<p>The ruling Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) in Telangana is on board with the BJP on the issue of simultaneous polls to Lok Sabha and state assemblies, a senior party leader has said.</p>

<p>The TRS floor leader in the Lok Sabha, AP Jithender Reddy, said that such a synchronised exercise will cut costs, save time and ensure governments focus on development. &quot;We are for it,&quot; Reddy said.</p>

<p>&quot;It will give us time to focus on administration for five years, instead of every time going to elections,&quot; he said.</p>

<p>&quot;It will save money and time; you can focus yourself on the development of the state,&quot; the Lok Sabha member from Mahbubnagar said.</p>

<p>On January 29, President Ram Nath Kovind had called for a &quot;sustained debate&quot; on holding simultaneous polls, saying all parties need to reach a consensus on the issue.</p>

<p>In his maiden address to the joint sitting of the two houses of Parliament at the beginning of the Budget session, Kovind said citizens alive to the state of governance in the country were concerned about frequent elections in one part of the country or another, which adversely impacted the economy and development.</p>

<p>His remarks came days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a fresh pitch for holding the polls together.</p>

<p>Modi had said that like festivals, elections should be held on fixed dates so that governments can function for five years.</p>

<p>He also said that barbs exchanged during campaigning in one state have a bearing in other parts of the country which were not going to polls.</p>

<p>Modi was of the view that once the elections are held together, the central and the state governments can devote the next five years to governance.</p>


The TRS floor leader in the Lok Sabha, AP Jithender Reddy, said that such a synchronised exercise will cut costs, save time and ensure governments focus on development. 'We are for it,' he said

The ruling Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) in Telangana is on board with the BJP on the issue of simultaneous polls to Lok Sabha and state assemblies, a senior party leader has said. The TRS floor leader in the Lok Sabha, AP Jithender Reddy, said that such a synchronised exercise will cut costs, save time and ensure governments focus on development. "We are for it," Reddy said. "It will give us time to focus on administration for five years, instead of every time going to elections," he said. "It will save money and time; you can focus yourself on the development of the state," the Lok Sabha member from Mahbubnagar said. On January 29, President Ram Nath Kovind had called for a "sustained debate" on holding simultaneous polls, saying all parties need to reach a consensus on the issue. In his maiden address to the joint sitting of the two houses of Parliament at the beginning of the Budget session, Kovind said citizens alive to the state of governance in the country were concerned about frequent elections in one part of the country or another, which adversely impacted the economy and development. His remarks came days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a fresh pitch for holding the polls together. Modi had said that like festivals, elections should be held on fixed dates so that governments can function for five years. He also said that barbs exchanged during campaigning in one state have a bearing in other parts of the country which were not going to polls. Modi was of the view that once the elections are held together, the central and the state governments can devote the next five years to governance.

Telangana Rashtra Samiti supports BJP on issue of simultaneous Lok Sabha, Assembly polls

<p>If biryani is one of the favourite foods of India, then the Hyderabadi version certainly tops the list. World-renowned biryani of Hyderabad has been lauded again for its gastronomic brilliance, this time by the Wall Street Journal.&nbsp;</p>

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<p>The American publication has issued a list of best restaurants in Hyderabad where people can get the authentic taste of the traditional Hyderabadi delicacy.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Shah Ghouse, Paradise, Shadab, Caf&eacute; Bahaar, Adaa (Taj Falaknuma) and The Spicy Venue were named as the top restaurants serving authentic Hyderabadi biryani.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Not only this, according to an online survey by Swiggy, the biryani emerges as the top choice among foodies when it comes to traditional preparations. The survey was conducted last year.</p>

<p>Other than Chicken Biryani, Masala Dosa, Butter Naan, Tandoori Roti and Butter Paneer also featured on the list.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Telangana State Hotels Association has felicitated the hotels for bagging the international accolade.&nbsp;</p>


Shah Ghouse, Paradise, Shadab, Café Bahaar, Adaa (Taj Falaknuma) and The Spicy Venue were named as the top restaurants

If biryani is one of the favourite foods of India, then the Hyderabadi version certainly tops the list. World-renowned biryani of Hyderabad has been lauded again for its gastronomic brilliance, this time by the Wall Street Journal. × The American publication has issued a list of best restaurants in Hyderabad where people can get the authentic taste of the traditional Hyderabadi delicacy. Shah Ghouse, Paradise, Shadab, Café Bahaar, Adaa (Taj Falaknuma) and The Spicy Venue were named as the top restaurants serving authentic Hyderabadi biryani. Not only this, according to an online survey by Swiggy, the biryani emerges as the top choice among foodies when it comes to traditional preparations. The survey was conducted last year. Other than Chicken Biryani, Masala Dosa, Butter Naan, Tandoori Roti and Butter Paneer also featured on the list. Telangana State Hotels Association has felicitated the hotels for bagging the international accolade.

Watch: These are the top restaurants for best Hyderabadi Biryani

<p>The three-day Sankranti festivities began in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh today with villages and small towns coming alive as thousands of Telugus travelled to their native places from urban centres.</p>

<p>&#39;Bhogi&#39;, the first day of the festival, was celebrated today with traditional fervour.</p>

<p>Bhogi &#39;mantalu&#39; (bonfire) were lit at dawn outside the homes. The bonfire is lit with logs of wood and wooden furniture that is no longer useful.</p>

<p>Discarded things at home are also thrown into the fire. The disposal of discarded things symbolises the sacrifice of old habits, vices and attachment to material things.</p>

<p>Traditionally, women spray cow dung and water in front of the house and draw colourful &#39;muggulu&#39; (rangoli) and keep &#39;gobbemmalu&#39; (cow dung balls) decorated with turmeric, kumkum and flowers on the rangoli.</p>

<p>In the evenings, &#39;Bhogi pallu&#39; (Indian jujube) are showered on children seeking their health and prosperity.</p>

<p>The Telangana government is organising a &#39;kite festival&#39; and &#39;World Sweet Festival&#39; at the Parade Grounds here on the occasion.</p>

<p>People from about 25 states and some foreign countries, who live in Hyderabad, have set up stalls showcasing sweets from their respective places. However, those engaged in sweets business, like caterers and hoteliers are not allowed to take part in the event.</p>

<p>Children and youth took to flying kites on apartment terraces and open grounds.</p>

<p>Former Union minister and Secunderabad MP Bandaru Dattatreya participated in a kite flying event here.</p>

<p>The second day of the festival is &#39;Makara Sankranti&#39; and the last day is celebrated as &#39;Kanuma&#39;, when livestock are worshipped.</p>

<p>Thousands of people living in Hyderabad travelled to to their native places for the festival. A large number of Telugu people living abroad and in other cities in the country are also visiting their native places.</p>

<p>The Secunderabad-headquartered South Central Railway said as many as 147 special trains are being run for Sankranti season through which 1.5 lakh additional berths have been generated.</p>

<p>The state-run Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) and Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) have also arranged a large number of special buses on the occasion.</p>

<p>The Hyderabad-Vijayawada highway witnessed heavy traffic as many people travelled in own cars to their destinations.</p>

<p>Governor of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana ESL Narasimhan, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, state Congress president N Uttam Kumar Reddy, state BJP Chief K Laxman and other leaders conveyed their greetings to the people.&nbsp;</p>


The Telangana government is organising a 'kite festival' and 'World Sweet Festival' at the Parade Grounds here on the occasion.

The three-day Sankranti festivities began in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh today with villages and small towns coming alive as thousands of Telugus travelled to their native places from urban centres. 'Bhogi', the first day of the festival, was celebrated today with traditional fervour. Bhogi 'mantalu' (bonfire) were lit at dawn outside the homes. The bonfire is lit with logs of wood and wooden furniture that is no longer useful. Discarded things at home are also thrown into the fire. The disposal of discarded things symbolises the sacrifice of old habits, vices and attachment to material things. Traditionally, women spray cow dung and water in front of the house and draw colourful 'muggulu' (rangoli) and keep 'gobbemmalu' (cow dung balls) decorated with turmeric, kumkum and flowers on the rangoli. In the evenings, 'Bhogi pallu' (Indian jujube) are showered on children seeking their health and prosperity. The Telangana government is organising a 'kite festival' and 'World Sweet Festival' at the Parade Grounds here on the occasion. People from about 25 states and some foreign countries, who live in Hyderabad, have set up stalls showcasing sweets from their respective places. However, those engaged in sweets business, like caterers and hoteliers are not allowed to take part in the event. Children and youth took to flying kites on apartment terraces and open grounds. Former Union minister and Secunderabad MP Bandaru Dattatreya participated in a kite flying event here. The second day of the festival is 'Makara Sankranti' and the last day is celebrated as 'Kanuma', when livestock are worshipped. Thousands of people living in Hyderabad travelled to to their native places for the festival. A large number of Telugu people living abroad and in other cities in the country are also visiting their native places. The Secunderabad-headquartered South Central Railway said as many as 147 special trains are being run for Sankranti season through which 1.5 lakh additional berths have been generated. The state-run Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) and Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) have also arranged a large number of special buses on the occasion. The Hyderabad-Vijayawada highway witnessed heavy traffic as many people travelled in own cars to their destinations. Governor of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana ESL Narasimhan, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, state Congress president N Uttam Kumar Reddy, state BJP Chief K Laxman and other leaders conveyed their greetings to the people.

Three-day Sankranti festivities begin in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh

<p>Former Indian captain&nbsp;Mohd Azharuddin lashed out at the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) after he was barred from attending the Special General Meeting.</p>

<p>The meeting was held at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium on Sunday.</p>

<p>The Special General Meeting which was meant to adopt the recommendations of the Justice Lodha Committee point by point started in the morning, but Azhar was allegedly made to stand outside for more than an hour.</p>

<p>The current president of HCA, G. Vivekanand decided to bar Azhar from the meeting. Later, on&nbsp;Congress leader, V. Hanumantha Rao started&nbsp;a protest on the stage and recalled the Azhar&#39;s achievements.&nbsp;</p>

<p>However, after some time he was allowed to enter the venue.</p>

<p>Azhar said, &quot;They made me wait outside for an hour. It was very embarrassing. I am a player from Hyderabad and had been the Indian team captain for ten years. These people, who are running the organisation know nothing about cricket. They had never held a bat and a ball in their life.&quot;</p>

<p>But soon as the meeting concluded, the right-hand batsman expressed his dissatisfaction over the current state of affairs in HCA.</p>

<p>He raised corruption allegations against the HCA members and demanded that the association needs to be dissolved.</p>

<p>&quot;Players are lamenting that they have to pay lakhs of money to play matches. You cannot run an organisation on &#39;whims and fancies&#39;. This is not somebody&#39;s home; this is an organisation, which is running from 1932,&quot; Azhar said.</p>

<p>He also wanted other members to support his membership in the organisation to boost budding cricketers, who are denied opportunities because of the corrupt officials.</p>

<p>&quot;If you all support my membership, I promise I will solve your problems,&quot; the 54-year-old added.</p>

<p>Azhar has captained India in 47 tests during the 1990s. His international playing career came to a controversial end when he was implicated in the infamous match-fixing scandal in 2000 and subsequently banned by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for life.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In 2012, the Andhra Pradesh High Court lifted the ban on him.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


The meeting which was meant to adopt the recommendations of the Justice Lodha Committee started in the morning

Former Indian captain Mohd Azharuddin lashed out at the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) after he was barred from attending the Special General Meeting. The meeting was held at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium on Sunday. The Special General Meeting which was meant to adopt the recommendations of the Justice Lodha Committee point by point started in the morning, but Azhar was allegedly made to stand outside for more than an hour. The current president of HCA, G. Vivekanand decided to bar Azhar from the meeting. Later, on Congress leader, V. Hanumantha Rao started a protest on the stage and recalled the Azhar's achievements. However, after some time he was allowed to enter the venue. Azhar said, "They made me wait outside for an hour. It was very embarrassing. I am a player from Hyderabad and had been the Indian team captain for ten years. These people, who are running the organisation know nothing about cricket. They had never held a bat and a ball in their life." But soon as the meeting concluded, the right-hand batsman expressed his dissatisfaction over the current state of affairs in HCA. He raised corruption allegations against the HCA members and demanded that the association needs to be dissolved. "Players are lamenting that they have to pay lakhs of money to play matches. You cannot run an organisation on 'whims and fancies'. This is not somebody's home; this is an organisation, which is running from 1932," Azhar said. He also wanted other members to support his membership in the organisation to boost budding cricketers, who are denied opportunities because of the corrupt officials. "If you all support my membership, I promise I will solve your problems," the 54-year-old added. Azhar has captained India in 47 tests during the 1990s. His international playing career came to a controversial end when he was implicated in the infamous match-fixing scandal in 2000 and subsequently banned by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for life. In 2012, the Andhra Pradesh High Court lifted the ban on him.

Insulted Azharuddin slams Hyderabad Cricket Association

<p>Telangana is all set to become the first state to provide round-the-clock electricity supply to its farmers from December 31.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to a government release, close to 23 lakh&nbsp;agricultural pump sets will help in&nbsp;boosting the overall power demand to 11,000 MW by March 2018.</p>

<p>Nearly 12610 crore rupees have been invested by the state to set-up&nbsp;new power lines, transformers and sub-stations to amplify the power supply.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;Telangana is going to create history by becoming the first state in the country offering free power to farmers 24 hours a day,&quot; noted the&nbsp;release.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from PTI)</em></p>


State power utilities had spent Rs 12610 crore in setting up new power lines

Telangana is all set to become the first state to provide round-the-clock electricity supply to its farmers from December 31. According to a government release, close to 23 lakh agricultural pump sets will help in boosting the overall power demand to 11,000 MW by March 2018. Nearly 12610 crore rupees have been invested by the state to set-up new power lines, transformers and sub-stations to amplify the power supply. "Telangana is going to create history by becoming the first state in the country offering free power to farmers 24 hours a day," noted the release. (With inputs from PTI)

Telangana farmers to get 24-hour free electricity from Dec 31

<p>Two wheels of a coach of an express train came off the track near Nizamabad in Telangana today, but no one was injured, Railway officials said.</p>

<p>The incident, involving the 12793 Tirupati-Nizamabad Rayalaseema Express, affected rail traffic.</p>

<p>The derailment occurred at 0805 hours between Uppalavai-Sirnapalli stations on the Secunderabad-Mudkhed section of the South Central Railway, they said.</p>

<p>None was hurt in the incident, they said.</p>

<p>Passengers of the train were immediately transported to their destinations by the Railway authorities, they said.</p>

<p>The incident, which happened on a single line track, led to the cancellation of Secunderabad-CST Mumbai Devagiri Express and partial cancellation of six other trains, the officials said.</p>

<p>Track repair work was underway to restore normal running of trains &quot;at the earliest&quot;, they added.</p>


The incident, involving the 12793 Tirupati-Nizamabad Rayalaseema Express, affected rail traffic.

Two wheels of a coach of an express train came off the track near Nizamabad in Telangana today, but no one was injured, Railway officials said. The incident, involving the 12793 Tirupati-Nizamabad Rayalaseema Express, affected rail traffic. The derailment occurred at 0805 hours between Uppalavai-Sirnapalli stations on the Secunderabad-Mudkhed section of the South Central Railway, they said. None was hurt in the incident, they said. Passengers of the train were immediately transported to their destinations by the Railway authorities, they said. The incident, which happened on a single line track, led to the cancellation of Secunderabad-CST Mumbai Devagiri Express and partial cancellation of six other trains, the officials said. Track repair work was underway to restore normal running of trains "at the earliest", they added.

Express train derails in Telangana; passengers safe

<p>A Buddha statue in Hyderabad also called the &quot;Rock of Gibraltar&quot; has become a major tourist attraction in Telangana.</p>

<p>The 58-feet statute located in Lumbini Park in the Hussain Sagar Island can only be reached by boat. The statute is&nbsp;known&nbsp;to be&nbsp;the world&#39;s tallest monolithic statue of Lord Buddha.</p>

<p>The statue which was the brainchild of former chief minister NT Rama Rao of then Andhra Pradesh weighs 350 tons.</p>

<p>In 1990, the statue was pulled out after it had toppled into the lake. It was held atop a barge which collapsed, the accident killed 10 people.</p>

<p>It was resurrected in 1992 and has been standing tall on the Hussain Sagar island ever since.</p>


The 58-feet statute located in Lumbini Park in the Hussain Sagar Island can only be reached by boat.

A Buddha statue in Hyderabad also called the "Rock of Gibraltar" has become a major tourist attraction in Telangana. The 58-feet statute located in Lumbini Park in the Hussain Sagar Island can only be reached by boat. The statute is known to be the world's tallest monolithic statue of Lord Buddha. The statue which was the brainchild of former chief minister NT Rama Rao of then Andhra Pradesh weighs 350 tons. In 1990, the statue was pulled out after it had toppled into the lake. It was held atop a barge which collapsed, the accident killed 10 people. It was resurrected in 1992 and has been standing tall on the Hussain Sagar island ever since.

Watch: 'Rock of Gibraltar' Lord Buddha statue major tourist attraction in Hyderabad

<p>Telangana Chief Minister K.Chandrashekhar Rao on Saturday urged his administration to put Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project (KLIP) on a fast track as all required permissions and funds have been approved.</p>

<p>Holding a review meeting of the project here, Rao exhorted officials to finish the project at the earliest, as land acquisition and other related issues have been resolved and there were no obstacles left.</p>

<p>Only environmental clearance is left, which would come soon, he added.</p>

<p>&quot;Forest clearances have been given and the environment clearances are in its last phase. Besides providing Rs 25,000 crore in the budget, another Rs. 20,000 crore has been arranged through banks and other financial institutions,&quot; Rao said.</p>

<p>Terming the project as the lifeline of Telangana, he said, &quot;This project will solve water problems in seven districts and supply drinking water to Hyderabad.&quot;</p>

<p>At an estimated cost of Rs 80,500 crore, the KLIP is the costliest irrigation project taken up by a state. Once completed, it will irrigate 7,38,851 hectares in the erstwhile districts of Karimnagar, Nizamabad, Warangal, Medak, Nalgonda and Ranga Reddy.</p>

<p>The KLIP is a reworked version of &#39;Pranahitha-Chevella Lift Irrigation Scheme&#39;, which was taken up by the Congress government of united Andhra Pradesh in 2007. Now, the project has a storage capacity of 148 tmc ft as opposed to 16 tmc ft in the original plan.&nbsp;</p>


Holding a review meeting of the project here, Rao exhorted officials to finish the project at the earliest, as land acquisition and other related issues have been resolved and there were no obstacles left

Telangana Chief Minister K.Chandrashekhar Rao on Saturday urged his administration to put Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project (KLIP) on a fast track as all required permissions and funds have been approved. Holding a review meeting of the project here, Rao exhorted officials to finish the project at the earliest, as land acquisition and other related issues have been resolved and there were no obstacles left. Only environmental clearance is left, which would come soon, he added. "Forest clearances have been given and the environment clearances are in its last phase. Besides providing Rs 25,000 crore in the budget, another Rs. 20,000 crore has been arranged through banks and other financial institutions," Rao said. Terming the project as the lifeline of Telangana, he said, "This project will solve water problems in seven districts and supply drinking water to Hyderabad." At an estimated cost of Rs 80,500 crore, the KLIP is the costliest irrigation project taken up by a state. Once completed, it will irrigate 7,38,851 hectares in the erstwhile districts of Karimnagar, Nizamabad, Warangal, Medak, Nalgonda and Ranga Reddy. The KLIP is a reworked version of 'Pranahitha-Chevella Lift Irrigation Scheme', which was taken up by the Congress government of united Andhra Pradesh in 2007. Now, the project has a storage capacity of 148 tmc ft as opposed to 16 tmc ft in the original plan.

Telangana Chief Minister calls for speedy completion of Kaleshwaram project

<p>A discussion on language policy ensued in a meeting of School Education Department of Telangana when the DEOs (District Education Officers) and MEOs (Mandal Education Officers) were discussing how they were successful in increasing government school enrollment by changing the medium of instruction to English in several schools. While all present at the meeting were highly appreciative of the step, I was not.&nbsp;</p>

<p>I happened to be called to the meeting, among a host of other people from different organisations, as a representative of HSPA (Hyderabad Schools Parents&rsquo; Association).</p>

<p>If the objective is only to increase the government school enrollment then the step is indeed beneficial, I said. However, if the objective is to ensure good quality education to secure the future of the students and the state then the step could backfire for a lot of reasons.</p>

<p>English is not a native language of India and, hence, teaching and learning English is not and will not ever be easy for a huge majority of the population. Persisting with English as a medium has already been leading to a great number of our students being proficient neither in English nor in their mother tongue(s). Given the quality of teachers and the aids available for this new expansion of English, the video below will give you an idea of the problems associated with teaching English in India.</p>

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<p>Much worse than the mere lack of proficiency in any language, this forceful imposition of a foreign language has been scarring the psyche of students with an erroneous notion of native language inferiority and English language superiority. Thus, English medium education is in no way a means of building a state which is confident, prosperous and respectful, if not proud of its culture, language, religion and heritage.</p>

<p>So, is Telugu (native language) medium education the answer?</p>

<p>Not at all. Imparting education in Telugu medium, in the present circumstances, is even more detrimental than imparting education in English. For anyone studying in Telugu medium, or in any other native language for that matter, is permanently stamped as a dimwit, unsuitable for any higher position or a profession, private or government, by none other than the government itself.</p>

<p>Why else would the government not allow Telugu (native language) medium students to become engineers, doctors, scientists, lawyers in the High Court or Supreme Court, or even join its own ranks as an IAS, IPS, IFS or an IRS officers? The height of insanity is such that the government would not allow the native language students to even fight for the country as commissioned officers in the Armed Forces. Pray, what does fighting have to do with knowing English? Do we fight with a language or with arms and ammunition?</p>

<p>If you keep all these professions and opportunities out of the purview of students studying in their native language, why on earth should anyone study in their native language?</p>

<p>So, is English medium the devil and native language medium the deep sea between which we have to choose one?</p>

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<h5>There are factors, for sure, other than language that effect and determine the economic prosperity of the country.</h5>
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<p>No! There is an alternative available that wades clear of both the devil and the deep sea and takes you close, in fact, to the garden of Eden.</p>

<p>This alternate route is of educating each child in the mother tongue or native language but ONLY AFTER first correcting the debilitating disadvantages that students of native language medium are saddled with by system, society and state.</p>

<p>Essential, however, to the dismantling of this system of discrimination nourished by the state is breaking the myth that English is essential for the progress and development of any person&nbsp;and by extension of the nation.</p>

<p>The myth persists only because people are not made aware of the actual facts. Some impeccable research and analysis have been done by Sankrant Sanu on this subject and I would really recommend all to watch this video&nbsp;for more.</p>

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<p>There should be very little doubt in your mind about the irrelevance of English to progress and development of a nation, once you watch the video.</p>

<p>Let&rsquo;s look at richest and poorest countries of the world (based on their per capita income) and how many of them use English as the official/business language. Only 4 of the richest 20 countries speak English and mind you the rising behemoth China uses no English.</p>

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<p>20 richest countries based on GNP Per Capita (Others)</p>
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<p>If we look at the list of the poorest 20 Countries based on GNP per capita.</p>

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<p>There are 6 countries that speak English and yet continue to be amongst the poorest of the poor countries.</p>

<p>There are factors, for sure, other than language that effect and determine the economic prosperity of the country. And while the above data does establish a very strong correlation between native language and prosperity, establishing a causal relationship may require more data and research. Nonetheless, the data, I hope you will agree, certainly points towards a very high probability of such a causal relationship existing.</p>

<p>With the Telugu state gearing up for the World Telugu Conference, it might be a good idea for the issues raised in the article to be raised with the respective governments. The conference might be a good opportunity to demand the end of this &ldquo;language apartheid&rdquo; in the Telugu states at least. Setting up of an IIT or an AIIMS in the Telugu medium may be a good way to begin with and a good announcement to be made at the World Telugu Conference.</p>

<p><em>(Disclaimer: The author writes here in a personal capacity).</em></p>


English is not a native language of India and, hence, teaching and learning English is not and will not ever be easy for a huge majority of the population

A discussion on language policy ensued in a meeting of School Education Department of Telangana when the DEOs (District Education Officers) and MEOs (Mandal Education Officers) were discussing how they were successful in increasing government school enrollment by changing the medium of instruction to English in several schools. While all present at the meeting were highly appreciative of the step, I was not. I happened to be called to the meeting, among a host of other people from different organisations, as a representative of HSPA (Hyderabad Schools Parents’ Association). If the objective is only to increase the government school enrollment then the step is indeed beneficial, I said. However, if the objective is to ensure good quality education to secure the future of the students and the state then the step could backfire for a lot of reasons. English is not a native language of India and, hence, teaching and learning English is not and will not ever be easy for a huge majority of the population. Persisting with English as a medium has already been leading to a great number of our students being proficient neither in English nor in their mother tongue(s). Given the quality of teachers and the aids available for this new expansion of English, the video below will give you an idea of the problems associated with teaching English in India. × Much worse than the mere lack of proficiency in any language, this forceful imposition of a foreign language has been scarring the psyche of students with an erroneous notion of native language inferiority and English language superiority. Thus, English medium education is in no way a means of building a state which is confident, prosperous and respectful, if not proud of its culture, language, religion and heritage. So, is Telugu (native language) medium education the answer? Not at all. Imparting education in Telugu medium, in the present circumstances, is even more detrimental than imparting education in English. For anyone studying in Telugu medium, or in any other native language for that matter, is permanently stamped as a dimwit, unsuitable for any higher position or a profession, private or government, by none other than the government itself. Why else would the government not allow Telugu (native language) medium students to become engineers, doctors, scientists, lawyers in the High Court or Supreme Court, or even join its own ranks as an IAS, IPS, IFS or an IRS officers? The height of insanity is such that the government would not allow the native language students to even fight for the country as commissioned officers in the Armed Forces. Pray, what does fighting have to do with knowing English? Do we fight with a language or with arms and ammunition? If you keep all these professions and opportunities out of the purview of students studying in their native language, why on earth should anyone study in their native language? So, is English medium the devil and native language medium the deep sea between which we have to choose one? There are factors, for sure, other than language that effect and determine the economic prosperity of the country. × No! There is an alternative available that wades clear of both the devil and the deep sea and takes you close, in fact, to the garden of Eden. This alternate route is of educating each child in the mother tongue or native language but ONLY AFTER first correcting the debilitating disadvantages that students of native language medium are saddled with by system, society and state. Essential, however, to the dismantling of this system of discrimination nourished by the state is breaking the myth that English is essential for the progress and development of any person and by extension of the nation. The myth persists only because people are not made aware of the actual facts. Some impeccable research and analysis have been done by Sankrant Sanu on this subject and I would really recommend all to watch this video for more. × There should be very little doubt in your mind about the irrelevance of English to progress and development of a nation, once you watch the video. Let’s look at richest and poorest countries of the world (based on their per capita income) and how many of them use English as the official/business language. Only 4 of the richest 20 countries speak English and mind you the rising behemoth China uses no English. 20 richest countries based on GNP Per Capita (Others) × If we look at the list of the poorest 20 Countries based on GNP per capita. 20 poorest countries based on GNP Per Capita (Others) × There are 6 countries that speak English and yet continue to be amongst the poorest of the poor countries. There are factors, for sure, other than language that effect and determine the economic prosperity of the country. And while the above data does establish a very strong correlation between native language and prosperity, establishing a causal relationship may require more data and research. Nonetheless, the data, I hope you will agree, certainly points towards a very high probability of such a causal relationship existing. With the Telugu state gearing up for the World Telugu Conference, it might be a good idea for the issues raised in the article to be raised with the respective governments. The conference might be a good opportunity to demand the end of this “language apartheid” in the Telugu states at least. Setting up of an IIT or an AIIMS in the Telugu medium may be a good way to begin with and a good announcement to be made at the World Telugu Conference. (Disclaimer: The author writes here in a personal capacity).

Opinion: Do you really love your mother tongue?

<p>Chilli harvesting on the farms of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana draws many young workers from the bordering states of Chhattisgarh and Odisha. They come here not for the wages, but to take home chillies for the whole year. Such is the desire to stock the hot condiment that some of the boys and girls probably even miss school to join the large chilli-harvesting labour force. It&rsquo;s their only chance in the year to collect and bring home this daily staple.</p>

<p>The children consume far fewer chillis than the adults in their families, for whom it&rsquo;s a daily food item. But they are in the forefront here &ndash; at least half of the labourers here are children &ndash; stocking up the entire year&rsquo;s supply. They manage to &ldquo;earn&rdquo; enough of the precious chillies to last till the next harvest. Instead of Rs.120 as daily wages, they prefer to get paid in chillies worth that amount &ndash; it adds up to half or even a full quintal of chillies for some families, depending on the amount of work done. At around Rs. 100 a kilo, that works out to Rs.10,000 for a quintal.</p>

<p>This is rich earnings, and more economical for the families. A family may consume between 12-20 kilos of chillis a year. What remains could be sold in the market for an extra income. And it ensures a year-round stock at home of the best and freshest farm plucked chillies.</p>

<p>&ldquo;We are 20 people from our village and we will stay here for three weeks,&rdquo; Umashankar Podiyami from Gutumuda village of Odisha&rsquo;s Malkangiri district said. &quot;Everyone in this group prefers to work for chillies rather than for money.&rdquo;</p>

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<p>Umashankar has come from Malkangiri district to earn chillis for his family (Others)</p>
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<p>Massive mounds of the bright red spice are piled on the roads alongside the green chilli farms of both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. The chillis are in abundance from February to April. The mostly tribal labourers from adjoining Odisha and Chhattisgarh pluck, sort, stack, fill and ready the chillies for transportation to the market for retail or export.</p>

<p>Enthusiastic children &ndash; around half of the labour force here &ndash; run around the chilli mounds, sorting and packing the chillis into jute sacks. Despite the enthusiasm, it is poverty that drives the children to these farms. Most of their families live below the poverty line. A lack of employment in their own regions compels them to cross the border into India&rsquo;s top chilli-producing states.</p>

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<p>Adivasis from Chhattisgarh and Odisha work on collecting the chillis (Others)</p>
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<p>Besides, chilli is the only consistent item in all their meals, including breakfast. It has nutrients that enable them to subsist without many other food items. It also adds spice to some otherwise unpalatable dishes. Chilli is also used in their rituals and therefore the demand for it is even greater.</p>

<p>Vetti Moye, 14, was among those who had crossed the Chhattisgarh border to work in the chilli fields of Andhra Pradesh. After Moye, who is from Badecity village in Sukma district, lost his father to malaria two years ago, he had to leave school to earn a living from the family&rsquo;s small plot of land. Sometimes, he also works on construction sites. After harvesting his own land, he was here for the chilli collection.</p>

<p>Moye had come with 35 other workers from his village. All of them said they prefer to take chillies home instead of money. &quot;The wage for plucking chilli is Rs. 120 a day, &ldquo; Moye said. &ldquo;If paid through chilli, we get one out of every 12 lots of chilli we pluck. We prefer this as our wage.&rdquo;</p>

<p>At the end of the season, the young labourers from across the borders take the chilli bounty home to sustain their households and add a bit of spice to their lives. Schooling and other activities take a backseat when the chillies have to come home.</p>

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<p>Sacks-full of chillis being taken home to stock up for the year (Others)</p>
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<p>This <a href="https://ruralindiaonline.org/articles/children-of-the-chilli-fields">article</a> was originally published on 21/11/2015 on the <a href="https://ruralindiaonline.org/">People&#39;s Archive of Rural India</a>.</p>


Groups of labourers, many of them children, cross the borders to work on the farms of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana ? and take home chillis as wages

Chilli harvesting on the farms of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana draws many young workers from the bordering states of Chhattisgarh and Odisha. They come here not for the wages, but to take home chillies for the whole year. Such is the desire to stock the hot condiment that some of the boys and girls probably even miss school to join the large chilli-harvesting labour force. It’s their only chance in the year to collect and bring home this daily staple. The children consume far fewer chillis than the adults in their families, for whom it’s a daily food item. But they are in the forefront here – at least half of the labourers here are children – stocking up the entire year’s supply. They manage to “earn” enough of the precious chillies to last till the next harvest. Instead of Rs.120 as daily wages, they prefer to get paid in chillies worth that amount – it adds up to half or even a full quintal of chillies for some families, depending on the amount of work done. At around Rs. 100 a kilo, that works out to Rs.10,000 for a quintal. This is rich earnings, and more economical for the families. A family may consume between 12-20 kilos of chillis a year. What remains could be sold in the market for an extra income. And it ensures a year-round stock at home of the best and freshest farm plucked chillies. “We are 20 people from our village and we will stay here for three weeks,” Umashankar Podiyami from Gutumuda village of Odisha’s Malkangiri district said. "Everyone in this group prefers to work for chillies rather than for money.” Umashankar has come from Malkangiri district to earn chillis for his family (Others) × Massive mounds of the bright red spice are piled on the roads alongside the green chilli farms of both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. The chillis are in abundance from February to April. The mostly tribal labourers from adjoining Odisha and Chhattisgarh pluck, sort, stack, fill and ready the chillies for transportation to the market for retail or export. Enthusiastic children – around half of the labour force here – run around the chilli mounds, sorting and packing the chillis into jute sacks. Despite the enthusiasm, it is poverty that drives the children to these farms. Most of their families live below the poverty line. A lack of employment in their own regions compels them to cross the border into India’s top chilli-producing states. Adivasis from Chhattisgarh and Odisha work on collecting the chillis (Others) × Besides, chilli is the only consistent item in all their meals, including breakfast. It has nutrients that enable them to subsist without many other food items. It also adds spice to some otherwise unpalatable dishes. Chilli is also used in their rituals and therefore the demand for it is even greater. Vetti Moye, 14, was among those who had crossed the Chhattisgarh border to work in the chilli fields of Andhra Pradesh. After Moye, who is from Badecity village in Sukma district, lost his father to malaria two years ago, he had to leave school to earn a living from the family’s small plot of land. Sometimes, he also works on construction sites. After harvesting his own land, he was here for the chilli collection. Moye had come with 35 other workers from his village. All of them said they prefer to take chillies home instead of money. "The wage for plucking chilli is Rs. 120 a day, “ Moye said. “If paid through chilli, we get one out of every 12 lots of chilli we pluck. We prefer this as our wage.” At the end of the season, the young labourers from across the borders take the chilli bounty home to sustain their households and add a bit of spice to their lives. Schooling and other activities take a backseat when the chillies have to come home. Sacks-full of chillis being taken home to stock up for the year (Others) × This article was originally published on 21/11/2015 on the People's Archive of Rural India.

Children of the chilli fields

<p>In a move that will eliminate long queue&nbsp;of patients in hospitals, a&nbsp;Hyderabad based medical institute has developed an application which will help patients to&nbsp;register themselves online.</p>

<p>Besides doing away with long queues in hospitals, the app will also provide an easy access to medical records, with an option of downloading them.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Telangana: NIMS Hospital in Hyderabad developed an app for patients to register themselves online to avoid standing in long queues. The app also allows them to access their medical record and download reports. <a href="https://t.co/nRSZ7ibOiU">pic.twitter.com/nRSZ7ibOiU</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/931943725713915904?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 18, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>The director of Nizam&#39;s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) said the move will ensure that hard copy of medical records are not piled up.&nbsp;The plan was initiated in 2014, as part of the hospital management information system. It was launched in July 2017, he added.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">It&#39;s part of hospital management information system, which was initiated in 2014 to ensure medical record of patients are online, so that you need not pile up hard copies of the records. I assumed the charge in 2015 &amp; it was at a standstill.: Dr. Manohar, Director, NIMS Hospital <a href="https://t.co/fIcZU7RFX8">pic.twitter.com/fIcZU7RFX8</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/931943844609802240?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 18, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">So with the help of our minister of health &amp; family welfare &amp; our secretary, we sorted out the issues &amp; launched this as pilot project in April 2017 as OP Module. After that it was finally launched in July 2017. This has helped patients avoid long queues.: Director, NIMS Hospital <a href="https://t.co/5vnXSe7Cq4">pic.twitter.com/5vnXSe7Cq4</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/931943933239738368?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 18, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>


Besides doing away with long queues in hospitals, the app will also provide an easy access to medical records, with an option of downloading them.

In a move that will eliminate long queue of patients in hospitals, a Hyderabad based medical institute has developed an application which will help patients to register themselves online. Besides doing away with long queues in hospitals, the app will also provide an easy access to medical records, with an option of downloading them. Telangana: NIMS Hospital in Hyderabad developed an app for patients to register themselves online to avoid standing in long queues. The app also allows them to access their medical record and download reports. pic.twitter.com/nRSZ7ibOiU — ANI (@ANI) November 18, 2017 × The director of Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) said the move will ensure that hard copy of medical records are not piled up. The plan was initiated in 2014, as part of the hospital management information system. It was launched in July 2017, he added. It's part of hospital management information system, which was initiated in 2014 to ensure medical record of patients are online, so that you need not pile up hard copies of the records. I assumed the charge in 2015 & it was at a standstill.: Dr. Manohar, Director, NIMS Hospital pic.twitter.com/fIcZU7RFX8 — ANI (@ANI) November 18, 2017 × So with the help of our minister of health & family welfare & our secretary, we sorted out the issues & launched this as pilot project in April 2017 as OP Module. After that it was finally launched in July 2017. This has helped patients avoid long queues.: Director, NIMS Hospital pic.twitter.com/5vnXSe7Cq4 — ANI (@ANI) November 18, 2017 ×

Hyderabad medical institute develops app to eliminate long queues in hospitals

<p>It&rsquo;s a small town with a rich history. Nirmal, in the district of Adilabad in Telangana, derived its name from that of a 17th-century ruler, Nimma Naidu, who had a great interest in art and toy-making. Back then, he collected about 80 artists and started a toy-making industry that came to add cultural significance to their town.</p>

<p>Cut to the present-day. Nirmal has mostly turned into a stop-by-spot for people travelling to Adilabad city or going to see the Kuntala waterfalls near there. But unknown to most, the age-old art of soft-wood toy-making still survives in this town of less than 1lakh residents, with just about 40 families practising it.</p>

<p>The speciality of the Nirmal toy-makers is that they fashion their products from and in the image of flora and fauna. Besides using natural wood, they study shapes and sizes to get every curve on the toys &ndash; whether these are of animals or fruits &ndash; just right.</p>

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<p>Nirmal&rsquo;s toy makers at the workshop located right in front of the colony they live in (Others)</p>
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<p>All the toy-makers of this town live in a colony aptly called Kalanagar (&lsquo;kala&rsquo; stands for art). This locality lies right behind a workshop where the toys are made. One gifted practitioner in the workshop is Nampally Limbiah. He speaks with great pride about how he acquired the art from his father, who was a skilled man himself. &ldquo;I have been seeing, living and learning this art from the time I was born! It comes easily to me. But you must know, getting a hang of it now can be difficult. Say, you want to learn it now... you can&#39;t. You have to live with this art,&rdquo; he says.</p>

<p>Limbiah looks exhausted but his hands continue to polish without pause. The wood used to make the toys is a special kind called &#39;poniki chekka&#39; (the wood of poniki trees). These toys will never spoil or break, he asserts. He then takes out a substance he calls &lsquo;lappam&rsquo;, which looks like glue, and explains that it is the paste used to polish and make the toys strong. &nbsp;&quot;Lappam is obtained by grinding tamarind seeds and making them into a paste.&quot;</p>

<p>Many decades ago, a group of workers in Nirmal came together to organise themselves as a society and set up this workshop on land contributed by the state government. Depending on the number and variety of toys he makes, Limbiah earns between Rs. 6,000 and Rs. 7,000 a month as a craftsperson in that workshop.</p>

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<p>Artist Nampally Limbiah polishing a toy with an indigenous glue called &lsquo;lappam&rsquo;. (Others)</p>
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<p>During a break at the workshop. Right: Artist Boosani Lakshmi at her home (Others)</p>
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<p>He keeps the toy deer he is working on aside and sighs: &ldquo;It&#39;s getting difficult. We are not able to source the material anymore. One has to go deep into the forest to obtain this wood. With the effort involved, if we increase the prices of the toys, nobody buys them. I will teach my children this art because it is like an ancestral property for us, but I don&#39;t want them to take it up as a profession. I hope they study and go to the city to find &nbsp;jobs. I worry about their future.&quot;</p>

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<p>Rows of carved toy deer await painting in a corner of the workshop. (Others)</p>
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<p>Poniki trees are soft-wood and found in the forests around Nirmal. Earlier, they needed no special plantations as they were abundantly available in the wild. Now, with a serious crunch in availability of the wood, and growing restrictions on access to it in the forests, most artists have begun leaving the profession as they see no future in it.</p>

<p>The real hardships, says another worker here, are faced by the old women who live in the colony and try to make a living out of it. The men from the workshop collect wood for them and the women cut and carve the toys from that with no sophisticated tools or machinery.</p>

<p>Boosani Lakshmi, a resident of the colony, says she lost her husband a few years ago and they had no children. Since there&rsquo;s no one to support her, she doesn&#39;t have many options. Ever since she got married, she had helped her husband make these toys. It&#39;s the only work she knows.</p>

<p>&ldquo;It gets difficult at times. With the wood becoming scarce, the workshop first fulfils its own needs and then sends what remains to us to make toys. We earn around twenty rupees per piece and I try to manage my basic needs with that,&quot; she says, moving out of the house to dry the custard apple-shaped toys she has just made. Since she makes about 50 toys in a week, she earns just around Rs. 4,000 a month.</p>

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<p>Boosani Lakshmi waits for her pile of toy custard apples to dry. (Others)</p>
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<p>All that Lakshmi wants is wood. She says she can get by as long as the wood is in supply. &ldquo;Once that stops, I stop,&rdquo; she smiles.</p>

<p>This&nbsp;<a href="https://ruralindiaonline.org/articles/once-upon-a-toy-town" rel="nofollow" target="blank">article</a>&nbsp;was originally&nbsp;published on 03/06/2016 on the&nbsp;<a href="https://ruralindiaonline.org/" rel="nofollow" target="blank">People&#39;s Archive of Rural India.</a></p>


All that the toy-makers of Nirmal town in Adilabad, Telangana, want is wood to continue their age-old art

It’s a small town with a rich history. Nirmal, in the district of Adilabad in Telangana, derived its name from that of a 17th-century ruler, Nimma Naidu, who had a great interest in art and toy-making. Back then, he collected about 80 artists and started a toy-making industry that came to add cultural significance to their town. Cut to the present-day. Nirmal has mostly turned into a stop-by-spot for people travelling to Adilabad city or going to see the Kuntala waterfalls near there. But unknown to most, the age-old art of soft-wood toy-making still survives in this town of less than 1lakh residents, with just about 40 families practising it. The speciality of the Nirmal toy-makers is that they fashion their products from and in the image of flora and fauna. Besides using natural wood, they study shapes and sizes to get every curve on the toys – whether these are of animals or fruits – just right. Nirmal’s toy makers at the workshop located right in front of the colony they live in (Others) × All the toy-makers of this town live in a colony aptly called Kalanagar (‘kala’ stands for art). This locality lies right behind a workshop where the toys are made. One gifted practitioner in the workshop is Nampally Limbiah. He speaks with great pride about how he acquired the art from his father, who was a skilled man himself. “I have been seeing, living and learning this art from the time I was born! It comes easily to me. But you must know, getting a hang of it now can be difficult. Say, you want to learn it now... you can't. You have to live with this art,” he says. Limbiah looks exhausted but his hands continue to polish without pause. The wood used to make the toys is a special kind called 'poniki chekka' (the wood of poniki trees). These toys will never spoil or break, he asserts. He then takes out a substance he calls ‘lappam’, which looks like glue, and explains that it is the paste used to polish and make the toys strong. "Lappam is obtained by grinding tamarind seeds and making them into a paste." Many decades ago, a group of workers in Nirmal came together to organise themselves as a society and set up this workshop on land contributed by the state government. Depending on the number and variety of toys he makes, Limbiah earns between Rs. 6,000 and Rs. 7,000 a month as a craftsperson in that workshop. Artist Nampally Limbiah polishing a toy with an indigenous glue called ‘lappam’. (Others) × During a break at the workshop. Right: Artist Boosani Lakshmi at her home (Others) × He keeps the toy deer he is working on aside and sighs: “It's getting difficult. We are not able to source the material anymore. One has to go deep into the forest to obtain this wood. With the effort involved, if we increase the prices of the toys, nobody buys them. I will teach my children this art because it is like an ancestral property for us, but I don't want them to take it up as a profession. I hope they study and go to the city to find jobs. I worry about their future." Rows of carved toy deer await painting in a corner of the workshop. (Others) × Poniki trees are soft-wood and found in the forests around Nirmal. Earlier, they needed no special plantations as they were abundantly available in the wild. Now, with a serious crunch in availability of the wood, and growing restrictions on access to it in the forests, most artists have begun leaving the profession as they see no future in it. The real hardships, says another worker here, are faced by the old women who live in the colony and try to make a living out of it. The men from the workshop collect wood for them and the women cut and carve the toys from that with no sophisticated tools or machinery. Boosani Lakshmi, a resident of the colony, says she lost her husband a few years ago and they had no children. Since there’s no one to support her, she doesn't have many options. Ever since she got married, she had helped her husband make these toys. It's the only work she knows. “It gets difficult at times. With the wood becoming scarce, the workshop first fulfils its own needs and then sends what remains to us to make toys. We earn around twenty rupees per piece and I try to manage my basic needs with that," she says, moving out of the house to dry the custard apple-shaped toys she has just made. Since she makes about 50 toys in a week, she earns just around Rs. 4,000 a month. Boosani Lakshmi waits for her pile of toy custard apples to dry. (Others) × All that Lakshmi wants is wood. She says she can get by as long as the wood is in supply. “Once that stops, I stop,” she smiles. This article was originally published on 03/06/2016 on the People's Archive of Rural India.

Once upon a toy town

<p>The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA from Telangana, Raja Singh, on Tuesday, threatened Sanjay Leela Bhansali that he would have to pay if the history was distorted in his upcoming movie &#39;Padmavati&#39;.</p>

<p>Singh said, &quot;If Padmavati has distorted history, Sanjay Leela Bhansali will have to pay the price. We won&#39;t allow its release in Telangana.&quot;</p>

<p>&quot;In an attempt to earn money, the history is being misrepresented. Bhansali has made an attempt to bring a change in the history by portraying that Alauddin Khilji was in love with Queen Padmini,&quot; added the BJP MLA.</p>

<p>He even challenged Bhansali to make movies on Mughals, Taimur or Prophet Mohammad, adding, &quot;I will invest for it.&quot;</p>

<p>&quot;How dare you make movies on rulers who have exploited our country? He should not hurt the sentiments of Hindus,&quot; said Singh.</p>

<p>Earlier on Sunday, Union Minister Giriraj Singh dared &#39;Padmavati&#39; director Sanjay Leela Bhansali to make films on other religions.</p>

<p>The period drama starring Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh and Shahid Kapoor has been facing protests from various communal groups, including the Shree Rajput Karni Sena, for tampering historical facts.</p>


Earlier on Sunday, Union Minister Giriraj Singh dared 'Padmavati' director Sanjay Leela Bhansali to make films on other religions.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA from Telangana, Raja Singh, on Tuesday, threatened Sanjay Leela Bhansali that he would have to pay if the history was distorted in his upcoming movie 'Padmavati'. Singh said, "If Padmavati has distorted history, Sanjay Leela Bhansali will have to pay the price. We won't allow its release in Telangana." "In an attempt to earn money, the history is being misrepresented. Bhansali has made an attempt to bring a change in the history by portraying that Alauddin Khilji was in love with Queen Padmini," added the BJP MLA. He even challenged Bhansali to make movies on Mughals, Taimur or Prophet Mohammad, adding, "I will invest for it." "How dare you make movies on rulers who have exploited our country? He should not hurt the sentiments of Hindus," said Singh. Earlier on Sunday, Union Minister Giriraj Singh dared 'Padmavati' director Sanjay Leela Bhansali to make films on other religions. The period drama starring Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh and Shahid Kapoor has been facing protests from various communal groups, including the Shree Rajput Karni Sena, for tampering historical facts.

BJP MLA dares Bhansali to make movies on Mughals, Prophet Mohammad

<p>A low flying training aircraft operated by the Telangana State Aviation Academy (TSAA)&nbsp; had a narrow escape on Monday when the&nbsp;metal door from the aircraft came off&nbsp;while it was flying&nbsp;2500 feet above&nbsp;a densely populated&nbsp;area in&nbsp;Secunderabad.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Diamond- A 42 aircraft had a pilot and a trainee inside when the incident took place.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The metallic door was seen hovering in the air before falling onto a&nbsp;terrace of a house owned by one Ganesh Yadav. The aircraft had undergone tremendous turmoil before its metal door detached from it.</p>

<p>The plane later was landed safely.</p>

<p>The owner of the house said that a painter had left the terrace for a break moments before the door fell on the terrace.&nbsp;</p>

<p>No one was hurt in the incident.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Lalapet area is closely located near the Begumpet airport and therefore is&nbsp;commonly used by aircrafts for multiple flight training.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A similar incident took place in the area last month when an Indian Air Force trainee crashed her aircraft into the area. However, she&nbsp;survived the crash.</p>

<p>A senior TSAA official&nbsp;said an inquiry into the incident is underway by the Air Safety Authority of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The metal gate had been preserved by the police in the prison before being taken for further investigation.</p>

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The 3 feet tall metallic door was seen hovering in the air before falling onto a?terrace of a house owned by Ganesh Yadav.

A low flying training aircraft operated by the Telangana State Aviation Academy (TSAA) had a narrow escape on Monday when the metal door from the aircraft came off while it was flying 2500 feet above a densely populated area in Secunderabad. The Diamond- A 42 aircraft had a pilot and a trainee inside when the incident took place. The metallic door was seen hovering in the air before falling onto a terrace of a house owned by one Ganesh Yadav. The aircraft had undergone tremendous turmoil before its metal door detached from it. The plane later was landed safely. The owner of the house said that a painter had left the terrace for a break moments before the door fell on the terrace. No one was hurt in the incident. The Lalapet area is closely located near the Begumpet airport and therefore is commonly used by aircrafts for multiple flight training. A similar incident took place in the area last month when an Indian Air Force trainee crashed her aircraft into the area. However, she survived the crash. A senior TSAA official said an inquiry into the incident is underway by the Air Safety Authority of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation. The metal gate had been preserved by the police in the prison before being taken for further investigation.

Watch: Plane door falls on Telangana home

<p>Eleven bodies were retireved, while two were rescued from the debris of a seven-storey under-construction building which collapsed in India&#39;s southern state of Telangana Thursday night.</p>

<p>Initially three bodies had been recovered on Thursday, with four more retrieved late Friday, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The owner of the building was arrested, ANI reported.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Hyderabad building collapse UPDATE: Total 11 bodies recovered, two persons rescued safely. Building Owner has been arrested.</p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/807422173287563264">December 10, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<p>The victims were mostly workers who lived in the basement of the building in Nanakramguda with their families.&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to Cyberabad police commissioner Sandeep Shandilya, Rekha (35) and her son (4), were rescued and admitted to the hospital. The duo hailed from Chhattisgarh, PTI reported.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Apart from one family, all others belonged to to Vizianagaram district of Andhra Pradesh. The bodies will be sent to their native places.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The state government also announced a compensation of 10 lakh rupees to the relatives of the victims.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Action will be taken against the building owner for alleged violation of construction rules as well as officials &quot;who looked the other way&quot;, Telangana Municipal Administration minister KT Rama Rao said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Hyderabad, has been asked to inestigate the cause of the collapse and a preliminary report is expected.</p>

<p>Minister for Labour and Employment, Bandaru Dattatreya directed the Labour ministry officials in Hyderabad to provide necessary assistance to the victims.&nbsp;</p>

<p>(WION with inputs from agencies)</p>


The Telangana government also announced a compensation of 10 lakh rupees to the relatives of the victims

Eleven bodies were retireved, while two were rescued from the debris of a seven-storey under-construction building which collapsed in India's southern state of Telangana Thursday night. Initially three bodies had been recovered on Thursday, with four more retrieved late Friday, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation said. The owner of the building was arrested, ANI reported. Hyderabad building collapse UPDATE: Total 11 bodies recovered, two persons rescued safely. Building Owner has been arrested. — ANI (@ANI_news) December 10, 2016 × The victims were mostly workers who lived in the basement of the building in Nanakramguda with their families. According to Cyberabad police commissioner Sandeep Shandilya, Rekha (35) and her son (4), were rescued and admitted to the hospital. The duo hailed from Chhattisgarh, PTI reported. Apart from one family, all others belonged to to Vizianagaram district of Andhra Pradesh. The bodies will be sent to their native places. The state government also announced a compensation of 10 lakh rupees to the relatives of the victims. Action will be taken against the building owner for alleged violation of construction rules as well as officials "who looked the other way", Telangana Municipal Administration minister KT Rama Rao said. The Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Hyderabad, has been asked to inestigate the cause of the collapse and a preliminary report is expected. Minister for Labour and Employment, Bandaru Dattatreya directed the Labour ministry officials in Hyderabad to provide necessary assistance to the victims. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Hyderabad building collapse: 11 bodies recovered, 2 rescued

<p>Three people are dead after a seven-storey building that was under construction collapsed in Hyderabad in India&#39;s southern state of Telangana Thursday night.</p>

<p>ANI reported Hyderabad deputy mayor&nbsp;Baba Fasiuddin as saying 10 to 12 people are still feared trapped inside.</p>

<p>Two people, including a child, were rescued and admitted to a local hospital.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UPDATE?src=hash">#UPDATE</a> One dead in Hyderabad building collapse, rescue operations continue <a href="https://t.co/tMzFJr5yJq">pic.twitter.com/tMzFJr5yJq</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/807031978390421504">December 9, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<p>Some 10 families, most of whom were working on the construction, had been living on the premises when the collapse took place.</p>

<p>The collapse took place in the city&#39;s&nbsp;Nanakramguda area.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Telangana home minister N Narsimha Reddy said violation of construction rules had been noticed.&nbsp;</p>

<p>(WION with inputs from agencies)</p>

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Ten to 12 people are feared trapped inside

Three people are dead after a seven-storey building that was under construction collapsed in Hyderabad in India's southern state of Telangana Thursday night. ANI reported Hyderabad deputy mayor Baba Fasiuddin as saying 10 to 12 people are still feared trapped inside. Two people, including a child, were rescued and admitted to a local hospital. #UPDATE One dead in Hyderabad building collapse, rescue operations continue pic.twitter.com/tMzFJr5yJq — ANI (@ANI_news) December 9, 2016 × Some 10 families, most of whom were working on the construction, had been living on the premises when the collapse took place. The collapse took place in the city's Nanakramguda area. Telangana home minister N Narsimha Reddy said violation of construction rules had been noticed. (WION with inputs from agencies)

India: Seven-storey building under construction collapses in Hyderabad, 3 dead

At least twenty deer were found dead in a field in India&#39;s southern Telangana state today.<br />
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The matter came to light when locals in Mahabubnagar district who came across the dead deer reported it to the authorities.<br />
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Residents believe the animals died after consuming pesticide-laced fruit lying on the ground.<br />
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&quot;Since sometime, strong winds have been blowing in this region, due to which fruit have been falling from trees. The deer must have consumed those. Probably because of pesticides and other chemicals in them, about 20-25 deer died,&quot; said Neeraj, a local.<br />
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However, some claimed it is possible the deer consumed harmful substances at another place and died by the time they reached the field.<br />
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&quot;About 20-25 deer have been found dead. Deer can walk up to five kilometers after eating food, so there is a chance that they consumed pesticides in some other field,&quot; said a farmer, Ramesh.<br />
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Cases of wild animals straying into human settlements are not uncommon in India. More often than not, they are killed either accidentally or by people.<br />
<br />
(Reuters)

Residents say the deer may have died after eating fruits sprayed with pesticides off the ground or could have eaten harmful things elsewhere

At least twenty deer were found dead in a field in India's southern Telangana state today. The matter came to light when locals in Mahabubnagar district who came across the dead deer reported it to the authorities. Residents believe the animals died after consuming pesticide-laced fruit lying on the ground. "Since sometime, strong winds have been blowing in this region, due to which fruit have been falling from trees. The deer must have consumed those. Probably because of pesticides and other chemicals in them, about 20-25 deer died," said Neeraj, a local. However, some claimed it is possible the deer consumed harmful substances at another place and died by the time they reached the field. "About 20-25 deer have been found dead. Deer can walk up to five kilometers after eating food, so there is a chance that they consumed pesticides in some other field," said a farmer, Ramesh. Cases of wild animals straying into human settlements are not uncommon in India. More often than not, they are killed either accidentally or by people. (Reuters)

20 deer found dead after 'eating poisoned fruits' in south India

Police in India&#39;s southern Telangana state today arrested eight juveniles for burning three puppies alive.<br />
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The incident took place on July 14 in Murshidabad area of Hyderabad city, but only came to light after a video of the boys setting the puppies on fire went viral on social media.<br />
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&quot;We have registered a case under 429 Indian Penal Code (IPC) and cruelty (against) animals act, and during the course of investigation we have identified all the boys and all the eight juvenile boys were apprehended and they are being produced before juvenile court today,&quot; said, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Kamal Hasan Reddy, in provincial capital Hyderabad.<br />
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Section 429 of the IPC makes it illegal to injure or maim any animal worth 50 Rupees (about USD 0.75) or more.<br />
<br />
Animal rights activists had registered a police complaint on Wednesday on the basis of the video.<br />
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The video shows the boys setting three puppies on fire after tying them together and covering them with dry grass and sticks in a graveyard. The puppies could be heard squealing as they try to escape the flames but are pushed back into the fire.<br />
<br />
It was only a couple of days back that a dog was thrown off the terrace of a five-storey building by a medical student in southern Chennai city in another incident of brutality on animals.<br />
<br />
(Reuters)

The incident took place on July 14 in Murshidabad area of Hyderabad city, but only came to light after a video went viral on social media

Police in India's southern Telangana state today arrested eight juveniles for burning three puppies alive. The incident took place on July 14 in Murshidabad area of Hyderabad city, but only came to light after a video of the boys setting the puppies on fire went viral on social media. "We have registered a case under 429 Indian Penal Code (IPC) and cruelty (against) animals act, and during the course of investigation we have identified all the boys and all the eight juvenile boys were apprehended and they are being produced before juvenile court today," said, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Kamal Hasan Reddy, in provincial capital Hyderabad. Section 429 of the IPC makes it illegal to injure or maim any animal worth 50 Rupees (about USD 0.75) or more. Animal rights activists had registered a police complaint on Wednesday on the basis of the video. The video shows the boys setting three puppies on fire after tying them together and covering them with dry grass and sticks in a graveyard. The puppies could be heard squealing as they try to escape the flames but are pushed back into the fire. It was only a couple of days back that a dog was thrown off the terrace of a five-storey building by a medical student in southern Chennai city in another incident of brutality on animals. (Reuters)

Police in southern India arrest eight juveniles for burning puppies alive

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