Jagan has reportedly been given the President’s appointment at 9 PM on Monday night. The YSRCP chief, along with other leaders, would submit a memorandum to the President over the devastations caused due to recent heavy rains in the State.

The President of India will be in city for two days from Monday to participate in the Passing Out parade of IPS probationers from the National Police Academy.

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The RTA authorities have conducted surprise checks on Mumbai-Hyderabad and Hyderabad-Bangalore National Highways and other major check-posts across the State to check violation of rules by the private bus operators. While three buses were seized on NH-9, nine buses were seized at Shahpur check-post near Shamshabad. Two buses were also seized near Kotipalli of East Godavari district. As many as eight buses in Vijayawada, six in Ranga Reddy district and one bus in Nellore have also been seized by the authorities for violation of rules.

Five cases have been registered against the private operators in Anantapur district for not maintenance of proper records. The authorities say that the checks would continue until all private operators follow rules.

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Talking to reporters here on Thursday, Chandrababu Naidu said that the State Government was yet to complete the proper enumeration of losses in the affected districts. He said the details of losses suffered due to Phailin cyclone and recent heavy rains and floods were not sent to the Central Government. He alleged that the losses were still being estimated and the officials have no accurate figures to claim compensation or assistance from the Central Government.

The TDP chief alleged that Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy was neither able to assure the victims of proper help nor he gave any guidelines to the officials in dealing with the situation. He said several villages, which were completely inundated in flood waters, need to be reconstructed from the ground level. However, no efforts are being made by the government to restore them, he alleged.

Chandrababu Naidu also expressed grief over the bus fire mishap in Mahabubnagar district which claimed 45 lives.

TDP MPs K Narayana and M Venugopal Reddy and MLA Devineni Uma were also present during the press conference.

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The private Volvo bus, belonging to Jabbar Travels, caught fire after hitting a culvert near Palem in Kottakota mandal of Mahabubnagar district, while coming from Bangalore to Hyderabad around 4.20 AM. Five persons, who survived the tragedy, were later admitted to a hospital. The diesel tanker reportedly exploded after the bus hit the culvert and within no time the entire bus caught fire.

Speaking to media persons at the RTA Office at Khairtabad, Transport Minister Botsa Satyanarayan confirmed 45 deaths in the tragic accident. He said that five injured persons were undergoing treatment in a hospital. He said that the Jabbar Travels took the bus on lease. He said help lines have been set up to help the relatives and the process of identification of dead bodies have been started.

Botsa said that the decision on payment of compensation to the victims’ families would be taken after Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy returns from Srikakulam tour. He said all steps would be taken to prevent such incidents in future.

The Mahabubnagar district police have opened help lines with the following numbers: 9494600100, 08542-245927, 245930, 245932.

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Speaking to media persons after participating in the review meeting held by Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy at the State Secretariat here on Thursday, Revenue Minister Dr N Raghuveera Reddy said that while four people were killed in Prakasam district, six deaths have been reported from Hyderabad and other places in the State due to rain-related incidents. Crops spread across 2.5 lakh hectares and nearly 300 houses were damaged due to heavy rains.

So far, about 6,500 people have been shifted from low-lying areas to 19 relief camps set up in the affected areas. He informed that nine passengers of a bus who were stranded in floods in Prakasam have been rescued by the local residents and authorities.

Stating that the relief and rescue operations was being taken up on war footing, he said all the District Administrations have been put on alert in view of a warning by the Met Department of heavy to very heavy rains in the several parts of the State during the next two days. He said help would be sought from the National Disaster Management Authority and other agencies, wherever required. He appealed to the people to assist and cooperate with the local authorities in the relief and rehabilitation works.

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Nearly 60 Congress leaders including ministers and other elected representatives are likely to meet the President at about 7 PM today. An hour later, they would also meet AICC General Secretary Digvijay Singh on the Telangana issue.

Talking to reporters, State Minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao said that the bifurcation was not in the interest of Andhra Pradesh and it is being done in an undemocratic manner. He said that there was no precedent wherein a State was divided without passing a resolution in the Legislative Assembly of the concerned State. Therefore, he said that the President would be requested to ensure that the State Assembly be empowered to decide on bifurcation. Further, he said that the division should be stopped if the Telangana Resolution gets defeated in the State Legislative Assembly.

The visit of Seemandhra leaders to the national capital gains significance in view of reports that the Telangana Bill is likely to be sent to the State Assembly by November end.

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Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema were the worst hit although heavy rains disrupted normal life in several parts of Telangana region. Kalingapatnam of Srikakulam district received maximum rainfall of 32 centimetres followed by Ongole (31); Kakinada (20); Bapatla (12); Visakhapatnam (10); Vizag Airport (8); Machlipatnam (7) and Narsapur and Gannavaram received 5 cm of rainfall in the last 24 hours.

Several localities in villages and towns were submerged following heavy rains. The road transportation came to a halt in several towns after roads got inundated due to heavy rainfall. The train services too were badly affected and the authorities had to divert several trains due to overflowing of tracks near Ichchapuram and other places. Incessant rains also disrupted the normal life in Hyderabad and massive traffic jams were reported from several places.

While one death was reported from Guntur district, three more persons of a family were killed due to wall collapse in Hyderabad on Thursday.

The entire administration has been put an alert and District Collectors have been asked to evacuate people from low-lying areas, wherever necessary.

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The TDP chief on Thursday called up Chief Secretary Dr PK Mohanty requesting him to hasten the rescue operations in rain affected district. He asked him to engage helicopters to air-lifted people stranded in Eduraldapadu of Prakasam district and other places. He said that the relief and rescue operations should be taken on war-footing.

Meanwhile, Naidu also the TDP cadre to help the authorities in rescue and relief works wherever needed in the flood affected areas.

- INN