Dharma from cultural pollution and carry forward their culture to new generations.

The Adivasis take 31-Day and 21- Day deekshalu in pusya mas every year to encourage their children to become familiar with their traditions and customs and to prevent them from ‘getting polluted culturally’.

Jango denote Adivasi goddess Jangubai and Lingo denotes God ‘Pahandi Pari Kupari Lingo’. Devotees who took the deeksha will end deeksha at Siddikasa on the borders of Telangana and Maharashtra.

Adilabad MP Gadam Nagesh said ‘it was the high time the Adivasis not only protected their Adivas culture, but also preserve and carried it forward to new generations or they would lose their unique identity over a period of time.

He reiterated that ‘the Gondi Dharma which was their religion, was not categorized under any religion in the Indian Constitution’.   

Even Adivasi women have been taking the ‘Jai Jango ..Jai Lingo Deekshalu’ for long time. Most of the Adivasi of this district take these deekshalu at a temple at Jamgoan village in Jainoor.

Former Adivasi MLAs Atram Sakku, Soyam Bapurao, former Zilla Parishad Chairman Sidam Ganapati and many Adivasi ZPTCs, MPTC, Sarpanches irrespective of their parties have taken the deeksha in the past.   

Gondi Dharma Pracharak Sedmaki Seetharam said that Deekshalu was started by their elders, former minister late Gadam Ramarao, Sidam Arju, Gangadas Maharaj and Kusram Hanumanthrao Maharaj and added that a decision being taken to introduce ‘Jai Jango Jai Lingo’ deekshalu in the ‘Akhilbharatiya Gond Mahasabha’ held in Jamgoan in Jainoor in the year 2000.

The Adivasis started taking deekshalu in 2001, the first year itself seeing nearly 3,000 Adivasis take it.

Spurious seeds add to woes of farmers in TS

RANC member collecting details from wife of a deceased farmer   

The New Year has not brought about any change of fortune for the farmers in Adilabad district of Telangana. Four farmers including a woman farmer, have committed suicide in the past seven days.

Matters appear set to go from bad to worse, with the prevailing drought conditions suggesting that crops could fail even in Rabi, like they did in Kharif last year.

According to Rythu Athmahatyala Nivarana committee, as many as 101 farmers ended their lives in 2015, while 73 committed suicide in the six months of 2014 ( June 2 to December 31) in the Adilabad district.         

Repeated crop failure and inability to repay the loans taken from the banks and private money lenders are primary causes of the distressed farmers taking the extreme step.

This year, the first farmer to end his life was Pandiri Peddaposhanna, 55 of Borigoan village in Sarangapur mandal who consumed pesticide on Jannuary2 in the New Year.

Subsequently, Chedigiri Chandrabai,65, of Vaddadi village in Tamsi ended her life  on January 5, followed by Gone Ramdas,48, Masala (B) village in Bela mandal on January 6 and Donipelli Mallaiah ,55, of Gurija village of Gudihathnoor mandal on January7.

Peddaposhanna had one acre of land and had taken another five acres on lease to cultivate cotton. He incurred huge loss as crop failed. A similar fate befell Mallaiah, who owned eight acres and took another 10 acres on lease.

Rythu Athmahatyala Nivarana Committee, district convenor Sangepu Borranna, said that as many as 10 farmers committed suicide in December, 2015 while four members in the New Year till January7.

‘Farmers had incurred huge loss this time because of sowing spurious seeds in addition to the drought conditions. As many as 74 verities of spurious cotton seed were detected in the state, 12 of them found in Adilabad district’, he said.

Young farmers who taken up agriculture with passion these days have lost hope and committed suicides.

According to Agriculture experts, enormous use of pesticides and fertilizers and huge investments and spurious seeds weaken these young farmers in particular and farmers in general.

The soil loses fertility with the much use of fertilizers and pesticides. Farmers spraying pesticides and applying fertilizers to the crops indiscriminately by competing with one another in the rural areas feeling that they will get more yield but the soil become toxic.

The state government has issued GO: 194 extending Rs 6 lakh compensation to the family of each farmer who committed suicide. However, in most cases, the mandal level committee is rejecting the claim of and reports are not reaching the division level committee.

Farmer leaders want the state government to take into consideration the gram sabha and police report instead of three-man committee report to release compensation to the deceased farmer’s families.

There are allegations that even some of the local ruling party leaders are making efforts to project the farmer suicides differently with the opinion that their government will be blamed for the farmers’ suicides.